DSP Boxing thread. Ding! Ding!

[dskrizzy]

Sad... But that is boxing for you... In this day and age, you still see judges, or the damn television company putting the event on, influencing the decision. I thought Collazo had it on my card by 3 rounds!

Berto is solid, but not elite. He needs grooming. Is it just me or does he seem very tight in his guard? Could lead to stamina issues.

Real quick on the other cards that have past.

Gamboa needs some whiskers or learn HOW TO PUT HIS HANDS UP!
Solis needs conditioning 101, if he gets serious in his conditioning, he could be a real threat in heavyweight as he has the skills.

Let's get Pacquiao/Hatton signed already!

d.

[pk500]

Let's get Pacquiao/Hatton signed already!

d.

I can see Manny's point for wanting 60 percent. He's No. 1 PFP in the world, and I don't think he got 50 percent against Oscar.

But I can also see Hatton's point for wanting 50 percent. He brings a BIG fan base with him wherever he fights, arguably bigger than Manny's.

Here's an idea: The winner gets 60 percent, the loser 40. There's your 60-40 split!

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

I watched Berto-Collazo closely tonight and scored it, and I had it 114-113 for Berto. He won it by taking the 12th. The judge who had it 116-111 Berto was HIGH.

One hell of a fine fight to start the year! Tony vs. Sugar Shane this Saturday night on HBO!

Take care,
PK

[grtwhtsk]

Let's get Pacquiao/Hatton signed already!

d.

I can see Manny's point for wanting 60 percent. He's No. 1 PFP in the world, and I don't think he got 50 percent against Oscar.

But I can also see Hatton's point for wanting 50 percent. He brings a BIG fan base with him wherever he fights, arguably bigger than Manny's.

Here's an idea: The winner gets 60 percent, the loser 40. There's your 60-40 split!

Take care,
PK

Fight's off. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing ... id=3849386

[pk500]

Sad thing is, I bet Manny will take 40 percent to fight Mayweather, but he won't split 50-50 against Hatton.

Does anyone think this failed negotiation might have been a ploy to pry Mayweather out of retirement sooner? "OK, Floyd, Ricky's out of the picture. Let's get it on in May!"

Sinister, I know. But it is boxing!

Take care,
PK

[dskrizzy]

http://www.lvrj.com/sports/38209239.html

We've got a fight! I hope?!?!? LOL!

Let's get it on!

I live for this, go Manny! Take it to him!
I think we stop Hatton... Should be a good fight as both fighters come forward!

1,
d.

[Jackdog]

http://www.lvrj.com/sports/38209239.html

We've got a fight! I hope?!?!? LOL!

Let's get it on!

I live for this, go Manny! Take it to him!
I think we stop Hatton... Should be a good fight as both fighters come forward!

1,
d.

After Manny destroys Hatton he needs to go straight over to PBF house and b*tch slip him out of retirement.

[pk500]

Fantastic news! As Mills Lane said, "Let's get it on!"

Moving to more immediate bouts, what do you cats think about Tony vs. Sugar Shane tomorrow night? I think it will be closer than some predict, as Mosley has the expreience and tricks in his bag to possibly avoid huge shots from Margarito.

I just hope Shane doesn't get destroyed. I like him as a fighter and a dude, and I'm not ready for him to fade away just yet.

Take care,
PK

[dskrizzy]

JD, man how would I love to see Manny fight Floyd... Win or lose, you done know Manny will make him fight and take the fight to him.

My "dream" scenario is still alive... Beat Hatton in less rounds than Floyd and in an even more devastating fashion, if that is even possible...
Then hopefully Floyd proves me wrong and comes out to fight Manny for "The battle of Pound for Pound Kings".
Can't see it happening and I'll believe he's out of retirement when I see it. Kind of like the signed contract for Pacquiao/Hatton, lol.

But once a chicken... You know how it goes...

PK, I like Margarito by late stoppage. I can see Mosley winning the early rounds, but as usual, Margarito's grainite chin, will to win and come forward, will prevail. Just hope Shane don't get hurt...
I heard that Margarito will have a hard time making weight, which may come back to haunt him, provided Mosley can use his legs for 12rounds, which I can't see happening @ 37yrd old. So I go for Margarito in 9rounds, and can see Shane's corner not letting him go out for the 10th.

Have a great weekend fellas!

1,
d.

[Jackdog]

Fantastic news! As Mills Lane said, "Let's get it on!"

Moving to more immediate bouts, what do you cats think about Tony vs. Sugar Shane tomorrow night? I think it will be closer than some predict, as Mosley has the expreience and tricks in his bag to possibly avoid huge shots from Margarito.

I just hope Shane doesn't get destroyed. I like him as a fighter and a dude, and I'm not ready for him to fade away just yet.

Take care,
PK

I like Shane as well,I just don't think he will last. Margarito will stop him sometime after the 6th. I really hope I'm wrong.

[grtwhtsk]

Margarito late, but I expect Shane to make it interesting.

[ScoopBrady]

I think Mosely will take some of the early rounds but Margarito will take over around the 4th or 5th round and get the win.

[ScoopBrady]

Just as the commentator was saying that there were 500 faces you would recognize I recognized E from Entourage.

[Diablo25]

Impressive ass whooping by Mosely. Great performance by Sugar Shane.

[pk500]

Just as the commentator was saying that there were 500 faces you would recognize I recognized E from Entourage.

Surprising that no one noticed Schwarzenegger sitting right next to Stallone in the front row.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

A shocking display of excellence by Mosley. Stunning. He immediately jumps into the top three active pound-for-pound fighters in the world, behind Pacquiao and J.M. Marquez, with this victory.

Antonio Margarito being dominated and then knocked out? Who would have thought it?

There were three moments in this fight when I knew Shane had something going and Tony was in trouble.

The first was in the first round when Shane started going to the body. Cotto never did that against Tony, yet it makes so much sense: Before tonight, Tony's chin was perceived to be invincible. So why not go to the body? Shane also was using his jab effectively, which isn't the norm.

The second was in the early rounds when Tony tried to bull forward quickly, and Shane just shoved him back.

The third came in the seventh round when Tony started to backpedal. As Larry Merchant said, Margarito does not retreat. That was an obvious sign of desperation and confusion by Tony.

Margarito is at a bit of a crossroads now because Mosley exposed him badly as a one-trick pony, a guy who has limited skills outside of relentless forward attack with tremendous work rate to break the will of opponents. Mosley never let Margarito reach anywhere near his normal work rate of 100-plus punches per round, and he boxed well enough to slip most of Margarito's few dangerous punches.

Mosley did a great job of "swimming without getting wet" -- what a great line -- as his trainer Nazim Richardson said.

The blueprint for dismantling Margarito now has been drawn. Unless Margarito learns more tricks, the few fighters with Mosley's skill and physical gifts can follow that blueprint to beat Tony.

I kept waiting for Tony to get untracked like he did from the sixth round on, much like he did against Cotto. But Shane's fight plan and execution were just too good.

This fight was eerily similar to the Hopkins-Pavlik fight last summer. You kept waiting for the favorite to get untracked, and it never happened. Shocking.

Richardson is the common denominator between those two fights, as he trained Hopkins and Mosley. I was really impressed with the calm, logical clarity of his instructions to Mosley in the corner. That's so important for a fighter.

After this win, Richardson climbs into the pantheon of elite superstar trainers with Freddie Roach. If De La Hoya fights again, I'll put money on Richardson as his trainer. He worked wonders with BHop and Sugar Shane, who just so happen to be Oscar's partners in Golden Boy Promotions.

This was a lopsided fight but still highly entertaining because Mosley put on a clinic. It was boxing at its highest level.

Finally, the crowd of 20,000-plus was the largest in Staples Center history for ANY event. The fight is the lead story right now on ESPN.com. And boxing is dead, huh?

VIVA BOXING!

Take care,
PK

[grtwhtsk]

What a performance by Mosley. I'm still stunned by what I saw tonight. Question is where does he go from here?

As for Margarito, I think he should put any thoughts of a Cotto rematch on hold. Then again he is a warrior, and I don't see him backing down at this point. Hmm....would have loved to see him fight P. Williams again.

Getting back to Margarito, what do you guys make of this hand wrapping controversy? Could he have been loading his gloves in previous fights, like against Cotto? I'd be interested to hear more about this.

[pk500]

Great shot of Sugar Shane pounding Tony last Saturday night:



Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Getting back to Margarito, what do you guys make of this hand wrapping controversy? Could he have been loading his gloves in previous fights, like against Cotto? I'd be interested to hear more about this.

Tony, trainer temporarily suspended in California while "Wrapgate" is investigated.

If Tony had plaster of Paris in his gloves against Cotto, it's no wonder Cotto took a knee and quit. Cotto took a beating in that fight that would have been considered quite heavy even with legal wraps.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Great blog entry from Dan Rafael at ESPN.com using facts to call out the morons who say boxing is dead:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... rafael_dan

Take care,
PK

[greggsand]

Great blog entry from Dan Rafael at ESPN.com using facts to call out the morons who say boxing is dead:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... rafael_dan

Take care,
PK

I believe the 'spectacle' of the sport far outweighs the average sports-fan's knowledge of the sport (much like MMA). Throw a party, buy a pay-per-view fight, people cheer, they go home. Ask people if they know who's the #1 Heavyweight in world right now. Damned if they know (damned if I know actually??).

[pk500]

I believe the 'spectacle' of the sport far outweighs the average sports-fan's knowledge of the sport (much like MMA). Throw a party, buy a pay-per-view fight, people cheer, they go home. Ask people if they know who's the #1 Heavyweight in world right now. Damned if they know (damned if I know actually??).

The same old, tired cliche still exists, sadly: As the heavyweight division goes, so does boxing. The top-ranked heavyweight is Wladimir Klitschko, by the way. He's as exciting in the ring as drying concrete.

There is SO much more to boxing than the heavyweights. The big fights this year figure to be at welterweight, which is STACKED with more talent than any time in the last 25 years.

It's only January, and we've already had two big welterweight fights. And with Staples selling out and ESPN.com putting Mosley's win as the lead, it shows that there can be life outside the heavyweights.

Pacquiao is slowly but surely becoming a known name in sports, and his fight against Hatton will be a BIG event May 2. And if Manny wins and fights Mayweather later this year, that will increase his Q rating even more.

By the way, how many of the 150 million Americans viewers of the Super Bowl in the U.S. will be will be watching only because it's a big event around which countless parties are thrown? I'm not comparing boxing to the Super Bowl, but you make it sound like a sporting event that is popular only because it creates a festive atmosphere is a source of shame.

Take care,
PK

[Diablo25]

I believe the 'spectacle' of the sport far outweighs the average sports-fan's knowledge of the sport (much like MMA). Throw a party, buy a pay-per-view fight, people cheer, they go home. Ask people if they know who's the #1 Heavyweight in world right now. Damned if they know (damned if I know actually??).

The same old, tired cliche still exists, sadly: As the heavyweight division goes, so does boxing. The top-ranked heavyweight is Wladimir Klitschko, by the way. He's as exciting in the ring as drying concrete.

There is SO much more to boxing than the heavyweights. The big fights this year figure to be at welterweight, which is STACKED with more talent than any time in the last 25 years.

It's only January, and we've already had two big welterweight fights. And with Staples selling out and ESPN.com putting Mosley's win as the lead, it shows that there can be life outside the heavyweights.

Pacquiao is slowly but surely becoming a known name in sports, and his fight against Hatton will be a BIG event May 2. And if Manny wins and fights Mayweather later this year, that will increase his Q rating even more.

By the way, how many of the 150 million Americans viewers of the Super Bowl in the U.S. will be will be watching only because it's a big event around which countless parties are thrown? I'm not comparing boxing to the Super Bowl, but you make it sound like a sporting event that is popular only because it creates a festive atmosphere is a source of shame.

Take care,
PK

Damn solid post PK. I am, and have always been a boxing fan. Ever since watching USA amateur bouts on Wide World of Sports back in the day, watching Larry Holmes defeat Ernie Shavers, Ali defeat Spinks on Friday Night Fights as a kid and meeting Muhammad Ali when I was 7 (his old training camp is literally about 2 miles behind my house ) I have been a huge fan. I watched so many tremendous fights in the 80's and 90's. My favorite might be the Alexis Argüello/Aaron Pryor fight in 1982. Man, that fight was awesome. I met Meldrick Taylor at a Sixers game once and talked with him about the Chavez fight/debacle for about 10 minutes. That was awesome. I remember meeting Jeff Fenech in the Salt Lake City airport just before the second Azumah Nelson fight. He was shocked I knew who he was

My brother is 10 times the fan I am. He is damn near a boxing historian. In fact, reading your thoughts on boxing reminds me a lot of my brother's passion for the sport. You are spot on about the heavyweight division. The lower divisions have so many good fighters it is ridiculous. I would much rather watch a great middle weight or welterweight bout than the heavyweights. The division has gone to hell.

Funny story, back in the 90's my brother, my dad, my uncle and I were at an ESPN Top Rank Boxing event in the Poconos where James Toney, who was on a steady rise at the time, was the main event. Right before the main event we couldn't find my brother anywhere. Toney and his entourage began their trek to the ring and there was my brother mixed among them pumping his fist and loving it. It was awesome. Long live the Sweet Science!

[greggsand]

By the way, how many of the 150 million Americans viewers of the Super Bowl in the U.S. will be will be watching only because it's a big event around which countless parties are thrown? I'm not comparing boxing to the Super Bowl, but you make it sound like a sporting event that is popular only because it creates a festive atmosphere is a source of shame.

Take care,
PK

I think you know what I meant, but there's a big difference in the public's involvement/knowledge with boxing than the big 3 (which... is why we call them the big 3 of course). No shame, just the way it is these days (it wasn't always that way).

I call it the "Mom factor" (media geeks call it Q-rating, but I like mine better). Even if someone's Mom never watched a football game all year, they could probably tell you something about what's going on in football. Manny Pacquiao could walk in the room wearing a neon sign saying "I'm Manny Pacquiao" and it would still take Mom 15 guesses to pick what he does for a living.

I look forward to the day the sport gets organized and back in the public discussion (other than when a dude bites an ear-off or gets caught cheating).

[pk500]

Diablo:

That's fantastic, man. Really cool!

Take care,
PK