Ringside Report

Randy Couture Vs Mark Coleman headline UFC 109 Saturday Night

February 5th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Ryan Justason

UFC 109 will be making history on Saturday with its main event. For the first time ever, two UFC Hall of Famers: Randy Couture and Mark Coleman will go face to face in what should be a grueling battle. Also, both Nate “The Great” Marquardt and Chael Sonnen do battle to get themselves in UFC middleweight title contention. UFC 109 will also feature a battle between 2 of MMA’s best trash-talkers takes place when Matt “The Terra” Serra meets Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg in the octagon. UFC 109 is set to be very exciting.

Main Event

Randy “The Natural” Couture, 17-10 vs. Mark “The Hammer” Coleman, 17-9

At 46 years of age, Randy Couture has been fighting the toughest of the tough since 1997. Randy is nicknamed “The Natural” for a reason as he only ever seems to get better with age. Throughout Randy’s career he has defeated the likes of Tito Ortiz, Chuck Liddell, Gabriel Gonzaga and most recently Brandon Vera. Randy’s most recent loss was a tough unanimous decision to top contender Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. That being said, win or lose, Randy Couture is in no great danger of being cut by the UFC. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for his opponent Mark Coleman.

Dana White, when talking about this main event fight, has said: “Randy Couture needs this win to get into title contention; but Mark Coleman needs this win a lot more than Randy.” Dana was indicating that if Mark Coleman loses this bout, then that could be the end of his UFC career. Coleman who is known as “The Godfather of the Ground n’ Pound.” He has defeated a who’s who a fighters that include Dan Severn, Kazuyuki Fujita, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and most recently Stephan Bonnar.

This fight was originally meant to happen 10 years ago when Mark Coleman was the UFC Heavyweight Champion but due to a rib injury Randy Couture suffered in training, the fight was put off. This fight has been interesting for fans for a long time due to the fact that both men are very skilled wrestlers. This being said, usually when two wrestlers go at it, the end up striking and it then turns into who is the better striker? In this fight, it’s fair to assume that this fight will indeed stay standing as the two men will find out who the better striker is. On paper and from what fans have seen from the past, Randy takes the cake striking wise. Randy will also be able to stop the takedown if Coleman attempts.

Prediction: Randy Couture defeats Mark Coleman via TKO

Co-Main Event

Nate “The Great” Marquardt, 29-8-2 vs. Chael Sonnen, 24-10-1

Nate Marquardt is nicknamed “The Great” for a reason and it’s not because it rhymes but because he was the 3 time middleweight King of Pancrase amongst many other MMA accomplishments. Nate has racked up a record against many of the toughest fighters in the world that include Yves Edwards, Joe Doerksen, Dean Lister, Jeremy Horn and most recently submission specialist Damian Maia in a 21 second 1 round KO. Nate even got a shot at Anderson Silva’s UFC Middleweight Championship belt in which he was knocked out in the first round. Nate is now working his way back to the top and a win over Chael Sonnen will certainly put him back in the mix.

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Manny Pacquiao & Floyd Mayeather JR Move On, Shane Mosley and Joshua Clottey Look to Spoil

February 5th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Geno McGahee

Floyd Mayweather – Shane Mosley officially official

The May 1^st super fight between undefeated co-pound for pound best in the world, Floyd “Money” Mayweather and “Sugar” Shane Mosley has been signed and sealed and will be delivered. This is not the fight that the people wanted to see, but they will certainly take it. Out of all the opponents out there for Floyd, Shane is the best next to Manny Pacquiao, and there are some things that Mosley can do to be effective.

An early prediction on this bout is easy: Floyd by wide decision. Despite his highlight reel knockout of “Hands of Plaster” Antonio Margarito, Mosley has not been that impressive in his last few outings, struggling badly with the raw yet strong, Ricardo Mayorga. Mayorga was beaten down easily by Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad prior to facing Mosley, and it was an even fight until the final round stoppage.

You add the possible ring wear along with being out of the ring nearly a year and a half, and the age of Shane, it’s a tall order here. There is bad blood between the two and Mosley will not roll over and die, but does he still possess the speed to make this fight competitive? The likely answer is no.

The thing going in Mosley’s favor and what makes this so interesting is that he is very smart. He will stick to a game plan. He also has a great chin and tremendous strength. To win though, he would have to be flawless and fight the fight of his life. Past performances against boxers like Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright certainly make a bet on him a risky one, but at least we are not seeing Floyd vs. Matthew Hatton, a fight that was proposed.

March 13^th Quickly Approaching

Despite the fallout of the showdown with Floyd Mayweather, JR., Manny Pacquiao carries on and will be facing Joshua Clottey on March 13^th, a date once reserved for his showdown with Money Mayweather.

Pacquiao’s recent track record make him the modern day Mike Tyson, a warrior that comes at his opponent relentlessly with power in both hands. He has destroyed some very big names in boxing: Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and most recently, Miguel Cotto. He is the real deal, but Joshua Clottey is a strange choice for an opponent.

Clottey is the sort of guy that would give Manny trouble with his tight defense and consistency. He barely lost in his last outing to Miguel Cotto, and stood tough with Antonio Margarito, winning before injuring his hands, and playing survival for the last half of the fight. Clottey is tough and takes a good shot, but there is a weakness. He is susceptible to straight punches…Manny’s specialty. The plan has to be to launch the straight punches early and often and hope for the best. Manny has every edge in this bout with the possible exception of toughness. Clottey might make this a battle of wills and although Manny has been through battles before, the late aggression from his challenger may be too much for him. We’ll see.

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Twilight Zone: Time Enough At Last (1959)

February 5th, 2010

Bad Brad

Reviewed by Melissa McGahee

“The thing of it is, is I’m not entirely sure I want to be alive.” – Henry (Burgess Meredith)

Henry Bemis (Burgess Meredith) is a middle-aged bank teller who spends his time reading novels, and burying his head in newspapers. He relies on every written word to preoccupy and help him forget about the existence that is his everyday life. He’s married to a battleaxe named Helen (Jacqueline deWit) who bosses him around and forbids him from reading. She colors over the words in his books and then baits him into reading her poetry. He becomes excited and opens the cover only to find every word crossed out. She’s evil.

His boss, Mr. Carsville (Vaughn Taylor) is no more sympathetic than the wife. Bemis is dragged into Carsville office and berated for his adoration for reading. Sure, poor Henry does read on the job and ignores the customers in the process, but he has no other time to read.

Bemis is an overall mousy guy who does what he is told. He’s soft spoken and tries to reason with both his wife and boss, but to no avail. He finds solace in the written word. There’s an obvious escape that he holds onto in the books that he reads. After being banned by nearly everyone, he becomes desperate for to read. He locks himself away in the small bank vault with his newspapers and novels. Meanwhile, the entire world is taken out by nuclear explosions, and when Bemis exits the safe he realizes that he is the only survivor.

Finally, there are no more interruptions and he is able to enjoy all that others have taken away from him. He has time enough at last to read whatever it is he wants. Like every “Twilight Zone,” the solution is not that cut and dry. There is a moral to be learned. Here, the lesson is a tough one. Still today, when men and women are miserable they find a way to forget about their worries. Instead of confronting what is wrong and finding a viable solution, they drown their sorrows in an addiction. There’s chat rooms, video games, soap operas, liquor, etc. Although one can easily argue that Bemis’s addiction for literature is far less damaging, it still played a most confining role in his life. He should have left Helen, stood his ground and found a job that better suited him. Instead, he just waited until the literal end of the world. In the aftermath he gave into his addiction, but even then arose a confining force.

Burgess Meredith is amazing. He was in four episodes of the original “The Twilight Zone”, including one of the best, “The Obsolete Man.” Coincidently, in that episode he also had an affection for books. He played a librarian. Meredith also narrated “Twilight Zone: The Movie” in 1983. His voice added the much needed credibility that the film required to succeed. Without the introduction of Serling who had died in 1975, the movie needed someone who was truly connected to the series. They could have not chosen better. As Henry Bemis, he is sympathetic and good natured. One can’t help but root for the character despite his obvious flaws.

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Derry Destroyer John Duddy Pounds Path to Kelly Pavlik

February 4th, 2010

Bad Brad

(Managing Editor’s Note: Eoin Redahan is our newest Feature Writer at RSR. He will be covering boxing, focusing on many of the up and comers and stars from Ireland. I, along with the rest of the team, welcome him aboard.)

By Eoin Redahan

A Pinch of Celt

Ireland’s contenders are currently jostling for position on the rungs of boxing’s middleweight ladder.

In a trinity of articles, I analyze the merits of three prospects: John Duddy, Andy Lee, and Matthew Macklin…

A funereal silence greeted the verdict in Newark, New Jersey. A thousand olés stayed in their larynxes, and a solitary pin whistled through the air.

John Duddy may have fought and won since his solitary defeat against the unheralded Billy Lyell, but it lingers in the minds of his fans and critics; however, the Northern Irish middleweight went some way toward mending his punctured prospects after a convincing victory over Mexican-born American Juan Astorga on January 23.

Gone was the pensive approach that pervaded previous bouts, to be replaced with incisive urgency and vicious power. The dormant jab was snapping, the wince-inducing body punches were smarting, and the busyness that typified his rise to renown was apparent. Unfortunately, all of this only lasted for one minute and 57 seconds. Duddy must be given credit for his performance, but the caliber of his opponent must also be questioned.

Astorga may have had a respectable record of 14 wins in 18 fights prior to their fight, but his résumé looked flimsy when inspected. Not one of his vanquished opponents held a winning record, and on the three occasions he made a step up in class, he was knocked out. Nevertheless, the John Duddy that battered Astorga into submission looked more like the relentless pressure fighter that got so close to a world-title shot against WBC and WBO world champion Kelly Pavlik and less like the one that sustained protracted punishment against Matt Vanda, Walid Smichet and (to a lesser extent) Billy Lyell.

While Duddy has become better known in the professional ranks for his all-action brawling and often-masochistic defense, people can sometimes forget about his pugilistic prowess. With an amateur record of 100 wins from 130 fights, and decision victories over former world champion Yory Boy Campas and world title challenger Howard Eastman (albeit, when they were past their best), Duddy has proved that he can box, as well as brawl.

His physical attributes, on the other hand, are seldom questioned. Irish boxing analyst, and former European super middleweight titleholder, Jim Rock, outlined the physical challenge that Duddy poses in a recent interview: “With John Duddy, you have to be at your fittest to beat him…. You would have to stand toe-to-toe with him all the time.” That said, with the exception of the Astorga fight, Duddy has not been knocking out opponents on a consistent basis in recent times. While Mick Dowling, former Irish Olympian bantamweight and boxing analyst for Irish state broadcaster RTE, was complimentary of his ability and power, he would like to see him develop a more ruthless streak in bouts: “He’s got a lot of good things going for him, but I’d like him to get in there and finish guys off.”

Billy Walsh, Head Coach of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association High Performance Unit, underlined Duddy’s all-round ability: “He’s a very capable boxer and a good athlete with loads of heart;” however, he did point out some of the boxer’s well-documented defensive frailties: “He needs a lot more head movement. He’s very straight up, which makes you easier to hit. He has a very good jab, but he doesn’t use it enough.”

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Edwin Valero Collides with Antonio DeMarco Saturday Night on Showtime

February 4th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Jeff Stoyanoff

It is hard not to get excited about watching Edwin Valero fight. It’s the record that brings you in, 26-0, 26 KO’s. This guy didn’t even see the second round until his 19^th fight. Upon stopping his seventeenth consecutive opponent in the first round, Valero eclipsed the previous record (undocumented) of Young Otto who set the previous record in 1906. Anybody who is setting records that have stood for better than 100 years is worth watching. Amazingly, despite the gaudy record, many people are picking against Valero as he readies himself to meet Antonio DeMarco, 23-1-1, 17 KO’s, for the WBC Lightweight Title, in Monterrey, Mexico this Saturday night. It is not as though his record means that Valero is infallible by any stretch. Many fighters have put together pretty spectacular records only to be exposed when they stepped up. And, Antonio DeMarco is a solid fighter having strung together 16 consecutive wins himself. The striking thing is not the presence of those who doubt Valero; rather it is the lack of many believers in Valero. Obviously, we will learn more about Valero as he goes along. In the meantime, this step up highlights many questions and dynamics.

The various paths of the knockout artist

Not long ago, Shobox featured a young super middleweight named Victor Oganov. Oganov came in with a record of 26-0 with 26 KO’s. Oganov was stepping up some to take on Fulgencio Zuniga. Oganov struggled mightily as his wide shots never found Zuniga and his suspect defense provided ample opportunity for Zuniga to counter. Zuniga became more and more dominant as the fight progressed eventually stopping Oganov in the 9^th round. Edwin Valero has definitely accomplished more to this point than had Oganov. Oganov was completely untested, while Valero has notable wins over the likes of: Vicente Mosquera, Antonio Pitalua, and Hector Velazquez. Nonetheless, history is replete with fighters who amassed stellar records before meeting the kind of opponent who is both willing and able to stand in and fight only to then wilt under the pressure of a tough and experienced opponent.

Valero almost undoubtedly brings more than Oganov. Yet, it could still be a case of a Jeff Lacy or Michael Grant. Lacy and Grant strung together impressive records and even continued to win as they stepped up to tougher competition. The chinks in their armor were still there, but they were still good enough to keep on winning. That is until they stepped up to the very top levels of their divisions. Only then did they fall short. This could be the path of Valero, only time will tell. Valero has explosive, incredible power that is unquestionably legitimate. However, he is prone to throwing wide punches and his defense is suspect as he squares up regularly and constantly keeps his chin in the air. Like many before him, Valero may prove to have enough offensively to continue to win, but defensive lapses will be exposed eventually. One just has to scale high enough in the rankings to find the opponent who can do the job. Valero might just be the latest example of this kind of knockout king.

Of course, there is still another possibility. Some fighters dominate early opposition and just go right on winning eventually reaching the summit of the sport. Pretty much any great power punching fighter fits into this category: Joe Louis, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Julio Cesar Chavez, and on and on. What separates these fighters is that the chinks in the armor are not nearly as noticeable. The power is there, but so is the rest of the package. This might yet be the case with Valero. Although, it seems unlikely that Valero can get to this lofty perch without substantially improving his defense. The fact is, Valero’s record only tells us that he has some power. Just how much power and how good of a fighter he is overall will only be revealed in his subsequent fights.

Naturally, these paths are not binary. Valero may yet prove to straddle the ground between these names. Yet, in the end, the degree to which his early record either endorsed or belied his true ability will be uncovered…by the likes of Antonio DeMarco. And, in the end, for better or for worse, Valero’s career will probably closely mirror a fellow KO artist who came before him.

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The Boxing Weekend: Edwin Valero Vs Antonio DeMarco Headlines

February 4th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Geno McGahee

ESPN2 Friday Night Fights

This Friday, ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights presents an IBF Light Heavyweight Eliminator between grizzled veteran, Glen Johnson, 49-13-2, 33 KO’s, and Yusaf Mack, 28-2-2, 17 KO’s. Johnson has failed in two recent attempts at the light heavyweight kingpin, Chad Dawson, losing badly in the rematch, his most recent outing. The long road for the “Road Warrior” may be coming to an end.

In 2004, he had the year of his career, winning a decision over Clinton Woods, knocking out Roy Jones, JR., and getting a twelve round nod over Antonio Tarver. Since then, he has fell off the boxing radar, falling back into relative obscurity. He has had a few showcases on the networks, but has come up short. Now he comes to ESPN2 with hopes that he will be able to defeat the younger opponent and get back into the mix.

Mack is on a five fight winning streak since his knockout loss to power-puncher Librado Andrade, including wins over Daniel Judah and Chris Henry. Mack will be facing his toughest challenge this Friday night, and may be catching Johnson as the right time. This is a very good headliner for ESPN2’s FNF.

On the undercard, welterweight Ed Paredes, 24-3-1, 14 KO’s, will be colliding with undefeated Joey Hernandez, 15-0-1, 8 KO’s. This is a rematch of an August bout that turned out to be a draw.

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The WWE’s Impact on Mixed Martial Arts

February 4th, 2010

Bad Brad

By SJ Jarapa

The WWE has been a stellar catalyst for change in athletes looking to alter their fortunes in terms of harvesting support or simply drawing attention to their respective sporting platforms. We have seen NBA Legends Dennis Rodman – then of the Chicago Bull’s – take on Utah Jazz’s Karl Malone in WCW’s squared circle. More recently, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, JR., has given his Pay-Per-View ratings a vast improvement with his stints on the WWE.

Performing in it seems to be a great way for building a public guise that one, if done correctly, can market productively and with a good deal of ease – as proven by the likes of Brock Lesnar and Ken Shamrock, it is an effective springboard for immediate attention and success by way of numbers once they step out of its make believe stage and into the theater of actual combat.

With his popularity being constantly dwarfed by the charms of Royce Gracie and other more charismatic fighters, Ken Shamrock’s appeal in the MMA public’s eye was at best 65% and did not merit much thought despite his stature of being one of the best at the time. He had dissenters and for some reason rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. When Senator John McCain succeeded in derailing MMA operations in various states in the U.S., a move to Entertainment Wrestling seemed the wiser, more profitable choice for Shamrock.

And it was.

Still in his prime, he walked away from the sport of real fighting to pursue a career in Pro Wrestling. The move made him an instant superstar, becoming a true fan favorite in the process, and for years paraded as “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” under the banner of the then WWF, with a signature, almost comical act where he would snap out of his wits, screaming like a rabid mental patient bent on massacring anyone he comes in contact with, while he was in such a zone.

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RSR Looks Back at Prince Naseem Hamed – A Rare Talent from a Stand-Out Period

February 3rd, 2010

Bad Brad

By Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett

The mid-90’s was for me a terrifically bright period in the sport of boxing. Bernard Hopkins was just coming into his own having won his first major world title. Roy Jones JR, an almost supernatural talent at that point in time, was the new IBF super middleweight king. Pernell Whitaker had come down a notch or two and was beginning to have to really dig down in order to come out on top in his ring assignments. Julio Cesar Chavez was a quart low but still fun to watch. Up and comers such as Kostya Tszyu and Marco Antonio Barrera captivated those that followed them to the point of their first world championships and Oscar De La Hoya had what I consider to be his first really significant win, a breakout performance with his two-round blowout of Rafael Ruelas for the IBF Lightweight title. And to top all of that off, the world watched as the post-prison variant of “Iron” Mike Tyson set about on his journey to recapture the glory of the previous decade by embarking on a comeback in a career that by that point proved to be more sensationalism than actual substance. In my opinion, it was the most interesting period in the sport since the early-80’s, highlighted by extraordinary talent and colorful characters bent upon proving themselves inside the squared-circle, but perhaps none of them captured my curiosity and attention more than a particularly gifted and obnoxiously boastful featherweight out of Sheffield, England, Naseem Hamed.

Like many of the aforementioned fighters, “The Prince” exuded desire, hunger and talent, but what drew me in were the headlines and subsequent waves he created apart from a given explosive result; the openly boastful statements that were delivered with a cockiness rarely seen since the emergence of a young Cassius Clay decades before. My good fight buddy Jeremy, a collector of bouts from all around the globe aimed me at Hamed, commenting that the Englishman was as much fun in the ring as he was post-fight jack-ass. That made review of the diminutive Englishman mandatory for me, but as I quickly learned, behind those brash utterances was an increasingly impressive, if deliciously flawed body of work. Hamed was more than a run of the mill obnoxious loudmouth with delusions of greatness, he had an uncanny knack for coming out on top after the holes in his game put him in jeopardy, and he usually did it in dramatic, explosive fashion. God-given athletic abilities bundled with obscene punching power were the talk of the media, but it was the holes in his game, his unconventional foundation as a prizefighter and the chinks in his armor which rounded him out as great fun in the ring and a must-see fighter for his time.

Standing a hair over 5’3 and with a lean and unspectacular physique that seemed to contradict a rare blend of athletic ability and unusual fight-ending power, Hamed began his professional career in 1992 at an age when most young men are more concerned about borrowing their father’s car on a Friday night than at focusing on a career of fighting professional, grown men in search of a major world title. Starting out as a flyweight, Hamed quickly made a name for himself scoring early-round knockouts against the usual array of suspects and punching bags. The call of his body demanded he begin the process of moving northward through the bantamweight and super bantamweight ranks shortly thereafter. Along the way Hamed punctuated his promise of sheer greatness by winning the EBU Bantamweight title and the WBC International Super Bantamweight titles. Five short-order defenses of the latter strap positioned the “Prince” for yet another move up, this time to the featherweight division and a shot against Steve Robinson for the WBO Featherweight crown. Leading handedly on all cards, Hamed accelerated and dispatched Robinson in the 8^th-round, giving him his first major world championship just three years into his career.

In June 1996 the fundamental flaws that would ultimately make “Prince” Naseem Hamed a fun fighter to watch came to the forefront during the second defense of his WBO title. Dropped early by undefeated power puncher Daniel Alicea, Hamed’s self-belief kicked-in. Shifting gears on the fly, Hamed reeled his challenger in and dropped both he and the curtain in short order in dramatic fashion. I was amazed at the mindset behind Hamed’s game. Typically such rare athletic ability and blistering hand speed were the sort of things a safety-first talent such as Roy Jones JR would use in the pursuit of prizefighting’s ultimate goal; hit and not be hit. But in the case of Naz, the opposite seemed true. The uncanny athletic ability and blistering hand speed were just the sort of attributes needed and used strictly for positioning, looking to drop those big fight-ending bombs, and defense be damned; the odd angles and at-times lack of proper balance and technique often put the Prince directly into harm’s way, thus providing fans with the opportunity for the kind of drama and excitement rarely part of such a gifted fighter’s game.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship: The MMA Stars that Belong in the UFC

February 3rd, 2010

Bad Brad

By Ryan Justason

The UFC has proven itself to be to most dominant promotion in MMA. The UFC also has the best talent out of any MMA promotion. That being said, the UFC still does not have all the best talent. This is a list of the top ten guys who should be in the UFC.

10. Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski

Never underestimate your opponent will most likely be Andrei’s latest MMA lesson. Andrei’s most recent fight was an upset 14 second knock out to up and coming heavyweight Brett Rogers. Andrei has since gone on to say he did underestimate Rogers and he was not in his right mind.

Although his most recent fight was a huge upset, we cannot forget about what this man has done. He was the UFC champion who beat the likes of Tim Sylvia, Paul Buentello and Vladimir Matyushenko. Then Andrei went where the money was and the money was at Affliction.

Since Affliction, Andrei has gone 2-2 defeating the likes of Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson while getting knocked out by both Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers. Since these back to back losses, Andrei has started to reinvent himself by training at the world famous Greg Jackson camp. In the end Andrei could be on his way back to the UFC with a big win against a smaller promotion and then he could prove once again who the real Andrei Arlovski is.

9. Ikuhisa “Minowaman” Minowa

Minowaman should also be known as the giant killing journeyman. He has beaten giant fighter like Hong Man Choi, Bob Sapp, Giant Silva and Butterbean. Although Minowaman has defeated such odds, his record stands at a not so impressive 44-30. This type of record is not what the UFC typically looks for. One thing the UFC does look for although is exciting fighters and Minowaman is one exciting fighter.

There aren’t too many fighters that will attempt to get the fight to the ground by doing a Judo roll straight in to the other fighters feet. Minowaman seems to have found an awkward fighting style that is very affective against certain fighters although close strikers such as Wanderlei Silva and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. This man is a true fighter and has proven to be so in his last three victories.

In Minowaman’s last three outings, he has put out notable fighters Bob Sapp, Hong Man Choi and Sokoudjou winning the DREAM 2009 Super Hulk Grand Prix. With having beaten names like that in his last three bouts, the UFC must have noticed how beneficial it would be to have such an exciting fighter who goes for the finish or is finished….something like a Japanese Wanderlei Silva.

8. Nick Diaz

Nick Diaz is truly the Stockton bad boy and he has proven himself so throughout his MMA career. Nick, who is always known going where the money is has been a dominant force in the UFC, Pride FC, Elite XC and now Strikeforce. Never one to shy away about how he really feels about judging, fighters and his belief that Marijuana should be legal, his believes have recently kept him out of the UFC limelight.

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Backyard Wrestling: A Positive Thing

February 3rd, 2010

Bad Brad

By John Pitroff

Backyard wrestling is a topic that hasn’t been covered in a long time. I haven’t seen a kid jumping off a trampoline onto a flaming table in years, and it’s about time. Seriously, I miss seeing a teenager give his best friend a powerbomb onto the ground in the middle of a field. Even though you don’t hear that much about backyard wrestling anymore it is still relevant. A lot has been said about it, but it has mostly been negative up to this point.

Seriously, I have never read anything positive written on backyard wrestling. I guess that is why I am here. Backyard wrestling is cool. Backyard wrestling is fun. Backyard wrestling is not all negative. I’m not saying backyard is necessarily a totally good thing, but attempt to see the positive in it. I’d take a backyard wrestling match over an A-Train match any day of the week.

Backyard wresting used to be a much bigger deal. It has toned down since WWE put up that “Don’t Try This At Home” nonsense at the beginning of all their DVDs. Just kidding, that didn’t work at all. Does WWE really think that backyard wrestling fans buy WWE DVDs? No, of course not, they download them for free online. When will WWE ever learn? However, the fact remains that backyard wrestling is not as popular as it used to be and there are reasons for that.

The reason you don’t see as many specials on backyard wrestling like you did in 1999 and 2000 is because wrestling was bigger then and people love to nitpick and create trouble in order to be heard. You don’t hear it so much anymore because wrestling isn’t as popular. People are generally haters and never want to see anything do good, especially something as lowbrow as pro wrestling. So, when wrestling was at its biggest, they picked out the most hardcore group of backyard wrestlers and showed them doing the worst things to each other. Why? Because it was a topic that would create controversy and make them money. That is what the news media does.

These shows attempted to prove how WWF didn’t care about kids because they “let” backyard wrestling happen. The fact is that the news shows were the ones using kids to make money. Talk about not caring about the kids of the world! Screw 20/20, Dateline, and 60 Minutes. Once these shows realized that wrestling wasn’t as popular, they started to not cover it anymore. Coincidence? I think not.

I wish there was a less biased approach to the coverage I have seen on backyard wrestling. Anyone talking or writing about backyard wrestling feels as though they have some stake in it. I can see backyard wrestling as positive, because my thoughts on it won’t get me fired from WWE or TNA since I don’t work for them (sign me!). All of these pros have to speak badly about it because that is what is expected of them. Not me. I have always enjoyed backyard wrestling, in all aspects. Think about this; how much commentary on backyard wrestling comes from those who know nothing about it?

You can’t blame backyard wrestling on WWE or TNA. Perhaps CZW, but no kid watches that garbage. There is no “blame” to be placed. If you stop seeing it as all negative, someone being “responsible” is irrelevant. Can you blame the NFL for football leagues, can you blame MLB for kids wanting to hit a ball with a stick? It is the choice of the kids and the parents. This isn’t about WWE. Daddy WWE doesn’t exist. It comes down to the fact that parents need to get off of it and learn how to raise their children.

I realize a lot of these people are just terrible parents who don’t know anything about anything and they just let their kids do whatever they want. But, that isn’t the fault of WWE, Vince McMahon, or pro wrestling at all. My parents let me backyard wrestle, while at the same time being great parents. They were smart enough to realize that I was smart enough to realize I am not an idiot.

I never hid it from them nor did I ever try to lie about what I was doing. Actually, my dad watched my first match. He liked seeing his son perform, even if it was in his own backyard and even if my friend did jump through his card table. My mom helped me build a ring in the backyard. She came up with the idea of using garden hoses as ring ropes. I never had a match in there, but I was the one kid in school with a wrestling ring in his backyard! I loved that thing! I think back to it and it is a great memory. It is possible to be the parent of a backyard wrestler while at the same time being responsible and smart about it.

Backyard wrestling is something very personal to me. It is something that is in my heart. It was part of my childhood, my teenagehood (this should be a word), and if the owner of that backyard wrestling company I talked to on Craigslist is still down, it will be part of my adulthood. Coming from personal experience, I have nothing bad to say about it. Perhaps I could say that my matches could have had better storytelling, but I was young. It was still better than anything A-Train ever did. In addition, it is hard to have a well thought out match when two fruit crates are involved.

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Twilight Zone: Where is Everybody? (1959)

February 3rd, 2010

Bad Brad

(Publisher Note: RSR is extending its entertainment coverage and we now will be featuring reviews of Television and Film. We are proud to bring you reviews of the legendary Hit Series “The Twilight Zone” from the Brilliant Mind of Creator Rod Serling. All reviews are courtesy of Scared Stiff Reviews.com)

Reviewed by Geno McGahee

This was the very first Twilight Zone episode and concerns a man alone in a town. Mike Ferris (Earl Holliman) wanders aimlessly and confused, seeking humanity but not finding it anywhere. He roams into a diner looking for some grub and the place is empty…not a soul. He sees a woman in a car and when he runs over to speak with her, he discovers that it is a mannequin, but still talks with her because she is the closest thing to another person.

He decides to go to the police station and once again, there is nobody there. There is some activity however. There is a lit cigar and the water is running in one of the cells. When he makes it to a movie theater, he realizes that there is a film playing but when he makes it into the projection booth, nobody’s home.

This episode is what may have inspired the movies “The Last Man on Earth” with Vincent Price and “The Omega Man” with Charlton Heston, but it cannot be compared with either. Although this is not a bad tale, it’s not a very good one either. By Twilight Zone standards, it doesn’t match up, but it is watchable and if you like the two above mentioned movies, you will like this one, even if it is merely to compare them.

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Tex’s Fight Journal: Yuriorkis Gamboa & Juan Manuel Lopez Double Header

February 2nd, 2010

Bad Brad

By Daniel “Tex” Cohen

8:29- Moments before the showdown between Rogers Mtagwa and Yuriorkis Gamboa, I can’t help but empathize with Mtagwa more than his opponent. It’s not that I dislike Gamboa. I suppose I would just like to see a grizzled old veteran with a less than snazzy record take on an undefeated fighter with a notoriously questionable chin and gain a moment in the sun. I know a Mtagwa championship reign wouldn’t last forever, but damn it if he doesn’t deserve it.

8:50- Perhaps I’m susceptible to propaganda, but I am actually a little moved by the HBO Gamboa introductory feature piece. Selling your gold medal to pay for your daughter’s birthday is touching.

There’s a story here that we see time and time again but fail to acknowledge: Cuba has problems. I know every country has its issues, but this is a story that is particularly pertinent to Boxing. If we are going to identify internal issues dealing with sanctioning bodies, we should also try to scoop our best and brightest when they are in a rough and tumble situation. We’re an internationalist community anyway, right?

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I Hope This Is Newsworthy: The Result Of A Lack Of Wrestling News

February 2nd, 2010

Bad Brad

By John Pitroff

The wrestling world is always full of news. But, the problem is that most of it is not newsworthy. Do you read the dirt shirts? I do. The little tidbits are cool, but I feel as though I am reading Star Magazine for wrestling. I always feel dirty when reading those magazines because I know most of it is nonsense. I also feel the same way when reading the dirt shirts. Perhaps that is why they call them dirt sheets. No one cares about Karen Angle…unless she is naked. Well, except Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett! Did you hear she might be returning to TNA? See, you still don‘t care and nor do I!

I find humor in these “news” stories, but they are never big enough to actually warrant knowing about unless you are an avid wrestling fan. As a wrestling fan, you are lucky if once a week you get something worthy of reading online that is big enough to the world of wrestling to end up mattering in a few weeks. Everything else isn’t even of note. Rikishi’s son wrestling, Jeremy Borash off of TV, WWE releases another developmental wrestler nobody knew anyway? Don’t care, don’t care, don’t care!

I find it hard to attempt to write two columns a week about wrestling when wrestling doesn’t provide me with enough to write two solid columns a week. I never want to write about things that aren’t worthy of writing about. I never want a reader to have to sit through stupid news stories that don’t really matter to the world of wrestling. Does the average reader really need to know about the fact that Awesome Kong fought Bubba the Love Sponge backstage at the Impact tapings? See, it is interesting, but I always wanted to write about things that are of a more important ideology.

Wrestling needs to step up its game and make some things happen so that I can get some columns. A message to WWE & TNA: make something happen and make it quick, because not only do I need the entertainment, I need something to write about! C’mon, I almost turned to writing about Hornswoggle…oh wait, I already did that. One knows they are scraping the barrel for something to write about when a green midget comes to mind. I think WWE feels the same way as I do, because they keep writing him into their show scripts as well.

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The Heavyweight Report: The Threats to the Klitschko Brothers

February 2nd, 2010

Bad Brad

By Geno McGahee

Vitali Klitschko, 39-2, 37 KO’s, the WBC Heavyweight Champion, and younger brother Wladimir, 53-3, 47 KO’s, the WBO/IBO/IBF Champion are the recognized co-champions at this point, even with the WBA Crown belonging to David Haye. Their dominance of the mediocre heavyweight division has placed them at the top of everyone’s heavyweight list and rightfully so. They have taken on the best possible contenders and have made easy work of them, but there are challengers ready to change the face of the heavyweight division.

The Invasion of the Cruiserweights

The best heavyweights of all time were smaller guys. Mike Tyson weighed in the 215 range in his prime, Evander Holyfield at 210, Joe Louis 200, Muhammad Ali 210, Rocky Marciano 185, and Joe Frazier 205. The best heavyweights of all time ranged from 200 to 220 pounds and were not hulking giants. At this time, we have sanctioning bodies considering a “super heavyweight” division again to further confuse the sport, but there is a chance here to set things right by keeping the heavyweight division the be all and end all of boxing and letting these cruisers show that bigger is not necessarily better.

We begin with David “Hayemaker” Haye, 23-1, 21 KO’s. As a cruiserweight, he was a menace, demolishing the competition with ease, and capturing the WBA, WBC, and WBO titles. His charisma and powerful punch made him a fan favorite and when he began to confront the Klitschko brothers, the stage was set for a big time collision and serious defense for Wlad, at the time. Promotional problems would stop the Wlad – Haye bout, but he would forge on and in November of 2009, he would give up 99 pounds to the defending champion Nikolay Valuev, and come away with a majority decision. Although many expected more from Haye, he did win against a very tough opponent that stood seven feet tall and who took a great punch. Valuev held wins over John Ruiz, Larry Donald, Sergei Liakhovich, and Evander Holyfield. Haye showed poise and stuck to a game plan to become one of the few that have moved up in weight to win the heavyweight crown. With his title, charisma, and punch, he will get a crack at one of the Klitschkos in the near future.

Best Chances Against: Wladimir

Threat Level: High

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Another Thunder from Down Under: Anthony “The Man” Mundine

February 2nd, 2010

Bad Brad

By Gina L. Caliboso

As 2010 moves beyond the super/mega fight between you know who and my guy – and for all you faithful readers, I’ve mentioned him before, the welterweights may have to take a back seat to the middleweight hitters. The middleweight division currently has its top three fighters in need of good fights and these fights just may have to be against one another.

Currently, Kelly Pavlik, 36-1, 32 KO’s, ranks #1 among middleweights followed by Felix Sturm, 33-2, 14 KO’s, at #2. But the boxer I want to focus on is Anthony “The Man” Mundine, currently ranked #3 behind Pavlik and Sturm.

By all accounts, Pavlik and Sturm do have better records than Mundine. At 34, Mundine first made his debut back in 2000 with the majority of his fights taking place in Australia. At one point in his career, he was the titleholder of the WBA Super Middleweight belt now held by Manny Sciaca and also the belt now held by Andre Ward.

In looking at Mundine’s fight record over the past 2 years – I could go further, but his record just reads like a fighter with a lot of ring time and always coming away as the winner.

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Brian’s Boxing Mailbag (Shane Mosley/Floyd Mayweather Is On, Should Antonio Margarito Be Banned For Life? More Manny Pacquiao)

February 1st, 2010

Bad Brad

Hosted by Brian Wilbur

Hello readers, I welcome you to another fun and exciting volume of my boxing mailbag. The big news this week was that the rumored match up between Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley is now confirmed and set for May 1st in Las Vegas. This is great news for a couple reasons. First, Mayweather is taking on a legitimate top ranked welterweight (gasp!), and it is always good to see the best fight the best. Second, the bout is not taking place on March 13th so it won’t counter program the Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey fight as previously thought.

An interesting wrinkle in the announcement is that Mosley agreed to the Olympics style drug testing that Pacquiao refused, leading to the collapse of negotiations. I had discussed in last week’s mailbag though that Mosley and Mayweather really had to fight with the enhanced drug testing or else Floyd would come away looking like a fraud.

Pacquiao and Mayweather are engaging in two separate but quality fights this spring to look forward to. However I know that everyone is still hoping and praying that they both win and will meet later on in 2010 in the fight that entire world is waiting for. Nothing compares to Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather.

There were a few minor fights this weekend, but the one that caught my eye was Jesse Brinkley vs. Curtis Stevens. I have to give a shout out to Brinkley, a former contestant on The Contender reality show. He had a brilliant performance against Stevens, scoring two knockdowns and winning a wide decision. Brinkley was thought to be finished due to a series of losses starting with his exit from the television show. However since 2007 he has won his last 9 fights and taken down a handful of name opponents during that span, including Dallas Vargas, Joey Gilbert, “The Next Great Champ” Otis Griffin, and now Curtis Stevens. Brinkley has surprised and impressed me by resurrecting his career at the age of 33. I see a title shot in his future.

Before we move onto the mailbag, I wanted to remind my readers once again to check out Yusef Mack vs. Glen Johnson this upcoming Friday. This is the best fight we’ve had on regular cable in a long time.

I have a mixed bag of topics this week. We touch on Antonio Margarito, the Super Six tournament, and Manny Pacquiao among other topics. I open this week’s emails with a take on the Mosley vs. Mayweather bout. Enjoy, and as always, I would love to hear your feedback.

Shane Mosley vs. Floyd Mayweather Set

I know this disagrees with a lot of growing excitement about Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs. “Sugar” Shane Mosley, but I honestly think Mosley will look oh so bad that Money’s ego will only be stroked and will skyrocket into the next galaxy. Shane did demolish Margarito, but think about it:

– Shane looked bad against Ricardo Mayorga

– Miguel Cotto out-boxed him

– He just looked decent against a badly faded Fernando Vargas

– Shane couldn’t dent Winky Wright

– Margarito probably weakened his previous opponents with his loaded gloves, so he was able to take their punches better as the rounds went; such was not the case against Mosley. And of course huge credits to Naazim Richardson for the tactics Shane employed (loading up on his punches as Margarito came near, knowing Margarito wouldn’t move his head anyway; then coming close & clinching to avoid Margarito’s power hooks to the body when Margarito got into position).

Shane would be very dangerous against Manny Pacquiao, maybe that’s why Freddie Roach thinks that is the most difficult fight for Pacman among the top welterweights. But against Floyd, Shane, would be embarrassed by the end of the fight.

Of course he has brother Naazim is in his corner, but what stylistic change can Shane do to be more competitive? Oscar De La Hoya did good in the early rounds against Floyd, but it seemed De La Hoya’s punches were not connecting solid or hurting Floyd. Shane would have much more power but I don’t see him doing a forcing job with hard jabs to get close and then body strike solidly. How would you advise Mosley and brother Naazim?

-Rob P.

Rob,

I completely agree with you. Shane Mosley is top ranked welterweight and a quality opponent, but I still see this fight as a mismatch in favor of Mayweather. Most of Floyd’s recent fights have been mismatches because he fought a poor quality of opposition or he held a size advantage like he did against Juan Manuel Marquez. In this fight against Mosley, we can’t criticize his choice of opponent because Mosley was the best available since the Pacquiao fight fell through. However due to styles and Shane being a tad overrated right now this is also a mismatch.

When Winky Wright fought Mosley, he did not just win, he toyed with Mosley and had such an easy time that he got bored halfway through the match. Shane has no answer for an elite defensive boxer with a good jab. Mayweather is going to dominate Mosley and win a near shut out unanimous decision. And like you said, since Shane is highly ranked and the best quality opponent that Mayweather has fought in a long time, the public will react positively and Mayweather’s ego will soar to new heights.

Again I am not knocking Mosley as an opponent or a fighter. He deservedly is ranked as the next best welterweight behind Pacquiao and Mayweather so I commend Floyd for taking on a real opponent this time. Mosley would have a much more favorable styles match up against Manny Pacquiao (though I would still favor Pacquiao, just by not as big of a margin). Mosley is at his best when his opponent engages him and Mayweather will do nothing of the sort.

For your question regarding what strategy I would advise for team Mosley, I would advise Shane Mosley to emulate Mike Tyson against Mayweather. Cus D’Amato’s fighting techniques that Tyson perfected was the best style I have seen at countering defensive boxers and boxer-punchers. That means use a quick jab to set up combinations, fight from a crouch, bob and weave, head movement to avoid the jab, and once you slip the jab lunge in with hard swift power combinations. The key is getting past the reach and the jab, trapping your opponent on the ropes and unloading your power punches.

The problem is that in order to effectively implement that style one needs to have elite power, speed, and reflexes. Mosley has good power, but he has never been a one-punch knockout kind of guy. Shane used to have elite speed and reflexes but I believe that those have diminished as he has aged. I don’t think that Mosley has the physical tools to get it done against Mayweather.

Naazim Richardson is a better fight strategist than I am though, so we’ll see what kind of game plan he sets up for Mosley. Another point on Richardson, is that against Margarito you could clearly see flaws to exploit since Antonio is/was a raw fighter. Naazim came up with a plan to capitalize on huge holes in Margarito’s game. Mayweather is so technically sound, coming up with a slam dunk game plan like that is not possible. If there are flaws in Floyd’s game, they are very minor.

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Ricky Hatton: The Return of the Hitman

February 1st, 2010

Bad Brad

By Geoff “The Professor” Poundes

Finally, it’s official.

After keeping the watching masses on tenterhooks for some 6 months or more Ricky Hatton has delivered the news that surprised no-one – he’ll fight again this summer.

Those of us who were witnessing his ballooning corpulence had begun to doubt. We doubted not because it appeared that the fires within this admirable warrior had diminished, nor because his last fight indicated a separation from his formerly formidable powers, but because he was beginning to look for all the world like a man comfortable in his own stretched skin, ready for the pipe and slippers.

Apparently not.

As much as Ricky disclaims his knockout at the flashing fists of Manny Pacquiao last May as a training mishap, even he must know that at 31 years of age his best fighting years are behind him, and what remains up ahead is a hard, desperate struggle to recapture the vim and vigor of youth.

Hatton is not the first, nor will he be the last, to embark on that journey. Of course the Hitman gives himself a far greater mountain to climb than most, with his stubborn refusal to exercise any kind of moderation between fights, a refusal that has surely exacerbated a quick and painful fall from grace.

At his presser to announce his return to the ring, Hatton claimed to have weighed in at around 180 pounds, but looked closer to 190, and he refused to remove his t-shirt as he lumbered around a heavy bag for the photographers like a pregnant rhino.

There will still be fires that burn within. Not least the desire to clear his name in the wake of that debilitating Pacquiao loss. Ricky claims that Floyd Mayweather, SR., over trained him (when all the indications pre- and post-fight were that Floyd was, if anything, an absentee coach), and that he approached the ring that night knowing that he was in no shape to fight. His loss to Mayweather, whilst emphasizing a gulf in class between the two fighters, at least allowed Hatton the kudos of having competed on something like level terms with the Pretty Boy for much of the fight.

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RSR Weekly Message Board Update

February 1st, 2010

Bad Brad

By Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett

The Classic Boxing forum is a terrific place to reach out to other like-minded old-school hardcore fans and kick around memories of great fighters and bouts from days gone by. In fact, if you are somewhat new to the sport it’s a great way to get a sense on which bouts merit review. Hindsight being what it is, I always enjoy the distinct career arc on a given fighter, often being able to correlate their greatest moment with the point where their abilities and momentum level out and ultimately go on to wane. “Cornelius Boza-Edwards vs. Bobby Chacon II” is a discussion and an excellent example of a key moment for two glorious fighters, so much so, the portrait these two ring artists produced was of such rare passion and skill that it hooked its author, Saad79 for life. For those who have never seen that heated rematch, consider it a friendly tip-off on a past bout worth your time, and for the others that remember well how fast Mennen Speed Stick or Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes could be flashed before your eyes between rounds, it’s an excellent stroll down prizefighting’s memory lane.

RSR January 2010 Prediction League came to a blistering if cock-eyed conclusion last week. After numerous last-minute pull-outs, postponements or outright cancellations, the first league of the year saw a long suffering stalwart and a former multi-month victor emerge victorious, giving us two champions to start the year. Anthony Sullivan proved up to the task at the first bell, staying within a mere breath of the lead right through until the very end, where he ultimately found himself neck and neck with RSR’s approximate of a hybridized Jean Dixon/Floyd Mayweather JR, the seemingly irrepressible Jakeameyers. For those of you that are not currently a member of RSR and would like to take part in the various forums and fight polls, or put your powers of pugilistic prognostication to the test in the February 2010 Prediction League, act now using the link to submit your request.

Contact Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett To Sign Up For The RSR Message Board and Join In On The Fun

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RSR Boxing Results: Jorge Arce Champ Again

January 31st, 2010

Bad Brad

By Geno McGahee

Popular super flyweight, Jorge Arce, 53-6-1, 40 KO’s, dominated and scored a seventh round technical decision over Angky Angkota, 18-4, 9 KO’s, by scores of 60-54 (twice), and 58-56, after Angkota suffered a cut which stopped the fight. Arce picked up the WBO Super Flyweight Title and has brought himself back into the division after a hot and cold run as of late. This victory made Arce a four time champion and with his charisma, we will probably see him involved in a marquee fight in the near future.

In other Saturday action, former WBO Heavyweight Champion, Lamon Brewster, 35-6, 30 KO’s, met the end of the road, being stopped by Robert Helenius, 11-0, 7 KO’s, in eight rounds. Brewster is one of only three men to hold a victory over current Heavyweight Champion, Wladimir Klitschko. He was at his peak when he destroyed Andrew Golota in 53 seconds after his win over Wlad, but the amount of punishment he’s taking over his career and inactivity have cost him and he has now lost four of his last six outings. Helenius may be a fighter to watch in the future heavyweight division. He seems to be on the fast track.

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2010: Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather & the Future of Boxing

January 30th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Geno McGahee

The year is 2010 and we have a lot of great fights on the horizon. Despite the fall through of the biggest fight to come down the pike in years, Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather, JR., we have plenty of other bouts to excite us. Another early disappointment in the year was the cancellation of the Andre Berto-Shane Mosley bout, but this dark cloud also has a silver lining.

Super Fights

March 13^th – WBO Welterweight Title

Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey

Pacquiao, 50-3-2, 38 KO’s, has to be given credit for taking on a man like Joshua Clottey, 35-3, 20 KO’s, when the Mayweather bout didn’t materialize. Clottey brings a tight defense and consistency to the ring and has been waiting for an opportunity like this for some time. He nearly beat Miguel Cotto in his last fight, but the loss is being used by many to dismiss his chances of winning because Pacquiao TKO’d Cotto, beating him with relative ease. Although this is true, styles make fights and this is a tougher match up for Pacquiao than Cotto was. He will have to work hard to earn this.

Clottey’s trouble in this fight will be his openness to straight punches. Zab Judah was able to land them, Miguel Cotto, and even Diego Corrales found some success with straight punches, which happen to be the best punches in the arsenal of Pacquiao. That has to be the thinking when choosing Clottey, but they run a risk. If Pacquiao cannot penetrate the defense of Clottey, then he could be walked down and possibly stopped. He will have to try for the knockout early and if it doesn’t happen or he doesn’t find continued success going right down the middle, expect him to box and use his speed and angles to outpoint Clottey.

Prediction: Manny Pacquiao comes out strong early using his quick punches but none of them do any real damage or land cleanly. Clottey walks forward in a defensive shell, fending off the attacks. Pacquiao takes an early lead on the cards but Clottey’s consistency begin to bother Manny and pick up points on the cards. Manny will rally late to win a close decision in a very tough fight with some shaky moments on both sides.

Just signed for May 1st

Floyd Mayweather, JR vs. Shane Mosley

Mosley, 46-5, 39 KO’s, seemed like he had reached the end of the road in 2004 with back to back losses to Winky Wright. He looked very mediocre against Fernando Vargas and even worse against Ricardo Mayorga, but in January of 2009, he stopped Antonio Margarito and breathed some fresh air into his career, but what was Margarito without the loaded gloves? What he brings to this fight is a great chin, a fighting spirit, incredible strength, and a general dislike for Mayweather. This is a grudge fight.

Mayweather, JR., 40-0, 25 KO’s, is a defensive genius with great timing and underrated power. He most likely would have been favored to beat Pacquiao and most likely would have if they had the fight. Although just by recent activity, Pacman rules the pound for pound list, it’s fair to say that Mayweather is the man to beat. He has never lost and really hasn’t even come close, despite some close decisions. Nobody has ever walked away saying they got the best of him. He took a brief hiatus from the sport and came back to dominate a much smaller Juan Manuel Marquez, but now has his sights on bigger game: Mosley.

Prediction: I would love to say that this will be a competitive fight, but I think that the Mosley win over Margarito proved what a cheater we had on our hands and what a mediocrity he was without the plastered fists. Mosley looked like he turned back the clock, but I don’t think that he did. Mayweather will be smart and outthink Mosley, gaining and keeping the lead, winning a wide decision on the cards.

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A Remarkable Journey through Boxing – The Career of Dennis “The Magician” Milton

January 30th, 2010

Bad Brad

Interview by Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett

“I was just blessed enough to get into boxing and once I did I was able to go around the world and be somebody that other people looked up to.” – Dennis Milton

I remember my first glimpse of Gerald “The G-Man” McClellan. It took him less than a round to walk right through John “The Beast” Mugabi back in 1991, and from that moment on I was hooked and in awe at the unmistakable combination of destructiveness and talent. The obvious self confidence and momentum behind him made it inconceivable that he was summarily routed just a few short years before, as if by some act of magic, but indeed such had been the case. Digging a little deeper, the realization hit me and the pieces came together. That first loss was handed to him by Dennis “The Magician” Milton, a diligent fighter who had paid his dues and toiled in the shadows for years. He had been brought in as the opponent but took virtually everyone by surprise, demonstrating the drive and the talent that would one day take him to a title shot.

I first noticed “The Magician” in 1989, having watched him take Michael “The Silk” Olajide, a talented contender who had at one time fought for a world title at middleweight and later would go on to challenge for one at super middleweight, to the very brink. It was the type of win that made you raise an eyebrow and take notice. When I put two and two together, I noticed that it had indeed taken an act of magic to turn back “The G-Man”, and that Dennis Milton had been the magician that pulled it off. It was a privilege to sit down and speak with Dennis “The Magician” Milton about his unlikely beginning that led to a remarkable journey through the amateur and professional ranks of boxing. Over the course of that discussion, I picked-up on his positive nature and what I sensed to be a good and giving spirit to those around him, and that regardless of the victories and disappointments, this was a man whose feet were firmly planted on the ground.

MP: Starting off, for your fans that followed your career through the late-80’s and into the mid-nineties, what are you doing today?

As of right now I have a restaurant up in Mount Vernon, New York. It’s called J&D’s Tasty Fish Chips which is right across the street from City Hall. I’m also getting into real estate. I’m actually starting out as a real estate investor. I should end up doing pretty good. My business will be online shortly; I know we start advertising in November. Right now I work for an advertising company, I’m their concierge. I’m doing fine.

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RSR Boxing Results: ESPN2's FNF & SHOBOX

January 30th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Geno McGahee

ESPN2

Jesse Brinkley, 35-5, 22 KO’s, scored a minor upset over Curtis Stevens, 21-3, 15 KO’s, on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights via wide 12 round unanimous decision by scores of 117-109, 118-108, and 119-107. Prior to the bout, Stevens was very adamant that he was going to score an early knockout and it nearly seemed like a safe bet. Stevens, a massive power-puncher with only one true career loss going into this, appeared to be too much for the former Contender star. The thought was that he’d eventually catch him and most likely, it would come sooner rather than later.

In the first round, Stevens came out of his corner and attacked, landing some very good shots and swelling up the right side of Brinkley’s face with his left hook, but Brinkley remained calm. In the second round, Brinkley found his range and began dodging the shots of Stevens and then quickly countering. It was a trend that went on for the rest of the night. Confused, Stevens stayed on the outside and ate jab after jab and in the sixth round, a right hand hurt him. He backed into the ropes and Brinkley went after him, dropping him from a barrage of punches. He got up and they fought on, having a vicious exchange that continued after the bell. Brinkley’s trainer, Peter Manfredo, SR., ran into the ring and actually shoved Stevens. Manfredo, SR., was removed from the corner immediately afterwards.

The rest of the fight was all Brinkley and he got more confident as the fight went on, exchanging punch for punch with the perceived stronger man. This was Brinkley’s night.

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Wladmir Klitschko Faces Off with Eddie Chambers

January 29th, 2010

Bad Brad

IBF/WBO/IBO world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and his opponent Eddie Chambers faced off at a press conference yesterday at ESPRIT arena Düsseldorf, where their fight will take place on March 20.

Klitschko: “This is a great arena and the idea of more than 50.000 spectator gives me additional motivation. After a break of 7 months I am really looking forward to stepping back into the ring. Chambers is a very strong and quick opponent; therefore he is the number 1 in the WBO ranking. But for me, there is no doubt that I will win the fight and keep my belts.”

Chambers: “Sure, Klitschko is the favorite. But I will surprise him and shock the boxing world when I take his titles to the US on March 20.”

For the second time Klitschko will be fighting in a soccer stadium. The ESPRIT arena Düsseldorf, homefield of Fortuna Düsseldorf, will have a capacity of 51,000 seats on fight night. In his last fight, Champion Klitschko beat Ruslan Chagaev at Schalke Arena in front of 61,000 spectators in June 2009.

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Jermain Taylor: Can he Truly Walk Away from Boxing?

January 29th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Jeff Stoyanoff

It hasn’t been the best of holiday seasons for the sport of boxing. The Mayweather-Pacquiao debacle has derailed the entire sport just when things seemed to be looking up. Pacquiao had put together another stellar year, Mayweather had come back and looked fantastic, there was the typical slew of tremendous fights involving exciting fighters who continued to ply their trade in the often overlooked lower weight classes, and a number of promoters and managers had come together and actually found enough common ground to put together a unique event in the Super Six Super Middleweight Classic. It had been an outstanding year. For the first time in a long time, boxing actually seemed to be successfully getting out of its own way. Boxing was still on the fringe in the world of sports, but at least it wasn’t embarrassing itself. It just couldn’t last, Mayweather and Pacquiao saw to that.

Yet, in the wake of the breakdown of THE mega fight, another story has popped up. Jermain Taylor is withdrawing from the Super Six. Taylor suffered a vicious knockout loss at the hands of Arthur Abraham in the first phase of the round robin tournament. The loss was his fourth in his last five fights with three of those coming by knockout. Perhaps even more disturbing than the knockout was the way Taylor looked in the fight. Taylor seemed unsteady throughout looking very much like a fighter whose best days were well behind him. Obviously, credit must be given to Abraham who fought extremely well and who was clearly leading in the fight even before landing the devastating right hand that brought things abruptly to an end. Furthermore, it seems safe to say that the punch landed by Abraham would have stopped Taylor then, a month before, or five years before. However, Taylor seemed to have lost a measure of his fluidity and this fight was the first time that the loss was so clearly on display.

In the wake of that loss, many fans openly wished that Taylor would withdraw fearing for his health if he continued to box. Predictably, Taylor was defiantly courageous saying that he wanted to continue and that he felt he could still be a factor in the event. A fighter is forced to endure and overcome so much to make it at all in boxing, let alone make it to elite status as Taylor has. The willingness to sacrifice and the ability to overcome doubt and fear become traits unto themselves. Perhaps that is why so many great fighters find it so difficult to walk away. If one allows themselves to walk away when things get tough they will never make it. Losing one’s skills to the point of no longer being able to compete probably feels like just one more time when the going has gotten rough. What to do? Quit? In the mind of a great fighter, that is simply never an option. The mindset is so thoroughly ingrained as to become almost involuntary.

That is why many fans braced for the worst. They prepared themselves for the possibility that Taylor would persevere and continue on against fearsome competition. The whole thing had the potential to be downright ugly; ultimately leading to the kind of sad night that makes even fans wonder if boxing is truly something worthwhile. And then it happened, Taylor announced that he was withdrawing from the event. If the last month was a circus that is all too common in boxing, then the last week was a feel good moment that is not nearly common enough. Taylor is not out of the woods yet; as he left the door open for an eventual return to the sport. However, for the moment, a rare thing transpired. A fine fighter stepped away rather than suffer ignominious and unnecessary defeat. Taylor didn’t quit, he just knew when to walk away.

Now What?

Initially, it looked as if the winner of a February 5th clash between Allan Green and Sakio Bika would be slated to replace Taylor in the Super Six. Either man would have been an able replacement for Taylor. However, the Bika-Green tilt was recently canceled and Green was given the spot in the Super Six. The reality is, coming off three losses in four fights; Taylor was a long shot to be a difference maker in the tournament going in. Thus, the fact that Green will similarly be a dark horse at best is of little importance. It is what Green brings to the table that makes him a viable replacement. Green brings enough in the way of talent to keep his opponents interested. And, he brings enough in the way of questions to keep fans interested. Sadly, it is this second area where Bika likely fell short. Despite his recent win on The Contender and three successive knockouts as a follow up, many must have felt that Bika simply could not compete at the highest levels in the Super Middleweight Division. After all, Bika had already fought Calzaghe and Bute losing both fights. Admittedly, Bika went the distance both times and did not seem overwhelmed. Nonetheless, Bika has already taken his shot and fell short while Green has yet to test his talents at the top. Has Bika raised his game to a new level in the later stages of his career? Unfortunately for him, that question is not as compelling as just how good is Allan Green?

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The Glass IS Half-Full: Why Boxing May Benefit from No Manny Pacquiao/Floyd Mayweather Mega Fight.

January 29th, 2010

Bad Brad

By Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett

I reached a point of complete mental exhaustion with the ongoing negotiations between the camps of Floyd Mayweather, JR., and Manny Pacquiao long before the throngs of Mayweather supporters started chanting in unison that something was up on the basis of Team Pacquiao’s outright refusal to submit to the schedule of Olympic style blood testing as demanded by Team “Money”. As the negotiations took on a tone that suggested “soap opera” and fan sentiment became polarized to a point well beyond the norm, I quickly embraced the “glass is really half full” mentality with the notion that other great match-ups awaited both Pacquiao and Mayweather should their proposed mega-fight implode. When the negotiations fell apart both fighters were left to find other mountains to climb while mindless chatter about our sport dying a sudden death flooded the internet.

Initial speculation had Pac crossing swords with WBA World light middleweight champion Yuri Foreman for an 8^th division world title but eventually Team Pacquiao settled in on former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey, a stiff assignment at the very least by any reasonable standard. Names such as Juan Diaz and Paulie Malignaggi circulated relative to “Money” in the weeks thereafter, and while both are former world champions that give their all each time they enter the ring, neither is big enough or talented enough to pose any kind of realistic threat to the undefeated “Pretty Boy”. I suppose that Diaz and Malignaggi would serve as decent tune-ups for Floyd given his penchant for exhibition, but at least they were several steps up from Matthew Hatton, who rumor had it was on the table as a potential foe.

Moving along, and playing into my ongoing assertion that there were other terrific match-ups set to occur in the wake of the demise of Pac/Mayweather, WBA Super World welterweight champion “Sugar” Shane Mosley had signed to face the undefeated and unquestionably talented Andre Berto, his WBC counterpart, in a high-stakes unification match that was for all intents and purposes, a consolation prize of sorts for fans and perhaps in the mind of Mosley himself, after failing to coerce Floyd Mayweather into the ring after confronting him publicly on HBO last year. Unfortunately, the recent earthquake that devastated Haiti had repercussions that affected our sport, and Berto, a man of Haitian descent, backed out of the match just mere weeks before the first bell, citing quite reasonably his inability to focus on the task at hand given the devastation that had touched members of his extended family.

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