After watching Glencoffe Johnson edge out Antonio Tarver, I couldn’t help, but think what 2005 has in store for those who competed over an amazing month of boxing.
So much happened with so many questions answered but — like always — new questions arose.
These are in chronological order: What will Shane Mosley do now? Will Winky Wright get his megabuck fight? Is Marco Antonio Barrera’s best financial option Erik Morales, again? Is Samuel Peter a heavyweight contender or another fraud? How good is Jeff Lacy? Can Jose Luis Castillo defeat Diego Corrales? Who’s next for Vitali Klitschko? Will Glencoffe Johnson find Mr. Best?
Now here’s where RSR does their best to answer them.
Shane Mosley
Its clear Mosley made the right decision hiring Joe Goosen as his new trainer as he wasn’t the gun shy fighter he had been in the junior middleweight division. His best option would be to move down to 147 and fight Cory Spinks for the undisputed welterweight title and wait to prey upon Mayweather and the rest of the 140-pound division. More likely Mosley stays at 154 and wins a couple alphabet titles and possibly regains the junior middleweight championship if he doesn’t have to fight Wright.
Winky Wright
Wright should get his payday, but he has to act quickly, Oscar De La Hoya is the right man for the kind of money Wright craves. Regardless of his loss to Hopkins, De La Hoya is still more popular than any fighter out there and would be a threat at 154. Unfortunately for Wright, I think he will have to make another defense of his crown for the usual money he’s made in the past. More than likely De La Hoya avoids him and Wright draws Kassim Ouma, who could take the champ.
Marco Antonio Barrera
Is Manny Pacquiao that good or did Barrera just have an off night? I believe that Pacquaio is that good and Barrera now knows how to defeat Morales. For that reason, combined with the money that Barrera-Morales IV makes, Barrera should entice his bitter rival back into the ring for at least one more fight. Hopefully Morales wins a squeaker so we get to see it again.
Samuel Peter Peter obliterated Jeremy Williams with one of the most vicious knockouts I’ve seen in person. It’s clear he has power and power can go a long way in a weak division. It’s hard to say how good Peter is, hopefully he gets a shot at one of the so-called champs possibly building up to a fight with Klitschko. From what I saw, Peter looks the part; he’s humble and could put the lights out on any fighter.
Jeff Lacy
Lacy is an action packed, tough fighter and hopefully he can get Joe Calzaghe in the ring. My guess is Calzaghe wants no part of Lacy. Some at ringside had Omar Sheika ahead in the fight with Lacy, I had him winning easily, Lacy was landing the harder shots all night long. He’s going to go far in a limited division.
Jose Luis Castillo
I thought his bout with Casamayor would be his breakout. Although Casamayor didn’t feel like mixing it up for the first six rounds, throwing one punch and holding, Castillo didn’t dominate like I thought he would. Diego has the power to beat Castillo it has the potential of fight of the year. I’m looking at a close decision after my claim that Castillo would knock out Corrales. However the experts said that about Castillo-Casamayor.
Vitali Klitschko
There were already rumblings among Don King, Lennox Lewis, Michael Katz, etc. “Klitschko couldn’t finish him off, people criticizing the state of the division, in other words business as usual. No matter if Klitschko would have iced Danny Williams in 10 seconds he was on the chopping block regardless. I’m hoping he goes after Hasim Rahman, as the former world champ was talking his talk throughout the night. If Rahman comes to fight in shape, that would be the best fight in the division, but I still like Klitschko to come out with a KO victory.
Antonio Tarver
What a great fight. That’s all you really have to say unless you’re Antonio Tarver. For him it was about as memorable as a lump of coal is to a 10-year old on Christmas. Tarver needs the immediate rematch and because Johnson is a real champ, he’s going to give it to him. Look for Tarver to make things right in the rematch.
Glencoffe Johnson
What a year for Glencoffe Johnson and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. First he might have finished off the career of an icon, to follow it up he stakes his claim as the best light heavyweight in the world with a split decision over Tarver. Johnson holds all the cards, but I think he will give Tarver a rematch although could Roy Jones, JR. get in the mix and ruin the plan? Unfortunately for Tarver, Jones is still a bigger draw. Fortunately, for Tarver, Jones will probably stay in the HBO broadcast team.
What a stretch run the four weeks was, I can’t wait for Floyd Mayweather and Arturo Gatti in January it’s like the action won’t stop. Which is great for the fight fans, happy holidays to everyone, even Sugar Ray Leonard.
