Pacquiao/Clottey: Big Venue, Bigger Implications, Better Fight?
Joshua Clottey is a very intriguing opponent for Filipino Manny Pacquiao for the hardcore fight aficionado. Trouble is, there aren't too many of those now days. With promoter Bob Arum pushing for a date in Dallas, (Cowboys Stadium), suddenly, there's this underground logic that such a fight (Clottey/Pacquiao) will be a hit. The reality here is that given Clottey's attributes of durability, defense and power, across from Pacquiao's attributes of speed and power, the stage could very well be set for one of the best showdowns we've seen in the sport in years. Where the promotional issues come in is that the world was eagerly anticipating a Mayweather slugfest, and while Clottey could be the better stylistic match, the name just doesn't carry the same weight. Bottom line....This fight could be one of the best we see this year, but despite the size of the location, there's no question that few outside of the die-hard Pacquiao bunch will watch. Will it be a better fight than many think? I really believe so. Will the numbers reflect? Probably not.
Mayweather/Pacquiao: Why This Fight Will Never Happen
The once-pending epic showdown between fightin' Filipino Manny Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather jr. is apparently an arrested development and contrary to the thoughts of many, if this fight doesn't happen now, it won't happen at all. Based on a granite chin and a formidable defense, Ghana native, Joshua Clottey, has perhaps a better shot at victory than many seem to believe. But eve if he isn't strong enough to derail Pacquiao, the issue of testing demands will remain in tact, as the Mayweather team is very clear in stating that those demand will not go away. If Pacquiao won't agree to the testing now, he won't agree in the future. Unfortunately, neither side plans to budge, so neither will the relative progress. Stay tuned.
Ricky Hatton: Don't Call It A Comeback......
'British Bulldog', Ricky Hatton has publicly stated that he plans to resume his career by stepping back in the ring. This decision has been met with both boo's and ahhh's, and some where in between those two emotions lies that of Ricky Hatton's. In the mind of Hatton, despite the fact that he has been badly KO'd in his two biggest career fights, the reality is that both took place against the best fighters on the planet. There are other fighters out there that could make for entertaining fights, but some would argue that there are none that would do the same type of harm to him. If it's a serious effort, it'll be intriguing to watch. However, if it's one more aim at a big payday, Hatton would be better served eating his chips and dip, sinking a few brews, and throwing his darts back in the basement England, because clearly, limited motivation has been his biggest enemy from day one, and it surely won't help him in this comeback bid.
Jermain Taylor: Never Can Say Goodbye......
Seems that Jermain Taylor has finally listened to the feedback of family, fans, and friends. After the news of Taylor bowing out of the 'Super-6' tournament, I took a moment to reflect on the career of Taylor. It's a bit unfortunate that a man so young with so much talent now finds himself on the outside looking in, but in hindsight, the signs were all there. Inside the ring, his focus began to slip, away from it, rumor has hit that so did his attention level. Whatever the case may be, the super-middleweight division is now missing the talent of one of its perennial figures. Some may ask why?, others may as what took so long,? Either way it goes, we can all agree that it's never easy to say goodbye. Hopefully Jermain gets the rest he needs and regains the hunger he apparently lost. Best wishes Jermain.....
Teddy Atlas/Tim Smith: You've Got Mail.....
Boxing analyst/trainer Teddy Atlas, and NY Daily News columnist Tim Smith have recently been very vocal about alleged emails circulating surrounding in the Pacquiao/Mayweather case. These emails allegedly speak of the need to conceal "dirty test" results to maintain the "purity" of the fight. Neither man has ever been known as huge proponents of Mayweather, and both have supported Pacquiaoin many endeavors, so to hear this information reported from them goes a long way in providing insight on this matter. At the end of the day, we don't know if the emails are true or false, but what we do know is that this would explain why Team Mayweather won't step away from its demands of blood testing, and also why Team Pacquiao refuses to give one. Pacquiao remains innocent until proven guilty, but that's in the court room. Another logic says that if he doesn't adhere to the only bona fide method available (blood testing) to validate this claim one way or the other, the court of public opinion may yield vastly different results.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Will 'Dollars' Next Move Make Sense?
With Pacquiao aiming for Joshua Clottey, the world has now shifted it's focus to Floyd Mayweather jr., as it relates to his next move in the ring. Salty veteran Nate Campbell has recently tossed his name into the hat, while the underground buzz has it that Tim Bradley could get the nod. What we do know is that whatever option Mayweather takes, it won't result in him waiting around for the Mosley/Berto winner. That said.....What other options really exist? Cotto is out because of personal reasons as well as the Arum jinx. Williams is said to be considering a rematch with Martinez or a showdown with Pavlik. Cintron is credible, but not quite on the radar (although maybe he should be). When it all boils down, the options are slim, yet the demand is grand. It's hard to say where this will all lead, but be it for big dollars or not, I just hope in the end it all makes sense!
Antonio Margarito: Should He?.....Will He?.....
It's been almost a year sense Mexican warrior last fought. It was quite troubling to find out that such a granite-chinned warrior would have to resort to illegal tactics to win, but now that his suspension has come to a close, what next? Well, that's the million dollar question and it all depends on who you ask. Some say he should never be allowed to fight again. Others say every man deserves a second chance. At a point in life where EVERYTHING seems to be political, perhaps we should inject a little here. Bob Arum recently sat in a skybox at Cowboys Stadium with former President George W. Bush, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Does anyone in the world really think that there's someone on that panel in Texas dumb enough to go against the grain and refuse to license Margarito when the request is made at the dismay of these powerful men? Truth is....despite the disgusting attempt to pad his gloves, guilty of cheating or not, Margarito will be licensed to fight in Texas (opening the door for other states to follow for future fights). Should he be?.....well, unfortunately, this is no longer a matter of opinion. It's simply another matter of politics gone bad.
Vitali/Valuev: Larger Than Life....
News has hit the media of a possible Valuev/Vitali-K showdown for the spring season of 2010. Few in America seem to have a HUGE interest in this battle of the big-men, but across the pond, this possibility seems to be on par with the two contestants. The heavyweight division is arguably at its weakest point in decades, but when fans envisioned a return to the glory days, the definition of "big" was expected to be defined in magnitude, not vertical length. Valuev has aged a bit and no longer had the speed he had in his youth. Vitali on the other hand has shown signs of slowing as well. Some find this to be a mis-match, but perhaps the time is just right.
Source: 8countnews.com
Joshua Clottey is a very intriguing opponent for Filipino Manny Pacquiao for the hardcore fight aficionado. Trouble is, there aren't too many of those now days. With promoter Bob Arum pushing for a date in Dallas, (Cowboys Stadium), suddenly, there's this underground logic that such a fight (Clottey/Pacquiao) will be a hit. The reality here is that given Clottey's attributes of durability, defense and power, across from Pacquiao's attributes of speed and power, the stage could very well be set for one of the best showdowns we've seen in the sport in years. Where the promotional issues come in is that the world was eagerly anticipating a Mayweather slugfest, and while Clottey could be the better stylistic match, the name just doesn't carry the same weight. Bottom line....This fight could be one of the best we see this year, but despite the size of the location, there's no question that few outside of the die-hard Pacquiao bunch will watch. Will it be a better fight than many think? I really believe so. Will the numbers reflect? Probably not.
Mayweather/Pacquiao: Why This Fight Will Never Happen
The once-pending epic showdown between fightin' Filipino Manny Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather jr. is apparently an arrested development and contrary to the thoughts of many, if this fight doesn't happen now, it won't happen at all. Based on a granite chin and a formidable defense, Ghana native, Joshua Clottey, has perhaps a better shot at victory than many seem to believe. But eve if he isn't strong enough to derail Pacquiao, the issue of testing demands will remain in tact, as the Mayweather team is very clear in stating that those demand will not go away. If Pacquiao won't agree to the testing now, he won't agree in the future. Unfortunately, neither side plans to budge, so neither will the relative progress. Stay tuned.
Ricky Hatton: Don't Call It A Comeback......
'British Bulldog', Ricky Hatton has publicly stated that he plans to resume his career by stepping back in the ring. This decision has been met with both boo's and ahhh's, and some where in between those two emotions lies that of Ricky Hatton's. In the mind of Hatton, despite the fact that he has been badly KO'd in his two biggest career fights, the reality is that both took place against the best fighters on the planet. There are other fighters out there that could make for entertaining fights, but some would argue that there are none that would do the same type of harm to him. If it's a serious effort, it'll be intriguing to watch. However, if it's one more aim at a big payday, Hatton would be better served eating his chips and dip, sinking a few brews, and throwing his darts back in the basement England, because clearly, limited motivation has been his biggest enemy from day one, and it surely won't help him in this comeback bid.
Jermain Taylor: Never Can Say Goodbye......
Seems that Jermain Taylor has finally listened to the feedback of family, fans, and friends. After the news of Taylor bowing out of the 'Super-6' tournament, I took a moment to reflect on the career of Taylor. It's a bit unfortunate that a man so young with so much talent now finds himself on the outside looking in, but in hindsight, the signs were all there. Inside the ring, his focus began to slip, away from it, rumor has hit that so did his attention level. Whatever the case may be, the super-middleweight division is now missing the talent of one of its perennial figures. Some may ask why?, others may as what took so long,? Either way it goes, we can all agree that it's never easy to say goodbye. Hopefully Jermain gets the rest he needs and regains the hunger he apparently lost. Best wishes Jermain.....
Teddy Atlas/Tim Smith: You've Got Mail.....
Boxing analyst/trainer Teddy Atlas, and NY Daily News columnist Tim Smith have recently been very vocal about alleged emails circulating surrounding in the Pacquiao/Mayweather case. These emails allegedly speak of the need to conceal "dirty test" results to maintain the "purity" of the fight. Neither man has ever been known as huge proponents of Mayweather, and both have supported Pacquiaoin many endeavors, so to hear this information reported from them goes a long way in providing insight on this matter. At the end of the day, we don't know if the emails are true or false, but what we do know is that this would explain why Team Mayweather won't step away from its demands of blood testing, and also why Team Pacquiao refuses to give one. Pacquiao remains innocent until proven guilty, but that's in the court room. Another logic says that if he doesn't adhere to the only bona fide method available (blood testing) to validate this claim one way or the other, the court of public opinion may yield vastly different results.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Will 'Dollars' Next Move Make Sense?
With Pacquiao aiming for Joshua Clottey, the world has now shifted it's focus to Floyd Mayweather jr., as it relates to his next move in the ring. Salty veteran Nate Campbell has recently tossed his name into the hat, while the underground buzz has it that Tim Bradley could get the nod. What we do know is that whatever option Mayweather takes, it won't result in him waiting around for the Mosley/Berto winner. That said.....What other options really exist? Cotto is out because of personal reasons as well as the Arum jinx. Williams is said to be considering a rematch with Martinez or a showdown with Pavlik. Cintron is credible, but not quite on the radar (although maybe he should be). When it all boils down, the options are slim, yet the demand is grand. It's hard to say where this will all lead, but be it for big dollars or not, I just hope in the end it all makes sense!
Antonio Margarito: Should He?.....Will He?.....
It's been almost a year sense Mexican warrior last fought. It was quite troubling to find out that such a granite-chinned warrior would have to resort to illegal tactics to win, but now that his suspension has come to a close, what next? Well, that's the million dollar question and it all depends on who you ask. Some say he should never be allowed to fight again. Others say every man deserves a second chance. At a point in life where EVERYTHING seems to be political, perhaps we should inject a little here. Bob Arum recently sat in a skybox at Cowboys Stadium with former President George W. Bush, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Does anyone in the world really think that there's someone on that panel in Texas dumb enough to go against the grain and refuse to license Margarito when the request is made at the dismay of these powerful men? Truth is....despite the disgusting attempt to pad his gloves, guilty of cheating or not, Margarito will be licensed to fight in Texas (opening the door for other states to follow for future fights). Should he be?.....well, unfortunately, this is no longer a matter of opinion. It's simply another matter of politics gone bad.
Vitali/Valuev: Larger Than Life....
News has hit the media of a possible Valuev/Vitali-K showdown for the spring season of 2010. Few in America seem to have a HUGE interest in this battle of the big-men, but across the pond, this possibility seems to be on par with the two contestants. The heavyweight division is arguably at its weakest point in decades, but when fans envisioned a return to the glory days, the definition of "big" was expected to be defined in magnitude, not vertical length. Valuev has aged a bit and no longer had the speed he had in his youth. Vitali on the other hand has shown signs of slowing as well. Some find this to be a mis-match, but perhaps the time is just right.
Source: 8countnews.com
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