Hello RSR readers and welcome to the RSR mailbag, hosted by me, Geno McGahee. I want to first thank you people again for the support and for making this the #1 mailbag on the net. Anyway, my good buddy Matt and I went on an adventure yesterday to find an abandoned amusement park. We have heard of its existence and went to investigate. I make horror movies and that setting would be ideal. It would also be ideal if I were making a movie about Scooby Doo. So, we make our way to what used to be “Mount Tom,” and that is where: “Mountain Park,” the amusement park once stood. So, we walked into the heavily wooded area and we began to follow the trail. It led around this big body of water and ended up being a 5 mile walk, and with no Coke machine in sight, I’m surprised that I made it the entire way.
It was over 90 degrees and there were actually people running in this heat! I couldn’t believe it! I wanted to trip them and tell them to slow down, because, let’s face it, people die in this heat left and right. I would have been saving a life. Okay, the adventure seemed to be a failure, but that’s when we found some trees popping out of cement. There it was…a mini golf course that time was not kind to, and a bunch of picnic tables where people used to eat. The roller coasters were there, but they were on the ground completely. The park was completely dead, but it was nice to see it anyway. Then there was the clown that ran out and handed us balloons. Apparently, Mountain Park never told him that they were closing their doors. Okay, I made up that last part about the clown.
I really don’t like the way that all the smaller amusement parks have either closed down or have sold out to the big boys like Six Flags. I used to live near this wonderful park: Riverside, and they were reasonably priced and the lines were not that long. Well, Six Flags has taken over and you have to wait in line for an hour for a 2 minute ride. I refuse to go back…50 bucks per person to get in…that is ridiculous! You have my word people that when I get rich, I will open an affordable amusement park. I will have clowns that hand out balloons, but no antique cars. Have you ever been on a ride called “the Antique cars?” You sit in this incredibly small car that looks like it came out of the 1920s or so and it moves about 3 miles per hour. It was horrible, but my mother was overly concerned when I was a child and placed me on the least scary rides, but she also placed me in the Boy Scouts. Everything considered, that was quite the hypocritical move.
Alright, since I have not mentioned boxing at all as of yet, I should probably move on to the mailbag, unless you would like to talk about amusement parks all day.
SOME THUNDER
How’s it going geno?
You’re the G i-know. Ok that was kinda lame. I’m just trying to be funny like you, but i failed miserably. Speaking of failing miserably, did you watch the gatti-baldomir fight? If i recall correctly…you predicted the outcome perfectly. Gatti got pounded like a jailbaits backside. In the wake of the bout, I realize it’s time to say farewell to my favorite underdog, the always dramatic, blood and guts warrior with unrelenting will power and heart, Arturo Gatti.
Gatti leaves behind a wealth of fond memories with all of us boxing fans. I feel that he has secured a spot in the hall of fame not for his elite talent, but for his exhibitions of tremendous heart and warrior spirit. What are your thoughts on his legacy? Out of all of the elite prize fighters past and present, who are the top 5 with the most HEART? always appreciate your thoughts Geno!
Titi Malake
Titi,
It’s alright man…at least you can admit that it was lame. I went to a wedding and I was sat right next to this moron, Dan. Anyway, he was saying bad joke after bad joke that he must have gotten from the internet or a joke book of some sort. My wife and I were not impressed. I tried to change the topic and brought up college. “Dan, are you going back,” I inquired. “Geno, I think that I am. I’m going into underwater basket weaving. I heard that there’s a lot of money in that,” he replied with a big grin on his goofy, bloated face. He then looked at my wife and said: “You gotta admit that that’s funny.” She just shook her head and she was raised that if you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all. She changes that policy when she talks to me however.
I did watch the Gatti-Baldomir bout and by golly, I was right on the money. I’m pretty good at picking when Gatti loses. I was right on target when he faced PBF too. When I worked for another website that will remain nameless, I had an argument with another writer for the site that was not only anti-Floyd, but racist to boot. Okay, he picked Gatti by KO because he was Italian and so was Gatti and he constantly took shots at Floyd’s masculinity. Anyway, I had picked Floyd by 6th round KO and shut that idiot right up. It was fantastic. Now that I’m at RSR, I can’t consider any of my fellow writers here idiots, and that’s a good thing.
Arturo “Thunder” Gatti was overrated for sure, but I think that he does belong in the boxing hall of fame because of his exhibitions of heart and he really exemplified the spirit of the warrior. People are always going to remember him and he has had some pretty good wins in his career. He just wasn’t an elite fighter, capable of competing with the big boys of the game. I think that they should have a place reserved for Micky Ward as well. Put them in there together because they really gave quite a gift to the game and the fans.
Okay, top 5 fighters that had the heart of all time. Now, remember, these are the names that come to mind and there might be more and ones that I forgot, but you will have to cut me that slack. Hmm. Let’s start with Arturo Gatti…he would never quit in there and had so many come from behind victories. Diego Corrales is another that showed his true heart in the first Jose Luis Castillo encounter, but he has also showed it in the past. The Castillo bout just sticks out. Evander Holyfield, as much as I dislike many of his tactics and his holier than thou attitude, I can’t dispute his heart. He would never quit! What about George Foreman? He is an all time great that just stood in there and took a beating and kept on moving forward…he is simply amazing. Can I make a list of all time biggest hearts and not mention Ali? Yes, I am critical of Ali more than most, but he would take his beating and never quit, which has caused him a great deal in the end. So, there are 5 names that come to mind…there are many more, but those were the first 5 that hit me.
PUNK ME…SURE!
Hey Geno kickembambino
Love your stuff man and you have me dying all the time. It seems you know your boxing. I like that and if I see you, I will not punk you now because I know that.
Here are my questions
Roy Jones vs Tony Zale Alexis Arguello vs Diego Corrales Rocky Marciano vs Sam Peter My nagging old lady vs her pain in the ass mother (she don’t like her either)
The Man
The Man,
How’s it going my friend? I’m happy to see that you are enjoying the site and I do know boxing, but you would have punked me if I did not. Now are you talking about punk as in tell me off and I would just stand there like a little @#$@$#, or are you talking about punk like the MTV show Punk’d, where you play a practical joke on me? Whatever the case, don’t you know that I was a Backyard Boxing Champion and took on all comers (within reason), and never ducked anyone (for the most part), and always won (losses are never discussed)? Now, to answer your questions…
RJJ destroys the smaller Tony Zale without question in my mind. Zale was good, but Jones, JR., in his prime would mop the floor with him.
I know that many might disagree with this, but I would pick Corrales by late KO over Arguello in an all out war.
Sam Peter plows over Rocky Marciano with relative ease. Marciano is the most overrated Heavyweight Champion of all time, and although he has the heart of a lion, I don’t see him standing up to the power of Peter. 185 pounds going against 240 is a tough proposition. Your nagging old lady vs. your mother-in-law. Hmm. Do you really call her a “nagging old lady” to her face, or is this something that you merely share with the boys? This entire punking thing and old lady comment have me thinking. Please don’t tell me that you have a barbed wire tattoo around your arm and a hat with “no fear” written upon it. You can’t be one of those guys…can you? You don’t have a bumper sticker that reads: The Only Passengers Allowed are Blondes, Brunettes, and Red Heads, do you? Do you drive around without a shirt on? I just don’t want to think of you as one of those people that fit into this category… Now, I would favor your wife because of the youth factor.
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
hey Geno,
i hate to admit it but im slowly but surely getting addicted in reading youre column! since youre into heavy metal to, what can you say about metallica? i love their songs and you dont mention them on article on your comments when talking about heavy metal bands,probably youre a fan of Poison,cinderella and bon jovi!they sold over 100 million albums and after 25 years they still rocks!
Kulantro
Kulantro,
Why do you hate to admit it? I love the fact that my mailbag has such a following and I want everyone to be proud and say: “Geno Bambino’s Mailbag Rocks!” I was a big fan of Metallica in the early days…before they made their way onto MTV. I loved “Kill’Em All” and “And Justice for All,” and I even liked “The Black Album,” but when they began this quest to eliminate file sharing on line, they lost me as a fan. I do respect the fact that the donated one of their songs to the documentary: Paradise Lost, which concerns three innocent youths that are still in prison as I write this. They were railroaded because they were into the gothic look and listened to heavy metal, and were immediately labeled Satanists. The fear mongering convinced a jury to lock them away. If you get a chance, pick up the DVD: Paradise Lost, and judge for yourself. I have also read two books concerning the case and I have concluded that they are in fact, innocent.
I wasn’t a big fan of the hair bands like Poison, Bon Jovi, Warrant, and Motley Crue, but I did like some of their music. I am a big fan of Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, Judas Priest, Danzig, and Dio. I am still a fan of these bands and still listen to them frequently. I don’t’ have a mullet (anymore) and I don’t wear denim jackets with a band’s name on the back. Looking at me, you would have never guessed that at one time, I had long hair, wore strictly black, and tried to give off this menacing vibe so nobody would @#$#@$@ with me. Now, the long hair is gone. I wear many other colors other than black, and I no longer try to be menacing. I the happy guy that occasionally kicks people in the grapes.
DR. GENO
Hi Master Geno!
I’m from Manila actually and i’ve been reading your articles most of the time. It’s my past time since i work in a call center. How are you? Well love sucks! I just broke up with my girlfriend! haha! Anyway i know your not Dr. Love! haha! just cheering you up!
This are my questions, as far as you know.. Who is the richest boxer right now? All time? Richest filipino boxer? Can you please tell us to the best of your knowledge when it comes to the wealth or income of the boxer’s inside the ring only? Hoping for your reply.. Mabuhay!
Chris Ylagan =)
Chris,
I’m happy that I can take you away from that incredibly horrible job at the call center. I couldn’t handle dealing with phones all day…you are a stronger man than I. Don’t worry though. My other job is not that stimulating. I am nightly dispatch for a security company and also work at a chemical plant, checking in trucks. So, I know a painful job just like you do. Too bad about your girlfriend, but sometimes you have to end it. I remember the time that I had to end it with one of my ex-girlfriends. Oh, it wasn’t really anything that bad…she was just cheating on me with a few other dudes. She then blamed me for it, saying that I worked too many hours! I thank my lucky starts that I have a brain in my head and I never proposed marriage to that girl. We were together for over a year and it was horrible! We fought all the time…and when we broke up, I was so relieved. I’m a sap/moron when it comes to women. I will be extremely upset about something and tell myself: “This time, it’s over. I don’t give a flying @#$#@!” Then they arrive and they start telling me a sob story, and my anger is gone. So, I cannot qualify as Dr. Love. I am Dr. Grapes in Wife’s Purse. Okay, maybe not that bad…but most of the “compromises” that my wife and I make, remarkably favor her…
First I would say that Oscar De La Hoya is the richest boxer in the game right now. Who made the most money with their in-ring career…I’m not really sure. Mike Tyson was supposed to make a bundle, but he pissed a lot of it away and Don King may have taken a big chunk. Evander Holyfield made a lot of money in his career as well. What about George Foreman…he made huge money in his second comeback. Ray Leonard made a lot of money for sure…so, it’s tough to say. Richest Filipino would have to be Manny Pacquiao. He is HUGE worldwide and even a small percentage of the collective purse from his last 5 fights is a fortune.
FUTURE PLANS
Geno,
I just wanna asked if erik morales will lose to pacquiao ,what is his plans or for you what is the best move for him? vice versa if erik will win ,what is his plans, or what is the best move for him?
Masterjelion
Masterjelion,
If Erik Morales should lose again to Manny, I suspect that he will retire. He is a very proud warrior and this is probably his last fight, win or lose. I get this feeling that he took this fight to prove to himself that the guy that was easily defeated by Zahir Raheem and stopped by Pacman in the rematch. Win or lose, he is going to give his all and this will be a very tough bout for Manny and he had better take it seriously.
You see, the bigwigs that run the show hope to God that Erik Morales loses that rubber match because the Pacman is one of the biggest attractions in the game and as long as he keeps on winning, they are going to be all set. Morales has basically run his course and in boxing, an all time great cannot leave on a victory. They have to violently pass the torch, but in this case, they want it passed twice. There are many underestimating EM at this time and that is a mistake. He might just surprise many people, but I still pick Pac to win, and like I said, either way, Morales rides off into the sunset.
PACMAN VS. BABY BULL
Geno,
Considering that PacMan has called out the bigger Diaz, what is your take on this potential match-up? Back in the day when I graduated high school @ 5’8″ & 115 lbs. there were no scales to step on when some bigger, stronger guy just had to try to make a name by fighting a “graduate.” They just bit the dust (usually) even though I was usually giving up 20~40 pounds to the poor unfortunates! Five pounds to a guy the size of PacMan is nothing given his heart in the ring. It would be a lot if he tried to lose it since he is already in top shape.
As for Larios, he should stay @ 130 since it was obvious from his earlier fights that he could not make weight. He could probably beat most of the other 130 pounders esp. once Manny softens them up. He WILL have to deal with BPac someday though providing BPac truely can step from his brother’s shadow & become his own man. As an American married to aFilipina I am happy to see that my faith in Manny, dating back some 5 years has not been misplaced. The guy is on every street corner at least 4 or 5 times in various ads. He is making hay while the sun shines & has all the earmarks of being one who has planned for his days after boxing. This land has 5 “National Sports”…boxing, basketball, billiards, cockfighting and President Bashing. Manny takes center stage & makes the country forget that nobody has enough to eat & the president is a crook & a tyrant. He unites the people as few, if any, other figures do worldwide in their respective countries. Keep it up Manny & take on all comers within reason!
Jerry Lynch
Jerry,
I used to beat up guys too. Old Mr. Deck, my next door neighbor thought he could get away with denting my car with his motorized cart. He paid for it. Wow, I’m getting a plethora of tough guys this week. Five pounds can make a big difference when it comes to boxing, but in this case, I don’t think so. Diaz is all heart and will fight this bout very courageously. If his chin is stone, he may just take the decision. If it is not, Pacman will find out early because Diaz is a pressure fighter and he would be running right into the storm. It would be an incredibly interesting bout and I think that the Baby Bull deserves a big payday, and this would be it. I say: Go ahead with the bout!
Larios needs to stay at 130 for sure, but I still rank him a notch below the better fighters of the division. Bobby Pacquiao is currently fighting out of his brother’s shadow. He doesn’t have the skill or power of Manny, but he has the heart and feel for the game. Politicians are usually crooked, worldwide. I have no faith in the U.S. government for the most part either. I don’t want to turn this into a political column, but as a whole, we should be doing better than we are, and as long as we have politicians looking out for the people that brought them there, they will never have our best interests at heart. I think that it’s great that Manny is taking his position seriously as an idol and doing all of the right things.
THE HITMAN’S LOSS
Hi Geno, or at least that was your name the last time I was on now its – Geno Bambino loveboy and all kinds of weirdness.
Having watched the Gatti-Baldomir fight at the weekend I am very confused at to what Hattons next step will be. Baldomir is not the greatest fighter out there, is beatable but I fear he would dwarf Hatton. Collazo showed the size. Mayweather is more comfortable at the weight & I think would be able take Baldomirs title. So Mayweather will go for that fight. Margarito again I think would be too big and dangerous for Hatton to fight at this point. Gatti is gone, still to be remembered as a true warrior – I think he got through rounds 7 & 8 on pure guts.
The Cotto fight seems the best choice for Hatton but he would have to leave the best weight in Boxing. How would see a Mosley – Hatton fight? If your Billy ‘Preacher’ Graham who’s your oppponent of choice.
P.S. On UK tv Graham looked gutted after the Gatti fight, he said he had just lost a fortune on that result and said in his opinion Hatton is a junior welterweight – but money dictates.
Cheers,
Gerard from Belfast.
Gerard,
Where have you been man? I haven’t heard from you in months! Okay, I do have many nicknames, thanks to the great RSR fans and I appreciate them all. Ricky Hatton lost a lot when Gatti came crashing to the canvas. Arturo Gatti was the prize. He brought the people to the arena and would have probably done better against a guy like Hatton as opposed to Carlos Baldomir. Hatton would have stood right in front of him and gave him the opportunities to score and who knows what would have happened. Most likely Hatton wins big, but you can’t count Gatti out. Hatton looked at Gatti as most insiders of the sport did. He’s low risk, but high reward, and you always are going to make money fighting him.
Miguel Cotto-Ricky Hatton is one of the best fights in boxing right now. Both fighters are huge punchers and both have defensive flaws, and both are also in their primes. You cannot ask for a better fight and I would pay top dollar to see this encounter. Mosley vs. Hatton would be an ugly fight with Hatton probably winning a close decision. I think that too many people are misled by the performance of Mosley against Vargas. People saying: “He’s back,” are not living in reality. Mosley was a great fighter, but now he has been reduced to pretty good. I can’t see him as a threat to PBF and I see Hatton eking out the win over the distance.
Boxing is a money sport…so expect Hatton to follow the trail of dollar bills. I am convinced though that Hatton-Cotto would be a huge sell, and what about Corrales-Hatton? Not too shabby either.
PAY PER VIEWS
Geno,
Thanks for your PPV article. I feel like you have you finger on the pulse of ring attractions vs. boxing ‘cards.’ You are right–the undercards are pathetic and the main events are laughable. I enjoyed your comments above, but you have forgetten for Pacquiao one of the best fighters in his own division–Jorge Barrios. This guy is an unorthodox fighter, and by the demolition of his last opponent, I am sure BARRERA will never face him. So I would add PACQUIAO v. BARRIOS to your PPV. Barrios, like Margarito, is carefully avoided by 130 & 135 fighters.
BTW, Maskaev is NOT PPV worthy, but Rahman v. Klitschko (Wlad. or Vit.) is a PPV event at Hwt!
Question–who does Brock (Hwt)need to fight next?
ArawakWarria
ArawakWarria,
How is it going my friend? Jorge Barrios is a good fighter, but I really think that he is not PPV worthy and I don’t think that he would challenge the Pacman all that much. He is awkward and a big puncher, but I’m not impressed with his ability to take a shot. I think that Pacman would check his chin early and end it early, but Barrios is capable of pulling the upset under the right circumstances.
Oleg Maskaev should not be on a PPV. I don’t really care what the circumstances are. The people running the show are so greedy that they want to tag a 50 dollar price tag on any fight that is even remotely interesting. Trust me, in the future, HBO will probably only show bits of the replays after the PPV in an effort to force the viewer to purchase the event. I am so disgusted by the greed in this industry and as I continue to get deeper and deeper into the game, I am amazed to see just how many boxers get the shaft when it comes time to pay them. Rahman vs. Wlad in a WBC/IBF unification bout would be interesting and PPV worthy, should they have a good under card, which is a huge part of the event, in my opinion.
PACMAN VS. VALERO
hey Geno!
wat’s up! very good column! i’m always read the articles of other avid fan of boxing and your reply and comments in their messages! i just asking.. who do you think will win in Manny Pacquiao-Edwin Valero fight? it s possible to meet this hard fisted fighters? Is there any news about Prince Hamed? is he retired? tnx a lot pal!more power and God bless! Adios
CraShOverRide
Crashoverride,
What’s up? Oh, not much. You know the way that it is. Why do people automatically assume that the person that they are talking with knows how it is? I get that a lot. “Hey, how’s it going,” I will ask, and they will reply: “Geno, you know how it is.” Even if I haven’t met this person, they will say the same thing, and a lot of the time, I don’t know how it is. From now on, I am going to tell them that I don’t know how it is and if they don’t like that, they can stick it you know where. There’s another thing…I might have to tell them where you know where is.
Okay, back to business. Valero is still too green to take on Pacman, but should they face off in the near future, you still have to lean toward the Pacman because of experience and Valero still isn’t a proven elite fighter. Prince Hamed is in prison for dangerous driving, I believe. I think that he got a one year sentence and there was talk about a comeback prior to the imprisonment, but it seemed to be all talk. He is well past his better days and any big fight with a big name now would just be a loss for the Prince and a payday.
DURABLE MEXICAN
Geno,
Kamusta!(Hello in Filipino).I’m a big Pacquiao fan. Isn’t it that Mexican fighters are the most durable fighters in the world? Then why has my man, the “Pacman” been able to deck basically all the Hombres he has fought? Moreover, these Mexicans range from good to excellent boxers, all have world-championship caliber.
To enumerate:
Gabriel Mira – 4 times
Emmanuel Lucero – 1 time
Marco A. Barrera- 3 times
Juan M. Marquez – 3 times
Hector Velasquez- 1 time
Erik Morales – 2 times
Oscar Larios – 2 times
For a total of 16 times to theirs 0,none against Pacquiao. What can you say?
Thanks and more power!
Boogie
Tanay, Rizal Philippines
Boogie,
How are you doing my friend? I don’t necessarily think that being Mexican makes you more durable, but there have been many Mexican warriors. Julio Cesar Chavez was incredibly tough and durable. Anyway, MAB and EM are at the tail end of their career and they are not what they once were. This is not taking away from Manny’s achievement, but looking at it objectively, you can’t say that he beat them in their primes. You can say that he knocked them out when nobody else could. That’s for sure. So, the torch has been passed from the EM+MAB combo to the Pacman.
Juan Manuel Marquez was in his prime when he felt the wrath of Pac though and I don’t think that anybody has questioned the overall power of Manny or the accuracy which is also a big asset. It’s just tough for me to say that this guy is Mexican and therefore, he is tougher than this guy that is not. Azumah Nelson was one of the toughest guys ever and he did not come from Mexico. There is a lot of Mexican pride though and I will recognize that and they love and pay very close attention to the game, but I’m not ready to proclaim them the toughest race or whatever. It’s man versus man and the person with the most skill and heart wins.
GO BACK TO YOUR CORNER
Geno,
I suggest that the right term for that break in between rounds is “boobs time” well because of you know why. Probably the right term but not so family friendly or appropriate. So the term “boxer’s break” might fit in.
Thanks a lot and keep on enlightening.
Nuj
Nuj,
Thanks for the suggestions and you are right, boob time is not family friendly. Maybe we can call it the “Ring Card Girl Parade Minute,” because that’s what it really is. Did you know that prior to the broadcast of an event, the ring card girls wear skimpier clothing, but then they change when the event airs? It’s true. So, I’m with you on the term: “Boxer’s Break.” That ain’t too bad. It’s informative and accurate, but I still want the people to vote. Hey people, this is your chance: Ring Card Girl Parade Minute or Boxer’s Break. (note: If you vote against me, good luck getting your questions in my bag! Just say it: Ring Card Girl Parade Minute!)
Anyway, take care and I will talk to you later my friend!!!
Okay people…this weekend is the weekend when I announce the lucky winner of the Geno Bambino Question of the Month Prize: an autographed copy of “The Great White Hopes” by Graeme Kent. Don’t forget to check out www.xposse.com and pick up a copy of Evil Awakening on DVD, which is my first film. Hey, it’s only 10 dollars and you can afford that. We ship worldwide and it’ll be worth the money. We also have a message board here at RSR and we encourage you to check it out because we have prizes there too and great boxing fans that want to talk about this great sport. Talk to you later people!!!
