Brian’s Boxing Mailbag (Manny Pacquiao Ordinary Without Steroids, Andre Ward Advances)
Email Bag Hosted by Brian Wilbur
Hi readers, thanks for coming to RSR and checking out my mailbag. I hope all of the fathers out there had a Happy Father’s day doing the things you enjoy. If you are anything like me you sat on the couch eating potato chips, ordering around your wife and kids like a tyrant. Or maybe you spent the day watching the replay of Andre Ward’s career best performance over Allan Green. Ward’s shut out unanimous decision was a masterful boxing display, earning him a trip to the Super Six tournament semi finals as the only entrant to go up 2-0.
Prior to the Super Six kick off, all one would hear about Andre Ward was doubt. We heard that he was “too green”, “not ready”, “out-classed and over-matched”, and had a “questionable chin”. So far he has already beaten the favorite in Mikkel Kessler and won his second match in dominant fashion. Ward is probably the favorite to win the Super Six tournament at this point. Young Americans Andre Dirrell and Ward were thought to be the dark horse X-factors, but they have turned heads looking better than anyone could have expected. I can’t wait for more Super Six! The next scheduled match is between Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch on September 18th.
On with the mailbag portion of the column. We have a variety of topics this week, but the hottest topic still seems to be Pacquiao vs. Mayweather. RSR broke the story last week that sources close to Mayweather have confirmed that the fight will happen. However the first emailer of the week does not believe that Pacquiao will agree to terms.
Pacquiao Needs His Steroids
Manny Pacquiao will never fight Floyd Mayweather because he will never stop using his steroids. Without his drugs he is an average fighter! He knows he would get beat if he stops using and that is why he won’t agree to the random drug testing. Why else hasn’t the fight been announced yet? Has to be because Pacquiao is ducking Floyd because he needs his enhancement drugs to hide behind.
-Neo
Neo,
Each day that there is no announcement for the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, the fight becomes a little less likely to happen. The drug testing issue is the big obstacle that is preventing this super fight from happening. However those are the only two points in which I agree with you. I don’t believe that Manny Pacquiao is on steroids. I grew up in the USA where you are innocent until proven guilty and there is not a single shred of evidence that shows that Pacquiao has taken performance enhancing drugs. God bless America.
I am through playing the blame game regarding who is or is not to blame for the negotiations falling apart. I see both sides of the story. Pacquiao does not want blood drawn with a needle because he feels it is too invasive, which is the same stance as 95% of all athletes including the NFL and MLB player’s associations. Floyd Mayweather does not trust the weak drug testing policies of the NSAC. They both have points. If this were an easy issue to resolve it would have been resolved by now. As fans we can only hope that the current “secret” negotiations are going well and the drug testing situation can reach a compromise.
Pacquiao Gets KO’d by Mayweather
I don’t see why everyone wants to this fight anyway. Easy win for Floyd. All he has to do is fight his fight and Pacquiao will end up on his back counting to ten while looking up at the lights. His one-dimensional attack is tired and boring. Mayweather could easily pick that apart. Mayweather is at his best when guys come at him trying to knock him out. Look at the De La Hoya fight. When Oscar was using the jab Mayweather didn’t look so good and when De La Hoya starting going for the KO, Floyd had an easy time. Mayweather KO round 5 or 6.
-Deron
Deron,
One-dimensional? You must be thinking about the 2003 version of Manny Pacquiao. Pacman has improved by leaps and bounds since then. Pacquiao still has that explosive straight left hand, but he also has world class footwork, right hook, counter punching skills and defense. Add that to Manny’s God given talents of speed and stamina, and you have someone that can give anyone fits, including the genius boxer Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather will need to be able to fight at an extremely high pace for twelve rounds because I doubt that he will KO Manny.
I am not saying that I am confident that Pacquiao will win. In fact I am leaning towards picking Floyd by decision, but Pacquiao is certainly a threat to get rid of Mayweather’s zero, and I have not said that about the last dozen or so Mayweather opponents. Manny is dynamic and unlike anyone that Mayweather has ever fought. His latest fights, running through elite, full-sized welterweights has Pacquiao looking like a frightening powerhouse and near unbeatable. How do you call a fight between two unbeatable boxers?
Pacquiao’s speed, angles, power, and knack for finding openings will give Mayweather problems and Mayweather’s jab, defense, ring intelligence, and in-fight adjustments will give Pacquiao problems. This is an epic match up.
MMA Stars as Boxers
Brian,
About the drool-soaked mouthpiece we talked about in last week’s mailbag, yeah, I figured you’d do something like that. Well, in the event the you manage to snatch Cro Cop’s mouthpiece, let me know. I just might be able to point you into great wealth for I happen to know two crazed Croatian CroCop fanatics who might pay whatever amount for it, their blood included.
Tell me, which of these MMA fighters in your opinion would do well in Boxing:
1. BJ Penn: Personally, I think he has the most matured boxing skills in the UFC.
2. Quinton Jackson: Great arm defense, kind of like Jack Dempsey, but struggles in adopting angles and lacks movement.
3. Randy Couture: Polished but can he take out James Toney in a boxing fest? I would very much like to see that happen. I hope Toney sticks to his guns and doesn’t try to prove that he’s an MMA fighter.
4. Andre Arlovski – Really improving under Roach’s tutelage…
5. Anderson Silva – Versatile. But as a boxer? I think he’s limited.
So… what do you think man who has all the answers?
-SJ
SJ,
Switching from one sport to the next and being able to compete on an elite level is extremely difficult to do. I’m not saying that it can’t be done or hasn’t been done before though. Vitali Klitschko and Khaosai Galaxy were both kickboxers before they were boxers. I’ll analyze how I think those select MMA fighters would be able to transition into boxing.
1.BJ Penn – Penn has good boxing skills but his Achilles heal is his stamina. BJ gets bailed out in MMA, only having to fight three rounds, or five in a championship fight. In boxing, Penn would have to go 10 or 12 grueling rounds. Penn would be able to keep up in the first few rounds but then fade by the middle rounds, getting TKO’d by any top 50 boxer.
2.Quentin Jackson – I see Rampage as a potential Ricardo Mayorga type of boxer. He is crazy, aggressive, and punches like a mule. Lined up against certain foes, Jackson would be able to overcome huge gaps in boxing skill with his sheer force and wrecking ball mentality. However against most he would be picked apart due to his lack of technical know how.
3.Randy Couture – The only reason that Couture looks like a half way decent boxer in his MMA fights is his threat of the take down. Randy is a wrestler first, and that is where the bulk of his talent lies. Opponents have to worry about his ground game so much that they are open to punches. In boxing you can’t go for the take down, which would leave Couture ripe for the picking against any top 50 pro heavyweight boxer.
4.Andrei Arlovski – I haven’t seen Arlovski’s boxing lately so I can’t comment on the improvement that you speak of. As much as I love to watch Arlovski because of his unwavering offense, he has no defense to speak of and he has a glass jaw. That spells disaster in a boxing match. Any heavyweight boxer with any kind of power or punching accuracy cold cocks him early.
5.Anderson Silva – Silva, believe it or not, is the one guy on the list who might have potential as a boxer. Silva is a natural counter puncher with good defense. Silva knocked out Forrest Griffin with a jab while moving backwards, which reminded me of Sugar Ray Robinson’s KO of Gene Fullmer. Spider’s main strategy in his UFC fights is to counter punch while standing up, meaning that his transition to boxing wouldn’t be so far fetched. I would be intrigued if Silva crossed over.
Re: Legends Vs. The Klitschkos
Brian,
You said that no one in history had the combination of size and skill that the Klitschko brothers possess. How about Lennox Lewis? You forgot to mention him when you were talking about the Klitschko brothers last week. As I can remember, Lewis beat up on Iron Mike and Evander Holyfield, and was also ducked by Riddick Bowe. In my opinion Lennox beats all the Legends mentioned.
-John Primaylon
John,
Good point John, I did not mention Lennox Lewis, who is probably the only former great heavyweight champion in history who could match the Klitschko brothers in the size plus skill category. Although I am not as confident that Lewis beats all of the legends mentioned, I think he would certainly hold his own and win his share of those mythical match ups just like I had with the Klitschkos. Lennox Lewis ushered in the new era of the super heavyweights, not the Klitschko brothers. Guys like David Haye and Tomasz Adamek are trying to revert back to the previous era of modestly sized big men.
Wrestling Fan Returns
Dilbur-Donger,
So we meet again my wacky lil’ barrel of monkey spunk. I hope the days since we last met in the ring have been kind for you and that tiny package of yours.
In honor of the terrible movie “The A-Team” I have some mythical matches for you. First let me just say that whoever green-lighted the “Karate Kid” remake should have their nuts cut off and stuffed in Sgt. Slaughter’s mouth. Ralph Maccio IS THE KARATE KID. Not Fresh Prince Jr. “Fear does not exist in this dojo does it?” You can’t remake magic like that. Hollywood needs an Arkansas enigma…look it up
Dilbur.
OK here we go. Clubber Lang in his prime vs.
Ed “Too Tall” Jones
Mark Gastinau
Mickey Rourick
Kendall Gill
Mr. T in his Wrestling Prime (circa 85) against
The Red Rooster
Bastian Bugger
The Genius
George “The Animal” Steel (How much to lick him from ass crack to neck? Be honest…a million? Get a good image of his body before you make the call Dilbur).
Until next time,
-“Hunk of Spunk”
Hunk,
If I say that I agree with you that the A-Team and the Karate Kid remake were terrible movies do you think that maybe that would turn us from arch enemies into friends? As a wrestling fan I would think that you would appreciate a drastic turn like that.
Anyway, to your mythical matchups. Rocky III was an awesome movie and Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T, a dynamic character. Lang was portrayed as a top notch contender and worthy of the title belt that he briefly won from Rocky. You could compare the fictional Clubber Lang to someone like Joe Frazier or Mike Tyson. So with that said, Clubber Lang easily destroys the journeymen and circus acts that you mentioned above. Former actors, basketball, and football players? Come on man.
So although I did used to watch wrestling a bit when I was a kid, I don’t really remember much about the wrestlers. Let’s just say that The Red Rooster beats them all with the aid of an illegal steel chair for a weapon. As for George “The Animal” Steel, that would be an invaluable life experience so I would probably pay a couple thousand to lick him. That’s what you meant right?
Okay folks, I have to go but I look forward to reading your emails and featuring them in next week’smailbag. Take care all!