FIRST, the great. Joe Calzaghe was.
Last Rounder Jess Mathew Beltran ([email protected]) who saw the fight on the internet provided me with some details:
It was a seesaw battle in the first three rounds but as the second half progressed, Joe showed class and relied on his jab and one-two combination.
It was a war of tactics but Joe broke down Kessler and discouraged him with his superior hand speed. Kessler looked puzzled each time he went into his corner?
Nonetheless, Mikkel Kessler lived up to his ?Viking Warrior? billing, and the common consensus was that only Joe Calzaghe could have beaten him that night.
I?m tired of doubting Joe Calzaghe. This early, I?m picking him to win against the aging Bernard Hopkins and middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik.
Kessler? He can rest in the thought that he hung in there and held his own against one of the greatest fighters of this era for 12 rounds. Calzaghe has indicated his
intention to continue fighting for only one or two more years, and so at 28 years of age, Kessler is the rightful heir apparent to the super middleweight throne.
THE GOOD. Watching Juan Manuel Marquez beat the crap out of Rocky Juarez made me wonder: Where have I seen this before?
I then realized that Marquez was administering the same boxing clinic that Barrera gave in their second fight. Only that Marquez had more confidence and his punches carried more oomph.
As I expected, Marquez?s faster hands made it a very long night for Juarez.
His impressive digs to the body stymied Juarez?s offensive arsenal and he could not get untracked. Of course, the cut in his left eye early in the fight certainly did not help matters.
Juarez?s denouement was hastened by the fact that his vaunted left hook took an unscheduled leave of absence. That?s like going to a gunfight sans bullets. Worse, he never made any effective adjustments during the fight which to me just about sums up the reason why he has always failed every time he took a step up in class.
Marquez was good, but is he good enough for the Pacman? Yes, I think he already is.
THE BAD. For the Last Round it was. Looks like my career as a movie scriptwriter will have to be put on hold- for now. There will be no Rocky movie for Juarez, not unless he moves up to heavyweight and beats the crap out of Wladimir Klitscko.
Worse, Thor, the God of Thunder, ignored my most ardent prayers for a Kessler win. And just like that, the Last Round?s consecutive streak of correct predictions came to a skidding halt.
Looks like my penchant for picking the underdog came back to bite me.
Ouch! Should I perhaps rethink my approach?
Naah. I?ll take the bad with the good. You can?t predict them all anyway.
THE UGLY. Last month, at this local club where I box, Yukka Gejon informed me that he will be fighting again in Japan on Nov. 5. Yukka, one of our brighter prospects for another world title fought just last September and lost to WBA minimum-weight champion Yutakaa Nida via unanimous decision,
?So soon?? I asked. He nodded without taking his eyes off the hand wraps he was gingerly adjusting on a client. He also informed me that his opponent was an undefeated Nicaraguan whom he knew nothing of?with an unbelievable record of 15 wins, all by KOs.
Surprised, I asked him if he was in shape and he flatly said no. He indicated that he would be fighting in a higher weight class?which was good for him?but clarified that he needed more time to get the rounds in and to condition himself properly.
My worst fears were confirmed last Sunday as Yukka Gejon was demolished by Nicaraguan Roman Gonzales in just 69 seconds of the first round. It was his first knockout loss and clearly a devastating one for this 28-year-old Mandauehanon.
In this day and age, where fights can be arranged after a few phone calls are made and the money is right, fighters are often at the mercy of managers who may not have their fighter?s best interests at heart.
Never mind that it probably ruined his chances of fighting for another world title, my concern here is that such a shocking loss might have ruined not only his confidence in himself, but possibly his career.
Now, that?s ugly.
