This week to spread the Holiday cheer we have mails on Erik Morales, another fan that sounds off as to why Zahir Raheem isn’t rated as Lightweight Champion, and questions on The Pocket Rocket Wayne McCullough and Middleweight prospect John Duddy. We’ve got a handle on the greatest promoter in boxing history, to the light heavyweight historical punch-outs that might have been ailing you. We’ve got a bit of something here for everyone. Have an environmentally sound holiday everybody.
I don’t think Erik Morales has it anymore. Lots of people are saying that he’s spent already and has no more fight in him. Why would he be granted to challenge for the WBC Super Featherweight title when he couldn’t even beat the lightweight Raheem? If Manny Pacquiao beats him he only has himself to blame.
Roger
Roger,
There’re lots of people divided on that same issue you spoke about. Truth of the matter is we won’t know until it happens. What bothers me more is about the psychological frame of mind that Erik must be in. It could be possible that he will thrive on a few more fights before it all comes crashing on him, or he’ll realize that he’s no longer the same fighter he was a few years ago. This weight thing has got to be one major hurdle for him to face. I really just think that after Pac Man; he will fight just once more with Barrera; and then call it a career. He may take a long layoff and then return years later for Z-Man if that’s the case.
Tell me George who was the greatest promoter who ever lived? Thanks.
Wallace
Wallace,
Tex Rickard was. He’d bring a circus atmosphere to it like The Greatest Show On Earth. Tex passed January 6th 1929; on a followed up operation for appendicitis aged sixty-seven; New York City.
He held that distinction for being the greatest promoter in boxing history.
George,
I watched that fight of Raheem and Morales, and I thought Raheem dominated the fight, but I every time I search him as the WBC Lightweight champ, his name is not there. Even when I search yahoo sports at this URL, he is not there. What gives?
Joseph Grant III
Joseph,
What happened was that that fight he took with Morales wasn’t for the Lightweight championship of the world, or WBC. It was at lightweight for the WBC International title, which Raheem proudly has. Incidentally, Zahir rates a third placed in both the WBC and WBO standings, with the number four spot at the WBA, and even worst as the sixth placed contingent for the IBF.
What gets me is a lot the boxing panel of experts have become more cynical then usual mistakenly reasoning that the Morales loss at the hands of Raheem was a fluke. I just hope Raheem keeps active and turn a blind eye to it; because just about when the Mayweather Vs Judah fight winds down; once the smoke clears; he’ll more than likely be the hot commodity pretty much out there.
HEY WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT WAYNE MCCULLOUGH FIGHTING FOR ANOTHER TITEL AGINST THE DUDE THAT BEAT LARRIOS AND WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT JOHN DUDDY?
IRISHAMERICAN
I.A.,
I think he’ll know when to pack it in better than what we can speculate about.
Wayne is still a name fighter right now, and I believe the fighter you mentioned who beat Oscar “Chololo” Larios was Israel “The Magnificent” Vazquez there. As an opponent McCullough is viable and earnest enough to give it a fight for anybody. What surprised me about Israel was his rebirth of punching power again in cutting Larios with a single punch! That is not an easy feat to do.
John Duddy shows some good very early going power, but the middleweight has got to go beyond eight rounds in ’06. Once he goes the distance in a few ten round fights, then we can make a much better assessment about him.
Say George, wasn’t Virgil Hill the top light heavyweight who made the most defenses from America living out in the Dakotas? I know about the other one out there in Germany who made it one higher then him before he got beat.
Vincent
Vincent,
Although Hill had a lengthy two reigns totaling an entire twenty-two, The Tiger Michalczwski did twenty-three defenses in one stint. Archie Moore had the longest reign though just ten months shy of ten years from December 1952-February 1962. Julio Gonzalez prevented him from challenging Moore in that department.
What was more amazing about that fight I remember was that Michalczwski was going to be one defense short of making twenty-five against All-time great Joe Louis before he lost to Gonzalez. Having seen that fight on the fair play they demonstrated over in Germany for the Gonzalez win reaffirmed my belief that boxing is a well-preserved spirit of combat having with no other interest except in having one deserved winner. Dariusz Michalczwski would also be denied that October 18th 2003, to be an undefeated champion at the huge Color Line Arena, Hamburg, to equalize Rocky Marciano’s record of 49 wins without a single loss, and then he stepped through the ropes against Gonzalez losing the beacon of the WBO Lt. Heavyweight title.
George, name the fighter Emile Griffith fought with one eye.
Jerry
Jerry,
There was a guy named Gypsy Joe Harris who’d fought Griffith August 6th 1968 with one eye, and after Harris lost the twelve round decision it was discovered that he’d been fighting his entire career with one lone eye. That fight was held in Philadelphia, but the shocker to have known what Harris disclosed afterwards was something that still sends shockwaves.
George,
Who do you think is going to win between Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas and why?
Carmen
Carmen,
That’s going to be a real tough fight to pick. It is probably the best fight to set the precedence into motion. There’re so many things that could go wrong or right there that makes it intriguing. If Mosley initiates the pace setting, it’ll be an uphill climb to catch up and Vargas would need to put in the squeeze.
Some I dare say take to thinking the mechanics for this fight aren’t happening. Vargas will be the plotter and swing for the knockout while Shane boxes and utilizes the ring. I don’t think Vargas will be duped into thinking Mosley will keep the same tempo up for the entire fight, that’s just not his mentality, and certainly not for this fight. Although Fernando Vargas carries explosive power, I tend to think he’ll use it sparsely at intervals and sprint down the wire to collect points.
I will say this though; I would not be surprised if these two fought a rematch down the road because in the business you couldn’t get a match up quite like this magnitude mounted up to go in many ages.
