On the undercard, I got my first live look at 'Baby' Joe Mesi, the latest in a long line of 'great white hopes' in the heavyweight division. All I can say is that after seeing Mesi hold on for dear life against a blown up cruiserweight in Vasilliy Jirov, that to call Mesi a 'great white hope' is an insult to fine fighters such as Gerry Cooney and Tommy Morrison.

Let me make this clear, Mesi is a very nice guy, intelligent, articulate, personable and good looking. It's really a shame that he really can't fight that much, because he would be great for the business and industry of boxing.

It was just four months ago that Mesi faded late- after another fast start- against trial-horse Monte Barrett at the Madison Square Garden in New York. After knocking down the native of Brooklyn early and getting out to a big lead, he would be floored himself and have to hold on for a narrow victory. It was brushed off as a bad night and a learning experience for a still-developing heavyweight. Ok, I guess you could buy that rationale then.

For this fight he came in much better physical condition and came in at 227- 11 rounds lighter than the Barrett fight- and he was facing a fading cruiserweight in Jirov, who had struggled mightily in comeback fights against Ernest Mateen and Joseph Kiwanuka, two guys who were blown-up light heavyweights. This wasn't so much a fight, but a sacrifice of a pretty good fighter. Jirov, simply hadn't looked the same after his brutal fight with James Toney last April.

Mesi would build up a huge, seemingly insurmountable lead throughout the first eight rounds. All the scorecards had him up by seven rounds but in the ninth he would be sent to the canvas with a clubbing left hand. It seemed like just another blip on the radar screen but it was much more than that when for some reason instead of sitting on his big lead and going into the boxing version of 'the four corners' and getting on his bicycle, he would engage Jirov in toe-to-toe action.

And if there's one thing that Jirov still has, is a willingness to fight till the very end and he would land a series of hard left crosses and uppercuts that would send a fading Mesi to the canvas twice. But to his credit, Mesi would hold on and survive the onslaught and win a close decision as all three judges had Mesi on top by a score of 94-93.

This was a night that was supposed to bring added exposure to Mesi. Instead, it was a night that exposed him.

Exposed him as a guy with just a decent punch, shaky chin and the stamina of a sprinter. The bottom line is, no matter what HBO, Buffalo or his promotional team may try to tell us, he just doesn't have it. At least Cooney had a monster left hook, as did Morrison. Mesi, is a decent puncher in his own right, but they never really struggled as badly as he did against such hand-picked opposition. It was only till they faced the Larry Holmes' and Lennox Lewis' of the world, did those two really struggle. It's just my opinion that Cooney and Morrison don't even need four rounds to get rid of the guys that Mesi has been struggling against.

This is very reminiscent of a few years ago when HBO pushed the services of another flawed heavyweight, Michael Grant. Grant, like Mesi, was highly marketable and had the look that networks, sponsors and promoters coveted. But there was one problem, he really couldn't fight all that much. But I will say this, to his credit, despite his limited amateur background, Grant does have wins over serviceable guys like Obed Sullivan, David Izon, Lou Savarese and Andrew Golota. In retrospect, for his inexperience, I'd say he had a helluva run. Not bad for a guy more suited to be a power forward than a heavyweight champion.

Mesi, a 1996 Olympic alternate, really doesn't have that excuse and at age 30, he's not exactly a young prospect anymore. His management now faces a serious quandary, do they cash out immediately and try to get the biggest payday against the likes of a Mike Tyson or Roy Jones? Or, do they go to the graveyard and dig up a bevy of dead bodies to knock over and then go for an even bigger payday down the line?

Now I'm not a manager, but I play one behind the keyboard, I do the latter. Because no matter how carefully you match Mesi, you run the risk of getting him tripped up in smaller fights. I say take the sure thing, try and get a multi-million dollar fight with a marquee name way beyond his prime and call it a career.

And you know what? If they do that, win or lose that fight, it can be considered a highly successful run. For a guy with just mediocre skills, to have made that much money in a relatively short time, speaks volumes.

But his chances of being a real heavyweight contender?

I think it's hopeless.

Seldon, inactive for close to eight years, didn't disappoint - knocking out his last minute fill-in opponent, and loser in 8 of his last 9 fights, the once formidable Otis Tisdale.

Seldon, justifiably nervous being back in the ring for the first time since his emotionally traumatic and devastating 1st round knockout loss to Mike Tyson in 1996, weathered an early Tisdale body assault before finding his groove. This meant trouble for Tisdale (now 20-15-1), who was fighting on his 35th birthday. Having gone the distance with Ex-World Champion Michael Moorer, as well as highly regarded prospects Malik Scott and Dominick Guinn, Tisdale was unable to stand up to the powerful barrage Seldon was distributing with both hands. Following a menacing combination to the body, a straight right hand by Seldon crushed onto the badly beaten Tisdale's jaw, sending him to the canvas.

Tisdale did manage to get back to his feet but was in no shape to continue as referee Eddie Cotton reached the count of ten and waved a halt to the one-sided bout.

A joyous Seldon, now 34-4 with 30 KO's, later said "I missed boxing, I love the sport. This is all I know. I haven't done anything for eight years. The amiable Seldon also revealed, "I left boxing on a bad note (Tyson fight), winning the title was the best thing that happened to me and losing to Tyson was the worst thing that happened to me. Before that Tyson fight the people loved me. I was exciting, I fought exciting. Now what I can do is return to the ring and rekindle how it was. Maybe I can get another fight with Mike Tyson."

(Writer's note: I was among the many boxing fans who lost much respect for Bruce Seldon after his "shameful" effort as a world champion against Mike Tyson. Today - in regards to Bruce Seldon - some of my faith has been restored. I wish him all the best, and I'm rooting for him).

This Damon Feldman promoted event was billed as the "Champions of Tomorrow Boxing Series" and, fighting on the undercard, unheralded welterweight prospect Said Ouali appears to have the talent and skills to reach boxing's highest level. Not a stranger to the Blue Horizon, Ouali (now 14-1, 8 KO's) turned in another crowd-pleasing show with his dominating performance over Franco Ogentho, who slipped to 15-5 with 9 KO's, earning the unanimous decision victory.

Ouali dropped Ogentho in round two and had the durable, awkwardly stubborn Ogentho hurt throughout much of the six round contest. Only question in this hard fought bout was how Ogentho was still standing at the final bell?

Also on the fightcard.....Oliver Burbage earned his first professional victory over Chris Monroe, who was making his pro debut. Burbage improved to 1-1 with the four round unanimous decision victory. Heavyweight Pavlo Varvarko (2-0) overpowered Rashael Williams (0-2) via 1st round knockout.

Gurcharan Singh outboxed Charles Brown to pick up a six round unanimous decision victory and in the battle of headhunters Horace Cooper, now 5-3-2, gave a boxing lesson to Philadelphia's own Joe Christy (4-6-1), earning a unanimous six round decision win.

Another good fight night in the "City of Brotherly Love". The Blue Horizon is the perfect venue for the true boxing fan and promoter Damon Feldman sent the near capacity crowd home happy and having received their monies worth!

Contact Damon Feldman Promotions (610) 658-1207 or The Blue Horizon (215) 763-0500 for upcoming events.

It was hard to figure out how Wright, the IBF champ, could keep his balance and maintain his leverage when his feet were so far apart. But he found a way to make it all work like he always has, and the forgotten stranger from St. Petersburg, Fla., rode his stance, his jab and his heart all the way to the undisputed junior-middleweight championship of the world.

He beat Sugar Shane Mosley at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas by never giving the WBA and WBC champion a chance to fight his own fight. Hell, he never gave him a chance to catch his breath. Winky looked like a guy trying to trap a chicken in the corner of the hen house.

Mosley, gracious in losing, said he just had a bad night. Wright was a big reason.

So now the world knows who Winky Wright is. It knows he's not just some pug with a funny nickname and an overblown reputation. The guy can fight, and maybe for the first time in his career, he won't be able to walk down a city street in Des Moines or Toledo without someone politely tapping him on the shoulder and asking for his autograph.

TV does that. It can make you a hero overnight, though Wright has been pounding away at his job and his craft for almost 14 years. It's just that no one was paying attention to him during most of that time. No one outside the fight game cared about who he was or what he could do or why he was doing it. He was the poster boy for obscurity, a sixty-dollar question on a radio-talk show no one ever knew the answer to: "Who or what is a Winky Wright?"

It won't be so easy to fool everyone any more. Life as Winky knew it is gone, disappeared with a 12-round win, HBO and a $750,000 purse.

If his win Saturday night showed us anything, it's that the guys who appeared to be ducking Wright - guys like Oscar De La Hoya - knew what they were doing all along.

Bob Arum of Top Rank didn't want to promote Wright versus De La Hoya because, he said, no one knows who Winky Wright is.

Fine.

How do you explain De La Hoya fighting Yory Boy Campas?

Wright isn't a heavy hitter or a dancer or a cheap-shot artist. He doesn't call you names or threaten to eat your cat. He's just a tough, awkward guy to fight, one who never gets careless and who doesn't let himself get into a situation he can't get out of.

He's not pretty, but he doesn't try to be. He's just good. And now he's got one of the hotter names in the fight game.

The bottom line is, one of the best kept secrets in boxing has been let out of the bag.

The rangy southpaw from St. Pete can fight.

But that's not the main thing I was thinking. What I was thinking was that if Mosley is going to keep fighting the best of the best that the world has to offer, he must make some changes. One thing he should consider is going back to welterweight. If he does that, he may not even have to change his style that much. He's probably strong enough to overpower and go through all the top welterweight's. Maybe that's something he should seriously consider, if he can get back down that low.

The other thing that was going through my head while watching the fight was that Mosley needs to get rid of his father and replace him with a new trainer. I'm not crazy about saying that either. I know everybody likes Jack Mosley and thinks he is effective. I know he's calm and cool in the corner, and never panics, but I think Mosley needs a change.

The fact is his father is just not honest with him in between rounds. He constantly tells him you're doing real good son, and keep doing what your doing. Jack says this even if it's not close to being true. I get the impression that he is afraid to tell Shane the truth so he doesn't rattle him? I could be wrong, but that is how I interpret it.

Another problem I had with Jack last night was, why didn't he instruct Shane to abandon the one punch knockout strategy? Mosley was throwing nothing but lead hooks and right hands. Which made it easy for Winky to keep his hands up, and walk him down behind his jab. When Mosley threw multiple jabs, he was the most effective he was in the fight. By Mosley throwing the jabs in succession, he accomplished two things. One of them was he was impeding Wright's offense and reducing his effectiveness, and the other was he setting up his own offense. When Mosley came in jabbing, he stopped Winky from completely dictating the tempo and flow. And on top of that, when Mosley was shooting out a good jab, Wright didn't know what was coming next? So he just kept his hands up in a defensive posture and didn't really mix it up allowing Mosley to score.

From what I saw last night, Jack Mosley wasn't all that in the corner. Shane was frustrated and lost. He was having trouble executing his own attack, and was getting hit with punches he wasn't sure of how to defend. Look, I'm not saying that if Mosley jabbed and didn't just look for the big shot that he would've won. All I'm saying is if someone could have helped him incorporate a Plan-B, he would've given himself a better chance.

I like Mosley and want to see him regain a title. He is a class guy, something boxing needs more of. He and his father have had a great run, and have been one of the more successful father-son teams in boxing. I just think it's time for them to make a change. Should Mosley continue fighting the top fighters that he has done throughout his career, the game plan must change. The new catch and kill style that Mosley has adopted, which is now the old Mosley, must change. And this is especially true if he remains in the Jr. Middleweight division. Shane is not Thomas Hearns, he can't bomb fighters out at 154.

Congratulations to Winky Wright! You knew what you had to do and went out and did it. You were right when you told us you were the stronger fighter. Not only that, but you were the smarter fighter. Enjoy the undisputed Jr. Middleweight Championship. You've waited a long time. If any fighter deserves to bask in the glory of victory it's Winky Wright. Good luck Champ.

Some guys just don't get it. Some guys just don't understand that hitting a woman is at the top of the list when you start writing down the most cowardly things a man - no, let's call him a punk - can do. And when you're a world champion prize fighter, the cowardly act is magnified ten times.

Hear that, Diego Corrales?

Some punks think it's their right, their duty to beat their wives or girlfriends. Mayweather apparently things it's his obligation. He's made it a hobby. Defend my title, go home and beat the mother of my kids.

He was taught at an early age how to throw punches. Unfortunately, no one taught him who to throw them at. It's easy to land a knockout blow when she's cowering in the corner of the kitchen.

Here's hoping Mayweather never wins another fight. That way, we're all but promised he won't take another swing at a woman. He might be a great fighter, he's just not much of a man. That requires more than a title belt and a fleet of cars.

If we're lucky - if the battered women in his life are lucky - Mayweather will be spending some hard time in the state pen. Nevada frowns on "tough" guys beating up women. Apparently, the state mandates prison time for anyone convicted of domestic violence three times within seven years.

Mayweather might not need the seven years. He already has two convictions in just two years.

He pleaded guilty to two domestic violence charges in March 2002 involving the mother of his oldest child. He presently stands charged with domestic violence for striking the mother of his three other children.

I sense a pattern here.

If Mayweather has to do time, he'll find out how tough he really is. Most of the bad guys in prison weigh more than his girlfriends weigh, and they pack a better a punch. And it's funny, but they don't follow the rules very well. They don't honor standing eight counts and they don't worry about hitting below the belt.

And women beaters aren't real popular in most cell blocks.

Mayweather is supposed to fight May 22 against a "man," though his promoter, Top Rank, hasn't named his opponent yet.

I got an idea. Anyone know how to find Hannibal Lecter?

Somebody call the cops.

Crazy guys like Floyd Mayweather should be locked up, put behind bars so the 95-pound mothers of the world are safe to walk the streets.

Some guys just don't get it. Some guys just don't understand that hitting a woman is at the top of the list when you start writing down the most cowardly things a man - no, let's call him a punk - can do. And when you're a world champion prize fighter, the cowardly act is magnified ten times.

Hear that, Diego Corrales?

Some punks think it's their right, their duty to beat their wives or girlfriends. Mayweather apparently things it's his obligation. He's made it a hobby. Defend my title, go home and beat the mother of my kids.

He was taught at an early age how to throw punches. Unfortunately, no one taught him who to throw them at. It's easy to land a knockout blow when she's cowering in the corner of the kitchen.

Here's hoping Mayweather never wins another fight. That way, we're all but promised he won't take another swing at a woman. He might be a great fighter, he's just not much of a man. That requires more than a title belt and a fleet of cars.

If we're lucky - if the battered women in his life are lucky - Mayweather will be spending some hard time in the state pen. Nevada frowns on "tough" guys beating up women. Apparently, the state mandates prison time for anyone convicted of domestic violence three times within seven years.

Mayweather might not need the seven years. He already has two convictions in just two years.

He pleaded guilty to two domestic violence charges in March 2002 involving the mother of his oldest child. He presently stands charged with domestic violence for striking the mother of his three other children.

I sense a pattern here.

If Mayweather has to do time, he'll find out how tough he really is. Most of the bad guys in prison weigh more than his girlfriends weigh, and they pack a better a punch. And it's funny, but they don't follow the rules very well. They don't honor standing eight counts and they don't worry about hitting below the belt.

And women beaters aren't real popular in most cell blocks.

Mayweather is supposed to fight May 22 against a "man," though his promoter, Top Rank, hasn't named his opponent yet.

I got an idea. Anyone know how to find Hannibal Lecter?

I couldn't believe how tranquil and pensive he was. For the first time, I saw a beaten man when I looked into his eyes. Not beaten as a fighter, but as a man who has really been through it. A man who has seen the best and worst that life has to offer. No doubt that Mike Tyson is well versed on being at the highest high and the lowest low. In one of the clips, Tyson was at Gleason's gym doing his 100 hours of community service teaching kids to box. He actually looked at peace and the young kids looked ecstatic! What a thrill that must have been for them, having Mike Tyson hold the pads and encouraging them.

Although I have been a staunch critic of Tyson the fighter, and never believed for a single second that he was close to being the greatest heavyweight champ ever. I've always had a soft spot for him in my heart. I'm willing to look at maybe I underrate him, just as many overrate him? I've always known that there is a really good guy inside of him, one who he doesn't let many of us ever see. Tyson is a fighter who I've been lucky enough to spend some time around, mainly due to the brief acquaintance I had with Jim Jacobs. Let me tell you, when Tyson is in the mood, he is one of the best to discuss boxing with. Especially breaking down fighters style's and hypothetical match ups. I guess after being used and abused so much throughout his life, he has to keep his guard up. I guess this is why he is the ultimate contradiction. Being charming and warm one moment and then reverting to being mean and nasty the next.

I have often thought about how cool it must have been to be one of the people he really liked and trusted back in the day. Can you imagine a night on the town in New York with Mike Tyson. First of all, you wouldn't need any money. Women would be all over the place. And how many of your buddies could go up to New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor in a club, and tell him that if he doesn't leave, he's going to get his ass kicked. And then he actually leaves. That scenario really did play out one night in the late 80's when Tyson was on top of the world.

Can't believe that Tyson will be 38 this June 30th. Wow, 38 years old. That's how old Larry Holmes was when he fought Tyson in January of 1988. And ya know what, Holmes looked better then, then Tyson does now. Who would've believed that back then?

Mike Tyson turned pro in 1985 and won the Heavyweight title in November of 1986 to become the youngest Heavyweight champ in boxing history. It's now 2004, 19 years later and I really believe that Mike Tyson may never be a major factor again in the Heavyweight division as a fighter. Oh, his name still has some mileage and will always create some excitement, but I can't see him being the champ again. Something as recently as a year ago, I thought was at least a remote possibility.

What's really a crazy thought is that even in this transitional time in the heavyweight division, Tyson probably can't compete at the top. He's very heavy and it would take him forever and a day to get in great shape again and then stay active enough to be ready for one of the world's premier heavyweights. And lets be honest, there isn't one heavyweight out there right now who can even spell the word great.

Yes, I think Tyson was overrated as a fighter and champion by a lot of the media and fans. However, I will not deny that he was one of the most talented Heavyweight Champs of all time. And if fights were fought on paper instead of in the ring, he'd be among the true greats nipping at the heels of Louis and Ali. That being said, I can't imagine what Tyson of 1986-88 would do to today's top heavies.

I hope Tyson straightens himself out and lives a long happy life in peace. Maybe instead of the press shoving a microphone in front of George Foreman and Mike Tyson every time they are in public, and asking them if they are going to fight each other. Maybe they could ask Foreman if he has any interest in managing Tyson and helping him out. Foreman is now 55 and Tyson will be 38 in three months. The boxing world can live if it doesn't see them fight. If Foreman won, what would it really do for him other than making him even richer. If Tyson won, it would prove nothing, and if he lost he'd be humiliated. No thanks! How about somebody getting Foreman and Tyson together so Foreman can assist him and guide him if he wants to fight again or whatever else he may choose to do. I have no doubt that the cunning Foreman could help straighten Tyson out mentally and financially. And us, we can argue for the next 100 years over who would've won, Foreman of 1973-74, or Tyson of 1987-88?

Last time we saw Mesi on HBO he was picking himself up off the canvas from a picture perfect left hook courtesy of Monte Barrett. It was a shot that would have dropped most fighters. It caught Mesi right on the chin as he got sloppy with his defense and let his right hand hang low. Post-fight we heard the usual ‘maybe that was a good thing, getting knocked down, it gives you a chance to show you can come back from it' from Mesi.

Last time I checked, the only people who ever say getting knocked down is “a good thing” are the ones who just were knocked down. Trust me Baby Joe, getting knocked down is not good for your long term health as a heavyweight contender. Earlier in the Barrett bout Mesi had dropped his opponent and that helped him eke out a decision win to help keep his record a perfect 28-0. And now along comes Jirov.

It would be a stretch, in my opinion, to suggest that Jirov is much of a step up from Barrett as opposed to merely another move forward. Put it this way – would you favor Jirov by much over Barrett if they met? Not me. Jirov was last seen hovering around the Cruiserweight division outworking and defeating the likes of fringe fighters like Ernest Mateen and Joseph Kiwanuka. Those fights served to rebuild Jirov as he recovered from his only pro loss to James Toney. In that fight Jirov was knocked down by Toney in the 12th round and lost a decision in what was an entertaining bout. Perhaps seeing Toney step up to Heavyweight with success has given “The Tiger” the idea to step up as well, or perhaps he wants nothing to do with the likes of Wayne Braithwaite and a move up cures that.

Regardless, Jirov will take another HBO payday by stepping up in weight from 190 to 200+ when he takes on Mesi. Jirov has never been much of a defensive mover or a shaker and the added weight likely won't help that cause at all. At best Jirov is a strong aggressive fighter who comes forward throwing a high volume of punches and working the body well. At worst he is a guy who will catch as many punches as you throw at him and may be wading into waters too deep for his own good.

Expect Mesi to come into this fight 25 pounds heavier than Jirov and that advantage to be the difference in the end. Jirov is a strong fighter who can take a shot but also relies on winning the war of attrition to overcome and overwhelm his opposition. Against a physically bigger man who can punch it seems that Jirov will have to pay a very high price to get close enough to hurt Mesi. Because of this, it says here that on Saturday “Baby” Joe Mesi will use his movement and put together his combinations on his way to winning by decision or possible late round stoppage.

In accepting Jirov for this fight Team Mesi is looking at this bout for what it is – a good win over a ‘name' opponent, television exposure for their fighter, and the nice payday that comes with it. It has been proven over and over that in boxing a good big man does beat a good littler man. Team Mesi know this well.

Here's my advice to Mosley, "bring your A-game and put the pressure on Winky and try to make it a fight." If Mosley is lazy and allows Wright to make it a boxing match from the outside, we'll either have a disputed decision in a very close fight, or Wright will score an upset? There is little doubt that Wright is definitely capable of making Mosley look bad and beating him.

I happen to be someone who enjoys watching Mosley fight, but I must admit that its been frustrating sometimes lately. Shane has all the ability in the world. He has extremely fast hands and used to throw three and four punch combinations. On top of that, he can punch a little bit.

The problem with Mosley is that sometimes he does not use all of his physical skills to their optimum? Lately it seems that he's looking to land the one big shot, instead of going out and setting it up. It's imperative against Wright that Mosley cuts off the ring and gets inside and lets his hands go. Something he was not consistent in doing in his rematch with Oscar De La Hoya.

I don't want to get into the Mosley-De La Hoya scoring debate. But I believe that De La Hoya won the fight 7-5 in rounds. However, I believe that it was more of a case of what Mosley didn't do, than it was due to what De La Hoya did do. In other words, Mosley let it slip away more than De La Hoya took it from him. Other than the ninth round and some of the later rounds, Mosley let De La Hoya keep the fight at ring center and let him get off first. Something he shouldn't do versus Winky Wright.

What bodes well for Mosley in this upcoming fight with Wright is, Winky is not a big puncher. On top of that Mosley has a very good chin. So Shane should not have any reservation about applying the pressure and letting his hands go. If you have no fear that your opponent can really hurt you, then there is no excuse for Mosley not to push the fight. Especially if that type of aggressive attack will virtually guarantee him the win. Which would seem to be the case for Mosley.

I think this fight, like most will come down to who can impose their will on the other. Wright has to keep it a boxing contest and not let Mosley lure him into heated exchanges. Wright does have a good chin so if he chooses to go at Mosley in spots to confuse him, he should be OK. However, he can't get happy with himself and stay in front of him if he wins a few of those exchanges. Since Mosley recently has been looking to load up, and throw one punch at a time, Wright should keep his feet moving and his jab working in order to keep Shane one step behind him. This is the best strategy for Winky, boxing not running, but holding his ground in certain spots on his terms.

For Mosley, he should fight every round versus Wright like he did the ninth round versus De La Hoya. If he can sustain that pace and work the body and take Wright's legs, he should be in good shape down the stretch. It's key for Shane to set the pace and cut off the ring. He must force Winky into a fight where he's more trying to make it through and survive, than he is winning. And by keeping the fight inside, he'll nullify Wright's southpaw stance.

With a possible huge showdown with Felix Trinidad on the horizon, this is a very tough fight for Mosley at this time. Winky is no pushover and knows what he's doing in the ring. He also has longed for the type big name opponent that Mosley represents to him. I'm sure Wright will bring his A-game to this one.

In the end, I think Mosley's strength and hand speed will be the difference. I don't think Mosley will stop Wright, but there is too much on the line for me to pick against him. Mosley wins, but he'll need his best stuff and can't go looking for one shot. He's got to pressure Wright and keep his hands moving in order to insure the victory, most likely by decision.

In this fight with Jirov, Mesi no doubt has all the advantages. He is the bigger and stronger fighter, and he can probably get the better of Vassiliy fighting inside or outside. Mesi is also the better puncher and is equipped with a faster pair of hands. As far as chin's go, this is a little bit of an unknown. At Cruiserweight Jirov has shown a very good chin and was only really hurt by Toney. However, we've never seen Jirov cracked by a heavyweight who could punch. Mesi may not have Tua power, but power is not one of his shortcomings. As far as Mesi's chin, the jury is still out. What bodes well for him is that Jirov is not really a big puncher in my opinion. I doubt Joe's chin will be a liability in this fight.

The problem as I see it for Jirov is that he's a very limited offensive fighter. He has a typical European style southpaw jab, and just pushes it out. Although he steps with it, he still pushes it instead of snapping it. Basically, his offensive strategy is to push his opponent to the ropes with his jab, and then ram his straight left hand to the body. The problem is, he doesn't have any hook or finishing punch behind it. James Toney exploited this throughout their entire fight.

When ever a fighter goes to the body with his power shots exclusively, he is open to be countered, something Toney did all night against Jirov. Toney was cooperative in going to the ropes with Jirov because he knew what was coming. After he was backed up by a couple right jab's, he knew the left to the body was right behind them. He also knew that Jirov's hands would be low and he was wide open to be countered. And Toney was clockwork like executing his counter attack. Jirov was very lucky that Toney was not a big banger, which enabled him to go 12 rounds before Toney dropped him.

Two other things standout to me regarding Jirov's aggressive body attack. One thing you must remember is that to land solidly to the body, you must get close to your opponent. Does Jirov really want to be in constant range for Mesi to be able to reach and touch him at will. Especially when he has a habit of keeping his hands low after he unloads? I'm sure Mesi would welcome that scenario.

The other thing that stands out to me is, how devastating of a body puncher is Jirov? He hit Toney at will to the body, and too me it didn't appear that he took much out of James, if anything? I question how much Jirov's body punching will really hurt Mesi, or slow him down? Assuming he can even implement a sustained body attack?

So just how does Jirov pull this one out? His biggest asset of going to the body can very well be his undoing. Getting close to Mesi and trading isn't a strategy I'd advise him. I don't think he's a good enough boxer to stick and move while using the ring to win from the outside. On top of that, I question even if he is the better boxer and he definitely has the slower hands.

If I'm advising Mesi, I tell him to come right out and jump on him like he did DaVarryl Williamson. Mesi is a fast starter and is at his best in the early going. Although I do think Mesi may have a tendency to fade in the second half of the fight. Jirov on the other hand gets better as the fight progresses. However, it takes him a few rounds to get in sync, I sense he may be vulnerable to a Tysonesque early barrage.

I just see Mesi as having all the advantages in this up coming fight. If Jirov shows Mesi respect, and moves away and doesn't hold his ground, Mesi's confidence will soar and he'll be very tough to beat. If Jirov goes at him and tries to make Joe respect him, he could be playing into Mesi's hands. Again, I think Mesi has everything on his side in this fight.

The two questions I have heading into this fight is one, could I be grossly underestimating Jirov's strength? I don't think so, but if I have done that, my above scenario could very well go out the window. It's just that I've never been blown away by Jirov overall as a fighter or puncher, and who has he really fought? The other question I have is what does this fight do for Mesi other than providing him a nice payday. Believe me, I'm not putting anybody down for getting paid. I wish all fighters were paid like they had the following of De La Hoya or Mesi. It's just that if Mesi goes through Jirov, what does it say about him as a bona fide heavyweight contender?

If Mesi blows through Jirov, what will it really tell us about him. On the other hand if Jirov beats Mesi, most will say that Mesi was a nobody and nothing more than a media creation. I just hope that it's a good fight, and opens the door for some others down the road in the heavyweight division. I just think if Mesi jumps on Jirov, there is a good chance that it ends early.

Now, I was able to compose myself by remembering that even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in awhile, and that even a broken watch is correct twice a day. But get this, he did it throughout the fight. Yes, this is Diego Corrales I'm talking about.

I'm sure you've heard by now but 'Chico' was able to even the score against the Cuban southpaw by out-boxing- yes, out-boxing- his opponent over 12 tense rounds of boxing to capture the vacant WBO jr. lightweight belt.

Seeing Corrales use his jab effectively, not give up his height, gauge distance properly, show improved defense and exhibit patience was like seeing 50 Cent sing a ballad, Barry Bonds laying down a sacrifice bunt, Rush Limbaugh wear a Donavon McNabb jersey, you might see it, but you still don't believe it.

But that's precisely what occurred with Corrales, who overcame one lapse, when he got sent to the canvas by a sharp Casamayor left hand in round ten. Like the classic first battle between Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns in 1981 and interesting role-reversal took place where the boxer, became the puncher and the puncher became the boxer, halfway through the fight.

Which is what happened in the late rounds of this particular fight. Casamayor sensing he was behind started to become much more aggressive in the late rounds. Corrales, stayed within his game plan throughout, never losing his composure. And much of the credit has to go to trainer Joe Goossen, who just happened to train Casamayor for the previous five years, culminating with their first fight in October.

Now, they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Goossen came as close as any trainer will in disproving that theory. It was thought that Goossen was valuable to Corrales because of the insight he would be able to provide his new fighter against his old one. Instead, what really proved invaluable was how over six weeks Goossen was able to not only able to alter the style of Corrales but more importantly, changed the mindset of Corrales, who admittedly loses poise once he gets hit solid and is not afraid to engage in bloody slugfests. It's great for the fans, terrible for the fighter involved.

Goossen turned a free swinger into a guy who was content to draw a few walks and go the other way. No, he wont hit as many home runs as he has in the past, but he will hit for a higher batter average. And he wont get hit nearly as much in the face.

Perhaps now Goossen will get the credit he deserves for being one of the premiere trainers around. I don't know why, but this guy has never gotten the proper amount of credit he deserves. Is it because he didn't fight professionally? Fair enough, but I can name you a multitude of coaches in other sports that couldn't even crack the lineup of their JV teams in high school. And besides, coaching or training is about helping others achieve, not what you may have done in your playing days.

This was the greatest downfall of legends like Ted Williams and Jerry West when they coached.

Is it because he doesn't look like the classic trainer, but instead to some, more like an adult-film actor with his less-than-traditional ring attire? Well, he is from the valley where those films are produced, but last I checked you didn't have to just sport Everlast or Grant gear to be a trainer.

Maybe it's because he isn't from the east coast where a lot of the influential media resides. Hey, as much as I think of Teddy Atlas- and I think very highly of him- is his reputation as big if he lived in Sherman Oaks, California instead of Staten Island, New York? I don't think so.

But look at this guys track record, he took guys from their first fight and developed world champions like Michael Nunn, Rafael Ruelas and Gabe Ruelas. Now, some will argue that anyone could have trained 'Second to' Nunn in his heyday.

Which might be true, but consider this, where did Nunn's career go once he left Goossen? He was never able to fight at the level that was coaxed out of him by Goossen in the late 80's. And as gutty and game as the Ruelas brothers were, were they the greatest natural talents out there? I'd say he was pretty successful with them and Gabe could have had a much better career without the badly fractured arm he suffered against Jeff Chandler early in his career.

Then you have the case of Lance Whitaker and Joel Casamayor. Whitaker was basically a failed power forward that Goossen took over very early in his career and 'Mount' Whitaker at that point was more of an anthill. He simply couldn't fight that much. But over time he was slowly developed and by early 2001, when he had knocked out Oleg Maskaev in two rounds, he was considered one of the top five heavyweights in the world and on the verge of making big money. But Whitaker was then hijacked by Rock Newman, who tabbed Phil Borgia to train him- and he would promptly lose to Jameel McCline and he's never been the same since.

Casamayor, was a guy that was a glorified amateur early in his pro career. While he may have defected from Cuba, he still fought like a Cuban amateur. In other words, he would stink out the joint at the drop of a Cuban cigar. He was so unappealing that he was deemed untouchable by the big promoters.

In 1999, Goossen would take over Casamayor and eventually they would capture a world title and become one of the most respected boxers in the world. He didn't turn him into an Arturo Gatti or Mathew Saad Muhammad, but he did turn him into a professional fighter. There one loss would be a controversial 12-round decision to Acelino Freitas but last year they would rebound with solid wins over Nate Campbell and Corrales.

Then you had this weekend, where Corrales would turn the tables on Casamayor. Do you sense a trend? Perhaps now Goossen will start getting some long overdue credit.

Y'know, this guy might have a future in this game. After all, he was able to teach an old dog, some new tricks.