Bread, you are my distinguished colleague from Philly, but I must disagree with you about James Toney’s chances against Randy Couture. You don’t seem to factor in that this fight is not on a level playing field: it is in the UFC Octagon. The fight will be totally on Couture’s terms, and he is far too intelligent to stand there and trade with James Toney. There will be very few opportunities for Toney to put his advantages to use and many opportunities for Couture to execute moves that Toney has barely ever seen before. Once Couture gets Toney on the ground, and it will happen, Toney will be finished. Also, have you considered that if Toney knocks Couture down, he will either have to let Couture down or he will have to pounce on him, which once again will favor Couture. You are betting as a boxing fan and not as a thinking man.–Scott Shaffer Bread?s Response: I already said in one of my mailbags that I am betting with my heart. I fully admit this. I know Toney is a long shot but I think he has an outside shot at winning. Us gamblers take shots sometimes. It?s no big deal, I?ve lost more money on lesser things. I also want to point out to all of the MMA guys who are licking their chops, because a distinguished boxer may take a bad one in a couple of weeks. The fight between Toney and Couture is being billed MMA vs. Boxing. Well that?s not entirely true. A boxer is fighting a mixed martial artist in a mixed martial art contest. If Kobe played TO one on one in a basketball game, would it be basketball vs. football? Or would it be a basketball and a football player playing basketball? I can see it now, UFC is better, blah blah blah. Let?s keep things in perspective guys.
Love the mailbag. But I have to call a spade a spade. I understand Boxingtalk has a great relationship with Devon Alexander and Kevin Cunningham. But yall are TRIPPIN. Devon got his ass WHOOPED. That fight wasn’t even close. There is no way in good conscious can I sit back and not write in and let you and G pull this bullshit. From the 3rd round on, Devon LOST. More active my ass. The only thing that should have been hurt on Kotelnik was his hands because Devon was punching gloves all night. The replay will show how Cunningham was berating him in the corner because even he knew Devon was getting his ass handed to him. While I was not impressed with Bradley’s performance, Devon straight up LOST. Whether it was an off night, stomach virus, food poisoning, whatever you wanna call it, but he was not the better man that night and his face showed it. Secondly, can we PLEASE talk about something besides Pacquiao/Mayweather? If that fight happens it happens in May 11. As Sr. said, if Floyd fights Manny in 2010, everything he made for the Mosley fight goes to the IRS. Has nothing to do with Golden Boy or Roger going to jail possibly. For that reason, I can’t be mad at him. And Margarito will stop Manny. You all HAVE to be kidding me right? There is no way Manny can handle the sustained pressure and high punch volume of Margarito. Margarito is not gonna stand there with a high guard all night not punching like Clottey. And Manny can’t fight going backwards. Margarito is gonna keep coming forward. I think it sucks he gets the fight because he has done nothing to deserve it, but Margarito is gonna upset Arums apple cart and old Bob is gonna need a colostomy bag after it’s all said and done. Mayweather will NOT sign with Don King. If anything he will absorb all the ideas DK is putting in his head, then go back and put pressure on GBP to make it happen. No way he signs King, and Floyd has a multiple fight guarantee with HBO that still has 3 fights left on it. It’s guaranteed money, and acording to Floyd it’s worth $125 million. I dont know how true that is, but why would he sign a contract with DK promising him $100 million over the course of 4 fights when he has a $125 million guarantee from HBO for the same amount of fights? King aint gonna do business that way. Oh yeah, all the heavyweights SUCK. They should just ignore the heavyweight division completely. It’s an embarrassment to the legacy of fighters of the past. When you’re the heavyweight champ and you gotta fight on ESPN, something has to suck about you and the rest of the division. Paul Williams is my dude, but he needs to just forget 147 and fight Martinez for the belt. 147 is a wasteland now. Maybe 2 or 3 years ago, but there is nothing there now and Mayweather and Manny aint going nowhere near him. And finally, I would HATER to be the first dude Kirkland fights when he gets out of jail. Wolf is gonna have him like a pit bull ready to break his leash when he gets back in the ring. Keep the paramedics ringside. TJ
Bread?s Response: What are me and G trying to pull? For the record Alexander and Cunningham get love on BT, because they are accessible. They always give interviews. Many top notch fighters are very hard to get into contact with. Period. I personally have not done one interview with Alexander or Cunningham. Nor have I ever met them. I simply don?t think it was a robbery. But if you look at my mailbags after the fight you will see, I didn?t take it easy on Devon at all. I have to ask how would you know that the IRS will take all of Floyd?s earnings if he fought Pac this year. How do you know if Floyd is incorporated or not? Which gives you a huge write off. How would you know what Floyd writes off anyway? Do you have access to his accountant’s files? So now a fighter has to fight once a year to avoid a tax hit. Come on my man. You guys always force me to go here. From Leonard Ellerbee?s mouth, ? Floyd has NO tax problems?, now we have this rumor. With respect to Floyd I haven?t heard him say this personally. But you guys can?t come up with excuses for Floyd that he hasn?t even come up with himself. I will tell you this and leave it alone. If Floyd is still having tax problems and for the record, if the IRS is planning to snatch his whole earnings for the Mosley purse, that would qualify as a problem in my eyes. Then him not fighting anymore this year will only prolong the problem. Guys we have to stop this witch hunt for excuses. The kid just does not want to fight right now. Maybe next year he will.
Waddup Bread, Darren, London, England, long time no write, my last overzealous Mayweather/Mosley rant never made the bag, but hope you and the staff are good. Well only thing I can say of the state of the game at the moment is that it has been one of the most hapless years of recent memories, so many must happen fights that haven’t happened, might happen next year and we are not sure whether they will happen (with names like Haye v Klits, May v Pac, Alexander v Bradley v Khan v Maid, Juanma v Gamboa v Celestine Ceb, Berto v Collazo 2 or anyone who can be provide a threat), tell me Bread as the fans, first and foremostly what have we the fans done to deserve this? Secondly with the recent worldwide economic state of financial depression and recession and national debt continually spiralling, how is it that these somewhat pompous and arrogant promoters and greedy fighters can sit back avoid the biggest fights, and leverage for quadrazillions even whilst fighting inferior puppy dog opposition? And WHAT CAN WE AS THE FIGHT FANS DO FOR THE FUTURE DO TO ACTION AGAINST THIS? Sugar Ray Robinson would cry to see the state of the game now. Also moving on, Bread who would you define as being the best competitor that Ray Robinson faced in terms of their achievements outside of Ray? Coz he overshadows everyone! At Middleweight, considering the dearth there, Where would Jake LaMotta, Carmen Basilio, Gene Fullmer, Carl ‘Bobo’ Olson fit in now? Also who do you pick in Ray vs Duran at Welter with the same Duran that fought Leonard in their first meeting – I think it would be close and Duran could even nick it as Ray could get drawn into a slugfest amd Duran was a Staffordshire Terrier rolling with punches and delivering back with twice the venom, bestiality and spite? In closing: 1.) And this is a big one coz I am a student of the game, across the weights post-Robinson to current who would you define across the weight categories or just the original 8 as being the best overall since that time? 2.) Now across the same categories, but not necessarily from the same names who would you pick as being the best with the Jab, combination punching and not getting hit? 3.) And lastly as my son is a budding amateur coming up, who from the footage available to us through You Tube say would you say are the best handful of amateur fighters for me to get him to watch for scoring and defense, hitting and not getting hit, volume punching etc currently and of yesteryear? I personally love Rigondeux and think he is awesome, but names like Tischenko and Lomachanko and your boy Raushee Warren are guys we have looked at. Much Love and thanks?
Bread?s Response: The fans can just simply demand that the promoters supply us with more. If they give us fights we don?t approve of we just don?t support the fights. Robinson faced about a dozen HOFs. He actually beat Henry Armstrong in I believe 1943. Armstrong was past it but in terms of accomplishments that would be the best fighter. Robinson also has victories of Fritzie Zivic, Sammy Angott and Kid Gavilan. Pick your poison. In terms of how good they were when Ray fought them, I would say Gavilan. He fought him in his prime. Lamotta, Basilio and Fullmer would all be champion if they fought today. Olson would be a high ranking contender and possibly probably a titlist. Leonard won the last 3 rounds in his 1st fight with Duran. Duran had to employ a tactic that Hopkins and Ward uses today to smother his power. Ray bothered Duran with his punching power if not necessarily hurting him. Robinson is at least 2 levels up from a puncher than Leonard was. Robinson would have too much physicality for Duran. I don?t think you guys realize how hard Robinson punches. The best fighters in the original 8 Post Robinson , in each weight class are. Flyweight-Fighting Harada. Bantamweight- Eder Jofre. Featherweight -Sal Snachez. Lightweight- Roberto Duran. Welterweight- Ray Leonard. Middleweight- Carlos Monzon. Lightheavyweight- Michael Spinks.Heavyweight-Muhammad Ali. I don?t watch much amateur boxing anymore. The system really turns me off. But Oscar and Whitaker would be two guys that I would recommend.
yo, breadman..wassup??!!! i been reading your mailbag for quite sometime now, and I find it amusing reading comments from other boxing fans.. and frankly, i think your only one of a few boxing writers that is not bias like writers from other boxing sites.. im a boxing fan since the glory days of Oscar, Tito, Iron Mike, and El Terrible.. and like most boxing fans, i want to see the fight of the century, and thats Manny VS. Floyd… but i hate the fact that some people still thinks that PAC is on peds, coz he didnt agree to a full scale random testing up to the day of the fight, didnt PAC made it clear a few months back that if the NSAC demands the test, he will honor it.. random blood test and everything.. does that sound like PAC is not willing to take the test? even the NSAC replied and said that they’re flexible when it comes to this issue, they will do random blood test on a specific fight, they wont make it a standard but only on that specific fight upon the fighters request.. now, if Floyd really wants the fight, all he has to do is go to the NSAC and request for the test, and then we have a fight… but did Floyd even bother?? No..thats when he brought up the USADA, he wants the USADA to conduct the test instead of the NSAC, why is that? i thought all he wants is the test.. i dont get it.. i bet these people dont even ask themselves as to why… the Mayweathers are doing a great job in misleading the public that PAC is afraid to take the test, and whats funny is that people are buying it, they believe everything what the Mayweathers say..PAC publicly challenged Floyd, and up to now, the self-proclaimed boxing great is still in silent mode.. now what do you call that??? BTW, the Margo fight is a bad move for PAC… well, thats all i have for now breadman.. – Cloud A.-
Bread?s Response: I actually made the same point a few months back. I never understood why the Mayweather Team didn?t box Manny in, by petitioning the NSAC. The head of the NSAC even stated that they consider individual petitions. Even after his statement Mayweather still didn?t file one with them. That really puzzles me. Because if the NSAC approved of random blood testing for a May/Pac fight and Pac refused I personally would automatically take Mayweather?s side. Pac nor Arum could use the excuse we are abiding by the rules of the commission not the rules of Mayweather. I still don?t understand why Mayweather did not at least attempt to petition for random testing. In my opinion that would be exhausting all your resources to get what you truly want.
What’s up Bread? Why do so many people write in just trying to “prove you wrong”? What’s the point? Will it make them feel like more of a man or something? It seems that that’s their whole purpose of writing in, as if they study everything you write and try to find one tiny thing that might contradict something else you said.. It’s actually kind of annoying.. Anyway, rather than putting you under the microscope, I’m writing to talk about boxing.. That’s what the mailbag is for, isn’t it? First off.. Why is everyone acting like Devon Alexander got his ass handed to him and received a gift decision? I’m tired of reading all this “he got exposed!” bullshit. This is one of the things I think is wrong with boxing.. Somehow, there became this unwritten rule where if a guy loses ONE fight, he’s no longer relevant. ONE loss and you’ve been “EXPOSED” or you were “OVERRATED” come on.. Really? Now it’s getting even worse.. Alexander won the fight, but now that’s not good enough anymore either? Now if you don’t dominate a guy 120-108 or knock his head off you’re no good either? What’s next? I can’t even imagine where this is going to lead a few years from now.. For the record, I scored it 116-113 Alexander (I had one round 10-10). It wasn’t his best performance, but so what? He won the fight. I still don’t see why Bradley vs Alexander is such a rush.. I’m a fan of both and I’d love to see them fight, but why so soon? Bradley is only 26-0, Alexander is only 21-0! Why not let them fight when they’re like 32-0 and 27-0? Or maybe even 33-1 and 25-2 or something, god forbid they lose a fight! It just seems to me that promoters, networks, fans, everybody loves to rush fighters these days.. Look how well it worked with Jermain Taylor! They rushed him and he was shot by the time he was 30. The same thing is going to happen with guys like Bradley and Alexander if they don’t give them time to develop properly. What are your thoughts on all of this? Also, a few hypothetical matchups… Who wins and why? Primes of course.. Jose Luis Castillo vs Shane Mosley @ 135, Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Felix Trinidad @ 147, Edwin Valero vs Arturo Gatti @ 135 or 140, Corey Spinks vs Kassim Ouma @ 154 B from NY
Bread?s Response: Thanks B. A loss or victory does not always mean a fighter has been exposed. I base that on performance. I wouldn?t necessarily say Alexander was exposed but there should be some concern in his camp. Devon has some flaws he needs to sure up. The problem with Alexander and Bradley getting 5 or 6 more fights before they fight is, fighters today fight only twice a year. That would take almost 3 years. That would be too long. The fight has been brewing for a year now. By next year they should be set to go. Three more years and that would be over cooking lol. I feel you on the rush tip, but I think Taylor was a bad example. Taylor just turned out to be very good and not great. Taylor didn?t improve because he never learned to fight smarter instead of harder. Taylor was about 27 years old when he challenged for the title and he had been pro for 5 years. In my opinion he was not rushed, that was just about right. Mosley over Castillo. Just too athletic. Shane was a monster at 135. Floyd would outbox Tito but he would be pushed. Valreo would beat my boy Gatti. Valero does not feel pain. I never seen a fighter fight through a cut so bad as the one he suffered against DeMarco. Ouma would upset Spinks. Sometimes volume punchers can trump boxers especially if the boxers can?t keep them off of them.
