Manny Pacquiao didn’t waste any time scoring a clean 2^nd round knockout over long time 140 pound king Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand Casino, Las Vegas last Saturday night.

 

Hatton opened up in his usual aggressive style looking to make the ring very small  for Pacquiao. And while Hatton succeeded in getting close, he couldn’t land anything of consequence and found himself getting clipped in the opening seconds of the fight. Pacquiao’s shots already began marking up Hatton only a minute into the first round.

 

About halfway through the opening round Pacquiao landed a right hook just as he slipped under a Hatton left hand, dropping the Hitman on his hands and knees in the center of the ring. Hatton took an eight count and rose. He had some fight left in him - but not much.

 

The Pacman express was in full force as he began banging Hatton around the ring at will. Hatton had no answers to deal with the fierce Filipino and was pounded to the floor for a another knockdown seconds before the end of the round.

 

Hatton made it out for  the next round but his body language said it all in the corner as his previous confidence was now gone and he seemed visibly  distracted in the corner, barely taking in any words of wisdom from his trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.

 

Hatton resumed the 2^nd round coming forward – what else was he going to do? Pacquiao didn’t appear too urgent considering that Hatton was ready to go at the end of round one.  But it didn’t matter. Pacquiao owned every part of what was happening in the ring and was beginning to ratchet things up by the second half of the round.

 

Pacquiao was like the tide, coming and going as he pleased while spearing Hatton with stinging combinations. With about 30 seconds left in round two Pacquiao slammed home a brutal right hook to Hatton’s body. Ricky felt that one and Pacquiao kept up the pressure. Then with about 5 seconds left in the round Pacquiao released a savage left cross that caught Hatton on the sweet spot of his chin. Lights out, game over. Hatton was out cold before he crashed to the floor. And crash he did as his head body and head bounced off the hard canvas with a thud.

 

This was as impressive a performance that Pacquiao has ever put together. Gone are the days of the whirlwind Filipino who was spectacularly talented but often off balance and wide open for counter punches.

 

Now he seems to instinctually know exactly what he should be doing in the ring. He knows when to slide in, when to turn and when to punch. And his balance is now excellent and as soon as his opponents leave any tiny opening, Pacquiao will reign in nasty combinations that leave his opponents grasping for answers.

 

It’s obvious to me that Pacquiao has done himself a great service by moving up in weight. Everything about him has improved with the weight gain. He’s not only fast but he’s extremely strong.  But he’s so quick and talented that he doesn’t have to grind much and makes things look so effortless and natural.

 

It’s incredible when you think back to when before Pacquiao fought de la Hoya and how most dismissed that as a ridiculous mismatch. But that turned out to be the best career move Pacquiao could make. Not only did that win set him up as being boxing’s cash cow but it’s allowed him to prove that he is indeed boxing’s best pound for pound fighter.

 

Many thought the de la Hoya win was a fluke and wanted to see how he’d fare against a very hard man like Hatton that had never come close to losing as a light welterweight. But I think this fight makes the de la Hoya win look more legitimate as Pacquiao handled a highly regarded Hatton even easier than Oscar.

 

De la Hoya said he was in good shape and felt good for the fight but Pacquiao has a way making his opponents feel as if they did everything wrong once they have spent a few minutes alone with him.

 

And fighting him now will be a tall order for anyone.  He’s hard to hit, he has blazing hand speed, he can move, he takes a good shot, he’s very strong and he always seems to have a great game plan.

 

He and trainer Freddy Roach go together like bread and butter. There is a mutual respect there and Roach has to be considered the top trainer in the game – he certainly is with Pacquiao.

 

So what does Pacquiao do next? Whatever he wants. He is the money man now so it shouldn’t be too hard getting opponents in the ring with him. And it’s an exciting time because there is some excellent young blood ( see Tim Bradley and Victor Ortiz) in the 140 pound division.

 

But while Pacquiao seems to be just peaking now, he has been a pro for 15 years.  I imagine his team will  probably be looking for mega fights although I’m certain Pacquiao would be willing to face anyone in the ring. We’ll see what happens. There is already talks of Pacquiao getting together with Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and of course returning Floyd Mayweather Jr.

 

I say bring them on.  They are all compelling fights and I’m not sure he’d be favored against any of these fighters. But I can tell you this, I have NEVER picked against Manny Pacquiao and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future.

 

As for Hatton, he’s been a terrific warrior and has had a hugely successful career. I wish him the best and think it’s time for him to move on from the ring. He was a great character  in the game and brought much to the sport and always gave it everything he had. He got everything, and then some, he could hope to get from his body over the years. Just a suggestion for Hatton in retirement – eat well and continue to work out or he’ll soon resemble a Ricky Hatton parade float.

If you were looking for a high magnitude fight that illustrates the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat then this fight was for you as Carl Froch snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a scintillating KO in the final seconds of their pitched battle for Froch’s WBC super middleweight crown at the Foxwoods Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut on Saturday night.

 

Former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor was looking to make a brutal KO loss to Kelly Pavlik two years ago a distant memory but this fight ended up like déjà vous all over again.

 

Taylor started off the match in fine fashion as he was able to beat Froch to the punch. Taylor looked speedy and strong. His recent reluctance to let his hands go was gone. He dropped Froch with a solid overhand right high on the head in the 3^rd round and was enjoying a big early lead on the cards.

 

Taylor continued to mostly get the better of things in the early and middle rounds but Froch wasn’t about to abandon the fight. Froch did seem confounded by Taylor’s natural speed but he kept up a slow, steady pressure that subtly began to sap Taylor’s energy and perhaps his will.

 

Taylor would often answer effectively to anything Froch did but he simply wasn’t able to discourage Froch too much. While Taylor landed a clean uppercut to end the eight round, Froch still seemed the fresher man as the boxers returned to their corners.

 

In the last third of the fight Froch began to take command but Taylor being the warrior that he is would always answer with something hard. Taylor had a somewhat ragged 11^th round but still landed some heavy leather late in the round.

 

It was apparent to me that Taylor was tired but I certain didn’t see it as a sure thing that the wheels were going to completely fall off the bus in the next round.  Even as much as halfway through the final round, Taylor appeared like he was going to see the final bell.  But Taylor’s fatigue met a perfectly timed right hand by Froch that was the beginning of the end.

 

Once Taylor’s legs badly buckled that was all Frock had to see. He went after Taylor like he has committed a crime against a loved one. He kept pounding the brave but dimming Taylor until a right hand left Taylor supine in a corner, with an arm draped over a rope. It was eerily similar to Taylors’ collapse against Pavlik.

 

Taylor had a glazed, stunned look but rose to his feet to receive his final dose of punishment. And Froch doled that out with abandon until Taylor was out on his feet and helpless forcing the ref to intercede with just 14 seconds left.

 

The stoppage was correct because he was completely defenseless and would have taken savage, possibly life changing  punches.I picked Froch to win and was pleased in that regard but I couldn’t help but feel horribly for Taylor. His disappointment was apparent and watching someone put it all that out there to come up short in that way tugged at my heartstrings. Even though I handicap fights devoid of emotion, Taylor’s visage at the and was hard to watch.  What can I say, I’m a softie.

 

Taylor wanted to get back to top so badly and to have it snatched away so late in the fight was painful to watch. It probably would have been much easier for him to accept if he was blown away early in the fight. But momentum shifts and instant changes of fortune are what make boxing the great sport it is. All sports have that ingredient but with boxing it is much more personal and heartfelt as only the boxer himself is actually involved in the experience. And they are all alone and on display for the world to see.

 

Still, Taylor made great money and was a world champion so that, hopefully, will sooth the pain of this very tough loss. Taylor does seem like one of the good guys in the sport and in my view it’s time for him to let it go. I thought he was slightly slurred in his interview after that fight and I don’t think that will get better if he soldiers on. I hope he retires.

 

Froch put on an excellent display of his grit and character as he just wasn’t going to be denied. He is a very strong super middleweight and will be a tough night for anybody. He’s unorthodox but he has a unique skill set, is super tough and well conditioned to go along with his strength.

 

Froch called out Calzaghe after the fight but I have a feeling Joe won’t bite on that. But that’s ok.  This division is replete with compelling opponents for Mr. Froch. And good fights could be made with Allen Green, who scored a brutal KO on this card, Andre Dirrell and Andre Ward et al. But the fight I would love to see is Froch against the La Habra tough guy Librado Andrade.  

 

I think they would make for compelling fight between two very tough, offensive minded fighters. My pick in that one; Andrade – I think he’s simply too rugged even for the steely Froch.

Filipino dynamo Manny Pacquiao faces another big name opponent in Mancunian fireplug Ricky Hatton on May 2 at the MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas, televised on HBO-PPV. Hatton will have thousands of his countrymen in for the fight and they will probably be drunk from the moment they arrive right up to until their flights cross the pond again.. Pacquiao is also known for having legions of rabid fans affectionately known as Pacmaniacs.  So an electric atmosphere is guaranteed for Vegas that week. And, of course, this is a must see fight for any boxing fan and because of it’s magnitude may even draw in some of the more casual type of fan or even the non fan.

 

Pacquiao, after all, is coming off a one sided thrashing of the once vaunted Golden Boy, Oscar de la Hoya and has become quite well known because of that win. Both fighters are immensely popular and the winner of this contest will have a chance at an eight figure payday in a subsequent bout.

 

After the one sided 8 round beating Pacquiao dished out to the Golden Boy  he apologized to Oscar and said he (Oscar) was still his idol. I’d hate to imagine if he had little regard for him? But that’s Pacquiao, he is a little buzzsaw of a warrior in the ring but he is a humble and gracious sort when the fight is over.

 

And Hatton is also an ebullient, likeable chap. He’s a regular bloke that pounds the suds and loves the practical joke. But in the ring, he is also as serious as a heart attack. And his opponent’s better be as well or they will surely suffer through a brutal and painful night.

 

But there is a lot on the line in this bout as Pacquiao brings his status as the world’s pound for pound best fighter into the ring against Hatton, who has never lost at 140 pounds and is still the king of the hill in that division.

 

And keep in mind that this will only be Pacquiao’s 2^nd fought at 140 or above, he turned pro at 106 pounds, and that Hatton has been at 140 for nearly a dozen years.

 

Based on the boxing forums and articles I’ve read on many boxing sites it seems both fighters have many supporters. Many people see Hatton as the naturally bigger and stronger man and believe that he will be able to impose his will on Pacquiao. It goes to reason that many of those folks are looking at Pacquiao’s win over de la Hoya as somewhat of a mirage as the Golden Boy sizzled himself by cutting weight improperly, thus entering that fight as a shell. And aficionados know that with the exception of Pacquiao’s last fight and a fight at 135 with David Diaz, Manny has been doing most of his recent work in the 130 pound range.

 

Hatton has had 2 forays at 147 where he eked out a debatable decision over capable lefty Luis Collazo and was game but outgunned in a bout with former number one, Floyd Mayweather Jr. In a strange twist Hatton joined forces with trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. for his last bout against Paulie Malignaggi and performed very well. His speed surprised the slick Malignaggi and coupled with Hatton’s strength and intensity it was simply too much for the Brooklyn native and he was stopped in the 11^th round. Hatton has retained Mayweather as his trainer.

 

And, naturally,  some people are on Pacquiao’s bandwagon, believing he is too fast and good for Hatton. But the things is, both are quality fighters. Hatton fights like a brawler but he’s very fleet of foot, has a good jab  and can cut off a ring on a boxer type and while Pacquiao is super quick, he’s also physically strong and will stand and brawl when the mood suits him.

 

My point is that these are quality fighters that share some qualities or at least can perform proficiently what the other is known for. Still, they do have their own styles unique to themselves. And  we all want to know who’s brand of mayhem will carry the day.

 

There are many questions surrounding this fight. Will Hatton’s natural size and aggression be poison to Pacquiao’s lefty style?  Is Pacquiao’s destruction of De la hoya given too much weight? Consider that Hatton will be the physically strongest opponent Pacquiao has ever seen and should put up much more resistance than the feeble de la Hoya did. Will Hatton simply be much stronger than Pacquiao and run him over? How will Pacquiao deal with the clinching, mauling and grappling that Hatton will bring into this bout? Will it wear him down? Will idiot savant trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. devise a plan for Hatton to cut down Pacquiao?

 

Will Hatton be troubled by Pacquiao’s recently found boxing ability and southpaw stance? Has Hatton been going to well for too long?  He has had a long and grinding career and the possibility exists that the poundings and making 140 have taken a toll. Is diminutive Manny Pacquiao actually the physically stronger man? Will trainer Freddie Roach have a plan to play matador to Hatton’s bull like rushes?  Which guy will have a better plan B if it becomes necessary in a crisis situation? What will this fight come down to? Strategy, will, skill or a combination of all.

 

I expect both men to be at their absolute best and as for height and weight they are almost like bookends, each about 5’6, 140 chiseled pounds with a similar reach. All these questions will be answered on May 2 and I can’t wait to find out. This is a compelling fight because of the magnitude of the bout and it should be a blazing fight fought with great pride, intensity and skill.

 

I will have a pick and a wager recommendation on this compelling fight within a week or two of the opening bell.

 

Riverside, California resident Chris Arreola dismantled Jameel McCline in 4 rounds at the Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas on Saturday night in a HBO televised bout. Many people were looking forward to this fight as young hopeful Arreola was taking his toughest fight to date, at least on paper. But despite Arreola coming in overweight at 255 pounds and taking a few flush shots from the beefy 271 McCline. Arreola had things mostly his own way until he lowered the boom in the 4^th round.

 

While Arreola was overweight, I felt McCline was out of shape. And there is a difference. Areola should weigh less for his fights and I think he would benefit with increased sharpness if he did but he had plenty of sparring and was fitter than his physique would indicate. McCline, on the other hand, weighed in at a familiar poundage but his usually lean physique was flabby and soft. In fact, I’ve never seen McCline’s appearance look that shabby.

 

McCline said he had a short camp, about 6 weeks, and it showed. I don’t think he pulled out all the stops for this fight like he has for matches in the past. And while I believe McCline knew where he stood, he was going to take a shot at a win. McCline was mostly beaten to the punch and looked uncomfortable against Arreola but the veteran has experience and in the 3^rd round, he unloaded and landed a few bombs on Arreola. McCline knew that his window to win was shrinking but gave himself that chance when he unloaded.

 

The problem for  McCline was he was already badly gassed and the clean punches he landed didn’t have much of an effect on Arreola. Arreola shrugged them off and continued to land. Arreola landed some sizzling body shots through out the fight but he began to find some success with the uppercut and a follow-up right hand in the 3^rd round.

 

And after tenderizing McCline early in the 4^th round, Arreola landed a lovely uppercut that began a 4 punch salvo that culminated with an overhand right that dropped the big man in a heap on his side. McCline wasn’t mentally gone or near a loss of consciousness but he was gasping for breath and knew it would not  be worth it to beat the 10 count.

 

So McCline did the smart thing and ceded to Arreola by missing the 10 count by a second or so. The beating just would have become more savage and one sided and at nearly 39 years old and with a lot of ring mileage, McCline didn’t need that in his life at that time.

 

Do I think Arreola would have beaten a better prepared McCline? Yes. And it believe it would have been inside the distance but probably several rounds longer. Do I think it was a meaningful win? Yes, because even though McCline was out shape he’s never really been that easy an out. Arreola mopped the floor with a perennial contender that had been reasonably active.

 

I understand Arreola has flaws which I think are mainly his unwillingness to condition himself 100%. But he get’s away with it, so far, because while he may be a lazy athlete, he’s a real fighter with talent and ability. He’s got heart, desire and the will to win even though it doesn’t manifest itself when he’s jogging in the desert.

 

In spite of being dropped in his previous fight and slightly buzzed in this one, I think Arreola can take a good shot. McCline had major leverage and had all of his 271 pounds on a few of the bombs he planted on Arreola but they didn’t have a big effect. And McCline has hurt and dropped many quality guys in his career with his thudding shots.

 

And Arreola brings a unique type of pressure that makes dealing with him a very difficult proposition. If he’s overweight, he may look somewhat sluggish and awkward but he still manages to get to point where he’s lining up an opponent for damaging power shots and all they are able to do is try to cover up. Once he’s inside, his eyes are wide open and he sees what to do. And before you know it he’s slinging punches from all angles that have just been taking guys apart.

 

The big question remains is can he be an elite heavyweight and further, can he compete win the Klitschko brothers. I think he can. But I do think if he fights the Klitschko’s or Alexander Povetkin, Eddie Chambers and even the lighting quick and explosive David Haye, he will have to cross the t’s and dot the i’s on his preparation.

 

Arreola is an extremely colorful and likeable fighter. He’s all tatted up and scary as hell to look at but he is a family man that comes across as a humble and approachable gentleman when not doing battle in the ring. In other words, he doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder – except perhaps inside the ring, and even then he’s respectful to the sport and his opponent. Although, that doesn’t mean he isn’t trying to take his opponent’s head off.

 

He just comes off as honest, real and refreshing. What you see is what you get. There is nothing phony or pretentious about him and the fact that he’s even honest about his shortcomings when it comes to training and getting prepared make him seem all the more human. And if he can simply get it all together in the gym, we just may have the first Mexican/American heavyweight champion the sport has ever had. And I’d be okay with that.

Former champion Jeff Lacy takes on Otis Griffin in a 10 round bout contracted for 173 pounds. Can Lacy make his way back to the top or does Griffin have something for him?

 

Lacy was once a highly regarded young champion but that now seems like a distant memory since he was white washed by Joe Calzaghe in 2006. Lacy has struggled since then in and out of the ring. He labored through wins over Vitali Tsypko, Peter Manfredo and Epifanio Mendoza. And in his last fight he was out boxed by former middleweight champ Jermain Taylor.

 

Griffin came to be known for winning a lower tiered version of the Contender series several years back. But in spite of that nice purse that came with winning that series, he is simply not a quality fighter. He has had struggles with a very ordinary lot of fighters and any time he stepped up in class, he has lost. But that’s not surprising because of the  way he’s been matched. It could be akin at to a baseball player having modest success in high school or on a lower level college team and then suddenly being brought up to the major leagues to face real pro’s. When he stepped up against Danny Green and Enad Licina, he was easily dismissed in 3 rounds. And the one time he took an moderate step up, he was turned back by Jesse Brinkley in 11 rounds.

 

I do think Lacy suffered a major blow to his confidence with the Calzaghe loss but I also think he was a bit over rated before that fight. I think he always would have struggled  very slick boxers like Calzaghe and Taylor but he was so dominating in some previous  bouts that many believed he could steamroll nearly anyone. But while Lacy may never sniff a title again, I think he is probably physically recovered from the Calzaghe fight and could  still probably be considered a top 15 type of guy. Lacy is physically strong, game, hits hard and takes a decent shot. He has been wobbled by some clean shots but he does know how to survive sketchy moments and he never stops trying.

 

Griffin is a guy that doesn’t bring much punching power to this fight and he’s not slick nor very quick. I see this fight as a Lacy showcase (Lacy is actually the promoter of the show) and he probably hasn’t had this soft an opponent in over 5 years. Of course the Lacy of 2004 dismisses Griffin within a few rounds. But the questions is can the 2009 Lacy do the same.

 

I think he can. This is an easier opponent than he’s seen in a while. And I think Lacy is still the same strong, physical fighter that he always was. And even though he lost widely to Taylor, he scored a knockdown (not called) in that fight and had some good moments in the match. He always came forward and Taylor seemed to fight a “scared” fight, meaning he held a lot and wasn’t too willing to mix it up with Lacy. Lacy came out it unscathed, unlike the Calzaghe debacle, and he still believes he has some business to do in boxing.

 

Lacy claims he injuries and losses are behind him and if so, should be able to roll through a guy like Griffin. Griffin seems to crumble when caught by a “real” guy and I believe when Lacy starts banging Griffins chrome dome, he’ll hit the floor. I’m looking for a Lacy win inside the distance, probably somewhere around the 5^th round.

Lucian Bute defends his IBF super middleweight title against tough Fulgencia Zuniga in Montreal, Canada on Friday night, televised on Showtime. 

 

Bute finds himself in with another hard headed forward moving slugger with Zuniga. You see, Bute is coming off a controversial win over Librado Andrade where Bute was outpointing Andrade for most of the fight but the determined Andrade kept fighting and nearly scored a last second KO over the exhausted Bute. Bute was dropped and nearly out but with a little help from his friends, ref Marlon B. (Wrong) Wright, was saved by the bell and retained the title.

 

And for Zuniga to win he will have to apply pressure all night and hope he can wear down Bute late in the fight. But Bute, a tall southpaw, is a difficult opponent because he of his excellent skills, movement and speed. Bute has the advantage of better hand speed than most opponents he fights and he is difficult to target because he does have good movement. And he will make lunging opponents pay with fast accurate combinations.

 

Zuniga is cast out of the same mold of Andrade. He’s not a naturally talented fighter but he has an anvil for a chin and applies constant pressure. But I do think Andrade is a better all around fighter than Zuniga and has a more diversified attack.  Zuniga was once a Jr. middleweight but seems to be in the proper weight class as a super middleweight. He’s been fighting well in this division and gave former champion Denis Inkin a very good test for the vacant WBO crown. But Zuniga came up short fighting on the road and lost the decision. Zuniga is strong, has a great chin, keeps a good pace but is a bit slower than the best guys in the division.

 

Zuniga wasn’t  mandatory defense so he was chosen for a reason by Bute. He’s solid enough to be considered credible but he probably isn’t talented enough to get the job done against  Bute. I expect Zuniga to give it all he has but I just don’t think it will be enough. I think he will be out boxed and will have trouble landing flush on the moving Bute. Bute does seem to tire late in some of his fights and that will be Zuniga’s best chance to make something happen. But I think Bute will stink things out when he has to by holding and sliding away.

 

Bute has a lot of stoppages because early on he fought inferior opposition. But when he stepped up in class his fights began to go many rounds. And Bute is content to box intelligently use the whole ring. And against Zuniga, that would be the right way to do it. He has gone to at least the 10^th round in 7 of his last 8 fights, including five12 round decisions. He even let badly faded former champ William Joppy hang around until the 10^th round. Conventional wisdom says teak tough Zuniga goes rounds. As such, I’m looking for a Bute win, probably by decision.

 

Note: Win or lose, I won’t apply this to the Track Record as I ‘m not going to recommend laying better than 2-1 on this over/under.

Bright prospect Victor Ortiz passed an important test by stopping seasoned contender Mike Arnaoutis in the 2^nd round at The Tank, San Jose, California, televised on HBO.  Besides a disqualification and a no contest on his record Victor Ortiz has been perfect.  And those blemishes would have been sure KO’s for Ortiz so in essence, he’s undefeated. Some people weren’t on the Ortiz bandwagon before this fight and thought Arnaoutis would provide a stern test or perhaps even beat the young Oxnard via Kansas prospect.(I picked Ortiz to win by KO but didn’t think it would be this easy)

 

But the wagon is quickly filling up as Ortiz had no trouble with the former title challenger Arnaoutis. And that is impressive considering Arnaoutis was still (supposedly) in his physical prime and came within an eye lash of winning the vacant WBO title against puncher Ricardo Torrez in late 2006. Arnaoutis held current IBF title holder Juan Urango to a draw a few years ago and went the distance with dangerous and ultra quick Kendall Holt.

 

The first round was sort of a feeling out process but Ortiz was able find the target while Arnaoutis barely threw a punch. In the 2^nd round, Ortiz was suddenly walking Arnaoutis down and Mighty Mike looked somewhat lost. Then in the blink of an eye, Ortiz slipped an Arnaoutis jab and countered with a sharp left cross high on the head. Arnaoutis was hurt and pitched sideways towards the ropes doing the best he could to survive.

 

But Ortiz pounced instantly with a fusillade of punches. One particular uppercut in that flurry caught Arnaoutis cleanly and he began to sag and drop his hands. The ref saw the body language of Arnaoutis and wisely halted the action.  I don’t think Arnaoutis would have lasted much longer if the fight were to continue.

 

This was an excellent win for the youngster Ortiz. He has settled in nicely with Golden Boy Promotions and is now on a clear path to a title and perhaps superstardom. Not only does Ortiz have great talent and power but he has a compelling background and comes off as a bright, engaging personality. Ortiz was abandoned by his parents (I bet they wish they hung in there now) and had to take care of his siblings while forging his boxing career.

 

But he seems unaffected by his past and does his best to be humble and self deprecating, which isn’t easy due to his age and amazing ability-  but he pulls it off.  The 140 pound division is another very deep division in the sport and Ortiz will have plenty to keep him busy for many years to come. In this division Ricky Hatton takes on Manny Pacquiao in May but those guys are getting close to retirement and Ortiz may not be in a position to fight them in time. We’ll see. But there are other guys like Tim Bradley, Kendall Holt, Juan Urango, hard nosed fellow prospect Mike Alvarado and many other possibilities. The sky is the limit for Ortiz.

 

All he has to do is stay in the gym and continue to make the right choices in his life.  Any boxing fan will want to see more of this guy.  He’s got the good looks and has a media friendly style that you’d expect from lesser guy but he is a very real fighter that seems to have it all – ability, talent, speed and power to go along with his potential star power. He hasn’t had a brutal test yet to determine his mettle but that’s not his fault as he has simply been too good for everyone on his path thus far . We’ll learn  a lot more about Ortiz in the next 2 years but I believe he will pass many subsequent tests and have great success.

In a battle of young contenders, James Kirkland scored an impressive 6^th round stoppage win over Joel Julio at The Tank, San Jose, California on Saturday night, televised on HBO. Many people were looking forward to this fight because of the potential fireworks this match-up provided. Julio and Kirkland have scored nearly all of their wins via the KO route so this fight was sure to be a thrilling battle between dangerous gun slingers.  

 

And although it was one sided in Kirkland’s favor, it was exciting because Julio landed heavy bombs in between Kirkland’s brutal pressure.  Kirkland promised he was going to come out and bang right from the get go and he certainly delivered. Kirkland opened the first round as if Julio wasn’t even there and just stepped to him with his hands in motion. The difference in strength was evident in the bouts opening moments and it appeared that Julio’s only shot was to catch Kirkland perfectly with one of his right hand missiles.

 

But Kirkland’s brutal pressure and solid beard basically defused Julio of any chance to win. Julio landed plenty of heavy shots that would have rendered lesser men horizontal but Kirkland merely shrugged everything off that Julio threw and kept applying that energy sapping pressure. Julio figured out early that he couldn’t stand and fight with Kirkland so in between his own punches, he was in retreat. Julio basically back pedaled and tried to walk Kirkland into a bomb.

 

And he was able to do that more than several times in the fight but it didn’t matter. Julio’s legs were fading fast as Kirkland sunk heavy leather into Julio’s body. Julio tried to hold every time they got close but Kirkland would punish him with short hooks and then walk him to the ropes they were separated. It was shocking to see stalking bomber Julio being manhandled with such aplomb by Kirkland.  

 

It was as if Julio couldn’t believe it himself. I think he thought that all he had to do was land a bomb on the hittable Kirkland and then he could get him out of there. But he was in for rude awakening as he was thoroughly tenderized in the fight.  Every round was nearly the same with Kirkland landing a heavy jab and relentlessly pounding Julio any where he could.

 

Julio had flashes of success in several of the rounds but he couldn’t land anything that changed the tide of the fight. It seemed like every time Julio landed some good right hands, he appeared more fatigued. And Kirkland would take his turn and continue to brutally break Julio down.

 

Finally at the end of the 6^th round Kirkland landed a combination that culminated with a left cross that had Julio wavering in the wind. The bell rang and Julio walked back to his corner seemingly on a potholed road – translation, he was all done, put a fork in him. Julio ceded in his corner giving Kirkland the biggest win of his career. It was the right move because I believe he would have ended up on his back in the next round.

 

For Kirkland, this was a huge win. Even though he was a 3-1 favorite, many insiders believed Julio to be the more seasoned guy and that his power would seal Kirkland’s fate because he does get caught while coming in. ( I had Kirkland by KO winner) But Kirkland is far from the limited brawler that many had tagged on him.

 

In fact, he’s got a solid skill set and his punches are technically sound. And I think his defense looked good at times in the fight. Many times Kirkland saw what Julio was going to do and ducked or slipped many power punches from the Colombian. Yes, he got caught with some but he has good reflexes and used them a lot in the fight.

 

But what makes Kirkland such a beast is his physical strength, conditioning and amazing sense of purpose he has in his fights. He is prepared to go to hell in every fight but usually just makes his opponents feel like they are in hell. And Kirkland seems to be gelling very well with his chief second Anne Wolfe.

 

Wolfe is a former female world champion and she is as hard core as they come. She puts Kirkland through brutal training regimens for his fights with the attitude that ‘if it doesn’t kill you it will make you stronger.’  And it seems to be working. I have no doubt that compared to what Kirkland does in training, his fights are a breeze. I guarantee Julio, although probably well trained, didn’t go through as nearly a grueling training camp as Kirkland did.

 

And Kirkland’s training shows in his physical appearance and his attitude in the ring. Kirkland’s head looks like a pit bull’s, too big for his body, nestled on neck of thick muscle that meets a set a traps carved out of marble. In Kirkland’s post fight interview I noticed that his chest was vascular almost like a thoroughbred race horse and when he raised his arms overhead, the inside of his arms were loaded with tributaries of squiggly veins. In other words, he looked like he was in ultimate physical condition. But his skin looked healthy and he clearly wasn’t drawn.

 

With this win, Kirkland is right in the mix with the top Jr. Middleweights in the world. And the division is stacked with very good talent. You have much avoided 6’3 ostrich Paul Williams, classy southpaws Daniel Santos,Sergio Martinez and Sergiy Dzinziruk, aged but still useful title holder Vernon Forrest and fellow bruiser and heart taker Alfredo Angulo. All these matches would be excellent for Kirkland but the one everyone would love to see is against Angulo.

 

But I think it would better if they can each gain a title before they mix it up and should also make it as good a payday as they can be because it is the type of match-up that one or both men may never be the same after it’s over. I’ve gone back and forth on who I think will win that potentially amazing fight and it’s still a tough call for me.

 

Anyway, Kirkland is a guy that can be a major boost to boxing because of his pure gladiator style. Kirkland is reminiscent to the 19 and 20 year old Mike Tyson in his method of mayhem and the effectiveness he has shown. But I do think Kirkland is mentally stronger than Tyson and I don’t anticipate him looking for shortcuts in his training or running out of gas late in a fight.  

 

The difference between  Tyson and Kirkland is that Kirkland relishes the war while Tyson wanted to score the quick KO to get out of the ring as fast as he could.  In other words, Kirkland fights with a fury while Tyson fought in fear. And Kirkland doesn’t have the one punch power Tyson had so he is usually forced to fight hard for as may rounds as it takes to get it done  – and he’s more than OK with that.

Juan Manuel Marquez overcame the hellish fury of Juan Diaz to score a 9^th round stoppage win at the Toyota Center, Houston, Texas on Saturday night.  Diaz came out and was intent on neutralizing the expert precision of Marquez with unbridled pressure and offensive output.  And the plan seemed to be working.

 

Marquez was forced to work at a pace he clearly was not comfortable with and while he landing plenty on Diaz, Diaz was pushing him back and seemingly winning most of the battles. Marquez would go back to his corner and just seem baffled as to what to do to turn the tide. The fight seemed to heading in a similar direction of many Diaz fights where his opponents simply lose the will to go on. It happened notably with Acelino Freitas and Julio Diaz, where they just couldn’t take it anymore and were forced out after 8 rounds.

 

And Marquez seemed stressed as he asked his corner what round it was after the 7^th round, appearing to be weary of the battle ahead. But Marquez kept looking for something and in the 8^th round he hurt Diaz for the first time with a left hook and then opened up a cut on Diaz’s right eye which seemed to deflate Diaz and buoy Marquez. In the 9^th round Diaz tried his best to ignore his wound and charge ahead but this time Marquez was ready for him.  Marquez unloaded a fusillade of shots that hurt Diaz badly. Marquez wouldn’t let up and landed a high right hand that dropped Diaz hard. Diaz got up but it was obvious that his night was nearly over. Marquez dropped him with a whistling uppercut and ref immediately stopped the bout.

 

The fight was a draw on the judges scorecard after 8 rounds but in boxing, things can change in a heartbeat and to Marquez’s credit he hung in there looking for the changing moment – and he found it and pounced on it, which is what great champions do.  Marquez has proven over and over against what a great champion he is by overcoming adversity. And he is a very hot fighter right now because most people understand that but for several knockdowns against Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao, Marquez has out boxed the living legend in more than 12 rounds out of the 24 they have shared the ring together.

 

A third fight with many Pacquiao would be an amazing event because both fighters are riding so high right now. Of course, Pacquiao will have to take care of business against Ricky Hatton in May to keep that fight must see TV.  Marquez actually called out retired Floyd Mayweather in his post fight interview.  Marquez is clearly looking for big money, and he should get it.

 

I must point out how good physically Marquez looks at 135. It seems to moving up in weight was the right move. He looks strong, healthy and I believe he could push the envelope and fight at 140 as well.  A this point and argument can be made that Pacquiao and Marquez are #1 and 1A in the pound for pound best fighters in the world and a growing group are tabbing Marquez and numero uno.

 

As for Diaz, he fought a great fight and can still come back. Under different circumstances in this fight, he may have gotten his hand raised. He was giving one of boxing’s best pure hell but he got caught and stopped. But that’s boxing. He’s still a young man with lots more to offer the sport if he desires. But I get a sense Diaz may want to move on from the sport sooner rather than later.  He has law school ahead of him and didn’t seem that disappointed in getting stopped. He almost seemed relieved.  He’s made excellent money in the sport and has had great success. But despite Diaz’s bruising style and obvious dedication to the sport, he seems like the type of guy that thinks of boxing as a means to an end to boost his interests outside of the sport. But he’s still a big player and lore of the dollar may keep him around.  We’ll see what happens.

Chris John and Rocky Juarez battled to a 12 round draw on Saturday night at the Toyota Center, Houston, Texas.  The fight presented an interesting contrast in styles. John is a speedy boxer with considerable skills while Juarez is a forward moving puncher with heavy hands. I thought both guys fought well and had their moments in the fight. John was the busier fighter and landed more punches but Juarez clearly landed the harder punches and pressed forward, making the fight. It seems like many are griping about the decision believing John had done enough to get his hand raised.

 

I disagree with that premise.  It seems viewers of HBO tend to lean the way of buffoonish judge Harold Lederman and the general feeling of the commentators. But I thought Juarez was nearly chasing John out of the ring for the last 3 rounds of the fight and John did so much gratuitous holding as he had no answer for Juarez’s inside game. John may have landed more punches according to the punch count but they were kind of like “stay away from me’ punches and for the most part were not purposeful. That all said, I could see how either guy could have been awarded 6 rounds apiece. But I thought Juarez was more dominant in the rounds he won and landed the harder punches throughout. And I don’t think it would have been a bad call if Juarez was awarded the decision.

 

That was Juarez’s 5^th crack at a major title and was the closest he’s come to winning the brass ring. But hard luck Juarez was denied again. I can’t help but feel badly for the guy. I though Juarez gave a solid effort against a slippery and highly competent opponent. He increased the intensity of his attack in this fight against a very difficult opponent and repeatedly landed thudding jabs and brutal body punches through out the fight. But in spite of the disappointing ending for Juarez, he proved he’s still a world class fighter and will more than likely get a rematch with John or a title shot at someone else. And I do think he will eventually become a champion.

 

Juarez is a guy I really like and deserves respect. For one thing, he’s fought all the top iron in the world and I’ve never seen him hurt in a fight. He is as tough as they come. Juarez has mixed with killers like Humberto Soto, Juan Manual Marquez and Barrera twice and has never been close to going down or being hurt. And with the exception of Marquez, Juarez has always fought well in the late rounds and seems to be the stronger man at the end of the fight.

 

I expect Juarez to dust himself off and continue to fight. In spite of the draw, I think he’s fighting better than he ever has and seems to be still improving. He’s never going to change completely what he is and become a 100 punch a round fighter, but with his chin, power and underrated skills, I think if he hangs in there he will realize his dream and become a champion.