I did not see that coming. Paul Williams was supposed to be the most feared and avoided boxer in the world. Carlos Quintana showed the world that there was really nothing to be afraid of, out thinking and out punching ?The Punisher? over twelve rounds. The opponent was supposed to be RSR?s own Kermit Cintron, but Cintron pulled out due to injury. Cintron would have been a good opponent because at least Kermit is a popular name fighter with a good reputation. Replacing Cintron with Quintana looks like a bad management move in retrospect for Williams. Quintana ended up being just as dangerous as Cintron probably would have been but did not come with the same marketability or notoriety. The risk/reward ratio did not make sense for them to fight Carlos Quintana.
When Quintana was named everyone thought that it was a mismatch so they would not have received any credit for beating Quintana. What they should have done was either bring in a respected opponent like Zab Judah or Joshua Clottey, or they should have really put on a winnable mismatch, perhaps against one of the Contender alumni. This is not the end of the road for Williams, who still presents a difficult challenge for anyone that he faces because of his size and volume of punches. But this is surely a stumbling block and it will take some time for Paul to recover his reputation. An immediate rematch may be in the works.
Carlos Quintana became a contender when he upset Joel Julio but was blown out and quit against Miguel Cotto in his very next fight. Because of the very poor showing against Cotto and inactivity, I think that most people wrote off Quintana as a one hit wonder. Quintana was underrated by most, including me, even though he had only lost once to an elite fighter. Quintana?s record looks pretty good now seeing as he has now busted two hype machines. Not to say that Julio and Williams are bums. I think that both will have successful careers, but they were both hyped beyond belief at the time that they fought Quintana. Quintana moves into my top 5 welterweights with the win.
Before we get to the questions, I would like to say that I hope everyone enjoys the Kelly Pavlik vs. Jermain Taylor fight this Saturday. I have a feeling that these two are going to go after each other and make for a great fight. A fight on the undercard that I am also looking forward to is Martin Castillo vs. Fernando Montiel. These two were the best in their division for a while so this fight is a long time coming between two of the best technicians in the game. Starting Saturday, it is fight season.
I have an interesting and diverse mailbag for you this week. Among the topics this week are Carlos Quintana, Paul Williams, Salvador Sanchez, the WBC, and of course there are some Manny Pacquiao questions from the number one mailbag on the net for Pacquiao fans. Send in your questions today to be featured in next week?s edition. Since our email boxes are having technical difficulties please send email to me directly at [email protected]. A question from boxing fan in Puerto Rico starts us off.
Of Course, Quintana Wins
I would just like to say that I called it that Carlos Quintana would beat Paul Williams. Everyone was underrating Quintana and that is dangerous to do against a skilled boxer like ?El Indio?. No one would believe me before the fight even though I told everyone who would listen.
-Boricua81
Boricua81,
It would have been nice if you would have emailed me before the fight with your prediction but I commend you on your pick anyway. Seriously though, if you were confident in your prediction before the fight, you are one of two things. You are either much smarter than me (and the odds makers who tabbed Quintana as a 5 to 1 underdog), or you unabashedly endorse any Puerto Rican fighter who steps in the ring. Even Lou Dibella, Quintana?s promoter, was surprised by the performance that Carlos put on to grab the WBO Welterweight Championship.
Darchinyan vs. Gorres Draw Controversy
Have you seen the Z Gorres/Vic Darchinyan fight? That was a shocking outcome! Can u please give your comments on that please?
-Sam
Sam,
I did see the fight. This is what my scorecard read:
1 Darchinyan ? 10-8 although the knockdown was a blown call. 2 Gorres ? 10-8 very good right hook put Darchinyan down. 3 Gorres 10-9 4 Gorres 10-9 5 Darchinyan 10-9 6 Gorres 10-9 7 Darchinyan 10-9 8 Darchinyan 10-9 9 Darchinyan 10-8 10 Darchinyan 10-9 11 Darchinyan 10-9 12 Darchinyan 10-9
My final tally was 115-110 in favor of Vic Darchinyan. This fight was pretty easy to score so I do not understand the verdict of a draw. Gorres got off to a very good start but either could not take the constant pressure that Darchinyan dished out or he ran out of gas after about 7 rounds. Darchinyan swept rounds 7 through 12 on my scorecard by being aggressive and at times throwing Gorres around like a rag doll.
The first round blown call did not factor into the fight. During the 5th and 10th rounds, Gorres went down on what were ruled slips by the referee but I would have been okay if they were ruled knockdowns. The blown calls counteracted each other.
I noticed that Gorres would fall to the canvas very frequently. Anytime that there was a clinch or he was in trouble he was fall to the canvas. He needs to stop doing that because even if there is no punch involved, you cannot blame the ref if he calls one of those falls a knockdown.
Darchinyan was the better man that night, but the aura that he once had is no longer there. The second round knockdown showed that Darchinyan is vulnerable and may not be recovered from his crushing defeat to Nonito Donaire. Vic is still a very hard puncher, is fearless, and he knows how to apply pressure. I say Darchinyan has a couple good fights left in him so he should try to cash out as quickly as he can because another long title reign is unlikely for him.
Z Gorres, despite being showed up on this occasion has a bright future. I was impressed when I saw him in person during the Boxing World Cup. Gorres has fast hands and very good boxing skills. I like the way he uses his jab to set up his defense and counter punches. He needs to improve on his stamina and balance if he wants to have winning performances against world-class opponents. I predict that Gorres will win a world title one day, and perhaps he already should have one after his controversial split decision loss to Fernando Montiel.
Betting On Pacquiao vs. Marquez
I was just wondering Brian, the fact that Juan Manuel Marquez is definitely a great boxer and counter-puncher lends credence to your opinion of the upcoming fight and I think your pick of Marquez is a good stand. But don’t you think that the version of Pacquiao that Marquez will be facing now is a much bigger version compared to the one he faced 4 years ago? Not only that, he has developed a pretty good right and he hasn’t lost a step in speed at all. I just wanted to say that if I was a betting man and was to use my head in picking which one I would go with I would choose Pac because he is much bigger now, he has more power, more speed, and bottom line is more naturally athletically gifted than Marquez. Although Juan Manuel is definitely a better boxer fundamentally, I think the natural athletic prowess of Pacquiao will nullify JMM’s tactics because boxing is a young man’s game and Pac just seems to be “physically” younger than Marquez.
I don’t think Marquez’s amount of tactical knowledge can beat the physical prowess of someone still in his prime especially if that person fights like a fireball like Pac does. Anyways I respect your opinion because just as I think and write this right now I still think that Marquez has a very good chance at winning but I go with Pac by KO.
-Calipinoy
Calipinoy,
Even though my pick is in favor of Marquez, I would not place a wager of any kind on this fight. This fight is almost a pick ’em fight in my eyes and I favor Marquez by an ever so slight margin. Since you mentioned betting, I will say that the odds makers agree with your prediction. Pacquiao is a 2 to 1 favorite to avenge his draw and defeat Marquez in the rematch.
Compassionate Boxers
Hi Brian, first of all I would like to thank you for such a great site. I am not a boxing fan not until Manny Pacquiao came to the scene. Yes, I am a Filipino, and I would just like to share that it isn’t easy living in the Philippines. Many people here are so poor like Manny, and what he does in the ring reminds him of his previous lifestyle, and helps us poor think that no matter how hard and unfair life is, we can fight for it.
So far as boxing, he is the most humble boxer I have ever seen. He doesn?t brag, he even prays everyday and shares his blessings to the poor every time he wins a fight. That’s what makes him win, he has compassion and PRAYS! So I think he is a good model for boxers, not like Floyd Mayweather who always does the trash talking. Guys who talk too much are really scared deep within themselves. I think you can add a category in the pound for pound list of how boxers help the community (not just by winning fights, and skills), can you suggest that to the boxing world, Brian?
Thanks and more power to your success!
-Guile
Guile,
Including good deeds and community service as criteria when considering a pound for pound list is a novel idea but I do not think that it will catch on. Boxing fans want to know who the best is and who would defeat whom if they fought regardless of weight. I make my list strictly on ring accomplishments because that is the fairest and most unbiased way possible. I suggest that you use compassion as a way to select your favorite boxer instead of who you think is the best.
I do not deny that Pacquiao is a good role model. But from what I have found, most boxers are kind and decent human beings. Something about fighting makes you humble. An obvious exception is Floyd Mayweather, but I am convinced that his antics are just an act to get people stirred up and attract attention. If you met Floyd in person you would see that he is very nice and accommodating to his fans.
Pacquiao Against the Big Boys
I know a lot about Manny Pacquiao! He started in 108 pounds and now he is 130 pounds, sounds impossible right? Let me tell you about Manny Pacquiao, he possesses a lot of power in his punch and a lot of speed and he has the same as a power KO artist even after moving up in weight.
Do you think that Manny can beat Hatton or Mayweather? I don?t think you do so let me tell you that it does not matter how much weight Pacquiao has to go up, he is a gift from God. He possesses the power and speed to beat those fighters. Mark my words, if Mayweather tastes Pacquiao?s power he will go down and the world will be in shock.
-Melvin
Melvin,
Oh, it does matter how much weight Manny Pacquiao puts on. For example, Manny would have no chance against a heavyweight, or even a middleweight. I question whether Pacquiao?s explosive power really has been brought up in its entirety from the 122-pound division. Eventually the weight will catch up with Manny if he continues to move up in weight every other year.
Both Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather would defeat Pacquiao. Hatton is big and powerful for a junior welterweight, but against a natural featherweight Hatton would seem like a behemoth compared to Manny. Hatton has an aggressive, swarming style that would maximize his size advantage. Mayweather is extremely skilled and has put on weight nicely to the point where he is a natural welterweight. I don?t think Manny would beat Floyd even if they were the same size. Now that Mayweather is bigger and can absorb heavier punches without trouble, I think a Pacquiao win over Mayweather is nearly impossible.
WBC In Center of Controversy
Hey Brian, I was reading about the weigh in for Jose Celaya and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and was shocked at what I read. From what it sounds like, everyone knew that Chavez was going to come in over weight, even WBC president Jose Sulaiman was in on it. A bunch of people did not allow Celaya?s people watch the scale so they have no idea how much Chavez really weighed. That really angers me that the organization that is supposed to be keeping order is at the center of the controversy. Why do we still support the WBC when they do things like this?
-Justin Gunderson
Justin,
It would not surprise me at all if things are as they appear and Sulaiman helped Chavez fudge his weight. He certainly had a motive. If Chavez would have been unable to make the 154 weight limit then the WBC Continental Americas belt would not have been on the line. If that belt was not on the line then neither fighter would have to pay sanctioning fees so Sulaiman would be out of money. The WBC and its president have a long history of corruption. A story like this comes out about once per month, each one more scandalous than the next. I have no idea why an organization like this still gets support by the majority of the media. I am in the minority when I say that we should completely ignore the sanctioning bodies. But even the owner of this site is a supporter of the sanctioning bodies. I cannot give you a good answer as to why we still support the WBC. All I can say is that we shouldn?t.
Introduction to Salvador Sanchez
Hey Brian, I am a relatively new fan to boxing. I talk on boxing message boards a lot and it seems like everyday I discover a new all time great boxer that I did not know before. The other day someone said that they thought Salvador Sanchez was the best featherweight ever. I looked him up on boxrec. He had an impressive record but short career. Was he really that good?
-Lance
Lance,
Sanchez was a special fighter. He put together a hall of fame career before he turned 24 years old. Salvador was tragically killed in a car accident when he was 23 but his legacy lives on. He is one of those fighters who did so much in such a short time, and when he was so young, you can only imagine what he would have accomplished if he had been able to live a full life and have a full career. Sanchez twice KO?d Danny ?Little Red? Lopez and scored a knockout over Wilfredo Gomez. Lopez and Gomez were great fighters in their own right so those were incredibly impressive victories for the young champion. I would have loved to have seen Sanchez against the great champions in the years following his death. Sanchez against Eusebio Pedroza would have been really interesting.
So, was Sanchez the best featherweight of all time? You certainly have to mention his name for consideration, and that is immense praise for Sanchez considering who he is running against. Personally I would rate Terry McGovern and Willie Pep above Sanchez. I would also consider putting guys like Sandy Sadler, Alexis Arguello, and a couple others above Sanchez. However, I would not strongly object to someone having Sanchez in the top spot.
You may be thinking that since Sanchez accomplished all of this before he turned 23 that if he had a full career that surely he would have been the greatest ever. You must consider history however. There have been many cases in history where a fighter explodes onto the scene at a young age but then falters later on. I will give you a few examples.
Wilfred Benitez became the youngest champion at the age of 17 and early on defeated excellent fighters like Carlos Palomino and Antonio Cervantes. If Benitez? career had ended before his fight with Sugar Ray Leonard, or after his win over Roberto Duran, many would have extrapolated his career into being one of the best ever. Benitez was spectacular when he was young but fizzled out by the time he was 25 years old.
Mike Tyson is another example of someone who many thought would be the greatest heavyweight of all time. He is still remembered, but he did not come close to realizing that potential. Fernando Vargas is an example of someone who burst onto the scene young but was finished during the ages that most fighters are entering their primes. Sanchez very well could have faded as he entered his mid to late 20?s just as the fighters above did.
Or perhaps he would have continued to dominate and retire at 35 with credentials that would have made Sugar Ray Robinson blush. We will never know.
Paul Williams Supporter
(Note: this email was written before Williams? upset loss to Carlos Quintana.)
Hi Brian,
I always read your column even though you think Marquez will win against my favorite Pacman since he did give a boxing lesson in their first match, though I still think that Marquez is not as good as he was before while Pacman has added to his skills which will make this match slightly in favor of Pacman.
Anyway, back to the real reason I am writing you for the first time – you mentioned in your column that you think Cotto will come up the winner of the four-way eliminator in welterweight with Cotto vs. Gomez and Cintron vs. Margarito. And since Cotto would have virtually eliminated everyone in the equation, Floyd may have no choice but to face Cotto. Why don?t you guys include Paul Williams who I think is currently the best welterweight – he already beat Margarito silly and the thing is that he is still very young and will only get to improve his skills, which is scary since he is the biggest and yet the most active (punches thrown) fighter in the division. Don’t you think he is the only one who can beat Floyd, who will look like a midget beside him? So why do writers always leave him out? Wish you all the best!
-Cruzer
Cruzer,
I almost included Williams in my response to that email last week but decided to leave him out because he is not on the level of Mayweather. I think that Williams is a good young fighter but he does not match Floyd Mayweather in terms of talent or appeal. Mayweather would knock Williams out, and Floyd is not known as a big puncher at that weight. Cotto would destroy Williams as well, too much power and strength. The two best welterweights by far in my opinion are Cotto and Mayweather. Williams was third, but now with his loss to Quintana I have to re-evaluate. Having Paul Williams involved in the tournament in place of Alfonso Gomez would have been awesome, but that did not happen.
The loss to Quintana has really put a damper on the Paul Williams bandwagon. He is still a top 10 contender without a doubt, but if people were avoiding him before, they will really avoid him now because his stock is lowered. In a division full of stars, Paul Williams is now just an afterthought.
Floyd Versus A Prime De La Hoya or Mosley
Do you think Floyd could have beaten a prime De la Hoya or Mosley at any weight?
Also, I’m very curious about the technique Floyd uses when he is on the ropes, he turns to his side so much that a few times more of his back is exposed – up to what point can a boxer turn to his side/back and not be warned by the ref? I remember that Hatton mockingly turned his back once out of frustration. Hope you can answer at least the last one, which is quite technical. Thanks a lot.
-Cruzer
Cruzer,
Mayweather vs. a prime De La Hoya at welterweight would have been tough. If De La Hoya stuck to his jab, a win is possible but I still favor Mayweather by decision.
Mosley at lightweight would have been really tough for Mayweather. I like Mosley by decision at lightweight because he had faster hands, was stronger, and had great punch output. If they had a rematch Mayweather may have been able to adapt and be more defensive, possibly winning a revenge decision.
Regarding your technical question, a fighter is not supposed to turn his back to his opponent so if the referee sees this he will turn you around. The only time I have seen a ref warn someone for turning around was when it interrupted the flow of the fight, and that was not the case with Mayweather. Mayweather turns to the side sometimes, and I suppose the referee could tell him to stop if he felt that was giving him an unfair advantage. If your opponent hits you in the back or the back of the head when you turn around it is your fault because you should not have been turned around. You must protect yourself at all times. The only exception is if the blow to the back of the head looked intentional, the referee has the discretion to take a point away from the opponent.
That concludes my mailbag for this week. Send me your questions and comments and I will be happy to include them in next week?s edition. Again, our email boxes are having technical difficulties so to contact me please send mail to my email directly at [email protected] Take care everyone!
