HIGHLIGHTS OF 2009?S FIRST QUARTER
San Francisco, CA- With nearly one quarter of the 2009 boxing season in the tank, I have to say it has been three months that has kept the boxing faithful somewhat entertained. The biggest upset is also the fight that has impacted the game the most, that being the Shane Mosley shellacking of Antonio Margarito. Not only was the Mexican mauler exposed as a one-dimensional (volume throwing) fighter, his reportedly rock-like chin broke apart like a dinner plate hitting the floor.
ILLEGAL HAND WRAPS ?DAMNING? OCCURRENCE
The fallout from the ?tampered with? hand wraps, that has still to be resolved. Currently, Margarito has had his license ?revoked? by the California Commission for a period of at least one year. The man that exposed the shady goings on, Nazeem Richardson, the trainer of Shane Mosley will be a guest on ?Ring Talk Radio? this coming Sunday at 8:05 PM PDT. In closing, most of those I?ve talked with are of the opinion that this was ?not? the first time Margarito had attempted to, and or cheated!
MARQUEZ DOING BETTER THAN MANNY
The second biggest highlight thus far was the Juan Manuel Marquez?s thumping of Juan Diaz. Unlike the one-sidedness of Mosley-Margarito, this was a battle that took off in one direction and landing in another. Marquez, who was on the short end of a one-point split decision in 2008 with Manny Pacquiao, roared back to stop the decade younger Diaz in his hometown.
PAVLIK DAMAGED ?PSYCHOLOGICALLY?
Kelly Pavlik, Miguel Cotto and John Duddy, all three faced limited opposition and won in February. Both Cotto and Pavlik were coming of losses, but Duddy is still undefeated (quite possibly because of bad judging and selective matchmaking) and not getting any better. The talk of a drop to 154 lbs from 160 won?t do anything to make me think the Irishman?s stock will rise. If anything, Duddy has hit a professional plateau, one that he will never ise above.
HOW DAMAGED IF ANY IS COTTO?
Cotto, quite possibly the victim of Margarito?s ?loaded? gloves, had nothing (Michael Jennings) in front of him. And while the same can be said of Pavlik with Marco Antonio (Tijuana cab driver) Rubio, the fact that Pavlik took as long as he did to figure out that Rubio was nothing, to me this was alarming. Pavlik?s confidence is shot after losing to a man almost 20 years older than him in Bernard Hopkins.
KIRKLAND A ?FIREBALL? OF EXCITEMENT
James Kirkland sure did make a ?bigger? name for himself with the TKO 6 of Joel Julio last Saturday, as did 140 lber. Vctor Ortiz. Robert ?The Ghost? Guerrero, beset with all the problems he has with his wife?s perilous health, etc., the fight between he and Daud Yordan was stopped in two after an accidental (southpaw vs. orthodox) head butt.
NOT A BAD START TO 2009
And while it was the greatest opening quarter, it was enough to come boxing fans from ?jones-ing.? As for Winky Wright-Paul Williams in April, we?ll examine that match as it gets closer! We have no Mike Tyson?s, Ray Leonard?s, Lennox Lewis, in other words, boxing does not have a reigning superstar at the moment. Who do you think, if anyone, can step into that role and carry the sport on their shoulders? Can Manny Pacquiao assume this role even if he loses to Ricky Hatton.
