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Written by Rick Folstad
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Wednesday, 04 January 2012 15:43
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 Andre Ward should stand up and take a well-deserved bow. He should flash a big smile, shake some hands, get a few pats on the back and then take home an award or two for being a hero and a role model. There aren’t many of those guys left. Ward is the kind of guy who would take in a stray dog or volunteer to play Santa Claus at an orphanage. He’d be a good guy to speak in front of a bunch of Boy Scouts, tell them about the importance of hard work and honesty, of doing things right and getting rewarded for it. You’d trust Ward to borrow your car or hold your money or watch your kids. He isn’t a fighter as much as he’s a nice guy with a brutal occupation. He could knock your head into next October, but he’d charge into a burning building just to rescue your grandma’s cat. In case you haven’t noticed, boxing in this country... Read more...
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Written by Michael Woods
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Wednesday, 04 January 2012 15:29
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 I’d like the year in boxing 2012 to be remembered, at least partially, as the year of the fan. I’d like to toss the ball in your court, and take advantage of your collective wisdom, because frequently, you guys have a superior take on a situation, and use better judgment than a lot of us “experts” do. We get clouded by our biases, and suits get clouded by business interests, but the fans can keep a clearer head, and thus, their input is typically unclouded as a result. With that preamble dispensed, I’d like your take on the Big Four, the four gentlemen who are in line to play a Manny Pacquiao scratch ticket. You probably heard, via ABS-CBN, that promoter Bob Arum will be headed to the Philippines next week, and by January 10 or so, will have sat down with the Congressman, and discussed four foes that Top Rank has chosen to be suitable opponents... Read more...
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Written by David A. Avila
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Tuesday, 03 January 2012 21:54
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%20Fantasy.jpg) Ramos (left) and Beltran should provide solid action on Friday in California. Lightweights are amazing. Throughout many decades the 135-pounders have brought us some of the most astonishing and devilish prizefighters the boxing world has witnessed. From gutsy street brawlers to refined strategists to pure knockout specialists with hands of stone, the lightweights are the bull’s eye of boxing. Think not? Sam Langford began as a lightweight back in 1902 but was feared and avoided with such vigor he kept moving up in weight until he eventually was fighting heavyweights. The clever boxer-puncher was the prototype for the style that many fighters like Floyd Mayweather employ. He eventually became the black heavyweight world champion though he stood a mere 5’8”. Langford fought and lost a 15-round decision... Read more...
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Written by Michael Woods
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Tuesday, 03 January 2012 13:33
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 One of our resolutions for the New Year is to use the power of this platform and our new adherence to The Secret to call for more pick 'em fights to be booked in 2012 than in 2011. If we all concentrate really, really hard and give out the office phone numbers and personal emails of promoters so fans can flood the suits with demands for the best matches possible, we figure we will be rewarded with a stellar calendar in 2012. Yeah right... We find The Secret repellent and while the guerrilla side of us likes the idea of fans flooding inboxes of the power brokers, we understand that such a tactic would put our approval ratings among those power brokers just above Jerry Sandusky. Besides, fans send the most potent message to promoters and content providers with their interest, or lack thereof, and inclination or disinclination to purchase PPVs. If you only buy the best, they... Read more...
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Written by The Sweet Science
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Monday, 02 January 2012 12:24
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 In a sport with as many moving pieces, individual interests, and BS agendas as there are in boxing, nothing is ever entirely predictable. But as 2012 dawns, the year ahead feels even more unpredictable than usual. The HBO boxing department has a new leader, and he used to be the head of the Showtime boxing department. Consequently, the Showtime boxing department has a new leader, and he used to be an employee of Golden Boy Promotions. Over at ESPN, both the main man in front of the camera and the main man behind the scenes have stepped down. And switching from the guys in suits to the guys in trunks, my pound-for-pound number one, Floyd Mayweather, takes up residence at the Clark County Detention Center this Friday, my pound-for-pound number two, Manny Pacquiao, might just be in decline, and my pound-for-pound number three, Sergio Martinez, basically told HBO to suck... Read more...
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Written by The Sweet Science
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Saturday, 31 December 2011 01:47
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 There was no lockdown choice for Fighter of the Year. But Andre Ward deserves more credit than he gets, so we're happy that a solid role model and superior pugilist is getting the acclaim he has earned. (Hogan) It wasn’t the best of years for boxing, it wasn’t the worst of years for the sport. Try as I might to look on the bright side, which is the best way to look, because you can get caught up looking at the copious darkness which abounds in the sport and world at large, I find myself coming to the conclusion that the year in pugilism 2011 will quite likely be remembered as another year that the most logical, the most yearned-for, the most no-brainer of all no-brainer fights didn’t get made. 2011 was another year in which boxing fans didn’t get what they most wanted: a Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao clash. Now, some good stuff happened, don’t get me wrong. Please... Read more...
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Written by David A. Avila
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Friday, 30 December 2011 19:09
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.jpg) Let’s begin by saying that two mixed martial arts fighters stand out above the rest regardless of what happens tonight. Dan Henderson, 41, and Jon Jones, 24, were absolutely the most impressive MMA fighters over the past 12 months. Jones beat Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson, Ryan Bader and Lyoto Machida while Henderson beat Rafael Cavalcante, Fedor Emelianenko and Shogun Rua. Both beat Rua but there are some major distinctions: Henderson is only 5’10” in height and weighs roughly about 200 pounds soaking wet. Jones is 6’4” in height and is an athletic marvel. Plus, Henderson is nearly twice Jones’ age. In 17 years will Jones be able to do what Henderson accomplished this year? I think not. Adding up all the variables and wins it’s easy for me to decide that Southern California’s “Hendo” Henderson (29-8)... Read more...
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Written by Ron Borges
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Thursday, 29 December 2011 14:54
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 It is nearly the end of another year and boxing remains alive and…well? Actually, the signs are good for a sport whose passing seems to be continually predicted by its critics. It is returning to a form of regular television with the new NBC deal that kicks off next month as part of NBC’s expansion into the world of 24-hour sports. If the originators of this new series stick with their plans and keep the network open to any and all promoters rather than making what always become death-knell deals with a single promoter it is a chance to bring boxing back to the people without charging them an arm and a leg for the privilege. ... Read more...
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Written by Michael Woods
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Thursday, 29 December 2011 09:37
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 Sulaiman was caught in a crush of public scorn when he said beating a woman is no big deal, while sucking up to Floyd Mayweather. On Wednesday, he offered an apology of sorts, blaming a language barrier. (Hogan) On Wednesday afternoon, I called for a retraction from Jose Sulaiman, or a resignation. A few hours later, a clarification from WBC president Sulaiman was distributed to fightwriters, in an attempt to clean up the mess left by his offensive, ignorant remarks about domestic violence. A few days ago, Sulaiman was asked about Floyd Mayweather's impending jail stint, following his sentencing for a domestic altercation which occurred in September 2010. The sanctioning body chief seemed to go out of his way to defend the WBC welterweight champion, Floyd Mayweather, and stated that in his eyes, hitting a woman is no big deal. For a regular joe, hitting a woman is... Read more...
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Written by David A. Avila
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Wednesday, 28 December 2011 21:47
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 The return of Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell sounds much like the return of Old West legends Jesse James and his brother Frank. In many ways it’s true. Both Taylor and Dirrell have spent months away from the prize ring. Like a pair of Old West gunfighters Taylor (28-4-1, 17 KOs) returns to boxing and fights Jesse Nicklow (22-2-3, 8 KOs) and in the co-featured bout Dirrell (19-1, 13 KOs) faces Darryl Cunningham (24-2, 10 KOs on Friday, Dec. 30. The loaded fight card takes place at Morongo Casino. Showtime will televise. It’s been more than two years since Taylor suffered his second consecutive knockout loss, against Arthur Abraham in Germany. It’s been 21 months since Dirrell beat the same Abraham, but suffered a concussion from a late hit in the just recently ended super middleweight tournament. Just how many bullets remain in each gunfighter’s arsenal?... Read more...
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