Las Vegas, NV- You can dress it up anyway you want, but the bottom line is the pressure is on Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero Saturday night when he meets Joel Casamayor. A two division (126 & 130 lbs) champion, Guerrero is now on a mission at 135 lbs. That being said, should he at 26 not blow the aged Casamayor (39, but said to be older) out of the water, then he is not yet, or may never be ready for superstardom.

CASAMAYOR WON THAT MEDAL 18+ YEARS AGO!

This is NOT the Casamayor (37-4-1, 22 KOs) who rumbled thrice with the late Diego Corrales. Joel has fought a total of five times (41 rounds) since the last Corrales match in 2006. In this battle of southpaws, Robert will need to utilize his height advantage (almost 5′11) and throw that left cross with leverage. Seeing Joel, a 1992 Olympic champ for Cuba, is so adept at ducking and 5′6, Robert will need to use the uppercut and assorted hooks (up & down) to straighten Casamayor for the fight ending cross.

WINNING DECISION HERE WOULD BE SETBACK

Although Team Guerrero will call it a “learning” experience if the fight goes the route, bulls*it. Robert Guerrero at 27 is a professional with a 26-1-1, 18 KOs record, if he hasn’t mastered his his craft yet, going 12 with Joel Casamayor at this juncture in the Cuban exile’s boxing life would not be the exclamation point “The Ghost” needs on his professional resume right now.

IF ALL GOES WITH GOLDEN BOY PLANS

If Juan Manuel Marquez beats Juan Diaz in the televised main event and Guerrero trumps Casamayor, then the tentative plan is to match them FOR the WBO/WBC lightweight titles in either November or early 2011. For the record, Casamayor shouldn’t last nine heats if Robert can get his groove on.

Pedro Fernandez

Oklahoma City, OK-- MMA’s premier promotion, the UFC, comes out of exile with a solid night of action headlined by the young up and coming light heavyweight (205 lbs) Jon “Bones” Jones (10-1, 6 KOs, 2 SUBs). The New Yorker’s lone loss came via disqualification when he was called for illegal elbow strikes against Matt Hamill (9-2, 6 KOs) last December. 

JONES TO FACE “FEARLESS JANITOR”

Since then, Jones came back and stopped Brandon Vera (11-5, 7 KOs, 5 SUBs) in the first round with a vicious elbow that had Vera cringing in pain.  He will once again be in tough as he faces the Belarusian wrestler, Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko (24-4, 7 KOs, 7 SUBs).  This long time MMA veteran will look to mop the floor with Jones and capitalize on his vast experience edge and savvy, but the young Jones seems too explosive and focused to lose in this one.  Also on the card, world ranked middleweight Yushin Okami (24-5, 9 KOs, 4 SUBs) will take on solid wrestler Mark Munoz (8-1, 4 KOs, 1 SUB) who is coming off a hard fought TKO win over Kendall Grove (12-7, 2 KOs, 7 SUBs).  Okami is a very, very strong middleweight (185) and Munoz will have his hands full in this one.  I would have to think Okami has an edge in this one, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the fight go either way.

TYSON GRIFFIN & GOMI MEET IN “CROSSROADS” BOUT

Also on the card will be a lightweight (155) bout featuring Takanori Gomi (31-6, 11 KOs, 6 SUBs) taking on Tyson Griffin (14-3, 6 KOs, 3 SUBs) in a pivotal bout for both men.  Gomi is coming off a loss in his UFC debut to Kenny Florian (13-4, 3 KOs, 9 SUBs) as Griffin is coming off a defeat at the hands of the unbeaten Evan Dunham (11-0, 2 KOs, 6 SUBs) some seven weeks ago.  Neither man can afford to slip up Sunday night, and being that both their backs are against the proverbial wall, this could be a very exciting fight. In the end however Gomi seems well past his prime and I expect Griffin to take care of business in this one.

UFC’S WHITE DOES WHAT ARUM DID NOT!

After Versus got promised an elevator ride to good ratings and good fights by Top Rank for a $250,000 per show stipend, they instead got the shaft with pathetic cards to put it nicely. UFC Prez Dana White, he appears to be delivering solid product here. The curtain raiser is a welterweight (170) duel with John Howard (14-4, 4 KOs, 6 subs) and Jake Ellenberger (22-5, 14 KOs, 5 SUBs). Howard is on a seven fight win streak but Ellenberger will look to snap it by utilizing his notable KO ability. 

THAT “BIG JOHN” GUY RETURNS

In an interesting side note, “Big John” McCarthy will be refereeing his first UFC event in nearly three years Sunday night, this after he and Dana White went their separate ways. On paper, this card looks like it’s a great night to catch solid fights live and free on Versus!

Matt “All Meat” Grizzle

San Francisco, CA- The Saturday night rematch between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz is good for almost everybody involved. The entity that the fight is not good for is you fans! Think about it, the two fighters get to pocket good six figure purses, the promoters involved make money, but in order for this to happen, you American boxing fans are being asked to shell out $50 bucks in the midst of the worst economy since the Depression of the 1930s.

ARE BOTH GUYS A LIL’ SHY OF SUPERSTAR?

Even though HBO advertised well for what is an encore bout between the willing, pushing Marquez-Diaz II as a PPV package just doesn’t seem to register with me. But as we all know Mexicans residing in the United States hold the single biggest piece of the boxing PPV pie, and Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) is a Mexican National while Diaz (35-3-1, 17 KOs) is Mexican-American. This is what the promoters are banking on. If they sell 200,000 homes at $50 bucks, the promoters take $5 million and HBO PPV gets $5 million (a 50-50 split is the way it is done)

FIRST FIGHT WAS NEAR CLASSIC!

In case you missed their first encounter, Marquez, 34 and Diaz soon to be 27, the two engaged a war of the willing in February 2009. Since then, Marquez is 0-1 and Diaz is a shaky .500 going 1-1 with Paul Malignaggi. Their first fight raised such a stink that they went a second time and Paulie prevailed.

DIAZ NEEDS A WIN BADLY

One could make a case that Diaz, now 26, has lost five straight fights. If you throw out the UD 12 (see gift) in the first Paulie fight, realize that his fight with Michael Katsides was a split decision at home in Houston, TX, conceivably Diaz could have lost five straight going back to a UD 12 to Nate Campbell in March 2008. Although he has a decade in youth, unless Marquez goes geriatric, Diaz doesn’t look good here.

MARQUEZ’ HBO DEBUT “STUNK”

When I first saw Juan Manuel Marquez in 1999, it was against Freddie Norwood. It was, and I’m sure HBO’s Larry Merchant will back me up on this, one of the most boring matches the network has ever shown. And while I saw little, Prince Naseem Hamed, the then WBO 126 lb. titleholder, he saw more than I as he obviously avoided JMM to the point of what would have been embarrassment, if Hamed hadn’t been making $20 million (Arab TV & HBO) a fight while dodging JMM.

FIGHT WITH MAYWEATHER SHOWED US WHAT?

That September 2009 loss to Floyd Mayweather was JMM’s last outing. A loser via near shutout, Marquez was no match for Mayweather’s speed and guile. Interesting is that Marquez was a near equal after 12 rounds twice with Manny Pacquiao, and he couldn’t get close enough to Mayweather to do anything offensively. Even though Marquez is getting grayer by the day, Pacquiao would seemingly rather fight anyone other than JMM. Seeing the controversy in their fights, and that I have never heard the JMM name come out of his mouth since their second post fight press conference, Manny obviously wants no part of this fading Mexican legend.

MARQUEZ WINS AND FIGHTS “THE GHOST” IF…

Should Robert Guerrero do a number on Joel Casamayor in the semi-main event Saturday and Marquez wins, it’ll be “The Ghost” and JMM before the year is out. Tomorrow we preview Guerrero-Casamayor.

Pedro Fernandez

New York, NY- Fists will fly and drama is sure to be high when two of boxing’s least shy warriors step up to the plate and swing for the fences to unify the titles at lightweight (135) in a rematch of last years fight of the year.  WBA strap carrier Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) takes on WBO belt holder Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs) at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada, on HBO PPV, this Saturday at 9 PM ET.

FIRST FIGHT WAS HELL TO PAY FOR BOTH

Juan Diaz started the fight at a frantic pace, throwing volleys of punches that scored against a very slow starting Marquez. As rounds went on, Diaz seemingly began to tire and Marquez appeared to become stronger. Marquez started to land his classic combinations and began employing successful bodywork to his attack. Diaz was dropped in round eight, and was finished in round nine by one of the nastiest upper cuts I’d ever seen anyone have to deal with.

DESPITE  RECENT SETBACK, MARQUEZ  STILL AMONG BEST

Prior to his failing bid at pound for pound supremacy against the mighty Floyd Mayweather Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez fought two epic wars with (the other) pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao. During that display of violent pugilistic brilliance, Marquez survived a total of four knockdowns, three of which happened in the very first round of their first encounter, amazingly Marquez fought back, and  managed to earn a draw.  Knockdown number four came in the second bout, which ultimately led to Juan losing by just a point. Over 24 hellacious rounds over two fights with Pacquiao , Marquez became the closet boxer to dethrone the living legend in five years. Juan Marquez is a vastly experienced craftsman who holds a multitude of emphatic wins over Marco Antonio Barrera (W UD 12) Joel Casamayor (W TKO 11), Rocky Juarez (W UD 12) and the aforementioned Juan Diaz (W KO 9).

ONCE PROMISING “BABY BULL” LACKING HORNS OF LATE

In a break out performance three years ago, once promising rising star Juan Diaz got on the map by handling Acelino Frietas in a shoot out (W KO 8). Since that (thus far) defining moment, Juan has had a bumpy road. Diaz  is 2-5 in his last 3 fights. However, to his credit, Diaz  is coming off a couple of impressive outings against former champ Paulie Malignaggi. Before those scraps against Paulie, Juan suffered a devastating knockout loss against Juan Manuel Marquez. Going into this bout, the question still looms as to how much that beating took out of him. Marquez, the best person to ask that question, will be the man standing in front of him to get the answer.

GOLDEN BOY DELIVERS STACKED UNDER CARD

Light’s out power puncher Daniel Jacobs (20-0. 17 KOs) squares off against dismantling banger Dmitry Pirog (16-0, 13 KOs) in a test of power boxing for the vacant WBO middleweight (160) strap.

Reality series “Contender” season three winner Sakio Bika (28-3-2, 19 KOs) throws hands with undefeated Jean Paul Mandy (28-0-1, 16 KOs) over 12 rounds at super middleweight (168).

Former champs collide in a proposed war when Joel Casamayor (37-4-1, 22 KOs) dances with Robert Guerrero (26-1-1, 18 KOs) over 10 rounds at lightweight.

Veteran Rocky Juarez (28-6-1, 20 KOs) moves with former belt holder Jorge Linares (28-1, 18 KOs) in 10 round open in the lightweight (135) division.

ESPN HOOKS IT UP FOR FRIDAY

ESPN Friday Night Fight’s has without a doubt been Boxing’s heartbeat in 2010. Each installment of the popular series offers news, analysis on upcoming bouts, interviews, competitive scraps, and in studio celebrity guests offering insight into the world of boxing. This week features a showdown between fan favorite Delvin Rodriquez (25-4-2, 14 KOs) against rugged journeyman Ashley Theopane (26-4-1, 7 KOs) in a 10 round tilt at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma, Friday on ESPN 2 at 9 PM ET.

John Signorella

San Francisco, CA- Have you ever been in a position to laugh hard, but can’t because of the surroundings? I mean, you could but the repercussions in this one instance with me are painted on the side of a pack of cigarettes: “May Be Hazardous To Your Health.” I was sitting in Reno, NV, you know the “Biggest Little City in The World” after a concert in a casino wearing an HBO Boxing jacket when these biker guys started talking boxing.

THEY THOUGHT BUTTERBEAN WAS “REAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP”

Not looking like they could read, let alone a sports page, these grisly types threw out the name “Butterbean.” They were talking about Buttbean Esch, a carnival character of sorts that fought on some big Top Rank cards in the 1990s. Having won a slew of four round fights, he at 350 lbs. was recognized as “World Heavyweight Champ of The 4 Rounders” by former MLB baseball Cy Young award winner Dean Chance’s International Boxing Assn.

NUMBER OF FIGHTS “FIXED”

The 350 lb. Bean went 77-8-4, 58 KOs. There were many instances in which the results of his fights were “pre-determined.” His fights were part of the Operation Matchbox probe, the one that was halted by big money and one influential man from Nevada that once worked for President Bush.

BIKERS THOUGHT HE WAS CHAMP..DECIDED TO NOT ARGUE

The bikers were convinced that Butterbean was the “true” world’s heavyweight champion. Having been in places like Juarez, MX and Las Vegas, NV, I questioned the ability of local heroes and their claims to greatness, and nearly got killed for it, I realized that to push Butterbean as a fraud in front of the Clorox kids, it might be hazardous to my health so I let it go.

BUTTERBEAN THE MMA FIGHTER!

The Bean returns October 9 for a MMA fight against a foe not yet announced. He is 12-7-1 in MMA, and is looking to fight street urchin Kimbo Slice.

“Ring Talk News Service”

Las Vegas, NV- Considering future Hall of Famer Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) fights Saturday night on HBO PPV against the capable Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs) in a rematch of a 2009 thriller, I decided to share my look at Marquez against current undefeated featherweight (126 lbs) champion Chris John (43-0-2, 22 KOs).

RAFAEL CRIES “RIPOFF” WHEN HE NEVER SAW THE FIGHT!

The Internet was reporting that the fight was “stolen” from Marquez. Dan Rafael, he of ESPN.com, a paid Top Rank shill for the most part, he showed what a putz he really is by writing that Marquez was ripped off. Turns out the rotund one Rafael, he had NEVER EVER seen the fight before writing such dribble. Punch by punch. Here’s my analysis of what happened in Indonesia on March 4, 2006 between Juan Manuel Marquez and Chris John.

Round 1
Big left by John. Marquez comes right back. He throws a few more good combinations. John later on lands a solid right that gets the crowd involved. Marquez however seems to be in control. 10-9 Marquez.

Round 2
Marquez wobbles John early in the round. He continues to throw fluid combos. Huge clean right hand by Marquez. Then he follows up with a left hook. John seems confused as Marquez dominates most of the action so far. Marquez is keeping him at bay with a stiff solid jab. Round to Marquez, 20-18 Marquez

Round 3
John comes out early throwing hard jabs. He then lands a hard right on the chin. Marquez is throwing a lot but missing in this round. He is trying to measure the target. He is still throwing solid combinations. Marquez throws a low blow and is warned. John lands a good counter right hand. Round to John, 29-28 Marquez.

Round 4
Both guys are landing the jab. Marquez is still the busier guy throwing more punches in bunches. John is trying to counter and landing some solid uppercuts. He then lands a clean right. Marquez comes back with a quick uppercut. Marquez continues to go to the body. Big left hook by John at the end of the round. Round to John, 38-38.

Round 5
Good jab by John as he’s now getting off first. Marquez counters him well with the right. Great combination then a clean right by Marquez. He’s going to the body more. John comes back with am left hook, and Marquez counters with two left hooks of his own. Things are heating up and Marquez is landing clean right hands towards the end of the round gives it to Marquez. Marquez 48-47.

Round 6
John once again starts the round throwing a solid jab. He still however is not throwing alot of punches in the fight so far. Marquez appears to be busier. JMM lands big hook, John follows up with some low blows. Marquez throws one at the belt and is warned. John lands a combination as he is trying to outbox Marquez. Marquez is warned again for low blows at the end of the John round. 57-57.

Round 7
Marquez starts out using the jab effectively and later sets up a counter right. They exchange and both guys get in decent shots. Good right by John that gets the crowd involved, but it was a grazing punch. Marquez does some more damage with hard body blows. Marquez appears to be the aggressor and is backing John up. Marquez takes the round as he continues to land solid blows to the body and head. Marquez 67-66.

Round 8
John starts the round with a nice counter punch. This has become more of a technical fight than a brawl, but there has been good action so far from both sides. Marquez is warned again, but it was a borderline low blow. John’s trunks appear to be a little high. Big left hook then a solid right cross by Marquez. He is landing the harder more telling blows throughout the fight. A solid right by John followed by a hook to the head gets Marquez’s respect for a moment. JMM stays busy and lands a nice uppercut to the chest at the end of the winning round. Marquez 77-75.

Round 9
Marquez stays busy throwing combos and continues to land the cleaner blows. Good right by John as Marquez went inside. More body shots for Juan and John continues to back up. Good right by John again, but he continues to be on the defensive. Two more borderline low blows for Marquez, but the referee doesn’t see them. Marquez gets round and goes up 87-84.

Round 10

Both guys begin round strong and land good punches. Marquez lands on the belt and is deducted a point. Later, Marquez lands another low blow. They don’t seem to be doing a lot of damage and they aren’t intentional, but they are costly. Good right by John, and towards the end of the round Marquez gets hit by a left. John’s round and the extra point and it is now 95-94 Marquez.

Round 11
Low blow by John. The referee doesn’t warn him. Another low blow by Marquez and he loses another point. John responds later with some good counters as Marquez seems more and more desperate after losing two points. Still pressing forward, Marquez gets hit by a hard right from John. Big right and a left at the end of the round by John.
Another two-pointer and the fight is 104-103 John.

Round 12
Marquez starts the round landing two solid rights. They then exchange, but John gets the better of it. Marquez gets in a left, John gets in a right. JMM gets in some nice punches throughout the round, but gets out boxed by John who gets the round 10-9. The two point deductions cost JMM the fight, otherwise in my opinion the fight would have been a draw. Final score: 114-112 Chris John.

Official Scores: Oscar Perez 116-110, Takeshi Shimakawa 117-111 and Pinat Prayadsab went 116-112, all for Chris John.

CONGRESSMAN PACQUIAO, CAN HE NOT SPELL “ETHICAL?”

Either Pacquiao is an incredibly ignorant man or his handlers have sold his soul to Bob Arum for an undisclosed amount of money. Personally, I think it’s both. Manny’s not very smart and after spending $6 million (US) to get elected to the Philippine Congress, he probably needs the money. But if you had the boxing world by the short hairs, why would you want to fight Margarito when he was poised and ready to do Billy Collins-like damage to Shane Mosley?

EVER BEEN HIT WITH CEMENT BLOCKS?

Cast-Like Pad Taken From Marga-cheato

Margarito was caught concealing these cast-like blocks in his hand wraps. When the California Commission was told by Naz Richardson, Mosley’s handler, that they needed to needed to unwrap his already wrapped hand, this because Mr. Richardson was not present (as he’s permitted to be) when the hand was wrapped. Team Margarito argued, they were adamant that they were not unwrapping the hand. We found out why when the cement-like block was found in his wrapping.

COTTO SAYS MARGARITO USED TECHNIQUE TO MAR HIM

Although he rarely says it publicly, Miguel Cotto is certain in his mind that Margarito busted him up in July 2008 with the aid of “loaded” hand wraps that he feels “got by” the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Speaking of the NSAC, word within the offices of a rival promoter this AM is that “Nevada is close to licensing Margarito.” On that note, I bring you the late Billy Collins, who was beaten with “loaded” gloves.

This is what Margarito was trying to do!

CALIFORNIA SHOULD HAVE THE ONLY SAY!

When I called the California Commission last week, the feeling in regards to Margarito and Arum was not good. They took away his license, they are the ones who should have the final say here, not Nevada, not Bob Arum, and certainly not Jose Sulaiman. California is looking at a number of options, one might be trying to suspend Top Rank “nationally” through the Assn. of Boxing Commissions, this should they try and promote a fighter that they have not approved after they took his license.

ARUM PLAYED ALL YOU MEDIA GUYS!

With middle of the night press conferences, setting up and imposing false deadlines on Floyd Mayweather, the admitted Felon, Harvard graduate and Top Rank skipper Bob Arum is amazing even at almost 80. I just sat back and watched how he put the media on a leash and took them for a walk. Without issuing a blanket indictment, none of you, and I mean none did any homework. Instead, you listened to and then rewrote every word Arum put forth on your websites and blogs.

DON’T ANY OF YOU HAVE A CLUE?

You blog guys need to ask Massa Bob the questions that matter, instead of holding back out of fear that Top Rank will take away your free fight ticket/media pass. I listened to a recent teleconference that was void of a single worthy question. Just a bunch of people who took time away from their day jobs to spend some time on the phone with an admitted Felon in Arum who gives snake oil salesmen a bad name.

INDICT SULAIMAN FOR ETHICS VIOLATIONS

OK, I explained to you what Margarito was caught doing. Guess who is supporting him? WBC President Jose Sulaiman, he has made Margarito, who hasn’t fought since January 2009 and his TKO (shutout) loss to Mosley, the #1 contender for the vacant 154 lb. world title. To show you how much of a Superman Manny Pacquiao isn’t, he is demanding Margarito weigh 150 lbs. even though this is a 154 lb. title fight!

PLENTY OF SHAME & BLAME TO GO AROUND

Cotto After Marga-cheato!

Let’s recap things. 1. Manny Pacquiao, a Philippine Congressman, will fight a weight drained (and convicted cheater) Antonio Margarito because he is “scared shi*less” of Juan Manuel Marquez. Arum and Pac could have waited to see who wins the Marquez-Diaz rematch, as many more fans would rather see Pac-Marquez III than Pac and Margacheato. But it ain’t about the fans. 2. The Nevada Commission is said to be licensing Margarito. 3. The WBC awards Margacheato the #1 ranking at 154, even though he was caught cheating last time out and hasn’t fought in 18 months.

A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF CORRUPTION IN BOXING

Filipinos should be aghast that Pac is fighting such a man who has commited the worst act in boxing, loading up gloves. Mexicans should be ashamed of Margarito, not hail him as a hero. But then, we are talking about a country that is run by Narco-Terrorists. That we are even discussing Antonio Margarito fighting again should be a crime in itself. You’ve seen the pictures of Billy Collins and Miguel Cotto here. Need I say anymore?

Pedro Fernandez

Lemoore, CA-Beibut Shumenov, (175 lbs), Las Vegas, NV UD 12 Viacheslav Uzelkov, (172), Vinitza, Ukraine (WBA 175 lb. title) In intense heat, reported to be just below 100 degrees, both fighters displayed tremendous conditioning as they went 12 well paced rounds. Shumenov (10-1, 6 KOs) was knocked down by the untested but more experienced Uzelkov (22-1, 14 KOs) in the opening round. Shumenov, not seriously hurt, kept his focus and returned the favor in the final seconds of the third round, making Uzelkov taste the canvas. With the exception of the first round it was basically all Shumenov as he earned scores of 118-108 twice and 117-109.

Rico Ramos, (121), Pico Rivera, CA UD 8 Cuauhtemoc Vargas, (121.5), Mexico City, Distrito Federal, MX. Ramos (17-0, 9 KOs) engaged in a spirited but one sided tussle with an outclassed Vargas (15-4-1, 10 KOs). Vargas came to life and won the last round at least one card, however two jurists instead saw it a shurout at 80-72 twice, the third 79-73.

Shawn Estrada, (167.5), East Los Angeles, CA TKO 1 Eddie Hunter, (167), Kent, WA. Estrada (7-0, 7 KOs) provided the fireworks tonight as he dropped Hunter (3-4-1, 1 KO) seconds into the fight. Hunter got up only to be stopped after 53 seconds.

San Francisco, CA- OK, many people feel Manny Pacquiao has cheated his way to the top of the boxing game by allegedly using Performance Enhancing Drugs. Remember before you blow a cork, he is only suspected of wrongdoing. Across the ring in November from the Philippine phenomenon will be Antonio Margarito, a fighter that cannot get a license in the United States BECAUSE he was caught cheating after inserting a plaster of Paris-like block into his hand wrap January 24, 2009 as he was prepping to fight Shane Mosley.

POLITICAL HOOKER PACQUIAO HAS SOLD HIS SOUL!

Congressman-like behavior not, Pacquiao looks like a puppet with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is pulling the strings. Why would this Filipino, an elected member of Congress even want to be involved with a figure as despicable as Margarito?.

THINK ABOUT IT

A convicted cheat, a man who is suspected of hurting and attempting to maim both Miguel Cotto and Kermit Cintron, and Pacquiao is willing to go to Mexico to fight him, the worst scum in sports. People are more interested in a third fight Juan Manuel Marquez, which could probably make more money than Margarito, but Manny, deep down inside, he fears Marquez.

HISTORIANS WILL FIND IT EASY TO “TRASH” PACMAN

Pac seems to care little about history, as he is too busy listening to Arum and counting the greenbacks, and because of such, Manny Pacquiao will be crucified by sports historians for his refusal to adhere to “random” drug testing, his walking away from a fight with Floyd Mayweather, and that when he was at the top of his game, he went all the way to Mexico to fight a piece of s*it in Margarito, this only because the cheating bastard was denied a license to fight in America!

Pedro Fernandez

On January 10, WEC #46 was held at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, home of former featherweight (145 lbs) champion Urijah Faber. This card marked the return of ‘The California Kid’ after his loss against Mike Brown, in which Faber broke both his hands. His opponent that night was no easy task as he took on #5 rated, at the time, featherweight Raphael Assuncao. In an exciting back and forth fight, Faber came back strong and showed his desire to want to get back his belt as he choked out Assuncao, who had never been submitted before.

Faber was not the headliner though as that same night one of WEC’s fastest rising stars, lightweight champion Ben Henderson shed the interim champion tag against former champ Jamie Varner in another exciting scrap. This would only be the beginning as the WEC, who always puts on competitive entertaining fight cards, and up to this point always showed it for free on the Versus network, would attempt their first ever pay-per-view event in April.

WEC 48, back in Sacramento, proved to be monumental for a few reasons other than being the first time ever on PPV. The card was stacked with two championship fights that clearly featured the number one and two ranked fighters in both the lightweight (155) and featherweight classes. One of these included featherweight champion Jose Aldo, the new face of WEC and easily one of the top three pound for pound fighters in the world. He of course would defend against former poster boy and hometown favorite Faber and he did so in dominating fashion, decimating his left leg in the process with vicious round kicks.

While the undercard included fights that determined number one contenders for future title fights, it also featured a rematch of the fight of the year for 2009 between lightweights Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone and champion Henderson. This time Henderson made quick work of the ‘Cowboy’ and solidified his standing as a champion to be reckoned with. While their second fight did not live up to the hype of potential fight of the year for 2010, another fight on the card did.

Featherweights Leonard ‘Bad Boy’ Garcia and the aptly named ‘Korean Zombie’ Chang Sung Jung not only put on the fight of the year, but one for the ages. While both fighters are capable of showing a technical display, they threw that out the window for three rounds that was MMA’s version of Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns. While Garcia won a close disputed split decision; Jung won over the American fans as I saw people wearing ‘Korean Zombie’ shirts everywhere during the UFC Fan Expo Memorial Day weekend.
With all these great fights and a roster filled with a bunch of very talented young fighters and potential superstars, also including bantamweight champion Dominic Cruz and former champ Miguel Torres, the WEC clearly was the best promotion for the first half of 2010. Except for some minor issues regarding who will be their featured color analyst in the future, as they parted ways with Frank Mir, and the resignation of long time ring announcer Joe Martinez, WEC had a solid first semester, which earns them an A-.

BELLATOR IS SEEN ON FOX SPORTS NET

The same can almost be said for the surprising second season of the Bellator Fighting Championships. Using their successful formula of holding tournaments in each weight class to create and expose MMA stars, their second year turned out even better than their first.

Entering this year Bellator already had champions in four weight classes they had determined in their very first season and all four proved their standing in super fights held throughout the first six months of 2010. Light Champion Eddie Alvarez, especially upped his stock with a slick submission winning performance against tough UFC veteran Josh Neer, earning him a top five world ranking.

Featherweight champion Joe Soto remained undefeated and impressive with a first round win against dangerous Diego Saraiva. Meanwhile, light-heavyweight champion Hector Lombard worked a total of four and a half minutes in 2010 thus far, including only six seconds in his super fight, which is all he needed against Jay Silva.

As for their tournaments, they all produced very exciting and entertaining fight cards every week on Thursday nights, free on the Fox Sports Network, and also came up with some formidable contenders for their champions. Such young stars as featherweight Joe Warren and lightweight Pat Curran have a world of potential, as does welterweight tourney winner Ben Askren who will face champion Lyman Good in their next season.

With a crop of exciting new fighters in their stable, a refreshing and different formula that seems to work perfectly for them and an improved production value in their second season, I give Bellator a solid B as their grade. Their future looks very bright as they have scheduled a heavyweight tournament along with a woman’s tourney for their upcoming third season.

As for the UFC, Strikeforce and WEC, there is a lot of anticipation for the second half of this year as all have some very intriguing match-ups and storylines on the horizon. If the next six months resemble anything like the previous six, we are in store for an exciting finish to 2010 in MMA. See you at the end of the year.

“Slammin’ Sammy” Perez

San Mateo, CA- The man who had maligned parts of the 2000 Olympics as part of the Balco Lab scandal, Victor Conte got married yesterday to his girlfriend of 14 years Mandy. The ceremony took place in “Balco Park,” of which Conte is the owner. Having turned over a new leaf, Conte is now helping athletes get off of illegal performance enhancing drugs. A former bass player with Tower Of Power & the Herbie Hancock band, Conte now runs SNAC, Sports Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning, and has been sponsoring both amateur MMA and boxing in Northern California. We congratulate the bride & groom and wish them the best!

Los Angeles, CA- While it gets tiring hearing negative comments about the state of boxing, in reality these negatives need to be addressed constantly so the powers that be (networks, promoters, managers) start to realize that unless you are pleasing the fans, the ones that throw down the money, the sport would fall off a cliff. Without inciting the lame cliche that boxing is dying, which only a fool would believe (this sport has thrived for over a 100 years through two world wars, untold scandal, fighter deaths and a Congressional hearing), it must be stated that boxing’s power brokers continue to shoot themselves in the foot. Unfortunately the people that suffer are the people responsible for it’s survival. Here are five things that are currently hurting boxing in no particular order.

1. Boring fights- The fact that a fighter needs to be undefeated to headline a televised card or to make it on television (or fight for a phony regional title) is an outdated business model. The fact that some of the best bouts in the last few years have been “swing” bouts on ESPN and fights between unheralded fighters on Spanish language networks like Rogers Mtagwa’s (26-14-2, 18 KOs) war against Tomas Villa(23-7-4, 14 KOs) shows a need for more skilled matchmaking on the world class level.

TV DATES WASTED WITH RECORD PADDING FIGHTS

Watching prospects like welterweight talent Mike Jones (22-0, 18 KOs) against unexciting but capable marks like Henry Bruseles (28-4-1, 15 KOs) on Fox Sports West recently are necessary for a fighters development, however aren’t exactly TV friendly. Maybe networks need to have an increased focus on making the most competitive and exciting matches available, and not serve as a canvas for promoters to showcase their upcoming and sometimes undefeated prospects. Does Golden Boy or Al Hayman ring any bells?

2. Ridiculous purses being paid to HBO fighters- Not wanting to be redundant, but when prizefighters such as Chad Dawson (29-0, 17 KOs) or Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KOs) can’t sell out hotel ballrooms in their own hometown, and yet earn seven figure purses there is a problem. Not that either fighter doesn’t possess remarkable ability, but this is the entertainment business. In the music industry the best singer is not the highest paid music artist. That honor is usually bestowed on the best entertainer. The same philosophy should be applied to the fight game.

3. Networks levy power to the promoters- The main reason 2010 has been a dismal year for boxing is because network execs are out of tune with what their buyers want.  Why not put together a poll in the last quarter of every year and see what fights the fans want to see? Then when they decide to create next years schedule present these options to the various boxing promoters (many of these bouts will be possibly between fighters with rival promoters). If they are unwilling  to put their fighter in a proposed match, they don’t get rewarded or reap the benefits of a a million dollar purse. Fighters/promoters/managers would be forced to take tougher opponents because if they refused they would not be able to profit from the fruits of their labor. That’s how other sports and industries operate most of the time. 

A fighter should be paid for what the fight is worth, not for who he is. If this stance was taken maybe a lot of promoters would be pissed off because they couldn’t fleece HBO and other networks out of money (think  of Versus networks $250,000 guarantee to Top Rank for shows headlined by the likes of heavyweight fraud Tye Fields (43-2, 39 KOs), however HBO would have a worthy product that the fans could appreciate and subscribers might get their money’s worth.

4. Fights between pugilists that are no where near their home base-This year junior middleweights (154 lb) Kermit Cintron (32-3-1, 28 KOs) of Reading PA and Paul Williams (39-1, 27 KOs) from Savannah, GA faced each other at the Home Depot Center in Carson CA. While being a great venue, having a Puerto Rican vs. an African American fighter from the East coast at a small venue on the left coast makes little sense. If you are trying to build a fighters fbase you would think more reasoning would go into the location of a fight. I can understand putting a fight in a casino venue from a  financial standpoint, but Home Deport Center is a tennis stadium near Los Angeles.

5. The best don’t fight the best anymore-Never have I seen in my stint covering the sport more talk about fights that either haven’t materialized or are put on the backburner. I know I am being redundant as I have written many articles in regards to this, but it is probably the number one concern of boxing fans and it is a priority that should not fall on deaf ears.

If people want to know why many boxing fights nowadays (fights on HBO in particular) are fought in front of uninspired meager crowds is because THESE AREN’T THE FIGHTS FANS ARE INTERESTED IN! If a fight is compelling and you put it in the right locale it will sell tickets and get at least decent ratings. We’re not talking about showcases fights against stiffs. If there is anything the boxing world can learn from Showtime’s SUPER SIX WORLD BOXING CLASSIC (super middleweight tournament) is that if the best fight the best often, even if they lose at least they deserve to earn the money they are being paid. Even though German Armenian super middleweight (168 lb) star Arthur Abraham (31-1, 25 KOs) can sell tickets in Germany against nondescript foes doesn’t mean spectators won’t enjoy a pitched battle against opponents that fans know might have a shot at beating him. Get this…if he gets beat and looks good in defeat people will still respect him.

Kevin Perry

125,000 AT UFC FAN EXPO MAKE STATEMENT BOXING CAN’T!

Not wasting anytime, the Ultimate Fighting Championships started things off the second day of 2010 with UFC 108, which featured Rashad Evans defeating Thiago Silva on points. This win of course opened the door for Evans to settle his grudge match against Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson at UFC 114 during the Memorial Day weekend, which also featured their second fan expo. While the fight itself did not live up to the hype, the expo was even bigger and better than the initial event and drew 125,000+ fans over two days. Boxing’s big day, a weekend in June at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in upstate New York, it is lucky to draw a few thousand period!

EDGAR LUCKY OR JUST BETTER THAN BJ?

We witnessed a major upset in April when Frankie Edgar won a decision against longtime lightweight (155 lbs) kingpin B.J. Penn and won the title. Still, that wasn’t even the biggest upset in 2010, as we’ll find out a little later. Edgar vs. Penn was of course the co-main event of UFC 112, the promotion’s first foray into Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

SILVA HAS A LOT OF CRITICS…INCLUDING DANA!

The main event on that card was the debacle between middleweight (185) champ Anderson Silva and Demian Maia. So bad was the fight that UFC President Dana White was in total disgust with the champion over his performance or lack there of. However, from that low point we went to UFC 116 and the return of heavyweight (over 205 & under 265) champion Brock Lesnar earlier this month, where Dana White went from total disgust back in April to saying, “This was the greatest night of fights I’ve ever seen.”

TIME TO STICK A FORK IN…

Finally and hopefully, we saw the last of two UFC Hall of Famers, Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell, who both went out with lopsided losses as they were fighting well past their prime. The UFC’s attempt to give them one last push before retirement backfired on them and these once proud champions.

”SLAMMIN’ SAMMY’S” UFC REPORT CARD

Taking this into consideration, along with other factors such as the UFC providing free cards on both the Spike and Versus networks, my grade for the first half is a B-.

STRIKEFORCE HIT SPEED BUMPS, BUT FUTURE IS BRIGHT!

The UFC’s chief rival meanwhile, Strikeforce, did not fare so well. Even though there were some positive moments throughout, the negatives thoroughly outweighed the bad. The positives, include the emergence of future stars such as light heavyweight champion Muhammad ‘King Mo’ Lawal, lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, one of the best in the world and female champ Cristiana ‘Cyborg’ Santos, the definitive best in the world.

POST-FIGHT BRAWL COOL FOR VIEWERS, NOT NETWORK!

Another positive is their TV contract with both cable’s Showtime and network television’s CBS. However, that was also part of the negative. With a major opportunity to put a big foot forward with a network telecast in April featuring three championship bouts, Strikeforce bombed with three sub par fights that all went to decision then finished the CBS telecast on a down note with an unexpected melee inside the cage.

STRIKEFORCE SUFFERING FROM INEPTITUDE OR BAD LUCK?

That notwithstanding, they followed up that fiasco with another. Finally seeing the return of their heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, instead of matching him up against their #1 commodity and drawing card Fedor Emelianenko, they chose Brett Rogers as the challenger who ironically enough was coming off a loss to none other than Emelianenko. To no one’s surprise, Overeem destroyed Rogers.

YES…THAT WAS THE UNBEATABLE FEDOR TAPPING OUT!

If that wasn’t bad enough, the icing on the cake was the next month in June when they paired Emelianenko against Fabricio Werdum and in the biggest upset so far this year he lost. So much for the mega heavyweight fight they were hoping for; or is it? At this point they’re not even sure which way to go.

REPORT CARD ON STRIKEFORCE NOT SO GOOD

Combine all this together along with the indecisiveness on what broadcast team to use including a two-man versus three-man team or using Frank Shamrock versus Pat Miletich as an analyst and it was not a good first half. My grade for Strikeforce at the halfway point is a D.

PART II COMES LATE THURSDAY, EARLY FRIDAY

In part II of my mid-year report card, I will discuss the two promotions that really did well in the first half of the year and scored the two highest grades so far, World Extreme Cagefighting and the Bellator Fighting Championships.

“Slammin’ Sammy” Perez

EXPECTED WAR ON ESPN

WBA light heavyweight (175) champ Beibut Shemenov (9-1, 6 KOs) is in defense of his newly acquired crown against rugged undefeated challenger Viacheslav Uzelkov (22-0, 14 KOS) over 12 rounds or less at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California, live, Friday night on ESPN 2 at 10 PM ET.

YOUNG BLOOD LOOKS TO KEEP IT GOING

Kicking off his career at a feverish pace, Beibut Shemenov fought five times in six months and terrorized his hapless opponents with ease. In just his sixth fight, Shemenov made an empathic statement when he convincingly beat former belt holder Montell Griffin (W UD 12).  Facing descent opposition over his next two encounters, Beibut continued to impress. Despite being in a very young stage of his professional career, Beibut was surprisingly offered a crack at the WBA title for his next fight. In only his 7^th scrap as a professional Shemenov’s bid for the title saw him fight valiantly against Gabriel Campillo. However, Beibut suffered his first loss (L UD 12). Many ringside observers felt Shemenov deserved the nod and public demand pushed for a rematch. Four months later, the two met again. In a highly competitive affair of skill and will, Shemenov proved to be the better fighter, albeit by way of controversy.

UNHEARD OF PUG LOOKS TO MUG

After being labeled as a tactician who wins on points against listless adversity, having blasted out 9 of his last 10, Viacheslav Uzelkov has steeped up his power game of late. During that span, Uzelkov picked up a sixth round knockout victory over his current counterpart’s nemesis Gabriel Campillo (W KO 6). Viacheslav has only scrapped one time outside of his homeland of the Ukraine; Friday will mark his first bid at a world title and his first contest on American soil.

UP AND COMERS FEATURED ON UNDERCARD

Unbeaten Puerto Rican powerhouse Rico Ramos (16-0, 9 KOs) takes on battle tested but been bested scrapper Cuauhtemoc Vargas (15-3-1, 10 KOs) in an eight round super bantamweight attraction.

Knockout artist Shawn Estrada (6-0, 6 KOS) squares off against solid banger Alex Armenta (7-1, 6 KOs) in a four round tilt.

John Signorella

Missouri native and 2009 NCAA heavyweight wrestling champ Mark Ellis signed with Zinkin Entertainment, says the incredible Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Looking at the Zinkin website, the Fresno, CA based group represents Cain Velasquez, Chuck Liddell and Josh Koshcheck to name a few of 40 or so of their clients.

BROCK SILENCED HIS CRITICS

Brock Lesnar & Shane Carwin

At 6′3 & 265 lbs., Davis has the size, the pedigree, but as always we wonder what will happen when he gets hit on the chin with a four ounce glove? The Shane Carwin fight showed us Brock Lesnar could survive a horrendous whipping and come back.

EXCITING BELATOR FIGHTS RETURN

This is an exciting young and growing MMA company that puts on good and sometimes great fights. The Bellator Fighting Championships have only four reigning champions, Eddie Alvarez (19-2) @ lightweight (145 lbs), welter (170), Lyman Good checks in at 10 & zip, Hector “Shango” Lombard is king at middleweight (185) is 24-2, Joe “The Hammer” Soto is the featherweight champ at 9-0. There are ongoing tournaments to crown champs in the other divisions.

ALL FIGHT CARDS ON FOX SPORTS NET, CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS

08/12 – Bellator 24 @ Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Florida
08/19 – Bellator 25 @ The Chicago Theatre – Chicago, IL
08/26 – Bellator 26 @ Kansas City Power and Light District
09/02 – Bellator 27 @ Majestic Theatre San Antonio, TX

10,918 FIGHT FANS IN TOWN OF 187,000

Amarillo, TX- The outdoor “Shark Fights” card drew a reported 10,918 on the same night (June 26) Fedor Emelianenko tapped out against Fabrice Werdum on Showtime. In addition, the MMA show was carried on ESPN Radio live, which promoters feel is usually not a good thing for live gates, at least in boxing. But again, unlike boxing there was sponsorship money and because of such things like live radio broadcasts can take place. Before the days of ESPN, Cable News and the Internet, listening to fights on the radio was cool!

SKANKS WHO KILLED MIDGET WRESTLERS GET 47 YEARS!

Two prostitutes, Maria de los Angeles Sanchez and Estela Gonzalez, were both sentenced to 47 years in Mexican prison for their killing two Mexican midget wrestlers in La Parkita & Espectrito II last year. That’s a long time for these girls to work the world’s oldest profession for cigarettes and chewing gum!

San Francisco, CA- For the insecure boxing fan, you know the one who belittles MMA by calling it “real pro wrestling,” the numbers listed below will allow purists to claim the Emperorer is still wearing clothes, when in reality the one-time sport of kings and it’s de facto leader Bob Arum, together they bear nothing more than a loincloth.

BOXING LOSING HISPANIC/LATINOS IN DROVES

According to MMA Payout, Simmons Research indicates Hispanics are now “25% of the hardcore MMA” crowd, up 50% in three years. The aforementioned genius of promotion Arum, this back when promoters promoted fights and Don King was his competition, they both realized early on that Hispanics/Latinos/Mexicans was where the sport was going.

SUITS TOLD MELTZER AT FEDOR FIGHT

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the Showtime suits told him a fortnight ago in San Jose that, “Strikeforce does better Hispanic numbers (more viewers) than boxing!” In other MMA, the UFC in particular is up to 15% among Latinos which is now the fastest growing demographic in their universe.

HBO HAS REALLY MISSED THE BOAT

In another three years, HBO, in particular Sports CEO Ross Greenburg, he will have realized that he mucked up by not airing MMA, this when their boxing telecasts, already experiencing weak numbers, will drop close to 25% from 2010. This will occur because there is no interest in boxing in the 18-35 demographic. Unlike MMA which is thriving at the amateur and club level, there is no group to replace the nearly geriatric boxing fan.

TOP TEN PPV BROADCASTS IN # OF BUYS

1) Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather (2007) 2.4 million.
2) Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson II (1997) 1.99 million.
3) Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson (2002) 1.95 million.
4) Brock Lesnar-Frank Mir II (2009) 1.66 million.
5) Evander Holyfield-Mike Tyson I (1996) 1.60 million.
6) Mike Tyson-Peter McNeely (1995) 1.58 million.
7) Evander Holyfield-George Foreman (1991) 1.40 million.
7) Mike Tyson-Frank Bruno (1996) 1.40 million
7) Felix Trnidad-Oscar De La Hoya (1999) 1.40 million.
7) Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley (2010) 1.40 million.

Pedro Fernandez

San Francisco, CA- During a recent conversation the subject arose: If I were a boxer and I knew I couldn’t get caught, I’d have to say that I’d do EPO in a minute if I thought it would make me a 35-50% better athlete from a cardiovascular point of view. If a medical professional told me that certain steroids might also allow me to train harder and recover faster, I’d be popping the needles myself.

ALL I HAVE TO DO IS BEAT THE NEVADA TESTING?

And that is what makes this whole thing sort of scary, I’m pretty conservative and don’t believe in cheating per se. But I have to admit, I’d be deep into Performance Enhancing Drugs if I were competing at, or aspired to be near the upper echelon of my sport, be it boxing, tennis, soccer, MMA, hell even golfers are juiced nowadays. In short, I’d be willing to risk the consequences, especially if I was being tested under the current (announced) system employed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

YEAH, I SAID IT, I’D DO THE EPO

Can anybody fathom what this blood doping does? It allows you greater and higher levels of oxygen. Oxygen drives the body, red blood cells, etc. There are a few names over the years, big time guys other than Shane Mosley, and not Manny Pacquiao, that I know have taken “cycles” of steroids. The “blood doping” is relatively new to the boxing scene.

COSTAS FEARS GIBSON, I SAY DURAN!

HBO’s Bob Costas asked the great St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Bob Gibson if he would have used things that are available today had they been available during his hall of fame run, and he indicated he would. Costas said, “Gibson on steroids? What a nightmare!” I shudder at the thought of these things being around when Roberto Duran was aging. As for Ray Leonard, it was thought by some that the body he brought into the ring vs. Hagler in 1987 might have been “enhanced.”

Pedro Fernandez

MONTIEL SENDS MESSAGE TO DONAIRE ON FOX SPORTS NET

Chapias, Mexico- Fernando Montiel, (118 lbs), Sinaloa, Mexico KO 3 Rafael Concepcion, (118), Panama City, Panama. (WBO/WBC 118 lb. titles) Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KOs) exploded out of the corner at the opening bell and completely dismantled Concepcion (14-5-2, 8 KOs), a former interim super flyweight (115) champion. Just one week after Nonito Donaire’s KO win, Montiel who is slated to fight “The Filipino Flash” next, dropped Concepcion twice in round two he put him out in round three. Time was 1:07 of the third round. Once the bell rang, Concepcion never had a shot. Donaire moving up three lbs. to fight Montiel, this is apparently already agreed to.

HBO BOXING AFTER DARK LET BRADLEY HAVE EASY FIGHT

Rancho Mirage, CA – Timothy Bradley (147), Palm Springs, CA UD 12 Luis Carlos Abregu, (146.5), Salta, Argentina. Current WBO junior welterweight (140) champion Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs) made a seamless move to welterweight as he outboxed Abregu (29-1, 23 KOs) with ease. Abregu suffered his first defeat as a pro. Scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112. HBO should make Tim and Devon Alexander at 140.

ANGULO PREVAILS WITH RELATIVE EASE

Alfredo Angulo, (153.5), Coachella, CA TKO 1 Joanchim Alcine, (153.5), Quebec, Canada. Angulo (19-1, 15 KOs) has an easier than expected night in stopping Alcine (32-2, 19 KOs) at 2:59 of the first round. Referee Lou Moret saved Alcine who was catching heavy leather with his back to the ropes.

INTEGRATED SPORTS PPV MAIN HAD TUA-BARRETT

Atlantic City, NJ- David Tua, (237.5), South Auckland, New Zealand Draw 12 Monte Barrett, (225), Queens, NY. In a surprisingly entertaining fight, Tua (51-3-2, 43 KOs) and Barrett (34-9-1, 20 KOs) fought at close range from round one, but there was a clear winner despite a controversial and disappointing draw. An old looking Tua wilted as he attempted to stalk Barrett. Unable to land many clean shots late in fight, a frustrated Tua was deducted a point for throwing Barrett to the canvas in the final round.

TUA LOOKED GERIATRIC LAYING ON DECK

Floored by Barrett for the first time in his career in the waning seconds of the fight, the final bell rang before Monte could capitalize. Scores were 115-111 for Tua and 113-113 twice. Tua fought OK with what he had, however Barrett was more accurate and should have won.

Friday, July 16, 2010

BROOKYN’S JUDAH WINS IN JERSEY ON ESPN2

Newark, NJ– Zab Judah, (143), Brooklyn, NY TKO 3 Jose Armando Santa Cruz, (141), Lincoln Heights, CA. Judah (39-6, 29 KOs) completely dismantles a supposedly tough Cruz (28-5, 17 KOs). After spectacular left uppercut floored Cruz and a follow up flurry by Judah, referee Benjy Estevez Jr. had no other option than to stop the fight at 2:33 of # 3.

GUERRERO BEATS ISHE-IS SMITH NOW JUST AN OPPONENT?

Southhaven, MS- Fernando Guerrero, (159), Salisbury, MD UD 10 Ishe Smith, (158), Las Vegas, NV. Guerrero (19-0, 15 KOs) faced his toughest opponent to date in Smith (21-5, 9 KOs). Smith scored a knockdown in the eighth round at the bell, but was deducted a point for a low blow. In the end the scorecards were 96-93, 95-93 and an out of line 97-91.

Edwin Ayala

San Francisco, CA- According to my clock and promoter Bob Arum’s edict, Floyd Mayweather has roughly 4 1/2 hours to sign an agreement for a November 13 fight with Manny Pacquiao, or it’s off! Unless Arum and Floyd are “just working us” with this countdown clock and the like, I don’t see Floyd doing things according to Arum’s timetable.

AN ALMOST CERTAINTY DEADLINE WILL COME AND GO!

Expecting Floyd to NOT sign anything today, simply because it was demanded to by Bob Arum, Bob will probably be on the phone with his various Internet hacks telling them, “You can blame Floyd, yada, yada, yada.” Look this is brilliant match of fencing between a kid with a sometimes thug mentality, and a Harvard educated lawyer who prefers refers over Cuban cigars.

NO GAMES REGARDING DISDAIN & DISLIKE

The object is to drag this out as long as they can, miss a few deadlines, all the while fans everywhere are talking about the fight. In reality, this is all part of a great promotion between two guys, Floyd and Arum. Manny Pacquiao, he will face the winner of the Floyd Mayweather-Bob Arum fight. If Floyd wins, Pac & Floyd are on. If Bob Arum wins, then it appears Manny Pacquiao will fight the disgraced Antonio Margarito in Mexico. As for Arum-Floyd, they don’t like eachother.

Pedro Fernandez

MGM & TEXAS BOTH ARE OPEN FOR NOVEMBER 13

Both the MGM Grand and Dallas Stadium in Dallas, TX, Arum has “temperorary” reservations on both. Speaking of Texas, the total paid for the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight in March was 31,000+ paid and not the reported 41,000. The live gate was over $6,000,000

ESPN RUNS WITH ZAB JUDAH ON TOP

Come-backing former world champion Zab Judah (38-6, 28 KOs) takes on rough and tough customer Jose Santa Cruz (28-4, 17 KOs) in a scheduled 10 round super welterweight (154) tilt at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, tonight on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET.

DESPITE ACCOLADE, ZAB STILL SEEKS DEFINING MOMENT

Always the competitor, Zab Judah has fought the best of the best over the past ten years. During that span, Zab had moments of grandeur, but has fallen short of victory in his most important fights. As a result, Judah hasn’t held a significant title in years, prompting most  “experts” to believe that Zab may have already peaked, and questions loom as to what he has left in the tank. Nonetheless, a defiant Judah continues his quest of proving his once well regarded talents.

CRUZ LOOKING TO GET A NAME

Unknown to even the most “die hard” fan, within the “squared circle”, formidable opponent Jose Cruz has had his fair share of experiences and is a dangerous “kill or be killed” type of action fighter.

SHOBOX JOINS THE PARTY

Showtime’s critically acclaimed series punctuates Friday night with an intriguing main event when undefeated bomber Fernando Guerrero (18-0, 15 KOs) takes on “Contender” season one star Ishe Smith (21-4, 9 KOs) in a middleweight (160) 10 round attraction at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi, tonight on Showtime at 11 PM ET.

HBO HAS A POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE DOUBLE HEADER

After a month long absence of the sport, boxing surfaces on HBO with a battle of undefeateds when WBO and WBC light welterweight (140) champion Timothy Bradley (25-0, 11 KOs) throws hands with power punching Luis Carlos Abregu (29-0, 23 KOs) at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California, Saturday on HBO at 9:45 PM ET.

CHAMP ON THE RISE

Two years removed from his impressive title winning effort over Junior Witter (W UD 12), Timothy Bradley has been successfully slugging it out with some of the top dogs in a very talent rich division. A win on Saturday night could pit Bradley in the showdown everyone wants to see against IBF champ Devon Alexander to unify the belts.

LUIS HAS A PUNCHERS CHANCE

Having blasted out 7 of his last 10, Luis Carlos Abregu has been turning the lights out of his (descent) adversity with repetitious regularity. Abregu brings a lot of danger to the dance and will look to “chin check” Bradley in the same stunning fashion in which he has against lesser foe’s in previous encounters.

CURTAIN CALL HAS A BRAWL

Violent brawler Alfredo Angulo (18-1, 15 KOs) will meet vastly experienced and game Joanchim Alcine (32-1, 19 KOs) in a scheduled 12 round light middleweight (154) affair.

INTEGRATED SPORTS BRINGS TUA TO THE MIX

Former title challenger David Tua (51-3-1, 43 KOs) returns once again to stake his claim as a hopeful promise to the doldrums of the heavyweight division. David will meet “put through the ringer far too many times” pug Monte Barrett (34-9, 20 KOs) over 10 rounds or less at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Saturday, on PPV at 8 PM ET.

FOX SPORTS THROWS IT OUT THERE TOO

WBO and WBC bantamweight (118) belt holder Fernando Montiel (42-2-2, 32 KOs) squares off against savvy journeyman Rafael Concepion (14-4-1. 8 KOs) in a proposed 12 round title affair from Mexico,  Saturday on Fox Sports Net at 10 PM ET.

John Signorella

San Francisco, CA- If you missed the show LIVE at 6:05 PM PT in Northern California on the 50,000 watt monster that is XTRA Sports 860 AM, you can watch the July 11, 2010 edition of the longest running fight show in history, “Ring Talk Worldwide” in full right now Click to watch Nonito, Don Chargin & More!

San Francisco, CA- For the average sports fan, the name Zab Judah rings a bell because of his in ring actions after being spanked by Kostya Tszyu in Las Vegas in 2001. He hurled a stool around, threatened referee Jay Nady who made the stop, and with his Ghetto-urchin filled posse, a near riot ensued before order was regained. Accordingly, Judah was fined and suspended.

IN THE CORNERS IT’S FLOYD SR. VS. EDDIE MUSTAPHA

A fortnight ago, unbeaten San Francisco welter Karim Mayfield was sparring in a Sin City gym with Zab Judah, who is slated to fight this weekend. Mayfield, 13-0-1, 9 KOs, realized that he needed to fight Zab (38-6, 22 KOs) in close. Behind Mayfield was Floyd Mayweather Sr., while Eddie Mustapha Muhammad was in the Judah corner. Working his way in, Karim was raking Zab on the ropes with both hands. Realizing he was getting beat, Zab Judah then went nuts, grabbed Mayfield by the head and started kneeing him in the groin area.

COWARDLY ACT NOT SO SUPRISING!

The Judah clan has roughed up “elderly” ushers after a fight at the Mandalay Bay, Zab has lost his cool more than once, and then there’s always the hooker that claimed one of the Judah bros. be it Joel or Zab, one of them reportedly gave a “working girl” counterfeit money!

Pedro Fernandez

San Francisco, CA- Word came out of the BoxingTalk.com office this morning stating that Allan Green, the twice beaten 168 lb. world ranked contender out of Tulsa, OK, lost his sister yesterday in a traffic accident. Condolences to the Green family!

Las Vegas, NV- In a week in which the mercury level is at or above 100 degrees fahrenheit here in this desert bastion, promoter Bob Arum has turned up the heat even further by issuing the following edict: Either Floyd Mayweather signs for a November 13 fight with Manny Pacquiao, or the superfight will not occur in this calendar year.

AFTER COSTLY CAMPAIGN, MANNY NEEDS THE BUCKS TOO!

A lot has been made of Floyd’s being in a financial pinch. But I think that noise has dissipated for the most part because Floyd made better than $15 million for a May win over Shane Mosley. But Pacquiao, after reportedly spending $6 million US on his successful recent Congressional campaign, Manny could also use the record purse this fight with Mayweather will bring in.

IS FLOYD A JERK? BUSINESSMAN? BOTH?

Is it smart for Floyd to mess with Arum like he does? I mean, the Sheik is the most powerful man in boxing, and by hook or crook, the man usually gets things his way in the end. The next 30 hours or so should be interesting as Arum has declared that come Friday at 4 PM Las Vegas time, if Floyd hasn’t signed, Mayweather-Pacquiao or Pacquiao-Mayweather, it ain’t happening in 2010.

PLENTY OF WIGGLE ROOM FOR BOB

With November 13 being four months away, there is plenty of time for posing and posturing still. My feelings is that HBO and their pressure will eventually bring both sides together and a deal will be made.

Pedro Fernandez

San Francisco, CA- Just a couple of weeks removed from his greatest moment as a fighter in surviving the early onslaught to come back and defeat unbeaten Shane Carwin, UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar will go right back in the hell’s kitchen as Cain Velasquez has been confirmed as Lesnar’s next challenger October 23rd at the Anaheim Pond. Velasquez, fighting out of San Jose, CA, is 6′1 and 243 lbs. is giving up a couple inches and height and 20+ lbs. Unbeaten at 8-0, a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Cain will need to take Brock late into the fight to have any opportunity of a win.

STRIKEFORCE & COKER MUM ON BAUTISTA

Dave Bautista, 41, ex-WWE star, recently gave up a contract in excess of $1.2 million a year from the wrestling company. He said he was sick of the “PG rated” show the WWE is trying to put on for sponsors. He also sees the potential for money in MMA. That being said, Dave told TMZ that he had signed with Scott Coker’s Strikeforce. Coker says there are ongoing talks. My guy told me thay had come to an agreement, but that some minor details need to be worked out. Coker denied such! A Bautista vs. Bobby Lashley MMA fight could do some numbers if poroperly promoted, be it on CBS, Showtime or PPV.

KEN SHAMROCK FIGHTING THIS WEEKEND “DOWN UNDER”

The fledgling promotion known as Impact Fighting Championship will hold a card seen here in the US on PPV July 17. On top, long in the tooth Ken Shamrock vs. the usually not so entertaining Pedro Rizzo. Other names appearing include Ricco Rodriguez (is he still fighting?) and Bob Sapp. Unless the Aussies are super desperate, this event if it does, will barely get off the ground.

UFC, WWE NEWS & NUMBERS

The WWE website snagged only 11.8 million hits in May, their lowest numbers in better than a decade. They are averaging about 450 individual sales of memorabilia per day and shipped out nearly 350,000 DVDs in the month. The last WWE PPV barely did over 100,000 homes on PPV in the USA. As the UFC grows, the WWE numbers seem to get smaller.

RICKY “THE DRAGON” IN HOSPITAL AFTER RAW TV SHOW

Ricky Steamboat, 56, one of the great performers in pro wrestling history, was hospitalized with a Brain Aneurysm, this after a “worked” beat-down on Monday Night Raw two-weeks ago from the NXT crew. Felling ill a couple of days later, Steamboat who had wrestling fulltime from 1976 to 1994, had a small “brain bleed” that was discovered after he complained of dizzyness, etc. In great shape foir a young man, let alone 56, stuff like this is going to happen as older athletes continue to push the envelope further and further.

“Ring Talk News Service”

San Francisco, CA- Having been a fixture in the boxing world since 1960 when she married Don Chargin, Lorraine Chargin began working at the Olympic Auditorium for promoter Eileen Eaton in 1968. Don was then the matchmaker for the famed Los Angeles fight and wrestling venue. The pair would go on to have a storybook type of marriage that would last 49 years and five months!

LORRAINE HAD HER STERN SIDE

Debbie Kaplan & Lorraine

Although she had the tenacity of a hungry prizefighter at times, even though Lorraine’s work involved boxing, a lot of her friends were not from the boxing cloth. Some people you get to know over a period of years and your first contact with them begins to fade in memory. Not Lorraine, as I’ve said before, my watching grown men show both fear and respect for her at a December 1982 boxing match that saw Bobby Chacon rally to beat Bazooka Limon over 15 rounds was an eye opener.

EVEN ADMITTED BEING BROKE ONCE

There were some times in the mid to late 1980s when things were not going well for Don and Lorraine, AKA the “Dragon Lady.” The weekly cards at the Olympic Auditorium were no more. The dilapidated building would continue to host an occasional fight card, but it had been turned into a Luche Libra (Mexican pro wrestling) arena. Years later the Olympic was remodeled. But as Lorraine predicted, times had changed and the revamped building did little to bring back boxing in Los Angeles.

Lorraine & Don Circa 1960's

“CHARGIN, TELEPHONE”

Although “Chargin” as Lorraine so lovingly referred to Don time and again, would probably never cop to it, but she told me in the mid 90s that at one point before Tony Lopez won the IBF title from Rocky Lockridge in 1988, that she “had less than $1,000 in my checking account. If Tony hadn’t won, I might have had to get a real job,” she chuckled.

“DRAGON LADY” KEPT “WHEELS ON THE CAR”

Having been inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles, as was Don previously, Lorraine sat proudly as Don was brought into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY. Having been a promoter and involved in boxing since he put on a Santa Clara, CA show in 1951, Don Chargin’s three-man operation in the late 80s consisted of Don, Lorraine, and the late, great Sacramento bookmaker Sid Tenner. Of the three, nobody will ever say that Lorraine didn’t do most of the work.

WORKED HARD EVEN WHEN WORK WAS HARD

Even when her health wasn’t stellar at times, Lorraine Chargin would push forward like a locomotive in the cold. The “Dragon Lady” wasn’t the kind of person the name seems to typify. She would get emotional a few times in front of me, and not in a bad way. You see, when you went outside of the ring with Lorraine she was deep, so deep smarts wise that she was so far ahead of a lot of the people she came in contact with, that she had to get lonesome!

MOVE TO CAMBRIA A DREAM OF LORRAINE’S

When her and Don moved to Cambria, CA a little less than a decade ago, they left behind the City of Angels, where they had worked and lived for 35 years. Don told me that he and Lorraine “found Cambria” one day while driving the California coast after a fight in Sacramento. “We missed our friends and relatives, but we never looked back or second guessed moving out of LA,” said the “Dragon Lady.”

LIKE JOHN WAYNE, HAD KICKED CANCER’S ASS!

At one point in the 90s Lorraine was obviously sick. She had dropped weight, had thin hair, and you knew she was ill. But Lorraine was a rare bird in that she didn’t want anybody’s pity, she was the “Dragon Lady” of boxing, a woman who had survived the wrath and uncertainty of a professional life in boxing and beat that. She wasn’t about to succumb to Cancer. Within a year, Lorraine now in her 60s, had her hair and weight back.

CANCER CAME BACK IN LATE 2009

Lorraine circa 2008

Late last year, at a time when her and “Chargin” were not doing a lot of work outside of Don’s helping with Golden Boy Promotions, the Cancer came back. Truth be told, Lorraine put up a gallant fight against an opponent she could not beat in what would be a deadly rematch. On April 6, at a hospital near Cambria, CA, Lorraine Chargin died, she was 79. Her funeral services at her favorite restaurant in Cambria drew a few hundred people.

HAD DONE A LOT OF ME PERIOD

When I was raising my daughter Jacqueline in the early-90s, Lorraine would invite us to stay at the Radisson Inn in Sacramento and use the swimming pool, etc. She wrote sponsorship checks for my then fledgling show at a time I would later find out that she and Don weren’t doing too well. Loraine took me on trips with her and Chargin, got me TV gigs, introduced me to Lenny Fresquez, a brilliant businessman out of Albuquerque, NM, with whom I would work for a couple of years. I can’t say enough!

TOUGH LADY WITH COMPASSION

In closing, Lorraine was rarely wrong and often right. She will always be missed, never forgotten, and believe me when I say this because it took a long time to sink in, to gather up the wherewithal to pen this, because even though I had said it, it took a long time to come to grips with the fact the “Dragon Lady of Boxing” had indeed left the building. It is with great honor that we enshrine the great Lorraine Chargin on the RingTalk.com “Wall Of Fame.”

Pedro Fernandez

Larry Holmes & Promoter Harold Smith

“EASTON ASSASSIN” A CREDIT TO MANKIND

New York, NY- Does being a champion once, equate to be considered a champion your entire life? I believe it depends on the individual. O.J. Simpson was a Heisman trophy winner, yet his trophy is not on display with the others at USC. Mark McGwire, one-time holder of the single season home run record and a virtual lock for the Hall of Fame, has not yet been voted in during his first few years of eligibility. These former sports champions are no longer looked upon in that same breath because of incarceration and scandal.

When it comes to sports, I’m a fan plain and simple. Yet, while I love virtually all sports, combat sports are my favorite. I’ve been a fan of Mixed Martial Arts from the beginning. However, before MMA came on the scene I was a life-long boxing fan.

This love for the sport came without influence. There was no adult male figure in my household when I was growing up, yet as far back as I can remember, I was just drawn to it on my own. A lot of it probably has to do with growing up in the ’60’s and ’70’s when boxing was dominated by the most charismatic figure in its history Muhammad Ali.

As a teenager I moved to Pennsylvania from New York and another young fighter came on the scene. One who had local ties and also had ties to the aforementioned Ali. This fighter’s name was Larry Holmes and with him being from the Lehigh Valley, Easton, PA, my love for boxing got even greater. Now I wasn’t just a fan of the sport, but there was a local fighter I could root for, one that would go on to become heavyweight champion of the world and one of the greatest fighters of all-time.

The ‘70’s was a time most boxing experts consider the golden era for the heavyweight division. Holmes rose to become the best of that era. A guy from very humble beginnings, he took his God-given talents as an athlete and worked himself into perfection as he climbed his way up the ladder to eventually earn a title shot against one of the most feared fighters of the era Ken Norton. In an epic battle that lasted 15 grueling rounds, Holmes showed his will and courage as he outlasted the legendary Norton to win the heavyweight championship of the world.

As somewhat of a boxing historian, I consider what Holmes did after that unheard of in boxing annals. He won his title in 1978 and through 1985 he defended it successfully 20 times. In today’s era where there are multiple champions recognized within a division due to various organizations that claim to have the “world champion,” you do not have that many title defenses. Holmes defended it three times a year.

He fought the best the division had to offer and beat them all, including a dominating performance against his own idol Ali and a brutal bout against the universally recognized hardest hitting heavyweight of the era, Earnie Shavers. He also fought in one of the greatest fights in boxing history 28 years ago this past month when he knocked out the previously undefeated Gerry Cooney; this fight went beyond the realm of sports and into the social climate of racial barriers. He was undefeated in 48 fights before a controversial decision loss against Michael Spinks denied him a chance of breaking Rocky Marciano’s record of 49 fights without a loss and boxing immortality.

Holmes finished his boxing career winning 69 of 75 fights. All of his losses were due to either extremely controversial decisions, or because he fought well past his prime against the greatest of the next era such as Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.

Holmes has gone on to become a successful businessman in his hometown, where the city recognized his achievements by naming a street after him. Larry Holmes Drive, which runs along the scenic Delaware River, is also the address to his beautiful sports bar/restaurant/nightclub Larry Holmes Ringside. For eight years from 2000-2008, I was fortunate enough to work as a DJ there. This opportunity gave me the chance to get to know this great champion on a personal level.

In today’s era when superstar rich athletes are all about themselves and could care less about their fans, Holmes is anything but. Many times, new fans would come into the Ringside and I never once seen him turn down an autograph or photo opportunity. Even on days when I knew he was not feeling well, I saw him make the effort to acknowledge his fans. I’ve also witnessed him share his wealth on holidays, summer or winter, with picnics and parties where he would invite numerous relatives, friends and even acquaintances and all he ever asked you to bring was yourself.

In the rich and long tradition of boxing, Holmes easily ranks in the top five heavyweights of all-time. On ring achievement alone the only names that can possibly be placed ahead of him are those of Ali, Joe Louis and Jack Johnson. Louis and Johnson deserve recognition because they fought at a time when they had to endure numerous obstacles as African Americans.

Larry Holmes held the single greatest title in individual sports for 7 1/2 years; no fighter today, regardless of weight class, does that. Outside of the ring, the man is still a champion, which is why I always refer to him as “champ.”

“Slammin’ Sammy” Perez

Union City, NJ- Wimbledon, the World Cup, the Sarah Palin LeBron James one-hour non-special— boxing has had a lot of competition in the sports world in the past month, and the only real news story that has managed to permeate the mainstream from our world is the fact that our pound-for-pound best fighter has all but abandoned the sport for a career in politics. But under the radar lies the fact that Manny Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) has a major challenge for the top title from a compatriot whose major career-ending victories have fallen comparatively under the radar: Nonito Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs).

DONAIRE IS A FIGHTER’S FIGHTER

He doesn’t make movies, he has never pretended to have a good singing voice, and he certainly doesn’t have anything remotely resembling a political career. He is simply a boxer— fighting is his passion and he devotes all his resources to that which he does best. And it has paid off in an extravagantly successful career against top opponents like Raul Martinez (27-1, 16 KOs), Rafael Concepcion (14-4-1, 8 KOs), and the biggest feather in his cap, Vic Darchinyan (35-2-1, 27 KOs).

REMEMBER VIC DARCHINYAN? DONAIRE STOPPED HIM COLD

Three years ago, Darchinyan was the biggest name in his division, and managed to break through the popularity gap between tiny bantamweights like himself and the welters and, at some point in history, heavyweights that typically dominate the sport’s culture. He was big, and only growing, using his extremely unique style to climb over the the bodies of Jorge Arce (54-6-1, 41 KOs), Victor Burgos (39-15-3, 23 KOs), and Nonito’s older brother, Glenn Donaire (17-4-1, 9 KOs). Nonito swiftly ended this meteoric rise in what has so far appeared to be permanent fashion. True, Darchinyan still holds a couple of major belts, and Nonito Donaire has moved far and beyond this three-year-old tale. But it is worth repeating because it shows the magnitude of his achievements—to put a rising star permanently under commission— and, next to someone like Pacquiao, who made a career of fighting people who should have retired a long time ago, shines even brighter.

MARQUEZ ONLY HAD A CHANCE WHEN DONAIRE WAS FIGHTING SOUTHPAW

If you needed proof in 2010 that Donaire is still technically one of, if not the most, dominant figure in boxing, look no further than his battle with Hernan Marquez (27-0, 20 KOs) last night on Showtime. Marquez, with a respectable record for a 21-year-old, did some significant damage on the cards in the first few rounds, and if you thought the fight was unnaturally close for a while, you’re right: Donaire was fighting as a southpaw. As soon as he went back to his natural stance, Marquez was on the canvas, but got up to make it a fight until the eighth round, when the referee stopped the fight.

WHY DON’T FANS LIKE THE LITTLE GUYS (AND GIRLS)?

There aren’t really many people in his division against which Donaire still has to prove himself; it’s clear he is one of, if not the best, at what he does and where he does it. And, truly, this victory is only the cherry on top of a long, fruitful career that hasn’t made front pages based solely on the long-time arbitrary distaste boxing fans seem to have for the lower weight classes. While certain extremely unimpressive heavyweights (ahem, all of them) continue to make it to the top of the boxing publicity game with not one thriller to their name, smaller men like Donaire are the victims of the simple fact that boxing fans randomly don’t care about them. It’s time to give credit where credit is due on this one, and put Donaire on the fast track to a superstardom that has eluded him for no other reason than that fans and the media haven’t wanted to give him what’s rightfully his.

San Francisco, CA- If you missed the show LIVE at 6:05 PM PT in Northern California on the 50,000 watt monster that is XTRA Sports 860 AM, you can watch the July 11, 2010 edition of the longest running fight show in history, “Ring Talk Worldwide” in full right now Click to watch Nonito, Don Chargin & More!

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Juan Manuel Lopez, 125.25 lbs, Caguas, Puerto Rico TKO 2 Bernabe Concepcion, 125, Binangonan, Rizal, Philippines (WBO 126 lb. title) As long as it lasted, it was a wild slugfest that saw both the champion Lopez (29-0, 26 KOs) and the challenger Concepcion (28-4-1, 15 KOs) hit the canvas in round one. Lopez, the more precise and accurate puncher prevailed, as he knocked Concepcion down twice in the second round, prompting the fight to be stopped at the 2:37 mark.

LAST FIGHT AT 115 AN EASY ONE FOR “FILIPINO FLASH”

Nonito Donaire, 114.5, San Leandro, CA TKO 8 Hernan Marquez, 115, Sonora, MX (interim WBA 115 lb. belt) Donaire (24-1, 16 KOs) fought Marquez (27-2, 20 KOs) as a southpaw for the first four rounds, due in part to a hip injury, was winning but without any real foreworks. Once he switched to an orthodox stance, Marquez had no chance. Dropped in round six as it was all Donaire from then until the end which came at 2:59 of the eighth round.

July 9, 2010

MOLINA BESTS LUNDY ON ESPN

John Molina Jr., 135, Covina, CA TKO 11 Hank Lundy, 135, Philadelphia, PA. Molina Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) chased Lundy (18-1-1, 10 KOs) relentlessly until finally connecting with a right in the eighth round, depositing Lundy on his back. Before then the fight was even, after a tired Lundy was no match for the resurgent Molina Jr. who handed Lundy his first loss at 2:17 of the eleventh round.

SHOBOX CARD TOPPED BY WELTERS

Atlantic City, NJ- Mike Jones, 146.5, Philadelphia, PA KO 5 Irving Garcia, 146.5, Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Jones (22-0, 18 KOs) scored a dominating fifth round knockout of Garcia (17-5-3, 8 KOs). The punch was actually a low blow that dropped Garcia; missed by referee Randy Neumann. Time was 1:22 of the fifth.

Edwin Ayala

THIS DURAN IS NOT LACKING FIGHTS!

Jacob Duran, or ‘Stitch’ as he is more commonly known, is one the most recognizable and popular cutman in the world of MMA and boxing. An expert in his chosen field, he has successfully turned cotton swabs and Vaseline into an art form that has transcended outside the cage and ring. There’s so much to this success story; his life is being chronicled in a book to be released in the fall. I was lucky enough to talk to the man recently about this and so much more.

ONCE STUDIED MUAY THAI

A son of Mexican immigrants, Stitch was born and grew up in Central Valley, California. Oddly enough, his original love of sport was not in the combat arts, but rather another passion within the Hispanic community, baseball. It was his dream to play baseball for a living, but when he got older and realized the dream wouldn’t become reality, he joined the Air Force, which took him to Thailand in 1974. Little did he know the cultural exchange he was about to experience would change his life forever?

While stationed there he discovered kickboxing and was so fascinated, he decided to get involved. He studied a combination of Taekwondo and Thai Boxing for the duration of his stay and when he returned to the states he continued his training while a student in community college. Inevitably he trained and worked with such fighters as former legendary World kickboxing champion Dennis Alexio and another fighter named Dave Rooney. It was Rooney who gave Stitch the nickname.

GOOD FILM ON BOXERS NOT WELL RECEIVED

He’s also produced a documentary entitled ‘Boxer’s Nightmare,’ which focuses on the many pitfalls, including finances, that seem to besiege fighters once their careers are over. Unfortunately, to this point it has fallen on deaf ears because “the powers that be, which are the one’s making money on the fighters don’t want it to interfere with their business.”

CUTMAN WITH A CLOTHING LINE!

To truly understand how popular this humble giant has become is summed up in the following story. The wife of a U.S. Marine stationed in Afghanistan bought the Signature Stitch Duran Tapout shirt for her husband. She contacted Stitch to tell him how much her husband and his fellow Marines loved the shirt and it’s saying, ‘Listo Para La Guerra’, which is Spanish meaning ‘Ready for War’. Stitch was so moved by this, he decided he wanted to send shirts for the entire unit. When he brought it to the attention of the guys at Tapout, they volunteered to ship the shirts, thus 50 shirts went out.

“STITCH” CAN BE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINNING & LOSING!

For a fighter, the cutman can mean the difference between a win and a loss. That’s why more often than not, whether it’s stateside or overseas, if either the UFC or a major boxing event is taking place, chances are Stitch Duran is working a fighter’s corner!

“Slammin’ Sammy” Perez

Billy Collins

San Francisco, CA- A most vile man is attempting to get a boxer’s license in California. He is uncharged Felon Antonio Margarito, who by California’s Penal Code should have been charged with 245 A PC, a Felony when he was caught with a plaster of Paris block in his hand already wrapped for battle with Shane Mosley in January 2009.

RESTO WASN’T CAUGHT UNTIL AFTER WRECKING BILLY!

The damage done to boxer Billy Collins in the photograph above, this was done by removing 25% of the padding from Luis Resto’s gloves. Margarito was looking to hurt Mosley by hitting him with hands lined with plaster of Paris-like blocks. Margarito was never charged criminally. Instead his boxing license was taken away by the California State Athletic Commission, whose authority is recognized in all 50 states.

Last week, he went before the Nevada Commission, trying to circumvent the powers of the CSAC. Talk about chutzpah! Sign below in the comments section.

“JUAN MA” MAKES SHOWTIME DEBUT

Rising Puerto Rican star Juan Manuel Lopez (28-0, 25 KOs) attempts his first defense of the WBO featherweight (126) strap against rugged Filipino scrapper Bernabe Concepcion (28-3-1, 15 KOs) over 12 scheduled rounds of throw down in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saturday at 9 PM ET on Showtime.

NATURAL BORN SLUGGER

Boasting a knockout percentage of about 90 percent, fierce, free-spirited brawler Juan Lopez has proven devastating “lights out” type power. Contrast to his barrage of terror, Juan has shown a multiplicity of craft and intestinal fortitude, aforementioned attributes which were highlighted by answering the final bell in his “life and death” battle with Rogers Mtagwa (W Lopez, UD 12). By displaying “heart”, which is a scarce trait of many of today’s prize fighters,  “Juan Ma” is a rare breed.

CONCEPCION AIN’T BAD, BUT IS HE ANY GOOD?

As a professional fighter for six years, Bernabe Concepcion is best known for being disqualified for hitting Steven Lueveno after the bell in their WBO title affair. After the setback, Bernabe picked up a win which has earned him a second chance at capturing the belt.

“FLASH” APPEARANCE IN THE OPENER

“Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire (23-1, 15 KOs) squares off against Hernan Marquez (27-1, 20 KOs) in a jr. bantamweight (115) 12 round affair.

TAMING THE BULL

Bursting on the scene with a sensational one punch knockout win over then undefeated Vic Darchinyin (W KO 5), Nonito Donaire’s slaying of the “Raging Bull” propelled his status as challenger to champion overnight. Conventional wisdom lead one to believe that a win of such magnitude would have opened doors to more marquee fights and lucrative pay days, however that wasn’t the case.

FLASH OR PHANTOM?

In a victory that was suppose to introduce Donaire to the boxing world as “the next big thing” and elevate him into the upper stratosphere of 115 pounders, Nonito, oddly enough, has only fought 5 times over the last 3 years and had been featured mostly on independent PPV broadcasts with limited televised access to viewers in the United States.

DESPITE “LOOSE” SCHEDULE DONAIRE CAN FIGHT

Nonito possesses a highly exciting “TV friendly” style and by knocking out 7 of his last 11, he packs one hell of a punch. A win on Saturday (hopefully) will lead Donaire to bigger and better things.

WHAT YA GOT KID?

In his last outing, heavily protected prospect Hernan Marquez finally stepped up in class and picked up his first loss as pro. Prior to that setback, Hernan was blasting out pugs with the the most hideous losing records I’ve even seen.

ESPN LOOKS TO BURN THE BARN

In one of the best fights that can be made between up and coming stars, Philadelphia scrapper Henry Lundy (18-0-1, 10 KOs) takes on heavy handed John Molina (20-1, 16 KOs) in a career defining WBO lightweight (135) title tilt at the Twin River Event Center in Rhode Island on ESPN 2 Friday at 10 PM ET.

SHOBOX RETURNS

After a month absence, the critically acclaim series is back with a competitive bout featuring dismantling bomber Mike Jones (21-0, 17 KOs) against rough battle tested thug Irving Garcia (17-4-3, 8 KOs) over 12 rounds or less in the welterweight (147) division at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at 11 PM ET on Showtime.

John Signorella

Goodnight Vic Darchinyan

San Francisco, CA- There is nothing easy about 115 lb. World champ Nonito Donaire’s defense this Saturday against once-beaten Herman Marquez. Nearly starved at 115, Donaire says Marquez will be his last fight at the weight. The intent is to move to 118, before ascending to 122 lbs. where it appears Donaire thinks he can fit in after a few scraps at 118.

FIRST THINGS FIRST & THAT MEANS MARQUEZ

On paper, Herman Marquez doesn’t have even a remote chance. The once beaten (27-1, 20 KOs) Mexican has fought more stiffs than even the infamous Butterbean. He lost his last fight to Richie Mepranum, also a Filipino over ten unanimous rounds in his homeland. That being said, it looks like Donaire will punch holes in Marquez and stop him inside the route. This looks like a decent payday for Donaire set up by manager Cameron Dunkin.

BULLHEADED DARCHINYAN NIXED REMATCH

On July 7, 2007 Donaire, now 23-1, 15 KOs, then at fighting at 112 lbs. drilled the then unbeaten Vic Darchinyan in one-punch manner that would be devastating for any division, let alone flyweight. During an appearance on “Ring Talk Worldwide” this past Sunday, Donaire said he was willing to accept less money and that at the last minute, Vic pulled out.

STUBBORN AUSSIE NOT GOOD BUSINESSMAN

As rare as superfights are at 112-115, Darchinyan’s refusal to fight was followed by his being defeated by Joseph Agbeko (27-2, 22 KOs) at 118 lbs. in July 2009. Although a fight in the future with Vic is a possibility, the fight will not have the “buzz” that it could have had if egos not beaten out common sense and money!

LOOKING AT THE MANNY SITUATION

Although Donaire will not knock him, the fact that Manny Pacquiao doesn’t have Donaire fighting underneath him, you know helping out and at the same time building up another talented Filipino champion, I mean it wouldn’t cost Manny anything, except ego, and he won’t do it because of such.

TOP RANK CARD ON SHOWTIME TOPPED BY JUAN MA

Puerto Rican Juan Manuel Lopez, 26-0, 25 KOs, defends the WBO 126 lb. diadem against Filipino Bernabe Concepcion (28-3-1, 15 KOs). Targeting the enthusiastic Filipino fan base with two Pinoys on the card, this one, Conception, he has no chance whatsoever. I mean none!

Pedro Fernandez

Sometimes UFC Prez Dana White just irks me. A fortnight ago, Tapout a major MMA sponsor, was pressured by the UFC to “not sign” a deal with Fedor Emilianenko. Word is Tapout got a call from the UFC stating that, “If you do a tee shirt deal with Fedor, you’re done with the UFC.” Dana White has not denied the call being made.

“TAP HEARD AROUND THE WORLD”

When Fedor Emelianenko tapped out a fortnight ago to Fabrice Verdum, it was called , “the tap heard round the world.” Around the world perhaps, but only about 700,000 homes watched the uncrowned heavyweight champ Fedor get caught in a choke hold on Showtime in the United States. Fedor (32-2) was trying to build a US fanbase that could get him parity with the UFC champ Brock Lesnar. Oh, the overall Showtime rating of 1.47. Last year, Gina Carrano, her nearly being beheaded by Cris Santos in this same San Jose, CA arena, the chicks had a bigger live crowd and grabbed a 2.17 rating.

CBS TV IS WHERE STRIKEFORCE NEEDS TO BE

CBS has not yet said whether or not they will put forth a fall Strikeforce card. Last Monday, just two days after Fedor flopped, Scott Coker, the man behind Strikeforce went to New York to discuss a date with potentially Hershell Walker, Bobby Lashley, and get this, Dave Bautista of WWE fame.

BAUTISTA HAS YET TO SIGN ON DOTTED LINE

Bautista, 41 years of age, said he didn’t like the PG rated product the WWE is serving up these days. At the Strikeforce Los Angeles card last month, Bautista had nothing good to say about Vince McMahon or the WWE. Making close to $2 million a year, that’s a lot of money for a man Dave’s age to walk away from. The aforementioned Hershell Walker, an NFL great, at 1-0, the 47-year old is training in San Jose full time.

UFC 114 NUMBERS ARE IN!

The Rashad Evans-Rampage Jackson PPV match last month did an estimated 1,050,000 buys. And while the fight was all Evans and failed to deliver, the animosity in the pre-fight build up is what delivered the numbers.

ULIMATE FINALE NUMBERS AS WELL

The live gate in Las Vegas for the Ultimate Fighter Season 11 Finale was 1,708 paid for a live gate take of $430,000. The show drew two million viewers on Spike TV, making it the highest rated show of the television day! As good as it sounds, it was the third lowest total in 11 season endings.

MMA PUG HELD IN CASINO DEATH OF PAL

Alcohol, drugs, and testosterone, in combination they are deadly. Take the case of Las Vegas’ MMA fighter Jason Sindelar. The 25-year old assaulted DeMario Reynolds, a friend who had tried to prevent Jason from choking his girlfriend, three different times on the night of June 19 at the Luxor Hotel & Casino. The third attack proved fatal. Sindelar is being held sans bail.

Pedro Fernandez

Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. (CES) returns to the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI with a full card of professional boxing on Friday night. Entitled “Let Freedom Ring” and airing on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights will be the main event featuring “John John” Molina Jr. (20-1, 16 KOs) from Covina, CA who will be trying to gain the NABO lightweight (135 lbs) crown for the second time against unbeaten NABF counterpart in Philadelphia’s Hank Lundy (18-0-1, 10 KOs). Molina, his only loss as a pro came last September, losing a ten-round decision to contender Martin Honorio.

LUNDY HANDLED UNBEATEN HENDRIX WITH EASE

Lundy’s last fight was against Georgia native Tyrese Hendrix, dominating him over ten rounds and handing Hendrix his first and only loss (18-1, 7 KOs).

LOTS OF LOCAL LADS MOST OF JIMMY B’S UNDERCARD

In the co-feature New England super middleweight (168) champion from Lowell, MA, Joey McCreedy (11-4-2, 6 KOs), who is trained by local legends Mickey Ward and Dick Eklund, faces his friend and stablemate Vladine Biosse (6-0, 4 KOs) over eight rounds.

THIS ESTRADA NOT FROM THE TV SHOW “CHIPS”

Eric Estrada an ex-firefighter from Providence, RI, will be making his long awaited pro debut in a four rounder against cruiserweight Keon Graham (2-2) out of Akron, OH.

PRELIMS

Roxbury, MA fighter Maceo Crowder (2-0, 1 KO) faces debuting Worcester, MA resident Ralph Johnson, a former MMA fighter. As a special attraction Quincy, Massachusetts welterweight Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes (2-1, 1 KO) will be out to reverse her only loss in a six round rematch against Providence, Rhode Island’s Kali Reis (2-0, 1 KO)  who won a four round decision in their first meeting. Also scheduled to fight in four round bouts are Warwick, RI’s Keith Kozlin (5-1, 3 KOs) facing New Bedford, Mass’ Eric Pinaretta (2-3, 2 KOs), Woonsocket, RH’s Joe Gardner (4-1-1, 1 KO) against Shreveport, LA’s Demarcus Clark (1-2, 1 KO), Lincoln, RI’s Diego Pereira (4-0, 2 KOs) versus Las Vegas, NV’s Richard Calazada (2-1, 1 KO), and Fall River, Massachusetts’ Dustin Reinhold (1-1, 1 KO) versus Allentown, PA’s Joel Nieves (0-2).

Edwin Ayala

REMATCH COTTO AT 154 ERASES 145 LB. LIMIT STINK!

Although it would fall short in appeasing the rabid hunger of many boxing fans anticipating the Mayweather match up, a win against Miguel Cotto (35-2 28 KOs) for his WBA light middleweight (154 lbs) title would be a feasible opportunity for Manny to seal an unmatched legacy in the sport forever. With Manny currently holding an unprecedented seven titles in as many divisions, he stands alone as the only man to have ever accomplished this feat. And although many of today’s titles are as available as a room in a deserted motel, there is still much to be said when a fighter can secure seven in a career. But what is even more interesting is the fact that Manny has the goods and opportunity to get one more. This would mean eight. And I would safely bet my last cold glass of water in hell that seeing that ever happen again would be about as slim as a Mike Tyson-Lennox Lewis rematch. But it would erase the stench over Pac demanding Cotto weigh 145 lbs.

WHERE DOES MANNY GO IF NOT FLOYD?

Without Cotto or Mayweather, Manny has few truly meaningful options he can pencil in for November 13 (let alone any date), the day he and his promoter Bob Arum have prepared for his return bout at the end of the year. Sure there has been small talk concerning Manny facing Antonio Margarito (38-6 27 KOs), but Manny already turned down a bout with former champ Yuri Foreman (28-1 8 KOs), citing that he was too tall. Margarito and Foreman at 5’11” are the same height, and with no title and more than enough wiggle room for the upset, a bout against the shamed Margarito would makes as much sense as the BP oil spill.

WHAT DO YOU FANS THINK?

It’s my hope that we see the fight we all want to see, but in uncertainly, lies an interesting question. If we consider two options in Cotto and Mayweather, which victory would actually hold more weight? A victory over the unbeaten and generation’s best Floyd Mayweather, or a rematch against a tough customer for an unprecedented and almost unfathomable eighth divisional title? It’s a question I see being very debatable although it may never be answered. Or, maybe it could it be? Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see what actually does take place this November.

Jarrad Woods

Bethlehem, PA- On the eve of July 4th, UFC 116 provided some fireworks a day early. Chock full of KO’s, submissions and exciting fights, the card was highlighted by the return of the UFC heavyweight 205-265 lbs) champion Brock Lesnar, 265, who did his part to insure it would be an unforgiveable night of MMA. In only his sixth professional fight, Lesnar (5-1, 2 KO’s 2 subs) showed tremendous heart, growth and evolution as both a fighter and champion.

INJURY KEPT BROCK ON SHELF ALMOST A YEAR

In only his second title defense and first fight in just under a year, Lesnar submitted interim champion Shane Carwin, 265, (12-1, 7 KO’s, 5 subs) via an impressive arm triangle choke in the second round. I had predicted Carwin would knockout Lesnar in the first round and for four minutes, it looked like that was the way it was going to play out.

SHANE HAD BROCK HURT MORE THAN ONCE!

Carwin caught Lesnar with a looping left uppercut that staggered the champion and proceeded to unleash a flurry of punches that would eventually drop Lesnar against the cage. With four full minute’s left in the round, Carwin maintained top position on Lesnar as he rained down power shots and hammer fists. Lesnar to his credit covered up well and maintained his composure, weathering the storm while Carwin seemingly punched himself out through the round. Luckily for Lesnar, while he offered nothing in return, he stayed active and alert enough to keep the referee from stopping the fight.

CARWIN HAD NEVER BEFORE SAW SECOND ROUND

As the second round began, a clearly gassed Carwin looked across the cage to find a smiling Lesnar coming at him. Apparently, surviving the best Carwin had to offer gave Lesnar a boost of confidence because he came straight at him and eventually took him down. Instead of using Carwin’s approach of trying to punch him into submission, Lesnar showed patience as he used his NCAA wrestling background to control Carwin. Eventually he worked himself into an arm triangle and unlike a man that weighs 265 lbs., he quickly changed his position to side mount from Carwin’s half guard giving him all the leverage he needed. With Lesnar’s power and the choke locked in tight, Carwin had no other recourse but to tap or go to sleep.

STOMACH MALADY HUMBLED LESNAR

In his post-fight interview, Lesnar was a totally different person from the one who berated his opponent and UFC sponsors last summer at UFC 100 in his win against Frank Mir. Apparently, his near career ending bout with Diverticulitis, an intestinal infection, was enough to wake up, humble and tame this once wild beast. “This isn’t about me tonight, this is about my family, my doctors, my training partners and my training staff.”

IN THE WORDS OF LESNAR

However, he made sure to let it be known that it his newfound epiphany doesn’t mean he’s getting soft. “I am blessed by God ladies and gentlemen; I stand before you a humble champion, but I’m still the toughest SOB around baby.”

WHY I PICKED CARWIN TO EMERGE VICTORIOUS

Figuring ring rust and the comeback from the illness would be too much to overcome. I also made the mistake of thinking he had no heart, as most bullies don’t. I figured that once he got cracked in the jaw and found himself in trouble he would fold under the pressure and give up. On the contrary, he showed he does have what it takes to be a champion.

“Slammin’ Sammy” Perez

TWO CHAMPS ON FOX SPORTS NET…ONLY ONE FIGHTS!

Reno, NV- Ulises Solis, 113.5, Jalisco, Mexico UD 10 Eric Ortiz, 113, Mexico City, MX. Two former world champions Solis (31-2-2, 21 KOs) and Ortiz (32-11-3, 21 KOs) faced off in the “Biggest Little City in The World,” Reno, NV. Soon after the opening bell, it was obvious that only Solis showed up winning the one-sided fight by scores of 98-89 twice and 99-88,

TOUGH FILIPINO WORKS HARD FOR WIDE WIN

Mark Melligen, 147, Cebu, Philippines UD 10 Anges Adjaho, 146.5, Agnes, NY. Melligen (19-2, 13 KOs) had his way with Adjaho (17-3, 9 KOs). Scorecards read 98-92, 97-93, and 99-91.

Friday, July 2, 2010

“NOT SO” HOT HOPKINS TOPS ESPN 2 CARD

Los Angeles, CA- Demetrius Hopkins, 147, Philadelphia, PA UD 10 Mike Arnaoutis, 146, Queens, NY. Hopkins (30-1-1, 11 KOs) guts out a hard ten round unanimous decision over Arnaoutis (23-5-2, 10 KOs). Scores were 99-91 twice and 100-90.

Francisco Contreras, 135.5, Irvington, NJ UD 10 Eric Cruz, 135, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. Unbeaten puncher Contreras (15-0, 13 KOs) goes the full eight winning easily over Eric Cruz (7-4-3, 7 KOs). Scores were 80-72 twice and 78-74.

Edwin Ayala

Las Vegas, NV- Brock Lesnar, 265 lbs, Webster, SD SUB 2 Shane Carwin, 265, Greeley, CO.  This bout immediately looked like it would end up the same as all 12 of Carwin’s (12-1, 7 KOs, 5 SUBs) other bouts-by stoppage in the first round.  Carwin caught Lesnar (5-1, 2 KOs, 2 SUBs) several times, dropped the UFC champ and proceeded to pound away at him, but couldn’t finish the job.  Lesnar was able to survive the early onslaught and the rest of the round in order to regroup, and that he did. 

AGAIN, CARWIN HAD NEVER SEEN SECOND ROUND

As the second round began, Carwin looked arm weary and Lesnar capitalized with a quick takedown and gained a dominate position on Carwin.  Now, for the first time in his career Carwin saw the second round and on top of that, was in a very bad position with a very dangerous man on top of him.  Lesnar wasted little time in advancing his position and securing an arm triangle choke which he slowly secured, improved and milked until it was very tight and Carwin had no choice but to tap or nap.  Brock Lesnar remains the UFC heavyweight champion with a very impressive submission victory and a solid showing of skill and will after a very rocky opening round.

LEBEN TOPPED WEAK UNDERCARD

Chris Leben, 185, Portland, OR SUB 3 Yoshihiro Akiyama, 185, Osaka, Japan.  Coming in on just under two weeks notice and just having fought two weeks ago, Leben (21-6, 11 KOs, 5 SUBs) took the gamble on taking a very tough fight against Akiyama (13-2, 5 KOs, 7 SUBs).  Leben made it pay off as he won by submission as both himself and Akiyama put on a hell of a show for all three rounds.  At one point or another throughout the bout, both combatants were hurt as they engaged in free swinging exchanges.  Even when Akiyama got the better of striking, it was still a type of fight that favored Leben.  Both guys deserve high props for their performances, especially Leben given the circumstances.

WELTERWEIGHTS IN UFC WEIGH 170

Chris Lytle, 170, Indianapolis, IN SUB 2 Matt Brown, 171, Cincinnati, OH. This was a fight between two guys with solid skills and even more heart.  Brown (11-9, 6 KOs, 5 SUBs) caught Lytle (29-17-5, 4 KOs, 19 SUBs) in the first in a tight choke, but Lytle stayed relaxed and was able to survive it and escape the first round.  The two went back to work in the second with both landing punches and kicks until Lytle gained a dominate position on the ground and secured the arm of Brown and viciously torqued the elbow until Brown had no option but to snap or tap.

“PSYCHO” GETS MUCH NEEDED VICTORY

Stephan Bonnar, 205, Hammond, IL TKO 2 Krzysztof Soszynski, 205, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Stephan Bonner (12-7, 3 KOs, 7 SUBs) evened up the score as he earned a victory over Krzysztof Soszynski (21-10-1, 8 KOs, 10 SUBs).  This was a rematch of their fight in Australia last February in which Soszynski won via TKO after a medical stoppage.  After being cut up in the first round by his opponent, Bonnar came out in the second round as he always does; undeterred and looking for the kill.  This time around, he would catch Soszynski with a crisp knee that would drop him as Bonner followed up with a multitude of punches until referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the action.  Congratulations to the “American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar on an impressive and much needed win.

George Sotiropoulos, 156, Geelong, Victoria, Australia UD 3 Kurt Pellegrino 155, Point Pleasant, NJ. Sotiropoulos (13-2, 1 KO, 7 SUBs) outworked, out-thought and outfought Pellegrino (16-5, 2 KOs, 10 SUBs) through three rounds to take an impressive unanimous decision win.   Sotiropoulos hurt Pellegrino in the first and almost had his man out, but Pellegrino hung in and almost stole the fight literally in the last second of the last round as he landed a solid knee to Sotiropoulos and jumped on him with punches just as the final bell rang.  In the end it wasn’t enough and Sotiropoulos’ hand was raised.

Matt “All Meat” Grizzle

San Francisco, CA- While at the Sports Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning offices in San Carlos on Friday afternoon, I ran into two champs and a lady! The two members of the pugilistic elite were Nonito Donaire and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, who were training with SNAC guru Victor Conte. Shadowing her hubby Nonito, Rachael Donaire, a lovely Pinay whom the boxing world doesn’t appreciate.

RACHEL DONAIRE NOT LIKE EMELDA!

It’s not like Rachael fleeced the Philippine treasury of millions and purchased thousands of pairs of shoes like former first lady Emelda Marcos. No, the rap on Mrs. Donaire comes from jealous bloggers and boxing folks who don’t like her because she doesn’t come with strings they can pull.

LADY & THE CHAMP TO TAKE EMAILS, PHONE CALLS

Tune in at 6:05 PM PT on Sunday by clicking on the LIVE Radio box at the top of this page come showtime or listen in Northern California LIVE on XTRA Sports 860 AM. I think people listening in the Philippines might come away with a different perspective regarding Mrs. Donaire.

WATCH SHOW & JOIN OUR JUSTIN.TV CHATROOM!

You can watch the show, our last in a studio we’ve broadcast from for three years, as we take over a brand new set up next week. Click to watch "Ring Talk" & enter Chatroom

BOXING & “THE NOW FAKED” WEIGHT CLASSES

Having myself been a big jr. welter (140 lbs), while at the same time an undersized welter (147), nobody was more concerned at most of my weigh ins than yours truly. Once I weighed 143 and change for a welterweight bout in Las Vegas at the Showboat Hotel. Having hit the scale early in the week for the Golden Glove Regional Nationals, when I looked across the ring five days later at a 165 lb. Ernie Chavez, I thought, “That must be his brother.” After besting me, unbeaten southpaw Ernie would later rock Meldrick Taylor’s world before losing and then retiring professionally.

ALMOST EVERYBODY NOW DOING WHAT ERNIE DID

With the exception of Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, and maybe Grandpa Nard’ Hopkins, just about every professional fighting today at the championship level (except heavyweights) is fighting at least one weight class lighter than what he should be. Example: Jorge Arce was under 112 lbs. for a flyweight title at the weigh in. Time and again Jorge would weigh over 125 lbs., sometimes as much as 128+ lbs. stepping into the ring. At the same time his foes were coming into the ring circa 115-118. Can you imagine what a ten pound advantage is at that weight?

LIST IS TOO LONG TO PRINT

Without singling out anybody in particular as to whom benefits most by the current weighing system that was first employed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for an IBF 160 lb. title tilt in 1988 between a dehydrated champ Frank Tate and Michael Nunn. My good friend, God bless him, Tate’s manager Bob Spagnola, if he hadn’t been so good at lobbying for his fighter, these day before the fight weigh ins might never have become the norm. Thanks Bob!

NCAA & PENNSYLVANIA “KEEPIN’ IT REAL”

After a barrage of studies, tests, this conducted over a five year period, the NCAA, which governs college athletics in the US, went to same day weigh ins for their amateur wrestlers. In fact not only same day, but three hours prior to the match! The alleged main concern with weighing the day before is that it reduces the possibility of a dehydrated fighter getting hurt. This lame reason has bastardized the weight class structure. The NCCA and Pennsylvania, for all but the big title fights, it is same day weigh ins!

ALL THE GREATS WEIGHED IN ON DAY OF FIGHT

With the exception of heavyweight title fights, of which the weigh ins were themselves media events, all the greats from Willie Pep and Ray Robinson to Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran, they weighed in on the day of the fight. Somebody should ask Keith Kizer of the Nevada Commission, ask him how can a welterweight (147) like Miguel Cotto be allowed to step into a ring some 30 hrs. later and some 20+ lbs. heavier, how can this still be billed as a welterweight fight?

SIZE DISADVANTAGE MOST DANGEROUS FOR “TBA” FIGHTERS

What this does is it sets up a severe disadvantage for some, especially “opponent” types as they’re already undersized a lot of the time. These guys are the lowest on the pugilistic food chain and take fights against bigger guys, and this before having a day to put on more. But fair play is not what boxing is about, it’s about the powers that be making money period! The suits, they know of the NCAA tests and how it is better for the athlete. But the financial and logistical advantages of day before weigh ins trump fighter safety, always have, always will!

Pedro Fernandez

Las Vegas, NV- With the unexpected dethroning of Fedor Emelianenko (31-2, 8 KOs, 16 SUBs) last week by UFC reject Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1, 4 KOs, 8 SUBs), Saturday’s main event will now not only be for the unified UFC heavyweight title, but also for the “official unofficial” title of #1 heavyweight in the world. 

SLAYER OF FEDOR WAS “CUT” FROM UFC

Fedor’s conqueror, Fabricio Werdum went 2-2 in the UFC before being cut from the roster after a knockout loss to Junior dos Santos (11-1, 8 KOs, 3 SUBs) back in October of 2008.  The fight between heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1, 2 KOs, 1 SUB) and interim champion Shane Carwin (12-0, 7 KOs, 5 SUBs) was already a huge match, now it has been made even bigger.  It is a good thing too, since there isn’t much of an undercard to get overly excited about for UFC 116.  That being said, many questions will be answered about both men come Saturday and we will see just how well Lesnar can deal with someone just as big and just as strong as himself.

BROCK HAS THE “MORE” IMPRESSIVE CREDS

Although both men have solid wrestling backgrounds, Lesnar is without question the more accomplished.  With a NCAA National wrestling championship along with a college record of 106-5 under his belt, Lesnar knows his way around the mat as well as anybody in MMA today.  Lesnar also holds an age advantage at 32; three years the junior of Carwin come Saturday night.  However, the most notable things Carwin has the upper hand in is his fight intellect, and this very well may be the determining outcome in this fight.  When Carwin isn’t smashing people’s faces in, he spends his time working as an engineer and holds two degrees, one in Mechanical Engineering and the other in Environmental Technology. 

SHANE’S NEVER SEEN A SECOND ROUND

We do not know much about Carwin’s gas tank as he has never left an opponent standing to see the second round.  Lesnar has been three rounds once so both men may be pushed to the championship rounds for the first time in their respective careers-just don’t count on it.  In a combined 17 bouts, they have only gone the distance once, that being Lesnar in a unanimous decision win over Heath Herring (28-14, 7 KOs, 16 SUBs).  Another concern that has to be in the back of Lesnar’s mind is if he is physically and mentally100% since his illness that has since sidelined his career for the past 12 months.

WHICH MONSTER DO YOU LIKE?

To sum it all up, this is a real pick’em fight; both guys are big, strong, talented and more than capable of stopping one another.  I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting a wager down on any man, but if my hand was forced, I would have to go with the cerebral assassin, Shane “Touch of Sleep” Carwin in what is sure to be a stellar match for as long as it lasts.

UNDERCARD BOUTS:

Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1, 5 KOs, 7 SUBs) vs. Chris Leben (20-6, 11 KOs, 4 SUBs) Leben replaces injured Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1, 23 KOs, 3 SUBs)

Chris Lytle (28-17-5, 4 KOs, 18 SUBs) vs. Matt Brown (11-8, 6 KOS, 5 SUBs)

Stephan Bonnar (11-7, 2 KOs, 7 SUBs) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (21-9-1, 8 KOs, 10 SUBs)

George Sotiropoulos (12-2, 1 KOs, 7 SUBs) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (16-4, 2 KOs, 10 SUBs)

PRELIMS ON SPIKE TV

Ricardo Romero (10-1, 4 KOs, 5 SUBs) vs. Seth Petruzelli (12-4, 10 Kos, 1 SUB)

Brendan Schaub (5-1, 5 KOs) vs. Chris Tuchscherer (18-2, 7 KOs, 6 SUBs)

Matt “All Meat” Grizzle

ESPN CONTINUES TO DELIVER THE GOODS

Last month’s card highlighted by undefeated David Lemieux’s first round destruction over seasoned veteran Elvin Alaya featured four entertaining and competitive fights, all of which ended by brutal knockout. Prior to that scintillating card of the year canidiate, throughout the year, previous scraps on ESPN’s air have been nothing to sleep on. Highlights include Ed Paredes skull crushing “knockout of the year” type drumming over Joey Hernandez, a crowd pleasing affair between Ji-Hoon Kim and Tyrone Harris’s which featured a scorching display of pugilistic terror (W Kim TKO 6), Roman Karmazin’s classic come from behind dramatic 10th round knockout over Dionsio Miranda, Guillermo Rigondeaux ‘s rib shattering first round knockout blow out over Adolfo Landeros, a and savage “barn burner” between Librado Andrade and Eric Lucas (W Andrade TKO 9). ESPN, without a doubt has been Boxing’s heartbeat in 2010. Each installment of the popular series offers news, analysis on upcoming bouts, interviews, competitive scraps, and in studio celebrity guests offering insight into the world of boxing. This week features a showdown between experienced former title challenging pugs looking to take the step up in contention when Demetrius Hopkins (29-1-1, 11 KOs) squares off against  Mike Arnaoutis (22-5,2 10 KOs) at light welterweight (140) in a scheduled 12 round contest form the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, Friday, live at 11 PM ET on ESPN 2.

ARUM’s “TOP RANK”  BUSY SCHEDULE TRUDGES FORWARD

Action continues on Saturday when veteran light flyweight (108) combatants Ulises Solis (30-2-2, 21 KOs) and Eric Ortiz (32-10-3, 21 KOs) throw down over 10 rounds at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, live, on Fox Sports Net at 10 PM ET.

ANY THING LEFT IN THE FORMER CHAMP?

After defending his IBF strap for 3 years, Ulises Solis met Brian Viloria in a battle of epic proportions. Down the stretch of their pitched battle, a heavy hook to the head dropped Solis in round 11. Ulises was unable to recover and the fight was waived off at 2:56 mark.  Since the loss, Ulises has been keeping active and has won two straight.

ORTIZ CAN PUNCH SOME BUT CAN’T TAKE A HIT

While having stopped almost 50 percent of his opponents by knockout, Eric Ortiz has been devastated 9 times in his 10 losses.

John Signorella

San Francisco, CA- The last time a fighter came along with the ability and guile of Andre Ward, were the Olympics of 1976 and “Sugar Ray” Leonard. Not as flashy as Ray, but ever so competent is the unbeaten Ward (22-0, 13 KOs) of Oakland, CA. Some of you complained about his 12-round stifling of Allan Green a fortnight ago. Green, a big puncher with the left hook, didn’t land a meaningful shot in 36 minutes, and yet Ward gets knocked.

CHAMP’S NUMBERS ARE QUITE IMPRESSIVE

In his last three fights against true world class competition, Ward has lost only three rounds officially. One in the Edison Miranda (33-5, 28 KOs) fight last spring, two, (although I didn’t see ‘em) against Mikkel Kessler in November, this before waxing Allan Green (29-2, 20 KOs) for 12 frames. Now 22-0, 13 KOs, Andre has become the betting favorite after opening a 4 ½ to 1 favorite to win it all.

SENT MIRANDA TO THE TRASH HEAP!

Against Miranda, Ward extracted so much of what the Colombian had left as a fighter, this by his beating an iron-willed foe sans mercy for 36 turns of the clock, Edison Miranda left Oakland damaged goods. Kessler, the “top dog” in this “Super Six” tourney put on by Showtime prior to his fighting Ward last November, fellow Scandinavian or not, Kessler (43-2, 32 KOs) was looking for a way out against Ward who had owned him. to that point.

KESSLER OPTS OUT OF HOPELESS FIGHT TO DEPRIVE WARD

This is what brought about them calling the fight in the 11th round, thus the unanimous “technical” decision Ward was awarded, this instead of Kessler being stopped on cuts, and Ward getting an extra “Super Six” tourney point for the stop. At the time of the stop, Team Ward knew they had broken down Kessler both mentally and physically.

DANE & TRAINER CAUGHT TRYING “TO LOAD HANDS”

And while I mentioned it on the radio, Kessler was caught “stacking” his hand wraps in the dressing room. That means a little hand wrap gauze, then some tape over the knuckle, and the process is repeated five or six times creating granite-like wraps that accentuate punching power. Ward’s trainer Virgil Hunter caught this and Kessler had to remove and then restart the wrap process. So, if you’re wondering why he’s been killing guys over in Europe, you might want to consider the opposition and the possibility of stacked hand wraps.

BUTE EXCELLENT GUY TO FIGHT AFTER TOURNEY!

If Lucian Bute of Canada, unbeaten (26-0, 21 KOs) holder of the IBF 168 lb. diadem, should he remain unblemished at the tourney’s end, I could see him as an “additional” super money fight for Ward. Recent highlights or not, the best thing Bute ever did was NOT TO enter the “Super Six” tournament.

BOXREC.COM ‘P4P’ TOP TEN

1. Floyd Mayweather, 2. Manny Pacquiao, 3. Wladamir Klitschko, 4. Bernard Hopkins, 5. Vitali Klitschko, 6. Chad Dawson, 7. Paul Williams, 8. Shane Mosley, 9. Juan Manuel Marquez, 10. Lucien Bute.

TAKE ISSUE WITH DIRRELL BEING #12 AND WARD #22?

All due respect to the great BoxRec.com, but these names do not reflect boxing’s current crop of talent. To have Hopkins at #4, or to even have Shane Mosley on the list at all, this borders on the insane. You need not make excuses for Mosley is still 38 and like Tupac, he’s shot! Once beaten fellow 168 lber. Andre Dirrell is rated #12, Amir Khan 19, while Ward, the true super middleweight champion of the world is ranked 22nd! I can go on and on, but with the exception of the two top spots, this list is based on nostalgia as a prime Andre Ward is clearly better than the rest!

WHAT PLACE ON THE MYTHICAL LIST?

Back to the question of the week, where do you pundits think Andre Ward belongs on the top ten ‘pound for pound’ list?

Pedro Fernandez