This week’s email bag has some very candid opinions that you the boxing fan will appreciate reading. A Manny Pacquiao fan wants to know what it takes for him to get the respect he truly deserves, to another one who wants to interject his own belief system as to clarifying “The Greatest” Muhammad Ali and Angelo Dundee’s duality in brotherhood – to which I’ll have my say to saying poppycock to that specific fan. We have one grade school youngster who tugged at my heart to place him in contact with his favorite fighter, with the increasing consistent bulk of mailing that makes us all happy.
Is Barrera afraid of Pacquiao?? I think the Golden Boy’s baby-face assassin is playing not to lose.. avoiding the one that pounded him on the 11th rd.. Pacquiao 2.0 jacques de molay
Jacques,
You see that’s exactly why I’ve said all along that these things need to get ironed out before any fight takes place. It isn’t a question of getting into the ring that simplistically gets done. Roach has to haggle with Oscar in the eventuality for that to happen. Guess who’s going to come out on top when the deal is made? And I don’t buy that $$$$$$$ stuff of it because De La Hoya could even resurrect Tito out of retirement and make a mint surpassing record sales compared to some other matches. What I’m saying is that right now MAB has a very big fight against Jesus Chavez, and that’s no small fry. Folks just have to realize that the magnitude of a Barrera Vs Pacquiao II encounter could very well be the highest grossing boxing event in the Junior Lightweight division. It has the potential to surpass even some of the bigger boys.
It’ll more than likely happen, but not when anyone else says they’ll want it.
Now that Marco Antonio Barrera is fighting Jesus Chavez, does a win against Chavez mean that Manny Pacquiao will fight the winner? What do you think.
Brandon
Brandon,
I do about as much matchmaking as the next guy, but I think that will be in the short term for splitting hairs or egos getting in the way to do right now.
I hope it isn’t so, but if the money isn’t going to smooth the transaction for all concerned, then I’d tend to think that it’ll be harder to do. Manny just may decide a whole other plan.
For MAB, he has to stay focused and take Chavez seriously who is a fighting warrior.
I am a longtime boxing fan spoiled by the 70’s and early 80’s and have a big problem with the inundation of PPV fights currently. First of all I never liked Jones because he was a terrific businessman with fast reflex’s, but not a fighter. I followed Bernard from the beginning and supported him all the way until post Trinidad, which ofcourse was his greatest outing. After that he became RJJ II and was ultracautious with everyone until they began to self-destruct at which point he would tap in the final nails. In my opinion a PPV fight is about 2 not 1 great fighter; Both in their primes or close to it, who are willing to lay it all on the line. Best Example Castillo vs Corrales. Certainly 1 great boxer with the heart of a lion and 1 great fighter okay. Best Example Ali vs Frazier. 2 Ultra cautious counterpunches who lost their last 5 fights collectively. What are they fighting for Who is the biggest loser. We already know who that is – Anyone who would pay to see it. Peace!
Doug Hattier
Doug,
Whether you looked at these fighters three and four years ago, or today, it’s still a match that’ll be made even though we’d wished it happened in ’01 or ’02. Would it still cause a stir in the boxing business to see Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad resurface for fight number 2? You bet. Only a fraction look at that 1999 fight to be a replica today, and yet the fight would make money. That’s all up to the buyer and not up to anyone else to decide.
Well credited article. Luis Rodriguez gets little recognition that he deserves. Napoles is another. I did not know Dundee was involved with him being he left Cuba and fought out of Mexico. Dundee then was involved with another controversial bout as he was part of Ali-Liston’s, Pastrano-Johnson and Backus-Napoles. My only problem with this article is saying the Gospel truth was spread by Ali? Ali does not recognize The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Dundee is a Catholic, not Christian. And there is a difference like night and day. Christians do not think you can WORK your way to Heaven, but Catholics like most other religions do. Our Jesus didn’t need anyone on earth’s help.
Ken Hissner
Ken,
I didn’t see a controversy in Jose’s fights with Backus other than each one won with wide cuts factoring in those outcomes, but that’s just the way I saw it, and you’re entitled to your opinion. As for Ali’s similarities to be a charitable type and carrying “Christian-like” qualities, there’s nothing demeaning or thought of being lesser for those actions.
Everyone knows to be an authority on religion, but to see the equation and direct linkage to a singular God, no? If assuming for a moment that he does exists, then I believe he’s good enough for everyone. Last I looked Catholics have been Christians without a doubt because they’ve always known to being saved by it by grace. You neglected to mention Paul in Acts 17:16-33, and his confidence was so huge that he told a group of Athenian philosophers that the God they served was the same. Nobody necessarily has to believe in it for them to believe it for themselves, any more than I can serve to convince you or anyone else that I carry around legions of helpers that may or may not be so foreign for you to even get into a too longer detailed dialog here with. The point I’m making is that if you have an affiliation for something good, the simplistic approach if there be something of substance to it; effects in a positive way which takes form. Religion is just your belief, not the byproduct of even preexisting circumstances.
George, if a guy of lesser caliber would be fighting ERIK that night, lets say a jorge barrios, will ERIK still be receiving the same beating he got from MANNY? frankly, Filipinos are a bit insulted by their excuse that age has caught up with him…. if he lost to another fighter that night, WILL HE STILL USE THE SAME EXCUSE??? we need it to hear from people all over the world that MANNY beat him fair and square!!!!!
Pre
Pre,
I doubt it’d be anything of that kind to say something like that in excuses. What everyone saw was the better fighter winning that night, end of story.
Mr. Smith, I came across an article of yours when searching for info about one of my favorite fighters — Wilfredo Gomez. I noticed that you mentioned that you had him at #7 (tie) on your Top 10 list of fighters…but I was unable to find your actual Top 10 list. If you don’t mind, could you either supply a link where I can view this list or jot it down and email it to me. Thank you!
Benton Hitt
Benton,
We had achieves for which you’re speaking. However, that list which I made wasn’t exactly complete with the number one guy missing. I’ll make one on that fighter later with the whole list. I worked scrolling down from Ali (the no. 2 man) down to Paul Pender, who was my tenth pick. My favorite All-time pick was Joe Louis in case you didn’t know. You could go beneath our site and punch in my full name with the credited article you seek in looking for with Goggle’s searching engine on the bottom of this page. It should be there. Thanks for your inquiry my friend.
Hello Mister Smith my name is Ian Kent I am a young boxing fan of Martin “El Gallo” Castillo from New Zealand. I was wondering if you could please help me get in contact with him please. Best wishes from New Zealand
Ian Kent
Ian,
Your letter for me is touching. It just so happens that I could do my very best to place you in touch with him through his manager of note, Mr. Frank Espinoza, somebody I’m sure has a great heart for children. I’ll forward your school’s address including your home room number that you sent me to forward, and ask to send you El Gallo Castillo’s contact as his fan. Email me right back however to let me know which teacher in attendance will accept your mail there for you on school grounds, or if you’d want it sent to your own forwarding address delivered. You can take it from there and strike a good friendship. It might even come handy when you hand in your next school’s assignment that most undoubtedly you’ll render when you do for a great story read.
Note: Ian rewrote, and he’s since sent me an email for which I’ll forward to the particulars. Go on Ian!
George who was your favorite Lightweight from back in the day, and the fastest?
How would Jose Luis Castillo compare to them?
Benjamin
Benjamin,
Surely I have never seen such a speedster emerge in the lightweight division since I’ve seen Howard Davis, JR., fighting in the ’76 Olympic games, and having 1973-76 spanning a trend of winning 125 out of 130 fights. Won the World amateur Championships in Cuba, four times New York Golden Gloves, and Howard was so fast it was a blur to the eye.
My favorite lightweight has to be Roberto Duran. I just don’t see how any lightweight either from the 80’s thru today that could have even had touched him.
Jose Luis Castillo would’ve had problems with Davis’s speed. Howard was not a big puncher, but he could blind you with speeds and mobility to keep you from setting your foot to deliver a punch more correctly or accurately, which would have been the beacon for Davis’ intermittently tying his adversary up, not to mention getting some stitches.
Duran would have kayoed Castillo had they fought. Not many would’ve stood a chance to stand for the entire duration at his best, and, even had Julio Cesar Chavez gone up 137 or so to meet the legendary Hands of Stone for his title, that would’ve been a better match, but Duran would had gotten to him too. Roberto could torture fighters by boxing tearing away at the body tissues snarling at you, talking to you, or just plain smiling in your face. Sometimes he’d just be stoic looking or emotionless, carrying that game face of his, but when he hit you, you’ve really been hit. Even some staunch Benny Leonard loyalist have changed their opinions and gotten makeovers getting on the Duran bandwagon. Duran could not only box, but he was the most tenacious attacker that broke more foundations down, that if you had to make an adage for calling it, you’d have to say he made all of them fear him. His punch was no fable. Ask some of his ups to 160-pound sparring mates, they’ll tell you.
“El Cholo” Duran was the best lightweight.
