Boxing has been heating up this year with many big fights haven already taken place and many more promised in the near future. There is also plenty of news going on regarding potential match ups and fights that have fallen through. A lot of big names are in the mix and in this edition of Inside the Game I try my best to break them all down.
Last Saturday night Shane Mosley scored his biggest win in recent years with a 10th round TKO victory of Fernando Vargas. Neither fighter is at their prime anymore but they both dug deep enough to give us something meaningful. Mosley proved that he isn’t afraid to go heads up with a bigger man and showed glimpses of his brilliant body attack that set him apart when he was at his best. Vargas showed he still has the passion and strength to hang in there and made a real fight out of it. With the win Mosley has returned to the spotlight and has mentioned of taking on the best in the Welterweight division. As good as it is to see Shane back to his winning ways I don’t know if he would be successful against Floyd Mayweather or Antonio Margarito. I think Floyd’s speed and skills would give Shane trouble, while a fight with Margarito would be almost too hard to call. In a Mosley-Margarito match up it really depends on which version of Shane shows up.
Vernon Forrest has had to pull out of his April 15th bout with Ike Quartey due an injury in training. I have known Vernon for many years now and it’s a shame to see such a great guy suffer so many injuries over a period of time. I have heard rumors that Kassim Ouma has laid down the gauntlet to Team Quartey, offering to fill in for Forrest on the 15th. If Ouma-Quartey were to come off I think it could be an even better fight than Quartey-Forrest. Quartey is gradually working his way back to top form and while some point to his 5-year layoff as a weakness, they also forget that it has helped to keep Quartey well preserved. Kassim sets a fast pace and I would have to give him the edge but Quartey isn’t a pushover and he could give the young kid troubles with his hammering jab. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out.
IBF Lightweight Champion Jesus Chavez has had to pull out of his March 25th date with Marco Antonio Barrera due to rotator cuff and bicep muscle injuries that took place in training. That was especially hard for me to take since I had a feeling Chavez-Barrera was going to turn out to be a great fight. Many people were picking Barrera in a landslide but I actually would have given the edge to Chavez, who is the bigger man. Bobby Pacquiao and Carlos Hernandez have been mentioned as replacements to Chavez, but with Jesus out for up to six months I have to wonder if Barrera has the urge to pursue a rematch with the man who dominated and stopped him, Manny Pacquiao. I knew for a while that Barrera was reluctant towards a second meeting with the Filipino brawler but with the recent turn of events it wouldn’t surprise me to see Marco pursue that fight. Either way I’d favor Pacquiao again.
Newly crowned Welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir has reportedly been pegged to fight always action Arturo Gatti later this summer. I feel great for Baldomir, as this is a payday he truly deserves, much more so than the man he beat, Zab Judah, will receive against Floyd Mayweather on April 8th. As good of a story as he is, Carlos Baldomir is a basic fighter and I expect Gatti to take care of things and again become champion. It isn’t surprising to see Gatti again popping up in big fights. Simply put, his blood and guts style has captured the hearts of many fans and for that reason alone there will always be room for a guy like Arturo.
This weekend Miguel Cotto will be doing his thing in Puerto Rico as he defends his WBO Jr. Welterweight belt against Gianluca Branco. I see this fight as a step towards bigger things for Miguel and if he comes out victorious it looks like he will be meeting outspoken and flashy Paulie Malignaggi on June 10th in New York. Malignaggi is good and he could create some problems for Cotto. Paulie’s speed could possibly befuddle Cotto, who I feel is too methodical in his attack. It’s a competitive fight if it comes off but I say that Cotto is too physical, too strong, and simply too proven for an untested fighter like Malignaggi. Plus it will be hard for Paulie, going up against a guy like Cotto with no power to fend him off. I should know, I had no power myself when I was fighting and it makes you have to work that much harder.
It is being said that Manny Pacquiao’s May 20th fight against Oscar Larios in the Philippines may not be televised by HBO. There seems to be some political turmoil going on in the Philippines and for the safety of everyone involved HBO may decide against flying their crew out there. For a young fighter coming off of his biggest win as a professional, taking a fight off-television just doesn’t add up. Pacquiao is a rock star in his home country but he needs further exposure in the United States, where there are plenty of great fighters besides himself. Regardless of what happens with HBO, Pacquiao just needs to win and everything should take care of itself.
And last but not least, this weekend we will be seeing Jeff Lacy in his biggest moment as a professional when he meets fellow champion Joe Calzaghe overseas in England. This is a classic boxer-puncher match up and I really feel Lacy will come through. I like Lacy. He is the type of fighter who really brings it. You just get the sense that Lacy is down for whatever. The guy comes to fight and a big win over Calzaghe could open up a lot of doors for him, one possibly being a huge all-Florida showdown with Antonio Tarver, whom he has called out recently. But that’s another story altogether.
Until next time…
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