Glen Johnson-Chad Dawson Winner May Meet Murderous Puncher Jean Pascal

by Stoker MacIntosh… For the second time in as many fights, top boxing contender Chad Dawson will be involved in a rematch with a former champion whom he has already beaten.

First, it was his less-than-enthusiastic two-fight affair with Antonio Tarver; now, he and Glen Johnson will meet on Nov. 7 for a rematch involving one of the many alphabet versions of the 175-pound light-heavyweight title.

If Dawson can once again prove he is the better man—as he did against Tarver—then his matches against past prime foes may come to an abrupt end; his next match could very well be a much tougher test of his boxing abilities.

Dawson’s next opponent—should he be victorious against Johnson—would be the tough toe-to-toe banger and current 175-pound champion from Montreal, Jean Pascal.

Dawson (28-0, 17 KO) is coming off back-to-back wins over a slow, past-his-prime Tarver, while the 40-year-old fan-favorite Johnson (49-12-2, 33 KOs—since meeting and losing to the brilliant young boxer, Dawson, the first time in April, 2008—has two wins against subpar opposition.

Personally, I gave the first fight to Dawson, as he was applying more pressure; however, many other fans felt that “Journeyman” Johnson had done more damage throughout the course of the fight.

Some boxing experts also saw it as a draw in Johnson’s favor. In any event, all three judges gave the fight to Dawson. Interestingly, they all had the same score, 116-114.

My fellow countryman Pascal is 23-1, with 15 KOs, and he’ll make the first defense of the alphabet title he won in June when he fought fellow Canadian Adrian Diaconu in a brutal punch-fest at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Pascal will face the mandatory challenger for his crown, Silvio Branco (59-9-2, 36 KOs) on Sept. 25, once again in his home venue of the Bell Centre.

The French Canadian will be a heavy favorite against the 42-year-old Italian fighter, who has four straight wins over no-name opponents since losing to Stipe Drews in April of ‘07.

If Dawson wins and his handlers decide to search for a bigger name and subsequent bigger payday—such as Bernard Hopkins or Roy Jones Jr., who is now enjoying regained popularity—well, then, we, the fans, will be shortchanged once again.

If Johnson should emerge victorious however, he wont have too many other options, and would likely jump at the chance to fight Pascal.

That bout, in my estimation, would involve two workman-like sluggers, not giving an inch either way, battling toe-to-toe in the center of the ring, trying desperately to break each others will; it would be a fight with the potential—style-wise—to be a boxing dream match.

And in the sport of boxing, that’s the type of match-up we hardcore fight fans live for.

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“Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.”

— William Shakespeare, “Julius Caesar”

Mayweather-Marquez Undercard Finalized: Zab Judah vs. Antonio Diaz

by Stoker MacIntosh… The much anticipated matchups for the undercard in the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez Sept. 19 superfight is now officially finalized.

It will consist of a great title rematch in the featherweight division between undefeated Chris John and Rocky Juarez.

These two 126-pound combatants fought to a draw last February in Juarez’s hometown of Houston, Tex., a state which is becoming very well acclaimed for hosting great boxing shows among the lighter weight divisions.

Many boxing insiders and fans alike felt that John had done enough to win the bout; however, when Juarez wobbled John late in the fight, it may have ultimately swayed the judges’ decision.

It is possible that this could have been a hometown decision favoring Juarez; whatever the case, however, the fight was declared a draw.

Juarez, in my opinion, has had better days, and this could be his last chance at romance; because, should he fail, the windows of opportunity in his great career may close forever.

It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he lost this upcoming rematch; no surprise either if John becomes the overwhelming betting favorite here.

As for Zab Judah, barring anymore strange revelations, he will be officially matched up with Mexican veteran Antonio Diaz.

Judah had been set to face Matthew Hatton but, suddenly, without warning, demanded that the fight be fought at the lighter weight division of 140 pounds—a weight that was foreign territory for Hatton, and one at which Judah hasn’t fought since 2003.

Even more strangely—for lack of a better word—is the fact that Judah will fight Diaz at 147, and he seems to have no qualms in doing so. Go figure.

Judah—a Brooklyn native and a slick, speedy southpaw who was once hailed as the man who would dethrone Mayweather—has, according to sources, moved to Vegas in these recent times, and the move may not have served him well.

Judah, as of late, has been the brunt of many unfounded rumors regarding his wild nocturnal activities; it seems that the lifestyle he’d been used to in The City That Never Sleeps has followed him all the way to The Las Vegas Strip.

The 33-year-old Diaz is 46-5-1 and has losses to Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley, yet he does have notable wins in his career over tough brawlers such as Irish Micky Ward, Ivan Robinson, and Emmanuel Augustus.

He also hasn’t lost since 2003, and, if I were Judah, I’d have stuck with Mathew Hatton.

Diaz is a tough Mexican-style fighter who just may give the past-his-prime Judah more than he bargains for.

A lightweight matchup featuring Michael Katsidis vs. Vicente Escobedo will also be on the undercard.

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“The sad truth is that excellence makes people nervous.”

— Shana Alexander

Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto Has the Makings of a Classic Matchup

by Stoker MacIntosh… The classic warriors of boxing’s yesteryear, Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake LaMotta, are fighters who were a breed unto themselves and can never be equaled.

That being said, I hope you will please allow me to make a pale comparison between these two great boxers and two of modern day’s finest pugilists, who are scheduled to meet this coming November.

When 28-year-old Caguas, P.R., native Miguel Ángel Cotto took on Mexico’s Antonio Margarito on July 26 of last year, it ended with Cotto acquiring his first and only loss so far.

The tough Latino boxer took a vicious beating at the hands of Margarito without any thoughts of self-preservation, and when it came time to surrender to the onslaught, he let his cornermen decide his fate.

Giacobe La Motta, born July 10, 1921, and still residing somewhere in New York, is better known as Jake LaMotta, a tremendous body-banger.

A pressure fighter who possessed the type of ferocious punching power that could take you down with one well-placed shot to the liver.

And not unlike Cotto, he too would use his bullying style to get inside his weary opponent’s defense; there he could unleash tremendous hooks to the rib cage.

Style wise, Cotto is a dead ringer for La Motta—who, by the way, would also sooner die than surrender.

The Raging Bull, or the Bronx Bull, as he was known at the time, could truly “take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’.”

LaMotta would “roll” with the punches, minimizing their force, thus escaping knockdowns, knockouts, or, ultimately, any form of future brain damage.

These natural boxing skills also awarded him with the—not totally accurate, but irrefutable—reputation of having one of the best chins in boxing.

The Raging Bull had a great career—he had 83 wins, 19 losses, and four draws with 30 wins by way of knockout.

Undoubtedly, however, one of LaMotta’s biggest boxing achievements was being the first man to dethrone the greatest pound-for-pound boxer who ever lived: Sugar Ray Robinson.

La Motta knocked the great Robinson to the canvas during the first round, and simply out-pointed him over the entire course.

The fight was second of their legendary six-bout rivalry. Jokingly, La Motta once said, “I fought Sugar Ray so many times that it’s a wonder I didn’t get diabetes.”

Cotto can be compared to The Raging Bull as well, in that he enters each match with the same workman like mindset. Not to mention, an unequaled toughness against fighters known for their speed, lateral movement, and boxing ability.

His unwavering pressure fighting skills, combination punching, and body assault at close quarters enable him to negate, or nullify the speed of his quicker opponents.

Cotto can also take an early beating, put his money in the bank so to speak, and come on strong down the stretch, which systematically brings an end to the fight in the later rounds, or by doing enough in the second half to win the decision.

This was evident in his win over journeyman Shane Mosley, however in no other fight was it more apparent than in his classic Madison Square Garden war with Zab Judah.

Judah constantly rocked Cotto early in the fight with hard left uppercuts, and later in the eighth round, the deadly accurate southpaw opened a cut inside Cotto’s mouth with a brutal right hook.

Cotto, however, is no ordinary boxer—he is an elite fighting machine, who is used to taking a few lumps in order to give some back—so even with blood dripping, he quickly recovered, and came on stronger.

He landed 90 power punches over the last four rounds, compared to 24 for Judah, which eventually—due to Cotto relentlessly pressuring him with heavy blows—wore Judah down.

The quick-fisted Brooklyn, N.Y. native was forced to take a knee in the ninth round, and was decked by a left hook that ultimately finished him in the 11th.

In Cotto’s next fight, nothing changed except the face and the name, just another banged up, blood dripping, courageously fought battle, this time against top contender Joshua Clottey.

It was a close fight in front of a packed MSG house of Cotto fans, but he once again showed heart, courage, and determination, and gained the decision.

Cotto will now face off against Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao, in a 12-rounder on Nov. 13, for one of the numerous alphabet Welterweight Championship titles.

The similarities, and the potential for fans to witness an old-time throwback welterweight war, are now firmly in place; however, questions still exist.

Will the young version of La Motta be able to bully the smaller Pacquiao around the ring as he has done against past opponents?

Can he nullify the Filipino native’s quickness, or will Pacquiao’s tremendous hand speed prove too much to handle for the brawling Cotto?

In regard to the Pacquiao comparison, the name Henry Armstrong has been mentioned, yet, although “Homicide Hank” was one of the best—I personally feel Pacquiao’s popularity and greatness is more similar to Robinson.

True that there will never be another Robinson; he was, unequivocally, the best ever—a fighter who invented the term “pound for pound.”

That being said, if we were to look for a fighter to match up with Robinson in terms of dominance over several different weight classes, we would be hard-pressed not to consider the Filipino superstar.

And, if Pacquiao should win a seventh championship by defeating Cotto, and then go on to defeat the winner of the Mayweather-Marquez matchup, it would support a solid argument concerning him equaling, or surpassing the greatness of Sugar Ray.

Unfortunately, for Cotto, a loss to Pacquiao at this point, could possibly take him completely out of the welterweight picture in terms of super fights.

As a fan, I’m simply hoping for a good competitive boxing match—but wouldn’t it be great to look back in the coming years and say, “Hey! We knew that one was destined to be a classic.”

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“The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence, but in the mastery of his passions.”

— Alfred Tennyson

Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire Vs Rafael El Torito Concepcion

by Stoker MacIntosh… This kid can bang!!

So much so, that they are calling him the next Manny Pacquiao.

He is the 21-1 (14) - undisputed Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire, and here in this video from youtube.com he prepares to take on Raphael Concepcion this weekend in Vegas.

The Filipino flash is his nickname and he hasn’t had a blemish since 2001, a unanimous decision loss in only his second pro bout to Rosendo Sanchez.

Donaire is not unlike the tornado-fisted Pacman, as he can also knock out tough fighters with just one punch.

Dont take my word for it, just ask Vic Darchinyan, he found himself on the wrong end of a left hook from Donaire in July of 2007.

Until recently—since losing King Kong Agbeko—that one-punch-knock-out-loss stood as the only blemish on Darchinyans immaculate boxing record.

Vic-Darch was the undisputed super-flyweight champion, and No.9—Ring Magazine ranked best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, knocking him senseless was no small feat.

The Filipino Flash now rests comfortably on The Ring Mag. list at No.7, in good company, among the best pound for pound boxers in the world.

Here’s the good news: he keeps getting better.

And now, with his new recently signed contract with Bob Arum, he will no doubt be facing the best 112-118 lb. fighters out there.

I’m extremely excited to see this Great young Filipino brawler in action; Donaire vs El Torito Concepcion—a Panamanian native—is this Saturday August 15.

The event is being labeled “Pinoy Power,” and it’s from The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Kelly Pavlik Vs. Paul Williams…it’s On!!

by Stoker MacIntosh… According to ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael:

Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik will defend against tough, up and
coming contender Paul Williams, on October 3 in Atlantic City.

HBO forced the hand of Top Rank president Bob Arum and Williams’
promoter Dan Goossen it seems, when they were given a deadline to make
the deal, and also when it was stated that the network would make no
other commitments regarding each facing any other opponents this coming
fall.

Top Rank, in my opinion, were looking for an easier path for Pavlik,
as names such as; former undisputed junior middleweight champ Winky
Wright, and former “Contender” star and super middleweight world title
challenger Peter Manfredo Jr, stated popping up.

These two excellent fighters would have been much easier for Pavlik
to deal with, and most likely would have become The Ghost’s next
victims.

In any event Arum and Goossen came to an agreement, which stated in
effect that the Williams side would receive a little under $2 million.

Pavlik will also have a rematch clause should he lose, which is a
very wise move, as Williams will be—unquestionably, the toughest test
for The Ghost since losing a non-title match against the never-say-die
legendary Bernard Hopkins last fall.

“Goossen and I have agreed to all terms and we are going to contract
for the fight,” duBoef told ESPN.com. “We look forward to a formal
announcement.”

Said Goossen, “I’m just happy that we’ve finally come to terms and gotten this resolved. Now we can move forward.”

A news conference is being planned for next Tuesday in New York.

Boxing fans have waited patiently with fingers crossed for this match-up, after it was rumored to be in the works last month.

Pavlik has been in the news of late, but the stories were more on the personal level.

Pavlik is The Ring Magazine legitimate 160 lb champion yet has only
fought once so far this year, and it was starting to look somewhat
fishy—that his promoters, Top Rank Promotions had turned down
opportunities to fight two top contenders.

Pavlik was scheduled to defend his title against Sergio Mora last
month, but had to pull out of the fight supposedly due to a mysterious
staph infection in his right hand.

What also concerns me a bit—and many of his fans also—is why his
name was noticeably absent during a recent 168-lb., 6-man fight
tournament, scheduled this fall.

Surely, one reason could have been that Pavlik is the 160-lb. champ;
however, he had no problem moving up in weight to 170 in facing Bernard
Hopkins last fall.

And, in his statement to the press regarding the issue, he certainly
didn’t try to make it sound like he “wasn’t” snubbed by the organizers.

Pavlik said something to the effect of “let them ruin their career’s
fighting in this tournament, let them fight for peanuts, I’m staying
with HBO, then whoever wins, they can bring him to me and I will beat
him.”

He can forget about that for now and concentrate on the task at hand.

Williams is a virtual whirl-wind type boxer with untiring cardio, he
is constantly throwing punches while also somehow remaining on the
defensive.

The only knock on him is that he seems to have sacrificed his
punching power, in favor of a high-volume-punch-out-put; which was
clearly evident in his last fight, an overwhelming performance against
legendary south-paw journeyman Ronald Winky Wright.

Pavlik is a tricky fighter, with no power shortage,..he is also a
long lanky fighter much the same as Williams, so this will be a great
match-up in terms of size, neither one having a definite reach
advantage.

Pavlik can take a good beating early, as evidenced in the Jermaine
Taylor fight, and if Williams can’t dispatch of The Ghost in the
opening rounds, then Pavlik may come back to haunt him later on, down
the stretch.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the punching power of the Champion was a
deciding factor in this fight, and it also wouldn’t surprise me if
Pavlik won by a knock out, or a Unanimous Decision as a result of that
factor.

 

A rose’s rarest essence lives inside the thorn. Rumi

Wladimir Klitschko Vs Fast Eddie Chambers Rumored For December 12/09

by Stoker MacIntosh… No, that guy in the photo isn’t Mike Tyson.

Sadly, it isn’t picture of a prime Evander Holyfield, or Lennox Lewis either; but as of right now—with the heavyweight division being what it is—this kid is a legitimate American heavyweight-reasonable-facsimile of the aforementioned trio.

The rugged young heavyweight fighter’s name is Fast Eddie Chambers and he has some enormous shoes to fill, let me tell you.

The big boys of late 80s and early 90s were the absolute cream of the crop, and they kept the fields mowed in a time when the sport was producing a bountiful harvest of young heavyweights.

Elite athletes, such as Holyfield, a former Gold Medal winning Olympian who—after already earning himself a cruiser-weight championship—was at last ready to scale the mountain and enter the land of giants.

In the summer of 88, The Real Deal made his heavyweight debut, when he fought James Quick Tillis in July of that year.

Others, such as Lennox Lewis—who was also an Olympic Gold Medal winner and a decorated amateur was only beginning to make his way into the professional ranks

Lewis made his pro debut in June of 89 against a unknown fighter named Al Malcolm.

Those were the golden years, the glory days, and no boxer was more or less glorious than an infamous young rags to riches heavyweight named Iron Mike.

Tyson, on a cool day in Nov of 86, pushed aside the previous record of 21 years of age set by Floyd Patterson, and became the youngest heavyweight champion ever.

After that day, young Tyson’s life would never be the same. Events unfolded in the coming years like a roller coaster ride, which is best described as nothing short of a great American tragedy.

During that historic period the previous trio of great American heavyweight boxers ruled the heavyweight division with an Iron Fist, and a big Steel Hammer.

Today, the heavyweight division is still ruled by a Steel Hammer and an Iron Fist, it’s the nicknames of the two Klitschko’s brothers Vitali, and Wladimir, who currently have won, and hold, all umpteen alphabet championship tiles between them, including The Ring Magazine belt.

And if the latest rumor has any validity at all, Dr steel-hammer Klitschko will next face our American heavyweight hopefull…Fast Eddie Chambers.

According to BoxingScene.com, sources indicate December 12 will be the scheduled date in which the united states will finally get a shot at the true linear heavyweight championship of the world..

Although this isn’t an enormous revelation, but for what its worth, Chambers is the best American heavyweight we have at the moment.

Many experts, myself included, feel he should have gotten the nod in the fight against Alexander Povetkin, which was Chambers only defeat as a pro.

Chambers (35-1, 18 KO) won his distinction as the alphabet mandatory challenger for Dr steel-hammer’s crown, by beating the previously-undefeated Dimitrenko in July.

Klitschko’s other mandatory challenger was Povetkin (17-0, 12 KO), who won a four-man mini-tournament in late 2007/early 2008.

Povetkin first beat Chris Byrd, and then defeated Chambers in the final eliminator bout.

So maybe big Wlad feels he is taking the high road by selecting the fighter who he should have the easiest time defeating; from what I’ve seen of chambers so far, sadly he may be right.

“Success is a journey, not a destination.” — Ben Sweetland

The Fistic Top Ten: Can You Handle The Truth?

by Christian… As we enter the dog days of summer boxing fans I ask you to come with me on a journey of boxing truth and justice.

It has been a somber pugilistic summer solace and I think that some good boxing banter and as always comical fresh boxing stupidity will give us the chance to block out what is currently hurting us all.

I have been quite reticent in recent months watching and hearing and reading the sport we all know and love. I have many beefs. Many things to say. Some of you will like it and of course some of you will not.

In arguing with the dumb f$$k’s of the world like captain fat or going back and forth with stoker the feuds, debates, and overall astute nature of my chats is something that I relish as a writer and I will continue to spit the truth.

As of late I have noticed that people who have no clue how boxing works have been getting bolder and bolder with each piece I write. It’s a laughable yet tragic trend that I will snuff out with logic and fact. Two powerful allies in the arena of boxing debate.

Feel free to weigh in where and if you can. I ask that those who don’t actually write or have any creative atoms in their respective beings to shut the f%$k up and learn from the best. I have prepared a three course meal of which you all can gorge on to your infinite delight. All systems go…

Boxing’s current Top Ten (take with water call me in the mourning)

10. King Arthur Abraham        30-0  Former IBF Middleweight champion

I have been involved in many arguments concerning this man as of late. The argument centers around if he passed Pavlik without actually FIGHTING pavlik. In a flash Arthur exited the 160 pound division to greener tourney laced Showtime pastures.

Kelly meanwhile is left with seemingly no one to fight. I think in some parts this is due to the fact that the Kings stock just keeps going up. It has not really stopped his whole career. He is the rare heavy handed puncher who couples his heavy digits with elegant speed.

He also appears to have a good beard although I am waiting to see how he deals with 168 pound body punching. His highness has a dash of top level boxing intuition to go along with that power. Tell me this fans.

What REALLY stopped Top rank from making the King/Kelly fight? I have the answer no worries. Risk. Bob arum is no dull knife. He saw an undefeated monster and he knew his emotionally shot fighter would not stand a chance.

It is this MAN who until a couple weeks ago was the real middleweight world champion. Screw ding. Screw HBO. This man was the man at 160 and that is why it was he not the ghost who was mailed a multi million dollar deal to fight in a very intriguing boxing promotion even though it is a Showtime presentation.

If the loquacious yet limited Carl Froch can beat down Jeannine Taylor then anyone with smart money would have to bet that Arthur knocks Taylor out with out problem or consequence.

I don’t see Arthur really getting tested for the first phase of this “classic” tourney so the deeper more penetrating questions about the King will have to be answered another day. Welcome to my rankings King. Anything you need while you are here let me know.

9.Chad Dawson       28-0     Light Heavyweight titlist

This is a tough call boxing fans. I as I type am wondering if this is a warranted selection. Why do I pontificate fans? Well this mans stock is not convincing me to buy multiple shares. He had a dreadful performance against Tarver and it exposed WHY he is not a bankable star.

He simply does not draw. I would suppose that it does not help that his consumer unfriendly handlers keep staging his fights five trillion miles from where his fan base resides. I went to college in CT and I can tell you there are three prime venues in which Dawson’s following plus interested mainstream CT’ers would come and pay money to get in.

You have the Hartford Civic Center which is gigantic. You have two amazing casinos. No Instead Russ Greenburg in all his glory stages the God da## fight at a desolate (for Vegas standards) boring venue that drew no fans whatsoever.

It looked the beginning of fight night round 3 where you fight in half filled ball rooms when you are still 10 fights away from the title. It was horrible. Not to mention the telecast was coupled with the fantastic Hatton/Pac tilt which incidentally amplified how badly Management and HBO Fu#ked up.

It is true that Chad’s lack of drawing power is hurting his rise. But maybe it also has something to do with the way his career is being sculpted from a consumer point of view. Back to the Macro.

Chad will get through this fight with the affable Glenn Johnson(who I love) I believe that he needs to chase a fight with Bernard Hopkins, or perhaps a cruiserweight title rematch with the rising TA. He needs a marquee attraction worse the Barack needs a black and mild.

He is undefeated, the best in his division, and a good guy yet he is bringing in tap dance recital gates. He needs to keep winning but no more trips to the land of b level fighters. For the next 2 years it has to be top level opponents and that’s it

8. Wladimir  Klitschko     53-3    Unified/Ding Heavyweight champion

Wald. I have placed you even in about the same place I placed you last time my reason is about the same reason it was last time. I have to give you some credit before I undress you yet again.

The credit is the way you handled the David Haye situation. You were very graceful in your response to his “injury” and you were swift in choosing another opponent. You had the option of delaying the fight until mid July but in the midst of that decision you were informed of how that would affect the fans that had already paid.

You then chose to give the FANS a fight around the same date that you had stipulated months earlier. I have also noticed that you are now leaning towards fighting the surprising Eddie chambers because you believe that would be better for boxing and the American public. Here is my typed dap Wald. That’s a pretty darn cool sting of events on your part.

On the other hand you continue to be a horrible heavyweight champion. I think it’s insane that it’s gotten to the point where the only people who will televise your fights are ESPN classic. Come on Wald even I cracked regular ESPN when I was competing.

Wald’s style consist of getting a lead and then going into the four corners offense while the clock winds down (for those of you who don’t know what the four corners offense is don’t worry some things I type will be over your head) I can not stand the way he fights and Network head honchos would rather pay for the world hotdog eating contest then watch the Heavy weight champ defend his title.

I can not call DR Wald a disgrace, not only because that would make this a paradoxical sentence but more so because he does good things for the kids of the world and his fellow countrymen. He has a sense of history and a fabulous wardrobe.

He just is not cut out to be a boxing attraction. I am not slamming him fans I am describing him. He has a very difficult style to cope with but you name me a fighter who has tested that chin or heart in his last eight or nine fights.

In this day and age of boxing if a top level fighter wins two or three fights without being touched it is usually that 3rd or 4th fight in which they take risk. Fighters like Pacman or JMM take a risk every fight. They are champions. Warriors. Knights.

Wald is a weenie. He has beaten down at least 8 men in a row with ease and he REFUSES to step up his comp. don’t give me the he has “no one to fight” excuse. F^^k that.

He needs to display a lust for combat or quit. He is hurting the sport on a mass scale right now due to the infallible importance of the current heavyweight champion to the masses going back to the Model-T. Will a new heavyweight attraction please stand up?

7.Juan Manuel Lopez               26-0   WBO Super Bantamweight champion

I have been singing this kids praise for a year and running. I told the world that this kid had the skill set and the timing to become a huge star. By timing I mean that with the inevitable fall of Miguel Cotton that a new star from boxing’s best island was needed.

He has filled the void but in an unexpected turn of events Bob Arum is upsetting the potential this kid has as a mainstream star. WHY? Well I will take this chance to say I love Bob Arum. I have met him, interviewed him, shook his hand all that. But he has been undercutting boxing as a whole recently and the following events point to why

Making the Cotto/Pac fight as fast as he could even before contracts were inked when it was clear that Sugar/Pac was the better match up AND since Sugar is the lineal champ at 147 and Hatton was at 140  why not go after Shane,

Why go after Cotto who won his title by defeating Jennings? Why not go after the man who beat the man who beat your selected opponent and the man at the weight you’re trying to conquer?

Continuing to throw the undefeated joke of a club fighter JCC’jr on Latin Fury PPV cards as oppose to putting him on boxing after dark and seeing him really get tested

Attempting to match Pavlik with Mora or Forrest (RIP) before HBO asked him what he was smoking

All Arum cares about is money. In order to ensure that is makes money he is now either keeping fights in house or matching his most marketable names against plumbers and afterschool teachers. He does this to ensure that all cash cows keep squeezing out that green.

The problem is he shortchanges US the fans. Now try understanding the problem for Juana. CC who I will get to later (however if you want to get to him now scroll down the page) came out and addressed the 500 pound elephant in the room.

“Why does this guy continue to fight these nobodies, he is disgracing his fans and lying to them at the same time” I wont go THAT far but at its root the quote is on target. Bob Arum is padding this kid’s record begging the WBO for mandatories.

Most fighters take a break from fighting stipulated opponents and take a money fight. Esp hot champs like Juanma. No instead of that Arum is content to protect his asset and ignore us all. That is fine he is playing with an awesome force of nature’s career

6. Sugar Shane Mosley  WBA/lineal Welterweight champion

If I am Sugar I am not smiling right now. I murdered the tornado, cemented my status as the best welterweight out here. And I can’t get anyone to fight me. No one of relevance. I was publicly ducked by the “best” fighter in the world.

I mean sugar gave Pacman everything he wanted. Bigger ring, punchers gloves, 140 pound limit, 60/40 split. I mean look at all those concessions. Sugar has a much longer history of success in this game yet he BOWED down and kissed Pac’s feet to get the fight.

Pac because of his prispercasity chose to fight the dwindling Cotton because of the cheap skate Bob arum AND of course because fighting Shane is too much of a risk right now. Shane has all the tools to beat  Pacman, Speed, power, grace, stamina, and determined aggressive talent.

I am not sure how his understanding of the Philly shell has evolved or even diminished. But I know this. I interviewed his trainer NR at a fight last year and the first thing I took from his personality was the focus.

The army like approach to the brutal reckoning at hand. This man will have Shane READY for anyone and that includes Pretty Boy. I am eager to see Shane fight believe me but I am not eager to see him fight Kermit Citron or Andre Berto. That is a step back.

Peace to that bulls$$t. He is in line for a marquee name and fighting on a B level HBO card is not what he nor I had in mind. But the clock ticks. He has not fought since January and it looks like if he does fight this year it will be towards Christmas. But THAT promotion is in flux because of the low ball offer that they gave dibella and berto.

With berto taking a good look at turkey you have to wonder where that leaves Shane. JC? No way is Shane trying to make money not lose it. Paul Williams? No we have to assume that Al Haymon and Bob Arum will put their personal petty vendetta aside and make the darn PAV/PW fight already. Where does that leave him?

I would say the winner of Numero Uno would be his best bet. I wish him the best until the next time I type but to be honest that wont make a difference because he will not have FOUGHT by the next time I write

5. Juan Manuel Marquez                50-4-1 Unified/Ding Lightweight world champion

Dinmita! I will admit that I like this cerebral gladiator. I watched his fight with Juan Diaz prior to typing this entry and wow what a warrior. He has timeless resolve. I really know his story. I don’t know what drives him. I don’t know where he gets his grace.

But there is something special about Juan if you have not noticed already. He has a boxing wheel house that can shift in its form and most time the shift happens before the opponent can adjust. He has blinding speed on his counter punches.

Much quicker then his appearance would suggest. He focuses on the angles and sets up his shots. He is the only man as of now that I have seen make PAC wince in the middle of a fight. His Physical mastery of the sport is only matched by his mental toughness to remain true to his fundamentals in the face of extreme drama and pain.

He could have given up in February. He had every reason to reconsider his livelihood right there in Houston. He is everything you want in boxing. He is a hall of famer, champion, icon. But no. That was not enough.

He needs Mas. I believe that he is somewhat susceptible to speed and power. That is not a good trait to have when entering the lair of one FMJ. I think it would have been a good idea to take another fight before this one. I think that this is a very bad match up for JMM.

FMJ is a bad match up for everyone but esp for JMM. In light of this I believe that JMM’s chip on his shoulder has gotten even larger and more menacing. He knows that dumb writers like me are out their doubting him, making fun of him, seeing his demise.

I think he is pissed off. I think he is confident. I think if FMJ were to ever lose a fight it would take someone with the mental constitution of JMM. We shall see Homeboys but this is shaping up to be intriguing to say the least. Can’t wait (=

4. Edwin Valero    25-0 WBC lightweight world champion

Godzilla has been quite quiet and humble in recent months. He realized that realizing reality is always a good thing when money is at stake. Bob Arum is going to put him on the undercard Nov 14 which will give him a nice little public service announcement as he makes his awesome power known to the world.

It seems like he is going to be ok to fight in light of his documented health problems which is amazing news for boxing fans. This man matches up right now with the stars of the game. His knockout ratio is more about his mindset then his physical power or extension on his punches.

He has a Jack Dempsey type aggressiveness that makes him very hard to deal with in the early rounds. When PAC attacks you he does so still not wanting to get hit. When the terminator programs you into his tracking system he is willing to take punches to land punches. He really reminds me of Hands of stone.

Not in terms of merit of course, but more in terms of ring personality and pressure applied. I believe that there are only about 5 fighters in the world around that weight that could go the full 12 rounds with the light weight world champion.

I believe that he will win this bs fight that the frugal Arum has lined up for him and I also believe that he will take a big fight because as luck would have it he is only  CO promoted by Cheap Mgee so he has veto rights from what I hear.

We will see. But I am excited for his entry into the pugilistic fold and I wait for his fistic assault on these fighters out here. Humberto Soto seems to be the person he will see in his first big money tilt. But how good is THAT guy? He has seven losses?!

What about a TB? Or even an Andre berto? This guy is a star in waiting and he needs viable names. Soto is promoted by whom?

3. Manny “Pacman”        49-3 Lineal/Ding Junior welterweight champ

The Number one HBO fighter in the world keeps the hits coming. Now he has set his sights on the dilapidated Cotto. Manny is doing it right now. He is going for the big fights but he is doing it with a certain attitude that is starting to raise questions.

His last three fights have been fought against guys that for different reasons were sitting ducks. I don’t need to go down the list but Manny seems to be interested in taking the fights that for one reason or another he SHOULD win.

Manny would not have fought Cotto 3 years ago before Cotto was having problems mentally. When Pac made the trek to MSG to observe Cotto in June he saw a fighter who was on Roller skates for the second half of the fight. He did not see a robot Pujols of a fighter that won’t stop until you are on the ground.

He did not see a pound for pound fighter. He saw a damaged goods fighter that was ripe for exposure. He SHOULD be fighting SSM. That is by far the more competive fight. Right now those monks in Vegas are putting ALL the money On Pac.

Taking a step back on paper that makes no sense. Cotto is younger, bigger, stronger, comfortable at that weight, experienced at that weight, yet men who know sports are putting all their money on PAC. This development is a reflection of the deterioration of Cotto not the rise of Pac.

Pac is going to win this fight going away. Since that is a forgone conclusion lets focus on 2010. I think that Valero, Money, Shane, Tim Bradley, are the pool of fighters he should select from.

Edwin Valero has Hagler/Hearns written all over it. PAC/Money is the transcendent fight of this decade. MP/SSM is an awesome tactical match up on paper, and I would have to say that Tim Bradley would present a legit unification although it’s a low possibility because the kid will not bring a lot of gate money or any money really to the table.

Manny has his options that’s for sure. I guess we can all sit back and savor the prime if his career. But anyone who thinks Manny is the best fighter in the world needs to chill with the mushrooms

2. FMJ   39-0

I have spoke to some people in boxing and they tell me FMJ is the best he has even looked. He is as clever, menacing, intuitive, and driven as he as ever been in his entire career.

FMJ is sitting on the cusp of Sugar ray L cereal box status. After he disposes of JMM you have to assume that he will go after Manny. If he does not the public will beat the drum and they will fight anyway. I think there are some things to consider in this situation.

First of all there is a good chance the fight will NOT happen. If you couple Floyd’s arrogance, the Haymon/ARUM feud, and of course the child like demeanor of Manny Between fights then you have a perfect storm for the fight not getting made.

The truth is Arum used to Promote FMJ and he is going to use his position at the table to stick it to AL and Pretty boy. It is a sad thing to foresee but it is inevitable. They already are going back and forth through the media on this very subject.

To me this is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing going back 15 to 20 years. If I really think about it you would have to go back to the golden era of the little men, the 80’s to find such an amazing match up with box office appeal.

The fighters want it. We want it. Make it happen. Don’t you wish boxing fans that fights were that easy? They are not so we should collectively prepare for the possibility that the fight will not happen. Since that is a possibility lets at least explore it.

Floyd could make some great fights. Shane Mosley is a tough tough fight. I would take Floyd but I would do it with a dash of trepidation. I think Paul Williams stands as FMJ’s true mountain. That is clubber lang.

That is the test. FMJ does more talking these days then before. I have heard it all.

-“I am greater then Ali”

- I am the most popular athlete in the world”

-“I am bigger then Oscar”

- “I will fight SM, MP, whoever”

Well he won’t mention Paul Williams. He will mention everything but the name of Jesus. But he won’t mention Paul Williams. You are an all time nasty fighter Money but the truth you there is more work to be done. Hurry up already so I can say I watched one of the greatest fighters ever cement his boxing throne

Fans for your entertainment….the best fighter in the world

1) Paul Williams       37-1  WBO interim Junior  Middleweight champion

Paul W. is as filthy as filthy gets. His punch count according to my count counts as one of the most remarkable for someone of that size at that weight. Paul Williams is a true vergence in the force. He simply does not make any sense.

The speed and fluidity of his punches, his 6 foot 1 frame couple with those fire hose type arms. I would suppose that since he is so young that his craft will only improve. He seems to have a hint of immaturity but I noticed on the awesome HBO series ring life that yes he is young and immature but that is tempered by his humble nature and wonderful family.

He has the talent to rule this game for awhile. He has really destroyed the myth that a tall man can not be busy and accurate.  I think the situation that Paul is currently in is not the product of his growing ego or the fact that HBO has gone cheap. REAL cheap.

Think about it. They paid an 8 million dollar license fee for Oscar/Forbes about 2 years ago. Yet they have an unreal promotion on their door step and they are only throwing 3 million!!!?Whats the f$$king deal. A PAV/PW tilt would be national news.

It could be on paper the best fight of the year. It would sell Board hall the f$$k out. It would get many PPV buys. It has all the makings. An undisputed American middleweight champ Yes I know what are you are thinking.

It does help that he is white and from a blue collar town on the rust belt. PW is am emerging boxing Giant who needs a marquee water shed moment to get the writers, broadcasters, fans and TV execs to see what has been in front of our face for a year.

Paul is by a mile the biggest physical problem in the sport. They recently asked Boring Wald if he would go two rounds with Paul. “No way! I would not be able to catch him in only 2 rounds and I KNOW he would catch me” haha that says it all.

Even the 6″ 6′ Ivan Drago Heavyweight champ has reservations about engaging PW. I suspect that at heart arum does not want this fight. That’s why he is giving PW such a BS offer. They are going to give him 2 million but no gate??

You have got to be kidding me. That place and the promotion are going to sell. Top rank is on the black rock if they think that it is fair to offer PW and Al haymon a flat smaller percentage fee for their services.

It is Paul’s talent and rising star that makes this promotion what it would be. Pavlik is a good humble all  American attraction. But he needs Apollo creed to elevate him. Believe me…PW is Apollo creed. He does not look like Carl Weathers but he def fights like that guys acts. What an amazing fighter. Enjoy him while we have him boxing fans

My belated  Mid year awards

Fight of the year                     Toyota Center

JMM vs. Juan Diaz                 Houston Texas, Febuary 28th

What a fight! Ebb and flow, drama, intrigue, romance (haha just kidding just seeing if you are awake) the fight began with Juan Diaz going right to the proud veteran’s chest and testing him off jump street. I mean it was a tough three rounds for JMM in the beginning.

I watched him get pushed from pillar to post by a younger seemingly meaner man. As often does Juan Diaz ran out of gas and focus. The cut did not help either. But once JMM smelled a lapse in intensity and assertiveness he jumped RIGHT on JD.

This fight was not a lock and was def in doubt for dinimita for long periods during the bout and the drama really ramped up due to both fighters getting cut at around the same times a round apart if and I do stress If my memory serves me correct. Instant classic still saved on the dvr.

Round of the year

Round 1 Pac/Hatton       May 2nd 2009        MGM Grand

This round took my breath away. I was so pumped up reeking of anticipation. I mean between 24/7 and the rare mainstream buildup I was about as pumped up as I could be for a fight. The first round was a blur. It was material evidence on why Manny is the most exciting fighter in the world. He did not jump right on Hatton. He let Hatton hang himself and then went in for the kill. The action and the pace of the round was so furious that I barley had time to text my boys which I usually do and they do back as we analyze the fights from different locations. No this fight we all had our mouths open watching the Hitman get outclassed on the world’s stage. It was very much like JMM/PAC one, except that JMM can adjust and had a better chin. One Pac Hit the hitman with a clean direct hit the fight changed and in retrospect was over. Over and done with. I loved it. I was disappointed because I wanted a more drawn out conclusion but the first 3 min were so electrifying that I was worth it

Fighter of the year(so far)

Celestino Caballero           Unified super Bantamweight world champion

This very   intriguing fighter unified titles within his division which is so rare these days. He then defended these titles and finds himself in line for a big money fight. He is just half a year removed from zero relevance or drawing power. But with so many name fighters within his distance and the very fact that he risen so fast, that, for the Juan Manuel’s of the world or the Vazquez’s or the Marquez’s the question is starting to get asked. Well why don’t you fight Caballero? Caballero 6 months ago had no where NEAR this status. He was just another prospect that had a chance to make an impact early in his career. He did. He is tall talented and mean. He also is not quiet. As mentioned earlier in the article he has begun called out JML. That’s a great fight. If Bob Arum were not so selfish we would have a great fight on our hands and that fight would give Caballero a real chance to be fighter of the whole year not the 6 month intermission fighter of the year . I will be watching as we move forward but man what a year for this young bull from Cuba

Story of the year

Margacheato.     January 24th 2009

LA, Staples center

I have written far to much on this. If you don’t know the full story get the internet or turn on a TV. Instead of chronicling the story yet again I will simply pass judgment. The very fact that Shane Mosley is ok is the biggest thing here but let me point out some little things

- No one not golden boy, the CASC, or Shane Mosley himself brought civil action against tony and the LA DA has not uttered a peep and dodged all questions about issuing criminal charges, Resto and Panama Lewis Went to JAIL.

- His awful trainer came out and in the hearing admitted to all wrong doing. Now in the recent “Assault in the ring” picture you kinda get a sense for how a fighter should feel about a trainer/handler that tampers with the fight or the their respective gloves. So if captellio screwed him… if he has no idea there  was plaster in his gloves then why is he still hanging out with him? Being seen with him?

-BOB Arum still promotes him???!!!!!What the f%%k is that all about? Then cotto inks an extension after everything that happened and was said. Cotto is a sell out

-Bob arum can be heard during the introduction of “Assualt in the ring” saying ” there is no excuse for what they(Luis Resto and Panama lewis) did….they should have been banned for life”  ????????? Bob Arum  is saying one thing and doing another , that is not a 360, that is not a change of opinon, what arum said on that feature and then the way he handled an eerily similar situation is bulls%%t

Just some little things (=

Just shut up award

Lennox Lewis   Commentator HBO after Dark

I can not be the only one who notices just how bad Lennox Lewis is at providing insight, carrying the broadcast, having proper diction and tone. You name it he sucks. Is HBO that materialistic that they would sell out there Journalistic integrity Just so the equally bad Bob P can say “and now we bring in former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis..” It’s as if they sacrifice our viewing experience as consumers just so they can get that blurb in. HBO has him there out of image and maybe pity. It’s sad. Bring back old George. Get Brian Kenny. Keep Max. All set

Hahaha boxing fans. I have sent this to some of my fellow writers and they ask have submitted very detailed arguments which are making me laugh as we speak. A fair warning…don’t speak with out thinking because if you have not noticed already you are dealing with a thinker. I wish you the best boxing fans and if you intend to engage tread carefully

ps…

I recently got in an arguement with big fat dan of ESPN in his chat, here is an exerpt

Christian (Nothern VA)

I think it is sell out city that you continue to rank B-hop #1….I know you have to see him due to his ESPN duties coupled with your own but why dont you grow a pair, stop being afraid, and tell B-hop that getting ranked at all let alone #1 is only possible if you actually fight

Dan Rafael

(12:55 PM)

You’re an idiot. I rank BHop 1 at 175 because he deserves it now that Calzaghe has retired. I couldn’t care less if we both appear on Friday Night Fights whatsoever.

Who do you agree with? (=

For those that may challange this chat took place on Thusday August 6th

Just wanted to clear this up

“Manny Pacquiao Doesnt Need This Fight Without The Belt ” - Freddie Roach

by Stoker MacIntosh… “If Pacquiao wants the fight to be for the title, it will have to be at 147 pounds.”

Those were the words of  the 147 lb alphabet champion Cotto speaking to www.primerahora.com website in Caguas, Puerto Rico, last month.

And now, the catch-weight title belt is another pawn it seems, in which the Pacquaio camp is using in order to escape fighting a bigger, tougher boxer, at the welterweight championship limit of 147.

According to Primerahora, the champion Cotto, does not believe that a catch-weight of 145 lbs is worth risking the alphabet title which—in his last fight—he practically risked his life to defend; and in my opinion, who can blame him.

Anyone who saw the fight knows how he fought onward—after being cut and partially blinded in his left eye—in one of the most courageous displays of boxing ever witnessed.

His opponent in the fight, Joshua Clottey, paled in comparison, to the unimaginable heart that the Puerto Rican slugger showed throughout the 12 round duration.

In the bout—which was supposed to also be a unification fight that included another alphabet title—he (Cotto) scored a very uncommon knockdown in round one after connecting a with a short left jab.

However, in the third stanza a head clash opened a cut over Cotto’s left eye, which caused gaping damage in the worst possible place, right above the eye.

A scarlet stream of blood immediately began to blur the vision of the tough young boxer.

Cotto’s corner then tried unsuccessfully to stem the flow, which seemed to be nothing more than a slight annoyance to their courageous warrior, to no avail however, the blood flowed on.

Yet, while constantly being tormented by a nasty gash, and an opponent who punished him, Cotto fought on valiantly, bloodied and bruised, refusing to go away, throughout the battle having vision in only is right eye.

So whether this—with-holding the title belt—is merely a public relations tactic, or something he genuinely feels strongly about, it matters not.

The fact remains that he is the 147 lb champion of the alphabet sanctioning body it is represented by; therefore it’s Cotto’s prerogative regarding whether he may or may not put the title at stake in the up coming match.

Freddie Roach, who sometimes pulls the strings for Pacquiao, however, does not agree.

“We don’t need the fight if the title is not on the line,” so asserts Freddie Roach.

“A title win will give Manny a record breaking 7 titles in 7 weight classes. That will separate Manny from Oscar Dela Hoya and will move a few spots closer to Sugar Ray Robinson in the all-time greatest list.”

Sadly, it seems that two pounds is a very trivial excuse for calling off a major event such as this, which leads me to believe that team Pacquiao may be getting cold feet.

Cotto is the biggest toughest and strongest opponent that Pac has ever faced, and unless the little Filipino superstar can knock him out in the early rounds, I’m willing to bet that Cotto will give him all he can handle down the stretch.

Maybe even winning a close decision in the fight as he did with Clottey.

Bob Arum, the fights high profile promoter  is trying desperately to work this out before the his scheduled news media announcement  on September 10 at Yankee Stadium, which will be followed up by the fighters touring the major cities of the USA, to further promote the event.

Arum’s earlier comments concerning “nobody in the US cares about the belts,” now seems like a total fallacy.

The top rank boss could have used the alphabet title belt to show Pacquiao’s millions of Filipino and US followers that this could be a historic fight for their boxing idol.

Let’s hope for the sake of boxing , that this major fight isnt called off due to a pathetic disagreement over a  few lousy pounds.

Why should I seek? I am the same as
He. His essence speaks through me
I have been looking for myself. Rumi

Zab Judah: Once A Contender, Now A Pretender

by Stoker MacIntosh… The Zab Judah and Matthew Hatton  match, once scheduled for Sept 19 on the Mayweather-Marquez under card, has been scrapped.

Judah—who is ranked No. 8 by The Ring magazine and is now a Mayweather Promotions fighter—has intentionally put himself behind the eight ball once again by demanding that the fight be fought at the Jr. Welterweight limit of 140 pounds.

If this was Judah’s roundabout way of saying he didn’t want to fight Hatton; it certainly worked for him.

The younger Hatton brother has never fought at Jr. welter, and made it known that he had no intentions of starting now; he said “no dice” to Judah.

Speaking of dice, if rumors circulating through various website’s have any validity whatsoever, then it would seem that Judah is living the life, partying in Vegas 24/7, and hasn’t spent one moment in the gym.

The website www.boxrec.com, which is usually a little ahead of itself when listing upcoming fights—but has proven to be a decent source for boxing information—has Judah listed to fight Antonio Diaz 46 - 5 - 1 at the MGM Grand in Vegas on the Sept 19 date.

In my mind, Judah’s friend and fellow pugilist Floyd Mayweather Jr. was in many ways giving Judah a fresh start. He also provided Judah with a big favor by setting him up with the younger and much lesser skilled Hatton, who he was sure to have beaten.

Should Judah have won, it could have been a potential spring-board toward a bigger payday fight with older brother Ricky Hatton.

I’m usually a guy who calls ‘em like I see’s ‘em, and what I see here is a man grasping at straws, and still going down fast.

Maybe it’s simply that Judah doesn’t want to fight.

Or maybe he is suffering from a case of that contagious illness known as the grandiosity flu; it’s the same virus that Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins are plagued with.

It’s a debilitating disease which causes the sufferer to feel like he should be paid $10 million just for stepping through the ropes, no matter who the opponent may be.

Judah may be delusional and think he is still a “big money” fighter. He can think again; losses to Baldimir, Mayweather, Cotto, and Clottey, have put him near gatekeeper status, to say the least.

He hasn’t had a decent win since beating Cory Spinks in ‘05, and let’s just say the names of the bums that he’s beaten since that time are not headed for any alphabet top 10 list any time soon.

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of Judah, but if he doesn’t care, then why should his fans?

This writer once predicted that Judah would be the man to dethrone Mayweather, but as it turned out, the-slick-south-paw-with-the-lightning-like-hand-speed lacked the self discipline to be an elite fighter then… and now.

I’m afraid the window of opportunity has forever slammed shut on the 31-year-old Brooklyn NY native..

However, all is not lost. Judah may or may not get a chance to fight on the September card against Diaz, who is a Mexican American welterweight slugger that hails from Coachella, California.

I have written numerous past articles in which I go into eloquent detail concerning my admiration for Mexican fighters. Their toughness and self discipline is unmatched in the sport of boxing, in my opinion.

Diaz is no acception.

His fight record includes wins over some very solid fighters: names like Mickey Ward, Ivan Robinson, and Emmanuel Augustus. This speaks volumes regarding his conditioning and resilience inside the squared circle.

My advice to Judah: he better get his ass in the gym if he expects to be ready by the 19th of next month to face this guy, who you can bet, will be more than ready to step up and add Judah to his list of wins.

If not, then Judah may as well do himself, his fans, and his friend and promoter Mayweather a huge favor and hang ‘em up for good.

And believe in whatever may lie, In those things that money can buy
Though true love could have been a contender
Are you there? Say a prayer for the Pretender
Who started out so young and strong
Only to surrender—Jackson Browne

Andrew The Foul Pole Golota Vs Cruiser Champ Thomas Adamek Rumored

by Stoker MacIntosh… 

And for god’s sake, please don’t and go out and spend all the mortgage money, in a mad scramble to get tickets, before this boxing-event-of-the-millennium has been officially confirmed.

What I’m trying to say is this—even though it will undoubtedly be, “the blockbuster super-fight of the century,” please try to be patient.

So after reading these first few lines I hope you are sitting down, because I have some huge news, and I’m ready to shock you with it.

41 yr old former heavyweight pretender Andrew Golota is expected to face current IBF cruiser-weight champion Tomasz Adamek.

yeah, you heard right, according to a website called bokser.org, this will be the Polish “Fight of the Century” and it’s going to take place in Warsaw, Poland, this October.

I know, I know, you are excited already, but please calm down.

This event will likely be sold out within minutes, if not seconds; but please don’t flood Ticketmaster’s website, causing it to crash, because as of this writing, there has still been no official announcement, go figure?

However, the negotiations are in the advanced stages with both Adamek and Golota willing to fight and satisfied with the financial offer.

Adamek who, if I remember correctly, turned down a recent low-ball offer from Bernard Hopkins, which was said to have been worth a million dollars—ironically, has now decided to climb in the ring with a fighter who may also low-ball-him, in physical terms.

Golota has only fought 5 times since 2004, against no-named opponents and has only won three out of the five, his biggest claim to fame before that was when he he was disqualified for throwing repeated low blows in a fight against Riddick Bowe in 1996.

According to wikipedia.com What ensued was a dramatic riot that left a large number of civilians and policemen injured, including Gołota himself, who was hit by a Bowe entourage man’s two-way radio and required eleven stitches to close a cut on his head.

I would like to show you why Golota has been more notorious recently outside the boxing ring, than in.

This following excerpt is also supplied thanks to Wikipedia.com.

Legal troubles:

Gołota left his native Poland when he was facing charges of assault from an incident in a disco in Wloclawek. Following a confrontation with an intoxicated patron, the also-intoxicated Gołota assaulted the man and stripped him of his clothing, leaving the garments in a trashcan.

In 2002, Gołota was arrested in Joliet, Illinois for impersonating a police officer following a traffic stop. Gołota used his honorary badge to try to pretend he was a police officer.

In June 2006, Gołota was charged with weapons charges and alleged to have sexually assaulted a woman in his Chicago home.

Gołota has been sued several times for automobile accidents, including a 2007 case in which a teenage girl was partially disabled as a result of the collision.

Finally, my advice to Adamek, should the fight come about, is to wear a huge protective cup.

And also, perhaps bring along a syringe loaded with Horse Tranquilizer, just in case Golota becomes unglued during the fight, as he may need some heavy sedation.

There are so many kinds of madness, so many ways in which the human brain may go wrong; and so often it happens that what we call madness is both reasonable and just, –but when our reason over-grows us and we reach too far, something breaks and we go insane. JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD

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