Even though the Golf Channel and the Tennis Crowd would like to depict boxing fans as a horde of knuckle-dragging troglodytes, some of the smartest people in the world are involved in boxing.
In a sport that can bring in $25-$40 million dollars from a single matchup, it's only natural that smart people would follow the boxing fans into the arena. One such smart guy is Bob Arum, who promotes Manny Pacquiao's fights.
Arum was asked recently why Manny Paquiao, who has fought fourteen professional fights in Nevada or Texas, bringing in tons of revenue to those states, suddenly decides to fight Brandon Rios in Macau? The question is particularly relevant when you consider that the overall purse was smaller in Macau than it would have been in the U.S.
Bob Arum has the answer:
"Manny can go back to Las Vegas and make $25 million but how much will he end up with-- $15 million?"
If you never think of these things when you're watching boxing, consider that the tax rate in Macau tops off at 12 percent. Compare that with the U.S. at 39.5 percent and if you come up with the right answer, you may be a contender. Another factor Pacquiao's people consider: Texas and Nevada have no state income taxes.
The Arum quote, by the way, is from the Wall Street Journal today.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Pacquiao v. Rios was a 'Deja Vu All Over Again'
The major reason I didn't buy last night's Rios v. Pacquiao fight was the sense it might turn out the way it did, with Rios being the showcase punching bag for a guy with superior boxing talent.
So it was what it was, and I still stand behind my blog yesterday in worrying about permanent damage to both fighters, but especially to Brandon Rios who uses his head as something like a third fist.
What amazes me most about the fight, though, is that Bob Arum managed to sell it and managed to sell it with a degree of genius. What was the promotional strategy?
We knew that before though, didn't we? Call this fight the way Yogi Berra might have, that is, a 'Deja vu all over again."
So it was what it was, and I still stand behind my blog yesterday in worrying about permanent damage to both fighters, but especially to Brandon Rios who uses his head as something like a third fist.
What amazes me most about the fight, though, is that Bob Arum managed to sell it and managed to sell it with a degree of genius. What was the promotional strategy?
- You enlarge what's there already, which was the Paquiao was so sensationally KOd by Juan Marquez that fight fans might think PacMan was still out there in the regions of space. Expounding on this scenario, and magnifying it by comments to the sports press, incites the general boxing fan to believe they will see Brandon Rios 'shock the world.' In fact, the only shock fight fans will get will come when they see they 60 dollar cable bill.
- The second embellishment is that you portray a Manny Pacquiao who is distracted by the typhoon in his country, by his political life, and by a long layoff. That anyone would consider this any more than a fleeting thought astounds me. Professional fighters may get sick, injure themselves, do foolish things as Mike Tyson did in his first loss to Buster Douglas, but they are not any more distracted when they step into the ring than a football player who does a tap dance in the end zone. This scenario would only have credibility if Manny Pacquiao had his legs tied together. You have to remember, even with the hard partying that Mike Tyson did in Japan, he still put Buster Douglas on his butt with a big uppercut that almost ended that fight.
- Of course, the enlargement of Brandon Rios as an opponent is necessary to a good fight promotion. Today, most sportswriters and fans speak of his slowness last night compared to Pacquiao's speed. Perhaps some people, with the exception of the ENTIRE WORLD, had not noticed that before. But Arum's crew, and Paquiao's crew, stitched together through comments, hints, suggestions, and various innuendo the idea that Rios was a force to be reckoned with rather than a symbol of courage in the public mind.
- HBO boxing commentators are fairly decent people, but even decent people are swept up into the sweepstakes of big money, big celebrity, and a sense of self-importance. It's all part of promotion, and they work for HBO so they will contribute to drama even when drama is lacking. When you heard Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman talk about Rios last week, you'd think they were talking about Floyd Mayweather Jr.
We knew that before though, didn't we? Call this fight the way Yogi Berra might have, that is, a 'Deja vu all over again."
Brandon Rios Versus Manny Pacquiao
Gordon Marino writes a sports column in the Wall Street Journal and covers boxing. He may not be your go-to guy for the hardcore boxing fan but he's very professional and writes in a way that offers boxing knowledge in a broad, easily digested human interest fashion.
I like the hardcore boxing stuff, okay? But I'm up to here with its repetitive conventions. You already know this much:
Brandon Rios is the hard-punching, straight forward marching, punishment taker that he always has been. It's hard not to like a guy in the tradition of Mickey Ward, Carmen Basilio, Jake LaMotta -- and I like him.
I like him so much that I hope he takes big earnings from this fight and goes home to take care of his wife and family-- like forever. Not only does Rios take punishment well, he prides himself on putting his head right in the lion's jaw.
He does this for the crowd's pleasure, not for mine. Even if he enjoys it, and many people say he does, he shouldn't be allowed to pursue his masochism beyond ordinary, acceptable limits.
Which means yeah, I get it. I appreciate that Brandon Rios can take a beating and keep on fighting. I can take a beating too, but I know that's not exactly the best recommendation for a career in the ring.
However, when a beating becomes a primary motive, more primary than winning, I vote the other way. A beating is not the point of the exercise is what I'm saying.
On the other hand you have Pacquiao. Let me confess that, in most of Pacquiao's fights, I leaned the other way. I cheered Marquez' KO victory that would have allowed the referee to have "counted to 600," as Marino says in his column.
Most of Marino's column is aimed at the toll knockouts take on its victims. Some fighters are capable of rising from the ashes; others seem locked into the limbo of an eternal ten count.
Unless Rios steps in early with KO power (and I don't think Pacquiao will let that happen), he's in for a rough night. A merciful ref would stop it in the 7th as the fight settles into a sustained beating.
I give Pacquiao credit for foregoing the easy tuneup and taking his chances with a guy like Rios. There is always the puncher's chance, especially with a game fighter like Brandon Rios.
I wish there were some middle ground between "with your shield or on it," as the Spartans used to say. For fighters like Brandon Rios, there isn't.
I like the hardcore boxing stuff, okay? But I'm up to here with its repetitive conventions. You already know this much:
Brandon Rios is the hard-punching, straight forward marching, punishment taker that he always has been. It's hard not to like a guy in the tradition of Mickey Ward, Carmen Basilio, Jake LaMotta -- and I like him.
I like him so much that I hope he takes big earnings from this fight and goes home to take care of his wife and family-- like forever. Not only does Rios take punishment well, he prides himself on putting his head right in the lion's jaw.
He does this for the crowd's pleasure, not for mine. Even if he enjoys it, and many people say he does, he shouldn't be allowed to pursue his masochism beyond ordinary, acceptable limits.
Which means yeah, I get it. I appreciate that Brandon Rios can take a beating and keep on fighting. I can take a beating too, but I know that's not exactly the best recommendation for a career in the ring.
However, when a beating becomes a primary motive, more primary than winning, I vote the other way. A beating is not the point of the exercise is what I'm saying.
On the other hand you have Pacquiao. Let me confess that, in most of Pacquiao's fights, I leaned the other way. I cheered Marquez' KO victory that would have allowed the referee to have "counted to 600," as Marino says in his column.
Most of Marino's column is aimed at the toll knockouts take on its victims. Some fighters are capable of rising from the ashes; others seem locked into the limbo of an eternal ten count.
Unless Rios steps in early with KO power (and I don't think Pacquiao will let that happen), he's in for a rough night. A merciful ref would stop it in the 7th as the fight settles into a sustained beating.
I give Pacquiao credit for foregoing the easy tuneup and taking his chances with a guy like Rios. There is always the puncher's chance, especially with a game fighter like Brandon Rios.
I wish there were some middle ground between "with your shield or on it," as the Spartans used to say. For fighters like Brandon Rios, there isn't.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Amir Khan: Business is Boxing
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Amir Khan: Business is Boxing
The jist of this article by boxing news is that Amir Khan doesn't belong in the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Who knew?
It's a little arch, the way it's written, but good, a little on the intellectual side. I only partly agree with the "boxing is business" first opinion. The real fight fans appreciate real talent.
It's not that Khan is without. It's just that he was EXPOSED -- which is what boxing does. So he'll go down in four, I think. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't go down myself in four, or three, or two, or really (why not tell the truth) the first shot?
I love Mayweather Jr. . I do. I always did. I don't know why exactly but I always knew the guy was history. History in the same way that Ali is history, and Joe Louis, and well, there are many.
But right now Mayweather is living history and it's just great to watch the ring savvy, the intelligence, the capturing of the other guy's spirits, and the breaking down.
I never did understand those Mayweather haters, but I suppose it all good b/c they made Mayweather rise to his destiny as one of the all-time greats.
The jist of this article by boxing news is that Amir Khan doesn't belong in the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Who knew?
It's a little arch, the way it's written, but good, a little on the intellectual side. I only partly agree with the "boxing is business" first opinion. The real fight fans appreciate real talent.
It's not that Khan is without. It's just that he was EXPOSED -- which is what boxing does. So he'll go down in four, I think. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't go down myself in four, or three, or two, or really (why not tell the truth) the first shot?
I love Mayweather Jr. . I do. I always did. I don't know why exactly but I always knew the guy was history. History in the same way that Ali is history, and Joe Louis, and well, there are many.
But right now Mayweather is living history and it's just great to watch the ring savvy, the intelligence, the capturing of the other guy's spirits, and the breaking down.
I never did understand those Mayweather haters, but I suppose it all good b/c they made Mayweather rise to his destiny as one of the all-time greats.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
More bad news for boxing? The weight is over with Chavez Jr.
More bad news for boxing? The weight is over with Chavez Jr.
Meanwhile, an angry Ronnie Shields — Vera’s trainer — told BoxingScene.com late Wednesday night that an agreement for the fight to be contested at 173 had been reached, and that Vera was going to be financially compensated for putting up with this garbage.
That’s fine. But to jerk Vera around like this just because you are Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and you can get away with it because there is no way Vera is going to back out of a fight with the mighty “Son of the Legend,” is just rotten.
Meanwhile, an angry Ronnie Shields — Vera’s trainer — told BoxingScene.com late Wednesday night that an agreement for the fight to be contested at 173 had been reached, and that Vera was going to be financially compensated for putting up with this garbage.
That’s fine. But to jerk Vera around like this just because you are Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and you can get away with it because there is no way Vera is going to back out of a fight with the mighty “Son of the Legend,” is just rotten.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Boxing: So Simple A Child Could Do It.... - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com
Boxing: So Simple A Child Could Do It.... - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com
That's my former boxing coach, Jesse Harris, working with little Joey D., aged 5 going on the big 6 at the time this clip was taken. Worth watching. Give it up, y'all.... :)
That's my former boxing coach, Jesse Harris, working with little Joey D., aged 5 going on the big 6 at the time this clip was taken. Worth watching. Give it up, y'all.... :)
Monday, September 16, 2013
Nevada boxing boss defends judge in Mayweather fight
Nevada boxing boss defends judge in Mayweather fight
The link above connects to the comments and opinion of a Nevada Boxing Commission chief who defended the scoring of judge C.J Ross in the Mayweather vs. Alvarez fight this past weekend. Ross had is scored an even match, a draw.
Everyone now is asking the obvious question. How could anyone score the fight a draw?
In the early rounds, Canelo kept the fight competitive and had some scoring flurries so you might have given him a couple of rounds there if you were generous and liked the style, the red hair, the appearance of aggression.
Some judges and spectators simply like a guy who appears to trudge forward in a menacing fashion. It wouldn't be fair to say that was all Alvarez was capable of doing because he's an excellent boxer, too, with quick hands, serious power, and as much savoir as a 23 year old could have against an accomplished veteran like Mayweather.
But there is aggression and the appearance of agression. To me, Mayweather was the more effective aggressor because the idea of aggression is to break your opponent down and get him under control. If that involves taking a step back or sideways before delivering your combinations, then you do that.
And Mayweather did exactly that, again and again, at will, and if you think Canelo's big punches that didn't land or ever freeze Mayweather were a reason to award scoring points, then you don't belong as a judge on the Nevada SAC.
After 4 or five rounds, Mayweather had the measure of his man and drilled him repeatedly with punches that would have dropped a lesser man than the young Alvarez.
In short, the "draw" judge was b.s. and should be removed. As for the idiotic justifications by the Nevada Athletic Commission bureaucrat, he should be removed too for insulting the intelligence of the fan-in-the-street.
No way was the fight a draw. And no way was C.J. Ross a judge of boxing.
The link above connects to the comments and opinion of a Nevada Boxing Commission chief who defended the scoring of judge C.J Ross in the Mayweather vs. Alvarez fight this past weekend. Ross had is scored an even match, a draw.
Everyone now is asking the obvious question. How could anyone score the fight a draw?
In the early rounds, Canelo kept the fight competitive and had some scoring flurries so you might have given him a couple of rounds there if you were generous and liked the style, the red hair, the appearance of aggression.
Some judges and spectators simply like a guy who appears to trudge forward in a menacing fashion. It wouldn't be fair to say that was all Alvarez was capable of doing because he's an excellent boxer, too, with quick hands, serious power, and as much savoir as a 23 year old could have against an accomplished veteran like Mayweather.
But there is aggression and the appearance of agression. To me, Mayweather was the more effective aggressor because the idea of aggression is to break your opponent down and get him under control. If that involves taking a step back or sideways before delivering your combinations, then you do that.
And Mayweather did exactly that, again and again, at will, and if you think Canelo's big punches that didn't land or ever freeze Mayweather were a reason to award scoring points, then you don't belong as a judge on the Nevada SAC.
After 4 or five rounds, Mayweather had the measure of his man and drilled him repeatedly with punches that would have dropped a lesser man than the young Alvarez.
In short, the "draw" judge was b.s. and should be removed. As for the idiotic justifications by the Nevada Athletic Commission bureaucrat, he should be removed too for insulting the intelligence of the fan-in-the-street.
No way was the fight a draw. And no way was C.J. Ross a judge of boxing.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Adonis Stevenson Scores 1st Round KO of Chad Dawson.
HBO's Boxing after Dark this past weekend put Canadian Adonis Stevenson against Chad Dawson in the Super Middleweight division and the result was explosive. Dawson got knocked out cold in the first round, as everyone knows, and everyone should also remember the old John Dunne rumination:
"Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee."
Okay, that's not the entire quote but it's the part most remembered. People in the fight game may not be steeped in Olde English, but they know what it means anyway. If you have never been KOd, then you've never been hit hard enough.
In boxing, everyone knows how to punch, and all it takes is one. Adonis Stevenson is a particularly heavy puncher but the task could have been accomplished by any decent puncher trained in the 'sweet science." And if Dawson caught Stevenson cold, the KO might have gone the other way.
I've got two points to make here. I like it that a 35 year old ex-con Stevenson made it back into a redemptive space. He seems an interesting, colorful boxer with a long half-life ahead of him in the sport of boxing. I hope he doesn't turn into a one-hit wonder like Buster Douglas b/c I'd like to see more of him--in a regular boxing match where his opponent sticks around for a little while.
The other thing, and most importantly, is that there will be a tendency for boxing fans to write off Chad Dawson. Agreed, he might be finished. Having been taken apart by the great Andre Ward, and being dropped three times during that fight, Dawson could easily have a confidence problem, as anyone of sound mind would.
And the Stevenson KO only adds to the mental burden, coming out of nowhere as it did. Being dropped, KOd, or even hit hard does something to you and, if you're anything like me, makes you realize you might not be ready for prime time boxing.
If Dawson wants to continue in the game, he's going to have to look down into himself and find the pieces of his soul, say 'screw them all' and put his pieces back together again. He's got to ignore the boxing writers and the blood-hungry fans who will now say he wasn't much to begin with.
Boxing writers are always welcome to get in the ring with even a has-been fighter, but their theories never hold when faced with such invitations. It's all bullshit, anyway.
Andre Ward is a boxing genius, a safe-cracker. He's beaten everyone so should all his previous opponents just give up their dreams and fade away?
And anyone who's been caught cold knows what can happen to you. Boom, hello-goodbye! After all, it's boxing, and the amazing reality of it, the courage, the painful drive hidden deep down in the fighter is what makes us love it.
Be kind to Dawson in his struggles. The bell tolls for thee, brother.
"Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee."
Okay, that's not the entire quote but it's the part most remembered. People in the fight game may not be steeped in Olde English, but they know what it means anyway. If you have never been KOd, then you've never been hit hard enough.
In boxing, everyone knows how to punch, and all it takes is one. Adonis Stevenson is a particularly heavy puncher but the task could have been accomplished by any decent puncher trained in the 'sweet science." And if Dawson caught Stevenson cold, the KO might have gone the other way.
I've got two points to make here. I like it that a 35 year old ex-con Stevenson made it back into a redemptive space. He seems an interesting, colorful boxer with a long half-life ahead of him in the sport of boxing. I hope he doesn't turn into a one-hit wonder like Buster Douglas b/c I'd like to see more of him--in a regular boxing match where his opponent sticks around for a little while.
The other thing, and most importantly, is that there will be a tendency for boxing fans to write off Chad Dawson. Agreed, he might be finished. Having been taken apart by the great Andre Ward, and being dropped three times during that fight, Dawson could easily have a confidence problem, as anyone of sound mind would.
And the Stevenson KO only adds to the mental burden, coming out of nowhere as it did. Being dropped, KOd, or even hit hard does something to you and, if you're anything like me, makes you realize you might not be ready for prime time boxing.
If Dawson wants to continue in the game, he's going to have to look down into himself and find the pieces of his soul, say 'screw them all' and put his pieces back together again. He's got to ignore the boxing writers and the blood-hungry fans who will now say he wasn't much to begin with.
Boxing writers are always welcome to get in the ring with even a has-been fighter, but their theories never hold when faced with such invitations. It's all bullshit, anyway.
Andre Ward is a boxing genius, a safe-cracker. He's beaten everyone so should all his previous opponents just give up their dreams and fade away?
And anyone who's been caught cold knows what can happen to you. Boom, hello-goodbye! After all, it's boxing, and the amazing reality of it, the courage, the painful drive hidden deep down in the fighter is what makes us love it.
Be kind to Dawson in his struggles. The bell tolls for thee, brother.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Rigondeaux Outpoints Donaire in Game, Set, Match
Okay, I like Rigondeaux. I like Donaire. I agree with the decision, though I thought the HBO announcers did indulge themselves too much in their overly enthusastic account of the match--crediting Rigondeaux with more than he displayed.
Roy Jones was the best of the three, providing an honest account. Max Kellerman used to be better when he was new to the sports announcing game. Lampley was just OK. They had it right. Rigondeaux did jump out to an early lead. Donaire appeared listless, unfocused, and his body looked a little soft if you ask me.
Rigo displayed a lot of really great stuff, a sense of timing that Donaire couldn't counter, power in the straight left, and power in the right hook (he's a southpaw). His punches were unpredictable and truly explosive, as he described himself. But what Rigo didn't display was a determination to get Donaire out of there.
Getting Donaire "out of there" is a boxing fan decision, and it was in contrast to what Rigo wanted to do--which is to win. To win against Donaire, what do you do? You avoid getting knocked out, for one thing. You use your legs to control the distance between the fighters. Rigo's great at that, moving like a shadow, and interrupting Donaire's rhythms. Rigo's own rhythms set the pattern of the fight the whole night long.
Donaire expected more fighting, so did the fans, but Rigo blasted powerful shots and then ghosted away. Donaire was following him all night, and walking into blasts as he tried to score the kill shot.
There was a look of great satisfaction on Donaires' face during the later round when he put Rigo on his ass. But a moment of private satisfaction did not lead to victory for the Filipino champion.
True Confession: I'm one of those guys who appreciates a technical fight. If I had such skills, I'd do it the same way as Rigondeaux did. You get the belt and the money that comes with the title matchups. It's a business. Rigondeaux worked too hard in his life to be a fool now at the moment of his greatest opportunity.
Donaire? He spent too much time figuring out what to do about Rigo's style. The clock ticked. The punches hurt. His corner might have been a little meaner with him and told him he lost too many rounds early.
It's a pussy thing to say but I like it that he was waxing so large about his pretty wife and expected baby. You couldn't say that Rigondeaux took the fight to him--he didn't. You couldn't say he lost so much as you could say he didn't win.
Rigondeaux, what I know of him, is good. Good to have him in America. He's gifted with skills you can't pick up from training, no matter how hard you train. He looks like a guy with good work habits, great focus, a winner.
Down the road, I see exciting fights, more exciting than last night.
Roy Jones was the best of the three, providing an honest account. Max Kellerman used to be better when he was new to the sports announcing game. Lampley was just OK. They had it right. Rigondeaux did jump out to an early lead. Donaire appeared listless, unfocused, and his body looked a little soft if you ask me.
Rigo displayed a lot of really great stuff, a sense of timing that Donaire couldn't counter, power in the straight left, and power in the right hook (he's a southpaw). His punches were unpredictable and truly explosive, as he described himself. But what Rigo didn't display was a determination to get Donaire out of there.
Getting Donaire "out of there" is a boxing fan decision, and it was in contrast to what Rigo wanted to do--which is to win. To win against Donaire, what do you do? You avoid getting knocked out, for one thing. You use your legs to control the distance between the fighters. Rigo's great at that, moving like a shadow, and interrupting Donaire's rhythms. Rigo's own rhythms set the pattern of the fight the whole night long.
Donaire expected more fighting, so did the fans, but Rigo blasted powerful shots and then ghosted away. Donaire was following him all night, and walking into blasts as he tried to score the kill shot.
There was a look of great satisfaction on Donaires' face during the later round when he put Rigo on his ass. But a moment of private satisfaction did not lead to victory for the Filipino champion.
True Confession: I'm one of those guys who appreciates a technical fight. If I had such skills, I'd do it the same way as Rigondeaux did. You get the belt and the money that comes with the title matchups. It's a business. Rigondeaux worked too hard in his life to be a fool now at the moment of his greatest opportunity.
Donaire? He spent too much time figuring out what to do about Rigo's style. The clock ticked. The punches hurt. His corner might have been a little meaner with him and told him he lost too many rounds early.
It's a pussy thing to say but I like it that he was waxing so large about his pretty wife and expected baby. You couldn't say that Rigondeaux took the fight to him--he didn't. You couldn't say he lost so much as you could say he didn't win.
Rigondeaux, what I know of him, is good. Good to have him in America. He's gifted with skills you can't pick up from training, no matter how hard you train. He looks like a guy with good work habits, great focus, a winner.
Down the road, I see exciting fights, more exciting than last night.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Floyd Mayweather Predicts Bob Arum Screwing Manny Pacquiao To Lose In An Old Interview - YouTube
Floyd Mayweather Predicts Bob Arum Screwing Manny Pacquiao To Lose In An Old Interview - YouTube
Ha, I love this guy.... He tells the truth.... Not to mention he's right up there with the gods of boxing...
Ha, I love this guy.... He tells the truth.... Not to mention he's right up there with the gods of boxing...
Monday, January 21, 2013
50-year-old fighter stopped in 1st round - Yahoo! Sports
50-year-old fighter stopped in 1st round -
At least the bout was more entertaining than watching Obama's Coronation. Where's the film?
Guerrero is a tougher fight than Pacman would have been for Mayweather. Still, I pick Mayweather to beat anyone out there--until he's 50.
At least the bout was more entertaining than watching Obama's Coronation. Where's the film?
Guerrero is a tougher fight than Pacman would have been for Mayweather. Still, I pick Mayweather to beat anyone out there--until he's 50.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Famous USS Steve Cunningham vs. Tomasz Adamek Robbery Case
Black guys, white guys, Arabs, Jews, and Asians…. the entire
alphabet soup that is the world… none of
it matters in boxing. There is only one
truth, and it is in the ring, even if the truth doesn’t repose with the judges.
The truth didn’t repose with the judges in the case of USS
Steve Cunningham in a long awaited 2nd fight with Tomasz
Adamek. Stipulate that I like
Adamek. He’s a machine of a man, as
tough and determined as they come. In a
sense, he looks invincible.
That’s what trainer Nazim Richardson thought, as he and Cunningham worked out a fight plan
that should have put them in the win column.
Stipulate also that Adamek can knock you out, and that that’s something
to be avoided.
Take a long look at boxing.
Everyone loves a puncher, a KO artist, especially the squares. Pour blood in the ring and the mob will think
it’s a great fight—even when it isn’t.
Cunningham vs. Adamek was a great fight because it pitted a
tough boxer against a tough boxer-puncher with a shorter reach. What’s a guy like Cunningham to do? Is he
supposed to put himself in harm’s way, in a place that says, ‘Hey, Tomasz, here
I am and come and knock me out?”
Ridiculous. Imagine
yourself in a fight. You know the other
guy is stronger, can knock you out. The
crowd behind you is exhorting you to g’head, fight!... slug it out!... Mix it
up…get in close and punch. You’re going
to do it, but only if you’re an effing idiot.
Cunningham boxed and Adamek pressed, and eventually two of
the three judges decided they liked a guy who “came forward.” How many points do you give a guy who “comes
forward” when he’s catching more shots than the net at a Knicks game?
So two of the judges read the boxing claims manual and
woodenly decidedly to give Adamek every round he managed to walk forward in,
which was most of them. But Adamek was
beaten, and beaten while standing up. The third judge saw that, and awarded the
fight to Cunningham.
OK, I had it Cunningham won, but even if I were wrong, the
best that could be said of it was a draw.
Some guys won’t go down, not in 12 rounds, and Adamek is one
of them. You think that maybe he would have
gone down in 15, or maybe Cunningham would have slacked off and got knocked
out.
I’m okay with the 12 round limit. I used to like the 15
round limit but I don't like to see fighters die or become brain-dead.
There is another solution:
five judges instead of three.
With five judges, it would remove some of the suspicions that the fights
are “fixed.” It would be very difficult
to sway three of five judges, when it is challenging to, by questionable means,
to sway only the two needed for a win.
Just my thought on the Cunningham Robbery. Oh, and by the way, you got to see a
fantastic boxer in Steve Cunningham. The
real deal. Try fighting Adamek yourself
sometime.
G’head…. Put your head out there. Think about it.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Leo Santa Cruz Outlasts Alberto Guerrero
Love the bantamweights. They don't rest; they don't quit; it's non-stop action. That's the way it was in LA when CBS broadcast a free championship fight. It was the build-up to the CBS and Showtime broadcast of the Amir Khan comeback.
A pure case of the prelim IBF championsip bouts topping the 'main event.' The short of it is that Leo Santa Cruz won a unanimous decision, but struggled in the early rounds, as Alberto Guerrero showed he knew what boxing was about.
Guerrero knew he couldn't slug it out with tough guy Santa Cruz so he boxed, and boxed,and boxed. He did it well enough so that you couldn't accuse him of running.
What Guerrero did was smart, and he had fast hands, fast enough to land deft combinations often enough to have Pauli Malignaggi, suddenly a boxing commentator) praising him profusely.
Malignaggi had a bad case of wishful thinking, though.
Malinaggi obviously favored the hit and run style of Guerrero and was sort of praising himself by default. I wasn't so much impressed with Malignaggi ever but I have grown to appreciate him.
he did a fair job of providing commentary for the match, so...whatever.
Meanwhile, back in the ring, Santa Cruz has sustained some damage at Guerrero's sharp punching but the issue was always this:
What would happen when Guerrero tired?
He had never gone 12 and he began to slow in the middle rounds, and toward the end was getting tagged pretty much when trying to leave the engagement. Santa Cruz seemed to have good luck firing the last punch, a left hook, as Guerrero ended his cobinations.
Santa Cruz eventually broke him down and that was that. But both guys showed heart and neither had any intention of quitting. Mexican fighters don't seem to have the word "quit" in their vocabulary.
A cynical promotor might have called this IBF title fight "Class Warfare" or something similarly lame because the two fighters had vastly different backgrounds.
Guerrero is a college boy, a middle class college kid who is also studying to be a lawyer. But if his performance last night was any indication of future success, I'd say he'd be a bang-up shylocks. He was strong, determined, and a "pretty fighter" with decent pop in his punches (though not a KO artist.)
Leo Santa Cruz had an interesting background story, too. His was a narrative of crushing poverty and disappointment, the large family living in a small apartment until Leo's boxing proceeds allowed them to buy a small bungalow that was still crowded.
Leo's brother was supposed to be the fighter in the family but was diagnosed with Lupus. So Leo Santa Cruz took up the family leadership, fighting for the family honor, for his brother's medical treatment, for better living conditions.
I know a little bit of poverty myself, currently not so much, but early on I could go toe to toe with the best of them (and the worst).
So I'm glad for Santa Cruz who should go on to get bigger fights. But Guerrero wasn't the type of guy you could pad your record with. The funny thing was that, at the end, Santa Cruz felt he had to apologize for not knocking out Guerrero.
Maybe he had metal fatigue. The kid's a fighter. This was his fifth fight in the 2012 year and he was looking like a champion.
Oh, and did I mention that Amir Khan KOd Carlos Molina in Round 10? The boxing writers say Molina was overmatched. In other words, they gave Khan an easy fight to give him confidence.
Khan boasted to Danny Garcia, present at ringside, that he would have beaten him if they'd fought tonight. But the night he did fight Garcia wasn't his night, as they put it in "On the Waterfront."
"It wasn't your night, Kid.," Rod Steiger tells Marlon Brando. So Khan's next fight will be the one that tells if he's on the "one way street to Palookaville," as the dialogue has it in the movie.
So I end with this terribly literary analogy. I'm doing it on purpose. I've lived it both ways. And now I'm doing it "my way." LOL. Peace out.
A pure case of the prelim IBF championsip bouts topping the 'main event.' The short of it is that Leo Santa Cruz won a unanimous decision, but struggled in the early rounds, as Alberto Guerrero showed he knew what boxing was about.
Guerrero knew he couldn't slug it out with tough guy Santa Cruz so he boxed, and boxed,and boxed. He did it well enough so that you couldn't accuse him of running.
What Guerrero did was smart, and he had fast hands, fast enough to land deft combinations often enough to have Pauli Malignaggi, suddenly a boxing commentator) praising him profusely.
Malignaggi had a bad case of wishful thinking, though.
Malinaggi obviously favored the hit and run style of Guerrero and was sort of praising himself by default. I wasn't so much impressed with Malignaggi ever but I have grown to appreciate him.
he did a fair job of providing commentary for the match, so...whatever.
Meanwhile, back in the ring, Santa Cruz has sustained some damage at Guerrero's sharp punching but the issue was always this:
What would happen when Guerrero tired?
He had never gone 12 and he began to slow in the middle rounds, and toward the end was getting tagged pretty much when trying to leave the engagement. Santa Cruz seemed to have good luck firing the last punch, a left hook, as Guerrero ended his cobinations.
Santa Cruz eventually broke him down and that was that. But both guys showed heart and neither had any intention of quitting. Mexican fighters don't seem to have the word "quit" in their vocabulary.
A cynical promotor might have called this IBF title fight "Class Warfare" or something similarly lame because the two fighters had vastly different backgrounds.
Guerrero is a college boy, a middle class college kid who is also studying to be a lawyer. But if his performance last night was any indication of future success, I'd say he'd be a bang-up shylocks. He was strong, determined, and a "pretty fighter" with decent pop in his punches (though not a KO artist.)
Leo Santa Cruz had an interesting background story, too. His was a narrative of crushing poverty and disappointment, the large family living in a small apartment until Leo's boxing proceeds allowed them to buy a small bungalow that was still crowded.
Leo's brother was supposed to be the fighter in the family but was diagnosed with Lupus. So Leo Santa Cruz took up the family leadership, fighting for the family honor, for his brother's medical treatment, for better living conditions.
I know a little bit of poverty myself, currently not so much, but early on I could go toe to toe with the best of them (and the worst).
So I'm glad for Santa Cruz who should go on to get bigger fights. But Guerrero wasn't the type of guy you could pad your record with. The funny thing was that, at the end, Santa Cruz felt he had to apologize for not knocking out Guerrero.
Maybe he had metal fatigue. The kid's a fighter. This was his fifth fight in the 2012 year and he was looking like a champion.
Oh, and did I mention that Amir Khan KOd Carlos Molina in Round 10? The boxing writers say Molina was overmatched. In other words, they gave Khan an easy fight to give him confidence.
Khan boasted to Danny Garcia, present at ringside, that he would have beaten him if they'd fought tonight. But the night he did fight Garcia wasn't his night, as they put it in "On the Waterfront."
"It wasn't your night, Kid.," Rod Steiger tells Marlon Brando. So Khan's next fight will be the one that tells if he's on the "one way street to Palookaville," as the dialogue has it in the movie.
So I end with this terribly literary analogy. I'm doing it on purpose. I've lived it both ways. And now I'm doing it "my way." LOL. Peace out.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Amir Khan Takes on Carlos Molina After CBS Free TV Boxing Card
Some good news in boxing is that it is returning to free TV today at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. Since we're nearing Christmas, I guess I could have titled this one "Santa Cruz Is Coming to Town" because Leo Santa Cruz is one of the earlier fights on the card.
He's from California and will be facing bantamweight Alberto Guerrero of Mexico. The smaller they are the harder they fight, in my opinion. I'm exagerrating but but a little bit if you consider teh dullness in the heavyweight ranks.
I think it's all very hard in the weight classes up to middle and light-heavy, because that's where the largest number of fighters are. To even have your name mentioned in boxing at these weights, you've got to have gone through the boxing equivalent of the Battle of the Bulge.
Anyway, I'm prejudiced. I've been beaten up pretty good by guys much smaller than myself--in the gym, I mean. I'm not a boxer, not really; I just like the sport and I've put in a little time in the amateurs. Don't write me off, however, I know a little something.
The same fight card has one of my favorite fighters on it -- Alfredo Angulo (21-2, 18 KOs) vs.Jorge Silva (19-2-2, 15 KOs).. I love Angulo--he's just tough, durable, serious. I don't know exactly why I love the guy so much but I guess it's because he takes some hard fights--witness the one he lost against James Kirland. For that matter check the whole record at BoxRec.
Anyway, the top billed fight will be Amir Khan vs. Carlos Molina. I'm for Molina but I'm trying to get over my prejudices against Khan. Paying more attention to him lately, I've begun to like him at least on the personal side if not on the boxing side.
Khan has fired Freddie Roach and hired Virgil Hunter (who trains Andre Ward). The object, of course, was to get better at boxing. Khan is very fast and has great reach, punches hard, etc but he seems to fight in a single plane. Front, back, mostly frontal---coming at you in a straight line.
That didn't work against Philly Homeboy Danny Garcia, a bit slower, but a never-say-die type of ebullient, nice, pleasant street kid who embodies streets of Philadelphia in the way that Bernard Hopkins, Hank Lundy, and an entire history of other Philly fighters have.
So to make a long story short, will Khan learn to adjust to different conditions? Is his jaw still fragile? Molina's likely to test that and take advantage of Khan's losses to Danny Garcia and to Lamont Peterson before that.
If Khan loses tonight, he'll do well as a matinee idol. He's handsome, well-spoken, and perhaps can find solid career elsewhere in the entertainment business. Anyway, his last two losses have put him back to scale--now we'll see if strike three means he's down for the count or whether he really has the heart for a comeback and the fighting skills to achieve it.
He's from California and will be facing bantamweight Alberto Guerrero of Mexico. The smaller they are the harder they fight, in my opinion. I'm exagerrating but but a little bit if you consider teh dullness in the heavyweight ranks.
I think it's all very hard in the weight classes up to middle and light-heavy, because that's where the largest number of fighters are. To even have your name mentioned in boxing at these weights, you've got to have gone through the boxing equivalent of the Battle of the Bulge.
Anyway, I'm prejudiced. I've been beaten up pretty good by guys much smaller than myself--in the gym, I mean. I'm not a boxer, not really; I just like the sport and I've put in a little time in the amateurs. Don't write me off, however, I know a little something.
The same fight card has one of my favorite fighters on it -- Alfredo Angulo (21-2, 18 KOs) vs.Jorge Silva (19-2-2, 15 KOs).. I love Angulo--he's just tough, durable, serious. I don't know exactly why I love the guy so much but I guess it's because he takes some hard fights--witness the one he lost against James Kirland. For that matter check the whole record at BoxRec.
Anyway, the top billed fight will be Amir Khan vs. Carlos Molina. I'm for Molina but I'm trying to get over my prejudices against Khan. Paying more attention to him lately, I've begun to like him at least on the personal side if not on the boxing side.
Khan has fired Freddie Roach and hired Virgil Hunter (who trains Andre Ward). The object, of course, was to get better at boxing. Khan is very fast and has great reach, punches hard, etc but he seems to fight in a single plane. Front, back, mostly frontal---coming at you in a straight line.
That didn't work against Philly Homeboy Danny Garcia, a bit slower, but a never-say-die type of ebullient, nice, pleasant street kid who embodies streets of Philadelphia in the way that Bernard Hopkins, Hank Lundy, and an entire history of other Philly fighters have.
So to make a long story short, will Khan learn to adjust to different conditions? Is his jaw still fragile? Molina's likely to test that and take advantage of Khan's losses to Danny Garcia and to Lamont Peterson before that.
If Khan loses tonight, he'll do well as a matinee idol. He's handsome, well-spoken, and perhaps can find solid career elsewhere in the entertainment business. Anyway, his last two losses have put him back to scale--now we'll see if strike three means he's down for the count or whether he really has the heart for a comeback and the fighting skills to achieve it.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Andre Ward KOs Chad Dawson in 10th round - Home » Other Sections » Breaking News
Andre Ward KOs Chad Dawson in 10th round - Home » Other Sections » Breaking News
Before seeing Andre Ward knocking out "Bad" Chad Dawson in the 10th round Saturday night, I had read a "Ringside Report" story covering the pre-fight interviews. What Andre Ward had to say about the upcoming fight resonated with me, though it had little to do with Chad Dawson:
"The biggest talk comes from individuals who have never laced on a pair
of gloves in their life."
So far as I'm concerned, that statement can't be uttered often enough. I've been in the ring as an amateur and my "career" rating would range from "not much" to "maybe never." G'head, laugh if you want to, but if you've ever climbed into the ropes to face some guy you never met or maybe one you did, you know it ain't all that easy even at the lowest rungs of the boxing ladder.
Well, I'm a boxing loser alright, but not so much a loser as those people Andre Ward was talking about--"individuals who have never laced on pair of gloves in their life." I hear those people going on and on fo-evah about how so-and-so's a "bum" and how he "laid down" or wasn't in the top tier or wha'evah!... Fact is such people don't know what it feels like in there to be out on your feet and trying to fight back.
Usually, they are the same people who think a fight is boring if it goes to a decision, as if all those punches were pitty-pats that they could easily have stood up to. Yeah, well those pitty-pats could launch such people out into the 17th row, especially if they came from a fighter with some much ring smarts, poise, and talent as Andre Ward.
So the rap on Ward was that he had no KO punch--which is a joke on many levels. There are guys who just don't go down. You can hit them with a .45 cal and they'll still be standing there winging punches at you. Ask Jake LaMotta. You can even find them in amateur gyms. I knew one Manny Diaz who could take such a beating from name pros without ever going down and with no chance of winning.
Anyway, Andre Ward is great. Chad Dawson was no chump, a terrific fighter with a solid chin, and he goes down in the 10th. Jes' sayin' ..... have a little respect for the sport. I do. At least I proved I can take a beating. That's important in life, you know, that you can take a beating and keep on ticking.
Andre Ward KOs Chad Dawson in 10th round - Home » Other Sections » Breaking News
All praise to Andre Ward. Much respect to Chad Dawson.
Before seeing Andre Ward knocking out "Bad" Chad Dawson in the 10th round Saturday night, I had read a "Ringside Report" story covering the pre-fight interviews. What Andre Ward had to say about the upcoming fight resonated with me, though it had little to do with Chad Dawson:
"The biggest talk comes from individuals who have never laced on a pair
of gloves in their life."
So far as I'm concerned, that statement can't be uttered often enough. I've been in the ring as an amateur and my "career" rating would range from "not much" to "maybe never." G'head, laugh if you want to, but if you've ever climbed into the ropes to face some guy you never met or maybe one you did, you know it ain't all that easy even at the lowest rungs of the boxing ladder.
Well, I'm a boxing loser alright, but not so much a loser as those people Andre Ward was talking about--"individuals who have never laced on pair of gloves in their life." I hear those people going on and on fo-evah about how so-and-so's a "bum" and how he "laid down" or wasn't in the top tier or wha'evah!... Fact is such people don't know what it feels like in there to be out on your feet and trying to fight back.
Usually, they are the same people who think a fight is boring if it goes to a decision, as if all those punches were pitty-pats that they could easily have stood up to. Yeah, well those pitty-pats could launch such people out into the 17th row, especially if they came from a fighter with some much ring smarts, poise, and talent as Andre Ward.
So the rap on Ward was that he had no KO punch--which is a joke on many levels. There are guys who just don't go down. You can hit them with a .45 cal and they'll still be standing there winging punches at you. Ask Jake LaMotta. You can even find them in amateur gyms. I knew one Manny Diaz who could take such a beating from name pros without ever going down and with no chance of winning.
Anyway, Andre Ward is great. Chad Dawson was no chump, a terrific fighter with a solid chin, and he goes down in the 10th. Jes' sayin' ..... have a little respect for the sport. I do. At least I proved I can take a beating. That's important in life, you know, that you can take a beating and keep on ticking.
Andre Ward KOs Chad Dawson in 10th round - Home » Other Sections » Breaking News
All praise to Andre Ward. Much respect to Chad Dawson.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Ethanol Monster Devouring America - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com
Click Here: Ethanol Monster Devouring America - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com
COMMENTARY | The Wall Street Journal today criticized Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for claiming, on the basis of faulty research, that ethanol lowers gas prices. It does not lower my fuel prices.
COMMENTARY | The Wall Street Journal today criticized Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for claiming, on the basis of faulty research, that ethanol lowers gas prices. It does not lower my fuel prices.
My vendetta against corn ethanol began last year with one destroyed lawn mower and two destroyed chain saws. I had to replace all three because I was ignorant about the ethanol additive that, over time, becomes a sticky, engine-killing varnish.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
I Won a Dollar on Danny Garcia Beating Amir Khan
Last night, Danny “Swift” Garcia shocked Amir Khan and his
more than 1 million Twitter fans with a KO Victory.
Alright, it wasn’t big money but I was one of only six
percent of boxing fans who bet Danny “Swift” Garcia would knock out Amir Khan
in last night’s fight at the Mandalay Bay Casino.
I won a dollar from fellow fight fan David L. at whose home
I watched the match.
The risk was greater to my reputation than to my
wallet. One reason for that was that I’d
never seen Khan fight live and had only seen YouTube snippets of the Pakistani
boxer.
But I’d seen Danny Garcia.
I met him when he was a scrawny kid boxing in the Pennsylvania amateurs. He was “nice,” as they say, but not in the
way a parent applies the word to a son’s new girlfriend.
Danny was “nice,” as in tough, convincing fighter, the type
you often find in streets of Philadelphia.
He wasn’t the best boxer in the world, and Khan boxed better, but Danny
was the kind of stick-around kid that would overcome your fancy footwork, long
reach and straight power punches, and then he’d roll right over you.
Danny wasn’t even looking when he launched a swooping left
banger that floored Khan for the first of three times before ref Kenny Bayliss
stopped it.
The reason Danny wasn’t looking was because he was eating a
Khan right hand that pushed he head down and blew out his cheeks.
But that’s why I bet a dollar on Danny. I knew he would be there, outclassed but not
outfought. If you landed an effective
three-punch combination, you could count on it that something would be coming
back at you.
It was coming. You
might slip it, you might let it slide off, but it was coming. Danny would take two or three to give one but
it was coming.
For Khan, it came in fits and starts until it came with concentrated
power in the third round, which left Khan rattled and reeling into his corner
between rounds.
When guys like Danny Garcia get you going, they don’t
stop. The killer instinct comes natural
to Philly fighter’s going back to B-hop, to Hank Lundy, to Joe Frasier, Witherspoon and a host of others.
If you’re reeling you’re going to go, and Danny Garcia went
at Khan with singular purpose and the memory chips of victory stamped into his fists,
brain, and body.
I have a great affinity for Philly fighters, if you don’t
know, and I thank Danny Garcia and his dad and crew for bringing it home. At the end, he thanked the people who
believed in him, and knew what it was that drove him.
As for Khan, I didn’t like him much at first, but he was
gracious in losing and had great athletic style. I wouldn’t go so far as saying I’m one of his
million ardent admirers but I have new respect for him.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Sergio Martinez: I will beat Julio junior so bad that he will become unrecognisable – Boxing News | bettor.com
Sergio Martinez: I will beat Julio junior so bad that he will become unrecognisable – Boxing News | bettor.com
This will be one to watch in September, and the Latino Macho championship is up for grabs. It's a hard one to pick with the unorthodox Martinez being 37 years old. He deserves a shot at Julio fer sure and I enjoy trash talk (James Toney being my favorite champion of trash talk) but I kinda' wished he hadn't said that thing about Julio's dad.
Something like "You better take a picture of your son b/c when I beat him up he's going to be unrecognizable."
That's going to ignite the Chavez camp as it's intended to do, hoping they'll waste energy on the psycho war, but it's not safe to strike a match while standing on stacks of dynamite. There are the Mexican fans in the Chavez crew who are likely to take the remark personally.
I hope I'm wrong. Muhammad Ali had the right idea with his style of trash talk, directed at the fighter, not his family. I heard Great Ali myself, and it was pretty good stuff, designed to wind up the opponent and get him to fight harder.
"Is that all you got punk? Shoot your load, punk. Is that it?..."
And so forth. Anyway, the moral lesson is over and Martinez is forgiven and I am looking forward to watching this fight. Chavez was underestimated before, and it's likely he'll be underestimated again.
But as with the Mayweather clan, boxing's historical imperative runs in the Chavez DNA, and a smart, strong kid like Chavez Jr., if not taken care of early, could punish Martinez severely in late rounds.
This will be one to watch in September, and the Latino Macho championship is up for grabs. It's a hard one to pick with the unorthodox Martinez being 37 years old. He deserves a shot at Julio fer sure and I enjoy trash talk (James Toney being my favorite champion of trash talk) but I kinda' wished he hadn't said that thing about Julio's dad.
Something like "You better take a picture of your son b/c when I beat him up he's going to be unrecognizable."
That's going to ignite the Chavez camp as it's intended to do, hoping they'll waste energy on the psycho war, but it's not safe to strike a match while standing on stacks of dynamite. There are the Mexican fans in the Chavez crew who are likely to take the remark personally.
I hope I'm wrong. Muhammad Ali had the right idea with his style of trash talk, directed at the fighter, not his family. I heard Great Ali myself, and it was pretty good stuff, designed to wind up the opponent and get him to fight harder.
"Is that all you got punk? Shoot your load, punk. Is that it?..."
And so forth. Anyway, the moral lesson is over and Martinez is forgiven and I am looking forward to watching this fight. Chavez was underestimated before, and it's likely he'll be underestimated again.
But as with the Mayweather clan, boxing's historical imperative runs in the Chavez DNA, and a smart, strong kid like Chavez Jr., if not taken care of early, could punish Martinez severely in late rounds.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Bryant Jennings vs. Maurice Byram: The Battle of Philadelphia Heavyweights
Pennsylvania Heavyweight Championship Belt held in Philadelphia in January 2012, and the fact I’m writing about it now should give you some idea of my own state of affairs.
Both Jennings and Byarm are from Philadelphia so that made the matchup sort of a neighborhood thing for me. So many great fighters have come out of Philadelphia, a fight town if ever there was one.
In the small world of amateur boxing, it’s a wonder that the two heavyweights never never met in the ring but that made it more interesting.
Both men took the fight on a week’s notice, with Byarm being the heavier of the two. The heavier Byarm was not markedly inferior in boxing skills but the overburdened mid-section gave the edge to opponent Jennings.
I thought both these guys could ascend to the higher levels of the sport but Jennings seemed to have a better grip on the body discipline.
Jennings is a heavyweight with fast hands, a tight left hook, a great sense of balance, and an awareness of ring space. I liked Byarm, a guy who knew what he was doing but wasn’t often allowed to do it.
The athletic Jennings looked like he’d been training for months. He controlled Byarm with the jab, mixed up his punches very well, and kept going hard in the paint for the whole ten.
Jennings got the UD. The takeaway is that Byarm could be a better heavyweight than this night showed, but needs desire and discipline. I liked him and wish he’d make a commitment to stay in shape.
Bryant Jennings looked like a guy who would do what he had to do to get to the top. He’s an impressive heavyweight prospect.
From Byarm, Jennings, having once been turned down for a fight with Liakhovich finally got what he wanted and pulled the big upset by stopping the big guy on March 24.
Bad Left Hook covered that fight and join the ranks of boxing watchers who think Bryant Jennings is a real future prospect.
Both Jennings and Byarm are from Philadelphia so that made the matchup sort of a neighborhood thing for me. So many great fighters have come out of Philadelphia, a fight town if ever there was one.
In the small world of amateur boxing, it’s a wonder that the two heavyweights never never met in the ring but that made it more interesting.
Both men took the fight on a week’s notice, with Byarm being the heavier of the two. The heavier Byarm was not markedly inferior in boxing skills but the overburdened mid-section gave the edge to opponent Jennings.
I thought both these guys could ascend to the higher levels of the sport but Jennings seemed to have a better grip on the body discipline.
Jennings is a heavyweight with fast hands, a tight left hook, a great sense of balance, and an awareness of ring space. I liked Byarm, a guy who knew what he was doing but wasn’t often allowed to do it.
The athletic Jennings looked like he’d been training for months. He controlled Byarm with the jab, mixed up his punches very well, and kept going hard in the paint for the whole ten.
Jennings got the UD. The takeaway is that Byarm could be a better heavyweight than this night showed, but needs desire and discipline. I liked him and wish he’d make a commitment to stay in shape.
Bryant Jennings looked like a guy who would do what he had to do to get to the top. He’s an impressive heavyweight prospect.
From Byarm, Jennings, having once been turned down for a fight with Liakhovich finally got what he wanted and pulled the big upset by stopping the big guy on March 24.
Bad Left Hook covered that fight and join the ranks of boxing watchers who think Bryant Jennings is a real future prospect.
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