Steve Kim ... at The Sweet Science

Steve Kim has been covering the game of boxing since 1996. From doing his own radio show to working for various websites, Steve has been ringside at some of boxing's biggest events.

Features by Steve Kim

	[Nov 17, 2004] Wright Mosley: Repeat or Revenge? This Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Winky Wright and Shane Mosley get it on again.

	[Nov 10, 2004] Thanksgiving Crow Kostya Tszyu Style This Thanksgiving I'll be dining on crow. Something I'm getting used to stuffing my face with every time I pick Kostya Tszyu to lose a fight.

	[Nov 3, 2004] Inactivity Will Defeat Kostya Tszyu Kostya Tszyu is one of the most accomplished prizefighters of this past generation.

	[Oct 27, 2004] The Boxing Drought is Almost Over Hold on boxing fans, you've nearly made it through this dry spell that rivals any drought that the Sahara Desert has experienced.

	[Oct 19, 2004] Time to Step up for Calzaghe and Hatton At one time Joe Calzaghe was thought of as a rising star who would carry on the legacy of other European standouts like Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank...

	[Oct 12, 2004] The Comings and Goings in Boxing It seems that folks in the game of boxing can't decide whether they're coming or going. From fighters on down, everyone is having a tough time...

	[Oct 6, 2004] The Business of Boxing was the Real Winner It was quite a scene this past weekend at Madison Square Garden when Felix Trinidad made a triumphant return to the squared circle.

	[Sep 28, 2004] The End of one of Boxing's All-Time Greats This past weekend in Memphis, Tennessee, we saw the conclusion of a Hall-of-Fame career. One of the best prizefighters of this past generation was...

	[Sep 15, 2004] Hopkins Should Win, But So Will De La Hoya This Saturday night Oscar De La Hoya faces his greatest challenge when he takes on the undisputed middleweight champion of the world, Bernard Hopkins.

	[Aug 31, 2004] Boxing Returns, But Are These Title Fights? The game of boxing is back this Saturday night, after its late summer hiatus, with a doubleheader from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

	[Aug 17, 2004] The Dog Days of Summer There isn't really too much going on in the game of boxing as we wind down the summer months. But that doesn't mean that absolutely nothing is...

	[Aug 10, 2004] Acelino Freitas Did The Right Thing, The Wrong Way This past weekend Acelino Freitas did the unforgivable in the game of boxing. He quit.

[Jul 27, 2004]
This or That? A Boxing Dilemma
If you want to watch both of the pay-per-view cards being offered this weekend, you'll need to pony up about 85 of your hard earned bones. More ...

[Jul 20, 2004]
It's Gatti Time Again
This Saturday night in Atlantic City, New Jersey, boxing's version of 'the Human Highlight Film,' Arturo Gatti, gets back into action against Leonard Dorin. More ...

[Jul 13, 2004]
Do We Need a Heavyweight Limit?
It's easy to see why lower weight fighters are jealous of their heavyweight colleagues. Unlike a heavyweight, a dominant lightweight champion would need to fight numerous times to make several million dollars. More ...

[Jul 10, 2004]
Augustus Robbed In Michigan
Courtney Burton and Emanuel Augustus quit punching each other more than a week ago. Immediately thereafter, Michigan boxing started absorbing its own whipping, and the onslaught has lasted far more than 10 rounds. Blow after blow continues to land, with nary a counterpunch in sight, save for a... More ...

[Jul 6, 2004]
For Boxing's Sake - Five Fights That Need to Happen
There's nothing more compelling in sports than a big fight with evenly matched, world-class fighters. More ...

[Jun 29, 2004]
The Half-Year Awards in Boxing
We're heading into the last days of June, which means that half the year is over and if the second half of the year is anything like the first, boxing will have had quite an eventful year. More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Smoked Out.
It's entirely respectable for a fighter to lose afight while giving his best effort. There's somethingnoble out a boxer who continues to give his best inthe face of insurmountable odds. It's entirely another to give a performance so putrid,that it borders on farcical and defrauding the public. Derrick 'Smoke' Gainer crossed that line in handingover his WBA featherweight belt to Juan Manuel Marquezthis past Saturday night in Grand Rapids, Michigan onHBO. His 'performance' was bad... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Too Big, Too Old?.
It was just a few years ago that Mark 'Too Sharp' Johnson was among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the game. This slick southpaw was blessed with blinding speed and quickness, defensively he could disappear right in front of his opponents and he wasn't just a fancy-Dan. The greatest compliment he ever got was that 'he went to the body like a Mexican'. High praise indeed. Back then he was plying... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Oops, I Did it Again
Part of our jobs as columnists is to not only givefacts, but to dispense opinions on certain subjects.Being a columnist is much different than being a beatwriter. A beat writer or reporter tells you thatfighter A, hit fighter B with a right cross, and soon. Now, from atop our soapbox, as columnists, we paint acertain picture with how we see things. Not only arewe licensed to give opinions, it's expected of us. But we have to be careful not to go overboard onthings.... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
He Wasn't Ready
" WEEEEEE REAAAAAAADY, UHHHH, WE REAAAAAAADY", were the general lyrics being sung by a duo of rappers that led Vernon Forrest into the ring this past Saturday... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Severe Ramifications.
It wasn't just Ricardo Mayorga that lost when he wasout-boxed by Cory Spinks this past weekend in AtlanticCity, New Jersey on Don King's marathon championshipcard. Along with Mayorga, Shane Mosley was also a big loseras he was slated to face the wild Nicaraguan on March13th on a big pay-per-view show. 'El Matador' lost twobelts, Mosley lost a big fight and maybe some leveragein negotiations for a third bout with Oscar De LaHoya. Now, not only is Shane without a fight on the... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
A Rank Heavyweight Division
After a flurry of heavyweight title fights in themonth of April we've gotten a little clearer pictureof just how this division stacks up. Lamon Brewster, would start things off by stunningWladimir Klitschko for the WBO belt. Then a week laterin Madison Square Garden, Chris Byrd would barely holdonto his IBF belt by drawing with Andrew Golota. AndJohn Ruiz would do his impersonation of the 2002 OhioState Buckeyes football team, he wasn't pretty but hesomehow got the job done in... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
ESPN2
Much was made about the recent incident this past weekend in Puerto Rico between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones. Jones, was in town to support his little buddy, Derrik Gainer, who was defending his WBA featherweight title against local favorite Daniel Seda. Hopkins, was in town to coax the recently retired Felix Trinidad... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
ESPN2
They're calling this weeks match-up between Fernando Vargas and Oscar De La Hoya, 'Bad Blood'. And it's not a bad moniker to hang on this fight. But they could have easily have called this one 'All or Nothing'. Because the winner of this grudge match not only takes home both the WBA and WBC jr.... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Dissapointing Doublehead
It was like going to the movies and expecting to see 'The Godfather' and coming out thinking you had seen 'Ishtar'. Ok, it wasn't THAT much of a letdown when Floyd Mayweather out-boxed Jose Luis Castillo to retain his WBC lightweight title and Wladimir Klitschko took ten rounds to stop Jameel McCline. But it was a letdown. Instead of getting a... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Is Byrd the 'Real Deal'?
Chris Byrd is usually a David who takes on heavyweight Goliaths. This weekend he takes on another David in Evander Holyfield who's consistently battled the game's best big men since moving up from the cruiserweight division in 1989. Holyfield has never ducked a challenge in his storied career. Three bouts with Riddick Bowe, two with Lennox... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Still a Real Deal?
It was Chris Byrd at his best (or worst, depending onyour perspective) when he pecked and pawed his way towinning the IBF heavyweight title by out-boxing andout-foxing Evander Holyfield. It wasn't exciting but it was effective. For 12 rounds, Byrd would evade and frustrateHolyfield to a point where the 'Real Deal' was soexasperated that when he began to complain about hisleft shoulder and shake his head in disgust inbetween one of the middle rounds, you almost- only fora split... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Taylor Learns the Craft
Jr. middleweight Jermain Taylor is one of the mosthighly touted and recognized young fighters in thegame today. Coming out of the 2000 Olympic Games witha bronze medal, Taylor would sign a lucrative dealwith Lou DiBella and quickly become one of the mostvisible prospects of this last amateur class. Since beginning his career in January of 2001 on HBOat the Theater in Madison Square Garden, Taylor hasnotched 12 consecutive victories. And despite being afledgling prizefighter, his... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
The Baker's Dozen
Time again to update my personalpound-for-pound ratings. I do this every three or fourmonths to get a gauge on just how the game's elitestacks up with each other. Is it a subjective ranking? Yes, but I try to be asobjective as possible in doing them. After all, it'shard to compare a featherweight with a middleweightand then subsequently a heavyweight. And the criteriacan change based on who is doing the ranking. Theoriginal concept of 'pound-for-pound' was created forthe great... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Dream Fights of 2003
Hey, we can all dream, right? Isn't it our God-givenright as boxing fans to think about fights that shouldhappen - but often times don't? And not just fights that have the highest profile orthe biggest names - because sometimes those fights,like Lewis vs. Tyson - are nothing more than high-profilemismatches. I'm talking about fights that are evenlymatched between the game's best and are the mostintriguing inside the ring. Here are some fights I'd pay to see in the upcomingyear;... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
New Year's Resolutions
A new year is upon us, which means it's time for newyears resolutions. Yeah, never mind that mostresolutions are broken, oh, around the third week ofJanuary; everybody still makes them. Here are my resolutions that I'd make for some of theluminaries in the sport of boxing. * Floyd Mayweather: No more excuses. Anyone else sickof listening to 'the Pretty Boy' whine about whatailments he came into the fight with? Whether it's hisfragile hands, a bum shoulder or his squabbles withhis... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Homecoming
He comes from a 'Land Down Under'. No, I'm not talking about the band 'Men at Work' or their hit song of the 80's that became a second anthem for Australia. I'm speaking of one Kostya Tszyu... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
The Heavyweight King of Comedy
If you really think about it, doing a stand-up comedy routine and boxing are amongst the toughest things in the world to execute. Both are individual pursuits where you lay it all... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Tapia Gets Up From Another Knockdown
Some fighters routinely brush off knockdowns and continue fighting. Johnny Tapia routinely cheats death and goes on with his life. You see, Tapia never does anything halfway. It's all or nothing for this guy.... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
It'll Kostya
Beating undisputed jr. welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu doesn't look that hard. I mean, he's got that awkward looking eastern European amateur style that makes him look so hittable. And his deliberate... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Atlas Maps Out Grant's Future
This Friday night former heavyweight challenger Michael Grant takes on journeyman Carlton Johnson. Outside the couple of thousand folks that are expected to show up at the... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
ESPN2
Ya' know, there's a reason why I hate going to fancy banquets and social gatherings where people are being honored. No, not only because I'd have to wear something other than my sweat-suit, but really because there's only so much I can take when it comes to induction and acceptance speeches that drag on longer than 'War and Peace'. Invariably, those who are up at the mike promise to 'make this as short as possible' only to go on... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
ESPN2
After a relatively slow month of October, the game of boxing has a November that could be one to remember. This past weekend, the world's best featherweight (and one of the best fighters in the world period), Marco Antonio Barrera put on a classy display of boxing against the still-respected Johnny Tapia. Then, this upcoming weekend we see an interesting clash between two former jr. welterweight titlists... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
Thanksgiving turkeys
Yes, the holiday season is upon us, and with Thanksgiving only a few days away, I think it's appropriate to be thankful for all our blessings. And then of course, Thanksgiving provides us with an opportunity to expose those who our just flat out turkeys.And this being boxing, there is no shortage of those. First, we'll start out with WBC dictator... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
ESPN2
It looked so perfect for middleweight prospect Tokunbo Olajide. Olajide, the younger brother of Michael 'the Silk' Olajide', a middleweight contender of the late 80's, was on the fast track to boxing utopia. He had 'the look' that managers and promoters all look for. Also, he had the bloodlines that can turn into 'feel good' stories that the media just eats up. The younger Olajide is also an affable and intelligent young man with... More ...

[May 13, 2004]
ESPN2
It's too bad that I'm just a lowly little writer and not the benevolent dictator of the world. Oh, not the whole world- those problems are much too big and complex for me to solve- but the boxing world. If I was to rule the banana republic that is boxing I could really shake things up. Here's just a sampling of what I'd change if I could wave a magic wand: * I'd go back to 15 Round fights: That would be my first issue of... More ...

[May 12, 2004]
I Like Mosley- Again
This Saturday night in Las Vegas Oscar De La Hoya gets his shot at redemption against Shane Mosley, who defeated 'the Golden Boy' in June of 2000. In that time Oscar, who took a bit of a hiatus from boxing after suffering two losses in three fights in that period, has rehabilitated his status as one of the games best fighters. Mosley, after failing to capitalize on his victory is currently on a three fight non-winning streak. Mosley is thought to be 'gun shy' and unsure of himself after... More ...

[May 4, 2004]
Pacquiao-Marquez and Other Random Thoughts
Every once in awhile a few things come to my nogginthat I just have to get off my chest. Not anythingearth shattering or too revealing, but just a fewthings that have me thinking aloud to myself. Like for instance.... Isn't this upcoming bout between Manny Pacquiao andJuan Manuel Marquez one of the best match-ups on paperin recent memory?.... But isn't it a shame that it'llget one-tenth( if that) from the general media becauseit's not a heavyweight fight?.... I also think... More ...

[Apr 27, 2004]
A Rank Heavyweight Division
After a flurry of heavyweight title fights in themonth of April we've gotten a little clearer pictureof just how this division stacks up. Lamon Brewster, would start things off by stunningWladimir Klitschko for the WBO belt. Then a week laterin Madison Square Garden, Chris Byrd would barely holdonto his IBF belt by drawing with Andrew Golota. AndJohn Ruiz would do his impersonation of the 2002 OhioState Buckeyes football team, he wasn't pretty but hesomehow got the job done in... More ...

[Apr 20, 2004]
A Heavyweight Staple
Ok, have you gotten over just how bad the fight wasbetween John Ruiz and Fres Oquendo for the WBA title?Just how bad was it? Well, it had me whimsicallylooking back at fights like Tony Tubbs-TimWitherspoon. Now, you know when your waxingnostalgically about that particular era of heavyweightboxing, you know you're really watching a stinker. Later that night, Chris Byrd and Andrew Golota wouldput on a surprisingly good fight for Byrd's IBF title,that ended up in a somewhat... More ...

[Apr 13, 2004]
This is Why We Love Boxing
There are a lot of things you could say about the sportof boxing. And not all of it good, mind you. It'scorrupt; it's become fractured, marginalized andwatered down. And you won't get much of anargument from me. But at it's best, there's absolutely, positively,nothing like 'the sweet science'. When it done right,with honor and dignity, this sport stands as tall asany other. And that's what happened this past weekend in LasVegas at the Mandalay Bay when Cory Spinks defended... More ...

[Apr 6, 2004]
Heavyweight Madness
Led by their own heavyweight inside, the University ofConnecticut wrapped up it's second NCAA hoops titleriding on the broad shoulders of Emeka Okafor. Bybesting Georgia Tech on Monday night in San Antonio,Texas, the Huskies are the undisputed champs. But it's much more muddled in the heavyweight divisionin boxing. When Lennox Lewis decided to hang'em up afew months back, it opened up the floodgates to a castof characters scrambling around to call themselves aheavyweight... More ...

[Mar 29, 2004]
Oops, I Did it Again
Part of our jobs as columnists is to not only givefacts, but to dispense opinions on certain subjects.Being a columnist is much different than being a beatwriter. A beat writer or reporter tells you thatfighter A, hit fighter B with a right cross, and soon. Now, from atop our soapbox, as columnists, we paint acertain picture with how we see things. Not only arewe licensed to give opinions, it's expected of us. But we have to be careful not to go overboard onthings.... More ...

[Mar 23, 2004]
Parting Ways
What had been a hushed whisper, was made loud andclear today. Jack Mosley, would no longer be traininghis son, Shane. Ending a highly successful run thatspanned over two decades, that includes a decoratedamateur ledger and a professional career that is stillin progress that has seen 'Sugar' Shane winchampionships in three weight classes. By any standard, it was a highly successful team. Bothfather and son should one day look back on this unionwith good feelings. But as the... More ...

[Mar 16, 2004]
Joe Mesi Great White Hope? I Think Not
This past weekend I was at the Mandalay Bay in LasVegas to see Winky Wright and Shane Mosley battle itout for supremacy in the jr. middleweight division.Wright, using his superior size and skill, wouldhandily beat Mosley via 12-round decision. On the undercard, I got my first live look at 'Baby'Joe Mesi, the latest in a long line of 'great whitehopes' in the heavyweight division. All I can say isthat after seeing Mesi hold on for dear life against ablown up cruiserweight in... More ...

[Mar 9, 2004]
Teaching an Old Dog, Some New Tricks
I nearly fell off my chair as I was watching DiegoCorrales in his rematch with Joel Casamayor this pastweekend. Not only was he using his jab, he actuallyslipped a punch. I was flabbergasted and flummoxed, tosay the least. Now, I was able to compose myself by remembering thateven a blind squirrel can find an acorn once inawhile, and that even a broken watch is correct twicea day. But get this, he did it throughout the fight.Yes, this is Diego Corrales I'm talking about. I'm... More ...

[Mar 2, 2004]
Chavez Loses WBC Belt, Wins a Purple Heart
Last week one of my friends who is a managing editorat USA Today, who does freelance work for severalboxing publications like 'the Ring' and 'KO', waslamenting the fact that his paper had put out a listof the ten toughest athletes in sports and despite hisplea's, none of them were boxers. Now, I may be biased, but shouldn't all of them beboxers? Yeah, you could throw in guys like Ray Lewisand Steve McNair and you wouldn't hear any complaintsfrom me, those guys in another time... More ...

[Feb 24, 2004]
February Funk
This Saturday night at the MGM Grand we have a prettygood doubleheader on HBO featuring Jesus Chavezdefending his WBC jr. lightweight title against ErikMorales and bright, young Puerto Rican prospect MiguelCotto taking on his toughest test to date againstVictoriano Sosa. It's a great way to end the month of February for tworeasons: First, it's an attractive card. And moreimportantly,... More ...

[Feb 17, 2004]
Max Will Be Missed
It just isn't the same, is it? Whether you loved him or hated him- or felt somewhere in between- Max Kellerman got your attention. But now that he's gone from his studio position in Bristol, Connecticut as the studio analyst for ESPN2's Friday Night Fights, he'll be missed. Whether you admit it or not. The team of Max, Brian Kenny, Teddy Atlas and Joe... More ...

[Feb 10, 2004]
Lennox's Legacy
This past Friday afternoon in England one LennoxClaudius Lewis announced his retirement from the ring.While it's bad for the business of boxing, since itprevents a badly needed heavyweight title fight thatthe general public will be interested it, it's a happyending for Lewis who walks off into the sunset withhis faculties intact and enough money for his grandchildren's children to live off of. He calls it a day with a record of 41-2-1 with 32knockouts. He was a... More ...

[Feb 3, 2004]
Beatings After Dark
We all love HBO's 'Boxing After Dark' which wascreated back in the mid-90's as a way of showcasingsome of the lesser known fighters at the lower weightclasses. We all remember how they came out the box with aclassic battle between Marco Antonio Barrera andKennedy McKinney in February of 1996 at the GreatWestern Forum. It was a magnificent fight thatcaptured the essence of the sport and made Barrera,then a relatively unknown Mexican before the fight,into a star.... More ...

[Jan 27, 2004]
Gatti's Great for Boxing, But not Great
This past weekend in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Arturo Gatti won his second world title belt by defeating Gianluca Branco for the vacant WBC jr. welterweight title. It's a well-earned distinction for a guy who has given so much to the game with his two-fisted, free-wheeling, barroom brawling style. In an age where boxing yearns for legitimate stars and guys... More ...

[Jan 20, 2004]
Vanda-lism.
I don't want to say that veteran Sam Garr was robbedon national television this past Friday night onESPN2, but after local boxer Matt Vanda was awarded ascandalous decision in his home state of Minnesota, Ifully expected the 'Bad Boys' theme song from 'Cops'to be played as soon as the decision was rendered. It was a unanimous opinion that Vanda's split decisionover Garr was flat out filthy. Despite controlling... More ...

[Jan 13, 2004]
A Black Eye That Can Be Healed.
Last week the headlines blared,' De La Hoya-MosleyFixed?' as the feds went into the offices of Top Rankin Las Vegas on Tuesday night and left with computerrecords, financial documents and fight tapes. An unnamed member of the FBI had told a reporter fromthe New York Daily News that they had some evidencethat September's rematch between Shane Mosley andOscar De La Hoya was rigged. Sorry, but that's just a smokescreen to illicit biggerheadlines on this 20-month investigation into... More ...

[Jan 5, 2004]
Popo's A Paper Champion.
This past weekend Acelino Freitas won the WBOlightweight title with an easy decision over thelong-reigning champion Arturo Grigorian by the scoresof 115-108 and 116-107 twice. 'Popo' has now won world titles at 130 and 135 poundsand has a sparkling record of 35-0. So he has to beone of the games best fighters pound-for-pound, right?Well, in a word, nowayinhell.( Yeah, that's one wordto me). In watching him defeat Grigorian you came awayunimpressed by either his skill or his once... More ...

[Dec 29, 2003]
The Highs and Lows.
In a few days we'll be turning the page on 2003 andlooking ahead to another year that is bound to beeventful- they almost always are. But before we go full speed ahead to 2004, let's lookback on what we've witnessed the past 12 months in thegame of boxing. And what we've found out is that sometimes the sportshighlights, were also it's lowlights. Oftentimes, theywere one in the same.... More ...

[Dec 22, 2003]
Christmas Wishes.
The day is nearly upon us- Christmas. Which means that most of you are probably running around like crazy this time of the year putting the finishing touches on the holiday season. And just days away from December 25th, most of you are doing some last minute X-mas shopping. I was thinking about this a few days ago, I've gotten gifts for all... More ...

[Dec 16, 2003]
Severe Ramifications.
It wasn't just Ricardo Mayorga that lost when he wasout-boxed by Cory Spinks this past weekend in AtlanticCity, New Jersey on Don King's marathon championshipcard. Along with Mayorga, Shane Mosley was also a big loseras he was slated to face the wild Nicaraguan on March13th on a big pay-per-view show. 'El Matador' lost twobelts, Mosley lost a big fight and maybe some leveragein negotiations for a third bout with Oscar De LaHoya. Now, not only is Shane without a fight on the... More ...

[Dec 8, 2003]
I Was Wrong.
Last week I told you that Kirk Johnson would beat Vitaly Klitschko. Well, that goes right along with my predictions that 'Gigli' would be a box-office smash, that Members Only jackets would always be in style, that beta would be more popular than VHS and that Michael Jackson could be trusted with your kids. Hey, when I'm wrong, I'm reaaaaallly wrong. I don't go half... More ...

[Dec 1, 2003]
World Domination Will be Halted.
The most recent HBO promotion run on their network hasboth Vitaly Klitschko and his brother Wladimir, on asecluded island, plotting world domination of theheavyweight division. The two hulking Ukrainians laughmaniacally as they plot out supremacy in boxing'smarquee division like Lex Luther did in Superman comicstrips. All this for a pair of brothers, who before Wlad'sblowout of Fabio Moli, had lost both their fights in2003. Wladimir, thought to be the better of the twobrothers, was... More ...

[Nov 18, 2003]
Trainer of the Year.
All the precincts have reported, the the ballots havebeen counted and it's a landslide: Freddie Roach isthe runaway choice for trainer of the year. After Manny Pacquiao's dominating 11th round stoppageof Marco Antonio Barrera this past weekend in SanAntonio, Texas, which comes off the heels of JamesToney's ninth round knockout of Evander Holyfield inOctober, it's not even close. One of the few knocks on Roach as a trainer is... More ...

[Nov 11, 2003]
Roy Jones an All-Time Great? Hardly
The accolades were over-flowing when Roy Jones downedJohn Ruiz this past March for the WBA heavyweightcrown. Jones became the first middleweight champion tocapture a heavyweight belt in over a hundred years. Pundits like Max Kellerman deduced that with hisvictory over 'the Quiet Man' that maybe, just maybeJones was a superior fighter than Sugar Ray Robinson.Let me repeat that, I know some of you must be inshock, but Kellerman stated that because Jones downedRuiz, that makes him... More ...

[Oct 30, 2003]
Love, Hate Relationship
This Saturday night in his hometown of Grand Rapids,Michigan, Floyd Mayweather makes another defense ofhis WBC lightweight crown when he takes on thedangerous and hard-punching South African, PhillipNdou. Now usually around this time before his fights, 'thePretty Boy' starts becoming 'the Petty Boy' and willstart bitching and moaning about his promoter, BobArum and just generally complaining about everythingsurrounding his professional career. But guess what? This time around... More ...

[Oct 25, 2003]
Box A Round Boxing Club
Wanna learn how to box, or feel what it's like to be aboxer, pick up the art of self defense or just get inbetter shape? If you're in the New England area, Box A Round Boxing Club (BoxARoundBoxing.com) in Stoughton, Massachusetts could be the place for you. If you decide to drop by, make sure you bring someworkout attire, some athletic shoes, some hand wrapsand most importantly, a heart. Boxing is not for thefaint of heart. And if you have all that and you decide to drop by,you'll... More ...

[Oct 14, 2003]
Champion Emeritus?
OK, did you hear the latest from the WBC? No, you haveto hear this one, it's actually pretty funny. The 'BChas decided to name Erik Morales, it's formerfeatherweight champion, who has moved up to jr.lightweight, and Kostya Tsyzu, it's jr. welterweightking, who is being stripped as 'champions emeritus'. Huh? Now what in the world is a 'champion emeritus'? It's a way for champions who either get vacated,stripped or move up to another division to keep theirtitles as 'champions'... More ...

[Oct 6, 2003]
Can Toney Turn the 'Lights Out' on the Heavyweight Division?
James Toney did exactly what he said he would do. TheJames Toney did exactly what he said he would do. Thebrash native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, representing thestoried fighting tradition of Detroit, said that hewould stand right in front of the bigger, stronger,Evander Holyfield and break him down piece by piece.He wouldn't be fighting like no blown-up middleweight. After a relatively slow start, Toney would start topot-shot Holyfield with quick right hands and begin tobury hard left... More ...

[Sep 30, 2003]
The New Generation Review.
This past Saturday night a trio of heavyweight fights took place in Buffalo, New York. The goal: to create some fresh new faces on the heavyweight scene. Joe Mesi, DaVarryl Williamson, Juan Carlos Gomez, Sinan Samil Sam, Dominick Guinn and DunkinDokiwari would all get an opportunity to make animpression and burst onto the scene over the HBOairwaves. It was a concept much like the 'Night of YoungHeavyweights' that HBO televised back in 1996, whichintroduced us to fighters like... More ...

[Sep 22, 2003]
Pound-for-Pound.
Pound-for-Pound. Steve Kim ( IBOPboxing.com ) Monday September 22, 2003 ????? With Shane Mosley's not-so-controversial win over Oscar De LaHoya, there is a shake-up in the mythical 'pound-for-pound' standings.No, unlike the polls involving writers in other sports like collegefootball, they don't mean much but they are great source of debate... More ...

[Sep 17, 2003]
Contrived Controversy
Oscar De La Hoya had every right to complain and be bitter about his unanimous decision loss to Shane Mosley this past weekend. Not because he got 'robbed' or anything like that, but because it was a closely contested fight that could have gone either way. It went to Mosley for a second time. Fighters pour their hearts out into fights and can be very emotional... More ...

[Sep 9, 2003]
I Like Mosley- Again.
This Saturday night in Las Vegas Oscar De La Hoya getshis shot at redemption against Shane Mosley, whodefeated 'the Golden Boy' in June of 2000. In thattime Oscar, who took a bit of a hiatus from boxingafter suffering two losses in three fights in thatperiod, has rehabilitated his status as one of thegames best fighters. Mosley, after failing tocapitalize on his victory is currently on a threefight non-winning streak. Mosley is thought to be 'gun shy' and unsure ofhimself after his... More ...

[Sep 2, 2003]
Back from Lunch.
Ever go to a store where you need to buy something orget something serviced only to walk up to the frontdoor and see a small little sign that reads:" Out toLunch, Back at 2:00" And then you look down at yourtimepiece and it reads a quarter-past-noon. Well, that's basically what boxing does for the summermonths. From the middle half of June till earlySeptember, the game of boxing takes a siesta. Yeah,they'll have an occasional fight here or there, butfor the most part promoters and... More ...

[Aug 26, 2003]
Underrated.
So what does the term 'underrated' really mean? Doesit mean that you don't get enough credit for how goodyou are? Or does it mean that you're really justunder-exposed and not enough attention is paid to you?Or is it a combination of both? It really is the latter, it means that not only do youget enough plaudits and accolades for your skills, italso means that you're largely ignored. But that's if you're truly... More ...

[Aug 21, 2003]
The Dog Days of Summer.
You know it's a slow week in boxing when- now hold ontightly while I say this- I talk at length aboutwomens boxing. Yes, you heard correctly and I'll givea few seconds to get yourselves back on your feet anddust yourselves off, I know your all stunned. Me talking about womens boxing is like Rush Limbaughextolling the virtues of a Bill Clinton. Well, you maywant to keep this column as a collectors item becausetrust me, it may not happen again. It's not that I have anything against... More ...

[Aug 11, 2003]
Freitas Saved by the Mouthpiece.
It was a tougher than anticipated scrap for AcelinoFreitas when he took on plucky Argentinian JorgeBarrios this past weekend in Miami, Florida. It wasthought that the hard-punching 'Popo' would overwhelmBarrios with his superior class and punching power. Instead, the gritty and game Barrios, wouldn't followthe script and instead stuck around despite sufferinga cut over his left eye that got bloodier as the nightwent along. After falling behind early, he caught upto the WBO-WBA jr.... More ...

[Aug 5, 2003]
Respect Earned.
I usually don't root for or against any fighters beingin the position I'm in. I cover and write about thesport of boxing and it's imperative that I have anon-biased and objective view of things. Yes, thereare guys that I genuinely like and get along with, butmy job is to be journalist, not a cheerleader. Ifanything, I root for a great fight and hope that thefans get their monies worth. But I have to fess up, I was rooting like hell againstcruiserweight Richie LaMontagne this past... More ...

[Jul 28, 2003]
Now What?
Fernando Vargas took care of business this pastweekend as expected against the hand-picked andover-matched Fitz Vanderpool. But while he did comeout victorious, he left the arena with just as manyquestions as he had coming in. Maybe more so. This was supposed to be the 'new and improved' Vargas,one that would employ the jab, use a bit more movementand footwork and work off of angles. But as they say,the more things change the more things stay the same. Vargas came into his bout... More ...

[Jul 22, 2003]
He's Back
Fernando Vargas returns this Saturday to the ring against Fitz Vanderpool after a 10 month sabbatical/suspension from the ring in the aftermath of his knockout loss to arch-rival Oscar De La Hoya last September. It was bad enough getting beat by a fighter he loathedto a point that he basically obsessed over sinceturning pro. It was entirely another, to add insult toinjury by being busted for steroids. With that... More ...

[Jul 15, 2003]
Run, Forrest, Run!!!
He thought he had done enough to gain revenge onRicardo Mayorga this past weekend at 'the Orleans' inLas Vegas. After a shaky start that saw him fall tothe canvas on wobbly legs several times in the earlyrounds, Vernon Forrest would gather himself and make afight out of it against the wild Ricardo Mayorga. After the fight he would put perch himself near thetop rope and raise his arms triumphantly in victory.He had done it, he had gained revenge against hisconqueror. Then came the... More ...

[Jul 8, 2003]
Repeat or Revenge?
This Saturday night in Las Vegas, Ricardo Mayorga and Vernon Forrest go at it again for the WBC and WBA welterweight titles that are both currently held by Mayorga. The first time they met in late January, Mayorga, a heavy underdog, would shock Forrest and the rest of the Western Hemisphere by chopping down Forrest in three fast-paced rounds. Conventional... More ...

[Jun 23, 2003]
Lucky Lewis.
Lennox Lewis got away with one this past weekend in Los Angeles. There he was, breathing heavy from the second round on, slumped on his stool with his trainer Emanuel Steward exhorting him to step up the pace against the game Vitaly Klitschko. After six rounds he was down on all three scorecards by a score of 58-56. He had gotten hit with more clean shots in the first half of this bout than in any... More ...

[Jun 18, 2003]
Pour me the good stuff.
????? You've got to figure there's going to be a lot of bleary-eyedUkrainians stumbling down the stone streets of Kiev on their way tochurch late Sunday morning. That's what happens when one of the local boys does good, gets his name in bright lights and in all the papers and mentioned on local and national TV. When one of the Klitschko boys fights for the heavyweight championship of the world, you know bartenders across the... More ...

[Jun 17, 2003]
A Heavyweight Fight.
After much concern and consternation, we've got a heavyweight title fight out here in Los Angeles. And it's probably the biggest heavyweight fight since Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton battled each other in the early seventies at the Fabulous Forum. Lennox Lewis will be taking on Vitaly Klitschko for his WBC belt, and no, it's not exactly a historic match-up, but LA should consider itself lucky to have it.... More ...

[Jun 2, 2003]
Throwback Fight.
This upcoming Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward go at it for the third, and we presume, final time. Ward would come out victorious in the first fight last May in what was an insta-classic and then Gatti would gain his revenge in November by clearly out-boxing 'Irish' Micky the second time around. Some have wondered with the dominance of Gatti's win and the fact... More ...

[May 28, 2003]
Boxing's Bravest Soldiers.
This Monday America paid tribute to it's fallen soldiers of past wars. This year the national holiday is made even more significant by the happenings of the past few months. We salute all of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country and it's freedoms. Thankfully, boxers, aren't expected to give that much- although, tragically, at times they do. But every man and woman that does... More ...

[May 21, 2003]
In the Eyes of the Beholder.
So did Leonard Dorin just out-punch Paul Spadafora this past weekend in Pittsburgh or did 'Spaddy' box well enough and land enough body shots to unify his IBF lightweight belt with Dorin's WBA title? Well, according to the judges, neither. As it was judged a split decision draw by the three ringside arbiters. But there's seems to be two clear sides on just who won this lightweight unification battle.... More ...

[May 14, 2003]
Lewis TRO's King and Tyson.
Yes, after registering a knockout of Mike Tyson last June, Lennox Lewis has TRO'd Tyson and his former promoter Don King. TRO? Huh? Temporary restraining order. This had nothing to do with anything in the ring as Lewis and his representatives have seemingly limited their conflicts to outside the ring since his thrashing of Tyson last year. A press release was sent out last week by... More ...

[Apr 30, 2003]
Buyer Beware
Just a week after HBO brought you the exciting give-and-take fight that was James Toney-Vasilliy Jirov, HBO Pay-Per-View is making you pay to watch the collosal mismatch that is Oscar De La Hoya against Yory Boy Campas. Gee, I didn't know that televised executions were allowed, much less allowed to go the pay-per-view route. What's going on? How are attractive fights like... More ...

[Apr 29, 2003]
Finally a Bride
After years of being the bridesmaid, promoter Dan Goossen became the bride, when his man, James Toney won the IBF cruiserweight title with a pulsating 12-round decision over Vasilliy Jirov, in a fight that is the early leader for 2003's 'Fight of the Year'. Yes, after all those years of playing the Buffalo Bills to the Dallas Cowboys, the Atlanta Braves to the New York Yankees and Susan Lucci... More ...

[Apr 17, 2003]
Alive and Well
This past weekend I was making my way to my assignedseat in press row for the massacre that was MarcoAntonio Barrera- Kevin Kelley at the MGM Grand in LasVegas when I saw Wayne McCullough in his seat rightbehind mine taking notes on the upcoming fight.McCullough, the former WBC bantamweight champion, hasbeen preparing for life outside the ring by covering... More ...

[Apr 12, 2003]
Randomn Thoughts and Musings
Every once in awhile a few thoughts get into my mind that get me wondering. No, not thoughts like, 'why is the sky blue?' but more important things like,' who was the last figter who didn't come out to walk-in music?' You know, things that are really important like that. I had a few minutes and here a few things that came to mind.... More ...

[Apr 5, 2003]
Another Mis-Mandatory
This past weekend in Philadelphia, the undisputedmiddleweight champion of the world Bernard Hopkinssuccessfully defended his crown by chasing MorradeHakkar out of the ring in eight comical rounds. Hakkar, who is French, was in full retreat the wholenight. I guess it's a French thing, in keeping withthat countries history of staying out of conflicts. HBO,... More ...

[Mar 27, 2003]
Still Stunned
Larry Merchant has traveled the world the past few weeks. Only recently has he settled down back home in Southern California. His duties have taken him to Germany and then to a ski trip in Switzerland and soon, he'll be heading back to his roots in Philadelphia. But what happened a few weeks ago in Germany, where Wladimir Klitschko was... More ...

[Mar 20, 2003]
When It's All Said and Done
On Monday night a deal was reached to make the rematch between Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley. This after a phony deadline had been set for February 8th for Mosley to accept the financial terms being offered to him. It seemed that despite the fact that Mosley was on a three fight non-winning streak( two losses to Vernon Forrest and a no-decision to Raul Marquez), he was more than a bit insulted that he was actually being offered less for the rematch versus 'the Golden Boy'... More ...

[Mar 13, 2003]
Apparently It Was an Error
Wladimir Klitschko was hailed by just about everyone in the boxing business as the heir apparent to Lennox Lewis. Well, after getting sent... More ...

[Mar 3, 2003]
Styles Do Make Fights
When Roy Jones moves up to face 'the Quiet Man' John Ruiz, Jones will be facing daunting odds as he's giving away as much as 40 pounds to the... More ...

[Feb 13, 2003]
SHAAAAAAAAANE!!!!
Some fighters routinely brush off knockdowns and continue fighting. Johnny Tapia routinely cheats death and goes on with his life. You see, Tapia never does anything halfway. It's all or nothing for this guy.... More ...

[Jan 28, 2003]
He Wasn't Ready
Some fighters routinely brush off knockdowns and continue fighting. Johnny Tapia routinely cheats death and goes on with his life. You see, Tapia never does anything halfway. It's all or nothing for this guy.... More ...

[Jan 23, 2003]
Atlas Maps Out Grant's Future
This Friday night former heavyweight challenger Michael Grant takes on journeyman Carlton Johnson. Outside the couple of thousand folks that are expected to show up at the... More ...

[Jan 15, 2003]
The Heavyweight King of Comedy
If you really think about it, doing a stand-up comedy routine and boxing are amongst the toughest things in the world to execute. Both are individual pursuits where you lay it all... More ...

[Jan 15, 2003]
Homecoming
He comes from a 'Land Down Under'. No, I'm not talking about the band 'Men at Work' or their hit song of the 80's that became a second anthem for Australia. I'm speaking of one Kostya Tszyu... More ...

[Dec 31, 2002]
New Year's Resolutions
A new year is upon us, which means it's time for newyears resolutions. Yeah, never mind that mostresolutions are broken, oh, around the third week ofJanuary; everybody still makes them. Here are my resolutions that I'd make for some of theluminaries in the sport of boxing. * Floyd Mayweather: No more excuses. Anyone else sickof listening to 'the Pretty Boy' whine about whatailments he came into the fight with? Whether it's hisfragile hands, a bum shoulder or his squabbles withhis... More ...

[Dec 27, 2002]
Dream Fights of 2003
Hey, we can all dream, right? Isn't it our God-givenright as boxing fans to think about fights that shouldhappen - but often times don't? And not just fights that have the highest profile orthe biggest names - because sometimes those fights,like Lewis vs. Tyson - are nothing more than high-profilemismatches. I'm talking about fights that are evenlymatched between the game's best and are the mostintriguing inside the ring. Here are some fights I'd pay to see in the upcomingyear;... More ...

[Dec 27, 2002]
Dream Fights of 2003
This Saturday night in Las Vegas, Jameel 'Big Time' McCline, who HBO's Jim Lampley called 'the best American heavyweight', takes on the highly touted Wladimir Klitschko. On paper it looks like an intriguing and appealing match-up.It says here that it's a mismatch. Yeah, McCline is on a decent run having beat Michael Grant, Lance Whitaker and Shannon Briggs in... More ...

[Dec 25, 2002]
The Baker's Dozen
Time again to update my personalpound-for-pound ratings. I do this every three or fourmonths to get a gauge on just how the game's elitestacks up with each other. Is it a subjective ranking? Yes, but I try to be asobjective as possible in doing them. After all, it'shard to compare a featherweight with a middleweightand then subsequently a heavyweight. And the criteriacan change based on who is doing the ranking. Theoriginal concept of 'pound-for-pound' was created forthe great... More ...

[Dec 20, 2002]
Taylor Learns the Craft
Jr. middleweight Jermain Taylor is one of the mosthighly touted and recognized young fighters in thegame today. Coming out of the 2000 Olympic Games witha bronze medal, Taylor would sign a lucrative dealwith Lou DiBella and quickly become one of the mostvisible prospects of this last amateur class. Since beginning his career in January of 2001 on HBOat the Theater in Madison Square Garden, Taylor hasnotched 12 consecutive victories. And despite being afledgling prizefighter, his... More ...

[Dec 19, 2002]
Still a Real Deal?
It was Chris Byrd at his best (or worst, depending onyour perspective) when he pecked and pawed his way towinning the IBF heavyweight title by out-boxing andout-foxing Evander Holyfield. It wasn't exciting but it was effective. For 12 rounds, Byrd would evade and frustrateHolyfield to a point where the 'Real Deal' was soexasperated that when he began to complain about hisleft shoulder and shake his head in disgust inbetween one of the middle rounds, you almost- only fora split... More ...

[Dec 12, 2002]
Is Byrd the 'Real Deal'?
Chris Byrd is usually a David who takes on heavyweight Goliaths. This weekend he takes on another David in Evander Holyfield who's consistently battled the game's best big men since moving up from the cruiserweight division in 1989. Holyfield has never ducked a challenge in his storied career. Three bouts with Riddick Bowe, two with Lennox... More ...

[Dec 11, 2002]
Dissapointing Doublehead
It was like going to the movies and expecting to see 'The Godfather' and coming out thinking you had seen 'Ishtar'. Ok, it wasn't THAT much of a letdown when Floyd Mayweather out-boxed Jose Luis Castillo to retain his WBC lightweight title and Wladimir Klitschko took ten rounds to stop Jameel McCline. But it was a letdown. Instead of getting a... More ...

[Sep 7, 2002]
Woods Faces Jones Jr.
This Saturday in the world of college football, Colorado is a hefty 24 point favorite over San Diego St., Washington St. is a big 28 point favorite over Idaho, Maryland's spread against underdog Akron in 23 points, Tennessee is expected to down Middle Tennessee St. by at least 27, and then finally Kansas St- long... More ...

[Jan 1, 2001]
Are the 'Lights Out'
From 1991 to 1994, James Toney was arguably the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound. This self described 'old-school' fighter mowed down everyone in his path from 160 to 168 pounds. Whether he was catching up to the then unbeaten Michael Nunn, surgically taking apart Iran Barkley, knocking out... More ...

If I Ruled the World
It's too bad that I'm just a lowly little writer and not the benevolent dictator of the world. Oh, not the whole world- those problems are much too big and complex for me to solve- but the boxing world. If I was to rule the banana republic that is boxing I could really shake things up. Here's just a sampling of what I'd change if I could wave a magic wand: * I'd go back to 15 Round fights: That would be my first issue of... More ...

Surprise
It looked so perfect for middleweight prospect Tokunbo Olajide. Olajide, the younger brother of Michael 'the Silk' Olajide', a middleweight contender of the late 80's, was on the fast track to boxing utopia. He had 'the look' that managers and promoters all look for. Also, he had the bloodlines that can turn into 'feel good' stories that the media just eats up. The younger Olajide is also an affable and intelligent young man with... More ...

Imagine That, Just Good Fights
After a relatively slow month of October, the game of boxing has a November that could be one to remember. This past weekend, the world's best featherweight (and one of the best fighters in the world period), Marco Antonio Barrera put on a classy display of boxing against the still-respected Johnny Tapia. Then, this upcoming weekend we see an interesting clash between two former jr. welterweight titlists... More ...

All or Nothing
They're calling this weeks match-up between Fernando Vargas and Oscar De La Hoya, 'Bad Blood'. And it's not a bad moniker to hang on this fight. But they could have easily have called this one 'All or Nothing'. Because the winner of this grudge match not only takes home both the WBA and WBC jr.... More ...

The Sound and the Fury, Signifying Nothing
Much was made about the recent incident this past weekend in Puerto Rico between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones. Jones, was in town to support his little buddy, Derrik Gainer, who was defending his WBA featherweight title against local favorite Daniel Seda. Hopkins, was in town to coax the recently retired Felix Trinidad... More ...

Heavyweight Upheavel
So how long does it take to resurrect a heavyweight career? I guess thirty seconds, judging by the way David Tua blew out Michael Moorer this past weekend. Remember, it was only a year ago that Tua was getting out-boxed by the crafty Chris Byrd and seemingly headed into an abyss. Well, after consecutive victories over... More ...

Wanted: Heavyweights
This past Saturday Michael Grant would make it five straight wins since his devastating back-to-back knockout losses to Lennox Lewis and Jameel McCline. Grant, who was once touted as the future of the heavyweight division would stop journeyman Robert Davis in three rounds.... More ...

Only in America Steve Kim!!!!
I had the chance to talk to HBO's boxing sage Larry Merchant on Thursday afternoon where I asked him if had recovered from being ringside calling the debacle that was the WBA heavyweight title fight between John Ruiz and Kirk Johnson. I was worried, you should never be that close to anything that toxic. " Well," said a chuckling... More ...

Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Woods
This Saturday in the world of college football, Colorado is a hefty 24 point favorite over San Diego St., Washington St. is a big 28 point favorite over Idaho, Maryland's spread against underdog Akron in 23 points, Tennessee is expected to down Middle Tennessee St. by at least 27, and then finally Kansas St- long... More ...

The Great White Hope?
This Saturday night in Atlantic City, New Jersey Wladimir Klitschko takes a supposed step up in class when takes on the rugged Ray Mercer. This big Ukrainian is the consensus choice among boxing insiders to be the heir apparent to Lennox Lewis. Some even believe that Klitschko, a 1996 gold medalist and current WBO heavyweight titlist, could down Lewis right now. Sorry, but I think that talk is a wee bit premature. I'm not saying this guy can't... More ...

Now, Onto the Real Fights
Ding dong the witch is dead. Mike Tyson has been vanquished and with it the last vestiges of the 'Iron Mike' that tore through the heavyweight division in the late 80's. Lennox Lewis, in knocking the starch out of Tyson didn't save any of us from the apocalypse or save western civilization( although, HBO would argue that point) but what he did do was signal a new age of boxing. Not necessarily inside the ring, after a couple of hundred years under the... More ...

So What Have we Learned So Far?
But the reaction to this performance proves that the industry is looking for it's white knight in it's glamour division. Even better if he can be articulate and attractive like Klitschko. But remember, he still hasn't faced a guy who can throw some leather back in his direction and he was still awfully marked up for a guy that was barely hit this past Saturday. Great fights... More ...

The Good,the Bad and the Ugly
They say as the heavyweight division goes, so goes boxing. Based on what we'll see this upcoming weekend, I hope that no longer holds true. No, I'm not saying that the heavyweights aren't important- because it is still the flagship division of this sport. But what we have this Saturday ranges from the the good, the bad and the ugly. THE GOOD Down in New Orleans, 'the White Buffalo' takes on 'the Black Rhino', no this isn't a... More ...

Why Now?
On January 26th in New York, Vernon Forrest would shock the boxing world by upsetting the heavily favored 'Sugar' Shane Mosley. It was quite a comeuppance for Mosley who was thought to the best 'pound-for-pound' performer in the world. It turns out, at least for that one night, he wasn't even the best 147-pounder in todays game.... More ...

What Goes Up, Must Come Down
Jr. welterweight Zab Judah makes his return this Saturday night in Tunica, Mississippi against Argentinian Omar Weis. The last we saw of 'Super' Judah he was being poleaxed by a thunderous right hand from Kostya Tszyu and doing a funny little dance that caused referee Jay Nady to call a halt to the bout.... More ...