It’s a slow week in boxing what with the Chavez-Barrera fight that was scheduled for March 25th falling out, so I thought to myself “Why not add a little more hate to this already hateful world”. That’s right, you miserable freakin’ haters, it’s time for another Bitch Bag – this one filled with all the emails in response to my recent pound-for-pound rankings that were not respectful to the God Father of Mail Bags. HATE on!
MAX-RACISM.COM!
You are a definite racist what do you mean by WHO KNEW BLACK PEOPLE STILL LIKE BOXING, you better watch your f__king mouth! Seriously – Marcus
Hey, I’ve been covering boxing for 10 years, and from my observations (which, I admit are primarily West Coast-based), African Americans have supported live boxing cards less and less in that time span. I honestly wasn’t sure if there was a substantial black audience that bought tickets any more. I’m happy to know that I’m wrong about that (in regard to the high ticket sales to the April 8th Floyd Mayweather-Zab Judah showdown).
I don’t care if you call me racist and try and threaten me to “shut my mouth”, because I know you’ll never walk up to me and say it to my face and if you do, I’ll just laugh at you. And guess what? You won’t do s__t about it.
YOUR OPINON SUCKS
Your P4P list is just silly in my opinion, you are so concerned with who fought who that the way fighters fight don’t even figure into your equation. Your top 3, Winky, Pac, and MAB, none of them got skills or ability like PBF. P4P is about who is the best fighter period, not about who fought who lately. Almost every website and magazine is in agreement that Floyd is da man, yet you got to go all out of your way to try and prove otherwise. I guess you just like to be different hunh Dougie? Let Oscar or Shane or some other fan favorite beat Zab, like Floyd is about to do and you guys will be singing his praises and ranting about how they only take tough fights and challenges. Floyd fights Zab and he’s cherrypicking….lol…you guys are unbelievable on Maxboxing. For any other fighter to knock Sharmba Mithcell out of there you will give props, ala Zoo, Floyd does it and it proves nothing….lol…laughing at you guys again. Wins over Gatti, Mitchell, Judah, Corley, does in indeed confirm that Floyd is still P4P number 1. No other fighters out there are going to do any better competition wise especially in and around welterweight. Floyd is still da man, the boy been holding it down since 98 and you wont even recognize…..that’s sad to me, sites like yours are suppose to deliver the truth, not the bias. — Michael
If almost “every website and magazine is in agreement that Floyd is da man” then I think almost every website and magazine is wrong. It’s my opinion and it’s just as good as yours – and, in fact, it holds A LOT more influence than yours and that just pisses you off doesn’t it? It burns your Pretty Boy worshipping ass that more and more fans (and media) are echoing the same arguments that I have been using since early last year to criticize Mayweather’s recent opposition.
I’m not so different any more in my opinion of Mayweather. When I first dropped PBF’s butt from no. 2 to no. 7 on my list after he took on undeserving and unheralded Henry Bruseles early last year, I was inundated with emails like yours. By the end of last year, however, half the emails I received in response to my pound-for-pound rankings agreed with my placement of Mayweather, and that trend continues. I know you’re feeling the heat on the Message Boards, Mikey. It BURNS your Pretty Boy-lovin’ ass, don’t it? You argue and argue, proclaiming Mayweather’s greatness and P4P status, and the “haters” hit you back with facts and counter-points that they read from my mail bags, columns and P4P lists. And you don’t know how to defend your boy, do you? All you can do is pray that he doesn’t get dropped or KTFO by Judah, because if that happens it’s all over for you and the Philthy Rich Posse, isn’t it? The Pretty Boys will fade away just like the Klitsch-Kooks, the Roy Boys, the Trin-idiots, and the Golden Girls.
In the meantime, you’ll continue to read everything I put out there for you, get mad, and then send me frustrated emails with silly ass points like these:
“Floyd fights Zab and he’s cherrypicking….lol…you guys are unbelievable on Maxboxing. For any other fighter to knock Sharmba Mithcell out of there you will give props, ala Zoo, Floyd does it and it proves nothing.”
Floyd fighting Zab is not “cherry picking”; it’s picking on a guy who is coming off a loss to a very ordinary fighter.
There’s a reason we – and everyone else with common sense – gave Kostya Tszyu credit for downing Mitchell. When Tszyu first fought the southpaw, Mitchell was the WBA 140-pound titlist (who had made four title defenses), who was unbeaten in six years and on a 16-fight win streak. Prior to their rematch, Mitchell was the IBF 140-pound belt holder, had gone unbeaten over three years, and won eight straight.
Now let me ask you this: what world title did Mitchell have when Mayweather fought him? What kind of a win-streak was Mitchell on when PBF fought him? The answer: NONE (unless you count the NABA belt as a ‘world title’ and one fight as a ‘win streak’).
STOP HATIN’ AND SHOW SUM RESPECT!
i cant believe zab aint in your top 20 and floyd is number 4??? stop hating cause they prefer boxingtalk.com over your website…how the hell can you say margarito is a bigger fight for floyd no one knows who the f__k he is or anybody he has beaten… so please wake up and show zab some respect!!! – George
I can respond to your last statement with two words: F__k that!
The only way I’ll “wake up” and give Zab respect is if he wakes my ass up by putting Mayweather to sleep. Then I’ll be more than happy to put Brooklyn’s badass back inside my top 15 (and maybe my top 10 if I’m in a generous mood).
And please, please, PLEASE stop pretending to be Mayweather’s manager by spouting all this “Nobody knows who Antonio Margarito is” bulls__t. First of all, there’s plenty of Mexican, Mexican-American and diehard fans who know exactly who Margarito is (the best welterweight in the game). And second, even if Margarito is not known, so f__kin’ what!?
Nobody in the U.S. knew who Ayub Kalule was when Ray Leonard fought him. But that didn’t stop Leonard from stepping up in weight to take on the undefeated (36-0) WBA 154-pound champ. You know what? Leonard didn’t have an easy night with the Denmark-based Ugandan, who was stronger and better skilled than Margarito, but guess what, Georgie? That’s what makes Sugar Ray a legend. He didn’t shy away from challenges.
Nobody in the U.S. knew who Julio Cesar Vasquez was when Pernell Whitaker fought him. But that didn’t stop Sweet Pea from challenging the WBA 154-pound champ, who held a 53-1 record at the time and had made 10 title defenses (including former welterweight titlist Aaron Davis and a young undefeated Winky Wright). Do you think Whitaker, or his fans, made some big stink about his taking on a much bigger, stronger opponent? HELL NO! It wasn’t even a big deal! Whitaker wasn’t telling the media: “Who is Julio Cesar Vasquez? Nobody knows who that is. Why should I fight him? I got to get paid at least $10 million.”
S__t, man, Vasquez-Whitaker wasn’t some big PPV event. It didn’t deserve to be. It was just another night at the office for Whitaker, who got dropped early in the bout, but got up and figured the tough Argentine southpaw out on his way to another lop-sided unanimous decision win.
These junior middleweight title fights were no big f__kin’ deal to Leonard or Whitaker. They were men (not Pretty Boys), they didn’t need to hide behind their fans because A) they WANTED to challenge themselves, and B) their fans WANTED them to take on worthy challenges.
You Pretty Boys just want your hero to take safe fights so you can continue to pretend that he’s the greatest thing since Ray Robinson, just like the Roy Boys. Well, that’s bulls__t, Georgie. I don’t EVER want to hear you young suckers out there try and compare Mayweather to Leonard or Sweet Pea.
And regarding your claim that I’m “hating” because Judah and Mayweather talk to BoxingTalk and not MaxBoxing is ridiculous. I could care less. Seriously! I’ve been doing this since you were in junior high, Sparky. I’m tired of talking to fighters and hearing the same s__t over and over again. Honestly, there’s only about 10 or 15 fighters that I really care to interview and those are the ones who are honest, thoughtful and articulate. Judah and Mayweahter don’t fall into those categories – and neither do a lot of fighters that I like, personally. Hell, interviewing “my son” Edwin Valero wasn’t exactly like talking to Muhammad Ali. But that’s OK. There were managers, trainers, promoters and other fighters that I could talk to when writing features on the V-Nom. I don’t need to barf up the same old Q&A interview over and over again to write about fighters because, guess what, Georgie, I can ACTUALLY write. I don’t just transcribe taped interviews. And that last statement was not a swipe at BoxingTalk, just the truth. I think BoxingTalk has its niche in the boxing world, as does FightNews, SecondsOut, Eastside, BoxingScene, SaddoBoxing, TheSweetScience, BraggingRights, CyberBoxingZone, TigerBoxing, 15 Rounds, and all the other websites that cover – or attempt to cover – boxing. I visit them all because I’m a real fight fan (not a pathetic nut hugger of one or two fighters or a particular website).
I have no problem with any writer from any of the websites and when we see each other at the fights, it’s all love. Nobody has a problem with any body. Every writer that I’ve ever met from EVERY website has always approached me with respect. We shake hands and I return that respect. That’s what it is to be an adult, Georgie. That’s what it means to be a professional. If a few folks behind some of the major websites and a few message board fanatics want to act like we’re all members of gangs, where online “set-tripping” is the norm, that’s not my problem and it’s not my mentality. Never has been.
Before the internet took off in the late ‘90s and fans like myself got the bulk of their information and features from magazines I didn’t write letters to former Ring editor Bert Sugar, who went on to publish Boxing Illustrated and Fight Game, and proclaim crazy crap like “Yo, what the f__k is up, Hat!? I don’t know why you hatin’ on Mike Tyson but you better watch what you write. I guess you’re just jealous that Mighty Mike would rather talk to my man Steve ‘From the Far-hood’ and the new Ring magazine than soak up all that second-hand smoke from those smelly ass cigars of yours. Don’t hate because Farhood keeps it real and that real recognizes real! – Tha Dugzta Out.”
No, I didn’t waste my time or the time of the editors of the various magazines (and I bought them all) with angry rants. I let them have their opinions. Sometimes I agreed, sometimes I didn’t, but I always read what they had to say and I’m a more knowledgeable boxing fan because of it.
FLOYD SHOULD BE NO. 1
So Floyd’s fighting Zab Judah @ 147 and its no big deal? Zab’s not on ya list and neither is Margarito…. I suspect that if Floyd were to fight (and I mean “beat”) Margarito it would be considered no big deal either. A muti-division champ just can’t win huh? Floyd should be No. 1.
To answer ya question: #4 would be a good spot for Zab if he wins… Baldomir? I notice he didn’t take the #13 spot in place of Judah…. LoL @ him not even being mentioned on the list besides tryna defend ya judgement of floyd’s rank. — Synch1216
If Mayweather beat a Margarito who was coming off a loss to Carlos Baldomir, no it wouldn’t be much of a big deal. If Judah had taken care of biz vs. Baldomir and legitimately retained his 147-pound belts, Mayweather would not only be fighting for the undisputed welterweight title on April 8th, he’d be fighting for the top spot on my pound-for-pound list. But that didn’t happen, genius.
Baldomir is nowhere on my list because he’s not an elite fighter. If you think he is, you don’t know much about boxing and I’d hate to see who else you have on your list. (And why are you getting on my ass for not replacing Judah with Baldomir when you admit that you wouldn’t replace Mayweather with Judah if the New Yorker wins on April 8th? See, this is why I don’t take you Pretty Boys seriously – you have one set of rules for Mayweather and a different set of rules for everyone else.)
Margarito is just outside of my top 20, but I would give Mayweather a lot of credit for fighting the WBO belt holder because A) he’s the best welterweight out there right now, and B) he’s a very big 147 pounder.
A P4P LIST FOR DUMB-ASSES
As usual, your P4P list is an accurate display of your boxing knowledge. Quality of opposition, longevity, and consistency? James Toney? Dumb ass. – Christopher
James Toney is a heavyweight – a fat, sloppy one with ‘plumber’s butt’ at that – and I don’t rank the big boys. And even if I did, none of them deserve to be among my current top 20 grouping of pound-for-pound players. Toney, who possesses much better skills than the one-dimensional Rahman, basically ate himself out of a sure victory Saturday night; and Rock, who some call the best big man in the sport, couldn’t beat up a guy who started boxing at 160 pounds. Screw the heavyweights. Only a dumb ass would even try to compare them with the lower weight classes.
YOU’RE NO STEVE KIM, DOUGIE
Dougie, I thought you had more boxing sense than your buddy Steve Kim, but apparently not. How could you leave Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito off your top 20? Glenn Johnson? Joel Casamayor? Are you kidding me? Come on Dougie, get with it. – Jose
Johnson and Casamayor have been in with elite fighters, Cotto and Margarito have not. Cotto and Margarito are strong title holders who have defeated some solid contenders and prospects, but they haven’t done anything that fellow belt holders Mikkel Kessler, Juan Diaz, or Roberto Vasquez haven’t done, but it’s funny, I don’t hear any of you so-called hardcore fans make a case for them being top 20 players. Why is that? Do you guys really follow the sport, or do you just watch HBO and Showtime and go from there?
EARTH TO DOUGIE, COME IN DOUGIE
Winky #1? If you would have said Pac Man I would have thought fair. Floyd #4?! Wow! You don’t look like you’re on meth so why the crazy assessment.
Much love for ya but this one is way out..I mean, Jupiter like. When you return to earth I’ll still be reading. – Donald
Oh come on, man, I haven’t done crank since high school (I’m just kidding but Springfield, Missouri – where I grew up – is one of the nation’s leading producers of Methamphetamine). Seriously, even a total meth addict can understand my pound-for-pound criteria, Don. He who beats fellow pound-for-pound players shall climb the list — over elite fighters who have lost to fellow pound-for-pound players (PacMan) and those who haven’t fought a P-F-P-P in a few years (PBF).
Many fans and even some of the boxing press (shame on them) are exercising a lot of revisionist history when it comes to Shane Mosley and Felix Trinidad. Before Wright fought them, both three-division champs were in everybody’s pound-for-pound top 20 (many folks had Mosley top 10 and Tito in the their top 15) – and please DON’T take my word of this, do a Google search of all the better-known websites, boxing writers and publications, from MaxBoxing to USA Today to FightNews to The Ring to BoxingTalk, with the words “pound for pound” and “October” or “November 2004” and see what you get. However, after Wright whupped their asses, Tito became “washed-up” and Mosley became a “blown-up lightweight”. Well, I say phooey to all that crap talk.
Dim-witted dill weeds out there can say what they want about me, but the truth is that I give credit where credit is due and I’m consistent with my ranking criteria. I didn’t rank Winky in my P4P top 20 before his two fights with Mosley – in fact, I used to tease him and call him “Whiney Wright” because he complained so much about his controversial loss to Fernando Vargas – but once he beat Sugar Shane, I had to give the man his props, and I happily did so. After he mastered Trinidad, I moved him into the top 5 range. He assumed the no. 1 spot on the strength of these marquee wins and his longevity and general consistency once mainstays like Hopkins, Morales and Tszyu dropped out of the top 5.
WHERE’S YOUR BIAS WHEN YOU NEED IT?
Where the hell is your west coast bias when it comes to leaving Shane Mosley out of the top 25? – Doug
I don’t have West Coast bias, Dougie. I just live out here. And I have no problem telling Mosley, De La Hoya, Vargas, Margarito, and even the Fatman himself (to their faces) why they didn’t make my top 20.
