Matthew Aguilar ... at The Sweet Science

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Features by Matthew Aguilar

	[Feb 22, 2007] Sugar Ray Leonard, Half-Amused, Half-Not Sugar Ray Leonard moaned when reminded that it's almost 20 years since his immaculate upset of Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

	[Feb 10, 2007] Shane Mosley: Déjà vu all over again? Why would Mosley risk his world ranking, his star power, and the payday of a lifetime for a fight that means next-to-nothing?

	[Feb 2, 2007] The Up-And-Down Career Of Cory Spinks Cory Spinks can ill-afford another hiccup in his up-and-down career.

	[Jan 23, 2007] Weird Boxing Endings The boxing world figured it would be Nicolay Valuev who fall down and go boom because of some weird bodily collapse.

	[Jan 18, 2007] Another Chance For Jose Luis Castillo In the year's biggest debacle, he failed to make the 135-pound lightweight limit for his rubber match with Diego Corrales.

	[Dec 17, 2006] The Boxing Year Ahead The year 2006 wasn't a bad one for boxing.

	[Dec 8, 2006] Where It All Started I was a second-grader when "Rocky" hit theaters. After that came the attempted one-armed pushups and the attempted wee-hour runs.

	[Dec 1, 2006] Marvin Hagler Syndrome and Antonio Margarito Would Margarito be too big for Cotto? Would Cotto punch too hard for Margarito? The intriguing questions are limitless.

	[Nov 21, 2006] Is Manny Pacquiao Mr. Pound-For-Pound? There are those who are more impressed by Pacquiao's knockout of "El Terrible" than Floyd Mayweather's decision over Carlos Baldomir.

	[Nov 17, 2006] Manny Pacquiao's Journey from Good to Great We knew Manny Pacquiao was good. But none of us thought he was that good. Pacquiao was about to meet Barrera in San Antonio.

	[Oct 31, 2006] Trevor Berbick: A Damn Good Fighter It's sad that most sports fans perhaps, even most boxing fans remember Trevor Berbick only for getting pummeled by Mike Tyson in 1986.

	[Oct 7, 2006] Saturday Night's Boxing Doubleheader Well, it's about time. After a few weeks of boxing hibernation, the fight game is back with a great fight, and an interesting sideshow.

[Sep 16, 2006]
The Marco Antonio Barrera Special
The name caught your attention when you read how he almost broke poor Paul Toledo in half, courtesy of a wicked body attack, in 1994.  More ...

[Sep 1, 2006]
James Toney, The Fighter Who Likes To Fight
After 10 rounds against IBF middleweight champion Michael Nunn, James Toney was playing up to his underdog role.  More ...

[Aug 21, 2006]
Assessing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
We have no idea whether Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will be a world champion one day. His level of opposition has been so weak that gauging his progress is almost impossible.  More ...

[Jul 28, 2006]
The WBC Sort Of Gets It Right
For once in its pathetic existence, the WBC has something right. Yes, you read correctly. The WBC has something right.  More ...

[Jul 20, 2006]
Sugar Shane Is Back
All Shane Mosley was missing was some confidence. Now that he's got that, there's a chance he can regain his former title of best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.  More ...

[Jun 20, 2006]
Is It Over De La Hoya?
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said the window is quickly closing on the opportunity to properly promote De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr., tentatively scheduled for Sept. 16.  More ...

[Jun 10, 2006]
Decisions, decisions
In the blue corner, you have the recognized light heavyweight championship of the world, between champion Antonio Tarver and challenger Bernard Hopkins.  More ...

[May 17, 2006]
Oscar De La Hoya vs. The Past
Whether you are a fan of Oscar De La Hoya or not, it is impossible to deny his importance to boxing over the last decade.  More ...

[May 10, 2006]
Antonio Margarito has a point
Antonio Margarito could not have been happy watching Oscar De La Hoya annihilate Ricardo Mayorga last week.  More ...

[May 9, 2006]
De La Hoya-Mayorga Wrap
It only took one left hook Saturday for the world to discover what Floyd Mayweather Jr. already knew. Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya is the biggest fight in boxing.  More ...

[May 6, 2006]
Mayweather Sr. on Oscar and Floyd
There is speculation that De La Hoya will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September, provided he gets by Mayorga tonight at the MGM Grand.  More ...

[Apr 21, 2006]
Pain in The Game
Boxing can be painful. Watching Shane Mosley fire shots at Fernando Vargas' grotesquely swollen eye back in February made viewers flinch.  More ...

[Apr 7, 2006]
Mayweather-Judah: Upset in the cards?
Does Zab Judah stand a chance against Floyd Mayweather Saturday in a bid for pound-for-pound glory?  More ...

[Mar 13, 2006]
Boxing's Landslide Massacres
It's not everyday that you see a fight previously regarded as competitive turn into a massacre such as Joe Calzaghe vs. Jeff Lacy.  More ...

[Mar 6, 2006]
Performance of Calzaghe's Life
They said it was the most important super middleweight fight since Roy Jones Jr.-James Toney in 1994.  More ...

[Mar 4, 2006]
Lacy-Calzaghe: Good fight, great fighters
The first time a lot of Americans saw Joe Calzaghe was in 2000 on the undercard of the Mike Tyson-Julius Francis card in Mancheter.  More ...

[Feb 24, 2006]
There were nights for Mosley and Vargas
There were nights when it seemed Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas were destined for greatness.  More ...

[Feb 13, 2006]
Lost and Found Pound-for-Pound
It's been a while since the last pound-for-pound list last summer to be exact so it's probably about time to update.  More ...

[Feb 4, 2006]
Castillo-Reyes Fight Tonight
To most of the boxing world, Saturday's over-the-limit lightweight battle between Jose Luis Castillo and Rolando Reyes is a massive disappointment.  More ...

[Jan 27, 2006]
Antonio Escalante and the Hunger
There was a time, about five years ago, that Antonio Escalante would peer across the Rio Grande, and daydream.  More ...

[Jan 25, 2006]
Boxing columnist running out of time?
Sometimes a columnist is so out-of-sync with reality that it's almost impossible not to reply to that writer and tell him what a dope he is.  More ...

[Jan 21, 2006]
Manny Pacquiao running out of time
Yes, this Pacquiao looked like some kind of fighter, a southpaw with fast hands, TNT in both fists and an itch to brawl.  More ...

[Jan 12, 2006]
Boxing Gets It Right
Sometimes boxing is a complete mess. And sometimes, it's beautifully, wonderfully, poetically just. Carlos Baldomir's upset of Zab Judah last week is an example of the latter.  More ...

[Jan 7, 2006]
Rise the Cruiserweight Cake
Bridging the gap between the light heavyweights and heavyweights, the cruiserweights are regarded as boxing's mysterious disappointments.  More ...

[Dec 9, 2005]
El Paso's rich boxing history
El Paso has hosted some of the more high-profile, non-Las Vegas fights in recent years. But El Paso's signature fight wasn't much of a fight.  More ...

[Dec 2, 2005]
Hopkins Faces Unkind History
What Hopkins lost to fresh-faced Jermain Taylor in July was his treasure, his pride and his identity for a decade.  More ...

[Nov 21, 2005]
To Retire or Not to Retire
The giant Ukrainian was supposed to fight Hasim Rahman last week, but a bum knee the latest in a long line of Klitschko injuries forced the fight's cancellation.  More ...

[Nov 19, 2005]
In the beginning was Floyd Mayweather
Here's hoping Mayweather, perhaps the best fighter of our generation, will get rid of Mitchell and move on to more important business.  More ...

[Oct 17, 2005]
Who's Next for Castillo?
Well, with or without the titles, Jose Luis Castillo is the best 147-pound lightweight again. Regardless of the weight controversy, "El Temible" is a hot commodity.  More ...

[Oct 8, 2005]
Castillo Always Looked Like Somebody
From the beginning, Jose Luis Castillo looked like somebody. The way he moved, the way he went about his work expressionless and stoically.  More ...

[Oct 6, 2005]
Corrales-Castillo Again
After a great fight, we are left to wait years for the rematch. Saturday in Las Vegas, Corrales and Castillo will battle just five months after engaging in the best lightweight fight in history.  More ...

[Oct 1, 2005]
Greatness and Roy Jones Jr.
He was so lightning-fast, so incredibly quick, so physically overpowering, that everybody assumed that Jones was destined for greatness.  More ...

[Sep 24, 2005]
Wladimir Klitschko Miracle
Wladimir Klitschko was once considered the savior of the heavyweight division. He stood 6-foot-6, weighed 240 pounds, and moved remarkably well for a man that size.  More ...

[Sep 21, 2005]
Leavander Johnson, Boxing and Validity
Is it valid to continue a sport that is so dangerous, yet is so far on the periphery now that its point is almost lost?  More ...

[Sep 12, 2005]
Erik Morales Loses Big
Erik Morales invaded the lightweight division Saturday, in hopes of one day challenging the winner of the Oct. 8 rematch between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo.  More ...

[Sep 9, 2005]
Morales Finds a Way to Win
Saturday, Morales will meet Zahir Raheem as a warm-up for a projected winter rematch with Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao, who fights on the same card.  More ...

[Aug 30, 2005]
Showdown with the Name Game
Some fight titles are appropriate some not so appropriate. And then there are those that live in boxing lore.  More ...

[Aug 23, 2005]
Juan Lazcano's Road to Recovery
Although he didn't get much work, lightweight contender Juan Lazcano may have acquired something more important last week.  More ...

[Jul 25, 2005]
Bob Arum's Love Affair with Women's Boxing
So the ladies' "superfight" between Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker is off. The boxing world isn't exactly reeling.  More ...

[Jul 21, 2005]
Subjectivity and Bernard Hopkins
Hopkins wasn't robbed and the judges weren't drunk. Hopkins lost because, for the first seven rounds, he didn't fight.  More ...

[Jul 14, 2005]
History Lesson for Bernard Hopkins?
Hopkins could be due for a history lesson when he meets Jermain Taylor Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  More ...

[Jun 29, 2005]
Who's Pound-for-Pound Now?
With Floyd Mayweather's masterful destruction of Arturo Gatti Saturday in Atlantic City, the pound-for-pound landscape has changed.  More ...

[Jun 26, 2005]
Mayweather-Gatti Echoes Jones-Pazienza
Floyd Mayweather, in a performance that demands he be called the best fighter on the planet, brutalized poor Gatti in Atlantic City.  More ...

[Jun 22, 2005]
Arturo Gatti The Most Exciting Boxer of His Generation
The Arturo Gatti who fans adore today was born on March 23, 1996, at the Paramount Theater adjacent to Madison Square Garden in New York.  More ...

[Jun 8, 2005]
Boxing's Newest Star Is Ricky Hatton
After Ricky Hatton's impressive destruction of Kostya Tszyu Saturday in Manchester, England, boxing has a new junior welterweight champion.  More ...

[May 28, 2005]
Chavez Jr. vs. De La Hoya: Payback Time?
It's no secret that among hardcore Mexican boxing fans, Oscar De La Hoya isn't the hero he is in the United States.  More ...

[May 21, 2005]
Whole Lotta Golota Going On
Yes, it's been almost nine years since Andrew Golota introduced himself to big-time boxing and Riddick Bowe's groin.  More ...

[May 18, 2005]
Winky Wright's Perfect Fight
Winky Wright's domination of Felix Trinidad last week likely sent "Tito" into retirement, and sent Wright's stock soaring.  More ...

[May 11, 2005]
Reflections on Corrales-Castillo
After Saturday's battle between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo, Corrales said he considered it an honor to wage it.  More ...

[May 7, 2005]
It's The Beard That Counts
The puncher stalks. He threatens. He hunts. He hurts. And, ultimately, that's why people pay to watch grown men punch each other in the face. To watch the hurt.  More ...

[Apr 30, 2005]
James Toney Decisions Ruiz To Win Heavyweight Title
For the first time in his championship career, John Ruiz fought an entertaining fight. The fans went home happy. Ruiz went home a loser.  More ...

[Apr 24, 2005]
ESPN PPV A Smashing Success
Antonio Margarito proved he was ready for the best Saturday night. Kermit Cintron proved that he wasn't ready.  More ...

[Apr 7, 2005]
Marco Antonio Barrera Burns Bright in El Paso
It wasn't that long ago that Barrera was considered washed-up, a has-been, a fighter who turned pro young and flamed out young.  More ...

[Apr 2, 2005]
Mormeck Upsets Braithwaite in Demolition Derby
The powerful Frenchman added Wayne Braithwaite's WBC crown to his WBA belt Saturday night via unanimous decision.  More ...

[Mar 25, 2005]
Can Fernando Vargas Still Take A Punch?
Will Fernando Vargas be the next Taylor, Curry, Cuevas, O'Grady or Tate? His chin will be hit. When that happens, we'll have our answer.  More ...

[Mar 19, 2005]
Erik Morales Schools Manny Pacquiao
After one of the greatest 130-pound fights in boxing history, Erik Morales proved he's one of the game's great warriors.  More ...

[Mar 9, 2005]
Boxing Preview: Erik Morales vs. Manny Pacquiao
Erik Morales faces a stern test as he tries to derail the Manny Pacquiao Express in a highly-anticipated junior lightweight showdown.  More ...

[Mar 5, 2005]
Jose Luis Castillo Dismantles Julio Diaz
Jose Luis Castillo battered Julio Diaz Saturday, registering an impressive 10th round TKO to retain his WBC lightweight title.  More ...

[Feb 26, 2005]
Cotto Halts Corley/Hometown Stoppage Mars Fight
A good big man (Miguel Cotto) beat a good little man (DeMarcus Corley) in Bayamon, Puerto Rico Saturday night.  More ...

[Feb 23, 2005]
Marco Antonio Barrera Is Down With De La Hoya
Barrera is the man who reduced the Prince (Naseem Hamed) to a clown and out-rumbled El Terrible (Erik Morales).  More ...

[Feb 19, 2005]
Hopkins Decisions Eastman: Exxecutioner Walks the Dog
Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins takes care of business in LA by decisioning Great Britain's Howard Eastman.  More ...

[Feb 18, 2005]
Bernard Hopkins One of Boxing's Best in the Last 25 Years
Who would have thought the Philadelphia tough guy would go on to become one of boxing's best in the last quarter-century?  More ...

[Feb 5, 2005]
Boxing Results: Judah TKOs Spinks in Rematch
Zab Judah has always been known for his boxing skills. It was his punch, however, that scored him the biggest win of his career Saturday night.  More ...

[Feb 4, 2005]
If Arturo Gatti Fights Floyd Mayweather
Arturo Gatti looked impressive last Saturday, using his boxing skills to dominate Jesse James Leija for a 5th round knockout.  More ...

[Jan 29, 2005]
Boxing Results: Arturo Gatti KOs James Leija
A recap of Arturo Gatti's impressive knockout over Jesse James Leija and Kassim Ouma's victory over Kofi Jantuah.  More ...

[Jan 26, 2005]
Ali and ESPN Classic Boxing - Enough is Enough
A few years back, ESPN Classic purchased the rights to what was called the largest fight library in the world.  More ...

[Jan 22, 2005]
Boxing Results: Mayweather, Peter Win Impressively
Floyd Mayweather did what was expected of him Saturday, outclassing overmatched Henry Bruseles in recording an easy 8th round TKO.  More ...

[Jan 13, 2005]
Boxing's Johnny Tapia Looks to the Future
Johnny Tapia's future is simple, really. In addition to life plans outside the ring, Tapia will meet Mexican slugger Nicky Bentz on Jan. 22.  More ...

[Jan 11, 2005]
Donald Curry and the Perfect Punch
This is a tribute to a guy who didn't make the cut for the Boxing Hall of Fame - Donald Curry.  More ...

[Jan 7, 2005]
Boxing Immortality Awaits Bobby Chacon
Bobby Chacon was harassed by demons. Demons of unfulfilled potential.  More ...

[Jan 4, 2005]
Cory Spinks and Zab Judah Again
Cory Spinks and Zab Judah - two fighters who can't seem to find that ticket to stardom - have found that the road to nowhere goes through each other.  More ...

[Jan 2, 2005]
5 Thrilling Boxing Matchups for 2005
2005 could be even more thrilling than 2004 for boxing. The 5 best matchups of the new year.  More ...

[Dec 31, 2004]
2004 Boxing Pound for Pound List
The final boxing pound-for-pound list of the year reflects some surprising developments for the sweet science in 2004.  More ...

[Dec 30, 2004]
Most Memorable Boxing Moments in 2004
The year 2004 was an interesting year for boxing. Here's some of the most memorable boxing moments of 2004.  More ...

[Dec 22, 2004]
Glen Johnson's Boxing Value has Appreciated
After upsetting Antonio Tarver, Glencoffe Johnson made those of us who picked against him want to take up croquet.  More ...

[Dec 18, 2004]
Antonio Tarver Loses to Glen Johnson
Glen Johnson outworked Antonio Tarver tonight in Los Angeles for his second big upset win in as many fights.  More ...

[Dec 16, 2004]
The Future May Not Be Bleak For Glen Johnson
The future looks bleak for Glencoffe Johnson. Or does it?  More ...

[Dec 13, 2004]
Vitali Klitschko: Heavyweight Boxing has a Good Champion
Vitali Klitschko proved once again Saturday that he is literally and figuratively head-and-shoulders above a dismal heavyweight division.  More ...

[Dec 9, 2004]
Vitali Klitschko Commands Respect
It is hard to believe Vitali Klitschko was once considered a quitter.  More ...

[Dec 8, 2004]
Boxing Bits from the Weekend Past
Before looking ahead to this weekend's heavyweight title fight, Matt Aguilar takes one last look back at the weekend that was in boxing.  More ...

[Dec 2, 2004]
Jermain Taylor Faces Boxing Crossroads
Jermain Taylor takes a big leap this weekend, going from worn-out Raul Marquez to still-useful William Joppy.  More ...

[Nov 30, 2004]
Barrera Proved he's Better than Morales
The third fight between Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera promised to determine the best little fighter of the era. That fighter is Barrera.  More ...

[Nov 24, 2004]
Stevens Right to Suspend Evander Holyfield
It seems there is a man in the sport of boxing with some character and some courage - Ron Stevens.  More ...

[Nov 16, 2004]
Shane Mosley: I'm Brand New
Speaking to TheSweetScience.com, Shane Mosley said that he's ready for Winky Wright on Saturday night.  More ...

[Nov 14, 2004]
November's Pound for Pound List
A stunningly easy victory by Kostya Tszyu last week means a new boxing pound for pound list, November's edition.  More ...

[Nov 11, 2004]
Boxing's most Shocking Moments in 2004
Boxing has waged a dramatic comeback, thanks to some exceptional performances in 2004 and, perhaps more importantly, some shocking developments.  More ...

[Nov 9, 2004]
Tszyu is a Warrior's Warrior
Kostya Tszyu is back. And could it be that he is better than ever? Sharmba Mitchell is gone. And how could we have ever believed he had a chance in the first place?  More ...

[Oct 30, 2004]
Boxing Novembers to Remember
Three big fights will highlight November after what has been a lifeless few weeks for boxing.  More ...

[Oct 27, 2004]
Tszyu - Mitchell Reminds Boxing Fans of Past Rematches
Kostya Tszyu - Sharmba Mitchell will mark the first of three intriguing, big-time rematches that will highlight boxing in November.  More ...

[Oct 23, 2004]
Floyd Mayweather's Five Most Tantilizing Opponents
Floyd Mayweather may be the most talented fighter in boxing. His speed, reflexes and quickness have been known to turn competitive fights into runaways.  More ...

[Oct 14, 2004]
Boxing Every Day of the Week
Saturday is the holy day for boxing fans this millennium. If there is a major fight, chances are, it will come on Saturday. That's pretty much how it's been since Jan. 1, 2000.  More ...

[Oct 11, 2004]
Pound for Pound Ratings Welcome a New Name
After Felix Trinidad's brilliant demolition of Ricardo Mayorga Oct. 2, boxing's pound-for-pound ratings welcomed a new entrant.  More ...

[Oct 6, 2004]
Cherish Felix Trinidad While You Can
Felix Trinidad was such a formidable offensive machine Saturday against Ricardo Mayorga you would have thought he last fought in May 2004 - not May 2002.  More ...

[Oct 1, 2004]
Mayorga - Trinidad will be a Shootout
Ricardo Mayorga may not win Saturday against Felix Trinidad. But he will not be scared. Which is why, regardless of the outcome, the middleweight showdown will be one of the more exciting shootouts of the year.  More ...

[Sep 28, 2004]
The Demise of Roy Jones Appeared Inevitable
As Saturday's showdown for the IBF light heavyweight title wore on, it became more and more apparent that Roy Jones' demise was inevitable.  More ...

[Sep 22, 2004]
5 of the Best One Punch Body Shot Knockouts
The body shot. It's rare when one ends a fight all by itself. Usually, it's the cumulative effect of a fight's worth of body work that wears a fighter down.  More ...

[Sep 20, 2004]
Credit De La Hoya for Going Out on his Shield
Oscar De La Hoya may have earned some admiration even from his critics on Saturday night. He was knocked out - but fought with uncommon courage against Bernard Hopkins.  More ...

[Sep 16, 2004]
Long Hard Haul for Bernard Hopkins
Early in his pro career, Bernard Hopkins was known more for his bizarre ring entrances than his skills. That "Executioner" get-up was peculiar and a little scary.  More ...

[Sep 14, 2004]
De La Hoya Sure To Be Primed For Bernard Hopkins
Oscar De La Hoya has never been blown away in a boxing ring. There is a chance that might happen Saturday. Which is why we'll see the best De La Hoya since 1995.  More ...

[Sep 13, 2004]
Miguel Cotto: One of Boxing's Future Stars
Miguel Cotto is a future star. And, though he's just 21-0, that future may be sooner rather than later, after his victory over Kelson Pinto.  More ...

[Sep 8, 2004]
Cory Spinks - Five Likely Future Opponents
Cory Spinks survived a tuneup this past Saturday. But here's a look at Spinks' five most likely, and exciting, future opponents, plus his chances against each.  More ...

[Sep 5, 2004]
Lamon Brewster Has At Least The Heart Of A Champion
Lamon Brewster seems to be trying his best to become the Arturo Gatti of the heavyweight ranks.  More ...