Everybody Asks Me

Adrien Broner was challenged, but only slightly, when he met Gavin Rees this past weekend at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Everybody asks me and I tell them I was very impressed with Adrien Broner in his victory over Gavin Rees last weekend in Atlantic City. I told everyone going in that Rees was a serious guy with a solid resume and that he would test Broner.

All of that rang true - except for the fact that Rees was not able to test Broner as I believed he would because “The Problem” is just that good. As Broner said afterwards, he does have another gear and when he needs it he just shifts up and a fellow like Rees was unable to keep pace.

Many are calling for Broner to up the competition level but as far as I can see, there is nobody out there at 135 pounds that is on his level. It should be very interesting to see what the future holds for Broner as at only 23 years-old the sky is the limit for him. I’ll go on record now as declaring that he’ll likely remain undefeated for a long time.

Everybody asks me and I tell them the ESPN2 Friday Night Fights telecast emanating from the DC Armory in the nation’s capital is a must see TV event. Lamont Peterson versus Kendall Holt for the IBF title at 140 pounds. These two guys are rarely in a bad fight and the DC Armory is a great venue for boxing.

IBF 140-pound titlist Lamont Peterson will meet Kendall Holt this Friday night in Washington, D.C. The bout will be Peterson's first in 14 months.

Peterson is returning from a long lay-off after his positive steroid test following his bout against Amir Khan. Holt is making an attempt to stay relevant and win another title as another loss for him could relegate him to club fighter status. Holt is a tremendously explosive puncher and when he is on he is a sight to behold. Whoever wins puts themselves right back into the middle of the mix in the talent laden jr. welterweight division - so this fight is one that means something, too.    
Everybody asks me and I tell them I believe Bernard Hopkins could very well outbox Tavoris Cloud when the two of them meet up on March 9 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The ageless Bernard Hopkins (left) will soon discover if he can once again turn back the hands of time when he attempts to lift the IBF light heavyweight title belt from Tavoris Cloud.

While IBF 175-pound titlist Cloud is only 31 years-old, whereas Hopkins is 48, you can just never count Bernard out of any fight. Cloud hasn’t exactly vanquished a murderer’s row of opposition and he steps into the ring very infrequently. If Hopkins can impose his clutch and grab style on Cloud to slow him down enough so that he can do his usual maul and brawl, he very well may throw Cloud out of his rhythm. Hopkins likes to hold with one hand and hit with the other and since Cloud doesn’t possess the boxing skills of Joe Calzaghe or Chad Dawson then Hopkins may very well prove successful against Cloud with this sort of strategy.


February 2013

How Good Is Adrien Broner?

Flashy in the ring and out  - Cincinnati's Adrien Broner might just be the next big thing in boxing. 

Here's the thing: I don't know how good Adrien Broner is. And here's the other thing: Neither do you.

The old saying in this sport full of bent noses and crooked eyebrows is that a prizefighter isn't even a "good pro" until he has one-hundred rounds under his belt. At this point, Broner has 91.  

Oh sure, he fights a bit like Floyd Mayweather, Jr., acts a bit like him, too. But can Broner really fight? Well, so far he looks like he can. During the past 4 1/2 years he's made all the shots he's taken and he's pretty much run the table against a collection of fighters that can't exactly be described as the cream of the crop.

At 23-years-old with a record of 25-0 (21)KOs, Broner has managed to procure himself a couple alphabet title belts at 130 and 135 pounds. But, these days, title belts are doled out like U.S dollars at the Treasury Department, so one cannot put much stock in the meaning behind those vinyl decorations adorned with fake baubles and plastic attachments.

To his credit, Broner is still a baby in the fight racket and he admits as much. "I work hard and now I'm really getting ready to show the world who Adrien Broner really is and honestly, I still haven't showed everything I have," he says. "So, just tune in. You'll see a lot more."

Gavis Rees is tough as nails and will bring his Welsh work ethic to Atlantic City.

Broner will take on Welshman Gavin Rees Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Rees can be characterized as a serious and capable former world titlist who brings a record of 37-1-1 (18)KOs to the meeting. He's real and he's serious and if nothing else he will give as good as he'll likely get.

"Yeah, of course, I'm a fighter," says Rees of himself and about facing off against Broner. "I'm a real fighter and I'll fight anybody. I'll go in there to fight anybody. I know he's a great fighter. I'm going over there to give out the fight of my life and I know it'll be one hell of a fight, so I'm fully confident. I've got a game plan,   so we'll see on the night what happens."

Take a scan down though Broner's fight log and there's a few recognizable names listed, but none of such prominence that "The Problem" as he is known, has ever entered the ring as anything more than the odds-on favorite. He is a massive favorite to not only beat Rees, but knock him out. The bookies have installed Broner as such an overwhelming betting favorite that money is virtually non-existent on Rees. 

Certainly Mayweather, Jr. by the time he amassed 25 total bouts and with whom Broner is most often compared, was much further advanced. In his 25th bout, Mayweather put on a signature performance in stopping the previously undefeated Diego Corrales in the 10th round in Las Vegas. Mayweather entered that 2001 bout as a 5-4 underdog and he put "Chico" down five times. He was 23-years-old at the time and had held the 130-pound title for nearly three years and the Corrales fight marked the seventh defense of that title.

During an in the ring post fight victory Q & A, Broner is interviewed by Max Kellerman (left) of HBO - while having his hair brushed by his father.

While many perceive comparisons to Mayweather as premature and unfair, Broner brings on the comparisons by really putting himself out there and making claims in regards to his own callow resume. The questions and criticism sometimes arise because those that remain in the sport with at least one good  discerning eye can plainly see that Broner is still an unproven commodity. 

In his last fight, this past November against 135-pound titlist Antonio Demarco, Broner put on a clinic against a one dimensional fighter with a 28-2-1 record. Broner pitched a shutout in punishing Demarco and he displayed a great defense and potent offense. It was likely his most complete performance as a professional.

However, on paper at least, Rees may very well be the best Broner will have ever seen and he will offer (if nothing else) a different look. A fifteen year veteran, Rees has fought nearly 200 pro rounds and he is a different animal than what Broner is used to seeing. "He's a former world champion so he has to be somebody, even though I really don't know him that much," said Broner. "This is new to me. I know Gavin's not just a walkover. He was a world titlist and he's got a record, 37-1 or something like that with a draw. That's a hell of a record on the professional level. So if he's coming to fight it's going to be a hell of a fight."

What's clear about Saturday night is that it will serve as a gauge of Broner's future, somewhat similar to the night Mayweather defeated Corrales was a gauge of his. Should Broner easily defeat Rees and look spectacular in so doing - it sends the message that he is real - because he will have beaten a real fighter. Rees will bring pressure, he will bring experience and he will bring a will to win. 

More importantly, we will then be a little closer to the answer - How Good is Adrien Broner?

February 2013

Everybody Asks Me

In happier times Jose Luis Castillo was a young and outstanding fighter.

Apologies to the esteemed Steve Farhood who, when he was at the helm of KO magazine many years ago, penned a column with this same title. But they say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.....

Everybody asks me and I tell them that the ESPN2 card taking place at the UIC Pavillion in Chicago on Friday night is one that is fraught with danger for the participants. Scale challenged Jose Luis Castillo, still punching away at a faded 39 years-old after 411 rounds, 76 fights and 23 years in the pro game is scheduled to meet Antwone "The Truth" Smith in a welterweight bout. Castillo has put together a two fight win streak and he could even upset Smith, but that doesn't mean the Illinois commission should have licensed him to fight. It's time for Castillo to ride off into the Mexican hinterland.

Everybody asks me whether Cory Spinks, facing off against Carlos Molina on the same Friday night card has a chance to make it in the future and I say probably not. Spinks, known as "The Next Generation" is now fighting in a generation that has passed him by. At 34-years-old, the slick southpaw  has been around since 1997 as a pro, but during many of those years he squandered his amazing talent by not showing the dedication required of a top professional prizefighter. In recent bouts, his chin seems to have betrayed him and he's a loser in four of his last seven starts. Molina is a feather-fisted pedestrian at 20-5-2 (6)KO and Spinks very well may win this one (the winner is promised a title shot) but it's likely time that Spinks figured out something else to do with his life.

Cory Spinks with father Leon (left) and uncle Michael (right) was once a top dog backed by Don King.

Everybody asks me and I tell them that I'm not disappointed the Paulie Malignaggi vs. Shane Mosley welterweight bout fell apart before it was really put together. Boxing doesn't need these types of fights - where an old geezer (in this case Mosley) comes out of retirement for a title shot that he didn't earn. Apparently Malignaggi was unhappy with his piece of the pie and decided to pursue other options. Where this leaves the 41-year-old Mosley (who is 0-3-1 in his last four) is anyone's guess, but look for him on an upcoming  Golden Boy Promotions card.              

Everybody asks me and I tell them that I am disappointed that the scheduled Feb. 9th Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah bout has been postponed because of a rib injury suffered in training by Garcia. After an explosive press conference to kick off the promotion of the fight a motivated Zab was ready for this one and his condition was perfectly on track. He has matured as the years have transpired and with his blend of quickness, speed and movement coupled with Garcia's exciting style - well,  it would have been a cracker. I fear that Garcia and or Judah may suffer a letdown as the result of the postponement and that when they eventually meet at the end of April we won't see as good a scrap as we otherwise would have.

Richard Schaefer and Bernard Hopkins calm the bespectacled Garcia and an irate Judah.

 Everybody asks me and I tell them that if Ishe Smith was ever going to fulfill the promise that Fernando Vargas predicted for him many years ago that his perfect opportunity is when he meets "The Contender" alumnus and IBF 154-pound titlist Cornelius Bundrage on Feb. 23 in Detroit at The Masonic Temple Theatre. Back when he was on top, Vargas used Smith as a sparring partner and he was of the opinion that Smith was going to become the next big thing. For a variety of reasons, that didn't happen and in the past thirteen years Smith has had more than his share of highs and lows. However, this will be his first world title shot and he may have a chance because Bundrage is 39-years-old which is an age not exactly conducive to prizefighting.

Everybody asks me and I tell them that Freddie Roach is the perfect trainer for "Vicious" Victor Ortiz. Seems as though Ortiz, trying to come back from the broken jaw suffered in his loss against Josesito Lopez last June, has been working with Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles. It has been a coupling that has long been rumored and my feeling is that these two would be magnificent together as Ortiz is all offense all the time, whereas Roach isn't exactly a trainer that focuses on moving backwards or the fine art of ducking. Roach could make Ortiz even more explosive - if that's possible.


January 2013
 

Wild Card Dealt a Bad Hand

Freddie Roach at the helm of his boxing gym in Los Angeles, California. 

For Freddie Roach and his Wild Card Boxing Club on Vine Street in Los Angeles, things are a little more subdued as 2013 gets underway.

The year 2012 was a tough one for Roach as his star pupils, Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., all suffered high-profile losses. There was a time that pairing up with Roach was considered a guaranteed ticket to winning and stardom - but that philosophy has now begun to be openly questioned.

For years, Roach was the most sought after trainer in the sport. Fighters practically tripped over themselves and each other to ascend the steps to the most hallowed training ground in the world to learn from the master. In the process, Roach became a celebrity, had his own reality show on HBO, landed a TV gig as a commentator and often times at press events the media crush that surrounded him pushed the very fighters he was training into the background. It looked like the party would never end.

But, like the old saying says: "What goes up, must come down."

Other trainers have begun to supplant Roach as the go-to guy in the sport. Robert Garcia and Virgil Hunter have begun to amass a stable of stars and champions and Roach's former proteges have openly criticized him after bolting from the Wild Card. A simmering feud with strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, once Roach's right-hand man, proved a distraction as both openly derided one another in the press - while oddly continuing to work together.

The Khan and Chavez losses are understandable and Roach should not be blamed as both of those fighters were flawed long before they went to Freddie for help. Khan's chin is one of thin crystal whereas Chavez lives the life of a rock star during training camp. If anything, Roach should be commended with keeping those two on the winning track as long as he did.

Pupil and teacher: Pacquiao and Roach were once an unbeatable duo.

But it's the Pacquiao loss to Timothy Bradley and the shocking one punch knockout stunner to Juan Manuel Marquez that has pulled the rug out from underneath Vine Street. The perplexing fight versus Bradley was one that most in the industry and even the fans believed Pacquiao should have been granted the decision in. But when Manny was literally dumped on the floor and left unconscious by Marquez this past December, it put the exclamation point on a year of luck that was unbelievably bad for Roach.

Examined individually, each of the unfortunate events endured by Roach's fighters can be rationalized. But it's the Pacquiao loss against Marquez that leads many to the conclusion that King Midas has lost his golden touch. Much like a jockey needs a good thoroughbred underneath him, a boxing trainer, to some degree, is only as good as the fighters he stands behind. But ever the stand-up guy that he was when he was always winning, Roach isn't backing away from the mud that has been slung at him now that he's losing.

"I ran the camp for the Marquez fight," explains Roach, who appeared upbeat and rested now that he's had a chance to relax a little after a very busy year. "I took over the training, I came up with the strategy and if someone wants to blame me for Manny losing and so forth - then you can blame me. We were confident and maybe Manny was too anxious, but this is boxing. It was one mistake in a great fight."

Certainly when the biggest star that Roach has hitched his wagon to burns out, which many believe has happened with Pacquiao, there will be a reversal of fortune. Some wonder aloud whether there can be a Roach without Pacquiao. When Manny was the top ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, Roach was universally hailed as the best trainer in the world. Now that Pacquiao's career has entered its twilight, can Freddie keep the sun from setting on himself?

Roach hopes to resurrect not only Pacquiao, but himself in 2013.

"Well, Manny will be back," says Roach, who spoke to Pacquiao just a couple weeks ago. "People, they think if you're not undefeated then you're not any good anymore. You know, guys with losses on their records, those losses make them better fighters sometimes because they learn from their mistakes. I honestly think that Manny was about a round or two from knocking Marquez out, but one punch can change things. We'd like to get the fifth fight and finally clear the air over who's the better fighter."

As for Chavez, Jr. it appears he is searching elsewhere for training advice. Rumors circulated several weeks ago that he had approached Nacho Beristain, a prolific producer of champions and the trainer of Juan Manuel Marquez, to do with him what Roach seemingly could not.  

"I don't know where we stand," says Roach who knows well that fighters come - and fighters go. "I haven't seen him or talked to him in three or four months. But I love Chavez, I think he's a great kid. In the beginning things were great with us. If we could go back to that, he listened, he did everything I said....we had a good run together. His manager tells me I'm still his trainer, but I don't know. I would love to work with him again."

In talking to Roach, there is an optimism in his voice as he explains that 2012 was not all gloom and doom. "It was a good year financially, but not such a good year as far as the record books say," he chuckles. "The thing is, winning and losing is a part of life and if you think you can't lose in boxing - then you're crazy."


January 2013


      

Style is Impetous

Mike Tyson has recently released a line of clothing that is sure to grab your attention.

The former heavyweight champion of the world and recent star of The Hangover and The Hangover II has always had an eye for fashion that dates back to his days as a teenage boxing contender in the early 80s.

Many of the the shirts are themed around the infamous tattoo that has adorned Tyson's face since 2003. Affordable and comfortable the shirts have a printed tag that declares "Style is Impetuous" and in this case it really is.

A view from the front with some boxing magazines tossed in for added color and emphasis.

Suitable for the gym, a night out on the town or casual times the shirts are true to size, soft and comfortable.

I wore mine to the gym one day and a couple of different fellows showed some interest in it. They knew they had seen the symbol before but were not quite sure where. When I pointed out it was the tattoo from Mike Tyson's face, they said, "That is so cool! Where did you get that?"

This is obviously the view of the back of the shirt. The little symbol is a nice added touch.

Tyson has fans throughout the world because of his boxing career, exciting in the ring style as well as his life story and for more recently being a part of one of the largest grossing movie franchises of all times. If you wanna' be like Mike, buy something from the Mike Tyson collection. You'll be happy you did.

May 2012

Everybody Asks Me

Why does anyone out there want to take the chance that this happens to Jermain Taylor again?

Everybody asks me and I don’t know whether Jermain Taylor should be allowed to fight this Friday night on national television. I’ve never been the type to tell someone else what to do with their lives, but something tells me that Taylor should steer clear of the boxing ring. He took a pummeling from Carl Froch at the end of a fight that, from my ringside seat, I had him winning. The Arthur Abraham loss was downright scary from whatever perspective one viewed it from.

Yes, Taylor has passed all of the medical tests that declare him fit for hand-to-hand combat, but sometimes there is more behind those reports than meets the eye. Someone said he looked “fragile” and I think that is a good term to describe him these days. He doesn’t look strong, able and sharp to my eye and in order to compete at the top level and to stay safe – one has to be all of those things and more.

Everybody asks me and I tell them this Saul “Canelo” Alvarez kid can fight, but that he’s no second coming of Julio Cesar Chavez, Sr. Yes, he is young and yes he has a lot of wins and yes he has a green belt from theWBC, but I’m just not sold on the kid just yet.

Alvarez will likely prove too strong and too young for Shane Mosley when they meet on May 5 in Las Vegas and he may very well become the first man to stop the 40-year-old version of “Sugar” Shane. At the MGM Grand betting parlor he is not only the favorite to win, but he is also expected to stop Mosley as the over-under is 9 ½ rounds.


Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (right) will meet Shane Mosley on May 5 in Las Vegas. In the background is the promoter of the bout, Oscar De a Hoya.

What must Alvarez do for me to get excited about him? Firstly, he needs to knock Mosley out next month. Secondly, he needs to face and defeat his long-time, mandatory and #1 challenger, Vanes Martirosyan. For all of those who want to talk to me about Alvarez and your belief that he is the second coming – I’d be more than happy to discuss his merits after he accomplishes the two items listed above.

I have nothing personal against Bernard Hopkins, but it’s time for boxing to be rid of him. Reason number one is that very few people even care enough about him to purchase a ticket to his bouts. Very few of his recent matches have sold many “real” tickets and they have been money losers all the way around. Reason number two is that HBO and Golden Boy Promotions spend money on his bouts that could be much better utilized elsewhere. Think for a moment about the prospects that could be developed or the young contenders the viewing public could see if the powers that be would spend money on the up and comers rather than the down and goners. Hopkins is a big betting underdog against Chad Dawson whom he will meet again on April 28 in Atlantic City.


Juan Manuel Marquez (right) defeated Serhiy Fedchenko over the weekend. In his 19th year as a pro and his 61st career bout, Marquez is one of the best.

Everybody asks me and I tell them that I have Juan Manuel Marquez rated as #3 on my pound-for-pound ratings – behind only Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and then Manny Pacquiao. Marquez just picked up another win over the weekend to bring his record to 54-6-1, 39 knockouts. It’s a toss-up for the number three slot between Nonito Donaire, Sergio Martinez and Marquez, but I truly feel that if they all weighed the same - Marquez would find a way to beat Donaire and Martinez. At age 38, Marquez’ physical condition appeared better than ever as he soundly defeated Serhiy Fedchenko in Mexico City. Marquez should finish out his career at 140 pounds as he is sharper at this weight than he is once he goes beyond 10 stone.

I have always said that when a fighter appears to be at his most invincible point – is precisely when he is most vulnerable. Joe Frazier when he lost to George Foreman in Jamaica, Foreman when he fell to Muhammad Ali in Zaire, Mike Tyson when he was slain by the hands of Buster Douglas – you get the point. That’s why the upcoming bouts featuring Mayweather against Miguel Cotto and Pacquiao versus Timothy Bradley are interesting from that standpoint. Both Mayweather and Pacquiao are perceived as virtually unbeatable at this point and that’s a dangerous thing.

Everybody asks me and I tell them despite all the personnel changes at HBO and Showtime boxing - things seem to be...exactly the same as they were.


April 2012

What a Fool Believes

If you don't believe Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is the greatest fighter of all time he will tell you himself that he is.

To listen to Floyd Mayweather, Jr. tell it - he’s the greatest fighter that has ever lived.

Yes, that’s right. In his mind he is better than Sugar Ray Robinson who is universally regarded with the title of Champion of Champions - or what the Italians refer to as “Il Campionissimo” and better than Joe Louis and better than Muhammad Ali and so on and so forth.

The belief stems from the fact that he is an undefeated fighter with a record of 41-0. Those who know him say the one zero on his record means more to him than perhaps anything else. More than the “big boy mansion” more than the Maybach, more than the “Money” moniker and more than just about any possession that he holds near and dear.

Bob Arum, Mayweather’s former promoter, claims that Mayweather will never risk losing and as a result has hand-picked his opposition for over the past decade with an eye toward preserving that perfect record.

“The one thing Mayweather has had throughout his career is he knows boxing,” says Arum. “Being undefeated is the most important thing for him to maintain. If he ends his career being undefeated then he can say he never lost, therefore in his mind that makes him better than anyone else. It’s a crap argument, but lot of people would believe it.”


Joe Louis (left) and Sugar Ray Robinson are pictured in their military uniforms during World War II.

Mayweather often invokes Robinson’s name when he speaks of his own greatness. The term “pound-for-pound” was invented as a way to recognize Robinson and his vast accomplishments. Perhaps recognizing the original Sugar Ray as the benchmark from which all others are measured, Mayweather once told me, “I’m the best of my era and he was the best of his. But I truly feel I am the greatest fighter of all time.”

However, Mayweather comparing his accomplishments to Robinson’s greatness pales in comparison. Robinson was a world welterweight champion and won the middleweight title an astounding five times. During his 25-year-long career, he vanquished a long list of other hall of fame legends and in the end he won 175 times, with 106 knockouts.

Mayweather has won 41 total bouts and has amassed a total of 26 stoppages. Granted, the top boxers these days fight an average of only once or twice per year, but in Robinson’s first 41 career bouts his record was 40-1 (29)KO with the lone loss coming against Jake LaMotta in his 41st bout. It has taken Mayweather 16 years to establish his current record whereas Robinson fought the same number of bouts in less than 2 ½ years. Robinson avenged his loss to LaMotta numerous times and would not lose again until almost 9 years later in his 132nd bout.


Floyd Mayweather, Jr. judges himself as superior to this trio - Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis.

In Robinson’s era, it was difficult (if not impossible) to avoid challengers. Those who controlled the sport and even the fighters themselves were continually pitting the best against one another. A champion could not avoid the top contenders, there was only one world champion with only eight weight divisions and the incentive was always there for the best to fight one another. Mayweather has likely benefited from today’s boxing landscape where the top fighters can earn a vast fortune without facing the perceived number one contenders. He has also benefited from being able to pick and choose his opposition without having to negotiate.

While Robinson eventually worked himself into the same type of negotiating position there was never a time where he avoided or totally priced himself out of facing the best. In the history books, if a Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao is not consummated, the albatross that is hung around Mayweather’s neck will be one named Pacquiao.

To be considered the best, one needs to face the best - a la Robinson, Louis, Ali and others. One cannot declare oneself the best simply because they alone believe it to be so. That label is one that only history and others can properly affix.

Anything else is what a fool believes.


March 2012