OLYMPIC PEDIGREE STILL MATTERS!
The Liberty Bell gave a shout out on Saturday night when Philadelphia’s Zahir Raheem (27-1, 16 KO’s) upset the big money apple cart of the sport with his win over Mexican great Erik Morales (48-3, 34 KO’s). I mention the Liberty Bell because Raheem is all too indicative of a sorry trend in the U.S. fight scene in recent years to ignore Olympians who didn’t win the Gold Medal. Fellow former US Olympic amateurs Vernon Forrest (welterweight), Tim Austin (bantamweight) and Antonio Tarver (light-heavyweight), they all also know the sting of being ignored without a medal. All of them at some time or another, like Raheem from the 1996 team, they made big statements when it counted most.
“Z-MAN” MAKES ERIK LOOK MORE LIKE CHAVEZ!
With a steady jab, and precision counter punching, Raheem seized his opportunity with both hands. Morales, he was never even in the fight and while the fight world reels, at least one observer wasn’t that surprised. It was just one week ago that a “24-Karat” warning was issued that Raheem had all of the tools to defeat Morales and, as my readers have become accustomed to, I was correct. In that same column last week, I noted that Morales’ career was beginning to move into the place where one could compare him to the benchmark for Mexican fighters, Julio Cesar Chavez. That prescient observation rings especially true for fans who remember the difficulty Chavez always had with slick American fighter like Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker and Frankie Randall.
RAHEEM COULD CHALLENGE BARRERA, DIAZ!
For Raheem, the time is now if he is to make the most of this win. Should jr. lightweight titleholder Marco Antonio Barerra defeat Robbie Peden this Saturday, a fight with Raheem would give him another chance to upstage his rival countrymen. Also intriguing for Raheem would be a showdown with WBA lightweight titlist Juan Diaz. In both scenarios, Raheem would have the chance to snap a belt around his waist while awaiting a possible Morales rematch.
MORALES-PACQUIAO STILL ON FOR JANUARY!
In the interim, press statements made Sunday indicate that Morales may still proceed with a big (if slightly lesser) money rematch with Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao (who knocked out opponent Hector Velasquez in six on Saturday’s undercard). This fight still holds considerable intrigue for fight fans after their epic war in the spring of this year. Pacquiao fans still want revenge, and will overlook the complete contrast in styles that it took for Raheem to beat Morales in their quest for it. Just as Morales used Pacquiao in 2005 to set himself back on his feet following the rubber match loss to Barerra, so now he can anticipate doing it again in 2006.
U.S. FANS MUST DO MORE FOR THEIR OWN!
Regardless of that swirl of activity, Raheem can take pride in overcoming a career of obstacles and being ignored for far too long. He can also take solace in knowing that he has added to the legacy of the underappreciated class of 1996. While they only won one Gold Medal, those ‘96 Olympians have produced champions and “pound for pound” ranking entrants almost since they all turned pro. Like Antonio Tarver before Roy Jones, Raheem may have issued the beginning of the death knell of the career of a future Hall of Famer. The relative obscurity that the 2004 Olympians have faced in turning pro makes one wonder if there will be more Raheem’s in the future? Many American born fighters who because they were ignored in favor of some fad sport in 2004, they will struggle for years to show their talent and feed their families. For the sake of those kids, young guys like Rock Allen and Vanes Marytosian, let’s hope not.
VILORIA CLAIMS WBC BELT WITH CRUNCHING KO!
With a single explosive right hand, Hawaiian 2000 Olympian Brian Viloria (18-0, 12 KO’s) shattered the hopes of Mexico’s Eric Ortiz (24-5-1, 16 KO’s) from ever really being on TV again with a first round knockout that claimed Ortiz’ WBC sanctioning fee title at 108 pounds. Now the real test begins. With more publicity and TV appearances that some men twice his size (and thank God for that when you consider the fighters twice his size), Viloria is poised to become this generation’s Michael Carbajal, the last genuine 108 lb. superstar. On that path, a dearth of tough fights await. Lingering one weight class below at 105, Puerto Rican Ivan Calderon would present a legitimate test of the Viloria’s technical skills; fellow 108 lb. (WBA) titleholder Roberto Vasquez would test both his manhood, and chin. And just four pounds up at 112, Viloria faces a murderer’s row of titlists and contenders, all of whom would make fights worth the price of admission. Carbajal made the big money, but outside of the series with Humberto Gonzalez, never really made his era bigger because he didn’t fight guys like Ricardo Lopez (who avoided him) and Mark Johnson (whom he avoided). Let us hope Viloria can be the sort of rainmaker that the ultra-talented field that lingers from 115 pounds on down so richly needs and deserves.
24-KARAT NOTEBOOK…
So WBO super middleweight beltholder Joe Calzaghe hurt his hand Saturday against Willie Standup and has to postpone with IBF titlist Jeff Lacy? Calzaghe is going to manage to miss another big fight opportunity? I’m shocked. I’d be more shocked if that fight ever happened. I’d be the most shocked if Lacy’s people did the right thing and used that November date to call out fellow WBA titlist Mikkel Kessler…How good is Kessler? So good that in statements from promoter Gary Shaw about Lacy’s replacement foes, he mentioned everyone at 168 BUT the Danish juggernaut…HBO PPV SATURDAY: Shane Mosley’s opponent this Saturday, Jose Luis Cruz is undefeated. He also couldn’t knock out the ancient Jorge Vaca in 2001. Don’t bet the upset here…I’d be thrilled that Miguel Cotto isn’t getting a free payday to fight Euro clubfighter Gianluca Branca in two weeks. Thrilled, that is, if I didn’t think that he was so magically overrated. When was the last time a so-called future great was still toiling with guys like Branca and “Chop-Chop” Corley heading into his fifth year as a pro? Besides Roy Jones? He’s being moved like a protected fighter. Not a great one.
Cliff Rold
Note: “24-Karat” Rold is not just the best young boxing writer on the planet. He is also an award winning poet and recently received his Masters degree in US Foreign Policy at the American University in Washington DC. He can be reached with your comments at [email protected]
