#Boxing: How to Buy a Heavy Bag

This is the story of the punching bag you see on the left. It is made of leather and is soft-filled, about two inches worth.  It has chains at the top rather than textile straps.  All these attributes are necessary for a successful boxing workout.

Before buying it from Amazon, I drove far and wide to find a bag of similar quality and size. And came up with zilch.  I've had considerable experience in boxing gyms although I was never a professional boxer.  I went into Dick's Sporting Goods, Sears, and K-Marts and even a Play It Again Sports shop.  Play it Again had a real heavy bag at least, though it wasn't exactly what I wanted. It was sort of a brick, but not as bad of a brick as the red, vinyl, skinny, short concrete cylinder that the local Y shamelessly installed and called a Heavy Bag.

A really professional heavy bag should be heavy, 100 to 150 lbs at least.  The one pictured above is about 75 lbs, soft-filled about two inches on the outer circumference and solid on the inside. It is well-packed and well-balanced. It has a chain and swivel at the top rather than textile loops and cheap wrapping where you can see the stitches.  There are bags heavier than 150 lbs too but they're for the really big guys,  people like Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury.

The bag pictured above is the right one to buy if you're like me--familiar with the sport, but of declining prospects due to old age and because you were never good enough to function in boxing at the highest levels anyway not even on your best day.  My hands are kind of shot so I need the extra padding, in addition to Mexican wraps, and IMF packed leather gloves.  It's not the cheapest bag by any means but neither is it the most expensive. I've looked at heavy bags that cost in the $700 dollar range. Yes, you heard that right.

You can go to Walmart or K-Mart or Dicks' and any one of the number of mass market retail stores that have no clue about the products they're selling. The main criteria for them is cheap.   Your body is not cheap.  Your hands and teeth and nerves are not cheap.  You can buy one of the chintzy bags for cheap and hit it with pitty-pat punches and pretend you're having a real boxing workout but you're not.  The heavy bag serves a lot of purposes but one chief purpose is to engage in and improve your hard punching.

Okay, so the bottom line is here:  $149.99 at Amazon.  You get free shipping but the tax in New York State is eight percent.  It comes to about $161 and some change.  It comes with the chain and swivel.  Made of nice black leather.  You can really lay into it.  You can give it angles and pivot.

Here's the link to the bag on Amazon in case you're interested. Oh, and I've got no dog in the hunt, no investment in Ringside, or any other compulsion to sell you this bag. If I were profit minded, I wouldn't be donating it and hanging it at my local YMCA here in upstate New York.

Russians Are Coming: Gennady GGG Golovkin Destroys Rubio

Last night’s boxing matches at Carson’s StubHub Center provided some sobering moments. For me, the sobering moment occurred when Donito Donaire went down on his face under the thunder of young Jamaican Nicholas Walters. I had “misoverestimated” (Yogi Berra word) Donaire, who make no excuses for himself  for having the “*# beat out of me” in  a higher weight class than he was meant for. That is not to ignore the power and skill of Walters.

Also sobering to fight promoters who have been studiously avoiding Team Golovkin was the devastating 2^nd round KO of Marco Rubio (not the American politician) in front of an overfilled stadium in Carson.  The outcome was going to be the outcome, but I didn’t expect it to come so early, even though most of Golovkin’s opponents have been very sent home in time to do some night clubbing. 

Boxing promoters like to hear themselves talking and what they have for too long been talking about is how Golovkin was somehow not up to American boxing standards.  The reason for this canard (that means “lie) is because they want so badly to keep their golden boys, their money machines, their fighting ATMs from being lowered in rank by a guy who is a devastating and intuitive puncher. Aiding promoter delusion is the trope (like politician-speak) is that Golovkin came from some weird country (Kazakhstan) “over there” that they can’t pronounce. 

Now, these promoters have become laughing stocks, as no one believes in their fighters, not while happy-go-lucky Golovkin goes around like a wrecking ball, demolishing the fortress minded boxing establishment.

The only established guy who has any balls in all this is Andre Ward, a superior middleweight by any definition.  Everyone else HBO interviewed about a possible Golovkin fight tried to change the conversation to a discussion of the weather. Ward and his people stepped up and said, yeah, they’d fight Golovkin which shows that they are both smart and brave. Ward is the ONLY guy out there who could beat Golovkin and that is because he is the right combination of punching, ring smarts, and technique. He’s like a B-hop without the age bracket around his neck. 

Donaire's the Betting Underdog?

Donaire's the underdog against the Jamaican Walters tonight. I was surprised at seeing that headline on a site that covers boxing.  I don't have it handy to show you, but you could find it if you care.  That's like saying history is the hardest thing to predict.  You're supposed to laugh now.

The odds makers in Reno and Vegas are thinking of Donaire's recent fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux. You can catch that on YouTube if you didn't see it.  I had picked Donaire to win and was disappointed that he appeared sluggish throughout the fight, and was frankly outfoxed by the smooth and methodical boxing skills (and power shots) of Rigondeaux.

So the betting line is based on that fight, and on the premise that the same guy who fought Rigondeaux will show up tonight, and that his skills have deteriorated with age.  I don't see that happening.

Walters doesn't have the experience, even with his impressive record, and I'm looking for the old Donaire to reappear tonight, the hungry Donaire who wants his rep back.  Agree?  Disagree?

Meanwhile, the top of the bill features GGG versus Marco Rubio and that should be a banger.  Two missiles colliding in flight.  A KO extravaganza.  I can't see that one going past the 5th round, or in extenuating circumstances, the 6th. Who ends up on the floor is open to debate but my guess is that Rubio gets stopped.  I don't say he hits the deck and, frankly, I think GGG is more likely to go down than Rubio is.  But it's the finish that counts, and there I see GGG taking the win.

GGG Golovkin and the Devil in Marco Antonio Rubio

This will be about GG Golovkin, Marc Antonio Rubio, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.

I just wanted a headline that rhymes because I was just reading about 50 Cent trying to rehabilitate his relationship with Floyd Mayweather, Jr.  I'm in one of those moods when I love everyone.

I'm kind of infatuated with 50 and I'm glad he's putting out signals to Mayweather Jr.  I hope Mayweather Jr. will take the hint b/c this little flap, all because 50 allegedly said something about Floyd's one-time gf Shantel Jackson, is lame.   I can't stand all that drama, anyway, and what's it got to do with my favorite sport?  Get over yourselves.

Here's the deal.  I'm not longer much interested in Mayweather v. Pacquiao even though, like millions of others, I will get caught up in the hype when/if they start promoting it.  And I agree-- it will be an exciting fight, no matter how old and battered the principals are.

I think Floyd Mayweather Jr. is  the greatest fighter of  the last two generations and that he has skills beyond those of the energetic and eminently likable/capable Pacquiao.  When my peeps hear me say that, and I have said it often enough to irritate everyone, they think I am dissing Pacquiao when I'm not.  Manny's a great fighter with a great heart that is, at this point, not altogether in it.  On the other side, and in regard to the man everyone except me loves to hate, I've always said that the only way Floyd Jr. could be beaten by someone in the weight class is by old age.

And he's getting there.  If these two had fought, say, eight years ago, Pacquiao would not be so high in the minds of those people who like him more for his decency than his skills.  Floyd would have beaten him, pure and simple.  It would have taken more than heart, footwork, and energy to deal with a Mayweather in his prime.  A Mayweather in decline is still the best of the class, and that will be clear if we do get a matchup in 2015.

Whew!  WTF? Why did I have to say all that when this is about one of the most exciting fights in the recent decade to be broadcast for free if you get HBO. I'm talking about Golovkin and Marco Antonio Rubio.   It doesn't get any better than this.  You have two of the biggest KO fighters in HISTORY!  Golovkin has 27 KOs out of 30 fights and Rubio has 51 KOs out of 59 fights.

Do you see what I'm talking about?  This is like two nuclear warheads crashing together in the sky!  It gives me agita already.  This will be dangerous to watch.  I'm keeping a sedative handy just in case, so my brains don't blow out my ear from the blood pressure rising.

I want to say my bit about the undercard _-- Donaire v. Walters.  I've been a big fan of Donaire and was disappointed in one of his recent setbacks.  Walters is hoping he's in the same lackluster frame of mind as when he lost to Guggliermo Rigondeaux in April of 2013.  I saw that fight and Donaire was flagging while Rigondeaux was at the top of his game and fought a smart fight.  Rigondeaux was the clear winner. It was a bad night for Donaire, but if Walters thinks the guy that lost to Rigondeaux is the one he's coming to meet, he's going to be handed his ass on a shield.

Walters had 24 wins and no losses and also a big KO record but he's about to step up to something he perhaps can't handle in veteran Donaire.  If Walters survives and does a creditable job, it'll be a big boost to his career.  As things stand now with Walters' prediction of knocking out Donaire,  nobody outside of Jamaica is listening.

Provodnikov Loses Split Decision to Dancing Man Chris Altieri

First things first.  Yes, I give underdog and former martial arts competitor Chris Altieri credit for surviving 12 rounds with the Siberian Tiger (aka Siberian Rocky).  I think he showed some heart after being stomped in the first round and I think he danced well.

The funny thing about Altieri's victory is that almost noone, not even Provodnikov, seems very angry about it.  Most of the boxing sites either crow about what a great triumph it was for the 20-0 Altieri  or they point to the score cards showing how one judge had Provodnikov the winner by a wide margin and two judges had Altieri outscoring Provodnikov. 

The best of the articles I read was on Bad Left Hook , where hardcore boxing fans hang out, and where 53 percent thought Provodnikov won compared to 38 percent who gave the fight to Altieri.   Okay, so what am I getting to?

First of all, Altieri was entirely too impressed with himself in comments after the fight, telling Max Kellerman he "told you so."  That's while standing there with his face looking like he'd taken a long fall from a high place and Provodnikov being unmarked.

Secondly, those judges who gave the fight to Altieri had applied the rules of amateur boxing.  Not to disparage amateur boxing, a sport I hold in high regard for a variety of reasons, I have to say that you should not judge professional sports by amateur rules.

Under the rules of amateur boxing, every punch counts, the pitty-pat punches as well as the KO shots, and you get points for anything that looks like aggression even if it's not. 

Ultimately, Provodnikov had this guy dancing around him for most of the fight, and Altieri danced very well, showing dandy angles, and with great kick-boxing style footwork.   I am not against dancing in professional boxing so much as I am against dancing throughout an entire fight. 

Remember long ago when boxing judges understood the dancing rules?  When Oscar De La Hoya danced the last two rounds vs. Felix Trinidad?  The verdict there was that Oscar danced too much, and yet he had danced through only two rounds at best.

Altieri danced so much he should have been at a card with the Lincoln Center Ballet.

And then there was the frustrated Provodnikov, who was making no excuses, saying simply and truthfully that he didn't like to fight people who ran.  This was probably the first time he'd experienced a fight where the other guy danced for 11 rounds. 

And then there was the local New York titles-belong-to-us-because-we-are-stereotyped-in-the-movies-and-talk-funny like we are Brooklynites even though we are from Long Island.   Did this parochial crowd influence the judges?   

I propose a solution--- a rematch in a 10 x 10 ring.  That should give Altieri enough room to dance and has the added benefit of seeing if he can fight. 

Meanwhile, the Russian kid  is the far better fighter.  I like dancing but we don't play dat in boxing.

Luis Collazo : The Sensational Knockout of Victor Ortiz

I guess I could call this  piece  VICTOR ORTIZ MEETS BROOKLYN.  The former champion had been having a fine time on Dancing with the Stars and other enjoyments of civilian life.   No one should begrudge him that but after meeting Luis Collazo in Brooklyn, it was clear that he'd made the wrong choice of opponents for a comeback fight and wasn't all that prepared.



In this, I'm not referring to his physical conditoning which was adequate.  But there was something missing from the start as he flailed away in what he hoped would be an early stoppage.  That's not to say Victor Ortiz took Luis Collazo for granted.  It was more a matter of not being where he should be mentally for a fight that meant so much for his career.



Where Luis Collazzo was concerned, this piece could also have been called the boxing version of THE HUNGER GAMES.  Luis Collazzo is one of those guys boxing fans love, even while others like Ortiz get the spotlight.  He's a solid fighter with the proper mentality and he fights naturally.  There's nothing amateur about his mentality nor his activity in the ring.  His style is smooth, economical, and seasoned.  



He mentioned in the post fight interview that people thought of him as not having the big punch.  This is not exactly the same thing as saying he has a pitty-pat punch. You can ask Ortiz about that.  Ortiz had fired a wide hook that careened off Collazzo's chest harmlessly and put in in the wrong position:  in range, no defense, exposed. 



Collazzo being the natural fighter was right there, his own hook coming automatically, with neither thinking nor strenuous exertion.    Bulls Eye.  Ortiz took it on the chin right where you're not supposed to take it and he went right over like an overenthusiastic amateur in his first fight.



The long layoff , during which Ortiz recovered from a broken jaw, and the extracurricular activities, had combined to weaken Ortiz' will to do the time.  On the other hand, Luis Collazzo has been doing nothing but time, nothing but the hard work.



It was touching, too, to hear him speak of how boxing saved him from the fate of his brothers, one of whom is in the joint for a murder stretch, the other doing a seven year sentence.   Collazzo couldn't save them from themselves, nor from the savagery of the streets, but he's turned his attention to helping the young kids in the gym. 



As for Ortiz, he needs to make up his mind and not kid himself about boxing.  He's been to the top of his world so if he wants to quit, that's okay.  But he should be straight with himself. If he wants to do boxing, he needs to pick himself up from the floor and do it the way it's always been done, the way few people (myself included)  can do.



Hard work and sacrifice--the way Luis Collazzo does it.

2014 Boxing Preview: Erislandy Lara, not Pacquiao, is the real potential threat to Mayweather - Bad Left Hook

2014 Boxing Preview: Erislandy Lara, not Pacquiao, is the real potential threat to Mayweather - Bad Left Hook

I don't agree with much in this article except that Erislandy Lara vs. Floyd Jr. would be a more interesting matchup than either Pacquiao (which won't happen and I don't care) or Amir Khan who will, at least, be entertaining --mainly due to his boxing style.