I KNOW I haven?t exactly been a sweetie last year, which probably accounts for the Santa?s unwillingness to grant me my Christmas wish- a yacht.
But at least the kids were happy with what they got. So thank you Santa, I promise I won?t be naughty this year ( wink ..wink)
However, to put things in their proper perspective, whatever callowness I may have committed in 2015 should pale in comparison to the fighters who who?ve been really bad they had to make our list.
So bad in fact, Santa would think twice before showing up at their houses shouting ? Ho ho ho? for fear they might mistake him for someone peddling another form of fleshy revelry:
1. Jermaine Taylor- This former Olympian and undisputed middleweight champion is on a mean streak, with emphasis on mean.
In January he was charged with threatening a family of five with a gun.
Then in May, while undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation center he beat up another man badly, giving him multiple bone fractures.
Taylor has pleaded mental illness as a defense but the judge ruled him mentally fit to stand trial and granted him bail.
2. Edison Miranda-This former middleweight title contender who fought the likes of Kelly Pavlik and Arthur Abraham was indicted in January for being part of an international drug- trafficking and money laundering gang. A few weeks later he voluntarily surrendered and posted bail.
3. Juan Manuel Lopez-This former two- time world champion who owns wins over Gerry Penalosa and Bernabe Concepcion was charged last December of domestic violence when he punched his wife in the face during an argument.
He surrendered to police on November 1 and posted $50,000 bail.
4. Jon? Bones? Jones- This former UFC light heavyweight champion had a bad start to 2015 when test results came out finding him positive for cocaine prior to UFC 182.
A few weeks later he would admit to using cocaine but qualified it by claiming he wasn?t an addict or a frequent user but simply got caught ?with his hands down?.
In April, Jones was involved in a hit and run incident where he collided with two other vehicles, left the scene but came back to get sone money from his car.
In September, Jones pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and was sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation.
5. Ulisses Solis- This actually happened in 2011. This former junior flyweight champion played with fire by reportedly trying to mosey in on a beautiful woman who just happened to be Canelo Alvarez? ?baby mama?.
The result of being naughty was a broken jaw and a broken tooth.
Fast forward to 2015 and Alvarez settles out of court the $9 million lawsuit filed by Solis.
Cmon Ulises, asking $9 million for losing a street fight where you deserved to be whooped?
You didn?t even earn that much inside the ring when Brian Viloria was kicking your butt.
PACQUIAO- BRADLEY 3. Speaking of bad, an early candidate for our naughty list this year is whoever is behind a totally unpalatable third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley.
Whether it be Bob Arum, Pacquiao?s management team or Pacquiao himself, it probably doesn?t matter now.
All I can say is: ?BOOOOOO??
VERBATIM. ?..we outlined everything for him and we were down to three choices and he thought Bradley was the one that made the most sense? -Bob Arum (www.boxingscene.com)
LAST ROUND. It?s on a dear friend, Blanche Regual Braun, who celebrates her birthday this week. Cheers!
