Mijares vs. Darchinyan: The Art of War

by Paul Magno

The list of Mexican ring legends is long and impressive. From Olivares to Chavez to Barrera, Mexico has produced some of the greatest warriors to ever step foot in the ring. This generation also has its share of Mexican legends in the making. Names like Marquez and Vazquez come to mind as heirs apparent and right behind them is Cristian Mijares, the slick southpaw world titlist who is one of Boxing’s few unified champs.

If Mijares were 30 lbs heavier he would be setting the world on fire, but as a 115 lb Super Flyweight, his fame has been slow in coming. Most fight fans know Mijares more for his inclusion on most legitimate pound 4 pound list than for his actual fights. But Mijares has earned his respect the old fashioned way- by fighting. Mijares’ drive is to beat the best and earn his place among the elite Mexican legends…and he’s well on his way to doing it. The names on his resume speak for themselves: Arce, Muñoz, Navarro, Kawashima…

On November 1st, in the Home Depot Center, the Mexican contingent in Southern California will turn out in full force to see Mijares earn his place among their legends.

Vic Darchinyan, the Armenian Raging Bull, doesn’t care at all about any of that. Darchinyan is built for destruction, designed for war, and that’s the way he goes about living his ring life. History and legend status be damned, he just wants to beat guys up.

“It doesn’t matter where I fight him. I’ll fight him anywhere. I’ll fight him in Mexico. After the first round the Mexican crowd will be silent. There will be nothing for them to cheer about. I don’t mind coming in being the bad guy,” said the reigning IBF champ. “They said Mijares is pound-for-pound the best fighter out there, but after I get finished with him we’ll see what number he is. I’m going to give a lesson to the little boy.”

Even in his sole loss, to Filipino Nonito Donaire at Flyweight, Darchinyan went out swinging, ready to rumble almost as soon as he was counted out. Just 3 months after that loss, Darchinyan was back in the ring and, shortly after that, was fighting tough Filipino prospect, Z Gorres to a draw- in the Phillipines. A little more than a year following his loss to Donaire, he went about tearing apart and stopping Dimitri Kirilov in 5 to capture the vacant IBF Super Flyweight title.

This Saturday, November 1st, fans watching Showtime will be treated to a very rare win-win situation. They will either see a tactical Boxing clinic and the coronation of one of Mexico’s next legends or they will be treated to a bloody war of attrition.

Don’t let their size fool you…This has all the makings of a classic. The Art of War, indeed.

For TV times, as well as a chance to make your prediction for this Saturday’s Mijares/Darchinyan fight, check out The Blue Corner- Pound 4 Pound, Boxing’s Best Forum: http://boxingtimes.com/bluecorner/index.php

Will The Hopkins Win Bring Floyd Mayweather Back?

by Paul Magno

There’s nothing better than an “F-You” moment.

The “F-You” moment is where you can face your critics, look them straight in the eye and let out a big “F-You.” If we’re lucky, we get one good “F-You” moment in our lives where we achieve something despite the doubts and negative comments from people who presume to judge us. Bernard Hopkins has had several such moments.

Hopkins’ second fight with Segundo Mercado for the IBF Middleweight title was a solid example of one of those supremely satisfying moments. He was coming off a draw with Mercado in the Rainforest swelter of Quito, Ecuador and, more shockingly, had suffered two knockdowns in the bout. However, Hopkins rose to the occasion in the rematch and soundly won to begin his reign as King of the 160 pounders.

Other “F-You” moments were when he first unified his IBF and the WBC title against slick southpaw, Keith Holmes. Then, his unification with Felix Trinidad, where despite being a champ with 14 defenses, he came in as the 2 to 1 underdog. Also, there was the fight with Antonio Tarver, where Hopkins moved up in weight to dominate the consensus #1 Light Heavyweight in the world following two straight losses to Jermain Taylor.

But the biggest such moment came Saturday, the 18^th, when he battered and dominated the 26 year old Kelly Pavlik in a one-sided Boxing clinic. After his loss to Joe Calzaghe, the Hopkins haters were out in force, gleefully predicting a blow-out KO loss to the power-punching Pound 4 Pound fighter from Youngstown, Ohio. As we now all know, Hopkins proved his critics wrong and was eager to point that out.

After the one-sided decision was announced, Hopkins walked over to the side of the ring and stared down the collected Boxing press and front row big shots for a long, awkward amount of time. It was, without a doubt, the king of all “F-You” moments.

Cut to Floyd “Money” Mayweather…

Mayweather was probably watching B-Hop’s dominance from the comfort of his rapidly devaluing, million dollar estate in Las Vegas. A smile had to be plastered all over his face as he watched another real professional fighter buck the system and shove mad skills right down the critics’ throats.

The rush of the “F-You” moment is not lost on Mayweather. In a lot of ways, his entire career has been built around generating them. However, whereas Hopkins’ triumphs were heartfelt and honest displays of his rough past, Mayweather’s attempts at flipping off the establishment have been forced, almost staged.

Sure, there are a couple of moments in his career where he could’ve given a legit “F-You” to his nay-sayers. One would be when a 21 year old Mayweather beat 2 time and 11-defense world champ Genaro Hernandez for his first world title. Another was when he solidly handled Jose Luis Castillo in the rematch of a much tougher than expected first bout.

But, for a good part of his career as a top fighter, Mayweather has seemed to be forcing those “F-You” moments and trying to convince us that what we just saw was the fight that made his legacy complete; The fight that would finally silence the critics.

The Gatti and Baldomir fights were designed to generate “F-You” moments. Mayweather was moving up in weight for both fights, taking on much larger men for world titles at 140 and 147 respectively. The only problem was that Mayweather was so much more skilled, so much more talented, that he made the fights look too easy and both Gatti and Baldomir seemed sickly in comparison.

Then there were the Hatton and De La Hoya fights which were signed in an attempt to fabricate “F-You” moments. However, Mayweather, the favorite, did exactly what was expected of him in both fights and he came out on top. After both victories, tears were shed and the patented “look up to heaven” posture was assumed, but they were hollow celebrations. It’s hard to feel vindicated when a fighter is the favorite coming into the fight and does exactly what most experts expect him to do. In a lot of ways, Mayweather’s own abilities and skills have made it virtually impossible to have that feeling of an underdog winning against all odds that Hopkins surely enjoyed when he mopped the floor with Pavlik.

There’s little doubt that the only thing greater than Mayweather’s skill-set is his ego and for someone with such a sense of the melodramatic, seeing Hopkins stare down the world had to bring about pangs of envy. That was the type of moment “Money“ had been trying to stage for his last 5 or 6 fights, but he was always denied. So, as a result, he would resort to his back up plan to retire over and over again. In the mind of Mayweather, pound 4 pound Boxing‘s talent and ego, he would show his critics off by simply taking his ball and going home.

Now, in his latest (and most serious) retirement, things have changed a bit. Rumors are rampant that Mayweather‘s financial situation may not be as rock solid as previously thought and that he may be taking a beating with some of his investments, not to mention the theft of nearly 7 million dollars in jewelry and other possessions from his home awhile back.

Combine the financial stuff with the feeling among many critics that Mayweather retired just to avoid his biggest ring tests in Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito and you’ve got a real, virtual beat down coming Pretty Boy’s way.

Mayweather has felt the blunt attacks of his critics before and has never let it affect him, but when you take his recent string of bad luck, mix it in with the bad publicity and then add in the high-drama satisfaction of Hopkins‘ victory and post-fight vindication- You get the perfect recipe for a true Mayweather comeback. The difference is that now, if Mayweather decides to come back, he really would be considered an underdog by many. He has to know this and he has to be, at the very least, intrigued by the idea of finally getting that career-defining “F-You” moment.

Will Hopkins’ “F-You” moment pull Boxing’s biggest temperamental prodigy out of a premature retirement? Only time will tell. My guess is that Mayweather’s ego will bring him back long before his bank account does.

The Standing 8 Count (10/26/08)

by Madcow

Before I begin this very special, extra spooooky Halloween edition of the Standing 8 Count, I just want to climb on my soapbox and talk a little about the fight this last Friday between Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade.

There was no way Andrade was getting back to the States with that belt. The ref, the crowd and the judges were going to prevent any sort of title change and Andrade didn’t make things any easier for himself by waiting so late before coming on strong. But all this leads to a greater issue: The screw jobs foreign fighters get when fighting outside their home country, especially in Europe, Asia and, now, Europe Light- Canada.

If you’re an American or Latin American fighter fighting outside your country, you will get screwed…and screwed in the most blatant and obscene ways.

That’s why I’m pushing for a moratorium on any fighters taking the long trip to challenge for a title overseas. My recommendation for those fighters thinking of travelling abroad is to stay at home where you’ll get a fair shot or accept the fact that you will lose, no matter how much you deserve to win.

Say what you will about the good, ol’ U, S of A, but we are definitely more hospitable and fair-minded when it comes to foreign fighters coming to our country to challenge for titles. Until we get that same courtesy extended to us when we fight abroad, we should just stay home.

Ok, I’m off the soapbox…

Now, gather close kiddies and enjoy our first annual Halloween Special:

Straight from the virus-ridden e-mail account of one of my alcoholic sources, I just got sent a list of Boxers and their Halloween, trick or treat costumes this year. I thought I’d share them with ya, so here it goes:

Sam Peter:Dracula…Because he sucks…blood.

Bernard Hopkins: A Ghostbuster…Get it? Ghost buster? Ha! I kill myself!

Kelly Pavlik: The Mummy. All he’d have to do to master the Mummy step is watch his Hopkins fight tapes.

Winky Wright: The Invisible Man…Where is he? Spooky!

Ivan Calderon: One of those cute little monsters from the movie, Gremlins. Remember, don’t get Calderon wet and NEVER feed him after midnight!

Vic Darchinyan: Yosemite Sam.. because he’s going to look as ridiculous chasing Cristian Mijares as Yosemite Sam looked trying to chase down Bugs Bunny.

Wladimir Klitschko: Frankenstein. Maybe now that his fight with Alexander Povetkin is postponed, he can invite Povetkin trick or treating, slap a bee-hive wig on his future foe and call him the Bride of Frankenstein.

David Haye: Amir Khan…’nuff said.

Lucian Bute: Houdini…for being able to escape the Andrade fight with the title.

Referee Marlon B. Wright: The crooked cop from the Godfather, you know, the one who got shot in the restaurant by Michael Corleone…or some other paid-off official.

Paul Williams: Mr. Salty, that lovable pretzel guy.

Nikolay Valuev, Librado Andrade and Antonio Margarito: The cast from the movie, “Quest for Fire.”

And, of course, James Toney: Jabba The Hut. Toney’s going with the Star Wars theme after last year’s successful Big Mama costume from the movie, Big Mama’s House.

Ok, that’s all for this week. I have to stuff my face with miniature Crunch bars and fun packs of M&M’s. Hopefully there’ll be enough for the kiddies when they knock on my fortified bunker this Friday….

Happy Halloween…and watch out for all the little goblins and baby Madcows that go bump in the night…Oooohhhhh…Spooooooky…

In With The Old, Out With Samuel Peter

by Damon Ealy

I  know Showtime didn’t broadcast Vitali’s high-tech ring entrance last week in Berlin, but just as a bit of a contrarian voice to everyone who saw it and thought it was all that and a sack of spätzle:

Yes, it was technologically impressive. And yes, it was kind of fun. It might mean I’m dim-witted, but seeing George Foreman smile makes me smile. (Hell, seeing him frown makes me smile.) And having Evander Holyfield pass the mic to Tyson, as it were, with a friendly sort of “Hey, Mike? What do you think about this one?” was either a stroke of genius or strikingly tone-deaf.

But really, if that’s your idea of the “best ring entrance ever” (Google it; someone does), you probably prefer New York New York in Vegas to the actual New York. You probably think Apollo Creed as Uncle Sam was tactful and understated. You probably wear a Speedo to the beach. (Ahem. Germans.)

I’m just saying. Isn’t a less-is-more approach more true to this sport? Think vintage Tyson. (Or even
late-’90s Tyson. Just don’t think the pudgy holo-Tyson of October 2008.) Vintage Tyson, accompanied only by a Public Enemy track, bass-heavy and distorted over the P.A. at the Atlantic City Convention Hall, didn’t want your well-wishes. He knew what he was going to do, and he didn’t need a bunch of has-beens encouraging him. Or messing up his corner. (And that bad look on your face–you think Vitali’s going to knock it off?)

Back to the subject. The Vitali Klitschko pregame show was neat. I’ll concede that. It was cutting-edge. But it was as much a pre-fight face-slap as anything Naseem Hamed or Hector Camacho ever pulled off. So if you’re loving this one but thought Hamed was a twat for riding the magic carpet, stop. Imagine that you’re Samuel Peter. You managed to dump Vitali’s brother, almost his doppelganger, three times on a night three years ago and still lose a decision. Since then, you’ve won five in a row, picking up the WBC title along the way, while Vitali Klitschko, voluntarily out of the game, still reigns as WBC “champion emeritus.” (A phrase that will always go in scare quotes because it’s so stupid.) Now you’ve come to his backyard to fight him. You’ve endured being made the underdog by the books and being treated as the pesky challenger at the press conference. And as he enters the ring, you’ve got five of the greatest heavyweights ever, who’ve been talked into making little recordings for the event, wishing him luck. Him–the favorite!

In a perfect world, Samuel Peter gets fired up and ruins everything for the home team, dumping Vitali and moving on to a rematch with Wladimir next spring. In an imperfect world, Samuel Peter, looking listless and unmotivated, gets hit with straight punches on repeat, barely touches Vitali, and surrenders when open scoring brings the fact that he can only win by knockout to stark clarity.

In a cruel world (the real one–the one that we know and live in), Sam Peter finds out that Vitali Klitschko jabbed his way to victory with hands that had been soaked in baby piss (“Power of Pee Keeps Klitschko’s Fists Pounding,” Deutsche Welle):

“Baby wee is good because it’s pure, doesn’t contain toxins and doesn’t smell,” the 37-year-old boxer told the paper after winning the title bout on Saturday.
“I wrap diapers filled with my three-year-old son Max’s wee around my fists,” he said, adding that the idea originated with his grandmother. “The nappies hold the liquid and the swelling stays down.”

All of those guys represented in hologram were underdogs at some point, and they all took losses somewhere in their careers, all probably more dispiriting than what Samuel Peter experienced that night. It’d have been a nice touch for them to drop by Peter’s dressing room after the fight with some encouraging words.

The Standing 8 Count (10/19/08)

by Madcow

Well, what can this crazed farmyard animal say about what Bernard Hopkins did to Kelly Pavlik last night? This was was such a complete and total boxing clinic that even I find myself unable to find the words. This fight brings up the question of whether Hopkins will ever retire. Think about it- in 55 pro fights over more than 2 decades have you ever even seen B-Hop with as much as a welt under his eye?  I’d hate to come across the man bad enough to retire The Executioner.

Man, the old guy was beating up on that kid so bad, I was tempted to call Child Protective Services…

But Hooray for us old guys! Maybe now this middle-aged columnist will get the respect he deserves when he walks into his neighborhood gym with his massive beer gut and Cheetoh-stained fingers. Don’t mess with us old-timers!

Inspired by Hopkins’ masterful performance, I put together a list of active geezers who are still kicking ass and taking names. So, without further delay, here’s Madcow’s Top 10 Geezers:

1. Bernard Hopkins (43): It goes without saying. The guy may have losses on his record, but he has never been dominated and, last night, he beat a 26 year old Pound 4 Pound guy. Think about it- Hopkins has beaten Howard Eastman, Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright and, now, Kelly Pavlik- all after his 40th birthday. Look up the word “bad-ass” in Webster’s and you’ll find a picture of B-Hop.

2. Nate Campbell (36): The guy beat  Juan Diaz, the great Mexican-American Lightweight wunderkind- in Mexico! And not only did he beat him, but he beat him up. Campbell was brought in as a faded ex-champ to be fed to Diaz, the ferocious Lion, but “The Galaxy Warrior” manned-up and showed the difference between a powerful kid and a strong man. Here’s hoping Campbell can get some money fights soon.

3. Vernon Forrest (37): The Viper’s still got some moves and is still the class at 154 until someone proves otherwise…and how can you not love a guy who beat the snot out of Sergio Mora?

4. Glen Johnson (39): Before showing this guy the door, remember that he holds victories over Roy Jones, Antonio Tarver and Clinton Woods…and he nearly upset Chad Dawson. What’s more scary is the fact that he’s shown no signs of slowing down.

5. James Toney (40): While “Lights Out” would be a long-shot to beat any of the reigning Heavyweight champs, there is nobody in the division who knows more about Boxing than him and he’d be a tough fight for anyone in the top 20. The guy’s fighting 10 years and 4 weight classes past his prime- and still a threat!

6. Joel Casamayor (37): Before writing this old geezer off, remember this is the same guy who slapped around the much younger and stronger Michael Katsidis in the fight prior to the Marquez fight. Also, you need to remember that his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez was as tight as could be right up until the very end. This Cuban’s not going to just fade away.

7. Antonio Tarver (39): He put in a respectable performance against a prime, energized Chad Dawson and is about as fresh as a 39 year old can be. He’ll be back at, or near, the top soon.

8. Verno Phillips (38): You can’t get more blue-collar than Phillips. He’s toiled in obscurity for so long, but has always been a smart, exciting fighter on the cusp of world-class. Now, he’s champ again and will hopefully make some money in his next fight against Paul Williams on HBO. The Williams fight looks like the end of the line for Phillips, but I’ll never forget the guy who made Cory Spinks disappear.

9. Gerry Penalosa (36) : 36 years old is ancient in “Little Man Years.” Heck, that’s like 92 in normal human years! But you gotta love the guy for calling out the next big thing, Juan Manuel Lopez. I hope he gets that one last big payday before one of the young bucks take him out.

10. Oscar De la Hoya (35): I struggled with the last spot, but eventually gave it to Oscar. To give the credit he’s due- When he’s not fighting Dorf on Boxing or recording ear-splitting Latin Pop albums, the guy can still box and could still be the best Jr. Middleweight in the world.

So, there’s my list of Boxing’s Top 10 Geezers. I need to take a nap now…

See ya when I sees ya!

Pavlik vs. Hopkins (Part 2): Making the Case for The Ghost

by Paul Magno

Like Bernard Hopkins, Kelly Pavlik has become an unlikely success story in Boxing and has battled long- shot odds to make himself a force in the sport. Pavlik’s story is just as compelling as Hopkins’ but a lot more wholesome. He looks more like your buddy from the factory than a real, elite athlete, but appearances are very often deceiving and Kelly’s been engaged in shattering stereotypes his whole career.

A world class fighter shouldn’t look like him; Battered industrial towns shouldn’t produce world champs; His trainer, a relative novice who paves driveways by day, shouldn’t be in a world champion‘s corner; He shouldn’t have beaten Olympian, defending champ and pound for pound candidate Jermain Taylor; He shouldn’t have survived the barrage from Taylor in the 2nd round of their fight that saw his legs turn to spaghetti. But somehow, with the help of a blue-collar work ethic and an almost freakish jaw-breaking punching power, all the “shouldn’ts” became a great, big “can.”

Pavlik worked his way to the top of his division the hard way and was forced to fight for respect from day one. He was never the beneficiary of a world-class promotional push and never the recipient of easy, hometown match making. Instead, he battled his way to the top on non-televised functions and in filler fights on Spanish language UHF Boxing shows. In his first 11 pro fights, Pavlik fought in 8 different states and only twice throughout his career has found himself fighting in front of his hometown, Youngstown, Ohio fans. But through all the traveling and low-paying undercard fights, Pavlik maintained his intensity and handled everyone put in front of him.

There were several times where he could’ve given up his dream, but “The Ghost” handled the adversity like everything else in his career- he walked right through it and beat it into submission.

In the 1^st round of his first real, televised main event bout for the NABF Middleweight title, Pavlik was floored by Fulgencio Zuniga. The power-punching Colombian smacked Pavlik with a wild left hand that sent him to the canvas. Pavlik got up and, despite being buzzed a couple of other times, went on to wear down and wipe out Zuniga in 9.

Other solid opponents followed like Bronco McKart, Lenord Pierre, Jose Luis Zertuche and bomb-throwing, wild man, Edison Miranda. Kelly would take all their best shots and essentially walk through them and make them yield. However, his career was defined by a dominant win over reigning Middleweight king, Jermain Taylor.

Pavlik was almost sent packing after some uncharacteristic showboating led to him taking several flush bombs, but Pavlik fought through the rubber legs and eventually stopped Taylor to become the new lineal Middleweight champ. Two other fights followed- another win against a much more focused Taylor and the other a blow-out over hapless UK import, Gary Lockett.

At any point, he can call it a career and rest assured that his professional life would be characterized as a success, but Kelly has always been an overachiever and there is so much more for him to accomplish.

Why Pavlik will beat Bernard Hopkins

Time is on His Side: Pavlik was in the first grade when Hopkins made his pro debut. There is no cruder, more  direct way to say that Hopkins’ time has passed. Hopkins showed an uncharacteristic lack of energy in his last fight with Joe Calzaghe. Unlike Calzaghe, though, Pavlik is a pressure fighter and he is a tremendously physical boxer who tends to push and push until his opponent simply goes away. Older fighters usually don’t regain their mojo once they begin to get winded in fights they previously would’ve walked right through. This doesn’t bode well for a middle-aged fighter who has to take on a prime, world-class boxer.

Active Participation: B-hop can dodge and frustrate all he wants, but he’ll have to deal with a very active, persistent Pavlik. If Hopkins wants to win, he has to throw punches and make those punches count. Over his last 5 fights, Hopkins has averaged under 11 punches landed a round. This will be nowhere near enough to outscore The Ghost. Hopkins needs to actually land some punches in order to win rounds against a guy who may be out throwing him 3 to 1.

Let’s get Physical: The move up in weight probably won’t be a factor for Pavlik, but what will be a factor is that Hopkins will have to get in the trenches and work inside if he wants to be effective. Hopkins’ last several opponents were not physical in the least and he will have to juice up his physical game this time if he wants to have a shot. It will be hard, if not impossible, for an aging fighter to keep up the pace against a young, strong physical fighter like Pavlik. Sooner or later something will give in this type of give-and-take war- and it’s more likely to be the 43 year old war horse than that 26 year old stallion.

(Voice your opinion about this fight and anything else on The Boxing Times Blue Corner: Pound 4 Pound, Boxing’s Best Forum. Click on the Boxing Times link located on the right hand side of the screen, in the “Blogroll” section, to be a part of our crew.)

Pavlik vs. Hopkins (Part 1): Making the Case for B-Hop

by Paul Magno

Bernard Hopkins rubs people the wrong way. He is the converted street thug who will do anything to stay on top and, worst of all, when things don’t go his way, he will make sure that you can’t enjoy your good fortune. He is the type of guy who may lose the tug-of-war, but will surely push you in the mud pit before you claim your trophy.

Hopkins is accused of being dirty and of overstaying his welcome in the sport. Some will even stretch so far as to doubt B-Hop’s legacy, but his resume doesn’t lie and history certainly bares out the fact that Hopkins’ career has been something truly special.

He was the last fighter to hold all four recognized world titles in his division; 21 successful title defenses; He cleaned out a solid Middleweight division and faced all worthy challengers; He moved up to Light Heavyweight and handed the linear and true 175 lb. champ at the time, Antonio Tarver, a one-sided loss; 23-4-1 in world title fights over a 20-year career; Never blown away, never outclassed and 4 of his 5 losses were close fights that produced controversy.

All of the previous achievements would be outstanding on their own, but they are truly amazing when you take into consideration that Hopkins did most of that while being a free agent maverick who expressed open disdain for the press, the promotional companies and the sanctioning organizations. Hopkins was the visitor most of the time, even when he was a defending champion.

Now that Hopkins has entered the final stages of his career, people have just characterized him as a bum who cheats his way to dubious victories. However, what they fail to realize is that Hopkins’ last three opponents have been awkward southpaws. Few fighters can look graceful fighting a frenetic guy like Joe Calzaghe and a defensive whiz like Winky Wright. Hopkins was text book against his last three southpaw foes: Smothering the lefties’ power right hands and giving his clumsy opponents a taste of their own medicine by keeping them off-balance. Even a guy like Jermain Taylor, who was technically an orthodox fighter, was an odd, clumsy fighter to go up against. If anything, Hopkins has fallen victim to the fact that he is willing to fight anyone and everyone, even those who are more than likely to make his path to victory an ugly one.

This Saturday, Hopkins faces the 26 year old Middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik in what many are considering his last hurrah. After his uncharacteristically flat performance against Calzaghe, most of his critics are confidently declaring the era of “The Executioner” to be over. When a 43 year old prize fighter has a flat performance and is about to step into the ring with a prime, world-class fighter in his mid-20’s, the writing should most definitely be on the wall. But Bernard Hopkins has never been one to live down to his critics’ low expectations. He has made it his lifetime duty to do things he wasn’t supposed to be able to do. He wasn’t supposed to be able to make it off the streets and out of prison; He wasn’t supposed to be able to enjoy a long career by being the outsider in the sport; He wasn’t supposed to be able to make the move to Light Heavy; He wasn’t supposed to be able to be a relevant fighter well into his mid-40’s.

It would be a big mistake to doubt Bernard Hopkins’ ability to shock us all.

Why Hopkins will beat Kelly Pavlik:

Right Makes Might: As mentioned earlier, Hopkins’ last three opponents were awkward southpaws- especially Calzaghe and Wright. Even Jermain Taylor, despite being an orthodox opponent, was a clumsy fighter to deal with as well.

In comparison, Pavlik is almost painfully orthodox and boxes straight up and down. After dealing with strange, clumsy fighters in his last several bouts, fighting Pavlik will be a much more comfortable chore.

The “Wizard of Oz Syndrome:”  As noted above, Kelly Pavlik is a straight up and down, “1-2” type fighter. He’s been able to get by his opponents so far using raw power and dogged determination. Against Hopkins, his “Jab, Right Hand, Walk” routine simply won’t be enough. Hopkins plays the game on a completely different level and will make Pavlik miss and essentially doubt his entire game plan.

For Kelly, to step up and fight a guy like Hopkins is like stepping out of a black and white world of predictable outcomes into a universe of vivid color where he will have to rely on his brain even more than his brawn.

Like in the Wizard of Oz, when he goes from black and white to color, he will need to find a heart, a brain and tons of courage.

Reading His Own Clippings: It’s very common for a power puncher to start reading his own press and become enamored with his ability to knock opponents flat. This often turns guys into even cruder brawlers who are now only looking to land that big shot to satisfy their reputation and reinforce the hype that they’ve already bought into.

This is not to say that Pavlik falls into that category yet, but there’s no doubt that he feels he should be able to KO a 43 year old fighter who looked winded and weak against a less-than-intense fighter like Calzaghe. He should be able to make Hopkins wince in pain with the same fists that leveled guys like Jermain Taylor and Edison Miranda. This is a no-brainer for a guy like Pavlik- the old man should be taken out.

However, Hopkins is a tough cookie to crack and has never been seriously hurt in a fight. He’s tough to pin down and even tougher to target with a massive power shot. Ask Felix Trinidad, Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson and Antwun Echols how easy it is to get a clean shot at B-Hop’s chin. All of these power punchers were kept off-balance the whole night by Hopkins’ genius-level defense. All were looking for a chance to land their one shot that could end the fight, but their chance never came and Hopkins cruised to easy victories against them all. What’s to say that Pavlik, who is probably a lesser technical fighter than many of Hopkins’ stronger opponents, won’t be put into the same situation- Left waiting for his chance to load up against the middle-aged ex-champ while losing round after round in the process?

(Part 2: Making the case for The Ghost on Thursday)

The Standing 8 Count (10/12/08)

by Madcow

All Hail The Maddest, Baddest Bovine Ever to Break The Bank at the MGM Grand….Me!

Well, I haven’t seen a one-sided televised beating like Vitali Klitschko vs. Sam Peter since the Rodney King video. Peter was never in the fight and seemed resigned to his fate from the moment he and Vitali were engaged in the girly she-fight over who gets to hold the title belt.

The only thing worthwhile about the whole event was Klitschko’s entrance, which featured holograms of past champions George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield giving Vitali words of wisdom. Not to be outdone, Peter should’ve had his own holographic hall of wisdom with the likes of Bruce Seldon, Sultan Ibragimov and Tommy Morrison. They could’ve offered up such wisdom as: “Try to fall down in the center of the ring- its softer,” “If things are going badly in the first half of the fight, just stop throwing punches and think happy thoughts,” and “If you’re gonna do some post-fight partying, don’t forget to use a condom.”

With a Vitali win, I will now look into my crystal ball: I see fights postponed due to injury and many interim champions in our future…

This sorry spectacle just reminded me of how awful the Heavyweight division has become. As a symbol of my disgust, tomorrow I will step out onto the street and punch the first fat guy I see.

On the other hand, Chad Dawson showed what a fine athlete in his prime looks like. He was sharp, motivated and hungry (But not Sam Peter, Big Mac hungry). For his part, Antonio Tarver fought with dignity as well. There’s no shame in being older and slower than your opponent. Everyone will eventually fight someone who is simply younger and sharper than him (Except Joe Calzaghe, of course). A shameful performance is one where the fighter comes in out of shape and looks to rob the fans of a good contest. Tarver did neither and lost like a real elder statesman- passing the torch to a younger fighter after a spirited effort.

Right now, I’d just like to send a shout out to Denise Tarver: “What’s up girl? You looked outstanding last night. What does an overweight, middle-aged man with a bad liver have to do to get your attention? Look me up if you want the best 3 minutes of your life…

Peter Manfredo and Sakio Bika will be fighting on November 13^th for the meaninglessly computerized IBO belt. The card’s name is “Tough and Tested,” which is odd until you realize that the promoter had to scramble for a name since their first choice, “Dumb and Dumber,” was already taken.

Bernard Hopkins has been relatively respectful before his fight next week with Kelly Pavlik. This could either mean that Pavlik’s in for a tough time or that B-Hop has simply exhausted his share of nastiness and we’re seeing the beginning of a kinder, gentler Executioner. I suspect the former. Hopkins will be nasty and dirty right up until they’re putting his elderly corpse into the ground.

From the “Who Gives a Crap?” files: A rumored fight between James Toney and Tony Thompson is supposedly being negotiated as we speak. I can think of nothing less appealing than a fat, short Heavyweight who throws no punches going up against a tall, lumbering Heavyweight who also can’t pull the trigger. I think this is a way to give the guys at Compubox a nice night off- The punch output totals should be single-digit all night long.

Zab Judah, everyone’s favorite underachieving Welterweight whipping boy is considering a move back down to 140 lbs. This is good news for the other Jr. Welters out there- Now they get their very own attention-grabbing stepping stone. The losers in this are Margarito, Williams and Mosley, who didn’t get their chance to beat up on “Super Stupid” Judah yet. Oh well, at least they still have Kermit Cintron.

Ok, guys, I have a lovely young lady coming over right now, so I have to cut this short. If I’m late for our “date” I get charged an extra hour…I’ll talk to all you Boxing junkies next Sunday.

Tarver vs. Dawson: Doing What Champions Do.

by Paul Magno

While Ring Champion Joe Calzaghe prepares for his fight with faded star Roy Jones on November 8^th, a real world title fight will be taking place right under his nose this Saturday as defending IBF Light Heavyweight champ, Antonio Tarver, defends his title against young lion Chad Dawson.

Tarver is the 39- year old IBF title-holder who has almost done it all at 175. His brash talk and often less-than-fan-favorite style have turned many fans off, but nobody can rationally doubt what he has accomplished. He holds 2 out of 3 series wins against both Roy Jones Jr. and Glen Johnson and has also beaten some of the very best at 175- Montell Griffin, Eric Harding, Reggie Johnson and Clinton Woods. Despite an embarrassingly one-sided loss to Bernard Hopkins back in 2006, nobody can erase the fact that no other Light Heavy, with the exception of a prime Roy Jones Jr., has faced- and beaten- a stiffer level of competition than “The Magic Man.”

Dawson is the 26-year old heir apparent to the 175 lb. division. He has the class and the abilities to be a champ for many years to come. Up until recently, he was the reigning WBC champ, but ditched the title in search of a more meaningful bout with Tarver. Although questions remain about his chin and focus, nobody can doubt that “Bad” Chad is on the doorstep of stardom with wins over the likes of Eric Harding, Tomasz Adamek and, most recently, Glen Johnson on his resume.

Both Tarver and Dawson make the ideal opponents for a champion trying to prove that he’s the best. Tarver is the embittered veteran looking to maintain the respect he feels he deserves while Dawson is the young upstart itching to prove that he’s for real.

Even as both parties take verbal shots at each other for the benefit of the media and Showtime executives, the underlying understanding among most Boxing fans is that Tarver and Dawson, by signing this fight, are restoring a bit of dignity to a division that is watching its lineal champion engage in what could be classified as an exhibition bout against a fighter who hasn’t beaten a ranked Light Heavyweight since 2003. To rub some more salt into an open wound, the man who is being recognized as the #1 fighter in the division is quite clear on the fact that this will be his 1^st and only title defense before throwing the strap into the proverbial Boxing trash bin.

“You have a lot of old fighters fighting old fighters,” Tarver said. “I’m a champion and I’m fighting the best – Chad Dawson. Calzaghe and Roy Jones are doing celebrity boxing. I’m taking a risk.”

The boisterous IBF champ went on to say, “When they look back I want them to look back and say I was the best of this era. When I walk away from the game I want them to say I was the best light heavyweight champion ever.”

Too bad Calzaghe, most Boxing experts’ choice for top 175-pounder, doesn’t share the same priorities.

In a perfect world, Calzaghe would take on Tarver while the previous lineal champ, Hopkins, would go up against Dawson with the winners of each squaring off in a Light Heavyweight mega-fight to determine the undisputed best at 175. However, this isn’t a perfect world and in this flawed Boxing universe, Tarver vs. Dawson is the best we’ll get…but I’ll take it and I will be more than willing to pronounce the winner of this fight the undisputed king of the Light Heavies…He will have earned it.

 

For TV times, as well as a chance to make your prediction for this Saturday’s Tarver vs. Dawson fight, check out The Blue Corner- Pound 4 Pound, Boxing’s Best Forum: http://boxingtimes.com/bluecorner/index.php

 

 

 

 

 

The Standing 8 Count (10/05/08)

by Madcow

It’s me, your “Super” bad-ass Boxing columnist coming out for another round of pure nastiness- Not to be confused with your “Regular” and “Interim” bad-ass Boxing columnists, who I hope to one day make responsible for all my mandatory columns.

There were supposed to be two PPV cards yesterday with Juan Manuel Lopez fighting “Standard Casting” Mexican fringe contender Cesar Figueroa and Arthur Abraham against Raul “No I haven’t retired yet,” Marquez, which was eventually called off. Maybe these promoters should crack open a newspaper and see that our economy is in the tank, gas is on the rise and everybody’s nervous about where we’re headed. Asking nearly 30 bucks for a PPV with no real main event is almost as screwy as charging 50 bucks for a PPV with no real undercard. It’s time we stand up for ourselves and refuse to buy the steaming BS hoagies they shove down our throats or, at the very least, insist that we get four quality fights with every 50 dollar event.

Stepping down from my soapbox…

It’s a good thing for Raul Marquez that Arthur Abraham came down with the flu and pushed back their bout until November 8th. Now, Marquez can have a share of the spotlight for another full month before he’s sent off into retirement. Marquez is almost like the fat girl competing  for Homecoming Queen in high school- What a relief to have a delay in the voting and enjoy another few brief moments of glorious optimism before being slammed by the harsh reality.

Yuriorkis Gamboa looked almost human in the beginning of his fight last night until his opponent, Marcos Ramirez, started acting like this was a real, winnable fight for him. For future reference to all those willing to fight Gamboa- Don’t make him mad and you may see the 6th round.

Lightweight King, Nate Campbell declared bankruptcy this week. This is a true first- usually fighters declare bankruptcy after leaving Don King, not before.

Cristian Mijares-Vic Darchinyan is officially set for November 1st. Expect this one to look like the home video of me slapping around my elderly, drunken uncle at last year’s Thanksgiving celebration. There are only two words to describe what Mijares will give to Darchinyan: Boxing Clinic. (or, maybe: Punk Card)

With all the nasty words being exchanged between Antonio Tarver and Chad Dawson before their big fight next Saturday, we should be expecting an all-out war- What we’ll get is what we usually get from both fighters: a dull, confrontation-less Tarver and an unfocused, inconsistent Dawson. Whatever the case, expect 10 times the battle than what we’ll get during Joe Calzaghe vs. Roy Jones Jr.

Speaking of Calzaghe-Jones, I hear both parties have settled on an 80 ft. ring so they won’t accidentally have to come in contact with one another during their November 8th “fight.”

Sam Peter will be defending his WBC Heavyweight title against Vitali Klitschko this Saturday. Expect these two to look like me and my brother coming out of the Circus Circus buffet in Las Vegas- bloated, disoriented and extremely gassy.

There’s a horrible joke floating around that Arturo Gatti is considering a comeback. If there is any truth to this, Gatti should be handcuffed to his radiator immediately. The only world-class fighter I’ve seen more shot than Gatti in his loss to Alfonso Gomez was Meldrick Taylor- and that’s a very sad comparison to make. Any promoter who thinks about booking a Gatti comeback should have his license revoked.

Positive note of the week: Is there anyone more “Old School” than Alfredo Angulo? The kid looks like he was brought to life straight from a 50’s fight film. Fighting spirit, granite chin, 100+ punches a round? This kid’s a keeper.

Until next week…stop buying the sizzle when all you want is a good steak…and pay off your damn mortgages- even if it means missing Calzaghe-Jones!

Monthly Awards- September ‘08

Fighter of the Month:

Juan Manuel Marquez- Not only was JMM the first person to knock out wiley veteran Joel Casamayor, but he moved up in weight to do so. Marquez is a natural Super Featherweight and there was some concern as to Marquez’s ability to handle such a step up- There’s no concern any longer. What makes the Marquez story so inspiring is that JMM is not the most naturally gifted of athletes- He’s not abnormally quick or strong, he has become one of the Pound 4 Pound greats through hard work and by perfecting his craft. He is truly an inspiration for any Boxing fan. Best of all, Marquez is a fighting champ and there’s no doubt that he will look to make the best fight available…and that’s why the BTBC salutes him!

 

Bum of the Month:

Joan Guzman- Guzman did what has seldom been done- outgrow a weight class before ever fighitng in it. He moved up to Lightweight to receive the rather undeserved gift of a title shot against multiple belt-holder, Nate Campbell, and failed to make weight. Within two weeks of the date of the fight Guzman and his people knew that the possibility of making weight was becoming less and less. Instead of pulling out and allowing for a last-minute non-title substitute for Campbell, he waited until literally minutes before the televised Showtime broadcast to finally call it off. Not only did Guzman’s lazy dishonesty rob the fans of a good fight, but he also cost the much-deserving Campbell a nice payday.

 

Boxing Times Thread of the Month:

Mosley talking Margarito, but must get past garrulous Mayorga first

- Started by Justfish1

http://boxingtimes.com/bluecorner/index.php?topic=916.0

There’s nothing like a nice discussion about the Welterweight division to kick up a heated debate. This award isn’t just for the most viewed thread with the most replies. It goes to the thread the most represents, for good and bad, the types of conversations we like to have on our Boxing Times Blue Corner forum.

Check it out and register if you want to be part of Boxing’s best Pound 4 Pound fan forum:

http://boxingtimes.com/bluecorner/index.php