In this weeks mailbag we have a comment on the Mark Medal story, questions regarding the career of Roy Jones, JR., and someone wanting to hear my prediction on Morales-Pacquiao II (among other things), with another fan sounding completely sold on the weight issue factoring in on the Corrales Vs Castillo II affair; with an edification to some degree about Reality Television that could surprise people, I know it did me. George, Do you think Roy Jones Jr will be remembered as a former heavyweight champion of the world? Does his fight with Ruiz hold any historical significance? Thanks! Rafael Rafael, the historical significance you mentioned was when he won the WBA Heavyweight title from John Ruiz, being only Bob Fitzsimmons did so as a middleweight having done it before Roy and that feat withstood for 100 years. I’ll remember Jones two fold. One was in recalling him to be of the greatest amateurs to not win a Gold Medal, and two, a great Light Heavyweight who made more fights at defending and defining his titles there. I also believe RJJ industrialized the boxing terminology with a flair of more improvised moves inside the ring than particularly anybody have been able to see in a long time. George, I disagree with the fact that you say Roy still has his reflexes. His ability to get away from punches has diminished, although slightly, enough to get hit with shots that would not normally get him. I believe 3 or 4 years ago he would have stopped Tarver and decision Johnson. Kevin Sieben Kevin, When the reflexes go, ninety percent of the fighter goes along for the ride. I may not have liked the head feinting on the rope dazzling a.k.a. Wilfred Benitez slick moves minus the punching, or much of the irregular way that Roy overall appeared against Tarver in their third boutI, but you know what? He really fought a tactic that even the staunchest followers of RJJ had to scratch their heads on. Believe me if Roy didn’t have his speed that time on cue, hence would’ve been as conducive to getting knocked out. Looking at Antonio Tarver’s stamina holding out toward the end of that fight had everything to do with that recital. Tarver’s staying power would have been a big question mark, and Johnson’s straight up coming at you style for Roy’s superior angles would have showed much gaps. Three or four years ago Jones would have knocked out both Johnson and Tarver in back-to-back successions, neither being in his ballpark. George, Even though his reflexes have not diminished, as I also believe, do you think Roy should retire, because in my opinion he no longer has the will to fight to win. For example, in the 3rd and 4th rounds he could have easily knocked Tarver out, but he didn’t want to risk being knocked out and that shows that he no longer has the will to fight to the end. Ed Ed, Your astute observation has been a greater question in the sense that you know Roy’s winning ways, which is to say that something was missing in that fight. He might’ve been overly cautious which probably was his first priority as it manifested. You can’t really know for sure whether his not risking to get tagged filtered into what it appeared to be with the usage of his speed. At times Jones looked like a survivor, and at other times looked like a defensive wizard. My jury is out on what he’ll do, as well as everyone else’s ought to be too until we know next time out for certain. Never hear that much about “The Next Great Champ” Otis Griffin these days, but noticed on Boxrec that he’s quietly had 7 wins!!! When can he fight for a vacant title. I noticed RJJ still has the IBA belt. I would like to see Griffin fight an Eliminator bout. This kid come a long way in a year, and I think he’s the “Next” icon. So how far is he away?? Also with all the Contender II hype coming up; I noticed Ishe Smith isn’t matched up. He should fight Griffin!!! Sergio Mora is trapped in contract for years…. Just my 2cents Thanks, David K. David, I thank you for the updated information on all of those fights, however I’m afraid the only equivalent to some Reality TV that I have approached to watch faithfully has been the A&E show “Growing Up Gotti,” because I admire a strong lady figure carrying her family. In all fairness I’ve only seen these Contender shows once each, and quite frankly they bore me. I am fed up with the loses that go onto their pro ledgers, which I am constantly reminded of; and have to keep from pinching myself to know that these are beginners as professionals. Where’s the amateur background? Something I find just as remote or as appalling is seeing a separate league from the IBF-WBO-WBC-WBA, etc., entities, as if someone picked up a book on a Harry Potter sequel to cast some spells in witchcraft on boxing. It’s just as sad a sight to see the desperation gathered acquiring whatever little sustained action there was missing before in pro boxing back again luring would-be fighters and fighters alike. I just happen to think they don’t mix. Why else would the networks want to eagerly pull it off of the racks from the jump if that wasn’t? Do you really think Jones is in the same class as the fighters you mentioned such as Tiger, Moore, Foster and Saad Muhammad? Bobby Bobby, what a shame that we could only recall the last stanzas throughout a mesmerizing and illustrious career as all that isn’t it? I was speaking preferably of the Roy Jones from the Light Heavyweight division. If you include his fewer fights at middleweight, comparing him to the greats would be really pressing it. However, averting his other two, possibly three weights would be an injustice and a sacrilege to the sport of boxing. I also mentioned Vicious Victor Galindez in that select group too. In answering you, yes I do equate RJJ to being right there. I know he beat my dog Roy two out of three, but I think if they go one more time, Roy will win. What do you think? Brooklyn in the house. Benito Garcia Benito, I find what could be possible is for Roy to fight Glen Johnson too. But hey, he might decide to fight James Toney better. Maybe in a year or so down the road when Tarver is of no use for Roy anymore he might decide, but who knows? George, Just what are Rahman’s chances against Klitschko? Hasim looked devastating when he knocked out an unfocused Lennox Lewis back in 2001 but since then, he is on and off. I think he wins but if he does lose it’s by a KO to Dr Iron Fist. Joe Cool Joe Cool, you just about summed it all up yourself. But you’ll never know if Rahman’s thunderous punch returns and puts the finishing touches reprising Rahman-Lewis I. Enjoyed the look back at yet, another fighter I grew up on. I remember the Hearns fight well and think Mark would fair much better today then in his day. What do you think? DJ Thanks for the compliment DJ. Yes, I do think Mark Medal would have not only faired better these times at the present 154-pound division, but if he’d been here today the money in the division would’ve stayed right with the Winky Wright’s, Shane Mosley’s, and Daniel Santos’ all staying right where the action was best. What are your mere predictions of Pacquiao-Morales fight? Who do you think will get the merit this time? What are your proof in stating so. What are your thoughts about Pacquiao-Barrera II? Is there any possibility that Barrera would avenge his loss to Pacman Thanks! More Power and God bless Reno Reno, My predictions are guesses taking in account many things like so many writers who do when asked. There are no for sure picks for anyone. I do not think Barrera will fight Manny if Pac Man loses unanimously to Morales. That’s just my gut feeling saying so, and no disrespect to him. If Manny Pacquiao delivers a barnburner against Morales, you could rest assure that it would be Marco Antonio who would be without an opponent, because the public would demand for another rematch with Manny against Erik Morales. I had just read a comment to where someone asked you if you thought the weight made a difference and you had commented no. What makes you think that? My whole logic on the whole thing is this. Corrales had to make weight, drain himself, not eat the week leading up to the fight. He had to make weight, he did his job. Castillo on the other hand which is a great fighter and I like both, non-more than the other, but he did not do his job. He did not have to make weight. He did not have to starve himself; he got to come in at 147lb. He had the weight advantage; he was not weekend by making weight. Like I read on another web site right now Castillo is the best 147lb lightweight out there right now. I will take Corrales though in the rematch but let them have 2 or 3 fights before it happens. George George, I’d like to know the name of that web site which says J.L. Castillo is the best welterweight when he fought against Chico Corrales at a catch-weight, because he did nothing to earn that position beating a Lightweight. Anyhow we’re talking about making weight here, which I do know Castillo wasn’t about to run around the block to lose strength on. Whether or not Corrales starved himself or not is not the issue. Castillo wasn’t going to lose the weight and therefore the match still went on. Diego’s titles weren’t even at stake, and Castillo paid for his extra poundage correctly so. Corrales didn’t so much as complain about the weight and gone to fight him anyhow. That’s the mark of a true warrior. I said that it was up to the champion (Corrales), to fortify up to gaining weight nearest to, and yes I have seen fighters coming into the ring by fight time even heavier than what Castillo came in with, so that was no big deal. Castillo did say his rib injury prevented him from making weight. They talk and say on what it takes out of a fighter most in making weight to getting there; but nobody wants to discuss or entertain the notion what losing weight the last minute has to do on the receiving end, and what is worst. What do you say? Diego Corrales made weight on point as well as Joe Goossen had honed him. According to Joe, Chico made his weight before the fight. It wasn’t clearly a present problem leading up to the day for a starvation analogy… that quite frankly, something Corrales never even phantom having been farthest removed to have attributed to being the case or culprit thereof himself about being overweight. Now, depleting body nutrients to make weight and then resume calories in abundance would have really killed Castillo literally to fight. Corrales had no such problem from the offset. We’re talking about bodily depletion and dehydration shocking the body. Castillo was smart to defend that territory. I suspect they’ll take the next one along similar lines because of Castillo’s menacing in making the move upwards in weight. I THINK THAT WHAT CORRALES DID THE FIRST FIGHT WAS MORE CHEATING. WHEN CORRALES SPIT HIS MOUTH PIECE OUT TWICE AND HAD ALL THAT TIME TO RECOVER. THE GOOD THING WAS THAT NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT AND THEY LIVED TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. EVEYONE IN CORRALES CAMP TRAINER, PROMOTER AND MANAGER KNEW THAT CASTILLO WAS OVERWEIGHT HE HAD TO TAKE A PAYCUT AND HE WAS NOT CHALLENGING FOR THE TITLE. AFTER THE FIGHT YOU SAW JOE GOSSEN ACCEPTING THE FACTS THAT HIS MAN LOST. THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS PISSED OFF WAS GARY SHAW WHO LOST A BET TO CASTILLO FOR $100,000. LETS NOT MAKE THIS LIKE THE MANNY PACQUIAO SOCK INCEDENT. Sergio Sergio, I found that it all made for a great ruckus to lead in for the third one. I also wouldn’t put so much credence into whichever camp says made the biggest mistakes because it’s far too obvious that both did. Without sanctioned representation for the Corrales belts up due to the circumstances regarding Castillo’s weight problem, uneasy feelings escalated into a catastrophic upsurge; which was almost as parsimonious as I think they’d intended in setting the match. All that circumventing might be forcing the sanctioning bodies to react enforceable. This may or not be in the prospects hands or best interest to adhere to at lightweight.
