Hello everyone and welcome to my mailbag. This week?s edition is mainly focused on Manny Pacquiao as he prepares for his June 28th showdown with WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz. There is also a bit more feedback about Joe Calzaghe and his latest win over Bernard Hopkins and I deal with a couple oddballs as I do from time to time in my mailbag. Before we get to the emails I have some thoughts on the recent happenings in the world of boxing.
Last weekend was devoid of a major fight but there were some smaller cards worth mentioning. Julio Cesar Chavez, JR. and Hector Camacho, JR., both won fights against no hopers on the same card potentially setting up a showdown between the two. Neither is anywhere close to being as good as their legendary fathers but I am sure that there will be plenty of curious fans who will tune in.
Universum put on a farce of a fight card. Their two WBO Champions, Zsolt Erdei and Sergiy Dzinziruk, were in against the typical nondescript opponents that Universum matches their top fighters against. Erdei?s opponent was particularly bad and had no business fighting for a world title at that stage of his career. Shame on the WBO for giving DeAndrey Abron a world ranking and shame on Universum for wasting Erdei?s career fighting meaningless challengers and wasting our times in the process.
Boxing is a sport that is hard to walk away from so we are constantly watching fighters retire and then stage comebacks. One comeback that I find interesting in the comeback of Paul Spadafora. Spadafora is a former IBF Lightweight Champion and a very talented pure boxer. He was forced put his boxing career on hiatus after he was arrested and sent to jail in 2005 for shooting his girlfriend in the stomach. This is what I found interesting. Only three years after his crime he is out of jail and fighting again! He shot his girlfriend in the stomach for crying out loud! I would think that would be a pretty serious crime but apparently the legal system does not agree since Spadafora was sentenced to the same amount of time in jail as Wesley Snipes. All Snipes did was not pay his taxes. Maybe I?m crazy but shooting someone is much worse than not paying your taxes. Man, the IRS is ruthless!
Onto the questions, the first email this week is from an avid Joe Calzaghe fan. We have exchanged emails in the past debating the greatness of Calzaghe and his legacy. Enjoy!
Joe Calzaghe Feedback
That was not a vintage performance from Joe against Hopkins, but a win is a win is a win. There can be no doubters now. Even in the US. He is one for the ages despite all your persistent underestimation. And yes, I mean you Brian. 🙂
Joe went up a weight, ran into a right in the first round, got up, shook himself down, made some adjustments and got down to beating a legend, (albeit an aging one) in his own back yard. With an American referee and judges. What more could he do? A lot of boxers would have crumbled after such a shocking start, but not Joe.
I was nervous beforehand. Hopkins was as dirty as all hell. And so was Joe in fairness. People underestimate his savvy. It wasn’t pretty but the fact is Hopkins after the first rounds had no hope of winning that fight. He couldn’t get through to Joe. Joe got through to him. Who looked the freshest at the end? Who could have boxed another five rounds?
And if Hopkins wasn’t hurt, if he hadn’t been slowed by the punches he took and the pace, what was the ludicrous pretence at injury from “low blows” all about? That was a total joke. I felt like puking.
Hopkins has no class. As a fighter or a man. His graceless words afterwards said it all. Joe has oodles of class in both respects. Although it would have taken a saint not to thrown the racist “white guy” taunt back down his throat. And Joe is no saint.
What was up with the National Anthem thing by the way? Admittedly Land of My Fathers (along with arguably the Marseilleise) is the most stirring anthem on the planet bar none (my wife is Welsh so I hear it all too often) and the Star Spangled Banner although respectable enough just can’t compete with it as a tune. But couldn’t you guys get someone to to at least attempt to rival Tom in the singing stakes??? It was a pathetic rendition you have to admit. You should hear 65,000 Welsh speakers sing it at Cardiff before a rugby international. Like your anthem it is an anti English war song and they delight in intimidating our players with it before the game. No idea how it makes them feel but it turns my blood cold.
-ST Pettigrew
Mr. Pettigrew,
I don?t remember the national anthem being sung at the beginning so I will have to take your word on how bad it was. Judging music is not my forte anyhow.
As for your take on Joe Calzaghe, you are laying the Calzaghe worshipping on really thick man. I am getting a little nauseated.
See the RSR Team Fight Picks that were posted a couple days before the fight.
My prediction was as follows:
“I can?t envision a scenario where Hopkins pulls this one off. I can see him coming close but Calzaghe has too much resolve and is too active with his punch rate to lose against a 43 year old man. Calzaghe wins a wide decision in a very boring fight. “
The key words in my pick were “43 years old.” I gave Hopkins very little chance to win that fight and many others felt the same. I put much more weight and give Joe much more props for his win over Mikkel Kessler. Because really, how much weight can you put in a win over a 43 year old boxer?
Overall it was a solid performance by Calzaghe and one of the better wins of his career, but that really isn’t saying a whole lot. Despite my criticism, Calzaghe is still a legitimately great fighter and a hall of fame worthy champion. The root of my criticism is that Calzaghe could have been so much better if he had fought top-level opposition throughout his championship reign.
My thoughts are better late than never in regards to Joe’s choice of opponents. In the twilight of Joe’s career he finally decided to take on some quality opponents (ie. Kessler, Lacy, Hopkins). But I am not going to jump out of my seat in praise for a narrow and rather boring win over an ancient former champion.
More On Calzaghe
Sorry to nauseate you (never a pleasant sensation!). I was partly kidding in so bigging Calzaghe up. But there is a serious side too. The whole thrust of this email exchange has been that all (repeat all) British fighters are underrated in the US. Even the great ones like Joe. Let alone the only above average. It is a fact of life. They just are. That is why it is amusing when something like the Lacy fight proves such a shock Stateside. We here all knew Joe was the real deal after that wonderful fight with Eubank when he won the title. We rated Eubank even at 31. You guys didn’t. So beating him proved nothing in your collective eyes. Right?
I do agree with you that Joe C (or maybe Frank Warren) mishandled his career. I don’t know why that was. It could be international boxing politics (always absurd), ego, fear of injury aggravation (I mean in one fight he defended his title after breaking his dominant hand in the third as you will know), God knows what. There is even one rumor that he has an almost pathological fear of flying. Don’t know if that is true or not. Maybe you know? Eubank himself (let’s face it a very strange human being) said that Joe was a “failure.” This before the Lacy fight. (Don’t know if he has since retracted that comment). So many even here shared your view. It was tenable then I’ll admit, even if wrong.
But that doesn’t mean that he was running scared of anyone in my opinion, or that he didn’t have the talent. Even you, admittedly a Yank, but also as a lover of the “noble art” of boxing surely must appreciate Calzaghe’s technical genius. The ability to befuddle and counter punch some stupid great charging “hitter” (the antithesis of someone like Hopkins that is why the fight was so boring as you said) and beat him is a beautiful thing. That was JC’s great strength. He fought who he fought and as you say it is sad that he didn’t demonstrate his skills against better opposition. But it doesn’t mean he didn’t have the chin and the smarts and the technique to have competed with most anyone of his era and most other eras too. That is my point.
Including a younger Hopkins by the way. You stress his age, and that is fair enough. None of us know if he would have beaten him in his prime, but he might have. He would have a shot. It would probably have been a very similar fight, and similarly close. I am not saying he would have won but Joe is on his level.
Yet everyone agrees Hopkins is a Hall of Fame fighter. Joe? Not so much even now. Because he comes from Wales. The back of boxing beyond. Imagine he had been born in Brooklyn or Philly?! The hype for a white fighter with his once in a generation technique and skills would have been truly nauseating even before the Eubank fight let alone after. You have to admit that. Well no doubt you won’t. But you ought. Good talking to you anyway. Take care!
-ST Pettigrew
ST Pettigrew,
Beating Eubank put Calzaghe on the map as a fighter to watch in the US but he wasn’t immediately hailed as the real deal. I agree with you about Calzaghe’s ability to handle a less skilled fighters, he spent his whole career doing it! One thing that has impressed me about Joe since he has stepped up in class is his defense. He is very adept at slipping and rolling with punches. You very seldom see him hit cleanly and when he does get hit he takes it pretty well. Even if Hopkins and a couple other people have been able to drop him, he has excellent recuperative abilities ala Larry Holmes.
I think that it would be hard to deny Joe Calzaghe a spot in the hall of fame. If I had a vote I would vote him in even though I am one of his most vocal critics. His resume is not filled with legends or great champions, but, he fought a handful of worthy challenger and defending the title as many times as he did is no joke no matter who he was fighting.
I see your point about Calzaghe’s skills. He very well may have had the tools to dominate his generation. What he brings to the table would trouble just about any middleweight to light heavyweight ever. So again, with all of his talent it is a shame that he did not do more in his career. Frank Warren is probably who is to blame.
Watching HBO On Saturday
Greetings Brian. I was watching HBO last Saturday with my cat having a good time. Then all of a sudden my cat started violently biting and scratching me. It took me by surprise and I began swearing loudly, by reaction because I usually never swear. At first I was ashamed at saying curse words like that but then I remembered that I was watching HBO and it is okay to swear on HBO! LOL! I just thought it was funny and you would like to hear about it.
-Miles Tyler
Miles,
You know this is a boxing mailbag right?
Disgusted At Hopkins
Hi Brian, what can you say about last week?s fight between Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins? I believe it was more of a tactical fight than an entertaining one. That?s the problem with boxers compared to brawlers, they just want to win not to impress fans and show their willingness to slug it out. I?m just disgusted the way Hopkins fights. He should fight in Wrestlmania with all of his clinching! I hate boxers that keep on holding their opponents it?s so boring.
I love the way Calzaghe boxes but I didn?t really see him hit hard enough to hurt you. He has got speed although those punches are slapping punches. If Jones fought Calzaghe that would be a great fight.
Thanks bro.
-Norman Asistores
Norman,
Max Kellerman said it pretty well when he said that Hopkins goes out there not to definitively lose instead of going out there to win. They are not the same thing. Without a doubt, brawlers, sluggers and guys who put their neck on the line to win are much more fun to watch than guys like Bernard Hopkins, especially the older version of Hopkins. I would be hard pressed to find a boxing fan alive who enjoys holding. John Ruiz is panned by fans and critics for a reason.
In the UFC, if a boxer runs and puts up little effort in a fight he gets cut. Maybe boxing should follow suit because boring fighters in big time matches are not doing the sport a favor.
Filipino World Champions
I am American but I often wonder about the knowledge of many e-mailers (is that a word?) to various boxing sites when they say things like there are no world champions in Filipino history. Even Pacman was often talked about as a person in search of his first world title when he had, in fact, won two prior to his growth into the 130 lb. weight class.
Gabriel “Flash” Elorde (March 25, 1935 ? January 2, 1985) is widely considered as one of the greatest boxers of all time along with fellow Filipino Super featherweight slugger Manny Pacquiao and Flyweight Champion in the 1920s Pancho Villa.
Pac was not the first world champ but he may become the first Filipino with world championships in 4 different weight classes. Personally, I find fault with those who make such a big deal with Pacquiao starting at such a light weight & now fighting at higher weights. He is maturing and simply getting heavier like all of us do. He started as a young teen and now is a mature adult and that weight gain is to be expected, not ridiculed.
My question is this. Why do people who ask questions not research first?
-Jerry Lynch
Jerry,
I believe you misread the emailer (I guess its a word because I used it to) that you are referring. In an email last week someone said that there has never been a Filipino world champion in the lightweight division. That is true. There has not been a 135 pound champion hailing from the Philippines so Manny Pacquiao would be the first if he defeats David Diaz.
There obviously have been numerous Filipino world champions, and great ones at that, in various other weight classes in boxing. You mentioned a couple of them. Pancho Villa, Ceferino Garcia, and Flash Elorde are probably the greatest of all of them. Active Filipino fighters who have won a world title are Gerry Penalosa, Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire, Donnie Nietes, and Florante Condes.
Calzaghe and Pacquiao Comments
Dear Brian,
Good Day! First, I want to congratulate Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins. It was a close fight but I will say that if these two met 3 years ago, the outcome of the match would have been different. What do you think? But Joe Calzaghe is not really impressive, his punches were more like slaps and maybe he should fight a more credible opponent to solidify his greatness. (You know what I mean).
Next is Pacman, his fight with David Diaz is on the way now, I believe he has a big chance but he needs to work the extra mile and fight intelligently to win. On the contrary, most fans are expecting that Pacman will KO Diaz. Now, this is the problem with some people, if Pacman wins via decision, they will say that he is declining.
I think Pacman should listen to Coach Freddie and execute their game plan and Pacman should forget what other people are saying. I am not saying not to expect great things from Pacman, just don?t expect too much.
Lastly, I think it is about time for Juan Manuel Marquez to make a different plan and to stop asking Pacman for a rematch and I want to commend all the Filipinos with the kind of character they showed when Marquez visited the Philippines. JMM’s action is a little bit unacceptable because they are in the Philippines to grace that event and to support other boxers and not to ask for a rematch. They are professional boxers and they should act like one. Your comments please. God bless and more power.
-Jason Calara
Jason,
I agree that if the fight happened before Hopkins was as old as a mummy from Ancient Egypt then he would have won. But not to completely knock Calzaghe, he is a good fighter. True, he slaps with his punches, but throwing for power is not his forte. He is a volume puncher who uses speed, footwork, and tenacity to win fights.
As for Pacquiao’s fight with David Diaz, this is more of a fight against the lightweight division than it is against Diaz. By saying that I mean that Pacquiao is a far superior fighter compared to David Diaz in a pound for pound sense, but Diaz has a chance in this fight solely based on his size and the unknown that Manny has never fought a full sized lightweight before.
Juan Manuel Marquez is trying to campaign for a third fight with Pacquiao. He has to get the fans and media behind a third fight or else Bob Arum will never let it happen. I, for one, would love to see Marquez and Pacquiao fight again once Pacquiao is available again.
Return of Wilbur Brian
I saw how you claimed that my name is not Wilbur Brian, but it is my good man, it truly is. My full name is “Wilbur Dilbur Brian Shortinthepants”. Let’s get together and have some fun as Samantha Fox used to say. You like her? You probably like Red Foxx. But onto boxing, Bernard Hopkins got hit in his junk you punk. Whatcha think about that Dilbur? And what about Forbes? Ain?t he a midget you moron!
Your bio says you?re into biochemistry. I knew you were bi all along you little (censored).
“The Only Wilbur that Counts” -Wilbur Brian
Wilbur,
Biochemistry is a science field. If you study biochemistry it does not mean that you are bisexual. I?m not saying that there has never been a bisexual person who studied biochemistry, but if there was the link was purely coincidental.
Aside from that little confusion, this is the most intelligent boxing-related email that I have ever received. You said ?Bernard Hopkins got hit in his junk you punk? and then called Steve Forbes a midget. I can tell that you a highly educated man.
Pacman Regressing
Good day Brian. I was just worried about the articles like Derek Bilton of sportinglife.com wrote that Pacman is sort of regressing as a fighter. Maybe somehow I agree with that because many factors brought into his camp did affect his focus as a fighter. Even now, there are reports that he will be late in training for the David Diaz fight. Can you give us some idea or you assessment on Pacquiao? Is he really taking David Diaz lightly as he did not proceed on the training early? How many weeks does a regular boxer trains to have a maximum condition come fight time?
As early as April 19th David Diaz started his training camp, will it make a big difference on fight night with Manny short of time? What?s your stand about Manny regressing as a fighter, because people don?t see the hungry Manny who used to KO Marco Antonio Barerra anymore. I hope you can spare time answering this because I know a lot of people, especially us, Pacman’s fans, are expecting too much from him. Thanks very much Brian!
-Soysiken
Soysiken,
Pacquiao is not declining as a fighter; he is improving. Manny is more rounded than he used to be. He used to be a one-dimensional fighter. He got away with being one-dimensional because boy what a dimension that was! But you cannot survive in the long run with just one dimension (meaning nothing put a forceful left hand).
Once intelligent pro boxers see what you have they adjust and usually fighters hit a wall if they continue to be one-dimensional (see Ricardo Mayorga and Vic Darchinyan). Pacquiao has evolved into a two fisted fighter who can box or slug. If he had not transformed himself he would have surely been beaten badly by Juan Manuel Marquez his last fight. Marquez is a boxing master who will improve based on more information about his opponents.
