Margarito's Sudden Acceptance an Illustration of the Double Standards in Boxing

by Dafs

Antonio Margarito’s ring return was greeted by many with a ‘forgive and forget’ attitude, with the hand-wrapping controversy a distant memory for fans and media alike; a stark contrast to the outrage and resentment in the public a year ago.

I wasn’t offering a welcome back hug to the fighter who claims he was deceived by his immoral trainer. Margarito still disputes today that he knew nothing about the two rock hard pads implanted in his hand wraps by Javier Capetillo, who sacrificed himself for Margarito’s career.

Despite some early negative press, Margarito outrageously finds himself in a better position sixteen months on. Bob Arum has pledged that he will face Manny Pacquiao in the Fall, guaranteeing that Margarito will be joining the exclusive eight-figure salary club with the leading figures of the sport.

So far, the commissioners have stood firm, refusing to restore his license. In their opinion, he has not done his time. The case was revisited after the indefinite year suspension, but he was refused by the usually lenient state of Texas. Arum blamed California’s influence, who have been stubborn in their case against Margarito.

The lack of remorse shown by Margartio and the constant digs towards the commissioners didn’t help his cause. He disobeyed his rejection by reminding everyone he could fight in his native country Mexico, through taking countless interviews outlining his arrogant return plan back to the top, while crying innocent.

The more and more media coverage Margarito received, the more the fans began to believe his story. But when asked about Capetillo’s return, the fans that completely neglected the elephant in Margarito’s room will be the first to let rip at Capetillo’s incompetence.

At least Capetillo was man enough to own up, and for me, that deserves a chance at redemption, just as any guilty man should if that second chance comes from a place of empathy. I don’t approve of Capetillo’s actions on that January 24 night, not at all, but at least he had the fortitude to admit that he was in the wrong.

I don’t know if Margarito had cheated before, frankly I don’t have the knowledge, but I find it improbable that he would have loaded in a fight where he was a 3-to-1 favourite, but not in a fight where he was a 3-to-1 underdog.

‘Plaster-gate’ has drawn the obvious comparison with the Resto-Collins fight back in 1983. To this day, Resto and his trainer Panama Lewis are banned from boxing, partly because they didn’t take responsibility over their actions until they were broke and needed the money.

The name Panama Lewis is enough to send shivers down any long time follower of the sport’s spine. But why has Margarito been allowed to wriggle out of the same punishment implemented on Lewis and Resto twenty-six years ago?

The fighter is the head of any team, and if he doesn’t like what his trainer is plotting, he can easily tell him to sling his hook. Margarito knew exactly what the situation was in that dressing room, and was caught red-handed with the illegal hand wraps. Margarito should not be treated differently to any other fighter, trainer or cutman, regardless of their status in the game. Like Resto and Lewis, Margarito should be banned for life.

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Who R U Picking?: The BTBC Suggested Retail Price

Who R U Picking?:

Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley
Saul Alvarez vs. Jose Miguel Cotto
Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. Cornelius Lock
Said Ouali vs. Hector David Saldivia

Before each major pay per view the members of the Boxing Tribune Blue Corner will make a bid on what they'd be willing to pay to see the event. The numbers will then be tabulated and the real value of the event will be established.

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How to Beat a Mayweather

by Paul Magno

As Shane Mosley and Naazim Richardson prepare for the daunting task of trying to beat one of boxing's modern day masters, The Boxing Tribune has set out to aid the duo and help establish the blueprint for beating Floyd Mayweather.

No fighter is undefeatable and, while not an easy job at all, Mayweather is surely not invincible.

Sure, all of this is easier said than done, but the point is that it can be done...It's just going to take a hell of a fighter to put it all together:

It's not you, it's me

There is one major mistake trainers make when preparing for Floyd Mayweather- They put too much focus on Mayweather. They study tapes, dream up strategies and make plans to counter and befuddle Mayweather's unique style. I'm not saying that this is a bad thing. Mayweather opponents should familiarize themselves with Mayweather's style and trainers should come up with a proper strategy to nullify it.

But the answer to the Mayweather riddle doesn't lie within Floyd's steel trap defense or sharp focus. Frankly, there are no weaknesses to exploit, no glaring lapses in technique.

Instead of focusing on Floyd, a trainer would be better suited focusing on his own guy, making him sharp and as error-free as humanly possible. Taking a fighter and making him a flawless paragon of his own style is key.

Play the Angles

Mayweather employs the famous “shoulder roll” style that turns traditional boxing geometry into a null and void jumble of missed shots and uncomfortable angles.

Fighters learn their craft in 1-2 steps...Mayweather works on 1.5, 1.7, 2.3...Off to the side and always at odd angles, Mayweather is a mystery to most....and as the fight progresses and desperation sets in, that mystery deepens.

What anyone fighting Floyd has to understand is the basic logic taught to us in Geometry: The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

The fighters who have success with Mayweather are those who can throw sharp, tight, straight punches. A sharp jab has been pointed to as a key to solving the riddle, but sharp, compact straight rights and lefts can also lead to success.

Swinging for the fences will lead to zero success against Floyd; Tight, straight compact shots, at the very least, will cut the distance and put some leather on Mayweather.

Waste not, Want not

Mayweather feasts on wasted movement. When his odd angles throw opponents off balance or his defensive stance forces foes to over-commit, his job becomes frighteningly easy; It's really just a matter of stepping off and unloading on off-balance, defenseless targets.

Make no mistake about it, if you overpursue, you will get pot-shot to death from a supremely quick-fisted and always in command Mayweather.

Fighters who have found success against Floyd have been mature, fundamentally sound boxers who don't burn through logic and reason by trying to take the fight to Mayweather. Instead, they focus on what they do best, stay within their own skill set and don't make a counter puncher's job easier by deviating off the script.

These are the types of fighters who make Mayweather's life miserable. These are the guys who Mayweather, in order to ensure the victory, has to go after and beat rather than just wait for exploitable errors to take advantage of.

The “Money” Mayweather of 2010 has become spoiled and has relied too much on being so much more fundamentally sound and technically superior to his opposition; He hasn't been made to force the issue against a fighter who simply refuses to give Floyd anything to exploit and counter.

Jose Luis Castillo, Oscar De la Hoya and Zab Judah are examples of fighters who “wasted not” and, as a result, gave Mayweather some of his closest battles.

“Think Buddha”

“There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt... It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.” -- The Buddha

To beat Mayweather, one has to focus on the here and now. You have to take each exchange as it comes and focus on doing the right thing on a case by case basis.

Be fundamentally sound, don't waste punches or movement, keep punches short and straight, make Mayweather take the intiative and make him pay for every exchange you get into...Those are the nuts and bolts keys to beating Floyd Mayweather.

The psychological key to the entire task, though, may be just as vital. Anyone fighting Mayweather will be frustrated and demoralized at times...The secret is being strong enough to push those moments aside and focus on the big picture.

Beating Mayweather is no easy task and it becomes increasingly more difficult when doubt begins to creep in and affect the sharpness of a fighter's performance. Mayweather's vanquisher will focus on winning rounds and will have the maturity to put the setbacks aside, little by little, taking the fight away from Floyd and forcing him to deviate from the script.

“A jug fills drop by drop.” -- The Buddha

This Saturday, May 1^st, we'll see if Shane Mosley has the mental and physical goods to handle this huge task.

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Dafs' Pound-4-Pound Update (Part 2)

We now enter the creme de la creme, the best crop of fighters in the sport. Part 1 included fighters from #25 to #11, ranging from fighters on the rise, on the way down, and some who managed to keep their places. The top 10 is dominated by American fighters, but will an American top the rankings? It's time to find out.

#10 Bernard Hopkins (USA) (51-5-1, 32 KO) [Light Heavyweight]

Three of the best: Ronald Wright UD-12; Kelly Pavlik UD-12; Roy Jones Jr. UD-12;
Last Ranking: #6

Hopkins continues to free-fall after a dull fight against Jones who's not even fringe top 10 at light heavyweight. Hopkins just about holds on to #10 place because of a victory over Pavlik, but if Bute and Pavlik are successful on April 17, expect another drop for The Executioner.

#9 Timothy Bradley (USA) (25-0, 11 KO) [Junior Welterweight]

Three of the best: Junior Witter SD-12; Kendall Holt UD-12; Lamont Peterson UD-12;
Last Ranking: #10

Bradley is tentatively scheduled to face Luis Carlos Abregu on his HBO debut, but according to industry sources they're attempting to match him with Marcos Maidana. Either fight is tough for Bradley, and he rises once more due to a drop.

#8 Hozumi Hasegawa (JAP) (28-2, 12 KO) [Bantamweight]

Three of the best: Simone Maludrottu UD-12; Alejandro Valdez TKO-2; Vusi Malinga TKO-1;
Last Ranking: #9

In the biggest bantamweight match-up on the table, Hasegawa will face Fernando Montiel on April 30 in a unification fight of sorts. A big win could propell him up the rankings once more.

#7 Wladimir Klitschko (UKR) (54-3, 48 KO) [Heavyweight]

Three of the best: Tony Thompson TKO-11; Ruslan Chagaev RTD-9; Eddie Chambers KO-12;
Last Ranking: #8

Wladimir had already passed Hopkins with his dramatic last gasp knockout over Eddie Chambers as he continues to dominate the heavyweight division with his brother (ranked #20). Could David Haye be next?

#6 Paul Williams (USA) (38-1, 27 KO) [Junior Middleweight]

Three of the best: Antonio Margarito UD-12; Carlos Quintana KO-1; Sergio Martinez MD-12;
Last Ranking: #6

'The most feared man in boxing' faces Kermit Cintron next up back at junior middleweight in what promises to be another war. Williams will already be looking ahead, chasing the winner of Pavlik-Martinez further down the line in 2010.

#5 Juan Manuel Marquez (MEX) (50-5-1, 37 KO) [Lightweight]

Three of the best: Marco Antonio Barrera UD-12; Joel Casamayor TKO-11; Juan Diaz TKO-9;
Last Ranking: #5

There's still plenty of life in Marquez despite being dominated from pillar to post by Floyd Mayweather in September. A rematch with Diaz looks like his next step in a fight that promises fireworks. Marquez is being closed down, so he needs to be active to keep his place.

#4 Chad Dawson (USA) (29-0, 17 KO) [Light Heavyweight]

Three of the best: Tomasz Adamek UD-12; Antonio Tarver UD-12; Glen Johnson UD-12;
Last Ranking: #4

The undefeated light heavyweight will be gunning for the lineal championship against Jean Pascal in August when they meet up in Montreal. Dawson has a bright future ahead of him but relies on competition to maintain his high ranking.

#3 Shane Mosley (USA) (46-5, 39 KO) [Welterweight]

Three of the best: Luis Collazo UD-12; Ricardo Mayorga KO-12; Antonio Margarito TKO-9;
Last Ranking: #3

Mosley faces Floyd Mayweather in a fight that should 'Sugar Shane' win, could see him topping the rankings by the next update. His inactivity though doesn't help his cause if he loses on May 1.

#2 Floyd Mayweather Jr. (USA) (40-0, 25 KO) [Welterweight]

Three of the best: Oscar De La Hoya SD-12; Ricky Hatton TKO-10; Juan Manuel Marquez UD-12;
Last Ranking: #2

Mayweather is trying to re-capture the pound-4-pound crown he 'vacated' when he retired. He could do so with a victory over Shane Mosley on May 1, but it should be a tricky fight for Money May.

#1 Manny Pacquiao (PHI) (51-3-2, 38 KO) [Welterweight]

Three of the best: Juan Manuel Marquez SD-12; Ricky Hatton KO-2; Miguel Cotto TKO-12;
Last Ranking: #1

Still reigning at the top is Manny Pacquiao, who dominated Joshua Clottey over twelve one-sided rounds at the Cowboys Stadium. A super-fight with Mayweather has to be next, or I and many others will cry.

UP: Timothy Bradley #10 to #9; Hozumi Hasegawa #9 to #8; Wladimir Klitschko #8 to #7;

DOWN: Bernard Hopkins #7 to #10;

Nationalities: 1. USA-9; 2. Puerto Rico-3; =3. Philippines, Ukraine, Great Britain-2; =6. Mexico, Japan, Romania, Thailand, Argentina, Panama, Indonesia-1;

Divisions: =1. Welterweight, Heavyweight, Super Middleweight, Featherweight-3; =5. Light Heavyweight, Junior Middleweight, Junior Welterweight, Middleweight-2; =9. Lightweight, Bantamweight, Junior Flyweight, Junior Bantamweight, Flyweight-1;

Scheduled P-4-P Fights

(#2) Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley (#3) - May 1
(#4) Chad Dawson vs. Jean Pascal (NR) - August 14
(#5) Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz (NR) - July 10
(#6) Paul Williams vs. Kermit Cintron (NR) - May 8
(#8) Hozumi Hasegawa vs. Fernando Montiel (NR) - April 30
(#9) Timothy Bradley vs. Luis Carlos Abregu (NR) - June 19
(#11) Lucian Bute vs. Edison Miranda (NR) - April 17
(#12) Ivan Calderon vs. Johnriel Casimero (NR) - June 12
(#13) Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler (NR) - April 17
(#14) Kelly Pavlik vs. Sergio Martinez (#18) - April 17
(#17) Andre Ward vs. Allan Green (NR) - June 16
(#19) Miguel Cotto vs. Yuri Foreman (NR) - July 12
(#20) Vitali Klitschko vs. Albert Sosnowski (NR) - May 29
(#22) Celestino Caballero vs. Daud Yordan (NR) - April 10
(#23) Chris John vs. Fernando David Saucedo (NR) - May 22
(#24) Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Bernabe Concepcion (NR) - July 10

As you can see, it's a very busy period in the boxing calender with 18 out of the top 25 with scheduled fights. The next update will hopefully be after the Mayweather-Mosley fight.

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Margarito, Forgiven?

by Paul Magno

If you look around cyberspace these days, there has been a subtle shift in the public wind as it pertains to Antonio Margarito and his indefinite suspension from boxing. Margarito's attempted use of illegal hand wraps for his January, 2009 contest with Shane Mosley seems a distant memory to some and, shockingly, a flat-out falsehood to more than a few.

A year ago, there was outrage and indignation in the public discourse. Now, articles are popping up in support of the return of Margarito's license and all sorts of conspiracy theories are springing up that would have one re-think their stance on "The Tijuana Tornado."

But, before we forgive and forget, let's take a look at the night Antonio Margarito wanted on January 24th, 2009.

If Margarito had his way, he would've been leaping for joy over a fallen Hall of Famer in Shane Mosley and his post-fight interview would've consisted of smug grins as he gave special thanks to God and all Mexicans everywhere. It was his intention to climb the ranks to mega-star status by battering Mosley to an ugly, bloody pulp, as he did against Miguel Cotto about six months earlier. And he would've done it with the full knowledge that he was sporting doctored, illegal hand wraps.

And please spare me the fantasy that Margarito had no idea that his trainer, Javier Capetillo, was loading him up with a "plaster-like" substance.

To think that a fighter would have no idea that two wet, cement knuckle pads were inserted into his hand wraps is silly. To buy into the fairytale of some sort of conspiracy against Margarito is patently ridiculous.

What would the California State Athletic Commission stand to gain from banning a popular Mexican fighter from their state? Why would a commission, with no vested interest, choose to outlaw the guy who just sold out the Staples Center? The fact of the matter is that the wraps confiscated on January 24th were personally reviewed by the commission members and even checked by an independent laboratory.

Even Capetillo, himself, when faced with the evidence, basically confessed and offered himself as a sacrifice. Yeah, I'll say it again for those who have come to doubt the evidence: Capetillo confessed to inserting illegal knuckle pads into his fighter's wraps, thus completely shooting down the recent claims regarding some sort of controversy as to whether the gauze was ever truly as illegal as initially reported.

Now, a little over a year later, Margarito happily prepares himself for a May 8th return in Mexico while talking about the eight figure November date with Manny Pacquiao promised to him by Top Rank's Bob Arum.

Other than an extended vacation from the sport and some early negative press, nothing really happened to him as a result of his infraction. He thumbed his nose at the authorities and at boxing itself and is almost guaranteed to fight again in The United States before the end of the year.

But before our sympathies and/or indifference get the best of us, remember this: Margarito was fine with putting the life of another fighter at stake...as long as it propelled him to where he wanted to go. That's the Antonio Margarito we need to remember...

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Mayweather vs. Mosley: Hard to Hate

by Paul Magno

Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley: May 1st.

I dare you to hate on this one. Go ahead...I dare you.

While Manny Pacquiao is fighting Joshua Clottey, the guy who lost to the guy that he just blew away, Mayweather will be fighting the consensus number one welterweight in the world and a first ballot hall of famer.

Mayweather's opponent is the same one who practically begged Pacquiao for a fight to no avail. Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, even said, "Shane came to the gym twice to ask me to let him fight Manny...I told him 'no' both times, and both times for the same two reasons: First, there isn't enough money there, and second, you're too good a fighter."

Best of all, this fight was signed with no drama about fear of needles, superstitions and blood-letting; No weight stipulations and penalties and no petty lawsuits.

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2009 Welterweight Report

by Dafs117

If gray is the new black, and Macau is the new heights of Las Vegas, then welterweight is the new heavyweight. “If the heavyweight division goes, so does boxing” is another cliché that‘s just plain nonsense. It’s the glamour division filled with X factor fighters and marquee names that HBO executives live off. It’s no secret that the 147 pounds is star-studded, but the depth of the division is what makes the welterweight field the best of the lot, and one of the most intriguing fields in the open era. It’s right up there with the featherweight class of ’01, the welterweights of ’81, maybe even the middleweights from the early ‘50s.

What more could you want than to have the two best pound-4-pound fighters and two of the most marketable fighters, challenging each other for the pleasure of millions of hardcore fanatics across the world’s surface, and grabbing the attention of many casual fight fans in the major boxing nations. At the top of the division, there are two faces that have made their case for the fighter of the decade, followed by a revitalized future hall of famer, an exciting Puerto Rican, a undefeated heavily hyped titlist, and a seemingly unending list of recognizable faces that includes a balanced mix of veterans and youngsters, punchers and boxers.

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Dissecting The Decade

by Dafs117

When deciding pound-4-pound rankings, minor details make the difference between making the cut, or just missing out. The depth of the division, performances against the highest calibre of opponents, and the fighters’ defects on the big stage are just some of the things someone should take into consideration when rating and separating the best from the rest. In boxing, it’s always a tough task, and it’s commonly whatever takes your fancy.

So before I disappoint you all and make you start waving your fist in fury at the computer screen, I’ll give you a little insight in the mind of yours truly.

What I tend to look for is longevity. If someone has been at the top of his game, and able to maintain his performance output throughout the decade, for me, it seals the deal. How much of a decline a fighter goes through after hitting his prime, did he adjust his style to deal with his age, or was he like fine wine, getting better with age?

If there are many great fighters with a nano-meter of distance separating their achievements, I search for the career defining moment. The outskirts of the top 10 is always tricky, but without further ado, here are my top 20 fighters of the ‘00s:

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2009: The Boxing Tribune Year-End Awards

by Paul Magno

2009 resembled an Arturo Gatti fight.

Controversy caused by Antonio Margarito's loaded hand wraps and a weak economy had boxing on the ropes for a good portion of the year. To top things off, tragedy hit the boxing world hard as three hall of fame talents were lost: Arturo Gatti, Vernon Forrest and Alexis Arguello.

However, like any good Gatti fight, the underdog battled back and finished strong as quality contests and innovative ideas brought the live gate back in droves and encouraged millions to pay their hard-earned money to watch on TV.

From Plaster Gate to The Return of "Money" Mayweather to The Super Six Tournament to Firepower, here's a look at the best of the best (and the worst of the worst) of 2009:

Fighter of the Year: Manny Pacquiao

For the second year in a row, the Filipino Buzzsaw takes top honors with two outstanding performances. Pacquiao followed up a brutal second round knockout of Ricky Hatton with a slow and ugly destruction of reigning WBO Welterweight champ, Miguel Cotto. Things don't get any easier for Pacquiao as he's slated to face Floyd Mayweather Jr, in the first half of 2010 and that could either mean an end to his grasp on FOY honors or a sure 2010 win in this category.

Runners up: Paul Williams, Timothy Bradley


Fight of the Year: Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz

This one had it all. An experienced old pro looking to make his mark in a young lion's home division of 135; Pressure vs. Precision; Fury vs. Technique.

Marquez vs. Diaz exceeded all expectations in a bout full of ebbs and tides and harsh brutality in Diaz's own hometown. At one point, it looked like youth and aggression would prevail as Diaz seemed to be getting to the 36-year old Marquez. However, in the end, it was Marquez's gym-forged and rage-sharpened fundamentals that won out.

Marquez would end up stopping a bloodied Diaz in the ninth to top off a true classic.

Runners up: Bernard Dunne TKO 11 Ricardo Cordoba, Andre Berto UD 12 Luis Collazo


Event of the Year: Firepower

Nothing had boxing fans more energized in 2009 than the clash between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. The buzz was evident for weeks prior to the event and the internet was lit up with both sets of loyal fans making their cases and with an assortment of experts offering their individual takes on the match-up.

In the end, Pacquiao prevailed in a relatively one-sided bout, but that doesn't erase the energy generated by this event and the attention brought to the sport by way of over 1.25 million PPV buys.

Runners up: The return of Floyd Mayweather Jr., The Super Six World Classic Tournament



Knockout of the Year: Manny Pacquiao KO 2 Ricky Hatton

Take one perfectly-timed left hook and combine it with a defensively sloppy Ricky Hatton and you get the most devastating knockout of the year.

Hatton would be left in a heap in the middle of the ring for several moments while Pacquiao celebrated this most brutal of all endings. As surprising as it was crushing, this was a definite career-defining moment for Manny and a sure bet Knockout of the Year.

Runners up: Arthur Abraham KO 12 Jermain Taylor, Randall BaileyKO 4 Frankie Figueroa


Round of the Year: Marcos Maidana vs. Victor Ortiz (Round 1)

This was supposed to be Ortiz's coming out party and the first step in his path to becoming the next Golden Boy. Unfortunately for him, somebody forgot to tell Maidana that he was a stepping stone. Maidana established his will from the opening bell and, despite being knocked down with a hard shot, answered back by decking Ortiz just a few seconds later with a bullet right hand. Ortiz would end up quitting the war in the sixth, but it was the first round that established the fact that Maidana would not be broken by a junior league Golden Boy.

Runner up: Carlos Abregu vs. Irving Garcia (Round 4)


The Pernell Whitaker Virtuoso Award: Shane Mosley

Coming into his bout with Antonio Margarito, there were some smart boxing people who were even going so far as to worry about the 37-year old's safety. After all, Margarito was coming in as the beast who stopped Miguel Cotto.

Mosley would execute a brilliant game plan, devised by new trainer Nazeem Richardson, that made Margarito look impotent and absolutely amateurish.

The one-sided domination of Margarito was somewhat overshadowed by the controversy surrounding Margarito's loaded handwraps prior to the fight, but nothing should take away from Mosley's performance that night in The Staples Center. Mosley proved himself to be a true virtuoso.

Runners up: Floyd Mayweather Jr. (vs. Juan Manuel Marquez), Lucian Bute (vs. Librado Andrade)


The Oliver McCall Puzzling Non-Performance in a Prime Time Drama Award: Daniel Santos

Santos was fighting on the Pacquiao-Cotto undercard, the biggest card of the year, after more than a year of inactivity and he was up against an inexperienced and unproven Yuri Foreman. This would've been the perfect time for Santos to step back into the picture and re-establish himself as a force at 154. Instead he lumbered and slept his way through twelve dull rounds and even allowed himself to be out-muscled by the feather-fisted Foreman.

Runner up: Ruslan Chagaev (vs. Wladimir Klitschko), Nikolai Valuev (vs. David Haye)


UK Fighter of the Year: Carl Froch

Froch spent 2009 proving that his win over Jean Pascal in late '08 wasn't a fluke. He would struggle for large portions of his bouts with Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell, but he would ultimately prevail in both. The finish of his bout with Taylor was exceptionally thrilling as he stopped Taylor at the 2:46 mark while trailing on two of the three scorecards.

Runners up: David Haye, Amir Khan


Breakthrough Fighter of the Year: Andre Ward

Prior to 2009, Ward was a gold medalist with a "blah" career, fighting club fighters and looking just competent in his victories.

2009 would be Ward's breakthrough year as he would step things up, big-time, by winning his first world title against favorite Mikkel Kessler via the Super Six tourney. He would also claim dominant victories over Edison Miranda, Henry Buchanan and Shelby Pudwill.

Andre Ward has arrived and will be in the perfect position to build upon his outstanding 2009 by sweeping the 168 pound tournament.

Runner up: Timothy Bradley, Amir Khan


Upset of the Year: Juan Carlos Salgado TKO 1 Jorge Linares

Salgado was merely a stepping stone for WBA Super Featherweight champ, Jorge Linares. Golden Boy promotions had just signed Linares and was already counting the money that could be generated by the well-regarded Venezuelan technician. Unknown Mexican club fighter, Salgado, ruined plans by crushing Linares in seventy three seconds.

Runner up: Shane Mosley TKO 9 Antonio Margarito


Trainer of the Year: Nazim Richardson

Brother Nazim wrapped this prize up in the first month of the year as he devised the perfect game plan for Shane Mosley to beat Antonio Margarito and also uncovered Margarito's use of illegal hand wraps. It was Richardson's astute cynicism that led to his intense inspection of Margarito's wraps which thereby uncovered one of this era's most notorious cheaters.

Runner up: Freddie Roach




Robbery of the Year: Kermit Cintron D Sergio Martinez

It sure seemed as though the Florida state commission was determined to not let Martinez walk away with the win. After controlling the first half of the fight, Martinez sent Cintron to the mat hard at the end of the seventh and referee Frank Santore Jr. reached the count of ten. The fight was apparently over and then, a few minutes later and against all common sense, Santore waved the fight back on and ordered for both fighters to continue for the eighth. The rest time aided Cintron and allowed him to come back and take it to Martinez in the following three rounds. Then, in another shocking move, after a great round by Martinez in the eleventh, Santore took a point from Martinez for hitting behind the head. Still, even with the missed knockdown and bogus point deduction, Martinez seemed to be the clear winner...Surprise! The fight was ruled a draw.

Runners up: Ali Funeka D Joan Guzman, Chris John D Rocky Juarez


The George A Romero Gore Award: Miguel Cotto

Cotto's face took a real beating twice in 2009. First, a massive cut over his eye against Joshua Clottey and then a brutal pulverizing at the hands of Manny Pacquiao. There's one thing for sure when it comes to Cotto: his face shows the signs of a real beating. Last year he was the runner up to this award when he was beat by Margarito; This year, he takes top honors. Congrats Miguel, I guess...


Gutsiest Effort of 2009: Nate Campbell MD 12 Ali Funeka

Weight drained and having been stripped of his titles earlier on, the 37-year old Campbell walked into a 6ft 1, South African punching machine and had to literally fight for his life. Campbell came on strong early and even knocked Funeka down in the second. However, Funeka recovered and gained complete control in the middle rounds. Campbell, behind on the cards and seeing his career on the line, pushed himself through shear exhaustion and battled back to a Majority Decision win.

Runners up: Marcos Maidana TKO 6 Victor Ortiz


Comeback Fighter of the Year: Brian Viloria

At one time considered a top prospect and classy world champ, a couple of tough losses sent Viloria into such a tailspin that nobody in their right mind was giving him much of a chance against long-reigning IBF Jr. Flyweight champ, Ulises Solis. Viloria didn't win easily and Solis didn't go down without a major fight, but somehow, some way, "Hawaiian Punch" once again found the inner drive to push onward and he KOd Solis in the 11th, in front of a packed pro-Viloria card in Manila, the Philippines.

Runners up: Robert Guerrero, Rodel Mayol


The Rat F*ck Douche Bag Award: Antonio Margarito and Javier Capetillo

Prior to the fight against Shane Mosley, illegal hand wraps containing a plaster-like substance were discovered on the hands of Margarito. There were denials and ridiculous excuses made by Margarito, Capetillo and promoter Bob Arum...even charges of racism were leveled. However, the end result was a one year suspension for these scum bags who were willing to put the lives of their opponents in jeopardy to make up for their own flaws and inabilities

Runners up: The Texas and Florida State Commissions, All Boxing Promoters


The Chris Brown vs. Rihanna One-Sided Beatdown Award: Manny Pacquiao TKO 12 Miguel Cotto

This was being built-up as a real dangerous match-up for both fighters where both guys had an equal chance of being destroyed. The reality was that, barring a couple of shots in the early rounds, this was an easy, one-sided win for Pacquiao. By the last few rounds, Miguel Cotto was literally running from Pacquiao's punches.

Runner up: Floyd Mayweather Jr. UD Juan Manuel Marquez, Vitali Klitschko TKO 9 Juan Carlos Gomez


The Dr. Phil Non-Expert Analysis Award: R.A. The Rugged Man

Somehow, some way, this hard-luck, middle-aged rapper found his way on to internet boxing shows and websites as some sort of expert analyst. With the mentality of a message board troll, this failed Beastie Boy wanna be, is actually sought after as a voice of real analysis. His presence is a real kick in the head to all boxing analysts who actually do have a working knowledge of the sport, but lack the exposure. "Rugged Man" is to boxing analysis what Vanilla Ice was to Hip Hop.


The Transformers II Needless Sequel Award: Chad Dawson vs. Antonio Tarver II

What's worst than a relatively one-sided unanimous decision? Answer: A rematch of a relatively one-sided unanimous decision. Chad Dawson clearly proved himself to be the better fighter of the two in their first encounter, but a Tarver rematch clause forced the rematch. The yawner, his first on HBO, actually lowered Dawson's stock.

Runner up: Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez II


Paula Abdul Worst Judge Award: Gale Van Hoy

First, he turned in a ridiculous 114-114 score for Chris John-Rocky Juarez I. Then, he topped himself with a ridiculous 118-110 score for Juan Diaz over Paulie Malignaggi. Texas judge, Van Hoy, has proven himself completely inept at scoring fights featuring Texas' favorite sons.

Runners up: Pierre Benoist (119-110, Paul Williams over Sergio Martinez); Alan Davis, Benoit Roussel (114-114 Ali Funeka-Joan Guzman)


Dumbest Move of 2009: James Kirkland's Parole Violation

Kirkland was one of the brightest stars coming into 2009 and seemed to seal the deal as a legit power with his dominant performance over Joel Julio in March. Shortly after, Kirkland was arrested for parole violation in an attempt to purchase a firearm. He was sentenced to two years in a federal prison.

Runners up: Monte Barrett's attempt to jump over the top rope in his ring entrance vs. David Haye, Miguel Cotto caving in to every concession prior to the Pacquiao fight


The "Hey, That Guy Works at Footlocker" Award: Shelby Pudwill (vs. Andre Ward)

This is The BTBC's annual award given to the most pedestrian fighter who somehow finds his way on to a major network. Congrats on making the Showtime telecast, Shelby!




Tiger Woods Cheat Award: Antonio Margarito

Mrs. Tiger Woods Cheated-On Award: Ali Funeka

Should've Happened: Steve Cunningham vs. Tomasz Adamek II

The Jermain Taylor, All Messed-up Award: Jermain Taylor

The Nostradamus Award: Paulie Malignaggi (for predicting his own screw job against Juan Diaz)

Worst Pay Per View: March Badness

Stick a Fork in 'em, They're Done: Jermain Taylor, Jeff Lacy, Danny Williams, Jesus Chavez, Roy Jones Jr. (again), Carlos Hernandez, Monte Barrett

2010 is Their Year: Who knows? There's a lot of parity in the sport right now and not many clearly dominant forces...Let's opt out of this one and make an obvious choice: The Boxing Tribune and The BTBC Fan Forum will continue to grow and prosper in 2010, becoming a true force in the sport. Viva BTBC! Happy 2010!

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The Return of American Swagger

by Paul Magno

At the beginning of '09, the big story among the boxing media was the apparent downfall of the American fighter.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. was still retired, Oscar De la Hoya had been humiliated by Manny Pacquiao and future Hall of Famers, Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins were on their last legs. Even Kelly Pavlik, the blue collar Cinderella story of 2007-2008 had been profoundly schooled by Hopkins at the end of '08.

2009 didn't look to be much brighter at all for the American fight contingent since, to kick things off, Mosley was going to be facing off against the new consensus #1 Welterweight in the world and widely-regarded beast, Antonio Margarito.

But "Sugar" Shane pulled off the upset in front of a partisan, pro-Margarito crowd at The Staples Center in Los Angeles and ushered in a year that would see the return of a strong American presence in the sport.

Of course, bringing in the headlines was Floyd Mayweather Jr., as he totally dominated Juan Manuel Marquez in his comeback fight in September and officially pushed for a return to his pound for pound throne with a proposed fight against Manny Pacquiao in 2010.

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Welterweights Beware! Can the division survive the fast approaching black hole?

by dafs117

As the talent rich, money making welterweights relax before the festive vacation, none of them will predict the turmoil that could eventually see the division collapsing, as one of the main money sources in 2011.

Star after star, the galaxy of welterweights will drastically fade in 2010, with retirements, defeats and weight jumping, destroying the near perfect atmosphere within the weight class.

And when Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather finally turn towards each other, they would create the biggest buzz ever created in the modern era of the sport. The 147 pound division will be the centre of the universe as both red giants collide in a battle of the supernovas.

Win or lose, retirement beckons for both fighters. Boxing would be dealt a massive marketing blow, as two of the brightest stars quickly shoot off the scale. But what about the welterweight division? The loss of Pacquiao and Mayweather cannot be put into words as the welterweight division would lose the elite class.

Where does that leave Shane Mosley? If he loses to Andre Berto, there’s no-one to fight at 147 pounds, as Miguel Cotto wouldn’t dare cross paths with Sugar Shane again. In his hour of need, will Paul Williams be his knight in shining armor and battle him at the 147 limit? Highly unlikely.

Welterweight could lose three superstars in half a year. Three pound-4-pound ranked fighters. Three legends that have truly left their mark on the sport with outstanding, but all different legacies which stand out from the rest.

And if Miguel Cotto had anything left after last year’s loss to Antonio Margarito and his split decision victory over Joshua Clottey, Manny Pacquiao would either bring it out of him, or beat it out of him. He duly delivered, and probably smashed Cotto’s half life into smithereens. That’s another slightly more faded welterweight star, gone.

Can the icons make another impact, such as Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez and Jose Luis Castillo? They might even turn to each other, in a true crossroad elimination process that would see the loser retire, for good.

With Joshua Clottey and Carlos Quintana likely to move up in weight, and once-great Zab Judah scampering down south, the depth of the division is quickly deteriorating. Names like Luis Collazo and Carlos Manuel Baldomir are simply stepping stones in the asteroid belt, waiting for a young rocket to dent.

Is the division’s superhero and savior Andre Berto? He’s hardly impressed in his recent performances against immobile Juan Urango and a post-prime Luis Collazo. Can he step up to the thrown and take over the reigns as the leader of the new welterweight revolution?

By 2011, Saul Alvarez would surely have stepped up his level of competition, and maybe young Brit Kell Brook can cause a stir among the HBO missionaries. Could Mike Jones be the next great American welterweight?

If the stars of today hang up their gloves in 2010, the welterweight division would be in a transition period. As the greedy, inflated egos of Mayweather, Pacquiao and Mosley disappear into the black hole, they would be replaced by the hungrier bright stars of tomorrow. Could the 2010 black hole be good for the division?

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Has Berto Bitten Off More Than He Can Chew?

by Dafs117

After bitching about him on twitter, Andre Berto has landed the fight he’s been chasing for the past year, but is Shane Mosley a step too big for the undefeated welterweight?

Back in January 2009, both men were victorious with Mosley smashing Antonio Margarito, and Berto defeating Luis Collazo. So why has it taken a year to negotiate this fight?

When Margarito-Mosley was in danger because of money matters, Mosley turned to Berto, who was being pushed hard by HBO over the last year. The fight was good to go, but Margaito realised that he had over-priced himself, and agreed to fight Mosley. Berto fought his mandatory challenger Collazo and a fight with Mosley was set in the Summer.

Berto survived his first gut check in his relatively young career, while Mosley was probably on a career high win. And over 11 months, Mosley has tried and failed to land a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, as they both went in other directions. He spent most of the year verbally calling out the pair, but Berto’s name was never mentioned. Berto hasn’t verbally called Mosley out, just posting abuse on Twitter.

He finally steps back into the ring at the grand old age of 38 on January 30, 2010, to face Andre Berto in a welterweight unification fight that will prove how much Mosley has left and if Berto is world class material?

Berto made brick-built Colombian 140-pound IBF titlist Juan Urango look immobile in May, a fight so uneventful it's been nearly forgotten already on the sheets of both men. It wasn't the sort of performance the crowd craved from Andre, and Urango simply went back to light welterweight and fought in wild slugfest with Randall Bailey. Can Berto turn on the heat against Mosley?

Both fighters are fast, agile, and strong. Mosley has fought at this level for so many years, and Berto has hardly looked unbeatable in his previous two fights. I know it's way too early to start making predictions, but this is a fight that has got my attention already. If Mosley pulls this one off, he continues his hall of fame career with another fantastic win. If Berto pulls what will be an upset over the veteran, a new star could be born. This is the fight HBO have groomed Berto for, and it's time for him to show what he's got on a new level.

Would Berto’s bitching bite him in the arse come January? Mosley is still an elite fighter, and disrespecting fighters at this level shows how desperate you are. Mosley learned after Mayweather defeated Marquez that disrespecting world class fighters gets you nowhere. Will Mosley punish Berto for his childish spites?

Berto has made this fight a mouth watering clash to kick off 2010!

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5 Fights That Define Miguel Cotto

Miguel Cotto L TKO 11 Antonio Margarito, 7/26/2008

Cotto suffered a brutal beating at the hands of "The Tjuana Tornado," Antonio Margarito in the biggest fight of his career up to that point.

The controversy exists about whether Margarito was using loaded hand wraps, but there's no controversy about the fact that Cotto absorbed a tremendous amount of punishment that may still be weighing on his psyche.




Miguel Cotto UD Shane Mosley, 11/10/2007

Cotto might have been catching Shane Mosley at the right time, but "Sugar" showed that he still had plenty of life left in his 36-year old body.

Mosley fought an extremely close fight and finished very strong to lose a close decision.

But Cotto proved two things with this win: He could box as well as slug and, most importantly, he belonged among the elite of the sport.


Miguel Cotto TKO 11 Zab Judah, 6/9/2007

A bloodied and severely tested Cotto was pushed to the brink by the supremely talented Zab Judah. After being buzzed early on, Cotto pushed forward with the full support of a Madison Square Garden crowd and eventually wore Judah down.

Despite some controversy regarding several low-blows, Cotto took care of business and established himself as a real force at 147.

Miguel Cotto RTD 5 Carlos Quintana, 12/2/2006

In his first real fight at Welterweight, Cotto unleashed a savage attack on Quintana to capture the vacant WBA Welterweight title.

A game and talented Quintana appeared to be overmatched against a highly motivated and mean-spirited Cotto.




Miguel Cotto TKO 5 DeMarcus Corley, 2/26/08

Far from "Just Another Defense" of his Jr. Welter title, Cotto's adventure with "Chop Chop" saw him meet, and overcome, his first real test.

Despite being knocked down in the first, Corley came back strong in the third and severely wobbled Cotto.

The Puerto Rican champ would survive and eventually stop the quick-fisted southpaw.

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WBC to Shane Mosley: "Apologize to us if you want shot at Berto"

The latest gem coming from the annual WBC convention involves the humiliation of a future Hall of Famer.

The WBC has ruled that in order for Shane Mosley to get a shot at Andre Berto's WBC Welterweight title, he must first publicly apologize for abandoning his WBC interim title in order to fight Antonio Margarito for the WBA strap in January of this year.

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Paul Williams...Still the Champ Nobody Wants.

by Simon Garner

In the Summer 2007, Paul Williams took on Antonio Margarito at the Home Depot Centre in Carson California for the WBO Welterweight championship. It was Williams’ first shot at a world title belt. He defeated the now disgraced Mexican 147-pounder by unanimous decision and established himself as one of the top guys in the division.

However, a points loss to Carlos Quintana followed by a vindictive 1st round knock-out in the rematch, left “The Punisher” with somewhat of a conundrum. No one wanted to fight him. He wasn’t a big enough name to bring in the big bucks. But at the same time, he was too risky a fight for a made fighter to take.

Since then he has been forced to move up the divisions to look for meaningful fights. First, with a one-round demolition of Andy Kolle, followed by an 8th round stoppage of Verno Phillips to claim the interim WBO Light-Middleweight title belt and a wide 12 round decision over former champion, Winky Wright.

Williams was then set up to fight Kelly Pavlik later this year, however, due to whatever reason, that bout has now been cancelled (official story from Camp Pavlik was that it was due to a knuckle injury, but it is well known that Pavlik recently checked into rehab due to alcohol dependency).

Therefore, Paul Williams has been left high and dry without anyone to fight…sound familiar?

He has two choices in my eyes. Hang around and wait for a big money fight, or cut his losses and fight a smaller name for less money, hoping that a household name is available in February/March.

Lets now look at some potential fights for “The Punisher”:

Welterweight:

For starters, I don’t think Williams can make welterweight easily. The last time he fought there was over a year ago. Now I’m not saying he’s an Eric Morales or a Ricky Hatton, but I imagine his body will have adapted to the higher weight – but hey, I could be wrong. And according to George Peterson, Williams’ trainer, he is currently around 150lb.
So, who’s available:

· Shane Mosley – seems like the obvious candidate. He’s a big name, if not a big money name, and is free either in the short term or later next year. He’s fought at 147lb and 154lb so could be flexible on that issue. The only problem for Williams is the obvious one – he might get beat! Mosley has been one of the most consistent performers over the last 10 years at least and has beaten some big names. If Carlos Quintana can outbox Williams, Mosley sure as hell can.
· Andre Berto/ Joshua Clottey – both up and coming names in the 147lb division and are available in October. However, they are not big names and their camps, especially in the case of Berto, are unlikely to risk their fighter against a man like Williams.

Light-Middleweight:

· Kermit Cintron – I think this would be a fairly easy fight for Williams and he’s a fairly big name fighter. Williams is currently the WBO Interim champ and Cintron is the no.1 contender so this could easily be billed as a title eliminator.
· Sergiy Dzinziruk – current WBO 154lb champ and free in October. Negotiations stalled between the two parties but given the cancellation of the Pavlik-Williams fight, a fight can now be made.
· Sergio Mora - ………anyway……….

Middleweight:

· Felix Sturm – current WBA Champ, but fought as recently as July. Any fight would probably take place later on in the year but due to Sturm’s reluctance to fight outside of his native Germany, it is unlikely this fight could be made unless the money was right.

Above Middleweight:

· Bernard Hopkins – a fight that has already been discussed heavily on the BTBC Forum. The news coming out of the Williams camp though is that the fight would have to be at 165lb for them to even consider fighting, so then it would depend on Hopkins. I imagine Bernard would sooner wait on the winner of Dawson-Johnson II or Thomas Adamek.

I believe that if Williams is to go above 160, he should only do it to fight Hopkins. The reasoning being, that if he beats Hopkins – there is no one left to fight at the weight because they are all tied up with the “Super Six” tournament.

Conclusion:

In my opinion, Paul Williams’ best option would be to go down to 147lb and get in amongst it. If he beats say…Shane Mosley, he’ll turn heads and could end up fighting one of the box office names like Pretty Boy Floyd.

A more realistic option maybe to go to 154lb, fight Dzinziruk and maybe unify the belts. By staying at this weight he leaves himself the option of taking fights at a lower weight or at 160lb later next year if Pavlik has picked himself up off the bar floor.

Taking a fight with Hopkins is always risky as “The Ghost” showed. I believe Williams would win due to the shear volume of punches he throws against an aging warrior like “The Executioner.” However, his biggest problem would be how he deals with his weight after the bout.

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USA! USA! America's 10 Best Boxers!

We've already explored the topic of Britain's and Puerto Rico's best. In the works are features on the best Filipino and Mexican fighters.

However, on this July 4th, it's only fitting to write about America's best active fighters.

So, grill another burger and open another cold one while we delve into the topic of who, exactly, are America's Finest:

10) Steve Cunningham- This former Cruiserweight champ with quick hands and sharp reflexes would still be sporting the bragging rights of being "The World's Best Cruiser" if not for, literally, four or five punches from Tomasz Adamek last year. Cunningham is working his way back to a rematch and wants nothing more than to avenge this tough loss.

9) Andre Berto- The reigning WBC Welterweight titlist gets little respect in the media, but he was good enough to beat a very tough Luis Collazo as well as a large handful of tough contenders ranging from Jr. Welter slugger, Juan Urango, to tough ex-champ, Cosme Rivera.

8) Nate Campbell- The Galaxxy Warrior shocked the world last year by beating up and out-classing the highly-regarded Juan Diaz. He followed that up with a gutsy win over the awkward and talented, Ali Funeka. At 37 years of age, there aren't too many more fights in Campbell's reserves, but he'll have the chance at another career-defining bout against Timothy Bradley in August.

7) Kelly Pavlik- While still no.1 at Middleweight, Pavlik's star has fallen considerably following his embarrassing loss to Bernard Hopkins and the recent postponement of his fight with Sergio Mora. However, Pavlik is still the iron-fisted slugger who beat Jermain Taylor and Edison Miranda into submission and turned the tough Marco Antonio Rubio into a a mid-fight pacifist.

6) Timothy Bradley- Bradley is the man at Jr. Welterweight, whether Ring Magazine says so or not. He went over to the UK to take the title from the awkward Junior Witter, completely dismantled veteran Edner Cherry, and beat fellow 140 lb. champ, Kendall Holt, in a thriller. Now, on August 1st, he takes on former unified Lightweight champ, Nate Campbell, in another tough and dangerous fight to add to the case for making him no. 1 at 140.

5) Chad Dawson- Forget the fact that he had a couple of dull fights with Antonio Tarver and consider the fact that he just beat Tarver twice...decisively. In addition to the Tarver fights, Dawson also holds exciting wins over Eric Harding, Tomasz Adamek, and Glen Johnson. The rematch of the controversial Johnson fight has been signed to once and for all prove that Dawson indeed deserved the nod.

4) Bernard Hopkins- Coming off his schooling of Kelly Pavlik, B-Hop is looking for just the right fight with which to close out a spectacular career. Whoever he fights last needs to be aware that they are fighting one of the smartest, toughest men in the game and that they are in for a very long night. If Hopkins doesn't make it into the Hall of Fame as soon as he's eligible, they should just close the place down.

3) Shane Mosley- With wins over Antonio Margarito, Ricardo Mayorga and Luis Collazo as well as a close contest with Miguel Cotto, Mosley has re-established his claim as one of the few active fighters who could be tagged with the "Legend" label. He has been in hot pursuit of a bout with Manny Pacquiao, but that looks unlikely to happen.

2) Paul Williams- Williams has been given the nickname of "The Most Feared Man in Boxing" and it's hard to dispute. Most of the big names from 147 up to 160 simply refuse to even mention his name. Being an unusually tall and freakishly active southpaw has a lot to do with it...victories over Antonio Margarito and easy wins over tough veterans like Carlos Quintana, Verno Phillips and Winky Wright may also be a big factor in the fact that Williams' phone isn't ringing off the hook with fight offers.

1) Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Mayweather gets the top spot before he even officially makes his return from a 20 month "retirement." Mayweather may be the most gifted fighter of this generation and is doubly-blessed with one of the sharpest boxing minds in the sport. While getting gang-hated for having the nerve to talk about business decisions in boxing interviews, few can doubt that Mayweather is one awesome fighter.

Five to Watch

* Andre Ward- Olympic Gold Medalist who just outclassed Edison Miranda. He just may be the next big, American star.

* Andre Dirrell- In the same Super Middleweight division as Ward, Dirrell has a better resume at this point and has all the tools to beat anyone in and around the division.

* Rocky Juarez- No longer a prospect, but definitely someone with the skill and one-punch power to shock the world. He's blamed his recent tentative performances on an eye injury...He's a hundred percent healthy now...

* Chris Arreola- Arreola has two things lacking in the current crop of American Heavyweights: Massive power in either fist and the will to push ahead when things get rough.

* Daniel Jacobs- Still a baby in the sport, but few prospects have displayed the maturity and technique that Jacobs has shown so far against limited opposition.

So, there you have it! Cheer up America and light another bottle rocket. The world may be producing some great talents these days, but The USA is still capable of holding its own...

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Can Golden Boy Survive the Decade?

You could feel the tension in the air as the tide started turning against Golden Boy prospect, Victor Ortiz, this past Saturday at the Staples Center.

And, when Ortiz eventually caved in under the pressure of Marcos Maidana in the sixth, the frustration exploded as Shane Mosley gave Ortiz a few tense words, shortly followed by a second tongue lashing from Golden Boy boss, Oscar De la Hoya.

But you could hardly blame them for their frustration. The Ortiz loss was just the latest in a series of unfortunate turns for De la Hoya and his promotional company.

2009 began in outstanding fashion for GBP as Shane Mosley shocked the boxing world by easily handling Welterweight kingpin, Antonio Margarito.

Now, just about six months later, momentum has shifted away from the promotional company that, at one point, boasted veteran legends such as Mosley, Bernard Hopkins, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton and De la Hoya himself.

The Golden Boy of the recent past was on top of the world, snatching up as many veteran names as boxing headlines and brokering a deal with HBO which would essentially give them carte blanche to fill a lion's share of the available TV dates with fights and fighters of their choosing.

The boxing world, literally, was thrown at their feet and they most definitely had a plan for world domination.

Even with De la Hoya having been retired by Manny Pacquiao at the end of '08, the strategy would be simple: Mosley and Hopkins would build off of their remarkable wins against Margarito and Kelly Pavlik respectively while the entire promotion crossed its fingers that Ricky Hatton could somehow find a way to beat Pacquiao.

In the downtime between headline-grabbing fights by future Hall of Fame inductees, Golden Boy would satisfy the fans by highlighting their next generation of stars, all on the verge of greatness...or so they would have you believe.

Leading the GBP surge for future dominance were James Kirkland, Victor Ortiz, Robert Guerrero and Abner Mares.

Unfortunately, the boxing world is often not the most predictable and in a matter of just a few months, GBP would find the heavy-handed Kirkland behind bars for parole violation, Mares being nursed back to health following eye surgery and Ortiz and Guerrero being tagged with the label of being quitters in what was to be their "coming out" parties on HBO.

And to make matters worse, their "bankable" talents, Mosley and Hopkins, have not been able to find the type of fight they feel they need at this stage of their careers. Mosley has been desperately searching for a fight with an indifferent Pacquiao while Hopkins' only legit attempts at a fight were a half-hearted offer to Cruiserweight champ Tomasz Adamek and a rumored bout with the UK's Super Middleweight world champ, Carl Froch.

In the meantime, HBO has been saddled with mostly luke warm events that generate mediocre ratings and cost a relative fortune to stage. With the exception of Mosley-Margarito and Golden Boy/Top Rank promoted Pacquiao vs. Hatton, you'd be hard-pressed to find any positive Golden Boy events on HBO.

Don't think this fact is lost on HBO executives and don't think it's lost on Golden Boy's promotional rivals, either.

“They [HBO] gave their dates to one promoter, who's stable has now been wiped out. They made a bad mistake. They are not evil people, and I can't blame Golden Boy for grabbing those dates, but it shows that it wasn’t the wisest thing for them to do,” said Bob Arum of Top Rank.

Another blow to GBP is the fact that, in order to make the marquee fights for their established stars, they will need the cooperation of the other promoters who, at this point, have been driven to resentment by Golden Boy's perceived status as HBO's pet promotion.

So, with their best and brightest pretty much taken out of the equation and legit future stars, Erislandy Lara and Danny Jacobs, still too far away to be a factor, questions about the immediate future of Golden Boy have to be raised.

Will HBO grow frustrated with the poor showings and make Golden Boy go back to booking dates on a fight by fight basis?

And if HBO does this, will GBP be able to compete with a company like Top Rank who has a much deeper roster and a keener matchmaking eye at this point?

Can Oscar's company survive the decade? Probably, but expect a major re-tooling of the promotion and a reluctant admission from them that they do indeed need to co-exist with the other promotional companies in order to stay afloat.

2010 will be an interesting year for the sport and a crucial one for Golden Boy.

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