This Saturday night on HBO Pay Per View, Live from the Staples Center in the City of Angels, a boxing event will take place. It?s going to be an interesting night of boxing, to say the least. Many boxing ?followers? are voicing their opinion that this fight is not Pay Per View worthy.
Do I think it?s worthy of placing a Pay Per View price tag on Hopkins vs Dawson? Absolutely not. But I am a fan of the sport and not someone who just ?follows? the sport from time to time. I?m the kind of fan who would pay money to go see Bernard Hopkins shadow box, so am I going to order the fight? Well that?s neither here nor there. My point is that we as fans must do what we can to support the sport that we love.
It?s like watching your favorite football team, say they play against the worst team in football, you still tune in to watch, right? So are you going to sit there and tell me that you will support another sport but not your favorite sport? And sure you can sit there and say, ? well the football game I choose to watch is not charging me to view it.? Well that may be true, but you are still lending a hand by helping improve their ratings and thus helping out the sport.
Just take a good look at the UFC, they have Pay Per View fights just about every week, and they happen to put up very good numbers. Now are every single of their events Pay Per View worthy? Of course not, but the UFC fans still order and watch the fights to support the sport that they love.
Usually when a bad call takes place during a boxing fight, we as fans are quick to jump up and say, ? this is what is killing our sport.? In other sports like baseball, hockey, or football, when have you ever heard their fans say ? this is what is killing our sport? , After a ref or an umpire makes a bad call? We as fans seem to be the ones holding the double edged sword, we are the ones killing the sport. Not enough loyalty and support.
Ok, now that I?m done crying, on to my predictions..
Paulie Malignaggi vs. Orlando Lora- I am expecting to see Paulie box circles around Lora, Lora is a very tough rugged fighter, but Paulie is going to go out there and confuse the kid. I can see Lora trying to force his frame in and try to beat on Paulie?s ribs, but Paulie will sniff it coming in then will spin out and pump the jab directly into Lora?s grill. Malignaggi by UD.
Kendall Holt vs. Danny Garcia- Yo man listen, I keep being told that Garcia is very raw and not ready for Rated R. That may be somewhat true, but if that?s the case, then Garcia is rough, rugged, and raw. Garcia has the young fresh legs that can place Holt in the mouth of trouble. Then again, Rated R is the type of fighter that doesn?t back down, he puts backs down. So this is a pick em fight. I am favoring Garcia to win it by close split decision, but I would not be surprised if Holt launches a lightning bolt and changes things real fast in there.
Antonio DeMarco vs. Jorge Linares- If you know me, then you already know that I am a big fan of Jorge Linares. DeMarco is a good technical fighter, but Linares to me has the technical capacity that is on a whole nother level. El Nino De Oro has one of the very best jabs in all of boxing. Yes kids it?s that real. I?m picking Linares to beat the brakes right off of DeMarco. Unanimous nod for Jorge Linares, El Nino De Oro.
Main Event
Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson- I never, ever, EVER bet against Hopkins. But I will go on record right now and say that if Dawson breaks out of his shell, I can see a busy Dawson beating Hopkins. Yeah I said it! Busy aggressive fighters that know how to use their speed will always trouble Hopkins. Dawson will flash his speed in there and make Hopkins look old, but Hopkins will by mid rounds begin to set traps and will time many of those shots coming in. Usually Hopkins wins his fights 8 rounds to 4 or 9 rounds to 3, but if the right Dawson shows up, watch out! I see this fight going to Hopkins 7 rounds to 5. I love Dawsons skill set, but I just don?t see that fighters grit in him.
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