Picture This: The BTBC Captions

The members of The BTBC fan forum were shown this photo and asked to caption it...This is what they gave us:

Roach: "Right guys, Scissor, paper, stone, to see who's first to the medicine cabinet!" - Vezwood


Roach: "Did you see my cute dimples?" - Jadef

Pacquiao to Chavez Jr.: "You should've refused the test...say you're afraid of piss tests..." - Paul Magno


Freddie: "When you hit 50 constipation isn't funny anymore" - PHONETOOL

Roach: "Dot dot dot dot" [Morse Code] - Dafs

Roach: "Why do my glasses keep on slipping!?" - Dafs

Roach to JCC Jr "When are you turning pro?" - Siren1927


Roach says to Chavez: "Theres always singing, look at him" - Mecky1888

JCC: Manny, thanks for the hookup                                     - fullarmor613
Manny: No problem I got them from Jimmy Kimmell
Freddie: Guys not in front of the camera

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New Pick'Em Game At The Boxing Bulletin

Our friends at The Boxing Bulletin have launched an in-depth easy to play prediction game that will run for ten weeks. And where better to start than 'The Event' on Saturday.

All you have to do is create an SB Nation account, and simply make your selections in the comments section. There are four fights to listed for week 1, so get over there now to get your predictions in by 4 PM EST on Friday, March 12.

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Pacquiao-Clottey Undercard Is Unacceptable

Continuing with The Boxing Tribune's preview of Pacquiao-Clottey, Dafydd Thomas writes about how he hopes Bob Arum and Bruce Trampler's horrific choice of undercard fights will come back to haunt them.

******

In case you've been in hibernation for over a year, we're gradually recovering from a recession that has affected everyone, no matter what their financial status reads. Many are carefully counting their pesos, only spending on necessary goods while saving for another rainy day.

For fight fans, any fight involving the pound-4-pound king is a necessity, and on Saturday, 2010's maiden HBO PPV will be aired as "The Event", which will cost $50 or even $60 for the HD broadcast. As you all know, Manny Pacquiao headlines against Joshua Clottey, in one of the highest gross tune-up fight in the history of the sport.

The fight isn't as competitive as some will drive it up to be. Pacquiao is obviously the clear favourite, and to bet against him you have to be out of the loop. Clottey, also a Top Rank fighter, is earning a nice cheque for providing enough resilience to carry Pacquiao some rounds before folding under the pressure from the Filipino great.

They have one common opponent, which is Miguel Cotto. Cotto defeated Clottey via hotly disputed split decision (a fight that we'll be investigating later on in the week), while Pacquiao made Cotto run... run... run en route to a twelfth round technical knockout victory. Of course, styles make fights is rule of thumb in predicting a contest. But this isn't one. Clottey hasn't got the bottle to win.

Back to the matter at hand. Normally, the strength of the main event will carry the PPV numbers, regardless of whoever's fighting on the undercard. But when you've got a bigger headline act fighting just over a month after, with an evenly matched dance partner, for the same amount of dollars, plus a stronger undercard, there should only be one thought in your mind if you don't have the finances. No, not going down to the local bookmakers, but save up for the stronger show.

I'm not trying to be a financial advisor, but that's logic. You'd think that Arum and Trampler would spot the weakness and strengthen it somewhat. But when has Arum put on a decent undercard? He's always been one for cutting costs and maximizing profits, showing 'The Son of the Legend' who needed banned substances to help him against Troy Rowland. But this undercard has crossed the line.

We have a "Contender" loser, two shot to smithereens fighters, an Irishman that's not once looked like a future successor to Kelly Pavlik, and a guy called Michael. That's what you're paying for.

It could've been so different. The despicable Antonio Margarito was scheduled to make his return against Carson Jones, but he couldn't even get past the high standards of Texas officials. To think that he would've been allowed to return on one of the biggest events of the year would've been humiliating for the sport.

Boxing has the sporting world's attention for this week, a chance to build a stronger fanbase for the future. For hardcore boxing fans, the sweet science is like a drug. We seem incapable of disconnecting from the sport. The loyal fan has given up hope of a change in the drab state of affairs. If celebrity bouts, worthless pay-per-views and disagreement over some random drug test dominate the sport, so be it. It's like we don't expect a change, so we won't do anything about it.

That's why Arum puts on these ghastly cards. Most of the PPV's brainwashed buyers will be gullible enough to believe that this is competitive. The others just buy it for the sake of boxing. And that's what will keep Arum going for the rest of the year. Pacquiao is far better than Clottey. Basically, bet the farm on Pacquiao. If you buy, it encourages promoters to put on more garbage undercards for your enjoyment.

The first televised fight is John Duddy vs. Michael Medina in a 10-round middleweight contest. Honestly, does anybody give a fuck? No seriously now, does anybody desperately want to know the result of a mildly competitive and dull fight that makes no difference what-so-ever to the state of the division? Medina has been competitive against Martirosyan in 2008, and on the basis of a fight that happened a while ago, I choose Medina by close decision. But frankly, I don't care.

Following the middleweight blood-bath is Alfonso Gomez vs. Jose Luis Castillo in another fourth-tier clash that turns no heads. Castillo is shot. Gomez is shit. It's a complete mystery to me how Gomez is ranked #11 by Boxrec, while Castillo is more accurately ranked at #30. Even a shot Castillo should have enough pop to keep the slicker Gomez at bay, Castillo should take it by competitive decision. Again, it's a crap undercard fight for one of the biggest events of the year. It's an interesting fight, but not one you'd want on a 700,000 buy pay-per-view.

Again referring to Boxrec, the last televised undercard fight is rated at five stars. Humberto Soto vs. David Diaz is a decent fight, but does it deserve the same recognition as Pavlik-Martinez or Abraham-Dirrell? Piss or get off the pot. It's not even competitive. Soto is on a steam-rolling streak, while Diaz is shot. It shouldn't be a contest. Soto should stop Diaz late on.

Looking at the undercard fights, they're all decent fights but are unworthy of this kind of stage to perform on. On November 14 2009, I thought I had witnessed the worst ever undercard for a big event. I was wrong. I seriously think this tops it. At least there was a title on the line on Firepower, even if Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. helped me catch up on sleep (no joke, he seriously did).

This time though, it might not pay off. Pacquiao-Clottey is nowhere near as well marketed as Pacquiao-Cotto, and not even close in fight interest. Pacquiao-Cotto didn't need a strong undercard to sell, but I feel that this fight does need an extra fight. And I hope, for boxing's sake, that the pay-per-view numbers aren't as high.

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Exposed! There was no Ban on Filipino Media at Mayweather-Mosley Press Conference

by Paul Magno

I owe a big debt of gratitude to my Filipino friend, Walter, from the Inside Fights message board for passing me this information:

The Filipino media was indeed at the Los Angeles press conference for the Floyd Mayweather-Shane Mosley bout. Walter confirmed this himself and offered video evidence of the ABS-CBN (The Philippine's largest multi-media network) having full access to the press conference and even asking Mayweather assistant, Leonard Ellerbe, some questions.

Also, if you go to the ABS-CBN website, you will see full coverage of the press conference.

The lunk-head who originally made these bogus claims needs to seriously be cut out of the public discourse and fully discredited for this malicious and premeditated attack on another person's character and well-being. The writer in question (who I won't mention by name since he gets a penny per click at The Examiner) has officially graduated to the bottom of the scum pit.

Here's the video in question, jump to the 1:46 mark and you will clearly see the ABS-CBN mic on display while Ellerbe answers away with no problem :










***Addendum***

I just received an email from Filipino journalist, Simeon Vergara, who was at the press conference in question...

His account of the goings on backs up publicist, Kelly Swanson's side of the story 100%. Give it a read here:


DEFINITELY NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST FILIPINO MEDIA

Ok, so I think we all see the truth now...

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Why Joshua Clottey Is The Ideal Opponent For Manny Pacquiao

by Dafs117

Joshua Clottey has only three losses on his record, all to credible opponents; and on Saturday night, Manny Pacquiao will be the fourth world-class fighter to defeat 'The Grand Master'. Here's ten reasons why Joshua Clottey has the odds stacked against him against Pacquiao on March 13.

Talent: The difference in talent is evident. The Filipino has evolved into the perfect aggressive fighter. He's fast, powerful, experienced, resilient and always in tip-top condition. Clottey is good, but he's not great, while Pacquiao can be considered as an All-Time Great. Enough said.

Power: If you're one of many that believes everything Bob Arum said like he was some prophet, you'd think Clottey "is the bigger and stronger man." That might be true to some extent, but Pacquiao holds all the firepower in this fight. Clottey never really hurt Cotto in their fight, while Pacquiao knocked the Puerto Rican down twice and sent him into survival mode for the final four rounds. Advantage Pacquiao.

Work Rate: One reason why Clottey lost to Cotto was his lack of consistent offence. He retreated in the final stages of their welterweight title fight, and threw next to nothing. Manny is far more active than Clottey, which should result to him winning the round. Smart counter punching isn't going to cut it if Pacman's active on March 13.

Speed: In my humble opinion, Pacquiao's foot speed is more impressive than his hand speed. He darts in and out before a fighter has the opportunity to think about countering. Pacquiao's blazing-quick punches come from all-kind of crazy angles, which makes him even more mind-boggling. Pacquiao's mobility should allow him to avoid Clottey's counters all night. He's going to be donkey years ahead of Clottey in speed, and for me, I don't see Clottey being able to foil it.

Tempo: As a result to his defensive style, Clottey sets a relatively low pace to his fights. This raises question marks over his stamina and heart, which probably are a bit rash. Many people point to the dip in performance late on down to a lack of focus. Against Cotto, Clottey seemed to coast instead of ramming home a unassailable lead against a bloodied Cotto. Pacquiao will set the pace in this fight and it should be too fast for Clottey.

Style: Clottey's 2006 loss at the hands of Antonio Margarito may well have provided Freddie Roach with the blueprint for Pacquiao come Saturday night. Not that Margarito and Pacquiao are similar, in style at least, the Filipino is an aggressive full throttle type of fighter like Margarito, who made Clottey buckle under the pressure after the fifth. Clottey claimed he had broken both hands (even though he didn't), so again you can decide for yourselves if Pacquiao's style is Clottey's kryptonite.

Defense: You might point to Clottey's defense as an advantage, I don't. Sure, it will help him block punches and take less shots, but tucking himself behind his gloves will give Manny all the time in the world to throw his whirlwind combinations. Clottey tends to wait until his opponent has stopped punching before throwing his own, which is simply the worst logic in a boxing fight.

Ring Generalship: The phrase ring generalship means a lot of things, one of which is the understanding of the science, and Clottey can sometimes be a bit dopey in the ring. Pacquiao has proven that he can adapt to different situations during fights which every world-class fighter can do, while Clottey on the other hand has shown he can blow away leads for inexplicable reasons. The Cotto fight again is a prime example, but some may look at the Baldomir fight at the turn of the Millennium, where Clottey lead into the tenth before he was disqualified for intentional headbutting. For those who have watched the fight, you may think it was a hometown disqualification. I agree that it was harsh, but when you've been warned and penalized a point for it, you don't carry on. Plain stupidity.

Right Hand: I'll get technical here. Clottey has a sweet right uppercut, but aside from that his right is very weak, and against southpaws, your right hand must be effective. Sometimes he leads with his right, and when he does he slaps or tries to double up which throws him off-balance and makes him vulnerable to a knockdown. His lack of two-fisted offence is a major concern going into Saturday's fight.

Corner: For me, this is what has made it impossible for Clottey to win. Anyone with a worse corner than Cotto's when he fought Pacquiao will struggle. Veteran cutman Lenny De Jesus has been hired, who also worked with Pacquiao in his earlier years. Clottey will be without his regular team for the first time in his professional career. His preferred trainer, Godwin Kotey was refused a visa. His assistant trainer, Daniel Clottey, was also denied a visa. This distraction has surely not helped Clottey during camp, and whoever he has in his corner will be miles behind Roach.

I'll finish with a quote from The Boxing Tribune's editor-in-chief, Paul Magno.

"Fighting Clottey is like fighting a vending machine...You may not be able to bust it up, but I've yet to meet a vending machine that could win a decision in a big boxing match..."

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Allegations of Mayweather Racism Are Irresponsible and Juvenile

by Paul Magno

Filipino journalist and commentator, Chino Trinidad, has found himself at the center of a manufactured  controversy surrounding claims that Floyd Mayweather's publicist, Kelly Swanson, intentionally snubbed the Filipino media during the Los Angeles portion of the Mayweather-Mosley publicity tour.

Trinidad alleges that he and another Filipino journalist were directly told by Swanson that the Philippine media was essentially banned from accessing Maweather at the press conference.

Of course, some dim-witted bomb throwers were bound to latch on to the issue and milk it for some cheap publicity. At the expense of any sense of fair play or journalistic ethics, a Pacquiao fan boy at The Examiner immediately pounded fingers on keyboard and produced a poorly thought-out, incendiary article aimed at  taking dig number 1 million at  Mayweather.

Knowing the writer in question's work (a writer who once threatened to stab me in a Twitter disagreement), I'm sure the article was only designed to bring traffic his way and ingratiate himself to a Pacquiao inner circle that he so desperately wants to be part of. However, if you have any sort of journalistic integrity, you simply can't just blindly lob accusations of racism without being willing to hear both sides of the issue.

Kelly Swanson, speaking to Paula Duffy (also of The Examiner), has denied the accusations of racial bias and said that her denial of access to Trinidad had to do with the fact that Trinidad and the other reporter arrived late to the press conference and had informed her that they wanted to speak to Mayweather about Manny Pacquiao and the drug testing issue, two topics that were off limits for all media.

From the Paula Duffy article:

Swanson remembers the two journalists and she said that, "They arrived after other TV crews were gone. I told them that Floyd was not going to answer questions related to Manny Pacquiao and drug testing." According to Ms. Swanson, that is what the media members were interested to discuss with her client.

She continued, " I at no time refused them the opportunity to speak with Floyd Mayweather. They were welcome to go down to where he was with the fans and wait to see if he would give them an interview. But he would have told them what he has told many other media members this week about keeping to the topic at hand."

Even if Mayweather had chosen to exclude Trinidad, exclusively, he very well may have had reason to do so.

Chino Trinidad has been a long time Mayweather critic and a hanger-on in the ever-growing Pacquiao cadre of star-struck journalists and yes men looking to social climb their ways into Manny's good graces.

This is what Trinidad had to say about Mayweather  in a recent video interview:

“That guy punches like a Power Puff girl…. (Floyd) You’re dead…Who’s running scared? Floyd is…Floyd Mayweather is in the trash can.”

So, you reap what you sow in this business. I know that, after being critical of Pacquiao over recent months, I'd never get access to a no-limits interview with Manny. Trinidad should also understand that nobody has to talk to you if they feel that you're just there to ambush them.

If the Mayweather camp did single out a certain racial group for exclusion, it's simply horrible and worthy of condemnation. But it's hard to believe that Swanson, an experienced publicist, would be so blatant with something as incendiary as what is being claimed.

It's even harder to believe the characters making these claims.

The first rule of journalism is to never fall in love with those you seek to cover...The second rule is to get your facts straight before jealously lashing out at your man crush's enemies...

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Stage 10: Magno vs. Machine Results

Magno and the Machine remain neck and neck as we head into the championship rounds in Magno vs. Machine. As both pundits predicted the same result, Devon Alexander's stunning demolition of Juan Urango meant that nothing would change in the scores. With only two rounds remaining, can Magno turn it around in time to defeat the multi-functional Machine?

Devon Alexander vs. Juan Urango

Magno: Devon Alexander UD 12 Juan Urango
Machine: Devon Alexander UD 12 Juan Urango

Result: Devon Alexander KO 8 Juan Urango

Magno vs. Machine will return next week with Manny Pacquiao making his first defense of his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey.

Current Scores: Magno (14-3, 2 KOs); Machine (14-3, 3 KOs)

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Devon Alexander Blasts Juan Urango; Darchinyan and Alvarez Brutalize Foes

Uncasville, CT - WBC Jr. Welterweight Champion, Devon Alexander (20-0, 13 KOs), added the IBF 140 lb. title last night with a surprisingly brutal eight round knockout of Colombian power puncher, reigning IBF titlist, Juan Urango (22-3-1, 17 KOs).

Alexander fought at an even pace throughout, mixing tempo and boxing on the outside with a swift jab while occasionally stepping in to throw a sharp counter at the aggressive Urango.

The end of the bout came in the eight as Alexander caught his opponent with a huge right hand uppercut that sent Urango to the canvas.

The IBF champ never recovered from that shot and was soon back on the canvas a few seconds later, forcing referee Benjy Esteves but to call an end to the bout.

After the fight, Zab Judah tried to interrupt Alexander's post fight interview, only to be silenced by Alexander's assertion that Judah was "past tense."

On the undercard, Steve Forbes (34-8, 10 KOs) was upset by journeyman, Harrison Cuello (19-12-3, 14 KOs) via Majority Decision in an eight rounder

Also, Heavyweight Derrick Rossy (25-2, 14 KOs) won a 12 round Unanimous Decision over Zack Page (20-28-2, 7 KOs)

Rancho Mirage, CA - WBA/WBC Super Flyweight champion, Vic Darchinyan (34-2-1, 27 KOs) put a major beating on game, but over matched, Rodrigo Guerrero (13-2-1, 9 KOs).

Guerrro tried to fight back at various parts of the bout, but reigning champ Darchinyan was just too much for the Mexican challenger and won via wide Unanimous Decision with scores of 120-108, 118-110, and 117-111.

Controversy clouded the undercard main support as Lenny Zappavigna (23-0, 15 KOs) won an unpopular Unanimous Decision over veteran Fernando Angulo (22-7, 14 KOs).

To most observers, Angulo seemed to be solidly ahead as he controlled most of the action from the fourth round on, but the judges thought differently with scores of 116-111, 116-111 and 114-113 for the undefeated Australian lightweight.

Chiapas, Mexico - Saul "El Canelo" Alvarez (31-0-1, 23 KOs) continued his climb in the welterweight ranks by beating sacrificial lamb, Brian Camechis (19-3, 8 KOs).

Camechis seemed hurt with every solid punch landed by Alvarez and was eventually taken out in the third.

After the bout, Alvarez somewhat confirmed that Matthew Hatton would be his next opponent, on the Mayweather-Mosley pay per view, May 1st.

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James Toney In The UFC: A Win-Win For Dana White

by Paul Magno

It's official: James "Lights Out" Toney, one of boxing's modern day greats, is now a member of the UFC.

Of course, the UFC isn't getting the James Toney that outclassed most of the best middleweights and super middleweights of his generation. They're not even getting the post-prime Toney who floored, and ultimately beat, Vassiliy Jirov at cruiserweight or the one who humiliated a shot Evander Holyfield at heavyweight. But, nonetheless, Toney represents the biggest name to ever cross the imaginary border between boxing and mixed martial arts.

Toney's been looking at a move to the UFC for a few years now, claiming that he just can't get the big fights in boxing.

Technically, he's right; But, realistically, he just doesn't have the juice anymore to beat the top dogs at heavyweight and lacks the draw to entice the young lions to try him out. So, with nowhere to go in the sport and his internal clock ticking away, he's packed his bags for a try at the UFC octagon and one last power grab at making some real headlines.

So, yeah, we all know and can understand why Toney's making the jump, but the real question is why Dana White, the UFC's bossman and "extreme" PT Barnum, has finally decided to give in and receive an active professional boxer into his ranks. After all, this is the same Dana White who rejected a possible Roy Jones-Anderson Silva bout awhile back and has danced around other possible boxing vs. mma bouts.

For White, having James Toney aboard, even a Toney 15 years past his prime, is a win-win situation.

With Toney officially signed to the UFC, the game is now in White's home court and Toney will have to work under the conditions and whims that his boss dictates. This will not be a case of Toney possibly scoring a win and then heading back to the world of boxing, sporting bragging rights over the UFC; This will be a case of Toney being a full-time employee, pushed into the octagon until someone can put a hurting on "Lights Out."

This is where the win-win situation for White plays itself out.

If Toney has great success, The UFC still owns him and all of the publicity that goes along with his run. If Toney gets humiliated, White finally has his "UFC is greater than boxing" moment and you can bet that he will milk that for every penny on all subsequent public appearances.

Since The UFC has suffered some ugly defeats recently in head to head PPV battles with boxing, the whole "Boxing is Dead; UFC is the Future" logic has faded and the related Dana White headlines have all but disappeared. What better way to recapture some of that bravado than by taking a future first-ballot hall of fame boxer and having him bloodied and battered at the hands of one of his top guys?

Of course, this second scenario would not be possible if, instead of Toney, we saw a name like Klitschko, Mayweather, or Pacquiao being mentioned in a boxing vs. mma clash.

White has neither the money nor the desire to truly test the boxer vs. mma waters, but, at this point, he certainly has enough "F-You Money" to buy James Toney. Consider this a vanity purchase for Dana White.

For Toney, this is truly a lose-lose proposition.

Once he crosses the line and enters the UFC arena, there's no going back to boxing. It's almost like a legit actress deciding to make a porno...there's no turning back.

At 41 years of age and after nearly a quarter-century in the fight game, it's doubtful whether Toney can ever have major success again. Considering that he's struggled in recent contests against questionable talents like Fres Oquendo and Danny Batchelder, it appears that Toney's career has run its course. But even if Toney does have success in his first UFC bout, does anyone honestly think that Dana White will let him retire gracefully and with the respect he deserves?

Expect James Toney to be an indentured servent to Dana White until one of the UFC thugs can manage to permanently hurt him.

Ideally, Toney would've decided to call it a career and dedicate himself to teaching future generations of fighters the skills and technique that made him such a special fighter. Lord knows the sport needs old-school trainers with a keen eye for fundamentals. And, truthfully, there is money to be made in training young champions, especially with the prestige the Toney name brings.

But "Lights Out" appears to have crossed the line and signed a deal with the devil for another 15 minutes of fame.

Maybe we should try to exact a measure of revenge and sign Randy Couture to a boxing match against Vitali Klitschko.


Discuss This At Boxing's Pound for Pound Best Fan Forum: The BTBC

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Round 10: Magno vs. Machine (Juan Urango vs. Devon Alexander)

As we reach the conclusion of Magno vs. Machine, boxing guru Paul Magno trails by a KO at round 9 with 3 to play.

And after exactly a month of reflecting and preparation, both Magno and Machine have rattled their brains to conjure up a vital prediction that could have a massive effect on who wins the boxing related battle of Man vs. Machine.

Magno: Devon Alexander is no doubt the more talented boxer fighting at a higher skill level, but Urango's one-punch power and single-minded aggression makes him a tough opponent...especially for someone with so little professional experience.


The question will be whether Alexander can slip, move and score enough over a full 12 rounds to get the decision and/or survive.


This is a close one; A real brain cell burner, but I'm going with class over force and picking Alexander via tight UD with some real dangerous moments later in the fight.


Machine: It’s a battle of the southpaws as a technically-sound Devon Alexander takes on Colombian battle-axe Juan Urango in a light welterweight unification fight.

The unbeaten Alexander (#6 by The BTBC) will look to use his speed advantage and long reach to pick-off the on-coming Urango. The power punching Urango (#5 by The BTBC) will keep coming forward all night, swinging wild hooks if he can get inside.

Look for Alexander to use his skill-set to gain a big lead on the scorecards, and the Machine is confident that he can keep his nerve and concentration to avoid Urango’s big punches. Devon Alexander wins by unanimous decision by scores of 118-110 X3.

Scores on the doors: Magno (13-3, 2 KO); Machine (13-3, 3 KO)

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Juan Urango: The Prospect Measuring Stick

by Dafs117

Juan Urango (22-2-1, 17 KO), Montiera, Colombia, is an overwhelming underdog going into his March 6 light welterweight unification clash with Devon Alexander (19-0, 12 KO), St Louis, Missouri, but it's a position he's very familiar with. Here's The Boxing Tribune's preview of the fight, weighing up the expected tactics from both camps.

* * * * * * *

Nobody has looked impressive against Juan Urango. Iron Twin's two defeats came to high-stocked fighters Andre Berto and Ricky Hatton. Both fighters employed the same tactics against the Colombian; Punch, hold, repeat.

Such is the effect of Urango's insane strength and left-handed awkwardness that even the more gifted fighters are content to outpoint him and impress next time out.

Ricky Hatton was expected to batter the unknown Urango in his return from welterweight following a lackluster performance against Luis Collazo. However, Urango gave him an unexpected gut check as he was made to work for his win by the hard hitting Colombian.

Two years on and Urango found himself in the same situation, on another road trip to a HBO fighter's back garden. Urango caught Berto early in the opening round with a right hook, which triggered the retreat button in Berto's mind that resulted in Berto taking him on a merry-chase for the rest of the fight, interrupted ever so often by the quickest clinching ever seen.

For Berto, Urango was a test to see how far he's developed at the highest level. He passed, but Carlos Vilches, Herman Ngoudjo and Randall Bailey didn't. They may not be prospects, but they were fancied to employ the same tactics to defeat Urango.

Urango pummeled Vilches and stopped him with an absolutely huge right hand in the fourth on Wednesday Fight Nights. It was one of the highlights of 2008, and ultimately got Urango back in the frame for another title shot.

His next stop was the Bell Centre in Canada as he faced Herman Ngoudjo for the vacant IBF title. Ngoudjo had built up a pedigree of being on the wrong side of poor judging against Jose Luis Castillo and Paulie Malignaggi. In a fight where the timekeeper fell asleep, Urango dominated the fight to win via wide unanimous decision, knocking the durable Ngoudjo down twice in round 3 following huge left hands.

Urango was down for the first time in his career in his first defence of his IBF belt, floored by Randall Bailey in the fifth round. In a classic, Urango scored a come from behind kayo victory as he showed his champion spirit to stop the veteran Bailey in the eleventh.

The question that hangs over the March 6 fight is can Alexander fight his fight for 12 rounds? We know the tactics and we know he has talent, but is he mentally tough enough to be disciplined for twelve rounds?

Urango won't change. He'll be coming forward in his peekaboo stance throwing shots that would make any fighter quake in their boots. Can Alexander close out the crowd's boos and resist the urge to trade by sticking to his game plan? Some brave pundits don't think he can.

Back to tactical corner, Alexander as a southpaw will be on his bike all night. He's fast enough to stay on the outside, but does he have the stamina to keep with Urango for twelve rounds? Or can he keep the fight at his own pace?

The way to diffuse the Urango bomb is with skill, and Alexander has plenty of it. The style match-up is horrible for Urango too, the flashy and exceptionally quick fighter against the lumbering hard hitting bulldozer.

This issue is bound to be raised post-fight, so I'll do a Paulie Malignaggi and pretend to be Criswell. When does a referee say enough is enough and deduct a point for over-excessive clinching? Even if he's the hometown fighter, it's simply unfair on Urango to take away his prize assets by clinging onto his forearms. If only Joe Cotrez was the man in the middle...

This is Alexander's 'welcome to the pros fight'. He'll be tested, a lot of questions will be answered, and Urango is again the measuring stick to how much potential a prospect carries. This fight is a lot closer than the bookmakers make it out to be, and it's a great way to start a busy calendar over the next coming weeks.

Prediction - Urango has the power to knock anyone out in this division, he's a beast. He's faced the tougher competition, but Alexander is too fast, too slick and just too good for Urango. Don't rule out the chance of a thriller, but expect another snoozer of a fight with the Berto safety-first tactic put into use. Alexander UD 12

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Dawson-Pascal Signed For August 14

According to industry sources, Chad Dawson and Jean Pascal have agreed terms to fight on August 14.

The fight will take place in Montreal, where Pascal fights out of, and will be broadcasted live by HBO. Pascal's WBC light heavyweight title will be on the line.

The fight was expected to take place in June, but sources claim Pascal needed more time off to recover from surgery on his shoulder, which he injured in his last outing and second title defence against Adrian Diaconu.

Dawson is coming off the back of an impressive unanimous decision verdict over Glen Johnson in November. Dawson is now considered a Pound-4-Pound fighter, entering The BTBC's mythical list.

This is probably the best fight that can be made right now at 175 pounds, with two fast in their prime fighters meeting for an alphabet belt. You have to favour Dawson on current achievements, but Dawson has yet to face someone like Pascal, who's a very live underdog in this contest. Could the signing of this fight make way for the most exciting Summer in recent memory?

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Junior Welterweights On The Rise

by Dafs117

Dominated by Ricky Hatton, the light welterweight division has been a snoozer for the past few years, especially in comparison to its talent-rich neighbours north and south. But all of a sudden, the junior welterweight class is booming with exciting up-and-coming fighters such as Timothy Bradley, Amir Khan and Devon Alexander. They’ve all won an alphabet title in the past twelve months, and all could have a decent claim for the top spot in the division by the end of 2010, which is currently held by Bradley.

Add Marcos Rene Maidana and Juan Urango to the mix, two all action power punching fighters that put everything on the line with their one-track minds. Update the wildcards; Nate Campbell, Joel Casamayor and Andriy Kotelnik, all crafty fighters that can easily be underestimated. Flashy fighters such as Paulie Malignaggi, Zab Judah and The BTBC’s 140 pound House Fighter, Lamont Peterson can cause a stir at 140 pounds and have a strong case to be ranked at the bottom of the top 10.

It gets deeper. Kaizer Mabuza, who recently upset Kendall Holt is now up to second-tier contender. Victor Ortiz and Kendall Holt can come back from heavy defeats later on this year. Mike Alvarado and Victor Manuel Cayo are unbeaten and look promising, as is the obscure Ionut Dan Ion and Cesar Rene Cuenca. Golden Boy have been hyping up another Argentinean, Lucas Matthysse, another unbeaten fighter that has talent in abundance. Ex-title challenger Herman Ngoudjo is not quite done yet, neither is Gavin Rees. The list goes on.

They might be a long way off the likes of Bradley, but match up anybody that I've mentioned so far with each other and I won't be complaining. A blown-up Ricky Hatton might still be the biggest money fight at light welterweight, but the division is catching up fast. There are just so many fascinating fights that could be made at 140 pounds.

The departure of Ricky Hatton will definitely be viewed as a positive thing as it will open the gateway for fighters to solidify their position in a talented division. Bradley has already seized on Hatton's inactivity, cementing his place at the top of the standings, for now.

There has been talk of Bradley facing nearly everyone. The likes of Edwin Valero, Amir Khan, Joshua Clottey and Juan Manuel Marquez have been called out recently, all to be dismissed by their associates. Promoter Gary Shaw is so confident that his fighter is the best out there, that he'll match him up with anyone.

And for once, he's right. Bradley is the best light welterweight, nobody comes close on current form and level of opponents. Talent wise, Alexander and Khan can compete, but they need a couple of years to develop under careful matchmaking that ultimately depletes them in the long run.

He's still without an opponent for his May date after weeks of searching for anybody that fits the criteria. However, there's much action outside of Bradley happening at the moment. This Saturday, Devon Alexander will take on Juan Urango to unify half of the division. In May, Amir Khan will make his Stateside debut against Paulie Malignaggi in his first proper defence of the WBA trinket. Edwin Valero will take on Lamont Peterson in what is an intriguing fight on paper. And in a true crossroads fight, Victor Ortiz will face Nate Campbell in a bout that could swing either way, it depends on what mood the fighters are in on the night.

It's a great time for the division right now, and fighters should take advantage of the good times. They shouldn't mess around with tune-ups that could turn on its head, the time is now. Could we see more light welterweights break into the fictional pound-4-pound rankings soon? In my opinion, most definitely. If they can sustain the excitement and quality in their fights, more fighters are bound to break the top 10 a lot sooner than expected.

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BTBC Stock Exchange

In boxing, opinions can change in a flash. When you’ve got it all, you’ve got it all to lose. The BTBC introduce their brand-spanking new feature, which includes who’s reputation has risen or received a battering in recent weeks.

Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley: It's hard to hate on the most exciting match-ups in recent memory. Although not as good as Mayweather-Pacquiao, you can hardly complain with Mayweather's choice of opponent, which carries much more risk than Joshua Clottey does for Pacquiao. When Boxingscene spewed out bullshit over Floyd's second comeback fight, the thought of seeing Matthew Hatton share the ring with one of the greatest fighters of the modern age was frightening. It turned to damage limitation for Floyd's fans, although it did get better. Every three days or so, Boxingscene would upgrade the quality of their rumour fight. From Saul Alvarez, onto Nate Campbell, even as high as Paulie Malignaggi, it became obvious that Boxingscene were getting desperate. And when Andre Berto pulled out of his fight with Shane Mosley due to the Haiti earthquake, Mosley was available for Mayweather. Freddie Roach dismissed Floyd-Mosley on ESPN with Brian Kenny, but he was wrong. Great moment for the sport and a slight rise for both fighters' stock.

Kendall Holt: I'll be honest, I was on the Kendall Holt bandwagon. So was Paul, and many others, who had followed Rated R's career path that reached its peak with a jaw-dropping 61-second knockout of Ricardo Torres and an extremely impressive performance against Timothy Bradley. But last Saturday, his no-show in the ring was puzzling to say the least. He dominated the opening round against Kaizer Mabuza, before becoming a hittable target for five one-sided rounds and forced into submission by the unproven South African. Big drop in stock for Holt.

Edwin Valero: To be honest, I didn't know what to make of Valero's battering of Antonio DeMarco on February 6. Yes, he was impressive, but when is he going to fight someone who has proven consistency on the world stage. Antonio DeMarco is a fine talent, but he still qualifies as a prospect. He hadn't defeated a top 10 fighter, he hadn't proven himself against someone of real note, so what makes him a worthy title challenger. He made the perfect opponent for Valero though. For the impressive display, but the soft touch in opponents, Valero's stock doesn't change, but is still pretty high.

Robert Stieglitz: Stieglitz is the black sheep of the Universum family. Random you may think, but Stieglitz wanted to open his title defence with a tough battle against Edison Miranda, but unfortunately for the German, Miranda pulled out the week before the fight due to illness. Unlike other Universum fighters, he wants to be evenly matched, he likes to be challenged. His next opponent will be undefeated and highly touted prospect Eduard Guktnecht, who's around the same talent level as Stieglitz and should be a tough match. He may not be fighting the best in his division, but at least he's not under-matched. I'm impressed.

Amir Khan: Now think of the opposite of Stieglitz. Khan has the talent which Stieglitz may lack, but is wrapped in cotton wool by his new promoters Golden Boy and fighting in no-risk fights. Everybody knows that Khan has major question marks over his chin, so you'd understand avoiding big punchers. But if that fighter becomes your mandatory, surely it's a must fight, not pay the organization and avoid. The thing that makes it even more irritating is the fact I would predict that Khan would defeat Maidana nine times out of ten. But he'll probably chose a soft touch in Malignaggi, which is not the worst of opponents, but definitely not the best. For being a chicken, minus rep.

Fernando Montiel: Let's go through this process again shall we. Montiel, talented, popular, got pound-4-pound attributes and so on. He has two options; fighting for the bantamweight crown or defend his poxy belt against a third-tier contender. Which one does he choose? The easy predictable Top Rank decision. Instead of fighting Hozumi Hasegawa, he'll batter Eric Morel, a post-prime bantamweight challenger that poses no threat what so ever to Montiel. Zzzzz...

Mike Jones: The BTBC co-house fighter for 147 pounds didn't turn in a flashy performance for the cameras against Henry Bruseles, but he still defeated his toughest opponent to date pretty handily over ten rounds. The lack of TV time for Jones has been mind-boggling, but I hope his performance hasn't effected his broadcasting future. He lost the opening two rounds, which suggested that Bruseles was far from shot, but he showed impressive composure to get back in control. Mike Jones' stock stays the same.

Yuriorkis Gamboa: The talented Cuban produced a scintillating display as he battered experienced veteran Rogers Mtagwa inside two rounds with extremely ridiculous accurate power punching from the get go. Gamboa looks like the best prospect (can we still call him a prospect?) in the game, and he looks like he'll dominate the sweet science for a long long time. With rumors floating around that he could face unpredictable and awkward super bantamweight titlist Celestino Caballero in June, Gamboa's stock is at an all-time high.

Elio Rojas: Only known to the hardcore fans, Rojas produced a sterling display to shutout Guty Espadas Jr. in a fight that he was expected to win, but he also did it in style. Rojas could be a wildcard at 126 after couple more seasoning fights.

Nonito Donaire: The Filipino Flash hasn't capitalised on his stunning upset knockout win over Vic Darchinyan. Raise your hand if you were 0.006% impressed with Nonito Donaire's victory over Manuel Vargas. Seriously. Raise your hand, and then comment about what impressed you. Someone out there has to be amazed. Someone out there has to really think, this Donaire can really fight. We don't know if Donaire can fight, I would even be blunt and say that I'd back Darchinyan in the rematch because of his level of opposition.

Juan Manuel Lopez: The Puerto Rican superstar outclassed Steven Luevano in January, but doubts still hang above Lopez. Sure, he's talented and a very exciting fighter to watch, but he's being under-matched by Bob Arum and is still bitching about Caballero while it's pretty obvious he wants nothing to do with him. Lopez's stock stays even.

Roger Mayweather: Has Roger and Floyd Sr. accused Manny Pacquiao of every performance enhancing drug yet? Seriously Roger, shut the fuck up.

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Vazquez Pushes, Sonsona Caves; Holt Quits (And The Rest of The Weekend Action)

Bayamon, Puerto Rico- In a surprisingly easy evening of work, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. (18-0-1, 15 KOs) beat Marvin Sonsona (14-1-1, 12 KOs) via TKO in the 4th round.

Sonsona had a good 1st round, but folded as soon as Vazquez started applying pressure. The end came thanks to a wicked left hand to the body of Sonsona.

Vazquez picks up the vacant WBO super bantamweight title.

Guadalajara, Mexico- On the same telecast, the Rodel Mayol (26-4, 20 KOs)-Omar Niño Romero (28-3, 11 KOs) bout for Mayol's WBC jr. flyweight title ended in a controversial technical draw.

The first two rounds were even and the bout showed signs of being an exciting encounter, but those hopes were dashed in the 3rd round when Romero knocked Mayol out while ref Vic Drakulich was trying to stop the action after a Romero low blow.

A defenseless Mayol, still recoiling from the low blow was knocked down hard and had to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher.

The bout was declared a technical draw and WBC officials announced that an immediate rematch would be ordered.

Atlantic City- Kendall Holt (25-4, 13 KOs) put in the non-performance of the night in a RTD 6 loss to unknown South African, Kaizer Mabuza (23-6-3. 14 KOs).

After an ok 1st round, Holt simply stopped fighting and stopped trying while Mabuza applied even pressure throughout.

Holt did not answer the bell for the 7th. Neither Holt nor his trainer offered any explanation for this extremely passive performance.

Mabuza is now the top challenger for the winner of the upcoming Juan Urango-Devon Alexander bout.

Also, on the card, BTBC Co-House Fighter and welterweight prospect, Mike Jones (20-0, 16 KOs), overcame his biggest test to date by beating veteran Henry Bruseles (25-4-1, 13 KOs) via UD.

Jones struggled at the beginning, but found his rhythm in the middle rounds and outclassed the experienced Puerto Rican over the full 10.

Scores were: 98-92 (Twice) and 97-92.

On that same card, Gabriel Rosado (14-4, 8 KOs) put last August's slaughter at the hands of Alfredo Angulo behind him by beating tough veteran, Saul Roman (32-6, 27 KOs) via split decision.

Roman started strong, but Rosado's better technique and execution took over and allowed him to beat the aggressive Mexican.

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Carl Froch Dances For Charity!

Last year, we brought you Nikolay Valuev singing. This time, it's Carl Froch dancing.

As part of BBC's talent show 'Let's Dance For Sport Relief', Carl Froch and a host of other British boxing stars danced in the hope of getting through to the next stage of the competition.

The WBC super middleweight champion was supported by former cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson, Olympic bronze medallist Tony Jefferies and ex-flyweight champion Duke McKenzie as they danced to 'Bad Guys' from Bugsy Malone.

Surprisingly, the boxers weren't that bad. Johnny Nelson looked like he'd been in ballet classes as he popped out with the best moves of the quartet.

Unfortunately, the boxers didn't make it through to the final of 'Let's Dance For Sport Relief', but I'm sure Mikkel Kessler is quaking in his boots after seeing the most recent footage from Carl Froch's training regime.

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Charlie 21er, Live at Fight Night Club

by Charlie 21er

Golden Boy’s Fight Night Club has proven to be a huge success.  Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles sold out Thursday night for its first card of the year.

The round card girls were hot, the fights were decent, and the beer was expensive.  From beginning to end, the action lasted about 3 and a half hours—not bad for a $20 ticket.

Victor Ortiz was the main draw Thursday night as he got in rounds against an overmatched Hector Alatorre, a blown up light welterweight who had lost six of his last seven fights.

Ortiz, Ventura, CA, has been clocking rounds and attempting to raise his stock again after a hard loss to Marcos Maidana and a questionable post-fight interview last year.  And clocking rounds was all he did against Alatorre whom he had hurt in the second and sixth rounds of a 10 round bout.  In fact, Ortiz seemed to possess the skill and power to finish his man at all times during the bout, but opted to take the fight the full 10 rounds instead.  When the bell rang for the tenth round, the fighters came out, touched gloves and immediately went at it.  Ortiz put his combinations together finally and pushed forward, stopping his man in 51 seconds of the final round with a perfect right uppercut, the third punch in a stiff combination.  Alatorre dropped suddenly to the canvas and was unable to continue the fight.

This victory for Ortiz sets up a possible bout against former lightweight titleholder Nate Campbell on the Kahn-Malignaggi undercard in May.

Undercard Action

Ricky Lopez of Oxnard California improved his record to 7-0 with a unanimous decision against a determined Hugo Ramos 2-5-2.

Ramos immediately put Lopez on the back foot for the 4 round fight, trying to lure Lopez into a brawl.  Lopez regrouped and got back to boxing after the exciting first round and put in some good work.  Ramos was shaken in the third, but covered up and got his legs beneath him.  Ramos rallied enough over the last half of the round to take it.  In the fourth, both fighters threw caution to the wind in an exciting back and forth battle that saw both men hurt.  Both were gassed in the final minute but continued throwing, Lopez landing the better punches.

All three judges scored the fight 39-37.  The BTBC’s man in the crowd had it 38-38.

Philadelphia’s  Karl Dargan impressed the crowd as he was virtually untouchable against Jose Alfredo Lugo of Los Mochis, Mexico.  Dargan 7-0 (3) boxed at distance and put together lightning fast combinations, frequently beating his opponent to the punch.  Lugo was game, but could not find a way inside against Dargan.  At the end of the fourth, another painfully one-sided round, Dargan landed a tooth rattling straight right.  The hollow pop of fist against cheek elicited a collective sympathy groan from the crowd.  Impressively, Dargan timed this punch as Lugo was throwing one of his, landed it, and was out of the way by the time Lugo’s arrived.  Lugo retired on his stool, his record going 10-13-1 after losing his last 8.  When the fight was called off, hardcore boxing fans got to see Dargan’s trainer Naziim Richardson in the ring, big as life.

One of last year’s FNC favorites, Charles Huerta, seemed to get a hometown decision against Guadalupe De Leon, the man who beat Derrick Wilson who beat Huerta by shocking first round knockout last year.

Huerta seemed gunshy as De Leon took it to him and pushed the action and it wasn’t until the third round that Huerta woke up and decided to throw more than a punch at a time.  When Huerta decided to work, he was very accurate, but he didn’t seem to have a clue about how to deal with somebody who throws 8 punches at a time.  De Leon took it to Huerta who was successful at times with potshotting, but appeared to be overwhelmed as he went life and death in a 6 rounder.  Raul Caiz had the closest correct score at 57-57, Max DeLuca scored it 58-56, and David Denkin had it a ridiculous 59-55 for a MD win in Huerta’s favor.  The man in the crowd gave it to De Leon 58-56.

Luis Ramos and Walter Estrada felt each other out and warmed up for four rounds in a scheduled four rounder.  The most spirited exchange was after the final bell when both fighters remembered that they were not, in fact, sparring.  All three judges gave it to Ramos 40-36.  The BTBC man in the crowd decided that it would be a good time to get another drink and make a bathroom run, but may have scored it 39-37, giving the first round to Estrada for being a little bit busier.

After the main event, the crowd was treated to a performance by Candyman 187.  The Man in the Crowd didn’t bother watching this since they didn’t look like this:

The FNC structure has improved and the crowd was responsive.  The TV screens throughout the venue now show the fight as well for the instances in which the ref is blocking your view.  This also helps with a visible ring timer and between-round replays.  Somewhere up north, people were watching curling and ice skating; down in So Cal, hundreds upon hundreds of people turned up to see three hours of fighting.  Golden Boy is bringing it back to Los Angeles.

The Fight Night Club will run once a month through November.

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Victor Ortiz Spars On Fight Night Club

The questions and doubts remain around Victor Ortiz (26-2-1, 21 KO) after his performance on the season debut of Golden Boy Promotions' "Fight Night Club". After nine tentative rounds, Ortiz finished Hector Alatorre (16-9, 5 KO) in the tenth round of their main event contest.

Even though Ring Magazine contributor and Fight Night commentator Doug Fischer hyped up the performance as impressive and mature., the victory hardly impressed me. Hector Alatorre is as good as his record suggests and has lost nine of his last eleven bouts.

What I don't understand is why did they bother go through with the fight? Ortiz earned nothing in the fight, not even rounds, as he met no resistance from his opponent. Alatorre wasn't durable, Ortiz simply didn't press enough to take him out as he'd been ordered to 'get some rounds under your belt'. But it makes no sense. At least give him an opponent that concentrated on the offensive aspect of the game, not only the defence.

Alatorre is about as good as the fighters tonight on Prizefighter. Ortiz has been in the ring and battered many better opponents than Alatorre. In my opinion, Ortiz has gained nothing from last night's fight. They've just given Nate Campbell a fresh tape for the Galaxxy Warrior to dissect and prepare himself for the Ortiz fight.

Elsewhere, Charles Huerta (13-1, 7 KO) was involved in a decent fight with Guadalupe de Leon (8-10, 4 KO). De Leon defeated Derrick Wilson, who was the guy who defeated Huerta. The BTBC scored it 58-56 for Huerta. Judge Raul Caiz scored the fight 57-57 draw, while the other two judges scored it to Huerta, 59-55 and 58-56. Luis Ramos Jr. (13-0, 6 KO) wasn't at his best as he defeated veteran Walter Estrada (35-12, 24 KO) via four-round unanimous decision. Still, it was a decent outing for Ramos Jr., who won every round on my card, 40-36. Karl Dargan (7-0, 3 KO), Jesse Vargas (9-0, 4 KO) and Ricky Lopez (7-0, 2 KO) stayed unbeaten with wins.

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House Fighter Update: Another Step-Up For Jones

by Dafs117

After three stoppage wins for our House Fighters, The Boxing Tribune previews one of the hottest prospects in the sport, Mike Jones, in his first real test against the experienced Henry Bruseles.

* * * * *

As a -1200 betting favorite, Mike Jones (19-0, 16 KO) is expected to add another victory to his 19-fight old record. Afterall, MJ's last opponent, Raul Pinzon, had given former 140 pound player Ricardo Torres all he could handle for nine rounds in his previous fight.

In one of the best fights of the year, Pinzon was on the verge of one of the major upsets of 2009, leading on all three scorecards by at least three points. However, he couldn't survive the late barrage from Torres, who stopped him with less than a minute to go.

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Marvin Sonsona vs.Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.; The Way Boxing Should Be

by Paul Magno

As 19-year old Filipino phenom and former world titlist, Marvin Sonsona, prepares to clash with the son of a Puerto Rican legend, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., this Saturday, all old school boxing traditionalists have to be sporting a satisfied grin.

These days, the boxing purist is being outsourced to parts unknown and in his place is a generation of fans that take record-padding and boxing politics for granted as part of the sport.

The new breed of fan will never understand how, in the old days, hotshot prospects actually fought one another on the way up, forging their skills until bursting onto the world stage as a professional, battle-hardened fighting machine.

Nowadays, a prospect will be spoon fed until a mega-payday and title shot against some paper champion comes his way. Then, and only then, will the world see if the young star truly has what it takes to be a world class fighter. That's why we have guys like Andre Berto and Nonito Donaire sporting two and three year title reigns, respectively, without having faced more than one world-class challenger apiece.

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