First off let me apologize if you emailed me last week and I did not respond. We have been having technical difficulties at the site so many of the emails that have been sent I did not receive.
Now that that is out of the way, welcome to my mailbag ladies and gentlemen and welcome to boxing season. Kelly Pavlik vs. Jermain Taylor last Saturday started a stretch that will have a major fight on six consecutive Saturdays. Whether you like heavyweights, big punchers, little fighters, or only follow boxing because of Manny Pacquiao, the next month and a half is going to be great for boxing fans.
I was looking over the upcoming boxing schedule and checking out the undercard for the March 15th Pay Per View featuring Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez as the main event. Librado Andrade is fighting Sakio Bika in the most appealing fight on the undercard. Bika and Andrade are two legitimate contenders in the super middleweight division. WBO Featherweight Champion Steve Luevano will be fighting Terdsak Jandaeng, who gave Juan Manel Marquez all he could handle. I?ll allow it.
The fight that caught my eye on that card is David Diaz vs. Ramon Montano. Why is the WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz fighting in a non-title fight against a bum as the walk-in bout of a Manny Pacquiao Pay Per View?
I?ll tell you why, because he is not a good fighter. Bob Arum wants to use Diaz as a future opponent for Pacquiao; that is widely known information. Standard operating procedure is to put two potential future opponents on the same card so that the audience can get familiar with them. In this case, Arum cannot afford to risk putting Diaz in against anyone halfway decent because they are scared he will get beat. Diaz represents an easy win for Manny and it would allow him to win a belt in the lightweight division without having to fight a real opponent. Arum is not going to risk losing that opportunity. David Diaz has to hold the WBC belt for anyone to care about a Diaz vs. Pacquiao fight. Thus, Diaz is fighting in non-title fights against opponents that the inept and very bribable WBC will not even sanction. What a ?champion? David Diaz is. I anticipate that Diaz will continue to be matched up with poor challengers until Manny Pacquiao decides to move up to the 135-pound territory. David Diaz is Bob Arum?s ace up the sleeve when it comes to opponents for Pacquiao to push over.
Switching gears, I want to remind everyone that this Saturday will be the first heavyweight unification fight since 1999 when Lennox Lewis fought Evander Holyfield. And this is the first time in about six years since more than one version of the title is at stake. The last time was Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson in 2002. Sultan Ibragimov (WBO) vs. Wladimir Klitschko (IBF) is a historical event and a much needed boost to the fracture heavyweight division. As an added bonus to the heavyweight championship fight, HBO will also show the replay of last week?s tussle between Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik. Sounds like a can?t miss telecast. Enjoy the fight, and enjoy this week?s mailbag.
Jermain Taylor?s Future
I am a Jermain Taylor fan and even though he lost I thought that he gave a great effort. Taylor is a class act and even though he was beaten twice I think there is still plenty of boxing left in him. What do you think he should do from here?
-James907
James907,
Taylor indeed gave a tremendous effort in the rematch against Kelly Pavlik. He came in shape, fought hard, and gave himself the best possible chance to win. He came up short but he was certainly competitive against the world?s best middleweight. Jermain could not match Pavlik?s stamina, allowing Kelly to take the championship rounds.
Taylor is going to move to the super middleweight division. That is if he decides to continue fighting. Jermain was very discouraged by his loss against Pavlik and understandably so. That was Taylor at his very best but it was still not enough to win. That is a difficult blow to the ego of a world-class prizefighter so retirement is not out of the question. If Taylor does continue to fight, he will do so in the 168-pound weight class. Taylor should stay away from Joe Calzaghe because that would be a sure loss for the Arkansas native. Jermain should test the waters first against a mid level guy. If all goes well then Taylor should take on a top contender like Mikkel Kessler, Allan Green, Jeff Lacy, Anthony Mundine or the winner of Librado Andrade vs. Sakio Bika. Lucian Bute would be an interesting opponent as well but I doubt Taylor?s people will let him get in the ring with a dangerous young gun like Bute. I question how much success that Taylor will find at super middleweight, but it will be interesting to see.
Pavlik Fans Rejoice
I am a big Kelly Pavlik fan. I like the way that he represents Youngstown, OH, my hometown. We had to sweat because it was not a shut out or a knockout like we expected but Kelly still got the job done. He is a great champion. Bring on the next challenger, it doesn?t matter who it is because Kelly wipes the floor with all of them.
-Tristan
Tristan,
Pavlik has a perfect style to defeat a guy like Jermain Taylor. Even so, that win did not come easy for Kelly. He really had to grind that one out. Good for him in getting it done.
The next opponent for Pavlik was announced a long time ago as ?Irish? John Duddy. Duddy is a slugger who likes to brawl and please the crowds. He is a fan favorite and ranked in the top 10 by Ring Magazine so I can see why they are trying to market Duddy as a title challenger. Duddy is a step down in class from Jermain Taylor but I suppose Pavlik deserves a fight like this after a string of tough opponents. Guys like Arthur Abraham, Winky Wright, or Felix Sturm are more deserving than Duddy.
Another possible opponent for Pavlik is Felix Trinidad. Talks are underway for this one. Trinidad is obviously a huge star so there is more money at stake here compared to a fight with John Duddy. The biggest hindrance for this fight is that Trinidad might not be able to make the 160-pound middleweight limit. Personally, I don?t like this fight because Trinidad is no longer a major factor in boxing. The promoters would be trying to cash in on Trinidad?s name, not trying to match Pavlik with a worthy challenger. Tito has not won a fight in years. So even though Duddy is not who I think is Pavlik?s ideal opponent, I like him better than Trinidad.
RSR Predicted Pavlik
I liked your picks. Go Kelly!
-Jimmy
Jimmy,
Thank you for pointing out that every single writer for RSR predicted correctly in the official RSR Fight Picks page that Kelly Pavlik would successfully defeat Jermain Taylor in the rematch.
Montiel Bandwagon In Full Effect
Fernando Montiel stole the show last Saturday. He looked awesome against Castillo, what a left hook! I have been a Fernando Montiel fan for a while now and that fight was an example of why. He is good and fun to watch with power.
-Jose Gonzalez
Jose,
That fight card was hard to predict. Only one fight played out exactly like I thought it would (Mijares vs. Navarro). You knew that Mijares and Navarro would dance around the ring without hurting each other and Mijares would walk away with an uneventful decision. The other two championship fights were less predictable. Pavlik vs. Taylor was more competitive than I thought it would be, although Pavlik still won. Fernando Montiel vs. Martin Castillo was much less competitive than I thought that it would be.
You are right in that Montiel stole the show. He had the most impressive performance by far of the night. On paper, Montiel vs. Castillo looked like an even match up that would be hotly contested down to the wire. Instead, Montiel utterly destroyed Castillo and knocked him out early. I have to wonder if the unexpected result was more of a factor of Castillo hitting the wall more than Montiel morphing into a better fighter.
A prime Martin Castillo would not have gone out like that. At one point in time, Castillo was a near-perfect boxer-puncher who could out skill, out fight, and out think just about any opponent. He could handle adversity too as we saw in his rematch against current WBA Super Flyweight Champion Alexander Munoz. But in retrospect, that rematch against Munoz may have been the fight that ruined Castillo because he has not been the same since that epic war.
Montiel is three years younger than Castillo and I think that played a role in this fight. The tiny fighters are usually done by the age of 30 and with Castillo at 31, perhaps I should have predicted this outcome. I appreciate your enthusiasm for Montiel because of his fantastic performance, but I just do not think that he is as good as he appeared on Saturday. Fernando Montiel, as good as he looked against Castillo, is simply not a world-beater. He has proved that time and time again against fighters like Mark Johnson, Jhonny Gonzalez, Z Gorres, etc. I have a hard time believing that he is completely reinvented and invigorated at the age of 28. Let?s see what Montiel does against the top guys of the super flyweight division like Cristian Mijares, Alexander Munoz, or Vic Darchinyan.
Why Marquez Over Pacquiao?
Hi Brian, when you respond to anyone’s e-mail, you sound like you’re technically privy and savvy about boxing. You’re analysis seems to be fair and accurate.
Can you possibly provide me a convincing reason why am I betting Marquez and not Pacquiao as you chose the former to win? Behind my back, it looks like Pacquiao has the edge over Marquez simply because of the power and speed of Pacquiao. I am not a Pacquiao or Marquez fan but I find this match very interesting enough that I’ll pay for the PPV when it comes March 15. I used to box too during my younger years and I have an experience whereby I got lost to my opponent because he was stronger and faster than me although I was more technically skillful than him. He negated my skills over his speed and power. I put this as my comparison. Am I wrong with my assessment?
-Mar Velasquez
Mar,
This is my hypothesis on how this terrific fight will play out. I see Pacquiao on the attack from the opening rounds. Marquez will use that aggression against Manny. I see Marquez getting into his counter punching stance, and in effect he will be drawing a line in the sand and daring Pacquiao do cross it. As long as Marquez still has fresh legs he should be able to avoid most of Pacquiao’s power. Marquez will place Pacquiao at the distance that he wants with his jab just like he did late in the first fight. Marquez has the right skill sets to frustrate Manny. He is one of the finest counter punchers that I have ever seen.
But, of course, Pacquiao is a dynamic fighter in his own right and I only favor Marquez by the slightest of margins.
Can?t Deny The ?Facts?
Good day! I?ve been reading your mailbag list for quite some time now and I believe it?s a good way for me to express my thoughts on the upcoming fight between my countryman Manny Pacquiao and Mexico?s Juan Manuel Marquez. Needless for me to say, I root for Manny on this one and each and every fight he fights and I will continue to do so in the future. I say this not only because he?s my compatriot but because I wholeheartedly believe that Pacman is the better of the two pugilists. My basis is this: Manny has already beaten JMM in their first bout. Say what you say but there is no denying that Manny won that one. Another reason for me to stay by Pacman?s side is that he?s obviously become a much better fighter now. Another fact that no one can deny. My reasons, I believe, are clear and obvious. Manny is the better fighter for me and I believe he will win again, this time very convincingly. But then again, it?s just me. I?m just a regular guy. What do I know in boxing? Thanks. -Jaygwapo
Jaygwapo,
I am going to do exactly what you said I could not do and deny a ?fact?. Manny Pacquiao did not win the first fight against Juan Manuel Marquez. The verdict was a draw and I am fine with that ruling. Yes, I know about the scoring error in the first round, but do I necessarily agree with that judge?s scoring in the first place? The judge who had Juan Manuel Marquez winning by a wide margin had him winning rounds 3-12. That score is not a stretch from the truth and I support that judge?s point of view. Marquez out-boxed Manny Pacquiao handily in rounds 3-12. The draw was a fair and just outcome.
Manny is a better fighter this time, but by exactly how much I do not know. Pacquiao may not be the only one to improve on his performance though. Marquez is a thinking man?s fighter who does better with more preparation. JMM has had many years to think about and analyze Pacquiao. Juan Manuel will be on his game in the rematch and I can guarantee that he will not get careless and be dropped three times in the first round again.
Doubting The Next Great Champ
How in the world can Otis Griffin be ?The Next Great Champ? when Jimmy Mince beat Otis? I do not understand this.
-Darlene Burns
Darlene,
I don?t remember why the producers of the show brought back Otis after he was defeated by Jimmy Mince. Griffin did beat Mince in the rematch though. That show did not catch on the way that Fox had hoped that it would so the results of the show are a moot point. The title of the winner of ?The Next Great Champ? does not carry that much prestige. The show was simply a way for developing fighters to gain some notoriety. More important than who beat who first is who used the momentum from the show and used that as a springboard to start a pro career.
The Since the show, Griffin has gone on to gain more experience in the professional scene and even won a regional belt. His first experience against a world ranked fighter did not go well, he was stopped by Danny Green, but any experience against top level opposition is helpful in development.
Next up for Otis is another reality star, alumni from the first season of ?The Contender? Jesse Brinkley.
Nikolay Valuev aka Frankenstein
I was able to watch a webcast of Nikolay Valuev against the White Wolf and thought Valuev definitely did enough to win but he did not impress me very much. He is stiff, slow, and fights like Frankenstein. A fight between him and Vitali Klitschko would be the most awkward heavyweight fight of all time.
I was surprised to learn that Valev is already 34 years old which means that he probably is already past his prime. I take that back, I don?t think he was ever good enough to even have a prime. I just thought he was younger than that because he has not been around for very long. What do you think about The Beast from the East?
-Colorado Dave
Dave,
Ah yes, Nikolay Valuev. I have to respect a guy who has probably dropped deuces that have been larger than me in mass and volume. At 7 foot, 320 pounds, Valuev is a giant of a man and the largest person to ever hold a version of the heavyweight title, but surprisingly, Nikolay is not a big puncher. Valuev manhandled Sergei Liakhovich on Saturday to put himself back into the heavyweight picture. He will be an interesting and marketable opponent for whoever comes out on top of a heavyweight unification tournament based on size alone. My official opinion on Valuev is that he is a solid contender, not a novelty act as some would suggest, but he is not good enough to be a long reigning champion even in this mediocre era.
A funny note about Valuev is that a major internet outlet reported after the fight that ?The Beast From the Middle East? had won the WBA eliminator. Obviously that is a mistake since Valuev is from the Far East via Russia, not the Middle East, via Iraq for example.
Support for Pacquiao
I am Filipino living in America and I know that Manny Pacquiao is a national hero in my home country of The Philippines. I wanted to send you an email to tell Manny that the Filipino fans support him in every country. Go Pacman!
-Dale Posadas
Dale,
Your support for the Pacman is echoed by millions, and not just by Filipino fans. Pacquiao is a national hero but he is also a worldwide boxing super star.
Pacquiao Should Fight the Katsidis/Casamayor Winner
Hello Brian. I am a Manny ?Pacman? Pacquiao fan but I also admire the heart and all action style of Michael Katsidis. I wanted Pacquiao to move up in weight to fight Katsidis but I know that both are busy at the moment, Pacman fighting Juan Manuel Marquez and Katsidis is fighting Joel Casamayor.
I have heard that Manny is going to move up in weight after Marquez. Do you know if this is true? If he does move up in weight I think that he should fight the winner of Casamayor and Katsidis (I am hoping Katsidis) for glory in the lightweight class. Thanks and more power!
-SRamirez
SRamirez,
Pacquiao is more than likely to move up in weight after his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. All signs are pointing towards a campaign in the lightweight division, from Bob Arum, to Freddie Roach, to Manny himself.
A fight with the winner of Joel Casamyaor vs. Michael Katsidis would be a good first fight in the lightweight division, although David Diaz is a much more probable opponent. Katsidis is a very entertaining young fighter who I very much enjoy watching so I would not be opposed to him being used as an opponent for any of the top guys at 135.
But to tell you the truth, if I were Pacquiao?s manager and matchmaker, I would probably stay away from Katsidis until I knew exactly how Manny would react to the lightweight division. Katsidis is a big puncher for a lightweight and Pacquiao has not yet shown how his power and chin will translate to the heavier opponents. If I were the manager, I would want Joel Casamayor as Manny?s first opponent at lightweight. Casamayor seems to be on his last leg as a contender because age has caught up with him big time. Joel does not have huge power either. The risk/reward ration would work out since Casamayor is a well-known former champion but would not have a great chance at upsetting Pacquiao.
That?s all for this week fight fans. Hope to hear from you all. Have a great week everyone!
