Sons of Peter McNeeley- Boxing Thread

[inter tatters]

This is what I don't get. Before the Tszyu and Castillo fights NO-ONE was suggesting they were 'over the hill', yet as soon as Hatton beats them they suddenly become 'meaningless' fights with 'Fighters on the decline' in people's eyes? Maybe I shouldn't care, but it does bother me.

As for his comments, I would suggest that Malignaggi is trying to get Hatton's attention, so he can get where the money is. He knows Hatton will provide him with the best pay-day, so why not try and shake the tree a little bit?

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

This is what I don't get. Before the Tszyu and Castillo fights NO-ONE was suggesting they were 'over the hill', yet as soon as Hatton beats them they suddenly become 'meaningless' fights with 'Fighters on the decline' in people's eyes? Maybe I shouldn't care, but it does bother me.

As for his comments, I would suggest that Malignaggi is trying to get Hatton's attention, so he can get where the money is. He knows Hatton will provide him with the best pay-day, so why not try and shake the tree a little bit?

I think a lot of people were suggesting that Castillo was over-the-hill, even yours truly in this post. Mailgnaggi himself, in his post-fight interview after beating N'Dou on June 16, said that he felt that Hatton took the easier fight by avoiding N'Dou to fight a washed-up Castillo. Most boxing people have had serious questions about Castillo at least since his lackluster performance in January. Of course, you never really know until you see a fighter tested, but in the first 30 seconds of the Hatton fight it became painfully clear that all of the fears about Castillo were true.

As for Tszyu, I think a lot of people were excited by his dominant 4-round TKO of Sharmba Mitchell (whom Tszyu had already knocked out once a few years earlier), which seemed to show that he was fully recovered from his shoulder surgery. And Hatton at time time was an unknown quantity -- a local attraction in England who's fattened up his unbeaten record on a steady stream of B and C-level American fighters hauled over to England as sacrificial victims. I think the fact that not many people gave Hatton much of chance caused them to overlook the fact that Tszyu was a 34-year-old fighter coming off an injury who had fought just once per year in the three years after his knockout of Zab Judah.

And even then, the fight was very close -- the momentum seemed to turn after Hatton landed an intentional low blow -- and it's still a bit of a mystery why Tszyu retired on his stool with just one round to go. I certainly wouldn't call the Tszyu fight, or even the Castillo fight, "meaningless." I'd just say that I'm not as impressed by either victory, especially the Castillo victory -- as Hatton seems to think everyone should be. I also think that the Hatton who fought Tszyu was a better and, indeed, more exciting fighter than the Hatton we've seen in the four fights since.

I think the Collazo fight was his most "meaningful" fight of the bunch simply because he was fighting a young, hungry fighter in his prime, not a great fighter but a pretty good one, albeit one who couldn't punch at all. And Hatton almost got knocked out and just barely eked out the decision.

Obviously Malignaggi's trying to call out Hatton, just like Hatton's trying to call out Mayweather. But he has a point, at least, in the way he's doing it.

 

[inter tatters]

While I agree that the Collazo fight was his most 'Meaningful' fight, you have to remember that it was his 1st fight at 147 and, if you believe Hatton's press, he didn't want to move up in weight he was forced to by HBO as Collazo was the biggest fight available at the time and he didn't have time to grow into the weight. As such, I agree that Cotto would dominate him at 147, he's a natural 140, but the bigger fights are at 147, so he needs to be sure he spends time getting used to the weight before throwing himself into a big match or he'll get destroyed. Having said that, Hatton did knock Collazo down in the 1st round. He's not the 1st fighter to build up an early lead then cling on to it, by any means neccessary, in the later rounds and I'm damn sure he won't be the last. As for the Urango fight, I'm in agreement with everyone else, it was atrocious and nothing compared to the Ricky Hatton that had been in the ring previously.

Hatton is, probably, the best 140lb fighter out there, but as the Division is so weak right now that's not saying much.

Oh and BTW, I doubt Hatton was ducking Lovemore N'Dou. HBO is paying Hatton for the big fights and I doubt N'Dou would exactly fulfil their criteria would he? I mean OK he was the mandatory, but Castillo or N'Dou which way would you go if you were the TV Exec? I suspect Hatton-Mallignaggi is going to get some serious hype in the next few weeks...

 

[BGrif21125]

Oh and BTW, I doubt Hatton was ducking Lovemore N'Dou. HBO is paying Hatton for the big fights and I doubt N'Dou would exactly fulfil their criteria would he? I mean OK he was the mandatory, but Castillo or N'Dou which way would you go if you were the TV Exec?

I agree with this. Hatton agreed to fight Castillo before they had their "warmup" fights. So he signed for the fight before Castillo turned in his awful performance. At the time the fight was originally signed, everyone was saying that it was a fight of the year candidate and that it was the best fight to be made at 140. So I don't think Hatton should be accused of ducking N'Dou. In fact, if Hatton had refused to fight Castillo and signed to fight N'Dou instead, everyone would have accused him of ducking Castillo.

I suspect Hatton-Mallignaggi is going to get some serious hype in the next few weeks...

HBO definitely wants Hatton at 147, but if he's adamant about staying at 140, Malignaggi is the fight that HBO will be pushing for. I assume it would be at MSG.

In heavyweight news, Chagaev and Ibragimov have agreed to put their belts on the line in a title fight in Moscow in the fall. The winner of that fight would be a potential opponent for Wlad, at which point the winner could own 3 of the 4 belts.
This would be a welcome development, especially if the Peter/Maskaev/Vitali clusterfuck never sorts itself out.

 

[inter tatters]

Just read another of Malignaggi's cracking Hatton jibes "Me and Hatton could be in Madison Square Garden, or Atlantic City, we can do it anywhere. But not Manchester. He'll body slam me, or bring in chairs if he wants, like in wrestling, and I wouldn't stand for that."

Just read about the Ibragimov-Chagaev fight. About time all this 'Talk' about unifying the titles went somewhere.

Another decent card in London on July 14th - Nicky Cook will finally get his shot at the WBO Featherweight title that he was denied when Scott Harrison completely went off the rails in December. Harrison has been stripped and Cook will fight Steve Luevano from LA for the gold. On the undercard Amir Khan fights tough Scotsman Willy Limond for a Lightweight Commonwealth title and another all-British fight at Heavyweight with ex-Kick-Boxer Matt Skelton, who obliterated both Danny Williams and 'Fraudly' Harrison recently, fighting Michael Sprott for the Commonwealth gold. The card is the 1st to be held at the new O2 Facility, that most of you may know better as The Millenium Dome.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

Mayweather is now calling Hatton's bluff.

"Ricky Hatton has talked nonstop about fighting me for the last two weeks," says 'retired' WBC welterweight/super welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather. "He has disrespected me and my accomplishments in the ring, and I take that very seriously. I'm going to give him the opportunity to step up and fight the best in the world. I don't think this punk will take the challenge." A potential bout against Hatton would set the stage for a match-up between two of the sports best undefeated fighters. With his win over Castillo, Hatton improved his record to 43-0 with 31 KO's. Mayweather is 38-0 with 24 KO's. "Now that Hatton has opened up his big mouth, he might start to think about what he has been asking for," continued Mayweather. "Does he really want to step into the ring with best fighter of this era and embarrass himself? Being the coward that he is, I doubt he'll get in the ring. We'll see what his excuse will be this time."

 

[BGrif21125]

No truth to the rumor that they're going to promote the fight as "Mayweather-Gatti II"

 

[inter tatters]

"Being the coward that he is, I doubt he'll get in the ring. We'll see what his excuse will be this time."

Coward? Where the hell does Pretty Boy get that from? Money talks in this business, so we'll see what happens, but I can't see Hatton ducking a fight if he's being called a coward.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

Coward? Where the hell does Pretty Boy get that from? Money talks in this business, so we'll see what happens, but I can't see Hatton ducking a fight if he's being called a coward.

They were allegedly supposed to fight a couple of years ago, but Hatton said that he wasn't ready and needed three more fights before he fought Mayweather, even though he'd beeen calling Mayweather out previously. I guess that's either refreshing honesty or an admission of cowardice, depending on your point of view. But he's had his three fights now so if Mayweather is truly willing as he's now saying, the ball's in Ricky's court.

I think in their hearts, Hatton and his people know that a Mayweather fight would be a cash-out. They'd collect a massive payday, but Ricky's stock would go way down after losing a one-sided beating. So the question is, would they rather take two or three good paydays against opponents they may have a chance against -- Cotto, in particular, but also Malignaggi or Casamayor? Or do shoot for the moon knowing that after the Mayweather fight, those other fights would have much less glamor and probably be off the table?

Then there's the issue of the negotiating table. No way Mayweather will do this fight for less than a 60-40 split (in his favor) and I doubt Hatton's side will agree to that since they'll claim (rightly) that he's got the bigger fan base.

 

[inter tatters]

Then there's the issue of the negotiating table. No way Mayweather will do this fight for less than a 60-40 split (in his favor) and I doubt Hatton's side will agree to that since they'll claim (rightly) that he's got the bigger fan base.

That's what I meant by the 'Money talks' comment I made. Prediction? They won't get a deal done as both sides make claims over who refused what money, plus the obligatory 'Coward' jibes from either side, and Hatton signs up for a Unification bout with Malignaggi at MSG sometime in the Fall.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

That's what I meant by the 'Money talks' comment I made. Prediction? They won't get a deal done as both sides make claims over who refused what money, plus the obligatory 'Coward' jibes from either side, and Hatton signs up for a Unification bout with Malignaggi at MSG sometime in the Fall.

I think that's a pretty good prediction.

I'd be excited to see that fight, actually. I think Malignaggi outpoints Hatton rather easily, but I do think it would be a good action fight. Well, as always, a lot depends on the ref. Hey, if Eddie Cotton were the ref and he repeated his performance of two weeks ago, Malignaggi wins by shutout. Then again, bring in one of the British refs that Hatton's accustomed to, and Hatton probably cuts Malignaggi with an elbow then knocks him down with a low blow -- and the ref counts Malignaggi out as he writhes in pain.

However, with halfway decent officiating that lets the fighters fight without letting Hatton's clinching and holding-and-hitting and his other shenanigans get out of hand, then I think we've got a pretty damn good fight on our hands. Paulie wins it, 9-3, but most rounds are close.

 

[BGrif21125]

I think in their hearts, Hatton and his people know that a Mayweather fight would be a cash-out. They'd collect a massive payday, but Ricky's stock would go way down after losing a one-sided beating. So the question is, would they rather take two or three good paydays against opponents they may have a chance against -- Cotto, in particular, but also Malignaggi or Casamayor? Or do shoot for the moon knowing that after the Mayweather fight, those other fights would have much less glamor and probably be off the table?

I agree with this statement.
I'll add one thing though (in regard to the part in bold).... I don't think Hatton has a chance against Cotto either. I see Cotto as a bigger, stronger, better version of Hatton. I don't see how Hatton is going to beat Cotto in an inside, body punching fest. That's Cotto's game even more so than Hatton's.

And why I'm pointing this out is... I don't think Hatton has a chance against any of the top welters, so any of those fights at 147 is a "cashout" fight to me. So if he's going to go to 147, he might as well just shoot for the top and go for Mayweather.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

I agree with this statement.
I'll add one thing though (in regard to the part in bold).... I don't think Hatton has a chance against Cotto either. I see Cotto as a bigger, stronger, better version of Hatton. I don't see how Hatton is going to beat Cotto in an inside, body punching fest. That's Cotto's game even more so than Hatton's.

And why I'm pointing this out is... I don't think Hatton has a chance against any of the top welters, so any of those fights at 147 is a "cashout" fight to me. So if he's going to go to 147, he might as well just shoot for the top and go for Mayweather.

I also think that Cotto beats Hatton, but I think it's a much more exciting fight than Hatton-Mayweather. I agree that Cotto is a bigger, stronger, better version of Hatton, more or less. He's a more polished boxer than Hatton, I'd say. Superior balance, superior punching accuracy. Hatton does so much of-balance lunging followed by clinching its hard to see what else he has. His main asset as a boxer is above-average hand-speed. he has the edge over Cotto there. So if Hatton could beat Cotto to the punch, with Cotto's famously leaky defense and somewhat questionable chin, I think Hatton could have some big rounds in that fight. Ultimately, I think Cotto would weather the storm as he did against Judah -- whose handspeed is better than Hatton's and whose power is probably about the same -- and wear Hatton down, stopping him in the 9th or 10th. But I think we'd be looking a major FOY candidate (unless Hatton went to his all-holding game plan) and a huge, huge "event." I think that's a Yankee Stadium fight, too.

 

[ElUno20]

Hatton is a coward. Similar to Margarito he opens his big ass mouth and uses Mayweather's name to add to his rep. I doubt this fight happens. Hatton and his camp know that Mayweather would make Hatton look like a 3rd grader. It's great to see Mayweather step up. This may Hatton has to STFU or fight (which he doesn't want to). And the money argument is BS. I don't give a damn what people say about Mayweather or how boring he is. He is a huge name in boxing and more of the general public know his name than Hatton. 60-40 is reasonable for the most money Hatton will ever make in his career.

But I agree with the overall sentiment here. Hatton is kinda boxed in. There's no easy out for him anymore. Paulie, Cotto, or Floyd. All 3 would expose him bad.

 

[inter tatters]

And the money argument is BS. I don't give a damn what people say about Mayweather or how boring he is. He is a huge name in boxing and more of the general public know his name than Hatton. 60-40 is reasonable for the most money Hatton will ever make in his career.

If anything is BS it's that. Style makes fights, especially to the casual observer, and Mayweather just doesn't make exciting fights. He doesn't engage in slug-fests and picks his opponent apart.

As for Hatton, if he fought in Britain, like Calzaghe did in front of 30,000, Hatton would sell out a 45,000 Soccer Stadium, no doubt about it. In the States? He'd still bring in 5-6000 fans from Britain to any fight. Mayweather doesn't have that kind of support and his 'Holier than Thou' attitude makes him a 'hate' figure in some circles. De La Hoya made the money in their fight, not Floyd, and Hatton would be the big draw in any fight between them and there's no way he would sette for the lesser half of any purse.

 

[BGrif21125]

In the States? He'd still bring in 5-6000 fans from Britain to any fight. Mayweather doesn't have that kind of support and his 'Holier than Thou' attitude makes him a 'hate' figure in some circles. De La Hoya made the money in their fight, not Floyd, and Hatton would be the big draw in any fight between them and there's no way he would sette for the lesser half of any purse.

Mayweather's fight against Zab Judah drew more than 15,000 fans to the Thomas & Mack Center, which I believe is a few thousand more than what Hatton-Castillo drew the other night at the same venue.
Mayweather has never been (and will never be) a box office draw like Oscar, but let's not make it seem like he can't get anyone in the arena. In fact, Floyd has done a better job of selling tickets than someone like Shane Mosley, for example.

Just found this:

It was reported by Steve Springer of the Los Angeles Times that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Ricky Hatton has a tentative date of November 10, with Las Vegas being the most logical site.

Link

 

[inter tatters]

I'm not suggesting for a minute that Mayweather doesn't bring in 'True' Boxing fans, he just doesn't have appeal to the masses of casual fans. Hatton's all-out brawler style is the kind that attracts those fans and I think any bout between the two will need those kind of fans to make the money.

Just read about the tentative date. Mayweather's advisor has been in the British Press saying he's talking to Dobson (Hatton's Manager) already. Looks like Hatton really did rile Pretty Boy with that "More action in those 4 rounds than in Floyd's entire career" quip. Well he's raised the beast, now it's his time to back it up.

Mayweather by a wide decision, at least 9 rounds to 3 and that's only if Hatton can corner him for at least a little bit.

 

[BGrif21125]

Wow, busy day already:

Ricky Hatton's promoter Dennis Hobson has upped the stakes in his bid to secure a super-fight with Floyd Mayweather by offering the American $10million to come to Britain.
Hobson is convinced he can put together an offer to tempt the 'Pretty Boy' to come out of his short retirement to fight Hatton in the first big fight at the new Wembley Stadium.
Mayweather has already said he would be willing to come back to fight Hatton, who looked hugely impressive in his fourth-round stoppage of Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas last weekend.
Hobson said: "I've offered Floyd $10million to come to Britain and find out who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
"Mayweather is saying he wants to put pen to paper and this is his big chance to do so. It is a very substantial offer so if Mayweather is serious it is there for him to agree.
"I have already spoken to some of his people and they have been very receptive. Now I am just waiting for them call back and indicate their level of interest."
Hobson insists the expected huge attendance figures could bankroll the fight, for which Hatton would expect a similar-sized purse.
He added: "There is no reason we can't do it over here. We would be happy to align it with pay-per-view time in the States so it could suit both sides of the Atlantic."

Link
Considering he made 8 million just to fight Baldomir, I'm guessing he'll want more than 10 even to fight Hatton, especially in the UK.
I still think HBO will steer this fight to Vegas, fwiw. I don't think Floyd would necessarily care about going to the UK as long as there were non-UK judges and a non-UK ref.

 

[inter tatters]

A fight at the new Wembley? Wow, that would be something to behold. It holds 90,000 people for Soccer, so the crowd on it's own would cover the fighters' pay packets! It's got a roof too, so fighting indoors, a'la Calzaghe at the Millenium Stadium, would be no problem if the fight were to go ahead in the Fall. The WWE once ran their Summerslam event at the old stadium, so there is a precedent.

I doubt HBO, or whoever Hatton's signs with, will let them fight outside the States, but it's one hell of an idea!

 

[inter tatters]

Interestingly, it's not just Mayweather that Hobson's been talking to...

From the BBC website...

Hobson also revealed he has been in talks with representatives of IBF light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi.

"Talks with Malignaggi's camp have been encouraging but that is definitely a Madison Square Garden fight," said Hobson.

"Ideally we would like to get the next one secured in this country for Ricky."

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

Wow, busy day already:
Link
Considering he made 8 million just to fight Baldomir, I'm guessing he'll want more than 10 even to fight Hatton, especially in the UK.
I still think HBO will steer this fight to Vegas, fwiw. I don't think Floyd would necessarily care about going to the UK as long as there were non-UK judges and a non-UK ref.

If Floyd goes to the UK he will, as the saying goes, "need to knock him out just to get a draw." That in addition to the fact that he'd be fighting at 2 in the morning (though that may actually be an advantage, if he can stay on his own body clock). But perhaps even more important, it's a risky financial proposition. It's not just what he's promised, it's what the British promoters will actually pay him when all is said and done.

It should also be noted that often these public offers made in the press by boxing promoters aren't all they're cracked up to be. Just because Hobson says he's offered Floyd $10 million doesn't mean he actually has.

I'm still guessing Floyd''s people will want a straight 60-40 even if the fight is in the UK, which Hatton's camp will never agree to. Given Hatton's obvious ability to bring fans with him, I see this fight back at the Thomas and Mack, or the MGM Grand or somewhere in Vegas anyway.

Good news that it's looking a small step closer to real, anyway. I do think it's a good fight for boxing.

 

[dempsey6068]

I'd be excited to see Mayweather knock off Hatton. At a certain point, if these negotiations take place too much in public, the fighters have to put up or look like they're backing out, so I'm cautiously optimistic that this might happen. Of course, Mayweather is going to realize that Hatton's only chance is to tie him up and try to rough him around inside, so he'll be on his bicycle most of the time, looking to potshot Ricky. To be honest though, I love watching Floyd fight, he's just that good. Watching Floyd fight is like watching Koufax pitch, it might not be exciting if you're just looking for home runs and offense, but if you just enjoy seeing someone who is so damned talented, then you can't ask for more.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

On a different topic, it looks like another potentially great fight, Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik, may fall through because HBO has suddeny realized what everyone else knew a long time ago: that Taylor is not worth $4.5 million per fight.


So says this story.

Over a measly couple of million dollars, middleweight champion Jermain Taylor could be in for a PR nightmare.

If the Taylor-Kelly Pavlik fight falls through, Taylor's manhood will be questioned by a horde of Pavlik fans, all with Internet access.

HBO, which holds exclusive rights to Taylor's fights, and money are at the heart of the matter.

There is some talk that the network has decided Taylor's participation against Pavlik is not worth $4.5 million and that about $2.5 million should be sufficient. The clamor for Taylor-Pavlik began taking shape on May 19 when Pavlik knocked out Edison Miranda in the seventh round shortly before Taylor muddled through a split decision over Cory Spinks in the very same ring.

Of course, I'm not sure what options Taylor has. No one else is going to pay him $4.5 mil for this, or any fight right now. And I'm sure HBO doesn't want this fight on PPV because Taylor's not shown that he has much of fan base and Pavlik just has a cult following right now. Great as the fight looks, at $44.95 or more it'll be lucky to crack 100K buys.

 

[dempsey6068]

Hell, they're asking for 29.95 for Holyfield-Savarese. I wouldn't pay that much for that fight even if it was 1998 again. I'd hope that Taylor eventually comes around and fights Pavlik for whatever's on the table. Unless he fights Calzaghe in England, he's not gonna see that much money for his next fight coming off his recent performances. I honestly don't think that Pavlik would be that much of a challenge for him, and if a knockout in this fight would reinvigorate his career, I'm sure that Taylor and his people are smart enough to have him take this fight. Watching Pavlik, it just seems like he's more or less like Taylor, but just not as gifted. He is more aggressive, but his power, handspeed, and balance are all lacking in comparison to Taylor. I think being with someone who would force him to fight would ultimately be good for Jermain.

 

[BGrif21125]

Whether Jermain likes his payday or not, he's not going to find more money anywhere else, so the Pavlik fight should still be his best option.
I still like Jermain as a clear favorite in that fight, and an impressive win would definitely restore his image.

 

[BGrif21125]

The ESPN boxing page has Breaking News that Top Rank and Golden Boy have settled all their disputes, and that as a result, Pacquiao and Barrera are tentatively scheduled for October 6.
Personally, I'd rather see Pacquiao face Soto. I think that's a better fight.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

The ESPN boxing page has Breaking News that Top Rank and Golden Boy have settled all their disputes, and that as a result, Pacquiao and Barrera are tentatively scheduled for October 6.
Personally, I'd rather see Pacquiao face Soto. I think that's a better fight.

Glad that they've smoothed things over, but the Barrera fight is the last one I'd want to see. MAB is just going to get another beat-down. I don't see the point. Pac-Soto would be a hell of a fight -- though aren't they both Top Rank fighters? But the most obvious match is Pac vs Juan Manuel Marquez. Their first fight was a classic, with JMM going down three times in the first then staginga n incredible comeback to get a draw (or a victory in the eyes of many). That's a score that needs to be settled. As for MAB, Pac dominated him the first time, and he's not nearly the fighter he was then. So this time, it'll be a slaughter. I'd expect a repeat of Pac-Morales III.

I also notice that Dan Rafael reports that the Calzaghe-Kessler fight set tentatively for Sept 22 is "hanging by a thread." What a huge buzzkill if that one falls apart.

 

[shawnrbu]

That is fantastic about Golden Boy and Top Rank. Should provide for many exciting fights to occur.

Also, please check out espn2 FNF tonight. Darnell "Ding-A-Ling-Man" Wilson is on the card. If you've never seen him fight before, you will be thanking me in about two hours.

 

[BGrif21125]

Glad that they've smoothed things over, but the Barrera fight is the last one I'd want to see. MAB is just going to get another beat-down. I don't see the point. Pac-Soto would be a hell of a fight -- though aren't they both Top Rank fighters? But the most obvious match is Pac vs Juan Manuel Marquez. Their first fight was a classic, with JMM going down three times in the first then staginga n incredible comeback to get a draw (or a victory in the eyes of many). That's a score that needs to be settled. As for MAB, Pac dominated him the first time, and he's not nearly the fighter he was then. So this time, it'll be a slaughter. I'd expect a repeat of Pac-Morales III.

Ya I agree on Barrera. I think this is a simple decision for Pacquiao. By fighting Barrera, he can make the most money against the guy with the least chance of beating him. I think he stops Barrera in the middle rounds. Marco will last a little longer than Morales did, just because he'll box more and won't go to toe-to-toe. But he'll get caught eventually.

I wish instead that Pacquiao would have gone thru with his fight in Vancouver with Soto, which was the original plan before this breaking news.
Either way, Pacquiao-Marquez II is the one that needs to happen most, as I think it's the biggest potential fight in boxing right now (in terms of skill, not necessarily money).
I had Marquez winning 7 rounds in the first fight, but Pacquiao winning by a point on the scorecards because of the 10-6 opening round. That was a great fight.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

That is fantastic about Golden Boy and Top Rank. Should provide for many exciting fights to occur.

Also, please check out espn2 FNF tonight. Darnell "Ding-A-Ling-Man" Wilson is on the card. If you've never seen him fight before, you will be thanking me in about two hours.

Yeah, the Ding-a-Ling Man is a lot of fun to watch. Looks like he's gaining some recognition, too, with a #10 ranking at cruiser from The Ring. He'd make a great fight with O'Neill Bell. That's a solid Showtime Championship Boxing fight. HBO refuses to cover the cruiserweights and neither of those two guys have enough of a name for HBO. But that's why Showtime is the better fight fan's network.

 

[Naehring11]

The Ding A Ling man just knocked out Nwodo with one of the biggest punches I've seen. Wilson is definitely exciting but I've never been that impressed with him as a fighter. When you have power like that though, I guess you can go places.

 

[5050HindSight]

Holy crap what a fight!

 

[Fiskian Pole Shot]

Second best left hook I've ever seen.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

Man, that was one of those punches where I wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or scared shitless. Wow.

In all honesty, the fight never should have reached that point. The ref was pretty indecisive, but Nwodo was taking a lot of solid head shots and was close to out on his feet. In a way, the knockout shot was the best thing that could have happened, because a few more of those solid head shots and he could have been in serious trouble. It's usually the accumulation of punches and not the one, lights-out blow that does the permanent damage.

But given that the fight was not stopped, as it should have been -- Holy Bejeezus! I've seen some pretty devastating knockouts over the years, but that has to go pretty high on the all-time highlight reel.

Anyway, in other news and rumors picked up around the internet:

The Oleg Maskaev-Samuel Peter heavyweight title fight (WBC, I think) has been reportedly moved from Sept 29 in Atlantic City to to October 6 at Madison Square Garden. I'll be there. Oct. 6, by the way, is also the date of the above-mentioned Pacquiao-Barrerra rematch.

Felix "Tito" Trinidad is almost certain to be coming back, most likely in December or January at MSG, most likely against Roy Jones Jr. I guess it's boxing's "Seniors Tour." That's assuming RJJ gets by Anthony Hanshaw on July 14. Hanshaw's a very good young fighter. That one's not a gimme for RJJ.

Showtime Pay-Per-View will carry the Ricardo Mayorga-Fernando Vargas fight on Sept. 8. Not sure what the point of this fight is. Vargas is billing it as his farewell fight, and it certainly could be entertaining. But on Pay-Per-View? Hmmm....

 

[BGrif21125]

Ya I read about that Peter-Maskaev news.
I'd be all for attending that fight, but Cotto is scheduled to fight in November/December at MSG as well, so if I have to pick one fight to go to, I'm picking the Cotto fight. But if anything changes with that (or if I can make both), then Peter-Maskaev will be cool to attend as well.

I pick Mayorga to beat Vargas.
Fernando is a corpse at this point. Not just because of the KOs he's suffered, but because of all the back injuries. He's just done. I saw a picture of him at a movie premiere a few months ago and he must have weighed 200 pounds.

 

[Sille Skrub]

Boxing guys: how tough would it be to get tickets to the Pacman fight on 10/6 at the Mandelay Bay?

What should I expect to pay?

 

[BGrif21125]

Boxing guys: how tough would it be to get tickets to the Pacman fight on 10/6 at the Mandelay Bay?

What should I expect to pay?

Hopkins-Wright is at Mandalay Bay next month. For that fight, the tickets are $850/650/450/250/100. Now, those tickets are horribly overpriced, because Hopkins-Wright is a fight that's generated very little interest. I bet they're lucky to sell half the seats.

Those prices would be OK for a Pac-Barrera fight, since that's going to be a huge event. I'd expect the prices to be similar to those. (FWIW, I've seen numerous boxing writers state over the years that Mandalay Bay is the nicest of all the Vegas boxing venues.)

As for availability, you should be able to get tickets thru ticketmaster, as long as you pay attention for any announcements regarding the on-sale date.
For example, I went a few weeks ago to the Cotto-Judah fight at MSG, which eventually sold out and was the biggest crowd in MSG history, and I was able to have my choice of whatever tickets I wanted without any problems, because I logged in the minute that tickets went onsale.

Pac-Barrera will probably sellout in a couple days, but as long as you get in on the first day of the sale, I think you'll be alright.

 

[BGrif21125]

Second best left hook I've ever seen.

Just saw the KO highlight on espn.com. Devestating KO for sure.

Am I correct in assuming that the best left hook you've ever seen is the one Joe Frazier landed on the chin of Muhammad Ali?

 

[BigA27]

Holyfield continues on on his insane quest to regain the heavyweight title. To be fair it was against the a shell of the already terrible Lou Savarese.

Holyfield needs to fight a live body, so that he can lose and actually retire.

 

[Midurty]

Man, that was one of those punches where I wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or scared shitless. Wow.

I was close to ringside for it, and those who knew what was going on were occupying the scared shitless mindset. Nwodo's corner almost had to be restrained to keep them from entering the ring.

Nwodo was probably out for a solid 2 minutes before the ref came over to tell his corner that he was talking again.

The fight absolutely should have been stopped earlier.

 

[inter tatters]

The Cruiserweight Division isn't one of the most glamourous, but 'Ding-a-Ling' vs David 'The Hayemaker' Haye would be a bout that a big crowd would probably pay to see. Not sure how long it would last, but the bombs those 2 would throw would be astounding!

Haye was supposedly scheduled for a mandatory shot at Jean Marc Mormeck's Cruiserweight belts, probably in September, but I haven't heard much since. Anyone know anything else? After Haye's 1st round KO of Tomasz Bonin at Heavyweight, there can't be long before he moves their permanently as he's still young and still filling out. If he doesn't get his shot at Mormeck soon, I expect he'll have to forego the bout, as he'll struggle to make the weight.

 

[Sille Skrub]

Pac-Barrera will probably sellout in a couple days, but as long as you get in on the first day of the sale, I think you'll be alright.

Thanks Griff.

I can't find anything on the web to tell me when this is? Where can I find the onsale date?

Thanks again.

 

[Fiskian Pole Shot]

Just saw the KO highlight on espn.com. Devestating KO for sure.

Am I correct in assuming that the best left hook you've ever seen is the one Joe Frazier landed on the chin of Muhammad Ali?

Absolutely. And, likewise, I'll never forget this one either.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

Thanks Griff.

I can't find anything on the web to tell me when this is? Where can I find the onsale date?

Thanks again.

Ticket usually don't go on sale until a fight is officially "announced." (As opposed to just reported in the press.) Probably not for another month or so I would guess.

 

[BGrif21125]

Nothing official yet, but it looks like Taylor-Pavlik will be in Atlantic City on September 29 on regular HBO.

Also, just saw a commercial that ESPN Classic will be showing a tape of Holyfield-Savarese on Saturday night. I don't really care much about seeing that fight, but it'd be great if ESPN started doing this with other PPVs.

 

[inter tatters]

Bit quiet on here the last couple of days, so I thought I'd try and get some talk going...

Anyone think Lamon Brewster can do it again and pull off the upset to beat Wlad Klitschko tomorrow night? If he's going to, I suspect he'll have to KO him, as I can't see a fight in Germany going against Klistchko if it goes to a decision.

What about Paul Williams' chances of getting the better of Antonio Margarito next weekend? Would that be as big an upset as people are making out?

Finally, and I'm not sure whether you do have to pay for it, is anyone going to pay to see the B-Hop - Winky Wright fight? I'm not, as over here we're getting the entire Enzo Maccarinelli - Wayne Braithwaite card, with 3 Alphabet World Titles up for grabs, for free! :lol:

 

[Naehring11]

Bit quiet on here the last couple of days, so I thought I'd try and get some talk going...

Anyone think Lamon Brewster can do it again and pull off the upset to beat Wlad Klitschko tomorrow night? If he's going to, I suspect he'll have to KO him, as I can't see a fight in Germany going against Klistchko if it goes to a decision.

I think Brewster can win as he can punch and is a tough guy, but I doubt he will. Klitschko has improved immensely since the last time they fought. That Klitschko had horrible stamina and would punch himself out by the 5th round every time. I see him winning in a knockout.

What about Paul Williams' chances of getting the better of Antonio Margarito next weekend? Would that be as big an upset as people are making out?

I haven't seen anyone making this out to be an big upset. Paul Williams is an incredibly talented fighter. He is faster, younger, and stronger than Margarito. Margarito may match him in punching power but that's it. I see Williams winning by Decision. Should be a great fight though. it is one of my most anticipated this summer.

That split site card on July 14th should be a great night of boxing. Kermit Cintron, Margarito vs. Williams, and Gatti vs. Gomez which i think is an underrated fight. It should provide some good action.

 

[inter tatters]

I haven't seen anyone making this out to be an big upset. Paul Williams is an incredibly talented fighter. He is faster, younger, and stronger than Margarito. Margarito may match him in punching power but that's it.

Maybe I mis-read then. Everyone has been talking up a Margarito-Cotto fight so much, I thought no-one was taking Williams seriously. I did find that odd however, as I saw Williams' last fight on TV over here and remember thinking Margarito, who I haven't seen, must be something special for them to be overlooking that young kid, when I read the hype.

That card does look fantastic BTW. I hope we get to see at least highlights of it over here. We should do, as Sky TV have a tie in with HBO. :lol:

 

[BGrif21125]

Anyone think Lamon Brewster can do it again and pull off the upset to beat Wlad Klitschko tomorrow night?

No.
Wlad was tatooing Brewster in the first fight, before he all of a sudden fell apart in one of the weirder boxing scenes of recent years.
Wlad is more disciplined and more economical now, I think he picks apart Brewster and stops him in the mid rounds. Brewster is a tough customer though. He won't just roll over.

What about Paul Williams' chances of getting the better of Antonio Margarito next weekend? Would that be as big an upset as people are making out?

I favor Williams to win this fight. I've always felt that Margarito was vastly overrated.

Finally, and I'm not sure whether you do have to pay for it, is anyone going to pay to see the B-Hop - Winky Wright fight?

I will be paying the $50 for Winky-BHop, but that's only because I have problems. If I had any discipline whatsoever, I wouldn't be ordering it.
I'll also be ordering Morales-Diaz on August 4th, which means I'll be spending $100 over the next month on PPVs that shouldn't be on PPV.

 

[Gene Conleys Plane Ticket]

Anyone think Lamon Brewster can do it again and pull off the upset to beat Wlad Klitschko tomorrow night? If he's going to, I suspect he'll have to KO him, as I can't see a fight in Germany going against Klistchko if it goes to a decision.

Brewster's a huge puncher, he's got a hell of a chin and tremendous heart. So, CAN he win? Sure he can. WILL he win? I highly doubt it. Wlad is too big, too strong, too skilled a boxer and can punch a little (or a lot) himself. Also, Brewster has been in a number of physical wars, where Wlad has never really been in a fight like, say, Brewster's epic slugfest against Sergei Liakhovich.

On the negative side, there are still questions about Wlad's staying power and his ability to take a shot. I'm a big Wlad fan (and a big Brewster fan, for that matter), but I have to admit, his last three fights have been against made-to-order competition. The last time Wlad fought anyone who could punch, he went down three times, though he easily outboxed (some would say, outwrestled) Samuel Peter.

I expect this will be an exciting fight while it lasts and I think there's at least a slight potential for an upset. But my prediction would be Klitschko by stoppage in the sixth or seventh.

What about Paul Williams' chances of getting the better of Antonio Margarito next weekend? Would that be as big an upset as people are making out?

Given that Marg has been ducked by both Mayweather and Mosely, you'd have to count it as a pretty big upset if Williams beats him. But I think it could happen. At 6'3" with that incredible wingspan and high work rate, Williams is going to be tough for any welterweight, even a big one like Margarito. Williams' problem is, he still needs a lot of work on his technique to go with that high work rate and his freakish physical attributes. He takes too many good shots. That could easily be his undoing against Margarito whose own work rate has always been impressive.

Finally, and I'm not sure whether you do have to pay for it, is anyone going to pay to see the B-Hop - Winky Wright fight? I'm not, as over here we're getting the entire Enzo Maccarinelli - Wayne Braithwaite card, with 3 Alphabet World Titles up for grabs, for free! :lol:

The closer we get to the Hopkins-Wright fight, the more intrigued I get by it. Given the defensive styles of both guys, it has the potential to be a stinkfest. But Hopkins put on a great show against Tarver while Winky's been trying to throw more aggressive punches and "close the show" in his more recent fights. Both are master technicians, of course. I think this fight is for purists only, but if you like pure boxing, this one could be a good matchup.