Paul Williams' Identity Crisis

by Paul Magno

"I don't see anything special in Paul Williams; He is very beatable." --BoriBlaze1, veteran member of The BTBC Fan Forum.

Lost in the spectacle of Kermit Cintron's Superfly Snuka ring dive act was the fact that, up to the frustrating end of their bout Saturday, boxing's #3 pound for pound fighter had looked quite unspectacular over three rounds. As a matter of fact, he was looking downright pedestrian.

This is no new trend for Paul "The Punisher" Williams.

In his last bout against Sergio Martinez, Williams also looked less than spectacular in the same manner that we saw him show up for his first fight with Carlos Quintana, which he ended up losing.

Some may use the explanation that Williams' lackluster performances were due to the high level of opposition he fought or the styles of his most difficult opponents, but Williams' fluctuations go beyond simple match-up issues.

Throughout his career, Williams has struggled with the balance between being a world class fighter and a world class attraction. As a result, he's become an in-ring schizophrenic, becoming less and less of what made him special in an effort to attract the attention and paydays he lusts for.

The smooth-moving punch machine with the tricky head movement from his earlier days has been replaced by a lunging, laboring, flat-footed glove-pusher.

Granted, even a diminished Williams with an identity crisis is good enough to be classified among the sport's elite, evidenced by the fact that a sloppy version of himself was good enough to beat a prime, motivated Sergio Martinez (even if you thought Martinez won, nobody can deny that it was a very close encounter).

What Paul Williams needs to understand is that fans are fickle and that chasing after their approval at the expense of his own identity will only result in frustration. Even if he were able to somehow persuade them to turn him into a major draw, they'd be gone the moment he loses...that's the nature of the beast in boxing.

Instead, Williams needs to be who he is, fight how he must and let the fans decide on their own whether to love him or not. As long as he keeps winning in the manner that he should, the buzz will grow and the paydays will gradually line themselves up.

Otherwise, Williams will get beat and will find himself forgotten by all those fans he tried so hard to win over.

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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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Adamek vs. Arreola: Old School Slobberknocker

by Paul Magno

According to nearly every credible source, the rumored Tomasz Adamek-Chris Arreola will cease to be a rumor in a matter of hours.

Apparently, contracts are signed, fighters are ready and all that's left is the official press conference to kick off the countdown to the proposed April 24th date. That official press conference is scheduled for tomorrow, February 19th, on Arreola's home turf of Southern California.

While this fight won't be as significant to the heavyweight division as Wladimir Klitschko-Eddie Chambers or, even, David Haye-John Ruiz, it will be the first time in a long time that fans are getting an evenly-matched, entertaining battle between two guys on the verge of being considered legit threats in the heavyweight division.

A good homework assignment would be to try and remember the last time we were treated to something as all-around good as Adamek vs. Arreola.

If you can come up with an answer, by all means post it in the comment section here because, honestly, I'm having a hard time coming up with anything in recent memory.

In any case, both fighters have a lot to lose on April 24th.

For Arreola, a loss represents a deeper hole for his career than the one he found himself in following his one-sided loss to Vitali Klitschko last year. A bad loss officially means journeyman status for the affable Mexican-American brawler.

For Adamek, a loss ends his experiment in the heavyweight division and sends him back to the lower-paying ranks of the cruiserweight division with his tail between his legs. The term "journeyman" at heavyweight could also be applied to an Adamek unable to get past a 260+ pound doorkeeper.

There's no way around it. This is a crucial fight for both warriors and neither has been one to shy away from a good, old school brawl.

The biggest question in this fight will be: Who the hell will be the betting favorite?

Adamek is the better-skilled and better conditioned of the two. He proudly carries the weight of Polish hopes and dreams on his shoulders and seems to be a better, more inspired fighter than the one who held the 175 lb. crown several years ago.

Arreola is the HBO-friendly fan favorite, really more charisma than substance, but always down for a brawl. Come fight night, Arreola could likely have a forty pound weight advantage aside from a natural edge in power and strength.

Right now, I'd be hard-pressed to give you a real prediction. The fight is that tight.

The only sure winners right now are the fans...and that's all that really matters.

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Time For Change: Can Kingpin Kevin Kayo Klitschko?

by Dafs 117

When David Haye finally claimed a heavyweight title, defeating sloppy titlist Nikolay Valuev, the Heavyweight began its first cosmetic surgery since the beginning of the decade.

Haye know holds a market share at the top of the heavyweight division, and soon, surely, a title shot at Vitali Klitschko must be around the corner. He first defends against John Ruiz, then surely Vitali Klitschko could free up his schedule.

Dr Ironfist fights on Saturday, against Kevin Johnson, an American that possess a potent jab that could trouble the ever-aging Klitschko. He has a padded record that doesn’t really scream out worthy contender, but he has a nature that could trouble Vitali in the ring.

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Diaz vs. Malignaggi II: Is It Diaz's Turn To Be Screwed?

by Paul Magno

First, I'm not of the opinion that Paulie was robbed in the first fight. The Gale Van Hoy score of 118-110 for Diaz was obscene, but the fight itself was close and could've gone either way.

And now, as both fighters gear up for the rematch of their August encounter, the stage is being set for another controversial decision that is almost guaranteed to lead to a third encounter. All judging issues aside, the match-up itself screams controversy.

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In Search of…Troy Ross

by The Green Machine

You wouldn’t know it unless you’re Canadian, or a boxing fanatic checking results and web pages from around the globe, but Troy Ross fought Saturday night, and knocked out Daniel Bispo in just over a minute. On the big stage this was lost with Paul Williams and Chris Arreola fighting on the same night on HBO but I think Ross deserves more attention, a grander stage, and the opportunity that The Contender series was supposed to give him.

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Arreola vs. Minto: Saving The Worst For Last

by Paul Magno

In an up and down year that saw part of my subscription money go to the likes of Ishe Smith and Travis Walker, HBO has saved the worst for next to last as they are about to reach a new low this Saturday.

Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola and Brian "The Beast" Minto, on the Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez undercard, represent maybe the crappiest fighters to ever share the ring in the entire history of HBO Boxing.

Off hand, I can't think of any contest in their storied history that featured two fighters as skill-deficient as this one. Sure, we've seen set-ups to build a fighter's rep and publicity, but one of the two fighters is usually a world class star or a star-in-the making. Arreola-Minto is pure Shobox material featuring two guys with ESPN2 skill-sets. Remember the days when HBO represented the very best? If it was on Home Box Office, it was something special.

Now, we get the second coming of Joe Hipp vs. the reincarnation of Joe Mesi.

I can't recall HBO ever falling so deeply in love with a fighter that ranks so slightly above the club level, but they are hopelessly enamored with Chris Arreola.

Yeah, Arreola does draw attention and he's proven to bring in ratings, but is this what HBO has resorted to; A cynical attempt to appeal to morbid curiosity and the Mexican-American community? Isn't this the network that refused to televise Butterbean because of the freak show aspect of his bouts and his obvious lack of skill?

Well, now, in the absence of real boxing people behind the scenes at HBO Sports, we get the equivalent of a rusted pickup truck racing a 1988 Volkswagen Bug around the Indy 500 track.

I'm not even talkng about whether the fight will be competitive or fun, because it'll probably be both; Arreola and Minto are about at the same level and that usually means a solid matchup, but I'm just lamenting the days when good fighters used to be all the rage and guys like "The Nightmare" and "The Beast" actually worked on their skills to someday be good enough to make it on HBO.

The sad part is that if the boo-birds come out at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday, they'll more likely be directed at Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez than Arreola or Minto.

In retrospect, maybe this pairing says more about the mindset of the average fight fan these days than about HBO's ability to put together a quality show.

Maybe the execs at HBO are giving us exactly what we want...Man, wouldn't that be sad?

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Does Pavlik Deserve Bute 2010 Shot On HBO?

by dafs117

According to industry sources, HBO is pushing for a fight between super middleweight titlist Lucian Bute and middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in 2010. Bute knocked out Librado Andrade in the fourth round last night in Quebec City, while Pavlik is set to fight lightly-regarded Miguel Espino on December 19 on Top Rank pay-per-view.

Bute (25-0, 20 KO) and Pavlik (35-1, 31 KO) may well find themselves without any other attractive options, though I'd expect that negotiations could be tough. Bute may be loathe to leave Quebec, where his fights sell out big arenas and make a lot of money. Pavlik has travelled well to Atlantic City for past fights, and would surely object to yielding a home field advantage to Bute, given that Bute has a large audience in Quebec. The money split, the location, the promoters working together, all of that could be a chore.

I also think Pavlik will still want to get in the ring with Paul Williams first, should Williams win on December 5 against Sergio Martinez. Pavlik says he's not ducking Williams, but the only way to prove that for sure is to fight him. They've already had a deal worked out, only for Pavlik to pull out of two dates.

If Pavlik were, in theory, to fight Williams after Espino and win both bouts, then it would almost surely be time to fight Bute. The middleweight money fights simply aren't there. The other titlist Felix Sturm and Sebastian Sylvester, are small names in America and it doesn't appear Sturm is in any rush to leave Germany, where Pavlik would surely not head for a fight.

At the end of it all, Bute-Pavlik just might make the most sense, and if semi-promoter HBO pushes hard enough, it could surely happen. It could also be a terrific fight, much more competitive than Williams-Pavlik. Bute has developed into a fantastic fighter, and Pavlik has stagnated. Then again, a fight with Bute could be just what Pavlik needs to get his groove back.

But does Pavlik deserve another payday? If he doesn’t fight Williams, who must have had enough of Pavlik by now, I don’t think Bute should award him a fight. It benefits Bute financially and it would be a good name on his CV, but if the fight with Williams or Bute doesn’t happen, Pavlik will struggle to find a competitive fight for the fans.

Has Thomas Hauser’s rant at HBO changed the way they set out to matchmake? HBO are carefully choosing fan-friendly fights, which must boost the broadcast popularity. If they can find a good fight for Dawson, HBO might overtake Showtime as the fan-friendly broadcasting team, as Showtime’s Super Six has supposedly changed the face of boxing.

To be honest, it already has. Not in a way that more tournaments will be scheduled, but HBO now consider Showtime to be major competitors. With the opportunity of losing a massive market share to Showtime too much to bear, the big bosses at Home Box have realised that you don’t need a blown-up legend to sell a fight, only a competitive mouth-watering fight.

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Please Ricky, Don't Do It

by dafs117

After hibernating since May, Ricky Hatton is coming back. He's going to put down his pint and bacon butty, rip four stones off that small frame to get into fighting trim for the tough Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez. I can't say this is the best news I've heard in a while, for British boxing or for Hatton.

Fighters fight for one of two reasons. Money or glory. Hatton says he doesn't need the former, not more than any other millionaire desperately needs more money, so he must miss the applause, the buzz or, as he put it last week, "the itch". That's not a good reason to take a suspect chin back into a boxing ring. He was brutally knocked out by the great Filipino Manny Pacquiao six months ago, and his chin hasn't grown any muscles since, and he risks humiliation this time.

The sport is addictive, as nearly any former fighter will tell you, but you don't kick the habit by getting beaten up in public, especially by such an accomplished operator as Marquez who, although outclassed, went the distance with Floyd Mayweather Jr. only two months ago and ran Manny Pacquiao close, twice. So Ricky wants to fight the man who was competitive with the only two fighters he himself has lost to, badly.

All this fight will do is feed Hatton's addiction. No apologies here for repeating something Barry McGuigan says on repeat “boxers are the first ones to know when to quit and the last to admit it.”

If a 31 year old Hatton does the impossible and gets past Marquez, he won't stop there. He will be growing older by the round. If Marquez doesn't get him, someone else will, someone tougher, younger, someone who will see him as a stepping stone.

There is another reason Hatton should not fight again, his drinking. He has always said his lifestyle makes him what he is. It gives him a thrill. He lives two hundred miles an hour, and trains at the same speed. In his mind you can't have one without the other.

Hatton knows the sport inside out and he has seen great fighters go one fight too many, Kostya Tszyu, for instance. That was Hatton’s finest night by a mile, Saturday, 4 June, 2005, at a packed MEN Arena. He was inspired. But he knows he caught Tszyu on the last leg of a long journey, and so does Tszyu.

Tszyu also has been tempted a few times to fight again, and so far, has resisted the urge. Let's hope it stays that way because he would do nothing but ruin our memories of him.

And I'm afraid that is what Hatton is getting ready to do. He’s been a terrific character, great to get Britain back into boxing, but there comes a time in sport where a sportsman must call it a day.

That last point is half the problem. Ricky is desperate to please his fans, the 30,000 and more who followed him to Las Vegas, a travelling circus who lit up boxing like probably no other fans could.

But Ricky needs to step back from the roar of the crowd because it is distant and fading. They're not the ones taking the punches. Their health is not at risk.

The real warning signs for Hatton arrived in the weeks before he fought Pacquiao. A young Cuban light-middleweight called Erislandy Lara gave Ricky such a tough time in sparring in Las Vegas he was kicked out of the camp.

Lara is a serious prospect (he is unbeaten in eight contests with five KOs) and much bigger than Hatton. So what was this young monster doing in a ring with Hatton so close to a big fight? What genius brought in a big man to prepare Ricky to fight a smaller, quicker man?

That camp was the worst preparation Hatton could have had for Pacquiao. Floyd Mayweather Sr, a defensive master if slightly eccentric, was marginalised and, ultimately ignored. Hatton went to the ring with a divided team and it showed in the short time the fight lasted.

Hatton looked as if he were fighting on roller skates. His balance was awry and his judgment of space and distance was awful. He fought like a desperate man. While he did himself no favours with what passed for strategy, it was still no disgrace to lose to a wonderful champion, but the piercing scream from ringside by his girlfriend Jennifer when he hit the canvas in round two should have been the only voice he listened to. It should have been the final bell for Hatton, but it seems not.

There was chaos in the corner and in Hatton's mind. That confusion, which begun in the Mayweather fight and resurfaced in May, does not seem to have gone away. Ricky still thinks he can do in the ring what his brain tells him. It would be a fairytale if he did come back. But boxing is about reality, as Hatton knows better than most.

He said before fighting Mayweather: "There's no more honest place in sport than the boxing ring. You can't tell lies in there, you can't pretend."

I'm afraid that is exactly what he is doing now.

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Pacquiao in Perspective

by Paul Magno

He puts on the kind of exciting performances that make people take note and he certainly has the public support and positive publicity to become an even bigger star, but as Manny Pacquiao achieves yet another milestone with his blow-out against Miguel Cotto this past Saturday, the call to place him among boxing's all-time greats is louder than ever.

Now that the standing ovation has settled down, we can take a closer look at where Manny stands in history by looking at how his career holds up among his peers.

As a frame of reference, we'll take a look at Pacquiao's career compared to the previous Big Man on Campus, Oscar De la Hoya's. We'll look at Manny as compared to Oscar in the area of major championship bouts and title reigns, with a breakdown of titles, defenses and attempts at unification:

Manny Pacquiao

Championships

Flyweight- Beat Chatchai Sasakul
defenses- 1 (Gabriel Mira)

Super Bantamweight- Beat Lehlohonolo Ledwaba
unifications 1- (draw w Agapito Sanchez)
defenses- 4 (Jorge Julio, F. Rakkiatgym, Emmanuel Lucero, Draw with A. Sanchez)

Super Featherweight- Beat Juan Manuel Marquez
defenses-0

Lightweight- Beat David Diaz
defenses- 0

Welterweight- Beat Miguel Cotto
defenses-0

Other notable opposition: Marco Antonio Barrera (2 wins), Ricky Hatton, Erik Morales (2-1), Oscar Larios
Record in officially recognized world title fights: 4-1-2

*It should be noted that, although not recognized as official world title bouts, Pacquiao beat lineal champs Barrera and Hatton at Featherweight and Jr. Welterweight respectively for the Ring Magazine title.

Oscar De la Hoya

Championships

Super Featherweight- Beat Jimmi Bredahl
defenses- 1 (Giorgio Campanella)

Lightweight- Beat Jorge Paez
unifications- 1 ( w over Rafael Ruelas)
defenses- 6 (Carl Griffith, John Avila, John Molina, R. Ruelas, Genaro Hernandez, James Leija)

Jr Welterweight- Beat Julio Cesar Chavez
defenses -1 (Miguel Angel Gonzalez)

Welterweight- Beat Pernell Whitaker
unifications- 1 (L against Felix Trinidad)
defenses - 7 (David Kamau, Hector Camacho, Wilfredo Rivera, Patrick Charpentier, Julio Cesar Chavez, Ike Quartey, Oba Carr)
lost title to: Felix Trinidad

Jr. Middleweight- Beat Javier Castillejo
unifications- 1 (w over Fernando Vargas)
defenses- 3 (Fernando Vargas, Yory Boy Campas, Ricardo Mayorga)
lost title to: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Middleweight- Beat Felix Sturm
defenses- 0
lost title to: Bernard Hopkins

other notable opposition: Shane Mosley (2 Losses), Manny Pacquiao (L), Arturo Gatti
Record in officially recognized world title fights: 24-5

*********
Summary

So, is Pacquiao ready to be tossed into the mix with names like Sugar Ray, Armstrong and Ali? The sober truth for the Pacquiao true-believers is "no."

But he definitely stacks up with De la Hoya and that puts him at, or near, the top of modern day greats...and Manny still has a few fights left in him...Not bad for a skinny kid from the slums of General Santos City.

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Miguel Cotto & Manny Pacquiao: The Legacies

by Dafs117

The Legacy Of Manny Pacquiao

His legacy so far...

Lehlohonlo Ledwaba – TKO 6 – Took the fight with two weeks notice and destroyed Ledwaba.

Marco Antonio Barrerra – TKO 11 – Came off the canvas to stop the Mexican legend in a thrilling encounter.

Juan Manuel Marquez – D 12 – Fight of the decade contender, Marquez survived three first round knockdowns to earn an epic draw.

Erik Morales – L UD 12 – Lost a close, unanimous decision in their first and only competitive fight.

Erik Morales – TKO 10 – Avenged his third career loss by outlasting the Mexican.

Oscar Larios – UD 12 – Fought a perfect fight against a tough, durable fighter.

Erik Morales – KO 3 – Stopped the shadow of Morales’ former self.

Jorge Solis – KO 8 – The previously unbeaten Solis couldn’t stand the pace of Pacman.

Marco Antonio Barrerra – UD 12 – Comprehensive victory in their rematch.

Juan Manuel Marquez – SD 12 – Gets one over his arch rival, even though Marquez thought he’d won.

David Diaz – TKO 9 – Another win, another weight, another title.

Oscar De La Hoya – RTD 8 – Forces the Golden Boy to retirement by annihilating the face of boxing.

Ricky Hatton – KO 2 – Superb second round knockout with a perfect left hook.

Titles in six different weight class, from flyweight to light welterweight. The best left handed fighter to ever grace the sport, and historian Bert Sugar even agrees with me.

How would a win over Cotto enhance his legacy?

Cotto would enhance Pacquiao’s legacy a little bit in a lot of different ways such as his popularity, nationality, the size and the small number on the right side of his record, Cotto would offer a lot even if he is on the way down.

Cotto is considered as a superstar, a reliable ticket-seller, and a quality fighter. He has a strong Puerto Rican following, which would be impressed if Pacquiao stopped their proud fighter. As Pacquiao learned against De La Hoya and Hatton, when you beat a guy with a huge, loyal fan base, people tend to notice.

Then there’s the nationality, Pacquiao has been touted as “The Mexicutioner” for his performances over the best Mexican fighters of recent times. It can’t hurt to add a big name Puerto Rican to his resume, can it?

On to the size. Cotto is considered as a fully fledged welterweight. He’ll be the first opponent that Pacquiao has faced who’s campaigned at welterweight for a number of years. De La Hoya hadn’t fought at welterweight since he stopped Arturo Gatti in 2001.

And finally, there’s the record. Cotto has only one loss on his record and there’s speculation that it came against a cheating fighter with loaded hand wraps. Some might even perceive him as an undefeated fighter. Pacquiao would be aiming to hand a highly regarded fighter his first controversy-free loss.

The Dangers

After watching Cotto cave in against Antonio Margarito, and immensely struggling to deal with Joshua Clottey, he certainly doesn’t look half as dangerous as he used to be. Cotto isn’t a fast fighter and will probably have big problems against the speed of Pacquiao. After his battering from Margarito, you have to question if Cotto’s power is diminished at 147 pounds. Maybe that won’t be relevant against the smaller Pacquiao, but if Pacquiao can take Cotto’s punches, then suddenly the Rican’s biggest advantage is gone.

Cotto has the potential to saw Pacquiao in half with bodyshots, or even turn out the lights with a single left hook to the jaw. It’s a fight where the risk-reward ratio might be just perfect for both boxers. This will be the first time Cotto will be an underdog going into a fight. Will he thrive under the underdog tag?

The Legacy of Miguel Cotto

His legacy so far...

Lovermore N’Dou – UD 12 – Unanimous decision verdict over the durable Canadian.

Kelson Pinto – TKO 6 – Thoroughly outclassed, Pinto was down three times in the fight. Cotto wins vacant WBO light welterweight title.

Randall Bailey – TKO 6 – Another battering, Bailey down twice with fight stopped due to cuts.

DeMarcus Corley – TKO 5 – Cotto hurt in the 3^rd but came back to stop the over the hill Corley.

Muhammad Abdullaev – TKO 9 – Rematch of the 2000 Olympics final, which Cotto lost, he got his revenge by shutting Abdullaev’s right eye in a decent contest.

Ricardo Torres – KO 7 – The big punching Colombian knocked down Cotto for the first time in his career, but Torres was down in 4 rounds. 5 out of the six finished rounds were scored 10-8.

Paulie Malignaggi – UD 12 – The brash Brooklyn fighter showed true courage by lasting the full 12 rounds.

Carlos Quintana – RTD 5 – Stopped his countryman to win his first welterweight title.

Zab Judah – TKO 11 – In front of a packed pro Cotto Madison Square Garden crowd, Cotto proved that he belonged in the elite class by increasing the decline of Judah.

Shane Mosley – UD 12 – Biggest victory to date, Cotto showed that he could outpoint a quicker fighter.

Antonio Margarito – L TKO 11 – A brutal bloody beating from Margacheato.

Joshua Clottey – SD 12 – A horrific cut over his left eye that needed 20 stitches after the fight, Cotto survived another gut check to scrape a questionable decision.

Two-weight world champion that has big names on his curriculum vitae.

How would a win over Pacquiao enhance his legacy?

Where do I start!? Adding Pacquiao to the list of names on the right side of his record would more than double his current status. The Philipino has looked invincible in his last 3 fights and would be the biggest name on Cotto’s record. He would be remembered as the man that beat Pacquiao, probably the best left handed fighter in the open era.

Pacquiao’s fanbase has grown dramatically in the last 12 months. He has captured the hearts of many laidback boxing fans, and many of them will tune-in on November 14. He’s the hero of the Phillipino people, and you can find many of them lurking on message boards around the web, discussing how their man Pacquiao can beat Bernard Hopkins.

Right now, Pacquiao is on top of the world, so a victory against the Phillipino would bump him up in the pound-4-pound stakes and make him a hall of fame contender. Plus, Pacquiao hasn’t lost since 2005, and as the underdog, Cotto will need to prove that he has all the skills to beat the Pac-monster. He’ll be the second fighter to beat Pacquiao over 126 pounds, following in Erik Morales’ footsteps. The Pacman’s record is (10-1, 7 KOs) over the featherweight limit.

And last but not least, there’s the record. Pacquiao has beaten many great fighters over the decade, including Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. Cotto wouldn’t want to be added to the list of great fighters to have been out-foxed by Team Pacquiao.

The Dangers

Again, where do I start!? He’s not only one of the quickest fighters pound-4-pound, but uniquely he has carried his punching power through the ranks and the weight divisions. He has doubts over his chin and stamina, but he doesn’t allow fighters to test his defects. I have doubts over his absorption of body shots, which is Cotto’s prize possession. The doubts must be tested by Cotto if he wants to emerge victorious on November 14.

Pacquiao will be fast, powerful and extremely unorthodox. The odds are stacked against Miguel Cotto, but the fighter has proven time and time again never to doubt his abilities and warrior spirit. Will Pacquiao’s speed be the key to victory?

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Pacquiao vs. Cotto: Is The Fix In?

by Paul Magno

With Cotto-Pacquiao staring us in the face, I can’t shake this cynical feeling that the fix may be in.

I’m not talking about the fight being fixed, pro-wrestling style.

There won’t be a room full of greasy old men chomping on 10 dollar cigars, planning out the details of a bogus fight. No, it’ll have to do with the tidal wave of sports history washing over and beating down a bonafide warrior from the island nation of Puerto Rico.

Reigning WBO Welterweight champ, Miguel Cotto, hasn’t caught too many breaks lately. He’s been beaten with allegedly illegal wraps by Antonio Margarito and, in his most recent fight, he was cut badly and pushed to the edge by tough African welter, Joshua Clottey.

Even when signing for the fight of his career and his largest payday to date, Cotto has been on the receiving end of less than fair treatment for a fighter considered to be one of boxing’s biggest names.

First, a catchweight stipulation was forced on him as a condition for making the Pacquiao bout. A catchweight of 145 lbs., on the surface is not all that brutal for Cotto, a fighter who weighed-in at 146 for his last contest.

However, for Team Pacquiao, the poundage, itself, was never the issue. The real reason behind the catchweight stipulation was to get inside Cotto’s head and possibly force Cotto to over train out of fear of being financially penalized for coming in over the agreed weight.

The result of this head game seems to have worked to some degree as Cotto opened camp several weeks earlier than normal and has made adjustments to lifestyle and diet…all for that one, “inconsequential,” pound.

Next, came Team Pacquiao’s insistence that Cotto put up his welterweight title in the bout, something that Cotto was squarely against. When the reigning champ balked at putting up the title to an unranked challenger in a catchweight bout, the WBO stepped in and instantly made Pacquiao the number one contender while informing Cotto that he would either put up the title or be stripped.

Again, score another one for Team Pacquiao’s quest to get inside Cotto’s head.

To add insult to injury, if you scour press reports, you’ll find Bob Arum, head of Top Rank and promoter of both Cotto and Pacquiao, discussing Pacquiao’s next fight and upcoming plans; No such talks take place regarding Cotto.

Also, as Pacquiao attempts to “make history” by being the first fighter to win seven titles in seven different weight classes, don’t think that the weight of history isn’t already weighing heavily on the officials of this bout.

It’s basic boxing knowledge that officials often have a tendency to lean towards what should happen in such important encounters instead of what’s actually happening. The desire to be part of history is strong; the desire to not impede history is even stronger. Coming into the November 14th battle, Pacquiao will find a group of officials who are, at the very least, willing to give all things Pacquiao the benefit of the doubt.

So, with a catchweight stipulation on his mind and after having conceded every possible advantage during pre-fight negotiations, Cotto steps into a ring full of Pacquiao-friendly officials, a solitary man, belittled by his own promotional company and bullied by the sanctioning body he represents.

Then, after suffering these indignities and mind games, he has to go up against the Filipino Buzzsaw, boxing’s current pound-for-pound champ, Manny Pacquiao.

If Miguel Cotto doesn’t prove to have a will of iron and a resolve of solid steal, he’s lost this one before the opening bell even rings.

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Boxing Fans are Morons and The Fighters Can't Fight

by Madcow

Boxing Tribune Editor in Jefe ,Paul's, been bugging me for a column ever since someone had the bright idea to send him a Magic Jack long distance phone thingy. Now I get odd calls at odd hours with odd requests for stories. Today I decided to crank something out because I had a moment of clarity this past Sunday.

I was checking out the BTBC's new board and ran across an internet radio show called The Boxing Truth on the new forum's main page. I guess The BTBC and this show have some sort of relationship, I don't know or care. But, Paulie, if you're reading this and not just running it blindly through a spell check, you may want to reconsider.

I tuned in early to catch some white rapper verbally raping Floyd Mayweather, Jr. during an interview at a hip hop station. The confrontation between an Everlast replacement in a House of Pain reunion and a bumbling Mayweather was like every internet argument concerning Mayweather- dumb Mayweather haters and goofy Mayweather lovers. It was like the typical garbage you'd find at most other boxing forums, brought to life through the magic of the internet.

The accompanying chat room was not any better. It was filled with the typical crew: Internet tough guys, wanabe experts and lonely, lonely men who occupy mothers' basements all across the nation and/or world.

I thanked god when the show finally began...until the hosts started talking. They were just like the rest of the morons in the chat room! Maybe a couple of years older, maybe a half-step up the cerebral food chain, but they were clearly cut from the same deficient fabric as the morons hurling mother jokes at one another in the chat. If you've never heard The Boxing Truth, imagine if HBO Boxing were hosted by Max Kellerman, but when Kellerman was trying to make it big as a rapper. Yo, sup?

Ok, so here's the point of this rant:

Everything sucks in boxing right now.

We have boxers who really don't know how to box; Fighters who work their way inside and just fall into a sweaty embrace because they really don't know what to do. Or, look at Wladimir Klitschko, who is keeping an entire division in check by just sticking his arm straight out.

"Duh...He's got his arm out...Now what do I do? I know. I'll run face-first into his outstretched glove...Duh."

The sanctioning bodies are stealing from the fighters and the promoters are squeezing every single cent from the consumer and, in the process, draining the sport of its very life; Trainers don't train anymore and, at this point, there are more champions who don't speak English than those who do.

The sport is in terrible shape and the only ones who can possibly turn things around are the fans...but the fans are complete and total morons.

Just look at the human driftwood that occupied the chat room of the Boxing Truth radio show as they went on and on about the helpful topic of who is gayer and who did what to the other guy's mother. Look on the message boards of places like Boxingscene and Maxboxing. Look at the upstart websites that are springing up everywhere, complete with massive typos and wonderfully insightful headlines like, "Is Mayweather Gay?" or "Jermane [sic] Taylor gets Knocked the F*ck Out!"

This is the fan base of boxing right now...second in stupidity to only the UFC in the sporting community. This is what happens when we continue to let the sport get marginalized and allow it to get pushed to the side.

In the movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Jack Nicholson's character works his way out of a prison sentence and gets put into an insane asylum. He proceeds to turn the place upside down, eventually leading to chaos for the other patients and to his own eventual demise.

Well, the boxing promoters fit the Nicholson character perfectly, fostering ignorance among the fans and dumbing down the sport's base so that they can be sold a bag of turds that they don't even realize they're buying.

The fans fight amongst themselves, the fighters start acting like the fans and even the journalists adopt the same stupidity.

"Yo, sup?"

I'm about ready to play the role of the big Native American mental patient in the movie and smother a lobotomized Nicholson before tossing a big hunk of equipment through a window and getting out of this asylum...and that's a Boxing Truth, boyeeeeee!

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Puerto Rico vs. Philippines Final Round: COTTO VS. PACQUIAO

by OneKrazyRican

A highly unusual string of three championship fights in a period of three months matching high caliber fighters from both nations started last September. After splitting victories with Sonsona over Lopez and Calderon over Mayol, Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao, the third and final round of this unofficial championship series ends up being the tie breaker. Not only that but a tie breaker decided between each nation’s top fighters.

When I first heard about the possibility of a match between Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao being discussed I took it as just a rumor. A cloud of hot air being blown just to bring attention. “Roach knows better than that” were my thoughts back then. Nevertheless this next November 14th we get the chance to see the rumor become history. How was that possible? The answer is simple; That Roach is a wise cat!

The acclaimed trainer and architect of the masterpiece that has become the Filipino idol’s career scandalized the boxing world when he not only announced that his pupil would fight Oscar De La Hoya but that he would knock him out. There were many people boxing and non-boxing related including the very same Miguel Cotto who questioned the seriousness of the matchup. “Pacquiao is too small, that fight does no good to boxing” some said. “That fight is too dangerous for Manny” said others. The result is now well known and it was followed by another demolishing victory this time against Britain’s Ricky Hatton at 140 pounds. The next “victim” is Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto whom the vast majority of the boxing world has tagged as the underdog. Without any intentions of taking anything away from the 122 to 135 pounds Manny Pacquiao I invite you to take a look behind the smoke and mirrors so we can have a clearer idea of what we can expect come November 14.

There were many reasons why Roach decided it was a good idea to challenge De la Hoya. We will not entertain the details so we can stay on topic but it is known that the weight was a determining factor. Oscar probably thought that his physical advantages would be enough to get by the Pacman even knowing it would take a miracle for him to perform at 100% in at a weight he hadn’t visited in years. Pacquiao hit the Golden Boy with everything but the stool. The same Golden Boy who declared later that during the fight he got to a point where all he wanted was that Manny landed a finishing blow that could put him out of his misery. That blow never came and Oscar decided to quit on his stool. After the fight, Roach declared that they would campaign at Jr welter, he implied that the welterweight venture was a one night stand.

At Jr welter the Pacman knocked Ricky Hatton out in impressive fashion. It should be noted that Hatton had been knocked out impressively by Mayweather before. Not only that, he had been put on queer street by Juan Lazcano and Luis Collazo, whom with 15 ko's in 30 fights seems to go shopping for boxing gloves with Ivan Calderon. With two perfect wins above the lightweight division limit Manny established himself as the top Jr welterweight with no signs of a welterweight move. Until Roach found another window of opportunity.

Reports of the violent end of Cotto’s relationship with his uncle/trainer/manager go international. Same thing with Cotto’s love for Puerto Rico’s night life and to top all that off he looks vulnerable against Joshua Clottey in a fight that brought too many memories of Antonio Margarito. The prey looks wounded and its time to make the move. Recognizing 147 pounds is still a dangerous turf, Roach managed to make it a title fight while forcing the defending champ to stay bellow the welter limit. He has also started the psychological warfare trying to gain all the advantages he can.

Thinking about all the details, this fight reminds me a lot about Trinidad-Hopkins. The boxing world is still in awe with Pacquiao’s recent victories and he’s got a fan base that has elevated him to heroic proportions. Just like Trinidad fans did with Hopkins at the time Pacquiao fans seem to ignore that Miguel Cotto isn’t just any titlist. Tito’s train came to a sudden stop when it entered the domains of a great fighter. Reality struck in such a way that there are people who still haven’t dealt with it.

I understand Roach’s proceedings. The odds seem good for the opportunity and a victory would get him and Manny to historic boxing heights. Nevertheless while analyzing both fighters performances at or near the weight they will fight, I find no indicative that Manny Pacquiao is near Miguel Cotto’s level as a welter. The weight issue could once again be a factor in favor of the Pacman team but we understand team Cotto has taken the necessary measures to minimize its effect. Reports from the training camp in Tampa allude to the pleasant chemistry among the group members as opposed to previous camps. What most people had signaled as a flaw in the change of trainers might have actually turned into a strength.

Much like in 2001 a nation will understand that their hero is not invincible. This time it's not Puerto Rico’s turn. For our Filipino friends, the post-Manny’s loss era begins. A great little fighter whom I see being dominated by a great big fighter. Cotto wins before the sixth round but don’t tell anyone because even though I don’t gamble money, with Cotto as the underdog there’s a good chance of hitting a good prize.

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Good Grief, Jermain Taylor...

by Charles R. Horgan

Alright Jermain, you got me. Good one. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me three times, shame on me twice. I have to admit when I’ve been had, and I have to appreciate such an elaborate joke. I mean, to get Bernard Hopkins and even Winky Wright to play along, man, that was good thinking.

For the past 5 years I thought that you were something really special. You came out of nowhere with a sweet record. You were like twenty-three and oh, with something like seventeen knockouts. That’s pretty good. Then there was that jab; Fools were getting dropped by it, boy it was sweet. Then you came right on in and beat unbeatable Bernard Hopkins, twice. I know it was close, but you didn’t want it to look easy, you just wanted to give us a taste.

Now look at us, four years later and I just can’t get my head around it. That Pavlik fight was kind of a fluke, right? That’s what you wanted us to think. He caught you and that was it. The second fight and it was one of those things, like Pavlik just had your number. It happens to the best, Winky had Mosley’s number, you had B-Hop’s, it can happen to anybody. Anyway, you went right in and rocked Lacy, and then you were going to take that title from that 168 lb Vic Darchinyan named Carl Froch.

That jab was right there all night long. Froch tried, but he couldn’t get in there. You kept snapping his head back with those smart, straight shots, and then you dropped the hook on him… Damn, it was nice. Now we know you get tired going into those later rounds, but it would be okay, just coast for a few minutes since you already took the damn fight. I was already leaning back in my chair, ready to celebrate, a smile on my face, counting down the last round.

You got me though. Spit take, double take, yell at the television. It was a doozy. Bravo my friend. You let Froch storm right across the ring and shellac you. You got knocked down, remember that? You pretend like you can’t hold on so that we start yelling in our living rooms and the bars. You got up, and you still had a chance, man just ten more seconds. We’re at home jumping up and down, making fools out of ourselves and you get knocked out.

Come on, man. What the hell was that all about? You beat B-Hop, homie. What are you doing to me?

Anyway, you still got that solid base of knowledge and experience. You get gassed at the end, but now you know that. If you didn’t know it after Pavlik, you sure as hell knew it now, and you’d fix it.

Man, you even said that in one of those Ring articles. You said that you were training different; you said that you could last. I’m such a dummy. I couldn’t hear all the snickers at your training camp. I couldn’t hear you guys trying to hide your laughter when I was sitting down in front of my computer, getting ready to watch you beat Abraham.

I said on the message boards that I was still angry at you for throwing it away against Froch, so I predicted against you, but there I was, talking to Paul Magno and I admitted to secretly rooting for you. I’m sorry, I’m sentimental. Besides, you’re the best guy Abraham’s faced. The guy just covers up and then steals rounds. That’s no way to fight.

And you, you beat B-Hop. Abraham was coming up in weight, you’ve already done fought at Super Middle. It would be a little tough, but you know your limits, you wouldn’t get caught this time. Right?

Fool me twice, Jermain…fool me twice.

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Will Team Taylor's Paranoia Pay Off?

by Paul Magno

"Taylor's people sent an advance man to Germany to look for bugs and cameras in the gym where Taylor will prepare for his Oct. 17 super middleweight fight with unbeaten Arthur Abraham. Taylor, the former middleweight champion from Arkansas, will not eat in the restaurant at his hotel; he'll dine out, unannounced, or his chef will fix something."

This is a blurb from an otherwise forgettable fluff piece in an Arkansas newspaper by writer Harry King, but this does touch on an on-going theme in German fight history.

There is a long line of gossip and innuendo regarding some pretty shady goings-on when it comes to American boxers fighting in Germany.

Strange things often seem to happen to foreign fighters there. The stories usually involve sharp, aggressive challengers arriving in the country, looking like killers in the pre-fight publicity and then showing up to the fight with glassy eyes and a lethargic workrate. After the inevitable loss, they wander the ring like zombies with absolutely no idea why they simply could not throw punches.

The stories of German foul play go back to the first Joe Louis-Max Schmelling fight at Yankee Stadium in 1936 (Schmelling's people were accused of drugging Louis' water before the fight) up to current walking dead performances by Sam Peter vs. Vitali Klitschko and Eddie Chambers vs. Alexander Povetkin.

The theories run the gamut from laced food and water to tainted air supply from hotel air conditioning vents. Of course, none of the theories or cases are provable, but that never stopped trainers and managers, conspiracy theorists by nature, from acting on the stories.

A famous case is when Sam Simon, The Simpson's producer and former manager of Lamon Brewster, kept the reigning WBO Heavyweight Champion out of Germany for as long as possible before his defense in Hamburg with German contender Luan Krasniqi. Simon would go on to sequester his fighter under tight security for whatever time spent in his opponent's home country. No food or water was accepted, no casual walks in the park permitted, no air conditioning was turned on; Everything necessary was brought in by Team Brewster from the UK.

Brewster would go on to flatten Krasniqi via ninth round TKO in a bout littered with injustices ranging from questionable scoring to a 17-second count that allowed Krasniqi to get up following a knockdown in the eighth round. Eventually, it was Krasniqi himself who called an end to the bout after he was knocked down again in the ninth...Krasniqi was ahead on all three judges' scorecards at the time of the stoppage.

Who knows if the tight pre-fight guard on Brewster stopped any potential sabotage from the German promoters or if just the idea of being protected made Brewster feel more confident. The fact is that Brewster and, four years later, Eddie Chambers (who was also allegedly shielded under tight security by his team) in his bout with Alexander Dimitrenko were the last two American fighters in recent memory to actually look good fighting in Germany.

Now, it appears that Team Taylor has stepped up their game in trying to shield Jermain from any questionable tactics. But who will shield Taylor from the questionable practices that often take place within a German boxing ring?

And, then, of course, he also has to deal with Arthur Abraham, one of the top fighters in the world today.

In other words, while Team Taylor is in Germany on their hands and knees, inspecting gyms and hotel rooms, they should also be using that time to pray for a miracle...Taylor's going to need one.

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Magno vs. The Machine (Stage 1): The Super Middleweights

by Dafs117 / Paul Magno


John Henry was a Steel Drivin’ Man

John Henry is a figure from American folklore, a symbolic representation of the modern man vs. machine debate.

According to the story, John Henry was a famously strong “steel-driver” erecting railroads with his co-workers across the mountains to the West.

When the greedy railroad boss purchased a steam-powered hammer to replace the railroad crew, John Henry issued a challenge: him vs. the machine for the jobs of his crew.

Henry ended up beating the machine, but he paid the ultimate price; His heart exploded afterwards and he collapsed on the same railroad tracks that he had just put down.

Now, Boxing Tribune editor-in-chief, Paul Magno takes up the battle as he goes toe to toe with Title Bout Championship Boxing in a 21st century boxing-related battle of man vs. machine.

In this series, both Magno and the Machine will make predictions for all the upcoming major bouts and records will be kept to see whether a modern day John Henry stands a chance against a multi-functional, mega-powered computerized opponent.

And where better to start than a double-header from the revolutionary Showtime Super 6 Boxing Classic.

Arthur Abraham vs. Jermain Taylor

Magno: Both fighters made a name for themselves eight pounds lighter in the Middleweight division and, now, both are trying to establish themselves as top dog at 168.

Despite the odds being stacked against Taylor, he still represents the best and most accomplished fighter, by far, that Abraham has ever faced.

In a lot of ways, Taylor and Abraham are similar in style and ability. Both are multi-talented boxer-punchers who are separated from 98% of the pack based solely on pure athleticism.

Taylor’s major defects have been focus and stamina, with both becoming legit liabilities as a fight progresses. Recent losses against Carl Froch and Kelly Pavlik were testaments to Taylor’s flaws as a fighter. In both fights, Taylor was solidly ahead and ended up suffering TKO losses.

But the question is whether Abraham’s defects as a fighter negate Taylor’s biggest flaws. Abraham, as talented as he is, couldn’t be described as a pressure fighter by any stretch of the imagination. He mostly fights in flurries, content to let loose for brief periods of time and steal rounds with his flashes of ability.
The questions in this fight will be whether Abraham can significantly pressure Taylor so that stamina becomes an issue later in the fight and whether Taylor’s natural ability can negate Abraham’s natural ability.

This is an evenly-matched fight that will come down to Abraham’s hometown advantage.
Taylor will make the final bell, but he’ll lose a unanimous decision: 116-112, 115-113 and 118-110.

Machine: As a bigger middleweight, Arthur Abraham should hold a slight advantage over Jermain Taylor, with a perfect physical condition in a much more favourable weight.

Fighting in his adopted country Germany, Abraham will be at an immeasurable advantage as the officiating is one of the most biased on the planet. Any close fight on the scorecards, will go Abraham’s way. Tough luck. That’s why you need to do more than just win a fight in Germany.

Abraham is seen as a pressure fighter. Not so. Just because he’s the aggressor against mediocre opposition, he rarely sustains an attack throughout the round to be styled as a pressure fighter.

The magnitude of his punches should be enough to trouble a post-prime Taylor, who still has the ghost of Kelly Pavlik tap-dancing in his mind under any kind of pressure.

Abraham has been described as one of the best finishers pound-4-pound in the sport today, in the same category as his super middleweight rival Carl Froch, for his outstanding punch accuracy and output when an opponent is hurt.

In front of the richest people in Berlin, Arthur Abraham will send a statement to the rest of the Super Middleweight fighters, with a quick stoppage victory over former Olympian Jermain Taylor.

Abraham hurts Taylor with a straight right in the early exchanges of the first round, and Taylor struggles to make it through the opening round on his feet. Abraham moves in for the stoppage in the second round, and punishes a negative Taylor who falls to the canvas under the heavy pressure from the Armenian. Taylor survives another minute, but it counts for nothing, as the referee judges that Taylor has received too much punishment and waves away the contest. Abraham is the winner by TKO in the second round.

Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell

Magno: This will be a fun match as two unorthodox talents with complete opposite skill sets and fighting philosophies do battle in a screamingly pro-Froch Trent FM Arena in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham, England.

Froch, the defending WBC Super Middleweight champ can be seen as a slow-footed pasty version of Tommy Hearns with arms down low and a desire to mix it up.

By far the more accomplished of the the two, Froch has already earned his place with wins over athletically gifted fighters Jean Pascal and Jermain Taylor.

Froch’s success depends on his ability to lure Dirrell into a fight and not engage in a boxing match. He was able to do that with quick-fisted fighters like Pascal and Taylor, but Dirrell could be another story.

Andre Dirrell can be seen as the junior entrant of the Super 6 Tournament. He’s perhaps the most athletically gifted of the six, but also the least experienced.
Patterned after Roy Jones Jr., Dirrell is a speedster who, only recently, has started adding some power to his game. The question will be whether he can handle the pressure of fighting a guy like Froch in a place like Nottingham.

If the flat-footed Froch can’t lure Dirrell into a battle, he will be chasing the American all day and catching enough counters to lose rounds. Dirrell’s history suggests that, when pressed, he gets on his bike so that could mean big problems for Froch.

Despite the massive hometown advantage, Dirrell will prove to be too fast and too athletic for Froch. Dirrell wins this via split decision, 116-112, 115-113, 112-116.

Machine: The two unbeaten fighters should put on a show as their different styles will surely make a gripping fight at the Trent FM Arena. Could hometown scoring be a factor?

Froch will be defending his WBC super middleweight belt for the second time, against a switch-hitting speedster that has far superior footwork and a considerable hand speed advantage over the champion. The champion might be judged as flat footed, but makes up for it in the power stakes, as he will possess a serious threat to the untroubled Dirrell.

Dirrell is expected to be on his bike for most of the fight and his punch output should be greater than Froch, so if it goes to the scorecard, Dirrell will hold a major advantage.

Dirrell’s more eye-catching flurries are enough to win him the opening rounds on the judges’ scorecards, as he silences the Nottingham crowd. Froch takes the closer and gritty middle rounds to even it out on the scorecards. The champion edges ahead in a close 9th round, the best of the fight. Dirrell surprisingly thrives under the relentless pressure of Froch, and wins the final rounds to split the Showtime team... and the judges.

Both fighters think they have done enough to win it. Press row are all split with different opinions as the scorecards are announced. Dirrell wins a thrilling opening to the Showtime Super 6 Boxing Classic, with an extremely debatable split decision, 116-112, 115-114 to the American and 115-113 to Froch.

Current Scores: Magno 0-0 (0 KOs), Machine 0-0 (0 KOs)

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Chris, It's Your Own Fault

by Paul Magno

I guess enough time has passed so that what I'm about to say doesn't come off as a heartless attack on a good guy who tried his best in a championship fight.

But, Chris Arreola's shut-out loss to Vitali Klitschko was all his own fault.

As the likable Mexican-American heavyweight openly wept after the 10th round stoppage on Saturday night, I couldn't help but think back to a certain speech trainer Teddy Atlas gave to the sluggish Michael Moorer between rounds of his championship-winning bout with Evander Holyfield :

"You're lying to yourself. You're gonna cry tomorrow because of this. Do you want to cry tomorrow? Huh?"

While boxing fans were busy falling in love with the burrito-eating, beer-drinking slugger from Southern California, what they failed to realize was that Arreola was, indeed, lying to himself.

Arreola was convincing himself that he could live the life of an elite pro-boxer while maintaining an "average Joe" lifestyle. The "I'm a fat guy who likes to eat and drink" routine was real cute and endearing- Until he came up against someone who actually took the sport seriously.

Vitali Klitschko dominated their bout and forced an early ending. It was no contest as the brave, but inept Arreola clumsily chased after the defending WBC champ and caught leather whenever Vitali felt like connecting.

I'm of the opinion that Arreola never really had a serious chance of winning because of the vast difference in skill level and experience. However, Arreola, because of his lack of professionalism in training certainly made sure that any slim hope he had, would be made even slimmer.

Given Arreola's limited skill-set, he had to give himself the best possible chance to pull off the mega-upset. He had to hit the gym and get in the shape of his life while working on genius strategies to shock and awe the Heavyweight titlist from the Ukraine. It would've been a monumental upset, but stranger things have happened between 38-year old champs and their eager, aggressive challengers.

Instead, it was business as usual at Camp Arreola, with even a rumored ten day suspension of training in order to "party."

Sure, Chris Arreola is a tough guy- all fighters are "tough guys." But in the world of prize fighting, real, legitimate toughness isn't about being able to take a sustained beating for thirty minutes or even about giving that sustained beating; It's about being able to wake up early every morning and hit the road, it's about busting your behind in the gym to get in shape, it's about making personal sacrifices for your passion and it's about putting in the hard work to actually learn your craft.

So, excuse me if I don't get a lump in my throat when watching Chris Arreola cry after his loss. Like so many well-meaning losers, he just never took things seriously until it was too late.

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