Boxing Scribe Vivek Wallace brings his Left-Hook Lounge mailbag to FightHype.com, answering questions for fans and giving his own unique perspective on all the latest current events in boxing. This week, check out his response to fans as they discuss Carl Froch’s victory over Lucian Bute, Timothy Bradley confidence heading into his bout with Pacquiao, and much more.
Frankie H. (Irving, TX): Timothy Bradley seems to be really confident leading into the Pacquiao fight. I know you’ve leaned towards Pacquiao strongly in the past few weeks, but do you think that tide is turning?
Vivek W.: Actually, what I think is that it’s quite funny how many let a few edited clips completely alter their perception of an almost inevitable reality. I will say this: Bradley is an intense fighter, and this fight will bring out the best of him. That being said, I think there are limitations to all things, and Pacquiao probably represents the limitation to Timothy Bradley. I truly feel that the fight will be good while it lasts, but I just really have a hard time seeing Bradley handle the velocity and power of Pacquiao’s punches. They literally cut you as the fight wears on.
We’ve seen Bradley get up off the deck and that’s a sheer testament to his heart, but is he capable of pulling a Marquez by getting up off the deck 3 times and still making a blood and guts battle of it? I certainly hope so, but I’m not so sure he will. If anyone in the sport can though, it’s him! The guy has the heart of a lion and he truly comes to win. I think proper execution can change things and really make this an interesting bout, but as I look down Bradley’s resume, honestly, I just don’t see anything that has prepared him for what he’s about to encounter.
Alexander, Witter, Holt. Those are three of the biggest names he has faced, and they all pale in comparison. Bute just learned the hard way what happens when you step in that elite league before you’re properly tuned up for it. It’s simply not the place to experiment. You’re either ready to stand or ready to fall. You can’t be both! I don’t think Bradley is “ready to fall”, but I’m not so sure he’s “ready to stand” in the midst of this storm either. But hey, that’s why we watch, right? I am starting to feel that if Pacquiao has a slightly off night, or if Bradley feels comfortable with his power, Pacquiao could be in for a long night. But the odds of that happening…..I don’t see it….but hopefully we will!
Winston H. (Chicago, IL): Lucian Bute was exposed by Carl Froch in a way that none of us saw coming. What were your thoughts on Froch’s performance and what would you like to see him do next?
Vivek W.: Froch’s performance was incredible. I think he learned all there was to learn from his Andre Ward experience and came on a mission and simply would not be denied. Not only did he appear to be mentally prepared, but he also fought with a sound fundamental strategy and nullified Bute’s biggest attributes. Last week on FightHype Radio, I spoke at length about Froch having what I term as a form of ‘slickness’, or perhaps what others term to be ‘crafty’ side to him. Looking at him in this fight helped me remember why I began to use that term, and it’s all predicated on his ability to execute in a very cunning fashion that only he fully understands and manipulates.
Nowadays, fighters have a million different nicknames that they go by, but ‘Cobra’ is as fitting for him as ‘Money’ is to Mayweather. It was astonishing to me how he sits passively in a certain position, and in a very awkward way, attacks with very good precision when and where you don’t anticipate. I thought he totally outclassed Bute to the point that I would actually stop short of correcting anyone who felt compelled enough to drag out that famous “E” word we hear so often (exposed).
I always talk about the proverbial tool belt, and often, the winner of a fight comes down to who has more tools in that belt, and enough toughness to remain durable while executing with it. Bute has been viewed in a very high way for quite some time, but the very limited Librado Andrade already showed us that he could be overcome. Granted, Bute was able to avenge that loss in a devastating fashion, but all he has ever shown us was decent power and some slightly above average skills. Short of that, we really haven’t seen much from Bute to warrant the distinction of a top Super Middleweight that many gave him.
Some in the media actually stated that he would have won the Super Six Tournament had he been part of it, and to me, that was a complete joke. Bute is certainly a good fighter, but most failed to note that he had only gone the distance in a fight once in the past four years (Glen Johnson). That tells me two things: (A) he hasn’t faced any truly formidable competition lately, and (B) it was bound to catch up with him, because anyone who can be hurt that has someone across from them who they can’t easily hurt is bound to have a long night. Kelly Pavlik learned this the hard way stepping in against another crafty vet in Bernard Hopkins.
At the end of the day, Bute needs to regroup and work on getting in some quality rounds. This was his first shot at the elite level and we learned quickly he wasn’t quite elite. I have no doubt that we’ll see him return stronger. Regarding Froch, I’d love to see him face Kessler again, this time in Nottingham, because it’s only fair. Not quite as interested in the Ward rematch, and when asked, Froch didn’t sound interested either. I say Kessler in a rematch is the best place to start, but I wouldn’t quite mind seeing Martinez come up to 168 or a comparable catchweight to make that fight. That would be a helluva stylistic matchup. Lets see what happens next. Stay tuned!
Javier C. (Reseda, CA): It was reported that Juan Manuel Marquez stated that he would only face Pacquiao outside of Las Vegas because he has not gotten a fair decision there in any of the 3 fights they had. Do you think there’s even any interest in a fourth fight? And do you think he would have better luck anywhere else?
Vivek W.: I think whether or not there’s a market for a fourth fight between the two really comes down to who you ask. If they put this fight in Cowboys Stadium, could they do good numbers? Absolutely. A fight between these two with proper promotion would easily outdo both the Clottey and Margarito fights. On the PPV circuit, I’m really not so sure how it would pan out, but I do know for a fact they’d do over 1 million homes, which is a helluva night, regardless! Many feel the novelty of this particular matchup has simply worn off, but honestly, as a fan of the sport, I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t watch it, and so would you!
Every last fight has been entertaining. Every last fight has gone down to the wire with controversy or strong belief that the man who didn’t get the nod should have. I’d be the fist to admit, the storyline has gotten old, but the flipside to that equation is hey, could you really see the sport giving Pacquaio another ‘gift’ decision? Sad part is that answering that question truthfully, YES, I could see that happening….but I’d like to think the likelihood would be far less. Then again, you do have the Texas commission at the center of this (if they do in fact go to Cowboy Stadium). And we all know that anything goes in Texas when it comes to Boxing.
There are just so many different variables and none give definitive answers…..sort of like the past 3 fights between these two guys! To narrow it all down and answer your questions directly, yes, I do think a fourth fight would draw major interest, and secondly, I felt the second fight (not the first fight like everyone else) was a clear Marquez victory and the third one was even more decisive in my book. If Marquez can do what he did in that last fight again, I think with all of the scrutiny of the past, the judges in this particular fight would almost have to act accordingly, or risk facing some strong backlash!
Hanley S. (London, UK): Carl Froch vs Joe Calzaghe. Who wins that fight (if they were to square off at the prime of their careers)?
Vivek W.: Tough call. For starters, when is the “prime of Froch’s career”? Because he looked the best we’ve ever seen him the other day. But to answer your question, we watched Calzaghe squeak out a Split Decision against Bernard Hopkins, and Hopkins’ style doesn’t come close to Froch’s, in terms of risk taking and aggression. I really think Calzaghe would have had his hands full. He liked to do that pitter-patter thing and pepper a guy with a ton of shots, but how effective would it have been against a cagey veteran like Carl Froch? I really think Froch would have given him a lot to handle…..maybe even more than he could handle.
This is a fight I would have loved to see, personally, and it’s one that would have been epic! Both men come to fight. Both men have very good ring IQ’s, and both men know how to turn the tide and shift scoring into their favors when they feel a need to press on the gas. I think it would have been a truly entertaining bout, and to be quite frank, I would fancy Froch in the bout, simply because he wouldn’t be there to get hit as much as Calzaghe depended on his opponents to do so, and he would have been able to get to Calzaghe far better than Hopkins did in a close call (if I can use that fight as a barometer). Too bad we’ll never know, but hey, it was a helluva hypothetical fight to chew on!
