A lot went down this week in the ring, and even in the octagon in another surprising week in boxing. Let’s get the Randy Couture-James Toney fight out of the way first, like how I’d begin eating dinner as a kid by polishing off the vegetables so that I could focus solely on the good stuff. It really seemed that Dana White, a smart guy, scripted the whole thing. In order to make a cheap point, he dug up a washed-up boxer in James Toney, whose trash talk and resume would figure to command attention and interest.

To preemptively silence critics pointing out Toney’s age, White served up the even-older Couture—a freak of nature and a far more serviceable MMA fighter than Toney is a boxer at this point. Then comes the ridiculously difficult style matchup for a first time MMA fighter. It’s not enough that Toney has to fight an ex-champ in his debut, but to be paired with a fighter who is all about wrestling was too much to overcome. Wouldn’t it have been more interesting to see Toney fight more of a striker-type guy?

Either way, it’s time to put this MMA vs. boxing business to bed. While a natural rivalry on many levels, it basically only serves as fodder for juvenile Internet battling. MMA and boxing should work together in the spirit of further popularizing all forms of combat sports, not bickering about which one is better.

Coming from a boxing guy’s point of view, it seems like everyone in MMA from the cognoscenti to the casual fan has used the rise of their sport as an opportunity to put their foot to the throat of boxing. I’d like to think that MMA owes a debt of gratitude to boxing—the forerunners in legitimizing fighting sports. Had boxing not been around for centuries anesthetizing people to the inherent graphicness of fighting, it’s doubtful MMA would have been embraced.

Hopefully, Couture-Toney doesn’t ignite this ridiculous argument, but helps put it in the rearview mirror.

Now on to some boxing—

Ivan Calderon’s’ stranglehold on the junior flyweight division ended, as Giovanni Segura won their unification bout by 8th round knockout in a great fight. Calderon was boxing well early, but at age 35, was unable to hold Segura off for 12 rounds. Segura really began making strides in round 5, connecting on Calderon with hard shots and bloodying him.

Calderon got a measure of momentum back in a productive 7th round. But Segura showed true championship mettle in snatching back the upper hand in the 8th. A murderous hook to the body incapacitated Calderon, who was unable to rise before the count of ten. For Calderon, it was his first loss, bringing his record to 34-1-1 (6 KOs). The 28-year old Segura, 25-1 (21 KOs), is now the real champion at 108 pounds.

Beating an undefeated and long-reigning champion in his hometown represents a gigantic triumph for Segura. In beating Calderon, Segura scored the biggest win at 108 since Michael Carbajal beat Chiquita Gonzalez in their 1994 blockbuster slugfest. In 2008, in his first chance at world title honors, Segura lost a decision to Cesar Canchila. In the rematch, he looked much improved—savaging Canchila with a 4th-round TKO. Since then, he has been in top form, making quick work of all his opponents, culminating with the glorious win over Calderon.

For Calderon, it will be problematic for him to win a rematch with the peaking Segura; leaving his future is in doubt. Even if he never wins another big fight, he had a heck of a run. His resume puts him on the cusp for Hall of Fame consideration. Unfortunately for “Iron Boy,” the Segura fight might have been the difference maker.

140-pound player Marcos Maidana gutted his way to a 12-round nod over 36-year old ex-titlist DeMarcus Corley. While not known as much of a defensive master, the Victor Ortiz-conqueror was painfully easy to hit, even getting rattled by Corley from time to time. Corley, who started his career 27-1-1, is now 37-14-1 but fought a really good fight. He’s becoming quite the hardcore veteran. Maidana is slated to face Amir Khan in December.

Next Week…

Felix Sturm, who first made his bones against Oscar De La Hoya in 2004, defends his WBA title against tough and improving challenger Giovanni Lorenzo in Cologne, Germany. Let’s see if non-Italians named Giovanni can win titles in consecutive weeks against favored champions in their hometowns.

I noticed former lightweight titlist Antonio Pitalua is fighting a 12-rounder with old-timer Joe Rivera. How old school is Rivera? He turned pro in 1980! He fought a draw with junior lightweight champion and Hall of Famer Brian Mitchell in 1987. This will be the 47-year old Rivera’s first fight in 13 years.

Darkhorse welterweight titlist, Slovenian Jan Zaveck, 29-1, defends against tough Rafal Jackiewicz in a rematch from a split-decision win for Jackiewicz in 2008. Zaveck, with a valuable belt in his possession, looks to get in the mix with some of the big names at 147.

Another little-known champion in Roman Martinez, the WBO 130-pound champion and a frontrunner to be the top guy in that division, faces tough Ricky Burns in his native Scotland. Let’s see if the young champion is the goods.

Let’s get right into the action from the action-packed weekend that was in boxing. Chris Arreola looked dreadful in gutting out a decision over Manny Quezada on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. On one hand, it seems unfair to be too hard on a heavyweight who threw nearly 1000 punches with two injured hands, but there was little to like about his performance against the modestly skilled Quezada. The fact that it turned into a bruising 12-rounder doesn’t speak well for Arreola.

Credit: Carlos McHenry/Team Nightmare

Telling from the hometown boos and the general feeling among fans, Arreola’s act is wearing thin. The excuses why he’s not ever in shape have grown tiresome. Even his charm as a fun loving, beer-drinking guy seems to be wearing off. Fans want to see him either get his fat butt in shape or get out of their lives.

His love for the good life has robbed him of his sharpness and stamina in a big way. He looked his best when he beat Chazz Witherspoon at 239 pounds. Since then, he’s never been south of 250. You would think he would be able to get in shape for a title shot against Vitali Klitschko, but he didn’t. That should have lit a fire under him to get it together, but then he shows up fat again for a big HBO fight against Tomasz Adamek. Then you hear him talk about getting in better shape and what does he do? He shows up even heavier for Quezada.

It’s just getting old. In addition, he might now be slipping down the proverbial hill. Against Quezada, he looked horrible, pushing his shots and getting hit even more easily than normal. Watching the fight, you would only imagine what a more capable boxer than Quezada would have done to him. It just seems like the Arreola from a few years ago would have got rid of Quezada, rather than have to gut his way to a decision win.

Arreola needs to realize he doesn’t have an endless prime that’s going to put itself on hold waiting for him to get his act together. He has the rest of his life to be fat, but only a small window in which to wreak havoc as a professional boxer. The window now appears to be closing. Let’s see how the big guy reacts. Hats off to Quezada for doing the most with what he has. Arreola should take note. You say you’re a professional, then be a professional.

Saturday’s Shocker…Chad Dawson Goes Down to Jean Pascal

I was one of those who gave Pascal almost no shot of beating Dawson, so Saturday’s fight was stunning to say the least. It shows the human element in boxing and how sometimes you can’t go by what is simply on paper. Dawson, sporting an almost-double-digit edge in reach, not to mention experience, was a clear favorite, but it didn’t translate into success.

I think the result was one part Pascal and one part Dawson. Pascal fought with passion, bringing his A-game. Dawson, meanwhile, inexplicably showed up in less than ideal mental condition. Pascal, in winning the “real” light heavyweight championship, was magnificent—attacking with vigor and power virtually the whole night. He came out and took control of the fight. He performed beyond what people thought. Dawson, conversely, was not up to the task at hand.

And why not? Dawson already has problems drawing fans. He has almost zero charisma. What delusions of grandeur led him to come into this fight with such an indifferent attitude? It is somewhat revealing that he would be so flippant about a big fight before he has even established any kind of superstar credentials. Maybe fighting 40-year olds in four straight fights left him unprepared for the youthful vigor of Pascal. And fighters lose sometimes. It happens.

It’s just that Dawson clearly did not answer his first call to greatness. After hurting Pascal in the 9th, he didn’t press the issue. In the 11th, he had Pascal going, especially after freezing him with an beautiful uppercut. Again, Dawson didn’t answer the call. These moments are defining ones that come infrequently during a fighter’s career. Dawson will have to wait for the next one to come around.

Hopelessly behind to Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard turned tiger and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Maybe on a lesser level more comparable to Pascal-Dawson, Oscar De La Hoya, tired and battered, exploded in the final round to edge ahead of Ike Quartey. Dawson, however, was more reminiscent of Winky Wright, idiotically going into a shell when on the verge of beating Jermain Taylor. Great fighters don’t stop throwing punches (especially if they seem physically able to do so) when given an opportunity to win a big fight when they’re way behind.

Dawson will hopefully learn from this experience. Setbacks like this can help a fighter get his head screwed on right. For Pascal, the world is his oyster. Who knows, it might have been for the best. Pascal, colorful and charismatic, might help pump some life into this division that Dawson was unable to provide.

Friday: Things got off to a quick start this weekend, with good Friday cards on ESPN2 and Showtime. Breidis Prescott, best known for a one-round blastout of Amir Khan a few years back, continues to look ordinary. There’s no doubting his punching power, wielded from a big six-foot frame. It’s just that when he doesn’t get the quickie knockout, he doesn’t usually have a Plan B and appears to lose focus. While winning a decision over journeyman Harrison Cuello, he looked flat. A somewhat unimaginative puncher, Prescott needs to throw a lot more punches to make his best weapon count.

Credit: Tom Casino / SHOWTIME

Hats off to Christopher Martin for schooling the much more celebrated prospect—Chris Avalos. Martin, who actually had a sub-.500 amateur career, has been making great strides as a pro and it showed on Friday night, as he was far too cute and classy for the ballyhooed Avalos, now 16-1 (13 KOs). Martin, 19-0-2 (5 KOs), was actually the puncher in the fight, as he landed crisp counters that snapped back the head of Avalos throughout the fight.

Martin appeared to run away with it in the second half of the fight. It’s interesting now looking back that Martin was a 6-1 underdog, though he was also unbeaten. Results like these should make us reconsider how we evaluate fighters. Why was Avalos so much more hyped than Martin? Watching the fight, it became clear that Martin is by far the more polished and cerebral fighter. Avalos, 20, should be able to regroup. He just ran into a heck of a little fighter that no one really knew about.

Minnesota judge John Mariano had it 98-94 Avalos in one of the worst cards I’ve ever seen. If states like Minnesota want to continue to host boxing cards of any consequence, they need to get some better officials. The first order of business should be to give this Mariano clown his walking papers. I defy anyone to produce a person in attendance that evening that had the fight scored for Avalos, much less by 4 points. Surely, there are some people in the state of Minnesota who can score a fight in a way that has some connection to reality.

Tip of the cap to veteran heavyweight Maurice Harris who scored an upset decision over ranked Nagy Aguilera. Harris, who began his pro career as a light heavyweight way back in 1992 is still only 34 somehow. Despite a spotty record of 24-14-2, Harris has upset wins over David Izon, Jimmy Thunder, Jeremy Williams, and Sergey Liakhovich. He also deserved a decision that was given to Larry Holmes in 1997. This was his 4th straight win since returning after a 3-year layoff.

Saturday – The HBO Doubleheader

HBO offered up a nice card on Saturday, opening up with Tavoris Cloud taking a big step up in meeting the consummate pro—ex-champ Glen Johnson. I always fancied Cloud as a strong, but raw fighter with huge deficits in polish and versatility. He really seemed to take his game up to another level on Saturday.

Johnson pressed him throughout, troubling Cloud with his workrate and grit. Cloud, however, kept his nose to the grindstone and kept at it. By the end of the night, Cloud threw 80-100 punches every round; punctuating his workrate with occasional flurries he ripped to the head and body with great velocity. Johnson was clever and resourceful as always, but Cloud showed a few wrinkles himself. It was impressive that Cloud, battered to some degree, could dig deep and sweep the last 3 rounds from the never-say-die Johnson. With little top-shelf experience to call on, Cloud did very well.

Cloud is an offensively dynamic fighter. In the 5th round, he appeared to rattle Johnson. In fact, Cloud did more palpable damage to Johnson than anyone since Bernard Hopkins stopped him 13 years ago. With his workload and power, the comparison to Matthew Saad Muhammad is not a bad one, but on Saturday night, Cloud showed a lot of development. He paced himself well, soldiered through some punishment, and sharply kept his hands moving to put enough rounds in the bag.

Nice job, Tavoris. He still has a way to go, but this was a great win.

A bit of the luster is off Devon Alexander after what appeared to be a nip-and-tuck decision over Andriy Kotelnik. The judges predictably had it for the hometown attraction Alexander, all scoring it 116-112. I thought Alexander might have edged it with his far greater punching volume, but at no point did Kotelnik look like a 9-1 underdog.

Kotelnik frequently reached Alexander with his jab, then found success with his right hand as the fight wore on. Alexander’s punching, while flashier, seemed to be a lot of empty bluster. His punches usually were off the mark or bounced off Kotelnik’s high guard. As far as landing flush and telling punches, it was all Kotelnik.

It was troubling to watch the much-ballyhooed Alexander struggle so mightily with the less gifted, but more technical Kotelnik. It seemed that his strategy consisted almost solely of moving his hands. When all else fails, a high-volume punch output is not a bad plan to fall back on, but Alexander looked lost over the second half of the bout. Kotelnik kept plugging away, landing the cleaner punches every round.

You can understand Kotelnik’s frustration. The hometown element was too much to overcome. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine him getting the nod if the bout were held at a neutral location. Alexander is only 23, so let’s not jump the gun in dropping him down a few pegs. Kotelnik is a top guy at 140, having already beaten Marcos Maidana and now almost upsetting Alexander. He’s the type of guy who can give any young fighter a difficult evening. Alexander showed some maturity in not unraveling under Kotelnik’s passionate attack.

I’d like to see them do it again, but I have a feeling Alexander will be just as fine with leaving Kotelnik in his rear-view mirror.

On the untelevised portion of the card, Cornelius Bundrage upset Cory Spinks to lift the IBF 154lb. title. The stoppage was premature. Nevertheless, one feels compelled to congratulate Bundrage. When he first appeared on The Contender, you would have received pretty huge odds on him ever becoming a world champion. One upset after the next followed, culminating with another surprising win on Saturday night.

Looking Ahead…

Fight fans get to see exciting heavyweight contender Chris Arreola on ESPN2 on Friday, as he takes on Manny Quezada.

The light heavyweight division continues to heat up on Saturday as Chad Dawson takes on Jean Pascal in Montreal. Should be a good fight.

Fast-rising WBO Featherweight champion defends his title against former champion and pound-for-pound entrant Rafael Marquez in Las Vegas on November 6. This is an intriguing match with many variables at play that could tip it in any direction. Lopez has shown to be one of the more dynamic offensive forces in the game, as 26 knockouts in 29 fights will attest. Marquez has been one of the finer lower-weight fighters of the past decade, but at 35, his time is running out.

Juan Manuel Lopez, 29-0 (26 KOs), Caguas, Puerto Rico. WBO champion
Vs.
Rafael Marquez, 39-5 (35 KOs), Mexico City, Mexico

JuanMa Lopez vs. Rafael Marquez Fight Preview

Credit: Chris Farina – Top Rank

Let’s get right into it. Most people will favor “Juanma” in this fight and the odds should reflect that. The feeling will be that Marquez is old, battle-worn, and not at his best weight, fighting a peaking young champion in juggernaut form. Perhaps it is a case of Juanma’s more eye-catching offense making a bigger impression, while the less-flashy technical mastery of Marquez is being overlooked a bit.

Marquez is truly one of the finer boxers in the game. Technically, he is extremely solid and well rounded. His 35 knockouts in 39 wins show he knows how to close escrow. Some might say Marquez has slipped back a few notches from his peak, but maybe some people jumped the gun in writing the boxing obituary for the irrepressible ex-champ. In his last bout, a dominating dissection of Israel Vasquez, it seemed that he had a lot of fight left. Is it possible he looked so good because he was juxtaposed against the heavily faded Vasquez? We will soon find out.

Lopez’s climb to the top of the sport is difficult to criticize. He stormed onto the world title scene with three consecutive 1st-round knockouts to underscore his vast potential. For the most part, he has had his way. Hats off to Lopez for being exciting and compelling on his way to the top. He has several big wins and has positioned himself as one of the very top guys in a packed featherweight division.

The Problem with Juanma

Every so often, a fighter comes around and overwhelms his opponents so clearly, that any potential shortcomings are swept under the rug. But make no mistake—Juanma is not invulnerable. We have seen him in some trouble, namely in the Rogers Mtgawa fight, where he was exposed to some degree by a crude and tough fighter with about 2% of Lopez’s natural talent.

While it is dangerous to handicap fights based on a fighter’s worst-ever performance, there are some things that are difficult to ignore. No one is questioning Juanma’s explosiveness, but what about the rest of his game? I don’t like his feet. He seems off-balance a lot of the time. He seems to favor his lead foot too much, which can give him the appearance that he is telegraphing his punches.

I thought the Mtgawa fight exposed a lack of ring IQ on Juanma’s part. Sure, he looked great in all of his front-running blowouts, but when faced with a difficult opponent who did not fold quickly, he seemed out of answers. There were several little adjustments that Juanma could have made in that fight to make it a much easier assignment and he did none of it. Again, one shouldn’t characterize a fighter based on his worst performance. But even during his impressive wipeout of Bernabe Concepcion, he got floored as a result of some of these things we’re talking about here.

The Problem with Marquez

Considering how over-the-hill Vasquez looked in their last fight, Marquez hasn’t really scored a good win since 2006—when he beat top bantamweight Silence Mabuza. While the Marquez-Vasquez series was one of the most stirring in the game’s history, Marquez still lost twice to Vasquez. Vasquez in his prime was very well rounded and a completely different challenge than the one Juanma presents. Still, those losses are a point of concern.

It’s 2010, and it seems to require a small leap-of-faith to consider Marquez as being anywhere near his peak. A longtime bantamweight, Marquez fought the Vasquez series at 122 and now here is as a featherweight. I don’t see it as a big problem and even though Juanma will have a little edge in size, Marquez shouldn’t be bowled over on account of the size difference. You just have to wonder if all the tough fights have caught up to Marquez. It didn’t show against Vasquez, but this is a far more difficult fight, where any depreciation on Marquez’s part will surely manifest.

JuanMa vs. Marquez Prediction

It would not be surprising if the power, speed, and youthful energy of Juanma is too much for a fading Marquez. It’s not terribly difficult to imagine the whirlwind offense of the young champion taking Marquez out of the fight. Why am I imagining a different scenario the closer we get to fight night?

I expect Marquez to really surprise a lot of people. I think everyone has written him off prematurely. They have reason. After all, the Vasquez trilogy and a decade at the top level is enough to finish most fighters. At the same time, maybe his inactive schedule over the past few years has left him a bit refreshed. It sure seemed like it in May when he chopped up Vasquez.

I picture Juanma having problems getting the same response from Marquez that he gotten from the far less experienced and capable fighters he has been facing. What worked against Bernabe Concepcion and Steven Luevano might not go over so big against Marquez. Rafael is a thinking man’s fighter. He will be able to see what is coming. Juanma is fast, but a true veteran with technical expertise like Marquez will be able to steel himself and defend. Marquez is one of the game’s best counterpunchers (at least he was) and he should have ample opportunity to return fire in this match.

I see Juanma putting a few rounds in the bag early, as Marquez gets adjusted. When he does, I expect him to begin countering Juanma, who will become less gung-ho in his overall attack. Marquez’s power will begin to bloom. Juanma does not have the defense, powers of improvisation, balance, and perhaps the chin to hold off Marquez for 12 rounds.

In a massive upset, I like Marquez to knock out the undefeated young champion sometime around the 9th or 10th round.

Prediction: Rafael Marquez wins the WBO Featherweight Title by knockout.

First thing’s first: the big PPV card in Vegas. There were not too many surprises except maybe one. It was gratifying to see Robert Guerrero get a nice win over ex-champ Joel Casamayor. With his wife Casey looking on, Guerrero was very professional in outworking Casamayor. Despite a last-round knockdown, Guerrero had things his own way.

Credit Tom Hogan - Hoganphotos/ Golden Boy Promotion

It will later be seen if this appearance at 140 means Guerrero will be competing at 140 for good. A match with Juan Manuel Marquez would be interesting at 135, but Guerrero could very well be competitive with some of the top 140-pounders, as well. Either way, it’s nice to see that his wife has turned the corner in her battle with leukemia. Guerrero is now positioned to take his career to the next level.

Those who had high hopes for Jorge Linares perhaps had an order of that restored as he returned to his fast and slick-boxing ways in outpointing perennial contender Rocky Juarez. Maybe the shocking 1st-round knockout loss to Juan Carlos Salgado was a case of a fighter getting caught cold. In a strange kind of way, a first-round knockout loss early in a fighter’s career could be less revealing than, say, a comprehensive decision loss.

Linares has good promise and if his chin holds up, he could make some noise at 130 or 135. Juarez, on the other hand, seems to have hit a wall. A loser of 3 straight, he has had ample opportunities to get over the hump. If it were meant to be, it would have happened already.

Sakio Bika would have probably beaten undefeated Jean Paul Mendy, but a crushing uppercut landed with Mendy on a knee after a first-round knockdown brought on the dreaded DQ. Not a smart move by Bika, but who knows what he saw or had going through his mind at the time. Nevertheless, I want to give him a pass. Bika is consistently one of the more exciting performers at 168 and a definite division darkhorse.

Those who have seen Dmitry Pirog in action before might not have found his 5th round KO of Daniel Jacobs surprising, but it still registers as an upset. Pirog had quietly compiled an undefeated record, while Jacobs was one of boxing’s more visible prospects. It shows the power of hype in this business. Jacobs, while exciting and talented, had shown some flaws in his game. Offensively gifted, he also seemed a little lost on defense in a few of his fights. Whereas Jacobs seemed to wing it on defense, Pirog has shown some slickness in his career.

The 5th-round one-punch knockout sets Jacobs back quite a bit. You have to feel for the kid, who has experienced a hellish week—losing his grandmother with whom he was very close. It would be nice to see him bounce back. For Pirog, this win makes him an X-factor in the middleweight division.

Juan Manuel Marquez isn’t getting any younger, but he had more than enough for the fast-fading Juan Diaz. The fight was serviceable, but failed to provide much of any drama, especially when juxtaposed against their pulsating 2009 encounter. Almost 37, “JMM” looked pretty good. He still has the skills. It seems like they’re trying to angle for a match with Amir Khan. Some might feel that is a bad matchup for Marquez. Maybe so, but something tells me everyone is getting bowled over by Khan’s more visually appealing skills, while sleeping a bit on the technical mastery of the legendary Mexican warrior.

Credit: Tom Hogan - Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions

With Marquez being the only fighter to recently trouble Pacquiao, there will always talk of another match with him, though it would likely be at welterweight—where JMM has shown himself to be a bit sterile. He only weighed 133.5 for this fight and maybe he should stay at lightweight where he could thrive for a few more years. It would be understandable if he took a big-money fight at 140 or 147, but his career would probably end sooner as a result.

As for Diaz, I’d like to see him call it a day. While maybe still better than some, he isn’t what he what once by any measure. Most fighters who more or less shot before 30 usually have a painful final lap if they choose to continue. Diaz has options. He had a nice career. But now, it’s all gone and it isn’t coming back.

Also…

In Nayarit, Mexico, the still-popular Jorge Arce scored a 1st-round bodyshot KO of former super-flyweight titlist Martin Castillo. Arce has seemed to be on the downslide lately, especially after a punishing 11-round beating at the hands of Vic Darchinyan. Those who saw Castillo become the best fighter at 115 about 5 years ago surely continue to be taken aback at how precipitously he has fallen.

In the main event, Nayarit-native Juan Alberto Rosas scored an upset with a punishing 6th-round knockout over defending IBF Super Flyweight Champion and Jorge Arce-conqueror Simphiwe Nongqayi. Rosas, who holds a 2004 KO win over current 108-pound titlist Omar Nino Romero, has had a strange career. After going 25-0, he dropped 3 straight fights. After a few tune-up wins, he lost two consecutive bouts—to AJ Banal and bantamweight kingpin Fernando Montiel. For him to upset a classy and undefeated champ like Nongqayi in the town of his birth was quite a nice moment.

Looking Ahead…

On Friday, undefeated bantamweight prospects Chris Avalos and Christopher “The Sand Diego Kid” Martin battle on Shobox. Avalos is the better-known prospect, but should be tested by the slick-boxing Martin in what figures to be an excellent main event.

On HBO, fast-rising junior welterweight titlist Devon Alexander takes on tough Andriy Kotelnik. Alexander, coming off a pair of 8-round stoppages of former champs Junior Witter and Juan Urango, looks to keep the momentum going against the determined and capable Ukrainian.

An interesting bout takes place as Tavoris Cloud takes on Glen Johnson for the IBF Light Heavyweight belt. This comes down to two things: Is Tavoris Cloud the real deal and how much does Johnson have left? Something tells me the old guy just might be too slick for the powerful but raw Cloud.

Another weekend is in the books. No big shockers. Friday got off to an early start on the other side of the pond, as Matthew Hatton scored a decent win over former world title challenger Yuriy Nuzhnenko in defense of his European Welterweight Title. Never thought the day would come when Matthew would stand a good chance against his older brother, but that day might have arrived. Matthew deserves credit for shedding the tag of simply being Ricky’s younger pug brother.

I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the Showtime New Generation card, as Mike Dallas, Jr., Shawn Porter, and Fernando Guerrero all extended their unbeaten records. They were all taking steps up in class, so let’s not be so hard on them. At the same time, none of them got the blood curdling. Out of the trio, I’ll say Dallas, Jr. is the best prospect. He’s a swift and solid boxer with good speed and movement. I thought he was sharp in defeating previously undefeated prospect Lanard Lane.

Shawn Porter has looked better, but managed a decent win over Ray Robinson (pains me to even say that). In the main event, Ishe Smith extended Fernando Guerrero over ten rounds. Guerrero won a decision, but lacked his former sizzle, as seen on several TV appearances. I sense that, as he rises in class, the stuff that worked against journeymen will not surface against sharper fighters. Guerrero will become a contender, but I don’t necessarily see world titles in his future.

On ESPN2, Zab Judah looked good in knocking out Jose Armando Santa Cruz in the 3rd round. A left uppercut lashed into Santa Cruz’s face, putting him down hard. A follow-up assault caused the ref to call a halt. With his career having stalled out lately, a highlight-reel KO is just what the doctor ordered. At 140, he could very well make some noise. His offensive ability alone makes him a threat against any of the top guys.

Saturday…

Credit: Carlos Baeza / Thompson Boxing Promotions

As illustrated by Zab Judah looking so much better at junior welterweight, moving up 7 pounds to welterweight isn’t as easy as it sounds. Timothy Bradley, though dominant in beating Luis Carlos Abregu over 12 rounds, showed his immediate future is not at 147 lbs.

Bradley was in command against a good undefeated fighter, but seemed troubled by the bigger Abregu. It wasn’t difficult to imagine a sharper welterweight giving him big problems. Bradley is small for 140, but another jump puts him at a distinct disadvantage. While strong and heavily muscled, he isn’t the hardest hitter, stripping him of the equalizer he might need against the bigger guys.

Maybe his welterweight cameo was simply to justify himself as a possible opponent for Floyd Mayweather. In that case, it was a wise move. As for the fight, it was somewhat monotonous. Bradley is versatile, fast, well schooled, and dogged in the ring. He’s just not that exciting all the time. He seems to fight an entire bout at the same pitch. To his credit, it is effective and he is one of the better young champions in the game. Amir Khan, anyone?

Fernando Montiel continued his dominant ways with an emphatic blast-out of outgunned Rafael Concepcion. After winning a ten-round decision in his re-entry to the bantamweight division, none of Montiel’s last 5 fights have gone past 4 rounds. His recent power surge is responsible for him becoming the recognized champion in a revitalized bantamweight division. Montiel has a number of interesting options at his choosing, including fights with Vic Darchinyan, Yonnhy Perez, Abner Mares, or maybe a rematch with Hasegawa down the line.

Some heavyweight boxing enthusiasts were surely disappointed as gigantic favorite David Tua was held to a majority 12-round draw against Monte Barrett, even getting dropped for the first time in his career in the final round. This is further affirmation that we must look into the future, and not the past, for a viable threat to the Klitschko heavyweight supremacy. Tua seemed resurgent after a recent run of wins, but in struggling so mightily with Barrett, that was probably a bit of a mirage.

Barrett, having dropped 3 straight and a winner in only 3 of his last 9, appeared to be in it just for the money recently. Hats off to a good pro for managing to summon the pride to make a good showing on Saturday.

Looking Ahead to Next Week…

A little dry on the fight front next weekend. On ESPN2, we get to see WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Beibut Shumenov, scandalously given the title against Gabriel Campillo in his last fight, takes on undefeated Vyacheslav Uzelkov. Despite his dubious world championship credentials, Shumenov is an exciting up-and-comer. Check out sizzling California 115 lb. prospect Rico Ramos on the undercard.

The weekend got off to a big start on Friday, with multiple televised cards competing for the fight fan’s attention. On ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights, John Molina upset Hank Lundy, coming from behind to win in rousing fashion by 11th-round TKO. Lundy began the fight by doing what many had predicted—outspeeding and outmaneuvering the stiff-moving Molina. The Philly-bred prospect moved purposefully and lashed out with sudden and quick punches, sometimes in bunches to confound Molina.

The flashy speed in which he threw punches was reminiscent of Meldrick Taylor, just without the seamless and constant combinations. As the fight moved into the middle rounds, however, Molina began to zero in. He was able to plant his feet and dig away, having more success in the 6th and 7th rounds, as Lundy appeared to tire.

Lundy’s effectiveness appeared to be waning. The lead lefts from the southpaw stance and quick jab were coming with less regularity. Nevertheless, he appeared to be doing okay. In the 8th, after hot-dogging, Molina crashed a right home on the unprepared Lundy—sending him down in a heap. It was a bit embarrassing and another in a trend of fighters learning the hard way not to taunt with impunity.

Lundy got his feet under him a bit and rode out the storm, even managing to have a better 9th round. He showed heart in taking a lot of good shots from the hard-slugging Molina. In the 10th round, Molina was really honing in. He hit Lundy with a left hook that seemed to shake him. Lundy inexplicably grabbed the top rope with his right hand, allowing Molina to drive home a few more damaging left hooks.

It was truly bizarre. I don’t know if Lundy was on some super-macho head-trip or what, but the hooks seemed to do some damage. Moments later, Molina got Lundy against the ropes and began unloading. After Lundy sagged, the referee stopped the fight, giving the TKO win to Molina in a big win.

First of all, it was not a quick stoppage. Once a fighter shows a visible sign of being out, the referee has every right to stop the contest. He needn’t wait for actual unconsciousness to set in. Lundy, for a brief moment, went out. The referee was sharp enough to catch it. It was a perfectly timed stoppage.

Lundy’s camp, rather than worrying about the timing of the referee’s intervention, should turn their attention to the inadequacies shown by their young charge. The deficits Lundy displayed in professionalism and overall concentration are not acceptable at this point in his career. He basically sabotaged himself. With a big lead, he lost concentration and allowed Molina to get back into the fight by scoring punches he was evading easily in the earlier rounds. As Molina began to establish any foothold, Lundy fell apart mentally. He hot-dogged his way into a hard knockdown, held onto the rope and invited Molina to pound him, which he did, and then laid on the ropes and let Molina bash away to a TKO win. So I’m not exactly sure what he’s doing sitting in the corner after the fight with a puss on, acting like he had been wronged.

Molina showed a lot of grit and ability. It takes a while for him to get cooking, but the moxie he showed was first-class. He hung in there after falling far behind and stayed resolute like a real pro. When he started to dig in, he was able to inflict a lot of damage of his previously undefeated foe. Early on, he looked raw and almost outclassed. To turn that around the way he did, despite Lundy’s self-undermining actions, will give his career and reputation a much-deserved boost.

On the Undercard…

Lowell’s Joe McCreedy dropped an 8-round nod to Vladine Biosse in a good fight. Watching McCreedy battle doggedly with the more-talented Biosse makes one wonder what they put in the water in Lowell. McCreedy is trained by another Lowell toughie—Dick Eklund, the uncle of Micky Ward.

We learned on the telecast that “The Fighter,” a movie about the life of Micky Ward will come out in December. Looking forward to that. Donnie Wahlberg as Micky Ward? Not so bad, I guess, once you get past the whole New Kids on the Block thing. But how are they going to ugly-up Christian Bale enough to play Dick Eklund? Bale has Hollywood good looks, and Eklund, well, doesn’t.

On Showtime…

Turned over to Showtime enough during commercials to notice Antwone Smith and Lanardo Tyner having a good fight. Smith looked to be doing well in the early rounds before it all went downhill. Despite being a 10-1 favorite, he could not put much distance between himself and Tyner. By the ninth round, Smith’s eye was grotesquely swollen and Tyner ruined him to the body to score a 9th-round TKO. Tyner, 34, had shown to be a tough, if not overly accomplished fighter in his losses to Mike Arnaoutis, Lamont Peterson, and Saul Alvarez. This win over a well-thought-of and streaking contender like Smith should give Tyner some wind in his sails.

Mike Jones continued his march up the ranks as the big and spidery puncher disposed of Irving Garcia in the 5th round. In the first round, it looked like an orthodox version of Paul Williams vs. Carlos Quintana 1, as the smaller and underpowered Garcia landed some good punches to take the round.

Garcia had his moments in the first few rounds, but it was all Jones in the 5th. He was pounding Garcia in the corner, seemingly not far away from a TKO win, when a low blow crumpled Garcia on the ground. Referee Randy Neuman began counting over him. Garcia motioned that he had been put down by a low blow and it seemed that Neuman responded that he knew that. But he just kept on counting until he got to ten. It was a little strange to say the least. Garcia should have risen and then pleaded his case perhaps, but Neuman shouldn’t have counted him out either. Luckily for Neuman, his foul-up didn’t affect the result, as Williams was well on his way to a stoppage regardless. Another impressive win for the exciting welterweight prospect/contender.

On to Saturday…

On Showtime, Nonito Donaire opened the evening with an 8th-round TKO over game Hernan Marquez. Boxing from the southpaw stance for the first 4 or so rounds, Donaire had mixed results with his little experiment. Commentator Al Bernstein correctly observed that the southpaw stance cost Donaire some height and caused him to lean in more.

In the 5th, he went back to orthodox and began to have better success, hurting Marquez over the next few rounds. I must say, after seeing Marquez get handily outboxed by Richie Mepranum in his last fight and considering his coddled boxing upbringing, he surprised me with his pluck and skills. The southpaw 21-year old should go back to flyweight and build up a little bit and he’ll be fine.

As for Donaire, it’s time to face someone compelling. The Vic Darchinyan KO was in 2007. It’s been a long time now. Maybe things happen too fast in present time to gain perspective, but what if a fighter had a breakthrough title-winning victory in 1977, wouldn’t you have expected him to have made another move by 1980? His move to bantamweight is a good sign, as the division is absolutely stacked with talent.

A Young Superstar Takes Another Step…

I think we need to collectively get our heads around the fact that Juan Manuel Lopez is a true force—on his way to becoming a huge attraction. His 2nd-round shootout win over talented Bernabe Concepcion was breathtaking. He opened the fight by pummeling Concepcion, threatening to score a stoppage in the very first round. He put Concepcion down and had him in big trouble. At the end of the 1st, a big Concepcion hook put Lopez down as he moved in for the kill. Great stuff.

The second opened with Lopez strafing Concepcion with shots. After 2 more knockdowns, the referee waved it off. Concepcion is a legitimate featherweight contender, who was simply bowled over by the hard-hitting Lopez. The Mtgawa slip-up now far behind him, Lopez looks to have kicked his game to the next level since moving up to featherweight. His next fight is slated to be against Rafael Marquez.

Looking Ahead…

Let’s hope to hear that there’s been some headway in the Pacquiao-Mayweather negotiations here soon.

It will be interesting to see how Zab Judah looks next week on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights, as he faces Jose Santa Cruz. On Showtime on the same night, middleweight prospect Fernando Guerrero steps up against former contender Ishe Smith. A nice undercard feature matches undefeated welterweights Lanard Lane and Mike Dallas, Jr. I’ve never seen Lane, but Dallas, Jr. is a good-looking speedster who has found some power recently.

On Saturday, Timothy Bradley defends against Juan Carlos Abregu, with Alfredo Angulo facing Joachim Alcine on HBO. Bradley should win, but he better not be looking ahead against the undefeated and dangerous Abregu.

On Fox Sports Net, Bantamweight Champion of the World, Fernando Montiel, defends against Rafael Concepcion after a late pullout by Eric Morel.

And Johnny Tapia is fighting? Did I just step into a time machine? The 43-year old Tapia faces old nemesis Frankie Archuleta in New Mexico on Saturday. Hope everything goes well for him.

Location: Thuringen, Germany
Date: August 21, 2010
WBO Cruiserweight Championship

Marco Huck, 29-1 (22 KOs), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, WBO Cruiserweight Champion
Vs.
Matt Godfrey, 20-1 (10 KOs), Providence, Rhode Island

Huck vs. Godfrey Preview

Credit: Photo Wende

Huck’s improvement over the past couple years has been pronounced. Once a robotic and unimaginative fighter, he seems to have developed more of a loosey-goosey style. He’s less rigid and seems more comfortable fighting in his style. The more-advanced Cunningham somewhat predictably beat him in 2007. He has since ran off 10 consecutive victories (8 by knockout) and would now be fancied to do better in a rematch, which will probably happen in the near future.

First Huck must beat a talented contender in Godfrey. A former top amateur, Godfrey has won 20 of 21 bouts since turning pro in 2004. At 29, he has been waiting a while for his big chance. He lost a close one to Rudolf Kraj in 2008 in his only other appearance in Germany, but holds nice wins over previously undefeated Shaun George and Shawn Hawk.

Godfrey’s last fight raised some eyebrows, as he won a razor-thin split decision over Michael Simms—a fighter with 1 win in his last 10 fights. Maybe Godfrey grew stale waiting so long for a big fight. It looked like he had lost some of his previous sharpness. On one hand, Godfrey is not peaking in the manner one would like to see entering a fight against a tough champion like Huck. Then again, if motivation was the reason he has been a little off-form lately, that shouldn’t be a problem in this fight.

One thing going for Godfrey is that he has the very qualities that give Huck problems. A former longtime amateur of the highest order and a 7-year pro, Godfrey is capable of being slick in the ring. He’s quick, savvy, and well schooled. Huck, despite his improvement, still seems to struggle with fighters who operate a little outside of the box. Whether Godfrey has the defense and chin to cope with the persistent attack of Huck is a little up in the air. Godfrey has tasted the canvas a few times lately, against Simms and a past-his-peak Emmanuel Nwodo in 2008.

Huck presses forward and has a nice variety of punches. When need be, he can protect himself behind an effective high guard and he is able to take a punch well. Importantly, he no longer carries the tension in his body that seemed to drain him of his strength earlier in his career. As a result, he has the stamina to sustain a steady high-volume attack. He scores points and can close the show once his foe shows signs of decay. The thing that really makes Huck stand out, though not very dazzling, is his consistency. He just does his thing and it’s up to his opponents to do something compelling enough to stop him. So far, only the superb Cunningham has managed to do so. And since then, Huck has come a long way.

Huck vs. Godfrey Prediction

Huck will not make anyone forget the heyday of Pernell Whitaker. He can still seem a little programmed with deficits in the areas of improvisation. A slick, sharp boxer operating at his peak who has a good defense and chin is the perfect Huck antidote. Godfrey surely has some of those qualities, but lacks the consistency to package it as a winning strategy.

Not to impugn the righteousness of German officiating, but winning a title over there is an uphill battle right from the get-go. Combine that with the fact that Godfrey is facing a 25-year old champion entering his prime who has a lot of wind in his sails, and it begins to look like a bad spot.

Sure, Huck’s recent renaissance could be a mirage, which was built against inferior opposition. And there is always the chance that Godfrey has just been lying in wait waiting to spring forward with a hallmark performance. Even if Godfrey represents a small step up from the guys he’s been facing, I see Huck getting through this one without too many problems. Godfrey will be dangerous early, but Huck will weather the storm and begin rolling. I like Huck by TKO sometime around the 10th round.

Prediction: Marco Huck retains his title by TKO.

The wide-open Super Six Boxing Classic enters its third round, as Arthur Abraham and Carl Froch do battle. With so much still up in the air, both fighters realistically need a win to move into the semi-finals of this tournament. Each has gone 1-1 in their first two tournament matches.

Credit: Tom Casino/Showtime

Abraham got off to a fast start, stopping Jermain Taylor, and earning an extra point for the knockout. He was installed as an early tournament favorite and his demolition of Taylor seemed to underscore that. Then in his second round match, Andre Dirrell handily outboxed him before Abraham was disqualified in the 11th round. Froch did better against Dirrell in their first round match, earning a controversial decision. In his second round match, Froch dropped a narrow decision to Mikkel Kessler.

These men have some things in common entering this bout. Both were undefeated boxers prior to their last fight. They are both hungry to erase their first losses with a win here. Going on to win the tournament would certainly help put those losses deep into the past. Each fighter, by virtue of their massive struggles with Andre Dirrell, has shown to be somewhat impotent against fast movers. This matchup should be more to each fighter’s liking. They won’t need to look too hard for their opponent in this fight.

Abraham vs. Froch Preview: Records

Abraham, 30, is 30-1 (25 KOs). He was IBF Middleweight Champion for over four years, making 11 title defenses. The beginning of this tourney signaled his entrance into the competitive waters of super middleweight. Some of his better moments in the ring were his gutsy decision over Edison Miranda—where Abraham soldiered through a broken jaw to retain his title, and the dominant rematch knockout over Miranda. The win over Taylor, though perhaps over a spent force, was nonetheless impressive.

Froch, 32, is 26-1 (20 KOs). He beat the very good Jean Pascal for the vacant title in 2008. Prior to this tournament, he also stopped Jermain Taylor in the final round of their 2009 fight. This fight seems to be under-celebrated, being that it is a comeback story that belongs in the annals with Mike Weaver vs. John Tate and Jake LaMotta vs. Laurent Dauthille. Down by 4 points on two cards, Froch hammered Taylor into defeat with only 14 seconds remaining in the fight. Both of Froch’s tournament fights have been painfully close.

Abraham vs. Froch: Styles

These guys like to fight. They prefer to engage, not flitter around the ring trying to look cute. Against fellow tournament entrants like Andre Dirrell and Andre Ward, their styles are much less effective as they chase their speedy and mobile opponents around the ring. This fight represents a chance for both men to show what they have against an opponent who will stylistically oblige them in the ring. With several inches in height and reach, Froch will be firing from longer-range than Abraham, but “King Arthur” will not have to look to hard to find him.

Froch vs. Abraham Questions

How will each man respond to his first loss? Neither defeat seemed to be the kind of loss that takes something out of a fighter. Though their confidence could be dented, expect both men to come out and try to establish their credentials again. Both seem to feel they were wronged in their first defeat. Froch likely feels he was at least as good as Kessler, but just in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Abraham, who was making a late-rounds run at Dirrell, feels that Dirrell overacted to the illegal punch and that he was on his way to stopping his fleet-footed opponent late.

Is Arthur Abraham slipping? Although two years Froch’s junior, it seems he has been through more—the struggle with Miranda, the nearly five-year title reign, the weight struggles, and now this physically demanding tournament. He seemed diminished in the Dirrell fight. That should probably be chalked up as a stylistic problem. He looked great in his fight before that against Taylor; so let’s just call that an off night against the wrong-styled opponent.

Are the sites of these fights too important of a factor? It seems like the location of the fights are too big of a determinant on how a bout will play out. For example, Froch’s two fights had results intrinsically tied to the site of the bout. If the Dirrell fight were in Detroit, does anyone doubt that Dirrell would have been given the decision? If Froch’s defeat to Kessler were in Nottingham rather than Denmark, does anyone question whether or not Froch would still have his belt? Let’s hope these two fight on neutral grounds. A fight in Germany or England could be worth 3 rounds on the scorecards to the hometown fighter.

Abraham vs. Froch Prediction

When looking at this fight along the lines of styles and motivation, it is difficult to not imagine a war. Both men are eager to replace this losing feeling with a winning one, chomping at the bit to get their careers on the right track and get people talking about them again. They draw opponents whose styles cannot serve as an excuse if they lose.

Each fighter is easy to hit, but Froch might find more success early. With his long arms and ability to rip punches from a distance, he will find Abraham early with some shots. Abraham, more vulnerable to speed than power, will remain stoic and patient. Abraham is prone to slow starts, but he doesn’t get ruffled. He is confident that as the rounds wear on, he will be able to steer things his way.

Froch will be tense while winging away at Abraham, in fear of the lethal reprisals Abraham has in his repertoire. I picture Froch becoming more ragged in the middle rounds, as Abraham begins to find his range and hone in. Entering the final four rounds, Froch will have a slight lead, but Abraham will have the momentum. Froch will be winded and flailing, with Abraham more within himself. With a more stationary Froch in front of him, Abraham will have the better form and be able to work Froch over with some big shots.

Abraham will drop Froch late, and perhaps stop him, but I’m a big believer in the heart and grit of Froch. I think he will be able to dig down deep and come up with something to hold off the Abraham blitzkrieg. Abraham will take a unanimous decision by a couple points.

Prediction: Arthur Abraham by unanimous decision.

Juan Manuel Lopez defends his WBO title against upstart challenger Bernabe Concepcion on July 10 in his native Puerto Rico. He enters this bout as a heavy favorite, though Concepcion is a good young fighter who just might have a few surprises up his sleeve.

Lopez, however, seems a cut above. He is one of boxing’s premier up-and-comers. He is a young (26) southpaw puncher who appears to be improving. He won his first 3 world title bouts by first-round knockout and is coming off a dominant 7th-round knockout of 37-1 WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano.

WBO Featherweight Title: 12 Rounds

Site: Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Date: July 10, 2010

Juan Manuel Lopez, 28-0 (25 KOs), Caguas, Puerto Rico, WBO Featherweight Champion.
Vs.
Bernabe Concepcion, 28-3-1 (15 KOs), Rizal, Philippines.

Concepcion turned pro at 16, suffered a few early setbacks, and then went on a big roll that now has him in contention. His only setback in the past 5+ years was when he was disqualified in a bid for this same title against Luevano in August of last year. He hit Luevano after the bell and got the hook. He was doing fairly well and may have won the title that night if not for the fight-ending foul.

Lopez vs. Concepcion Preview: What Each Man Brings to the Table

Credit: Francisco Guzman/BRC

With 25 knockouts in 28 wins, Lopez obviously depends somewhat on his power. He can hit with both hands. There is a very natural look to his punching, as he throws punches explosively in a textbook fashion. He can hurt his opponents to the body. His long and distinguished amateur career helped make him the advanced study he is today. He is a polished fighter who can turn your lights out really quick.

Lopez has shown some vulnerability, particularly in his near-escape against 26-12-2 Rogers Mtgawa. He can be hit and sometimes he doesn’t react from a solid clout terribly well. He can show a certain lack of adaptability in the ring at times. Against Mtgawa, he was nailed over and over by the same shots when a simple corrective measure would have done wonders. He showed an inability to think on his feet in that fight.

Maybe it all boils down to preparation for Lopez. Perhaps he was under-motivated going in against a 12-loss fighter. When mentally prepared, he has shown himself to be the total package. Until proven otherwise, it seems fair to go ahead and just call that an “off night.”

A similar “off night” could prove disastrous against the more-talented Bernabe Concepcion. The squarely built and rugged Filipino is an interesting fighter. He can punch a little bit and uses pretty good head movement and excellent punch anticipation to get in position to score points. He can be a difficult night’s work for any featherweight in the land. He has never been stopped and has a high level of durability.

In Concepcion’s last fight—a good win over contender Mario Santiago—he showed some new layers as he unveiled a boxing and moving style that was reminiscent of countryman Manny Pacquiao. Obviously, his work with Freddie Roach has added something to his game. He would land a quick punch, then dart out. The versatility he showed in dominating Santiago was impressive. He frequently hurt Santiago with punches that appeared to have more zip on them than normal. There is a growing amount of polish on this enthusiastic and strong challenger.

Lopez vs. Concepcion Prediction

Credit: Tom Casino/Showtime

Concepcion is a worthy contender whose actual powers might surpass his name value at this point. He will be a fighter who makes some noise in this game. Against Lopez, however, he might be biting off a little more than he can chew. With a 3-inch advantage in height and reach, Lopez will enjoy operating from a little distance. Concepcion will be forced to endure some punishment before he can even be in a position where his physical strength can come into play.

The young Filipino has the form and talent to not get bowled over by the rampaging champion, who will be inspired fighting on his home turf. He can remain moderately competitive for the first several rounds or so, but the crispness and power of the Lopez attack will begin to take over by the mid-rounds.

Concepcion could conceivably be one of those rising young contenders who fully shines at the right moment to give the champion fits. There is no reason to think that he will not make a good effort. I just think Lopez’ shots to the body and head will land with increasing flushness as the rounds go by, eventually bringing this fight to an end somewhere around the 9th round.

Prediction: Lopez by 9th round TKO.