TOMMY GALLAGHER OLD SCHOOLS MICHAEL GRANT

Tommy Gallagher, who has been part of the crooked-nose crew for as long as most care to remember, is an old school trainer going against the curriculum in a new school world. He has trained fighters for over 30 years – tough guys too – like Doug DeWitt, Vito Antuofermo and Merqui Sosa. Tonight, Gallagher leads heavyweight Michael Grant down the comeback trail, and if Gallagher’s hunch is right, he might one-day help Grant buckle a heavyweight title belt around his waist.

It doesn’t bother the gruff Gallagher, who is a Brooklyn, New York tough guy and a 1959 New York City Golden Gloves winner, that Grant has been away from the game for two years. Gallagher is no-nonsense in his approach to the fight racket and he figures that as long as Grant gets himself right in the head that everything else will take care of itself.

“I don’t care about what he looks like in the gym with sparrin’ or any of that crap! He has the ability,” barks Gallagher, who has the resemblance of Kojak with his shaved head. “Look, I’m from the old school. Mentally, Michael has to be in shape, get in shape and maintain shape. The most important thing is having confidence in his ability and showing up the night of the fight. When the night comes to fight it’s important that he’s there mentally to fight. Then it’s about adjustin’ in the ring to what’s in front of ya’.”

“Big” Michael Grant, at 6’7” tall and 250 pounds was once the prototype of the giant, athletically gifted, next generation of heavyweights. He was looked upon as the future of the heavyweight division and he was anointed the next great American heavyweight by many.

Grant was maneuvered to a record of 31-0 by managers Bill Cayton, adviser Craig Hamilton, and trainer Don Turner. He made several appearances on ESPN and HBO in the mid to late 1990’s and his rise through the ranks eventually culminated in a title shot against Lennox Lewis in April of 2000 at Madison Square Garden. Grant was paid in the neighborhood of $4 million for the Lewis fight, but he was totally destroyed in less than six minutes. After that, and a subsequent reincarnation with Teddy Atlas as his trainer, Grant continued on until he was knocked out in a less than inspiring performance against Dominick Guinn in June 2003 in Atlantic City. Grant returned again with Buddy McGirt at the helm and won three times but suddenly stopped fighting in June 2005.

Gallagher is realistic about the relationship with Grant who many see as a psychologically flawed heavyweight who crumbles when put under pressure. “Look, I’m old school,” emphasizes Gallagher again, “It matters who the individual is. He’s not doin’ it for the money and neither am I. I just took the job because I hate to see somebody who wants to do somethin’ not be able to do it. I’ve seen so many guys who don’t know when to say goodnight. He has a 2 or 3 year window. For Michael, it’s about his mental attitude and whether or not – or if – he comes to fight and let’s the dog out!”

Gallagher is also confident about working with Grant because, like everyone else, when he looks out on the horizon at the heavyweight landscape he sees a bunch of guys that hand the title back and forth to each other and there is no dominant force. “All the heavyweight champs out there now?” asks a disgusted Gallagher, “C’mon! Maskaev (the WBC titlist) is nearly 40.” When asked if Grant, who has 31 knockouts, can punch, Gallagher says he can. “Look, Michael punches as good as Savarese and Maskaev and maybe better.” Gallagher should know as he has worked with both in the past.

So how did an old school trainer from Brooklyn and a flawed heavyweight who has had a host of top trainers pair up? “We had a relationship in the past,” claims Gallagher. “He had an attorney, Jim Thomas, call me and he asked me to evaluate him. Look, Michael has everything in the world goin’ for him. He’s only 34 years old and I can’t see why he can’t be effective as he was. We’re training at Gleason’s in Brooklyn and I’m advising and training him. We’re talkin’ to two major people in New York. These are people that had Tokunbo Olajide, Lou Savarese and Simon Brown. They’re guys who put up whatever we need for money and they leave the boxing to me.”

The comeback is opponent tonight is Billy Zumbrun, a 34 year-old club fighter with a 21-8 record. “Zumbrun is a tough guy,” says a suddenly excited Gallagher. “He gave Riddick Bowe a good fight. If he gets by Zumbrun, he’s gonna’ fight June 29th in the Hamptons. No opponent yet. We haven’t even though about who the opponent might be. Do you know anybody?” he asks with a chuckle.

The fight is part of the ESPN2 Wednesday Night fight telecast and is taking place at an unusual locale, the upscale Cipriani’s Restaurant which is located on Wall Street in New York City. It’s a black-tie only affair that seems out of character for a guy like Gallagher and it’s a place the fight racket usually steers clear from. “I put the black tie event together,” proclaims a proud Gallagher. “I use my name because of ‘The Contender’ and I had a gym for 30 years. It brings a different audience to the table. You get a five-course meal, a goody bag, you get a chance to get dressed up and blow the stink off you.”

Then, talking all business like they do down on Wall Street, the 66 year-old trainer says, “We’re gonna’ do one of these a quarter.” When asked how the tickets were moving along the grizzled trainer turned New York businessman calmly stated, “Everything is goin’ good and we’re satisfied.”

So how is Gallagher going to teach Grant anything new especially since he was formerly trained by Don Turner, Teddy Atlas and Buddy McGirt? What is that Gallagher does that the others couldn’t?

“It’s very simple. It’s about toughness,” states Gallagher. “These kids now, they get a little insecure. Somebody tells them, ‘You should eat grass and drink distilled water’ and they’ll do it!” he squeaks incredulously. “These guys are full of shit! It’s a primitive game. It’s either you can fight or you can’t. It’s got too technical! There’s too much bullshit! The point is, it’s about being able to sustain the punishment you take. You got 4,000 special trainers now. You got a nutritionist, the weightliftin’…this and that! Feed these guys some meat! You give me a guy that says I wanna’ be a fighter - you give me that guy - and I give you the fighter of your life!”

Gallagher has obviously seen it all in a lifetime spent in the hardest game. He’s disappointed with what he sees these days and he wonders if boxing can make it. “The commissioners are ruinin’ this business,” he laments. “The UFC lets ‘em wear condoms on their hands. We have to wear 14-ounce gloves if you weigh over 135! They wanna’ think they’re doin’ somethin’. They’re doin’ nuthin’ but makin’ the fighters lose out. Now in the UFC fighting you can kick, you can bite and use your elbows. There may be a conspiracy to remove boxing and keep that Ultimate Bullshit out there! I’m not takin’ away from the athletes, but they allow them to do whatever they want and the boxers are scrutinized. What does that mean? Don’t get me started!”

Remember, Tommy Gallagher is old school and tonight he and Michael Grant are taking their first steps together.

When he asked where he could read this story I told him it would appear on the Internet. “What’s the Internet?” he asked. “I don’t have that.”

Old school indeed.


June 2007

THIS HITMAN WEARS BABY BLUE

Nobody told Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton that real hitmen are supposed to wear black.

And even if they had, it probably wouldn’t have made any difference. Hatton, who is getting ready to face the tough as nails Mexican Jose Luis Castillo on Saturday night in Las Vegas, has made a career of doing things his own way, knocking guys out – and wearing baby blue colored trunks.

If the diminutive Hatton was as good with his feet as he is with his fists he would have likely become a professional soccer player. They call it “football where he comes from and he loves his Manchester City football club. So much so that he enters the ring to the tune of their theme song, “Blue Moon” and their colors are his color – baby blue.

He’s a small town boy from the countryside of England who still lives a stones throw from his parents’ home and he arrived in Las Vegas last week ahead of the big fight with Castillo. “This is where all the biggies fought,” said a beaming Hatton. “When I was growing up I watched Hagler and Hearns and Leonard and me hero Roberto Duran fight all those great fights in Vegas. I want to be a part of that.”

His name is illuminated in neon lights along the famous Vegas strip and as a young lad flailing away on the bags in a seedy English gym he could only dream that he would one day find himself here.

The temperatures of this Las Vegas spring have been blistering and the mercury has been routinely pushed into the triple digits. Surrounded by opulent casinos, palm trees and scantily clad suntanned bodies, Hatton, who is Englishman through and through, looks a little out of place

When he left England under partly cloudy skies the temperature was only in the mid-sixties. He has a youthful face, opaque skin and a positively zany sense of humor. He told The Guardian that it has been so hot in Sin City, “That I saw a tree chasing a dog the other day.”

But Ricky Hatton can see past the mirage. He’s running with a very real 10-year unbeaten streak, he’s knocked out and likely retired the great Kostya Tszyu, he’s won world titles at 140 and 147 pounds and he possesses a sparkling record of 42-0 (30) KO’s. With Floyd Mayweather, Jr. begging off to retirement, many think that Hatton, who is headlining his third straight fight here in America, could make a strong case for being the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world if he can make it by Castillo.

“I’m looking forward to fighting Castillo,” said Hatton. “That’s on me mind now. Styles make fights in the boxing game and this will be a good one because of our styles. You like a chess match watch De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather. You like fighters who come to fight and will knock the shit out each other then you watch us two.”

Jose Luis Castillo is another story entirely, at least from a climate standpoint . He turned pro as a 16 year-old boy and his early fights took place against grown men in the dusty rings that dot the Mexican countryside. Castillo is used to hot weather having been born in Mexicali, Mexico, and as HBO’s unofficial fight judge Harold Lederman once said of the oppressive heat in Mexicali, “That’s where the devil goes on vacation.”

A veteran of 63 professional fights, Castillo made his name as a 135-pound lightweight and he was good enough to give Floyd Mayweather, Jr. fits for 24 rounds over two fights. Many still think it was Castillo that deserved the decision in the first fight.

Then of course there was his epic first fight with the recently deceased Diego “Chico” Corrales that took place in Las Vegas in May 2005. It was, quite possibly, one of the greatest fights in boxing history and it was a fight that was savage as it was beautiful. Although Castillo lost that fight in the tenth round he knocked out Corrales in the rematch and Castillo’s prowess is spoken about now in revered terms. His name will forever be linked to Corrales’ as much as Cain to Abel and David to Goliath.

At age 33, Castillo’s most significant problems have been in trying to make weight. He abandoned the lightweights, where he won the WBC title twice, to travel five pounds north to 140 pounds. For this fight with Hatton, he says he is ready.

Last week, after a rigorous training session, Castillo told the Sunday Times of London that, “I like to suffer. This prepares me for war, which is what it will be when I face Ricky Hatton. I have the heart of a lion. This fight will end in a small death for Hatton.” Castillo should know a lot about punishment and small deaths. For years he was the great Julio Cesar Chavez’ main understudy.

Nobody understands the implications of looking impressive in the fight against Castillo better than Hatton does. His first headline fight in America took place in May 2006 in Boston against southpaw Luis Collazo at 147 pounds. Hatton barely squeaked by Collazo and he was hurt late in the fight. His next fight, with Juan Urango in January 2007, was a quiet performance for Hatton and again he failed to impress American boxing fans in winning another decision. The fans here in the States had heard about the knockout puncher with the boyish zeal and the spring in his step and those that had seen him fight said he reminded them of Roberto Duran. But on U.S. soil – Hatton has failed to live up to his lofty expectations.

“I was up at welterweight, and then I moved down to light welterweight,” says Hatton in his defense. “I had a couple of southpaw opponents. You know, Collazo is a big southpaw and Urango, southpaw again. Collazo threw so many punches, he didn’t give you much room. He didn’t give you as much as an opening for a spoon shot really. So, you know, really tricky awkward styles. This is more my kind of fight, I think, with Castillo it will be a similar to the Tszyu fight. Castillo holds his ground a little bit more, so it really is my type of fight. And I feel that the achievements have been a little better than the performances in my last two fights. I know I’ve got a lot better performances in me.”

Hatton says he is now at his correct fighting weight after the one fight flirtation with 147 pounds and he’s used to fighting on the road now. He and his team arrived in Las Vegas 16 days before the fight to better acclimate to the time change and the weather. Hatton claims he’s whittled his skills to a fine point. “I’ve been walking around snarling for the last three weeks,” says Hatton. “I’ve not been like that for the last couple of fights.”

Hatton has also had his own problems making weight but he says that for this fight it hasn’t been a problem. “I’ve trained for 12 hard rounds,” he said. “I’ve trained for just winning the fight the skin of my teeth. That’s the way you’ve always got to look at every fight, every time you step through the ring. That’s the way you’ve got a lock on it. But I mean, no, I mean I’ll be going out there for the knock out, and I think there’s a great chance that I can force that. But, you know, I’ve trained for 12 rounds of pain, really.”

He’s a hero in England and now he’s looking to make himself a hero in America. When asked about the fans that are making the trip from England to support him, Hatton was appreciative. “Yes. I expect three times more to be there again. You know, I defy any fellow, any person in boxing to draw out a bigger crowd than me, at the minute, especially in England. I reckon if I was to go back to England for a homecoming, you know, to get an open air stadium now, what I’ve achieved since I fought Kostya Tszyu, I reckon, we could get 50, 60, 70,000 as daft as it sounds. But I believe there’s near 10,000 Brits who have purchased tickets in England that are coming over to watch the fight, which is over half the venue. So that’s absolutely fantastic. You know, to sell that type of numbers in your hometown would be a massive achievement, but to do it halfway across the world, you know, is actually incredible. It’s an exciting week and I won’t be letting them down.”

And just for emphasis, Ricky Hatton will be wearing baby blue.


June 2007

THIS MAGIC MAN CAN CHANGE MINDS

The first time I laid eyes on Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi was in Atlantic City on a cool November night nearly five years ago. It was the night before Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward took a second turn tearing the pages from each other’s book.

I was waiting in line at Bally’s to see a fight card that featured future lightweight champ Juan Diaz against Arthur Cruz and Malignaggi blew by me with a small entourage wearing enough bling to light up the Jersey shore.

The first thing that struck me was that he didn’t look much like a fighter. He looked far too dainty and frail and I figured him for a pretender and not a contender. To me, he seemed more concerned with his appearance and place in line than just about anything else.

He was wearing his customary headband, both of his ears were pierced, his eyebrows were impeccably plucked and he was wearing a pair of sunglasses at night. His hair was standing straight up and varnished with enough hairspray and gel to make Homer Formby proud.

Malignaggi was 11-0 (4) KO’s at the time and the next night he would have a fight of his own on the Gatti vs. Ward undercard. It was Malignaggi’s 22nd birthday and he fought a spitfire and a helluva tough customer named Paul Delgado and Malignaggi struggled to win an eight round split decision. Watching him in the fight against Delgado who was 5-1-1 (2) KO’s, I pretty much made up my mind that this Malignaggi kid just didn’t have it. I scored the fight a draw.

Although he was flashy, fast and mildly entertaining, I just didn’t see how he was going to hack it in what the great fight writer Hugh McIllvaney called “The Hardest Game”.

Paulie Malignaggi reminded me of a poor man’s version of Hector Camacho and for the better part of the next four years I kept track of his progress but he never excited me too much. There were the horrible hand problems that he had, and for me, it all came back to the first impression that I had of him that this was a kid that just wasn’t built for the fight racket. He was a little too fragile.

My mind was made up.

The years ticked by and it seemed like Paulie Malignaggi just wasn’t ever going to get his big break and make the leap from a brash, undefeated kid to a respected, big-time prizefighter. I watched with little interest as he fought on small cards in places like Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, Jimmy’s Bronx Café and at Harrah’s in Laughlin, Nevada.

His promoter from the beginning has been Lou DiBella and while I figured Lou had done an admirable job with the kid I just didn’t see that he had championship material on his hands. While Malignaggi certainly had skills, I was always left questioning his heart and guts for the fight game largely based on that first impression that I had of him from that night in Atlantic City.

Then in June of 2006, Malignaggi was matched against Miguel Cotto, the tough as nails Puerto Rican destroyer. The fight took place at Madison Square Garden in New York and it was for Cotto’s WBO Jr. Welterweight title. I figured Cotto would murder the kid and that Malignaggi’s backers were finally going to cash out on him by throwing him in way over his head in a title fight with Cotto.

Early on it looked like Cotto was going to make short work of Malignaggi and he had him down on the deck in the second round. Everything I ever believed about Paulie Malignaggi was coming true before my eyes and I figured it wouldn’t be long before he was knocked out of the fight - and likely out of boxing.

Then something magical happened.

The “Magic Man” pulled a rabbit out of his hat and said “abracadabra”. Paulie Malignaggi battled back against Cotto. He showed as much heart and guts as I have ever seen any fighter ever display. The kid had a broken cheekbone, his face was grotesquely swollen but he stood in there with Cotto, in the lion’s den, and he made the fight closer than anybody ever thought he could. He went punch-for-punch and stood in there when he could have quit at any time.

On that night, Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi magically changed my mind.

I don’t often root for a fighter to win. But on Saturday night when Paulie Malignaggi gets his second title shot against IBF Jr. Welterweight titlist Lovemore N’dou at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, I’ll be watching and a part of me will be hoping that he wins.

Despite appearances, this kid’s a fighter through and through, and if you give Paulie Malignaggi a chance to work his magic – he might just change your mind too.


June 2007

HE'S ZAB JUDAH, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'?

Zab Judah will meet WBA Welterweight champion Miguel Cotto on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden and he hopes to add another belt to his collection.

NEW YORK CITY - Listen to Zab “Super” Judah talk and you realize right away that his tongue moves as fast as his fists. Nothing about Zab Judah is slow and even his life seems to be lived at hyper-speed.

His boxing career has gone by so quickly that it doesn’t seem possible that he turned pro 11 years ago at age 18. But in those 11 years, Zab Judah has crammed in a lifetime of living and fighting. And come Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, when he meets the dangerous punching, destroyer from Puerto Rico named Miguel Cotto, Zab is going to have to continue moving fast if he wants to keep his career in boxing alive.

HBO boxing blow-by-blow man Jim Lampley smiles from ear-to-ear when he’s asked to describe Brooklyn, New York native Judah. “He can talk. He has a great smile. He’s fun to be around. Zab has the kind of personality that can get your attention,” says Lampley.

Judah’s rat-a-tat words come out of his mouth as fast as he delivers his rapid fire punches. Despite having suffered the highs and lows of the boxing game, Zab is never at a loss to describe himself or what tools he’ll use to whip the undefeated, WBA welterweight titlist Cotto when the two meet in the ring.

One thing about Zab is that he is constantly looking for your acceptance that you know what he is saying. Let Zab tell you about himself: “Yo, I got handspeed. I got power. I’m mean. You know what I’m sayin’? I’m mad. I want vengeance. I got somethin’ to get. You know what I’m sayin’?”

Judah was blessed from the beginning with the rare blend of speed, quickness, power and athleticism that few professional boxers will ever have. He was reared in a boxing family and he was a young prodigy that was sensational as an amateur and his success continued right on into the pro ranks. When he is focused and up to the task at hand he is as good as any fighter you’ll see. His only real problem has been the fact that he loses his focus after a few rounds and he tends to think that he’s got a fight won before it is half over.

If title fights were only six rounds, Zab Judah would be champion forever, because in the first few rounds of any of his fights he is as close to a perfect fighting machine as there is. Zab manhandled the great Kostya Tszyu in the first round of their November 2001 unification fight and he nearly blew Tszyu clear out of the ring in the first three minutes. But then, the fight unraveled for him.

“I came back to the corner after the first round,” describes Judah. “I said to my corner ‘Yo, I got this dude yo.’ And my father was like, “No! Keep your hands up and stay focused and handle your business first!” And I’m like, ‘Yeah, alright, whatever.’ I go out there, drop my hands, start backin’ up, lookin’ pretty, you know what I’m sayin’? I go backwards and he caught me – Bop!”

Judah was caught square on the chin with an unbelievably straight, accurate and powerful right hand from Tszyu and down he went. He jumped up immediately and then fell down again, at which point referee Jay Nady waived the fight off. “People that know me - my will and my heart – doesn’t allow me to sit on no ground,” says Judah. “You know what I’m sayin’? So I jumped up and my equilibrium wasn’t good yet.”

He’s blazed his way to titles in both the 140 and 147 pound divisions as well as a record of 34-4 (25) KO. Because of his youth, many thought that Zab Judah would be the fighter that would rule boxing for many years. But, he has served two lengthy suspensions from boxing and also has had to pay two hefty fines. The first suspension was for six months and it was handed down after Zab tried to attack referee Jay Nady because Judah thought that Nady waived off the fight with Tszyu too quickly.

In April of 2006, after his fight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Judah was suspended for a year and fined again for his role in a 10th round melee that involved himself, his father and several members of Mayweather’s corner. Again, Judah outclassed, outfought and showed glaring flashes of brilliance early against Mayweather and he won most of the early rounds of the fight. But then somehow, the ball of energy and talent that is Zab Judah unraveled yet again and he lost a unanimous decision.

When asked about what the year-long suspension after the Mayweather fight meant to him, Zab was realistic and he was not bitter. “I wanna’ thank the Nevada Commission ‘cause they helped me man, you know what I’m sayin’? They put me on a little time out. It got me good, it got my mind right. It got me a chance to shake off a couple of battles. It got me good, you know what I’m sayin’?”

Judah has grown up in the ring and in front of the eyes of boxing fans. At age 29 he could be poised to claim his spot on the pound-for-pound list if he can make it by Cotto.

He can do it and he has proved it to us before. Zab never looked better than the night when he beat former welterweight champion Cory Spinks in Spinks’ hometown of St. Louis in February 2005. Judah was relentless that night and he stopped Spinks in the 9th round. That was the fight that the Zab Judah that many had been waiting to appear for years finally emerged. It was the one night that he put it all together.

But Judah’s reign was short-lived, as in his very next fight he ended up losing to the then unknown Carlos Baldomir by way of a split decision in the The Theater in the basement of Madison Square Garden. Judah blamed the loss on his then promoter Don King because, as Zab claimed, “Don had me all over town promoting the fight, you know what I’m sayin’? I was worn out, yo!”

Through it all, Judah has never lost faith in himself or his ability. “No matter what you do to me you can’t keep me down,” says Zab. “I’m going to pop up and come back somehow, you know what I’m sayin’?”

In taking on Cotto, who has a record of 29-0 (24)KO there is real danger for Zab. The expressionless Cotto breaks bones when his punches land and he is the type of marching ahead, pressure fighter that never stops coming forward and he is dangerous throughout a fight. His punches sound like a car door being slammed and they land with thuds that have broken cheekbones, jaws, ribs and even the shoulder of one of his opponents. He folds guys up like a cheap lawn chair when he lands his hook to the body. As a 147-pound puncher, Miguel Cotto is as scary and as imposing a fighter as you will find.

Zab, however, sees Cotto differently. “He’s a decent fighter, you know what I’m sayin’? You know what I mean? He’s basic. Takin’ nothing away from him. One thing that I’ll give him, the best asset that he’s got going for him, he’s a strong mental person, you know what I’m sayin’? He determined, he’s goin’ to keep tryin’. Miguel Cotto is a fighter. He’s not goin’ to lay down. You gotta’ put him down. I’m gonna’ put him down.”

The fight appears to have captured the imagination of the New York boxing crowd. The fight is already a near sellout at Madison Square Garden as hoards of Puerto Rican fans will be rooting for Cotto while large numbers are also expected to turn out to see if Zab can make Brooklyn proud. More seats had to be made available in the Garden and it’s the first time in six years that the upper mezzanine has been opened for a boxing match.

“Naturally we are ecstatic, but not totally surprised,” said promoter Bob Arum about the demand for tickets. “We’ve been grooming and showcasing Miguel Cotto at The Garden and on national television for years in preparation for exactly this circumstance. New York has embraced Miguel and this fight as proven by the action at the box office. I expect the same thing internationally with sales. This isn't going to be 'Dancing with the Stars,' it's a real fight and the fans know it. This fight is generating the same buzz we had for the Roberto Duran versus Davey Moore fight 24 years ago.”

As for Judah, he’s excited to be fighting in the big room at Madison Square Garden and in front of his hometown people. He feels Cotto is made for his style. “It’s gonna’ be even better for me ‘cause he’s a fighter I can close my eyes and hit all day because he’s not going to go nowhere, you know what I’m sayin’? He’s young, he’s macho, he’s hungry, he’s got that swagger with him right now, you know what I’m sayin’? He’s the Puerto Rican king right now. With Tito being gone right now he’s thinkin’ he’s the king right now. But I’m gonna’ show him, you know what I’m sayin’?”

Yes Zab, we know what you’re saying.


JUNE 2007

A FOX IN THE HENHOUSE?

Chicken rancher and former boxing champ Roy Jones, Jr., cropped up from behind the fences of his Pensacola, Florida farm last week. He appeared at a press conference at Madison Square Garden in New York City to announce that he’s returning to the ring to face the unperceived Anthony Hanshaw on July 14th in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Jones, who is a longtime breeder of chickens for cockfights, claims he wants to strut his stuff again and he’s cocksure that a barnyard throw down against Hanshaw will help him do just that.

Hanshaw, an unascertained 29 year-old from Ohio with a pro record of 21-0-1 (14) KO’s could have a good chance to upset Jones if he fights using youth and confidence. Hanshaw is a former U.S. amateur standout who logged more than 300 wins and turned pro in 2000 after failing to make the Olympic team when he lost to eventual bronze medal winner Jermain Taylor in the trials.

As a pro Hanshaw has had a hot and cold career. After winning his first 18 fights he suffered through a two-year stretch of inactivity beginning in 2004 due to an injury to his left shoulder that required surgery and rehabilitation. Hanshaw was also still dealing with a family tragedy that resulted in the unfortunate death of his father, Henry Hanshaw, in an electrical accident. He is perhaps best known for earlier this year making it to the finals of Showtime’s SHOBOX super middleweight tournament in which he eventually ended up fighting to a draw against Frenchman Jean Paul Mendy.

For Hanshaw, the timing could be right to upset a legend as Jones has fallen far from the form he showed while reigning as the pound-for-pound king in the mid-to-late 1990’s.

Jones now resides at the other end of the spectrum from the up-and-coming Hanshaw. At 38 years old with a record of 50-4 (38) KO’s, Roy has lost three of his last four fights – two by knockout. Many feel the expiration date on Jones’ 18 year-long professional career passed after he beat Johnny Ruiz in 2004 for the WBA heavyweight title. But, as he often does, Jones feels differently about things.

After arriving 45 minutes late for last week’s press conference (which is early for him) Jones told the assembled media that, “There’s plenty of boxing life left in me yet. I’m taking this fight to measure myself. No one can hold me to a greater standard than I hold myself and I will use Hanshaw as my measuring stick. I’m coming not only to win but to win big and to shine from start to finish.”

Jones hasn’t fought since an ill-conceived match last July in Boise, Idaho against Camden New Jersey’s version of royalty – “Prince” Badi Ajamu. Jones showed flashes of his old self against Ajamu and after a rocky first round he pecked his way to a near shutout on the judges’ scorecards. Although he won a fairly easy unanimous twelve-round decision the fight was not entertaining largely because Ajamu simply stopped fighting after the first round and the few fans that turned out to see Jones perform were disappointed in his effort. The affair also performed poorly on television pay-per-view.

After the Ajamu fight, when asked if he was going to retire, Jones said, “I don't have a clue ... I'm not leaning either way.” And in reference to those that control boxing behind the scenes, Jones said, “It all depends if they make it worth my while.”

Since then, there have been rumors of Jones fighting Bernard Hopkins in a rematch and against Puerto Rico’s Manny Siaca. However, both of those fights fell through when Jones objected to the terms of the contracts and the amount of money that he was going to be paid.

Jones is a meticulous, bottom-line negotiator and despite having a reversal of fortune in the boxing ring he still believes he is the star performer that the fans are coming to see. As a result, he also believes that he deserves the lion’s share of the purse money and that issue makes for stickling impasses when deals are being hammered out. “No one can dictate to me,” says Jones, “because when I go into that ring, it’s my life that’s on the line.”

Although he has lost much of his God-given gifts of speed and quickness over the past four years (as well as his ability to take a punch) Jones has lost none of his brandish manner and the way in which he views himself is through rose colored glasses.

While he didn’t refer to himself in the third person while speaking with reporters last week, he did seem to want to set the record straight and let the people know why he is still fighting. “I’m ready, willing and able to prove that I still have what it takes to be a world champion once more. That’s why I’m fighting a young, tough, strong, undefeated guy like Anthony Hanshaw.”

Jones claimed that he tried to make a fight with universally recognized super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, but he said, “Joe Calzaghe…does not want any part of me.”

To hear Jones tell it, Hanshaw was not first on his list of opponents. He said that former conqueror Glen Johnson had a title fight eliminator that he just fought against Montell Griffin, and middleweight champion Jermain Taylor just fought Cory Spinks leaving them both unavailable for a July fight. Then, throwing on his promoter’s hat, Jones said, “The only guy that stepped up to the plate, that has the ability, was Anthony Hanshaw.”

While he has held titles at middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight and is a certain first ballot hall of famer, Jones felt obligated to defend his return to the ring and wanted to let everyone know that even though Hanshaw was hand-picked by him to be the opponent that it’s still a fight worth coming to see. ”I love to do what I do,” said an unapologetic Jones “And I’m back to doing what I do.”

When the choice of Hanshaw as the foil was called into question, Jones went on the defensive again, “I don’t go around looking for a guy I can beat, I go around looking for a challenge,” he cawed.

As for Anthony Hanshaw, he seemed to be in awe of the entire situation and he gazed at Jones like a schoolboy staring at a boyhood hero. Hanshaw was clearly playing the second fiddle to Jones’ one-man show and when they put the microphone in front of him he seemed perplexed. “July 14th?” asked a rhetorical Hanshaw, “That’s my time. Roy Jones had his time. But on July 14th, that’s my time to shine.”

Murad Muhammad is the co-promoter of this show. And even though he reportedly still owes fellow promoter Lou DiBella $85,000 and a San Antonio, Texas area hotel $25,000 for expenses in relation to Evander Holyfield’s fight last November against Fres Oquendo, he still has a license to sell fights.

Hanshaw seemed uncomfortable speaking in front of people and hyping a major event so Muhammad, who is as creative with the English language as any linguist has ever been, stepped in to fill the void. “Anthony wants to prove that it’s the end for Roy Jones. He wants to prove that he should be a seven-figure fighter so he’s got beat a legend to do that. This is a platform for this young man. He feels like he is the un-crowned champ.”

If Hanshaw takes the fight to Jones, sets a fast pace and actually doesn’t fall for the trick of letting Jones jive him, he stands a great chance to beat the aging Jones and perhaps retire him for good. However, Jones is a psychological master in the ring and in over 50 pro fights only Antonio Tarver has been able to win the mind game that Jones plays.

On first and second look, Hanshaw doesn’t figure to be up to the task as this will be his first crack at the big time and the first occasion he will be on a big stage. Hanshaw is likely to get snared by the traps that Roy Jones will set for him both inside and outside the ring and after a few rounds Jones will do what he wants with the novice. Jones is as calculating outside the ring ropes as he is inside them and he wouldn’t have chosen to fight Hanshaw had he felt a threat or that Hanshaw could have a chance to win.

As for Jones, he says he’s a performer and a showstopper and when asked about his certain induction to the hall of fame and his advancing age he didn’t want to hear about either one. “The Hall of Fame?” asked Jones, “Well, that’ll be nice, but I’m not ready for that and I’m not ready for any rocking chair, either. Age is just a number, I promise you that, because you’ll see more than flashes of the Roy Jones, Jr. that made all that boxing history.”

And then, like the ruler of the roost that he still thinks he is, Roy Jones, Jr. strutted out the door and flew the coop.


May 2007

CAN JERMAIN TAYLOR MAKE IT RIGHT?

Stick around the game of boxing for a while and nothing is good enough anymore.

Undefeated champions become nothing more than “untested and unproven” promotional creations. Everyone is calling the largest selling pay-per-view match in boxing history a “stink fight” that didn’t live up to its hype. There are too many titles, too many divisions and everyone from the alphabet sanctioning bodies to the networks to the promoters are “greedy, incompetent or corrupt.”

And don’t forget the often-uttered barb; “Boxing is dead”.

For undefeated middleweight champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor, who is forced to fight opponents in the ring and the muckrakers outside of it, even winning isn’t good enough anymore.

Boxing writers, fans and those who lurk in the Internet chat rooms and criticize from behind far away keyboards say that Jermain Taylor winning close decisions just isn’t going to cut it. They say Jermain Taylor has to look spectacular and that he’s been involved in too many close decisions for their liking. They say he’s being paid too much - to fight opponents who are too little. Playing on his nickname, they’ve taken to calling him “Bad Impressions” Taylor and “Bad Decisions” Taylor.

He’s now two years into a middleweight title reign that shows two disputed decision wins over certain hall of fame inductee Bernard Hopkins. Then there was the draw against the always perplexing southpaw with a defense just as puzzling named Winky Wright. After that came another decision win against the smallish, lefty Kassim Ouma who most thought Taylor should have been able to easily knock out.

And this past Saturday night, on the heels of all those distance fights, came another mathematical escape and near loss against the nimble-footed and feather-fisted Cory Spinks who is another confusing stylist that also fights from the left-handed stance.

The bandwagon jumpers say that since Jermain Taylor abandoned his original trainer Pat Burns and hunkered down in the basement of the Kronk gym with Emanuel Steward that his development has “stagnated” and that he’s actually “regressed” as a fighter.

Even the usually affable Steward’s frustration began to bleed through on Saturday night as he pleaded in the corner with his young charge to implement the instructions that he seemed unwilling to hear.

At only 28 years old Taylor is generally regarded as the true middleweight champion of the world. He has the security of an HBO contract and the numbers on his bank statements tell him that he’s a millionaire several times over. He has a beautiful young family and an undefeated record of 27-0-1 (17) KO’s. On top of all that he has the type of engaging personality, clear eyes and bright smile that make him a natural in front of the television cameras.

But none of that is enough to keep the jackals that nip at his reputation away from the door. They bark that they want more from Jermain Taylor and they want him to fight with the temper of a tiger - and not with the anger of a mouse.

Jermain Taylor’s main problem is that somewhere along the way he lost his swagger in the ring.

Coming up through the professional ranks as the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games bronze medal winner he burned through the usual assortment of club fighters and fringe contenders. He was 23-0 (17) KO’s when he took the title in an upset from Bernard Hopkins in July 2005 and after he beat Hopkins in the rematch there looked to be no stopping the young fistic phenom from Little Rock, Arkansas.

But since winning the title he has failed to impress, and Saturday’s tepid affair against Cory Spinks have boxing pundits questioning whether Taylor will ever bloom and flower into his full potential.

Many feel Taylor should have used his size and strength advantages to bowl Spinks over and make a statement on his way to an emphatic victory. But again, fans were left disappointed with Taylor’s effort and many questioned whether he even deserved the split-decision win over Spinks.

"I felt like I did what I had to do to win,” said a wary Taylor after the decision of the judges was announced. “It was like a chess match but I felt like I was doing all the chasing.”

The fight took place at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee, which is fitting because many feel that Taylor mailed in his effort. Memphis is only 135 miles from Little Rock and there were several thousand fans that made the trip from Arkansas to support Taylor but that didn’t stop them from booing his performance.

When asked if he heard the unhappy customers Taylor said, “Yeah, I heard that. But it’s hard to hit him with more than two or three punches because he gets so low.” This was Taylor’s way of blaming his poor performance on Spinks’ style and that it was actually Cory who was responsible for the boring contest. Then Taylor added, “I’m used to a fight and to a person coming in there and trying to kill me.”

Taylor’s trainer, Emanuel Steward, also blamed the non-fight on Spinks who was fighting for the first time as a middleweight and appeared speedy and comfortable in the higher weight division. “Who's going to look good with Cory Spinks?” Steward asked. “All you want to do is get the win and move on. Cory Spinks was jabbing and before the punch got out, he was running backwards already!” said a disgusted Steward.

Granted, Spinks is a difficult fighter to look good against. He didn’t stand still long enough to throw more than a couple punches at a time and in many of the rounds he landed no more than a handful of shots. It was Taylor that came forward all night and tried to make a fight of it.

However, the criticism that is being heaped upon Taylor is for his almost non-effort and for his lack of urgency in a fight that was close on the scorecards. Many point to the fact that Spinks was knocked out by Zab Judah as a 147-pound welterweight and they expected more from Taylor who promised before the fight that he was going to bring the goods.

“It's important to me to look good and win,” said Taylor. “The last couple of fights, I haven't looked as good as I was supposed to look. I tried to knock people out, and I looked sloppy. I know I'm a better fighter than that. I want to use my jab more and stop looking for the knockout. I'm anxious to show everything I learned in training camp.”

Whatever the case with training camp and what his thoughts were going into the fight – none of it came to fruition. Taylor was thrown off from the beginning by Spinks’ awkward and slippery style and he just never found his offensive groove. It wasn’t until the sixth round that he pulled even with Spinks on my scorecard. In the end, I had it 115-113 for Taylor but he had to win the last round in my book to avoid a draw. Taylor did enough to retain his title but the fight was much closer than it ultimately should have been.

Where this leaves Taylor is anybody’s guess. There are rumors that he has a very difficult time fitting his body into its 160-pound suit and that he has to sacrifice to make weight. That could be one reason why he has come up flat in his recent fights. A bout against Joe Calzaghe, the super middleweight champion from Wales, has been talked about in the press, but the two promotional sides seem far apart on monetary issues and whether the fight should take place in the United Kingdom or the United States.

The fight that would make all the criticism go away, and a fight in which Taylor and his promoter Lou DiBella could keep the lion’s share of the money, is against undefeated #1 contender Kelly “Ghost” Pavlik from Youngstown, Ohio.

Pavlik is looming large on the horizon and he engaged in a scintillating shoot-out against top contender Edison Miranda on the Taylor versus Spinks undercard. More importantly, Pavlik won by way of an electrifying knockout in the seventh round and in his second straight appearance on HBO he proved that he is an exciting fighter that can talk the talk and walk the walk.

Pavlik carries thudding power in both fists and he possesses a sparkling record of 31-0 (28) KO’s. He just turned 25 years old and if Jermain Taylor wants someone to stand and fight with him then Kelly Pavlik has proven he is that man.

Taylor was apprehensive to say that he definitely wanted a fight with Kelly Pavlik next. He did say he would fight “anybody” but he didn’t mention Pavlik directly. HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant pressed the Pavlik issue with Taylor and eventually cornered him into confessing that “I’ll fight Pavlik, but let’s get the money right,” said Taylor.

Then, sensing that he sounded as though he may be avoiding the Pavlik challenge, Taylor became more assertive and threw down the gauntlet. “Yeah, I'll fight him,” he said. “It doesn't make a difference…we can fight next month.”

One thing is now certain: Jermain Taylor is a champion under fire. The naysayers keep furrowing their collective brows and they keep pointing their long fingers of doubt in his direction. And he wants nothing more than for them to all go away.

If he accepts the fight against Kelly Pavlik, he’ll have his one chance to silence the doubters.

And then Jermain Taylor just might be able to make everything that seems so wrong with his sputtering career, right.


May 2007

WILL HOPKINS AND WRIGHT MAKE A NOISE?

From left: Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright at MGM Grand in Las Vegas .

LAS VEGAS – You know the age-old question don't you? If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a noise?

This same question can be applied to this summer’s match between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright.

While Golden Boy Promotions and HBO are still delirious over the record setting success of last week’s Floyd Mayweather, Jr. versus Oscar De La Hoya blockbuster, they kick-off this week with the press tour for the July 21st contest between Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright. Notice I call it a contest and not a fight?

Unfortunately, Richard Schaefer, Mark Taffett of HBO pay-per-view and the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino have a tough sell on their hands.

The initial press conference for this fight actually took place last weekend in Las Vegas on the morning of the Mayweather versus De La Hoya fight. It was scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. and boxing scribes were told to show up at the 740-seat Hollywood Theatre inside the MGM Grand hotel and casino. I showed up there at the anointed hour, and while the press conference was tedious and monotonous, I’ll say this for Golden Boy Promotions and Richard Schaefer – they do put on a helluva spread. I helped myself to several pieces of fresh fruit, a delectable serving of scrambled eggs, home fries and a cold glass of orange juice.

My plate and me managed a seat in the front row and as close to the center of the stage as we could get. I sat next to Claude Abrams, the editor of Boxing News magazine from the United Kingdom. The first thing Claude said to me was, “How the hell are they going to sell this one?” I just shook my head because this fight makes no sense to me and I have no idea how they plan on making money at it. But, that is likely the reason why I’m a writer - and not a big-time fight promoter.

This fight is only happening because Bernard Hopkins didn’t like his life in retirement and because nobody at heavyweight, namely WBC titlist Oleg Maskaev, wanted to bother with Hopkins’ outrageous financial demands. Bernard apparently played his own version of pin the tail on the donkey and eventually managed to stick the tail on Winky Wright’s behind. So the fight was made.

According to Richard Schaefer, who was the master of ceremonies on this morning, “Bernard Hopkins called me and told me he wanted to solve the puzzle. The puzzle that is the southpaw Winky Wright and a man who has not been beaten in 10 years.” Apparently calls were then made back and forth and a deal was hammered out between the two and now they’ll meet in the sweltering summer of Las Vegas.

There is a lot that is wrong with this fight and it has gotten a lukewarm reception from boxing fans. The new mantra of Golden Boy Promotions and those that are behind the purse strings at HBO is “to make fights that fans want to see” and “to match the best against the best”.

While Hopkins and Wright are certainly two of the best fighters in boxing there is a lot about this fight that just doesn’t make sense. Fights should be made for many reasons and I can’t think of one good one as to why this one was made or why it matters.

Firstly, neither fighter has much of a fan base. Whenever either of them has been in a big fight it has been because they had an opponent in with them who was the real headliner and the real draw. Bernard Hopkins once defended his Middleweight title against Antwun Echols in Miami, Florida and less than 300 people bothered to show up.

All of Hopkins’ big fights since then have come against opponents that have been responsible for selling the majority of the tickets. Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya and Antonio Tarver all sold the majority of the tickets when they fought Hopkins. Bernard may point to his fight against Howard Eastman in Los Angeles at the Staples Center as a ticket selling success, but many of the tickets for that bout were actually given away.

Same goes for Winky Wright. What is his fan base and when has he ever attracted large amounts of fans that come just to see him? Most of his fights, even the two against Shane Mosley, were fought inside half empty arenas. His fight against Sam Soliman in Connecticut had more empty chairs than a barroom at closing time. His fight against Jermain Taylor was also another empty seat festival. Like with Hopkins, it was Felix Trinidad that was responsible for the full house when Winky fought him in 2005.

Secondly, this fight is taking place in the middle of the brutally hot Las Vegas summer. Only a few creatures are in Vegas in July, scorpions and rattlesnakes. It is so hot in Vegas in July that your skin begins to sting after just a few minutes in the sun and you feel like a cat on a hot tin roof. Temperatures will be in the triple digits and many people avoid Vegas in the summer for the very reason that it is just too damn hot.

With Hopkins being from Philadelphia and Wright having been born in Washington, D.C. this fight is a natural for that area of the country. The fight would have been much more appealing were it being held in Philadelphia or 50 miles away on the beach in Atlantic City.

Thirdly, there is no title at stake in this fight and it is being fought at a catch-weight of 170 pounds. Say what you want about meaningless title belts, but one of the first questions a casual boxing fan will ask about a fight is who the champion is and what title they are fighting for. In this fight you would have to explain that even though the fight is on pay-per-view, neither one of them is an actual world titleholder nor is there a title at stake. It’s also being fought at a weight that is make believe and not even a real weight class.

Lastly, neither one of these guys has a style that is crowd pleasing. At age 42, Hopkins is a safety first boxer who is content to figure out a way not to get hit. He’s a guy that lives by the saying, “He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day”. Truth be told, Hopkins hasn’t looked like he really wants to fight anymore. The last person he knocked out was his business partner, Oscar De La Hoya, and that was with a kidney shot against a guy whose best days were at much lighter weights. Seven of Hopkins’ last eight fights have gone the distance so to say he is a go getter would be a gross misrepresentation. Yes, the science of boxing is to hit and not get hit, but lately Hopkins as been interpreting that phrase to an absurd degree.

Same rule applies to the 35 year-old Winky Wright. While Richard Schaefer misspoke when he said Wright had been unbeaten for 10 years, he has been unbeaten since losing to Fernando Vargas in 1999. And of the thirteen fights Wright has fought since then only one ended in a knockout while another ended on a disqualification. Aside from that, every fight went the distance.

Both Hopkins and Wright are safety first boxers that don’t take risks or chances. Neither fighter really wants to get hit or go toe-to-toe. While not every fight is going to be Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward, neither should they be ballet dance recitals either.

At the initial press conference, Bernard, as usual, did most of the talking. He said he was going “to solve the Winky Wright puzzle” and defeat him. He said that Wright only fought his “sloppy seconds” and because Hopkins fought Felix Trinidad and Jermain Taylor before Wright did that “I destroyed Trinidad and “Jermain Taylor hasn’t been the same since he fought me,” claimed Hopkins.

Even Bernard seems to know this fight is going to be a tough sell. He tried to goad Wright into a verbal exchange by asking, “How is a 42 year old man gonna’ whoop your ass?” Then he went on to poke fun at himself when he said, “I even got a cane,” meaning he is so old he needs it to help him walk. Try as he might to egg Wright on, Winky just sat at his table next to the Hopkins, smiled, shook his head, stared off into space and didn’t say a word. Way to sell a fight Winky.

The problem with this fight is that there is no animosity between Hopkins and Wright. Neither guy really resonates with fans and neither fighter has anything to prove. If Hopkins wins it will be because he’s Bernard Hopkins and win is what he’s always done for the most part. If Wright wins then everybody will say it’s because Bernard was an old man.

So, July 21st is not noteworthy for anything boxing related, but it is the day that the seventh Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book is being released by author J.K. Rowling. Even though Richard Schaefer claims, “50% of the arena is sold already with $2 million worth of tickets,” he really means that’s the amount of tickets that sponsors and the casinos in Las Vegas have purchased for their customers.

Hopkins claims “I’m going to solve the puzzle of Winky Wright and I’m going to be right again.”

While that may be the case, will anybody hear it?


May 2007