Rick Folstad ... at The Sweet Science

Rick Folstad has been a sportswriter for 18 years. He has worked for several newspapers, including three years as a columnist and staff writer with the Rocky Mountain News in Denver. He is a former amateur (54-6 record) and pro fighter (20-2), fighting out of Minneapolis during the 1970s. Rick now lives in Florida with his wife and son.

Contact Rick Folstad

Email Rick Folstad at TheSweetScience.com

Features by Rick Folstad

	[Nov 11, 2009] Angelo Dundee To Enter Florida Hall Of Fame Dundee will be one of 22 inaugural inductees going into the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame this Sunday in Tampa.

	[Nov 5, 2009] PINKLON THOMAS: "I Was Praying To God To Let Me Die" Thomas Went To Dundee For A Hand Up But Angie Gave Him Tough Love Instead

	[Nov 5, 2009] COTTO: "I'm Completely Recovered From The Margarito Fight" COTTO: "We wouldn't have taken this fight (with a 145-pound catch weight) if we didn't think I'd be at my best."

	[Nov 4, 2009] Just Working On Fighting A Southpaw Dundee Is Picking Cotto To Beat Pacquiao

	[Oct 26, 2009] Cotto Trainer Santiago's Point: The Fighters Will Do The Fighting FOLSTAD: Wasn't Santiago a nutritionist or something? So how did he get this job? Well, he pretty much inherited it.

	[Oct 22, 2009] Agbeko Talks, Promises He'll Deliver Sweet Halloween KO AGBEKO: "I predict a knockout because I'm going to knock him out."

	[Oct 19, 2009] Tyson Now A Gentler Figure, Wiser And (Mostly) Humbled TYSON: "I thought I was a god."

	[Oct 15, 2009] Cotto Getting Ready In Florida; Arum Says Pacquiao's Trainer Gives Edge FOLSTAD: Arum said Pacquiao's biggest advantage going into the fight was having trainer Freddie Roach in his corner.

	[Oct 6, 2009] Not Much Ado In Des Moines, But Golota-Adamek Is Big In Lodz FOLSTAD: If you want to pick sides in this fight, you might want to consider Golota. The big guy could use a little positive karma.

	[Sep 17, 2009] Advice For Arreola: Don't Grab Klitschko's Hat FOLSTAD: Expect an early night. The only way this fight goes the distance is if they put pillows on instead of gloves.

	[Sep 1, 2009] Floyd's Layoff: A Time To Mend And Mature FLOYD: "Life is tough, putting up with all the (BS). Fighting is the easy part."

	[Aug 10, 2009] Donaire Happy To Be Part Of Pinoy Power NONITO: "I was told that Filipino fighters couldn't break an egg. But Manny has helped change all that."

[Aug 6, 2009]
More On Campbell-Bradley Caper
More On Campbell-Bradley Caper. Folstad takes another look at the win by a cut. More ...

[Jul 31, 2009]
Jones, Lacy Look To Sink Hooks Into Each Other
FOLSTAD: Fading skills or not, "Hook City" is the name for the Aug. 15 PPV fight between Jones (53-5) and Lacy (25-2). More ...

[Jul 28, 2009]
Where's Nate Campbell? Check Under Your Chin
FOLSTAD: Nate is one of those non-stop fighters who won't allow you to catch your breath. He's easy to find. Check under your chin. More ...

[Jul 22, 2009]
No Offense Euros, But The Heavyweight Champ Should Be American
FOLSTAD: The heavyweight champ should be from Detroit or Philly, not some place called Gladtonia or Kryzinkis. More ...

[Jul 2, 2009]
The Florida Hall Welcomes Inaugural Inductees
FOLSTAD: A Hall of Fame had been tried before in Florida back in the 1970s, but when some of the members died, so did the idea. More ...

[Feb 20, 2009]
How Rubio Can Beat Pavlik
GOOSSEN'S TAKE: "With Pavlik, it's always real simple. You better be ready to fight and you have to fight Pavlik on your terms." More ...

[Feb 16, 2009]
Think Cotto's Been Thinking Margarito..Or Jennings?
FOLSTAD: If I'm Jennings, I'm feeling lucky because I'm thinking Cotto isn't quite as focused on me as he should be, or claims to be. More ...

[Jan 30, 2009]
Carving Turkey, The Darchinyan Way
COCKY VIC: "Watch carefully from the first round. I don't want you to miss any of my artwork and my punches." More ...

[Jan 21, 2009]
Kelly Pavlik: "I Need To Dominate"
TSS Universe, Could The Hopkins Beatdown Have A Lingering Effect On The Pride Of Youngstown? More ...

[Dec 3, 2008]
Vic Trash Talks, Walks The Walk
"I can't get enough of Mexican fighters," said Darchinyan."They bounce real good off the canvas when I hit them. More ...

[Nov 19, 2008]
Caballero: "Fans Can't Fight For You"
CABALLERO: "It doesn't really affect me going to Canada. We could fight anywhere and it wouldn't make a difference. Fighters fight." More ...

[Oct 31, 2008]
TSS Prospect Watch: Matt Korobov
Check Out Korobov On The Chavez Jr. PPV Show More ...

[Oct 27, 2008]
Donaire's Confidence Is Sky High
DONAIRE: "Vic just can't accept (getting stopped). I took everything away from him that night. Everything. He's in denial." More ...

[Oct 24, 2008]
Darchinyan: Like Toney (Without The Chin?)
Darchinyan Promises To "Damage" Mijares--Is That Confidence, Or Brashness Covering Up Insecurity? More ...

[Oct 16, 2008]
This Fight Is All Or Nothing
Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy (24-1, 17 KOs) meets Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor (27-2-1, 17 KOs) on Nov. 15 in Nashville More ...

[Oct 14, 2008]
HOPKINS Says Saturday Could Be Last Fight
FOLSTAD: If Hopkins' fighting skills have slipped, his gift for delivering a sermon hasn't. More ...

[Oct 13, 2008]
Pavlik's Arm Is Fine, Rest Easy Youngstown
PAVLIK: "There's no problem with the elbow, none at all. It's fine. No problem." More ...

[Oct 9, 2008]
Will Magical Tarver Pull Off This Trick?
BOTH MAKE WEIGHT, 174 Pounds!-------FIRE AWAY WITH YOUR PREDICTION! More ...

[Sep 30, 2008]
Tarver And Dawson Getting Surlier
TARVER: "I know some 26-year-old fighters who are already shot. In fact, I'm on the phone with one right now." More ...

[Sep 9, 2008]
Nate Campbell: "They Call Me Champ Now"
CAMPBELL: "Before I fought Diaz, he was a god. Now that I beat him, he was over-rated." More ...

[Jul 29, 2008]
Can Jeff Lacy Get To Chapter 2?
"I felt like I did a marvelous job," Lacy said after the fight, his left eye swelling shut. "I went out there and beat a guy for 10 rounds." More ...

[Jul 25, 2008]
Coulda Been An MMA Contendah
His two sports are wrestling and boxing, which, like a brat and a cold beer are a pretty good combo if you're in the fighting business. More ...

[Jun 26, 2008]
One Career Ends, One Ascends
LARRY GOOSSEN: "Wayne is a class guy. He came up to Johnny in the corner and told him, 'You better be world champion.' More ...

[Jun 2, 2008]
Forrest Sees Career At Midpoint
FORREST: "My career is at the middle of the road. Not at the end of the road." More ...

[May 23, 2008]
Pocket Rocket Return Is NOT A Comeback
POCKET ROCKET SAYS: "People will probably say this is a comeback. But in truth, I never retired." More ...

[Apr 29, 2008]
Wanted: Next American Heavyweight Champ
FOLSTAD: Looking for the next American heavyweight champ? Avoid the inner-city. Snub the ghetto. More ...

[Apr 24, 2008]
Tarver Calls Out Calzaghe
TARVER: "I am putting the world on notice that I am the boxer who can stop Calzaghe." More ...

[Apr 17, 2008]
Bernard Hopkins, Not Yet Peddling Grills
FOLSTAD: Hopkins knows they pretty much quit listening to you once you leave the game. More ...

[Apr 10, 2008]
Tarver Over A Case Of Hollywooditis
He went to Hollywood to be in a movie with Sly Stallone, and when he came back home, he brought "50 extra pounds" with him. More ...

[Feb 16, 2007]
The Wonder and Magic of Reality TV
The "Contender" was about prize fighting and prize fighters and it seemed to have a pretty good concept going. More ...

[Feb 1, 2007]
"Bad" Chad Dawson is Pretty Good
He's got one of those catchy names that roll off the tongue. More ...

[Jan 30, 2007]
Julio Diaz: The Kidd Grows Up Fast
Tough way to grow up, everything happening so fast, so furious, all in one night. That's what happened to Julio Diaz. More ...

[Jan 18, 2007]
Ortiz/Cordova Do ShoBox
Before it was over, the two fighters would break a few windows and maybe bust up the piano. More ...

[Jan 11, 2007]
Singing on the waterfront with Ricky Hatton
Respectful and polite outside the ring, Hatton sounds like a choirboy stuck in a longshoreman's body. More ...

[Jan 10, 2007]
Where the Rabble Drinks (Sweet Science Fiction)
It was never just about the money, though you couldn't tell that to the punks downtown. They wouldn't listen, never believed it. More ...

[Jan 3, 2007]
Being James Toney
If you listen to Toney long enough, pretty soon you'll start to doubt the accuracy of the record book. More ...

[Dec 21, 2006]
Samuel Peter Opens Up
Samuel "The Nigerian Nightmare" Peter is the new king of one-liners. But you won't find him doing standup at some comedy club in Fresno. More ...

[Dec 7, 2006]
Taylor/Ouma: Does size matter?
What prankster came up with Kassim Ouma when they sat down to find the next opponent for middleweight champ Jermain Taylor? More ...

[Nov 30, 2006]
Margarito in the Park with Antonio
He's not a legend yet or a superstar or even a household name that might be discussed over dinner. More ...

[Nov 29, 2006]
Miguel Cotto and the Seven Pound Solution
Seven stubborn pounds that Miguel Cotto doesn't have to lose now that he's eating his way up to welterweight. More ...

[Nov 15, 2006]
Manny, Mo and Pac
It was mentioned the other day that while Manny Pacquiao was busy training to fight Erik Morales, Erik Morales wasn't only busy training to fight Manny Pacquiao. More ...

[Nov 13, 2006]
Erik Morales: Lost in Translation
Maybe something was lost in the translation. Or maybe it was just former world champion Erik Morales being Erik Morales. More ...

[Nov 7, 2006]
Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather: Adios, so long, farewell?
That's like Tiger Woods pawning his golf clubs. Roger Federer hanging up his racquet. Peyton Manning deciding to try soccer. More ...

[Oct 30, 2006]
Carlos Baldomir, Heart and Chutzpah
If he was a drinking man, I'd say it was just the booze talking. If he was known for his smart mouth, I'd say the lip was expected. More ...

[Oct 23, 2006]
Is Ray Mercer Merciless, Merciful, Mercerized or What?
"Merciless" Ray Mercer is back, which is like saying big hair is back or polyester is back or platform shoes are back. More ...

[Oct 19, 2006]
Giddy Shannon Briggs
There were moments Wednesday when Shannon Briggs sounded almost giddy, like a kid on his eighth birthday who just found a pony tied to a tree in his backyard. More ...

[Oct 12, 2006]
Winky Wright Can Go Home Again
Home is where St. Petersburg, Fla., middleweight Winky Wright will be fighting former champ Ike Quartey on Dec. 2 on HBO. More ...

[Oct 9, 2006]
Joe Calzaghe: Now you see it, now you don't
Joe Calzaghe was always like the magician who made his beautiful blonde assistant suddenly disappear from behind the closed curtain. More ...

[Sep 29, 2006]
Casamayor's Conference Call Calamity
There's the sound of contempt on the other end of the phone. Joel Casamayor doesn't like Diego "Chico" Corrales. More ...

[Sep 27, 2006]
Boxing Asks, Who's On First?
Ever wonder what group of mad scientists, network executives, accountants, do-gooders and curious onlookers decided that we'd have 12-round championship fights instead of 15? More ...

[Sep 18, 2006]
Moxie and A Guy Named Baldomir
You've got to like the moxie of WBC welterweight champ Carlos Baldomir, a guy about to jump off boxing's version of a cliff. More ...

[Sep 13, 2006]
Holyfield/Oquendo: Which Lion Has Teeth?
As he quickly closes in on 44, Evander Holyfield is claiming this is his time. He's like Bob Dylan. He just won't go away. More ...

[Aug 29, 2006]
"Might Mouse" Aiken hopes to spook The Ghost
His nickname is Mighty Mouse, which is a good nickname to have because just about everybody over the age of 20 knows who Mighty Mouse is. More ...

[Aug 28, 2006]
James Toney: Hooked On A Feeling
It was another knee slapper from that venerable old fighter/comedian we all know and love. "F*** you very much, bitch," Toney cracked. More ...

[Aug 24, 2006]
Will RJJ Open The Door For Freeman Barr?
As the WBO's No. 1 contender, Freeman Barr should have been welcomed inside to cut a deal, sign the papers and shake some hands. More ...

[Aug 18, 2006]
Jeff Lacy Takes Some Time For Himself
Funny thing about the fight game: A big win can define a career, but a big loss doesn't always destroy one. More ...

[Aug 11, 2006]
Toney and Peter Get Personal
Sharing a press conference with James "Lights Out" Toney is like sharing a swimming pool with a great white shark. No matter how well you swim, the pool is just too small. More ...

[Aug 9, 2006]
Rahman-Maskaev II In Primetime
This fight isn't about borders or hometowns or last names or what color your flag is when you stand up and salute it. More ...

[Jul 27, 2006]
The Greatness That Was Roy Jones
If you don't live in Pensacola, Camden or Boise, it might be a little tough to get the gang together to watch Saturday's pay-per-view fight. More ...

[Jul 26, 2006]
Antonio Margarito Looking For A Fight
WBO champ Antonio Margarito might be the best welterweight in the world, a bona fide, guaranteed, surefire, future legend-in-waiting. More ...

[Jul 16, 2006]
James Toney's Not Playing Dumb
How many of you were even mildly surprised recently when you heard James Toney had gone crazy again at a press conference for his upcoming fight against Samuel Peter? More ...

[Jul 12, 2006]
Last Tango At 154 For El Feroz
This is his last tango at 154 pounds, his goodbye tour at super-welterweight. It's like finally saying good-bye to your 8-track player or your old Dodge Dart. More ...

[Jul 12, 2006]
Mosley-Vargas Too
Maybe if the eye hadn't puffed up like a beach ball. Maybe if Fernando Vargas had had a little more time. Maybe if the fight had gone to the judges. More ...

[Jul 5, 2006]
Spinks vs. Karmazin: A deal with the devil
Start with Karmazin's catchy moniker, "Made in Hell." That's not a nickname, it's a declaration, a dark warning, a threat of evil. More ...

[Jun 21, 2006]
You Can Bank On Calvin Brock
An American heavyweight contender with a college degree? That's like a truck driver with season tickets to the opera, a bouncer who moonlights as a concert pianist. More ...

[Jun 15, 2006]
Jermain Taylor, Winky Wright and Bernard Hopkins
Tell me Taylor's readings on boxing's Respect-O-Meter didn't jump a few points following Hopkins' brutal dismantling of Tarver in Atlantic City. More ...

[Jun 9, 2006]
Cotto Isn't Buying
You could almost hear the guffaw from here, though Miguel Cotto probably tried to stifle his laughter out of polite respect for a relatively unknown fighter just trying to sell himself. More ...

[Jun 7, 2006]
Malignaggi Has Cotto Where He Wants Him
The cocky Italian kid from Brooklyn with the fast hands and the tongue-twister last name, thinks he has Miguel Cotto right where he wants him. More ...

[Jun 6, 2006]
Antonio Tarver Has A Lot To Prove
The thing about Bernard Hopkins and Antonio Tarver is, they both talk a good fight, then they lace up their gloves and actually give you one. More ...

[May 29, 2006]
Diego Corrales Will Cross That Bridge
They didn't actually slip Diego Corrales a Mickey in his second fight with Jose Luis Castillo, but there was a nasty aftertaste. More ...

[May 25, 2006]
Jose Luis Castillo Weighs In
Can Jose Luis Castillo still tip the scales at a svelte 135 pounds, or is he only fooling himself and the rest of the boxing world when he claims he'll make the lightweight limit? More ...

[May 18, 2006]
Arturo Gatti vs. Ricky Hatton
Make it a catch weight of, say, 143 pounds. Call it the Blue Collar World Championship. Winner gets a tool belt strapped around his waist and free beer for a year. More ...

[May 9, 2006]
Ricky Hatton: Guest Who's Coming to Dinner
Ricky "Hitman" Hatton sounds like a pretty good guy, even though he's from England and has an accent and everything. More ...

[May 9, 2006]
Unknown Luis Collazo is Home Sweet Home
World champions usually get the perks for being the best. They get the closest table, the biggest crowd, the largest room and the fanciest cars. More ...

[May 1, 2006]
Awaken De La Hoya
The fighter napping inside Oscar De La Hoya appears to have been rudely awakened from a 30-month slumber by a wild man poking him with a stick. More ...

[Apr 27, 2006]
Ricardo Mayorga: Where there's no smoke there's fire
Get mean, get ugly, get tough and get ready. Because that's what Ricardo "EL Matador" Mayorga is doing. More ...

[Apr 22, 2006]
Can Chris Byrd Fight?
How'd a nice guy like Chris Byrd wind up in this line of work? Guys like Byrd usually become preachers, kindergarten teachers, or Boy Scout leaders. More ...

[Apr 19, 2006]
The Heavy Wait for a Champ to Remember
If the heavyweight division was your wife, you'd sleep in another room. The division holds promise, it's just not very exciting right now. More ...

[Apr 13, 2006]
Welcome to the World of Carlos Baldomir
They gathered at the Argentine Pavillion to tell the world about the WBC welterweight title fight between Gatti and Baldomir. More ...

[Apr 6, 2006]
Saturday in the Park with Floyd
The Best Fighter on the Planet is talking. Occasionally, the conversation turns back to IBF welterweight champ Zab Judah, who Mayweather faces Saturday night . More ...

[Apr 3, 2006]
Yoel Judah's Barometric Pressure
According to Yoel Judah, the weather around the gym in Deerfield Beach, FL has been fine. So has the wildlife. More ...

[Mar 30, 2006]
Brewster + McGirt = Trouble
Lamon Brewster needed a guy who would bend down and whisper into his ear in his corner, telling him how good he was and how great he was going to be. More ...

[Mar 28, 2006]
Sergei Liakhovich: White Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
If you can ignore the Belarusian accent and overlook the missing Philadelphia slang, this guy sounds an awful lot like Rocky Balboa. More ...

[Mar 21, 2006]
Sleepy Time with Toney and Rahman
The heavyweight division didn't rise up from the ashes Saturday night. It stirred a finger or two, yawned, blinked and quietly fell back to sleep. More ...

[Mar 15, 2006]
R-E-S-P-E-C-T James "Lights Out" Toney
Toney's like the schoolyard bully who struts around bragging about how bad he is. You figure he's all talk until he fattens your lip. More ...

[Mar 10, 2006]
Hasim Rahman: Personally not personal
Don't expect a friendly nod, an affable smile or a sincere ceremonial touching of the gloves before the opening bell on March 18. More ...

[Mar 8, 2006]
Joe Calzaghe and the Big Leagues
You're not supposed to fly seven hours across an ocean just to get your butt kicked at 2 in the morning in a strange town in a foreign country. More ...

[Feb 27, 2006]
Calzaghe No Average Joe
If you're a champ from Great Britain and you want to make a big splash in this part of the world, you need a passport, a work visa and a left hook that topples oak trees. More ...

[Feb 22, 2006]
The ending won't be pretty
The only thing trainers Danny Smith and John David Jackson could agree on was the ending won't be pretty and it won't be decided by three guys wearing suits sitting at ringside. More ...

[Feb 20, 2006]
Shane Mosley Home at Welterweight
It's a long trip back to the top, though a win against Fernando Vargas could shorten the journey to a light stroll for Shane Mosley. More ...

[Feb 10, 2006]
The Excitable El Feroz
"Ferocious" Fernando Vargas is excited. Very excited. He's so excited that, well, let's just say he hasn't been this excited since tax day, 2000. "I'm excited about this fight," he said. More ...

[Feb 2, 2006]
Rolando Reyes: The Happiest Man in Oxnard
The "Happiest Man in Oxnard" stands 5-foot-10, has a 72-inch reach, packs a nasty left jab, and works in his father's Mexican restaurant. More ...

[Jan 28, 2006]
Arturo Gatti ready for takeoff
We should all watch Arturo Gatti this weekend because there aren't too many guys out there like him. Besides, it might be one of the last times we get to appreciate his work. More ...

[Jan 26, 2006]
Nicolay Valuev vs. Security Guard
The new champ is following in the footsteps of one of his idols, Mike Tyson, and has been accused of assaulting a security guard. More ...

[Jan 24, 2006]
Bumpy ride for Morales almost over
Maybe Erik Morales' best days as a fighter have already been witnessed, applauded and recorded. More ...

[Jan 19, 2006]
Boxing Buffet with Morales and Pacquiao
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Morales owes Pacquiao $250,000 for every pound he weighs over the 130-pound limit. More ...

[Jan 18, 2006]
Welcome to the Trash Talk Club
I want to congratulate one of the new world champions for recently becoming a member of the "I Trash Talk with the Best of 'Em Club." More ...

[Jan 16, 2006]
Rahman-Toney and the Boy Scouts of America
If Hasim Rahman and James Toney aren't the best heavyweights in the world, they're part of the quartet that is. More ...

[Jan 12, 2006]
Erik Morales Ready for Pacquiao
Erik Morales doesn't sound cocky as much as he sounds cocksure about what might happen when he and Pacquiao meet again. More ...

[Jan 10, 2006]
Bob Arum's Kelly Pavlick White as a Ghost
Arum is selling undefeated middleweight Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik of Youngstown, Ohio, a white kid in a sport dominated by minorities. More ...

[Jan 9, 2006]
How to Pronounce Pacquiao
You can't spell his name or pronounce it, but you know who Manny Pacquiao is. If you don't, he's half of the dynamic duo that put on that big show for us back in March. More ...

[Jan 1, 2006]
Third time's the charm for Castillo-Corrales
Everybody remembers the first Jose Luis Castillo-Diego Corrales fight this past May. It was completely off the fun meter. More ...

[Dec 23, 2005]
Mormeck-Bell: Big thing for cruiserweights
If you're a cruiserweight champion and live in France, it's like being the fifth Beatle, or the first guy voted out on Survivor. More ...

[Dec 21, 2005]
Zab Judah and the Brash Crew
Judah belongs up there with the rest of the Brash Crew, guys like Bernard Hopkins, James Toney and Floyd Mayweather. Next to these guys, Terrell Owens sounds like one of the Osmonds. More ...

[Dec 15, 2005]
Q & A with Fred Sternberg
Ten questions for publicist Fred Sternburg, who was awarded the 2004 Marvin Kohn "Good Guy" award by the Boxing Writers Association of America. More ...

[Dec 9, 2005]
Can't blame DiBella
Can't blame DiBella. Winky Wright has ruined more careers than the company snitch at the office Christmas party. And he isn't exactly Mr. Excitement in the ring. More ...

[Dec 6, 2005]
Lacy-Calzaghe and the End of Sarcasm
The fight between IBF super-middleweight champ Jeff Lacy and long-time WBO champ Joe Calzaghe is set for March 4 in England. More ...

[Dec 2, 2005]
Q & A with Donald Camarena
Ten questions for WBC Continental Americas light welterweight champ Donald Camarena, who spent more than a month as a sparring partner for Floyd Mayweather Jr. More ...

[Dec 1, 2005]
What's up with Bernard Hopkins?
Hopkins can't cough him out, spit him out or perform the Heimlich maneuver. Taylor's lodged in there pretty good, a reminder of what could have been. More ...

[Nov 30, 2005]
Q & A with Robert Guerrero
Ten questions for undefeated NABF featherweight champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero who defends his title Friday night against Gamaliel Diaz on Showtime. More ...

[Nov 28, 2005]
Wisdom of Soliman
Mention Sam Soliman in places like Topeka or Omaha and they'll scratch their chins, shake their heads and try to place the name."Sam? Sam Soliman? Hmmm. No, doesn't sound familiar." More ...

[Nov 22, 2005]
Q & A with Jeff Lacy
Jeff Lacy is scheduled to fight Joe Calzaghe on March 4th of next year in Manchester, England. They were supposed to fight Calzaghe on Nov. 5, but Calzaghe broke his hand. More ...

[Nov 18, 2005]
Have a beer with Floyd Mayweather
The champ with the fast hands, the quick tongue and the hall-of-fame moves sounds like someone you might want to sit down and have a beer with. More ...

[Nov 15, 2005]
Q & A with Hank Kaplan
Growing up in an orphanage in New York City, Kaplan said he became fascinated by the art of boxing when he and a buddy got into a fistfight one day. More ...

[Nov 11, 2005]
Klitschko to champion Ukraine
Brutal sport this boxing, especially when you keep getting busted up before you even get into the ring to defend your title. Klitschko has more dings than the Chicago Bears. More ...

[Nov 7, 2005]
Q & A with Dan Goossen
A boxing promoter for more than 20 years, Dan Goossen, 54, first became a name in the fight game in the early 1980s with Ten Goose Boxing, named for him and his nine brothers and sisters. More ...

[Nov 1, 2005]
Boxing's Boy Scout Vitali Klitschko
He doesn't talk trash, doesn't call anyone names, and he doesn't make obscene gestures from across the table. More ...

[Oct 27, 2005]
Lacy and Pemberton Map Sluggersville
Haymaker City. Tattoo Town. Sluggersville. That's what this fight could turn into, a wild melee on the serene shores of Lake Tahoe. More ...

[Oct 20, 2005]
Lord & Taylor
Undisputed middleweight champ Jermain Taylor is like the guy who starts late, gets lost, takes out a stop sign and still ends up with the best parking space on the block. More ...

[Oct 16, 2005]
Corrales-Castillo III? Food for thought
Some of the luster has rubbed off the big prize. We were expecting steak and lobster, but had to settle for a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. More ...

[Oct 14, 2005]
Taylor's Gift and Bernard Hopkins
You can't beat this guy by a close decision. It's got to be more definite than that, something we can all agree on, something undeniable. More ...

[Oct 11, 2005]
Castillo's Legacy
Guys like Castillo should be remembered for the great things they did in the ring, not for their shenanigans outside it. But it won't be that way for awhile. More ...

[Oct 7, 2005]
Corrales, Castillo, and the fight of one's life
Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo will be doing it again Saturday night when they fight at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. More ...

[Oct 4, 2005]
Glen Johnson is Waiting for Tarver
For most of Saturday night's fight, Antonio Tarver looked like a guy trying to feel his way through the dark. More ...

[Sep 30, 2005]
Excuse No Excuses
Roy Jones Jr. finally stepped into the spotlight on Thursday. For all of 15 gripping seconds. When Tarver finally came into the room, things lightened up. More ...

[Sep 29, 2005]
McGirt and Tarver vs. Roy Jones
They don't know which Roy Jones will show up Saturday in Tampa. He could come in fast or start slow. He could dance, swagger, stalk or run. More ...

[Sep 26, 2005]
Donde Esta Roy Jones?
It's just days before the fight and still no word from Roy Jones Jr. No stirring of the pot, no brash predictions, no last-minute trash talk. Instead, Jones has become a recluse, a ghost. More ...

[Sep 20, 2005]
And the winner is ... the heavyweight division
While this fight won't single-handedly jerk the slumping heavyweight division back to its feet, it could help it regain some of its dignity. More ...

[Sep 19, 2005]
News Flash: Jeff Lacy got mugged
No one pulled a gun on him or stuck a knife in his ribs or threatened his life. But he was robbed just the same. More ...

[Sep 16, 2005]
Reading Antonio Tarver
"He's the great Roy Jones," Tarver said on a conference call this week. "I didn't proclaim him to be the greatest thing since Sugar Ray Robinson, you (the media) did." More ...

[Sep 14, 2005]
The Bookies on Barrera vs. Peden
According to most bookies, Robbie Peden's chances of winning this fight are somewhere between hopeless and gone with the wind. More ...

[Sep 12, 2005]
Shane Mosley's Back
Sit-ups are part of the job description, part of the grand plan dealing with the welterweight division and what Mosley has to do to climb back to his place as its rightful ruler. More ...

[Sep 6, 2005]
Write History with Erik Morales
Mexico's Erik Morales has won world titles in three different weight classes, and now he's looking for a fourth. The lightweight division is out there begging him to give it a try. More ...

[Aug 31, 2005]
Pacquiao is Very Focused
Let's make one thing perfectly clear: super-featherweight Manny Pacquiao is "very focused" on his upcoming fight against Hector Velazquez on Sept. 10 (HBO) at the Staples Center in LA. More ...

[Aug 30, 2005]
Tarver-Jones Ticket Sales Brisk
Antonio Tarver can handle all the media attention. He thrives on it. Articulate and receptive, he's one of those guys who is easy to quote. More ...

[Aug 26, 2005]
Lukewarm Heavyweight Heat
It's like paying to see the "fat lady" and the "leopard man" at a carnival sideshow. You're not really sure what you're going to see, but your curiosity made you buy a ticket. More ...

[Aug 20, 2005]
Fernando Vargas Is Back
He seems older than 27, but that's what happens when you start hanging around the top of the world rankings when you're barely old enough to vote. More ...

[Aug 16, 2005]
Remembering Moorer vs. Foreman
When Moorer served as the in-studio guest analyst on the recent ESPN2 Friday Night Fights, I immediately thought of George Foreman. More ...

[Aug 11, 2005]
Lacy-Reid ... A Beating Made Easy
Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy laid claim to being the most exciting super-middleweight in the world, if not the best. But it wasn't supposed to be that easy. More ...

[Aug 8, 2005]
Two Sides to Hasim Rahman
One side is sloppy, sluggish, maybe a little lazy. He usually has a bad night and goes home early. The other side is meaner, quicker, more explosive. He usually sticks around to celebrate his win. More ...

[Aug 6, 2005]
Respecting Robin Reid
So far in his 12-year career, Robin Reid has fought in places like Ireland, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Italy and even Texas. So he's used to being the bad guy. More ...

[Aug 5, 2005]
Monte Barrett: Boxing's Rodney Dangerfield
This is Monte Barrett's shot at becoming a name someone might mention around the dinner table or at the water cooler at work. More ...

[Aug 1, 2005]
Jeff Lacy Has His Say
"[Robin] just slammed the phone down and stormed out," Reid's trainer said. "He's just not very happy with the way he's being treated. But he has nothing but respect for Jeff Lacy." More ...

[Jul 29, 2005]
Ricardo Mayorga is Crazy Like a Fox
Check the readings on your "oddball-O-meter," and see how Ricardo Mayorga stacks up against Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta and Angel Manfredy. More ...

[Jul 22, 2005]
The Jermain Taylor Fan Club
Friends and family gathered around the telephone Wednesday afternoon to pay homage to Jermain Taylor, the new middleweight champion of the world. More ...

[Jul 21, 2005]
Jeff Lacy's Collision Course with Destiny
You can be a nice guy in the fight game if you leave Mr. Rogers in the locker room on fight night and switch to Genghis Kahn once the bell rings. More ...

[Jul 20, 2005]
Hopkins, Taylor, and the Rematch Clause
When it was all over Saturday night, there was still this uneasy feeling that something wasn't settled. More ...

[Jul 13, 2005]
Name a Fighter, Name a Heavyweight
Sure, you thought of a name, but I'll bet my wife's next paycheck that it isn't the same name I came up with. More ...

[Jul 8, 2005]
Jermain Taylor Is Just Ready To Fight
Taylor sounds like a pretty nice guy, though that won't do him much good when he faces Bernard Hopkins at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. More ...

[Jul 4, 2005]
Listening to Bernard Hopkins
Hopkins wants to go out a winner and he wants to go out fighting the best. He doesn't want to end his career, as he puts it, "fighting the bum of the month." More ...

[Jun 28, 2005]
New Look at Junior Welter
Mayweather did more than win Gatti's WBC title Saturday night. He made an announcement with his domination that the 140-pound division is his to do what he wishes. More ...

[Jun 23, 2005]
Good Guy Gatti
Arturo Gatti is factory whistles, lunch buckets, time cards and work boots. He's the fighter you cheer for if you're one of those guys who goes to saloons instead of nightclubs. More ...

[Jun 20, 2005]
Floyd Mayweather Punches Gatti's Ticket
Tell Gatti to fake an injury, join the priesthood, become a pacifist or move to Manchuria. Tell him to put on 30 pounds or pretend his dog is sick. More ...

[Jun 11, 2005]
Anyone Know Where Mike Tyson Is?
We keep waiting for Mike Tyson's resurrection, for a return to when he still had that numbing left hook, that cold demeanor and that seething rage. More ...

[Jun 8, 2005]
Hatton Fans Mug Journalist
I want to thank all the Hatton fans out there for all the emails I recently received. I haven't had this kind of feedback since kindergarten when I claimed the Easter Bunny was not really a rabbit. More ...

[Jun 6, 2005]
The Olympics Is Over For Miguel Cotto
This division is where dreams go to die, where you better be on somebody's best pound-for-pound fighter list, or you better get out of town. More ...

[Jun 1, 2005]
Say a Little Prayer for Ricky Hatton
Shake his hand, pat him on the back and give him a friendly nod. Then quietly slip away and say a little prayer for Ricky Hatton. More ...

[May 3, 2005]
James Toney's Saturday Night Fever
For most of Saturday night's fight, James "Lights Out" Toney looked like a guy patiently waiting to catch a bus. More ...

[Apr 18, 2005]
Can Toney Handle Ruiz?
James Toney hung up the phone early Thursday after stopping by for a brief chat. He tossed out a few insults, claimed his place in boxing history, then left with an abrupt good-bye. More ...

[Apr 14, 2005]
Winky Wright: Don't Call Me Ronald
Steal his parking space, tease his dog or tell him he couldn't punch his way out of a grocery bag. Just don't call him Ronald. More ...

[Apr 3, 2005]
Norman Stone: Rolling Stone Gathers Moss
Putting Stoney and Toney in the same room together would be a felony in most states. It's like asking Ike to sing happy birthday to Tina. More ...

[Mar 23, 2005]
Boxing Conference Call: Juan Diaz vs. Ebo Elder
God is probably going to settle into the best seat in the house, kick his feet up, light a Montecristo and wait to see what happens. More ...

[Mar 15, 2005]
Manny Pacquiao Wants Eric Morales
When Pacquiao faces Morales at the MGM Grand Saturday night, you'll understand why they fuss over this guy. More ...

[Mar 10, 2005]
Boxing Conference Call: McCline Meets Brock at Caesar's Vegas
Heavyweights Jameel McCline (31-4-3 19 KOs) and Calvin Brock (24-0 20 KOs) are scheduled to meet April 23 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. More ...

[Feb 24, 2005]
Castillo vs. Diaz: Tough Guys Don't Dance
Jose Luis Castillo and Julio Diaz are not into the tango, the hustle or the Texas two-step. They don't care if they step on someone's foot. More ...

[Feb 23, 2005]
Jeff Lacy-Rubin Williams Telephone Conference Call
"I'm definitely on you," Lacy snapped. "Don't worry about what I'm going to do. You just come to fight Saturday night." More ...

[Feb 19, 2005]
Is John Ruiz the Top Guy in the Heavyweight Division?
Ruiz is going to have to change his nickname to something like "The Verboseman" or "The Longwindedman" or "The Ramblingman." More ...

[Feb 11, 2005]
Bernard Hopkins: Mr. Pound-for-Pound Speaks Out
On a conference call Thursday to discuss his upcoming fight with Howard Eastman, Bernard Hopkins talked about an assortment of things. More ...

[Feb 8, 2005]
Howard Eastman's 5th Round Stoppage of Bernard Hopkins
Howard Eastman predicts a 5th round stoppage of Bernard Hopkins when the two men meet February 17 in LA. More ...

[Feb 1, 2005]
Gatti-Mayweather: Guts & Heart vs. Talent & Arrogance
If the Gatti-Mayweather championship fight ever gets put together, it will be a classic matchup. More ...

[Jan 24, 2005]
Gatti Wars Make Jesse James Leija Defensive
There's not a lot of time left and Jesse James Leija understands that as well as anyone. More ...

[Jan 23, 2005]
Arturo Gatti: Heart, Guts and Stamina
There was a lot of talk about the intangibles, but what do you expect when you're talking to a guy like Arturo "Thunder" Gatti? More ...

[Jan 9, 2005]
Spinks - Judah Should Surprise and Entertain
It'd be a little crazy to come out and brazenly pick the winner of this fight knowing what we do, that it all depends on which fighter shows up. More ...

[Jan 5, 2005]
Vitali Klitschko Spells Heavyweight Champion
You still can't spell his name or pronounce it, but by now you know who Vitali Klitschko is. More ...

[Dec 29, 2004]
Nine Boxing Predictions for 2005
Nine predictions for the fight game in the year 2005. Remember, you heard them here first. More ...

[Dec 23, 2004]
James Toney Would Love to Fight
That's Toney. Down, but not out. Injured, but not dead. Ready to fight, even if he can't. More ...

[Dec 17, 2004]
Tarver and Johnson Might Thank Jones Jr.
You have to wonder how Roy Jones Jr. is sleeping these days. More ...

[Dec 14, 2004]
King Wants Heavyweight Tournament
It's a strange concept, this idea of putting on a heavyweight tournament to finally clear up the division. More ...

[Dec 10, 2004]
Boxing one option for Chazz Witherspoon
The college kid has a pretty big name to live up to, but maybe the legacy of former heavyweight champ Tim Witherspoon is in good hands. More ...

[Dec 7, 2004]
Gatti vs. Leija a Throwback Fight
Jesse James Leija and Arturo "Thunder" Gatti are a couple of blue-collar guys who are easy to appreciate. More ...

[Dec 2, 2004]
Castillo-Casamayor a Fight of the Year Candidate
Saturday night everything seems to be in place for a five minute standing ovation after the final bell. Or sooner. More ...

[Nov 28, 2004]
Jeff Lacy Plans to Give Sheika the Hook
The left hook of Jeff Lacy should be filmed and studied for future generations, preserved and protected like a rare painting. More ...

[Nov 24, 2004]
Williams to show Samuel Peter Big Time Boxing
It's not written in any record book, but Jeremy Williams says he's fought Samuel Peter about 20 times. More ...

[Nov 18, 2004]
The Dream is over for Evander Holyfield
Say goodbye, Evander. Throw a party, prepare a speech, give a toast, say your fond farewells and move onto something better, safer and easier. More ...

[Nov 17, 2004]
17 Years Later - Dan Birmingham and Winky Wright
Speaking to TheSweetScience.com, Dan Birmingham - Winky Wright's trainer - reflects on the upcoming Shane Mosley rematch and his long association with Winky. More ...

[Nov 14, 2004]
For Tarver and Johnson Opportunity Knox
If I'm Antonio Tarver or Glen Johnson, I'm turning my championship belt in with a touch of remorse and a smile the size of Fort Knox. More ...

[Nov 7, 2004]
No Middle Ground for Heavyweight Chris Byrd
Jameel "Big Time" McCline and Chris Byrd are close friends, which, in this business, is like saying McCline drives a sports car and Byrd likes pickups. More ...

[Nov 4, 2004]
Now or Never for Hasim Rahman
At 31, Hasim Rahman isn't exactly closing in on the twilight of his boxing career. He just seems to be treating it that way, giving it one of those "now or never" options that always sound good at the time. More ...

[Oct 31, 2004]
Evander Holyfield Knows his Skills have Declined
You get the feeling Evander Holyfield finally grew tired of being a nice guy. After all, they kept asking him the same tough question, wondering why he was still here. More ...

[Oct 28, 2004]
Kostya Tszyu Has No Interest In Excuses
Braggadocio and conceit - you won't find any of that in junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu. More ...

[Oct 27, 2004]
Ruiz Plans to go to the Head to Defeat Golota
John Ruiz believes working on the mental aspect of his game holds the key to beating Andrew Golota. More ...

[Oct 21, 2004]
It's a Dream for Danny Williams
Williams has a good record (32-3, 27 KOs), is coming off a big win over Tyson and he has former heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis whispering in his ear. More ...

[Oct 20, 2004]
Tszyu, Mitchell and a Long Lost Friend
Their styles are opposites. Mitchell talks trash, while Tszyu likes to take the high road, relying more on quiet intimidation, though he takes his own cuts in a more subtle way. More ...

[Oct 14, 2004]
Ruiz Against Golota Not Exactly AliFrazier
I'm not saying John Ruiz and Andrew Golota shouldn't be allowed to make an honest living in the prize ring, but let's look at this from the perspective of true fight fans. More ...

[Oct 11, 2004]
Don King Wants Some Sympathy
Hey Don, why didn't you tell us things were so bad? Why didn't you let us know? More ...

[Oct 5, 2004]
Trinidad a Temporary Cure
About the time you're ready to ask the preacher to say a few touching last words, a guy like Felix Trinidad shows up with the miracle cure for boxing everyone has been praying for. More ...

[Sep 30, 2004]
Final Exam for Klitschko or Williamson
They're a couple of scholarly types who were recently involved in two of the more shocking technical knockouts in the heavyweight division. Unfortunately, the two were the knockoutees rather then the knockouters. More ...

[Sep 27, 2004]
Scary Silence Follows Roy Jones Knockout
You could hear the glass chin shatter all the way from Memphis to Pensacola. It was not the kind of happy ending you expect from a guy who was on his way to living-legend status. More ...

[Sep 24, 2004]
James Toney Looks Like He Belongs
If you haven't already done it, you should welcome James "Lights Out" Toney into the heavyweight ranks. More ...

[Sep 20, 2004]
Hopkins' De La Hoya KO a Thing of Beauty
It's hard to feel sorry for a guy who just made $30 million and change, but seeing Oscar De La Hoya with his face down on the canvas was like watching Ol ' Yeller get shot. More ...

[Sep 17, 2004]
De La Hoya-Hopkins One of the Greatest Fights I Ever Saw
Like blind dates, Super Bowls and your Christmas bonus, the biggest scare in this fight is that it doesn't live up to expectations. More ...

[Sep 15, 2004]
Welcome to the Fight Game
The guy promoting "Friday Night Fights at the River Edge" might want to grab a ladder and change one of the names on the restaurant marquee. More ...

[Sep 9, 2004]
James Toney Takes Booker Between the Lines
The best damn heavyweight, along with the best damn promoter, was at his damn best earlier this week when discussing his upcoming fight with Rydell Booker. More ...

[Sep 7, 2004]
Smart Money On Bernard Hopkins To Execute
"The Executioner" makes you think there's no way out, no chance for parole, nothing to do but settle your poker debts and say good-bye to your sweetheart. More ...

[Aug 27, 2004]
Welterweight Cory Spinks A Class Act
He wasn't supposed to beat the free-swinging, trash-talking Ricardo Mayorga, but Cory Spinks somehow put it all together this past December to temporarily silence Mayorga's busy mouth. More ...

[Aug 25, 2004]
Heavyweights Promise a Tear Up on Fight Night
That's it? There's no bad blood between Lamon Brewster and Kali Meehan? Where's all the trash talk? More ...

[Aug 24, 2004]
Heavyweight Division Will Not See Ibeabuchi Anytime Soon
When Ike Ibeabuchi was denied parole, there was a collective sigh of relief heard from both the Vegas Lap Dancer's union and the top contenders in the heavyweight division. More ...

[Aug 6, 2004]
The Heart Says Freitas, Not Corrales
I've never shaken hands with either Diego Corrales or Acelino Freitas. I've never put a bet down on either fighter, watched them workout or asked them a simple question. But I can tell you I'm pulling for Freitas tonight (Saturday night). Pulling for him More ...

[Aug 2, 2004]
Some Career Advice For Danny Williams
Nice fight. You beat a legend Friday night, caught the world napping, looking past you and onto bigger and better things. Sure, the guy you beat was an old and tired legend, but he still had a little of the bite left in him. More ...

[Jul 31, 2004]
Tyson Loss Puts Nail In Coffin For Heavyweight Division
The heavyweight division died a horrible death Friday night in Louisville, Kentucky when the division's last hope for redemption took a header into reality in the fourth round and stayed there. More ...

[Jul 28, 2004]
Eight Ways Mike Tyson Could Lose on Friday Night
We know there are no guarantees in the fight game, but there is an occasional miracle. So what are the chances that Mike Tyson doesn't beat Danny Williams on Friday night at Freedom Hall in Louisville? Slim, but possible. More ...

[Jul 27, 2004]
Arturo Gatti Knows How The Fight Game Works
Arturo Gatti has arrived, though he was never too far away. He was always just on the outskirts of boxing fame and fortune, just out of reach of the big bucks and the big fight. More ...

[Jul 22, 2004]
Dorin Determined To Show Gatti He's No Boy Scout
Maybe Dorin is just saving up all his meanness for Saturday night in Atlantic City when he fights Arturo Gatti on HBO for the WBC junior-welterweight title. More ...

[Jul 20, 2004]
Arturo Gatti - Good Manners and Bad Intentions
Arturo "Thunder" Gatti saves his best work for the short time he spends between ringing bells, not the time he spends answering questions on conference calls. More ...

[Jul 12, 2004]
Danny Williams Expects To Cash Winning Ticket in Boxing Sweepstakes
Most of us don't know anything about Danny Williams, but most of us are pretty sure he's going to be hammered into 250 pounds of pulp on the night of July 30 inside Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ken. More ...

[Jul 9, 2004]
No Dancing Allowed When Gatti and Dorin Meet
They should hold this fight in the tough part of town, someplace where they work 40 hour weeks, wear hard hats, carry lunch buckets and punch time clocks. More ...

[Jul 6, 2004]
Iron Mike Tyson Fight A Political Goldmine
Politicians are lining up to get some political mileage out of Mike Tyson's planned bout with Danny Williams in Louisville. More ...

[Jul 1, 2004]
De La Hoya Gets Heavy at Press Conference
At 165 pounds, Oscar De La Hoya looks like a guy who works in an office all day and doesn't get out much to exercise. But if you believe in promises made by aging champions, De La Hoya will be quicker, lighter and smarter on Sept. 18. More ...

[Jun 29, 2004]
Mike Tyson Sells
This week my local paper, which doesn't cover boxing, followed the continuing soap opera of Mike Tyson, who hasn't fought in almost a year and a half, hasn't fought for a title in two years and hasn't held a world title in almost eight years. More ...

[Jun 24, 2004]
Mike Tyson Deserves a Break
Mike Tyson isn't the first convicted felon seeking employment opportunities in the great state of New Jersey. There have been other shady characters and ex-cons looking for honest work in the Garden State. More ...

[Jun 21, 2004]
Maybe Boxing Needs Mike Tyson
Maybe boxing's next messiah is the crazy guy out in the Arizona desert who's been quietly getting into shape these past few weeks, hoping to redefine himself one more time. More ...

[Jun 16, 2004]
Hasim Rahman Staying One Move Ahead
He's a smart guy, this Hasim Rahman. While most of today's heavyweight champions and contenders are sitting back waiting for someone to make a move, Rahman is keeping his dance card full. More ...

[Jun 15, 2004]
What I Think: A Boxing Blueprint
Face it. We can't be losing any sanctioning bodies in the fight game. It's like losing one of the Three Stooges. What are we going to do with just Moe and Larry to laugh at? You gotta have Curly around to bounce some bricks off his head or it isn't funny. More ...

[Jun 12, 2004]
Line Them Up for James Toney
Lock the doors, bar the windows, call the cops and turn the dogs loose. Someone left the cage door open and James "Lights Out" Toney escaped. More ...

[Jun 9, 2004]
Tyson To Get On A Roll Against The Clones Colossus
The guy who came up with the nickname, "The Clones Colossus" should be writing books of poetry instead of thinking up catchy nicknames for fighters. That's because "The Clones Colossus" is one of those names you have to hear twice to believe. And even the More ...

[Jun 7, 2004]
Hopkins and De La Hoya Bail Out Arum
It was two guys with leaky tin cans trying to bail out a sinking ship, the USS Arum. If they can just keep it afloat a little while longer - if they can plug up most of the gaping holes - they'll each stand to make over $10 million in a few months, which More ...

[Jun 4, 2004]
Bernard Hopkins on Board - De La Hoya Card Still On
If there's a potential spoiler in this small crowd of two, it's probably Robert Allen and not Felix Sturm. Allen is a middleweight who can fight more than a little, and if undisputed champ Bernard Hopkins is off his game at all because of this Joe Cortez More ...

[Jun 1, 2004]
Bernard Hopkins Plans to Deliver
Just days before his fight with Robert Allen at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, undisputed middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins is saying all the right things to all the right people. He's going to retire at 42, he's going to defend his title 20 times (he's at More ...

[May 28, 2004]
Ray Mercer Says Goodbye to Boxing - For Now
Next time you're out drinking with the guys and the saloon talk turns to heavyweights, make a little toast to "Merciless" Ray Mercer, who put it all in writing Thursday. More ...

[May 26, 2004]
De La Hoya Most Likely to Succeed
Oscar De La Hoya is like the new kid in school who suddenly shows up at the big dance and steals your girl. You hope the SOB breaks an ankle doing the be-bop on the dance floor, but you can't help but admire the guy for his good taste and his ability to g More ...

[May 21, 2004]
Floyd Mayweather On The Chopping Block
If you didn't know any better and you just went by the nickname, you'd expect DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley to win this thing inside three easy rounds. More ...

[May 20, 2004]
Kassim Ouma: Contender and Survivor
When he's close to done, when he's on the backside of his boxing career, maybe the life of junior-middleweight contender Kassim "The Dream" Ouma will have that story-book ending. More ...

[May 16, 2004]
Roy Jones Jr. Takes One Right on the Kisser
It wasn't supposed to happen, not like this. You don't expect guys as gifted as Jones to lose until they're 40 and over-the-hill. And when they do get beat, it's not supposed to be like this, not with their bell rung and their legs gone and their legend d More ...

[May 14, 2004]
Tarver Talks While Roy Jones Plays It Cagey
You've got to like a guy with the in-your-face bravado of Antonio Tarver. He actually believes he can win this fight the second time around, that he won it the first time. He believes he's the real, true-blue, honest-to- God, authentic, light-heavyweight More ...

[May 11, 2004]
Zab Judah right back in the saddle again
The kneecappers down at union headquarters aren't going to be too happy about this Zab Judah character. He's breaking union rules, setting a bad example, making everyone in Local 123 look bad. More ...

[May 9, 2004]
Somehow, it didn't turn out too bad after all
All the great things that featherweights Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao showed us in their title fight in Las Vegas, appeared to be on the verge of being overshadowed by another night of horrible, inconsistent judging. More ...

[May 6, 2004]
Roy Jones Jr. Promises Antonio Tarver a Wakeup Call
And that's what Roy Jones Jr. did earlier this week. He answered questions like he's been doing for 25 years. And you've got to figure he's grown tired of it, that he's heard just about all the questions you can ask. Twenty-five years? To a 35-year-old, t More ...

[May 3, 2004]
Pacquiao and Marquez Stand Up for Boxing
It's too bad. The heavies used run the fight game and pretty much dominated it. That's just the way it was back then. The Yankees ruled baseball and the heavyweights ran boxing. If you had a great heavyweight champ, you had a healthy fight game. More ...

[Apr 29, 2004]
The Real Roy Jones Jr.
Say a short prayer for Antonio Tarver. They've located the real Roy Jones Jr. Or at least that's what they tell us. It's not an excuse, but Roy wasn't ready last time. He just wasn't himself. Of course, they tell us that, too. He wasn't mentally ready, physically ready or even remotely ready. He was distracted, sore, not amused. And it showed. There was the Mike Tyson distraction, the up-and-down weight problem, the over training. It looked like Jones showed up for the... More ...

[Apr 26, 2004]
Only Thing Short About Vitali Klitschko Is His Shortlist
Boxing's newest heavyweight champion of the world wants a little redemption now that he has a world title belt to slam down on the bargaining table. Of course, if redemption isn't available, he'll settle for history and a huge pay day. More ...

[Apr 23, 2004]
Sanders, Klitschko and the Titleist
Corrie Sanders has the rare ability to play scratch golf on a Friday and knock a man silly in the boxing ring on a Saturday. More ...

[Apr 21, 2004]
Klitschko or Sanders the Heir Apparent?
Maybe that's why Saturday night's WBC championship fight between Corrie Sanders and Vitali Klitschko at the Staples Center in Los Angeles seems to hold some promise. Something could come out of it. Maybe someone will prove to us they have a marble chin, a More ...

[Apr 17, 2004]
John Ruiz and Fres Oquendo Too Quiet Men
I was an innocent witness to the John Ruiz - Fres Oquendo barn dance Saturday night and now I can't sleep. The nightmares have turned gruesome and I'm afraid to close my eyes. More ...

[Mar 17, 2004]
Joe Mesi has Many Suitors
Baby Joe Mesi is like the frumpy waitress at Denny's who just won the lottery. Suddenly, she's got more suitors than a bus-load of beauty queens. Suddenly, everyone wants a piece of Baby Joe. More ...

[Mar 14, 2004]
Winky Wright Finally Wins Big One Against Mosley
In case you didn't know who he was Saturday night, Ronald "Winky" Wright was the rangy southpaw who looked like a guy trying to straddle a wide ditch. More ...

[Mar 12, 2004]
Lecter To Put Bite on Floyd Mayweather?
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. More ...

[Mar 8, 2004]
Evander Holyfield Fails to Face Reality
Evander Holyfield never saddled the horse. He never went near the barn. He just remembered what it was like to be heavyweight champion of the world and decided it was a good feeling. And at 41, he'd like to have it again. More ...

[Mar 7, 2004]
Wright and Mosley Nice Guys Who Can Fight
How did this happen? Who dreamed up this silly stunt? How did two legitimate, honest-to-God, can-I-open-the-door-for-you-ma'am, good guys get booked to actually go out and fight each other? More ...

[Feb 24, 2004]
De La Hoya - Hopkins to Resurrect Boxing
Next time you feel like slamming Oscar De La Hoya, remember Sept. 18, 2004. Write the date down. Stick it on your bedroom wall where it's easy to see and read, a quiet reminder that the Golden Boy suddenly believes he's a Man of Steel. More ...

[Feb 18, 2004]
Foreman Has 20 Million Reasons Not To Act His Age
George Foreman's threat of a boxing comeback is like Bob Feller claiming he can still pitch in the Big Leagues. He'll tell you once he gets his zip back, they can pull out the Cy Young Award and place it on the mantle over his fireplace. More ...

[Feb 3, 2004]
Lewis in No Rush
Ask Lennox Lewis if he'd like a little more time to decide his future and he'd probably tell you he could use at least a full year to mull it over, chew it around a little before spitting out an answer. More ...

[Jan 15, 2004]
The Arturo Gatti Extravaganza
You can call it a prize fight if you want, though it's probably more appropriate to call it the Arturo Gatti Extravaganza, a one-man demolition show that packs the house, wins awards and makes grown men act giddy. More ...

[Jan 7, 2004]
James Toney: Little Big Man
If he wasn't in the fight game, James "Lights Out" Toney could probably make a good living selling used cars or working as a carnival barker on the midway, pitching the fascinating assets of the Bearded Lady. More ...

[Dec 30, 2003]
The War at 154
They'recalling it the "War at 154," though no one will confuse it withplucking evil dictators out of dirty rat holes or patrolling the rubbleand dark streets of a dying city. Still,they're hoping this fight somehow lives up to its top billing, prayinga slugfest breaks out instead of 12 rounds of elevator music. IBFchamp Winky Wright (46-3, 25 K0s), versus WBA and WBC champ ShaneMosley (39-2, 35 K0s) for the undisputed junior-middleweight (or,depending on your mood,... More ...

[Dec 21, 2003]
Bernard Hopkins says Ronald Winky Wright is next
Whoa, what's this, a little integrity? Some sincerity? Some crazy guy keeping his word? It'sa new high for the fight game, a little of the good stuff creeping inamong all the bad. At least that's how it sounds, though past historyhas always served as an ugly reminder that a fighter's word is usuallythe worst part of his game. Still. Undisputedmiddleweight champ Bernard Hopkins says Ronald "Winky" Wright is nexton his dance card, though no one is printing up any tickets yet.... More ...

[Dec 10, 2003]
Kirk Johnson Has Little Appetite For Success
Bubba didn't have a good night. Maybethat's because waffles, chocolate cake, Big Macs and mashed potatoesdon't sit well when you're getting ready to fight. Ding Dongs andTwinkies are not the breakfast of champions. Inpreparing to go 12 hard rounds in a career-making fight, most fighterswill actually watch what they eat. It's part of a popular program knownas "training." Heavyweightimposter Kirk Johnson obviously gave his food just a casual glance anda smile... More ...

[Dec 3, 2003]
The Future of the Heavyweight Division
Take a long, careful look. The future of the heavyweight division might suddenly show up on HBO Saturday night. Itwill probably speak with a thick accent, stand about 6-foot-7 and havea certain resolve to it, a stubborn commitment born of tough breaks,bad press and sad endings. It will be polite, honest and candid andwill show an intelligence usually associated with ivy-covered walls,Ph.Ds and dissertations on great philosophers. It will also have a left jab that can stop a... More ...

[Nov 25, 2003]
Jeff Lacy: Left Hook by Name and by Deed
This isn't the kind of left hook used to hug grandma, quiet the dog or rake in poker chips. Instead,like a surly cop busting up a loud party, the left hook of Jeff Lacyarrives unexpected and uninvited, the kill joy of all kill joys. Lacy'shook has already earned top billing. He goes by the nickname "LeftHook" Lacy, which pretty much spells out what to look for. It's liketelling the other team you're going to throw a screen pass on your nextplay. See if you can stop... More ...

[Nov 21, 2003]
A Left Hook By Any Other Name
Listencarefully and you can hear a certain rhythm in the way Bernard Hopkinsspeaks. He doesn't talk in rhyme or in fragmented sentences and hedoesn't bore you to death saying silly things. Instead, his words comeat you in a steady stream, almost like a lullaby, a prefight soliloquyon the thoughts and virtues of Bernard Hopkins (42-2-1, 31 KOs). He could put you to sleep if you weren't concentrating so hard ontrying to understand what he was saying. Because "The Executioner" has... More ...

[Nov 19, 2003]
Keystone Kop Heavyweight Hopefuls
It's a Keystone Kops lineup of heavyweight hopefuls looking to pick up a fast buck on what would otherwise be a slow Saturday night. Cedric Kushner's Fistful of Dollars promotion on Nov. 30 in Atlantic City might not sit well with boxing's die-hards, but the guys who love Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes and Goldberg will be the first in line to call Thunderbox pay-per-view. According to Kushner, the secret to success as a... More ...

[Nov 14, 2003]
No Excuses for Ruiz this Time
His head was in an amusement park outside Orlando. That's the unofficial excuse, though you wonder why his head wasn'tsitting squarely on his shoulders in Las Vegas, considering it was thebiggest fight of his career. That's where the other guy was, the guy he was fighting who was trying to knock his head into a fantasyland of its own. At least that's how Norm "Stoney" Stone explains it, justifies the loss, explains away the poor performance. "He wasn't the same... More ...

[Nov 2, 2003]
Helloooo. Anyone listening out there?
It didn't come as a surprise that hardly anyone called. After all, the snubbing of Winky Wright has become legendary in thefight game. He's about as popular as tooth decay and as ignored as abum on a street corner begging for loose change. The guy couldn'torganize a parade of four without bribing family members. And it's not that Winky has bad breath or poor table manners or anobnoxious laugh. He doesn't spit in your face or call you names orthrow rocks at your car. He's just the... More ...

[Oct 28, 2003]
Tapia Meets Barrera
Johnny Tapia reminds me of a guy who always arrives at the airport five minutes before his flight is due to leave. There's a certain amount of desperation in the way he acts and talks, as though his time is running short. He has an intensity that makes you think his light will burn out long before he finds his way out of the darkness. He's like a 4-year-old with a big bag of chocolates, a Wall Street commodities broker on a black-coffee binge. If you passed... More ...

[Oct 21, 2003]
Are you sure he can't do a heart transplant?
Arrogance is part of Roy Jones Jr.'s arsenal of bad things to beat you with. He carries it with him into the ring and he keeps it close by his side when he's outside it. The braggadocio is his way of reminding the world who he is, just in case it starts to forget. Still, you could say Jones doesn't brag as much as he states the obvious, tells you he's the greatest fighter walking the planet, while reminding you that the sun will rise in the east and eventually set in the... More ...

[Oct 10, 2003]
Would Mr. Toney like to share something with Mr. Jones?
The Klitschko brothers might be available, though it's going to be tough to book them both on the same night. And that's probably how IBF cruiserweight champ James "Lights Out" Toney wants them, one for supper, the other for dessert. Or how about Rocky Balboa? Naw. He's too old, too tired, too fictional. Rocky Marciano? Too dead. Too bad. Toney is ready for any of them: dead or alive, make believe or as genuine as grandma's smile. Roy Jones Jr. would be a good choice for... More ...

[Sep 30, 2003]
The Gunslinger versus the Boogeyman.
If there's abad guy in this big-time showdown, it's James "Lights Out" Toney, thejokester with the quick mouth and the even quicker hands. Toney isthe guy you see in your worse nightmares, the boogeyman with theCheshire Cat grin and the Freddie Kruger demeanor. He slips into yourdream just about the time you're ready to ask your sweetheart to marryyou, and then he kicks sand in your face, calls you a momma's boy andsteals your girl. He slaps you across the back of the head and asks... More ...

[Sep 11, 2003]
Floyd Mayweather: poetic injustice.
It was a long, rambling poem, though it wasn't the kind of verse you might hear late at night in a smoky San Francisco coffee house where they serve cappuccino to guys with goatees, turtle necks and no cab fare home. Floyd Mayweather Sr., is the "greatest fight trainer in the game." Atleast that what he keeps telling us. He's also a poet, though he mighthave a little trouble fitting in at a Poets of the 21st... More ...

[Aug 31, 2003]
Better think again, Shane.
Look out, Shane Mosley. Tighten your jaw, toughen your resolve and spend some extra minutes in the gym every day. Don't smile too often or say too much or act too nice. Attitude means a lot here. Turn surly, cocky, moody. Make sure even your dog doesn't want to be around you. Finally, keep your fight plan tucked away in a safe place. Hide it where no one can find it but you and maybe your... More ...

[Aug 16, 2003]
Does anyone really care what Lennox does?
If the heavyweight division was a dog, you'd slip a rope around its neck, take it into the woods, pat it gently on the head and shoot it. It would be the humane thing to do. Old dogs who are just hanging on - limping, deaf and half-blind - shouldn't be allowed to suffer. Still, it's sad when you remember how good Fido used to be in his prime, how he was the fastest dog in the woods, the best hunter in the county and the... More ...

[Aug 11, 2003]
Winky Wright Wants To Face Oscar
Winky Wright must be wondering what he has to do to pick a fight with this guy, what it takes to get him riled enough that he cocks his fists, spits in the dirt and says, "OK, Winky, let's go.'' Wright has already done everything but laugh in Oscar De La Hoya's face. He's all but drawn a line in the sand with his toe and banged on... More ...

[Aug 6, 2003]
Hey buddy, can ya spare a dime?
Bert Sugar was close. "Mike Tyson has gone from the bizarre to the tragic," the writer, publisher, philosopher and boxing goodwill ambassador said on TV recently. He forgot to add pathetic. Tyson has filed for bankruptcy, which didn't really catch anyone napping. Besides, we hadn't heard from Tyson in almost a week. He was due to be caught up in another controversy. A lost kid who grew up on the streets of Brooklyn, he made $300 million during his boxing career and... More ...

[Jul 30, 2003]
M-16 or Mad Dog? A warm-up no matter what he's called.
Vassiliy Jirov's long, slow journey back to boxing fame and fortune begins Aug. 7 when the former IBF cruiserweight champ faces "Mad Dog" Ernest Mateen at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, CA. Mateen's nickname isn't really Mad Dog, but it should be. He's the guy who went after the referee following his recent loss to Rich LaMontagne on May 2. The referee stopped the fight before the start of... More ...

[Jul 24, 2003]
Comeback? Vargas never really left.
Fernando Vargas calls it his comeback, though he never really left the fight game as much as he was temporarily tossed out of it. Following his devastating loss to Oscar De La Hoya 10 months ago, Vargas tested positive for steroids, which probably didn't lift a lot of spirits in what must have already been a somber Vargas camp. The former junior-middleweight champion of the world claims he didn't realize he was taking steroids when some guy in his camp slipped him a pill and... More ...

[Jul 17, 2003]
Toney and Holyfield: A Good ol' Fist Fight.
Strap yourself in, James Toney. Clench your teeth, close your eyes and say a prayer. Grab tight to the arms of your chair and hold on. You're in for a wild ride. When Toney (66-4-2) faces Evander Holyfield (38-6-2) on Oct. 4 at the Mandalay Events Center in Las Vegas, he'll want to make sure that extra roll of flesh jiggling around his midsection is muscle... More ...

[Jul 7, 2003]
Flim Flam Man or Welterweight King?
He's a smaller version of the Marlboro Man, a brash interloper with a marble chin who claims to smoke two packs of cigarettes a day when he's not on the clock. WBA and WBC welterweight champion Ricardo Mayorga (25-3-1, 23 KO's) is either the second-coming of Roberto Duran or the reincarnation of the Flim Flam Man. He's either a deserving world champion or a big... More ...

[Jun 24, 2003]
It's just a scratch, Doc. Honest.
Hide the children and turn the dog loose. There are a couple of huge, disgruntled Ukrainians out there who think the heavyweight championship of the world was snatched out of their grasp by a quick-trigger doctor and a flagrant head butt. The Brothers Grim, AKA heavyweight contenders Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, are a little unhappy with the way things unraveled in front of 15,000 fight-happy fans at... More ...

[Jun 14, 2003]
I'm not Mickey Mouse, ya know.
It was like listening to a fox describe what it was going to be like once it got inside the henhouse. Freddy Kruger discussing his Saturday night on the town. The way Lennox Lewis tells it, Vitali Klitschko's chances against himJune 21 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles lie somewhere betweenzippo and nada, though he doesn't really believe he has that much of achance. To hear Lewis tell it, Vitali should pray to that... More ...

[Jun 5, 2003]
""So, this is what 280 pounds of Class looks like..."".
Asked what special thing he saw in Aturo Gatti before he became his trainer, Buddy McGirt slammed the answer home. "I always had a lot of respect for Arturo Gatti," McGirt said on a conference call Tuesday afternoon. "But that first fight (against Micky Ward) put me over the top. If I was a broad, I would have gone out with Gatti that night." McGirt was talking about the first fight, about Gatti and Ward's opening... More ...

[May 26, 2003]
A Good Fight and a Good Laugh.
Let's hope this is Micky Ward's final war, his last appearance on center stage. Let's hope he doesn't have to dig any deeper than he's already gone just to last another 10 rounds with Arturo Gatti. Ward (38-12, 27 KOs) promises this is his last hurrah, his farewell fight in a cold business that doesn't care about the price you have to pay just to stay within rock-throwing distance of the top. He... More ...

[May 16, 2003]
Is King, King?
The "Emperor" of boxing? That's a little over the top even for a dream peddler like Don King. "Emperor" makes me think of monarchs, thrones, silk pajamas and bowingpeasants who just handed over their first-born child for ritualsacrifice. Emperors usually pass laws, levy taxes and wage wars. They rule countries and have large harems and decide the fates of thousands of people. The only thing "Emperor" Lennox Lewis rules is the... More ...

[May 8, 2003]
Who's that tapping at my Door?
????? Gee. Win a world title and you're suddenly more popular thanPamela Lee at a teamster's convention, more in demand than the beervendor at a chili cook off. The door leading to IBF cruiserweight champ James "Lights Out" Toney is becoming worn out from all the heavy knocking, guys standing in the doorway saying they want a piece of the champ, or at least a piece of the prize money that comes with him. IBF heavyweight Chris Byrd has... More ...

[May 1, 2003]
For Winky, it's lonely at the top.
The loneliest guy in the house Saturday night won't be sitting alone at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Hewon't be in the cheap seats or worrying about the paycheck he just lostat the tables or wondering where his girlfriend is while he's at thefights. The loneliest guy in the house Saturday night willbe IBF junior-middleweight champ Ronald "Winky" Wright, who will bewatching Oscar De La Hoya defend his title against Yory Boy Campas. Wrightwill be wondering what... More ...

[Apr 29, 2003]
James Toney: A Big Mac away from a heavyweight?
James "Lights Out" Toney carries his attitude around with him like it's pocket change, something to jingle when he's bored, or pull out and lay on the counter when he wants something that comes with a price. It's a kiss-my-ass sort of attitude that most people take seriously even if Toney doesn't always mean it that way. He'swhat the fight game needs, a colorful personality with scary talent. Hecan't single-handedly lift the fight game out of its doldrums, but hecan start... More ...

[Apr 24, 2003]
Can I have a sip of that stuff?
Yory Boy Campas isn't a warm-up for Oscar De La Hoya as much as he's a break in the monotony, a little million-dollar side trip on the short road leading to what's left of De La Hoya's career. You can't really say Campas doesn't have a chance against De La Hoya onMay 3 in Las Vegas because Buster Douglas never had a chance and HasimRahman never had a chance. Guys who don't have a chance, occasionally do. Still, the secret to this fight might be the special native potion Yory Boy has... More ...

[Apr 17, 2003]
An over-the-hill Toney? Don't bet on it
Vassily Jirov is taller than James Toney, younger than James Toney and hits harder than James Toney. The reigning IBF cruiserweight champ, Jirov has always been a cruiserweight and will probably always be a cruiserweight. He's the kind of guy who would still weigh 190 or 195 pounds if he was a carpenter or a banker or a ballplayer. He's what you might call a natural-born cruiserweight, a guy who was headed toward 190 pounds from the day he was born. Undefeated with 31 wins, he's got... More ...

[Apr 12, 2003]
Bring on Oscar
?????Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather Jr., is calling out junior-middleweightchamp Oscar De La Hoya, which is like Barney Fife calling out Atillathe Hun. Before it's over, someone is going to get a bloody nose. When you're still fighting at 135 pounds, you don't invite a guy likeDe La Hoya into the ring with you unless you're going to present himwith a plaque or introduce him to the crowd. When he takes his career seriously, De La Hoya is still one of the best three or four fighters in the... More ...

[Apr 1, 2003]
Who the ...?
Saturday night in Philadelphia, the fight game took another suckerpunch from one of its own, a cheap shot thrown by the WBC that landedin the City of Brotherly Love. BernardHopkins' goal of 20 title defenses as a middleweight is not onlypossible, it's pretty much a promise. At least as long as he keepsfighting the Carl Daniels and the Morrade Hakkars of the world. You knew this fight was doomed shortly after you heard the name Hakkar. You had to look him up, double check the... More ...

[Mar 27, 2003]
The Grass is Greener
A few years ago, lightweight contender Angel Manfredy discovered he was fighting for the wrong side. Thisis a scary thing to realize, that the spiritual cheerleader in yourcorner for all these years isn't who you really thought he was, that hemight have a darker side you never saw before. This "El Diablo" character wasn't really what Angel was looking for, though they'd been through some tough times together. Soafter some particularly rough years, Angel jumped to the other... More ...

[Mar 20, 2003]
For Sale
Slightly used, largely ignored professional boxing franchiseheadquartered in the beautiful city of Atlanta, Georgia, home of theBraves, the Falcons and the best peach cobbler north of the MaconCounty line. Franchise is known as the International Boxing Union, though new ownership also purchases naming rights.Re-organizing is highly-recommended. Package deal includes web site,several championship belts, fax machine, three staplers, 12-page recordbook, two chairs, one folding desk and... More ...

[Mar 13, 2003]
Now What?
We were duped, fooled, sucker-punched, taken for a ride. We thought Wladimir Klitschko was a heavyweight savior, boxing'smessiah, a good guy who was honest and modest and smarter than youraverage CPA. More important, we thought he was unstoppable and... More ...

[Feb 28, 2003]
Jones Jr. Guns For Heavyweight Title
Who is this guy and why is it so easy to believe him? Seems like he's in the wrong line of work. Instead of throwing punches, he should be baptizing babies or handing out free lunches at church or finding ways to help poor widows pay the mortgage. John Ruiz is the WBA heavyweight champion of the world, though he gets about as much... More ...

[Feb 10, 2003]
Choose One: USA Vs. Iraq Lewis Vs. Tyson II
Choose One: USA Vs. Iraq Lewis Vs. Tyson II By Rick Folstad ... More ...

[Jan 31, 2003]
Roy Jones the Top Dog
Just who does the IBF think they're messing with? This is Roy Jones Jr., they're talking about. This is the Big Cheese, the Top Dog, the Man of All Seasons. He's a rap singer, record maker, practice-team hoopster, fight manager, TV colorman, fisherman and light-heavyweight champeen of the entire planet. If this guy asks for an exemption... More ...

[Jan 30, 2003]
Only I were...
The John Ruiz - Roy Jones, Jr. fight on March 1 is not somuch the "Hard Road to Glory," as it is a trip down Memory Lane, alittle stroll through the dim hallways of heavyweight history. Over the years, light-heavyweights have always had this strange... More ...

[Jan 22, 2003]
Rhino is the One with the Horn, Right?
Why don't we call this fight "Felonious Fury in Memphis,'' or "Night of the Ex-Cons,'' or "Sing Sing Saturday Night?'' The name should hold meaning. It should grab you by the throat, slam you... More ...

[Jan 11, 2003]
Scrabble Anyone
Despite the tough spelling of his name, Kostya Tszyu is an easy guy to listen to. He doesn't toss out loud adjectives or make false promises or spit out bold predictions. He sounds like a nice,... More ...

[Dec 31, 2002]
""$*%@#!""
Walk the dog, stroll through the park, have a picnic at the lake. There are safer things for IBF cruiserweight champ Vassily Jirov to do this month than defend his title against James "Lights Out" Toney. Barbecue, play softball, fish, visit the zoo. Thank his lucky stars. Jirov, who lives in California, won't be fighting Toney on HBO on Jan. 25. Something to do with his insides. AskToney why Jirov pulled out of their fight and he'll tell you it wasJirov's... More ...

[Dec 5, 2002]
Pensacola Dreamin'
Who is this guy and why is it so easy to believe him? Seems like he's in the wrong line of work. Instead of throwing punches, he should be baptizing babies or handing out free lunches at church or finding ways to help poor widows pay the mortgage. John Ruiz is the WBA heavyweight champion of the world, though he gets about as much... More ...

[Nov 20, 2002]
Finally, Jones Jr. in a Real Fight.....vs The IBF
Just who does the IBF think they're messing with? This is Roy Jones Jr., they're talking about. This is the Big Cheese, the Top Dog, the Man of All Seasons. He's a rap singer, record maker, practice-team hoopster, fight manager, TV colorman, fisherman and light-heavyweight champeen of the entire planet. If this guy asks for an exemption... More ...

[Nov 13, 2002]
Ayala Might Beat Morales
I've always got a lot on my mind- of course some would say I don't have anything between the ears, but that's a matter of opinion- and I was just thinking about a few things. Just off the top of my head: * Paulie Ayala will beat Erik Morales this Saturday night in a thriller. Yup, I'm tabbing Ayala, a three-to-one dog over 'El Terrible'. Why? Well, that's a good question. First, Ayala, is better than people... More ...

[Oct 31, 2002]
Imagination, Exaggeration and Donkingation
We've all heard the story. It's a poignant tale about a hard-luck kid growing up in the wrong part of town, how he would have been just another victim of the mean streets of Culiacan, Mexico had it not been for a kind, honest man who found the kid going through the garbage one day, looking for something to eat. The kind, honest man bought the young ruffian a meal, brought him into the gym and spent the next 10 years grooming him... More ...

[Oct 31, 2002]
Be Afraid. Be Very, Very, Very Afraid
It's a Keystone Kops lineup of heavyweight hopefuls looking to pick up a fast buck on what would otherwise be a slow Saturday night. Cedric Kushner's Fistful of Dollars promotion on Nov. 30 in Atlantic City might not sit well with boxing's die-hards, but the guys who love Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes and Goldberg will be the first in line to call Thunderbox pay-per-view. According to Kushner, the secret to success as a... More ...

[Oct 28, 2002]
Tap, tap, tapping on Barrera's Door
Johnny Tapia reminds me of a guy who always arrives at the airport five minutes before his flight is due to leave. There's a certain amount of desperation in the way he acts and talks, as though his time is running short. He has an intensity that makes you think his light will burn out long before he finds his way out of the darkness. He's like a 4-year-old with a big bag of chocolates, a Wall Street commodities broker on a black-coffee binge. If you passed... More ...

[Oct 17, 2002]
Robert Allen's Letter to Hopkins
It's a well-constructed letter supposedly written by IBF mandatory challenger Robert Allen, asking middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins if he'd like to step outside and settle things. More ...

[Oct 7, 2002]
Who's Running The WBA, Rod Serling?
It's like poking a dead dog with a stick. You're pretty sure there's no bite left in it, but you're a little concerned about the smell. The WBA, maybe thinking no one would notice or even read it, has been tinkering with its heavyweight rankings, putting some humorous spins on its choices for the top heavyweights in the world. It's as though the girls from "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" somehow managed to... More ...

[Oct 6, 2002]
Wladimir Klitschko Teleconference
In the down-home, country-fried words of promoter Cedric Kushner, "Merciless" Ray Mercer is "one tough cookie.'' More ...

[Sep 19, 2002]
That 80's Show
At 44, he still has that crazy overhand right. It comes in fast and mean and unless you've been waiting for it all night, it arrives unexpected; an unwelcome party crasher who suddenly turns out the lights. Tim Witherspoon is at the age when most men start taking longer naps, shorter walks and bigger helpings. They start thinking about... More ...

[Sep 10, 2002]
Snoop Roygy Dogg, Jr.
It wasn't much more than a dog-and-pony show, a little hip-hop, a little rap, a little flesh flashed by six attractive dancing girls all in a row. It was confusing, really. You tuned in expecting to see a fist fight and instead, you get the opening act at the MGM. You get dancing girls and flashing... More ...

[Sep 9, 2002]
Tim Witherspoon Still Throwing
At 44, he still has that crazy overhand right. It comes in fast and mean and unless you've been waiting for it all night, it arrives unexpected; an unwelcome party crasher who suddenly turns out the lights. Tim Witherspoon is at the age when most men start taking longer naps, shorter walks and bigger helpings. They start thinking about... More ...

[Sep 8, 2002]
Clinton Woods Betting Heavy
If I'm Clinton Woods, I'm betting heavy on the other guy. More ...

[Sep 1, 2002]
De La Hoya, Oscar De la Hoya
It was like interviewing the young man who asked if he could marry your daughter. Polite, soft-spoken, respectful, all the right answers. If you were looking for an excuse to not like him, you didn't find one. He never gave you an opening, never raised his voice or cursed God or made foolish threats against the man he... More ...

[Aug 31, 2002]
De La Hoya to meet Vargas
It was like interviewing the young man who asked if he could marry your daughter. Polite, soft-spoken, respectful, all the right answers. If you were looking for an excuse to not like him, you didn't find one. He never gave you an opening, never raised his voice or cursed God or made foolish threats against the man he... More ...

[Jul 31, 2002]
Steve Forbes ready for Santos
These are tough times for former junior-lightweight champ Steve Forbes. He's a junior-middleweight fast on his way to becoming a light-heavyweight, a growing man trying to fit into a small, unforgiving division. Apparently, he looks at food and gets fat. He put on a little weight for his recent... More ...

[Apr 23, 2002]
Mickey Ward Does Not Live In A Mansion
Junior-welterweight Mickey Ward doesn't own any big-time world title belts. He doesn't live in a 40-room mansion, own a fleet of Jaguars or get invited to all the best parties. He's never guest-starred on Frasier or stood on the middle rope and screamed to the world that he was the greatest. Because he knows he's not. He doesn't have blinding speed, quieting power or Sugar Ray moves. He's just an ordinary guy... More ...

[Mar 28, 2002]
Winky Wright
Here's a little secret. The third guy holding one of the three major junior-middleweight titles goes by the nickname of "Winky." He's 30, a southpaw, is the single parent of two kids and he lives in the quiet city of St. Petersburg, Florida, where people usually go to retire and fish, not defend titles.... More ...

[Mar 2, 2002]
Accent on heavyweights
The two best heavyweights in the world need passports to see the Statue of Liberty. They both talk with an accent, use strange currency, can't vote in our elections and they live closer to the Eiffel Tower than to Madison Square Garden. Lennox Lewis is from England and Vladimir Klitschko is from the Ukraine, now living in Germany. They are the two best heavyweights in the world, though Chris Byrd, John Ruiz and Evander Holyfield head a short list of... More ...

[Feb 26, 2002]
""The Prophet""
The Prophet was a no-show, so we didn't get a chance to ask him about his clever nickname. If Daniel "The Prophet" Attah had shown up for Tuesday's national conference call, maybe we would have learned where he got the name and why he picked it. "So Daniel, tell us about... More ...

[Feb 10, 2002]
Ray Mercer is "one tough cookie.''
In the down-home, country-fried words of promoter Cedric Kushner, "Merciless" Ray Mercer is "one tough cookie.'' Kushner meant that in the sense that Mercer has a tendency to finish everything he starts. The only time he leaves a fight early is when there's no one left standing he can take a swing at. The tough cookie is expected to have a tough fight Saturday night in Atlantic City. "This is going to be a very, very good fight,'' Kushner said... More ...

[Feb 2, 2002]
..Did I mention the head butt?
It's been seven months since the legend of "Sugar" Shane Mosley went up in a puff of controversy. Right hands and left hooks always tell the truth about a fighter. But ask Mosley what happened, how Vernon Forrest beat him in 12 easy rounds last January, and Mosley tells you about the holding, about the low blows and most important, he tells you about the dangers of the head, how when it's used as a battering ram, it can break your concentration, remove... More ...

[Jan 29, 2002]
Tua-Moorer teleconference
There wasn't any carnage left behind after the Michael Moorer - David Tua teleconference earlier this month, no carcass left in the ditch. No one yelled, no one took a cheap shot, no one stuck a knife in the other guy's back. Instead, it was like a quiet chat among good friends, reminding each... More ...

[Jan 28, 2002]
Mr. Ruiz, this is Mr. ...
Maybe you've heard of John Ruiz. He's the WBA heavyweight champion of the world, though you probably don't know where he's from (Boston) or how to pronounce his last name (Ru-eze). He doesn't have a lot of flash or a demoralizing punch or a chin you could light a match on. He doesn't... More ...

[Jan 26, 2002]
More Barrera
This isn't a fight for guys who like barroom brawls, haymakers or quick endings. This isn't for casual fans or curious first-timers or people who go to the race track just to see car wrecks. This fight is for connoisseurs, for diehards, for those fans who follow the fight game with a passion, who know a left hook from a left jab, who understand there's more of an art to slipping a punch then throwing one. This is for anyone who would rather see a fight go... More ...

[Jan 25, 2002]
James "Lights Out"
James "Lights Out" Toney is back, though he never really went anywhere. He was always just a phone call away, a guy ready to fight anybody, waiting for the right opportunity to prove that at 32 or 33, your boxing life doesn't end. It just smoothes out, sweetens and becomes a little more in focus. Toney (64-4-2, 41 KO's) took a couple years off from the fight game about four years ago, but that just means he doesn't have the wear and tear that... More ...

[Jan 23, 2002]
How did Ray Mercer manage to squeeze into the heavyweight picture?
Who opened the door and let the old man sneak in and sit down, find a seat in the front? High standards were supposed to be maintained, competition was to be of the highest degree. Not everyone is welcome. So how'd Mercer get in? Diligence, maybe. Diligence and a chin harder than a Brooklyn sidewalk. He's never been stopped in 35 fights, which - for a heavyweight with his past record - is like saying you never shot over par, or you never... More ...

[Jan 19, 2002]
"Grandpa versus the Fat Guy."
Just when you thought it was safe to tell the guys at work you're a diehard boxing fan, someone comes up with a new rendition of the Gong Show, has-beens and never-weres trying to dance their way into your heart and home. In a fight they've been threatening us with for two years, Eric "Butterbean'' Esch will face Larry "This is my last fight, honest'' Holmes in a 10-round sideshow on July 27 in Norfolk, Va. It should be billed as "Grandpa versus... More ...