Well, well, well, Bernard Hopkins gets the win against Antonio Tarver and does it by a country mile. I don’t know how much longer a country mile is compared to a normal city mile, but either way, he won by a lot. This bout has meant so much too so many people…that suffered from insomnia. They are cured people. Their sleeping disorder has been executed magically, if you will, and I will. This is a remarkable achievement and it may tell us something that we have all suspected about Tarver. He is a good fighter, but not a great one, and Hopkins is a great one. I hope that he does retire because this is a wonderful way to end a career.
In other action, Miguel Cotto defeated the game and gutsy, Paulie Malignaggi in a PPV that was actually entertaining. I didn’t feel like I was bent over and done dry when it was over, much like I have been in the past from pay per views like: Mosley-Vargas. I’m still sore from that one. I think that a Cotto-Hatton bout would be the cat’s pajamas. It’d be the bee’s knees. It would be…what’s another good saying? It would be the beetle’s grapes (Note: I made that one up all by myself). Also, I want to give a shout out to the Pacfans…and a congratulations to Bobby Pacquiao for his dominant victory over Kevin Kelley. It was a very good performance by Manny’s brother. I also want to say thanks to the Pacfans for their support and props on my article: The Future of Manny Pacquiao. I appreciate all the compliments and mad props.
Do you know what’s next? Do you? It’s the Geno Bambino Movie Review. Yeah, I watched: 16 Blocks with Bruce Willis and Dante “Mos Def” Smith. Now, the mustache that Bruce sported throughout was a little too Village People for me, but this movie was fantastic. Willis usually delivers, as he did in one of my favorite movies: Die Hard. It reminds me of the way that my Grandfather passed, but I’ll save that for another time. Anyway, Willis is protecting this kid from some bad cops as they try to make their way to the courthouse, where “Mos Def” will testify against these idiots. Well, from start to finish, this movie was great and Smith played a great and vulnerable character instead of this tough guy that most rappers play when they make their way onto the big screen. One more thing before I begin the bag people.
Now, onto part one of this four part mailbag this week, and remember, the “Geno Bambino Question of the Month” is coming and some lucky RSR reader will win an: “Evil Awakening” DVD.
GIVE THAT MAN AN OSCAR…AGAIN
Geno,
If Oscar De La Hoya and Tito Trinidad were to meet again in the ring, who would you think will win? And who is the better fighter in your opinion, prime Trinidad or a prime PBF? I didn’t get to see much of PBF’s fights and I’m a big fan of Trinidad but people are talking about PBF’s greatness. Is he a better fighter than my Tito? Thanks Geno. Can you provide me a website where I can watch PBF’s fights? Thanks again!
El Gwapito
El Gwapito,
If De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad were to face off again, I would go with the man that won the first time…Trinidad. I know that De La Hoya was supposedly jobbed out of his rightful victory, but I had “Tito” winning, 116-112. I thought that the flashy punches that De La Hoya was throwing at Trinidad weren’t enough to win the fight. Now make no mistake, Trinidad didn’t perform his best in that bout either, but I thought that he won the fight, and there was no controversy. In a rematch, with De La Hoya’s age and weight fluctuation making him slower, as evident in the Mayorga bout, I would pick Tito by KO. Now Trinidad was not as great as he used to be when we saw him lose to Winky Wright, but both he and “The Golden Boy” will be slower and that should lead to a shoot out. If you have Tito and De La Hoya exchanging punches, it’ll be fun and it will be action-packed, but the bigger puncher will prevail.
Floyd Mayweather, JR., is great. He is the best in the game right now, and I think that he is better all around than Felix Trinidad, although “Tito” is one of my favorite boxers of all time. A website for PBF’s bouts…I would suggest that you check out our message board. There are many RSR readers there that will lead you in the right direction for sure.
PPV
Geno,
Good day. I just wanna ask you what are your dream top 5 PPV matches next year.
EM
EM,
Good day…what so good about it? I love that saying. Not too many people use it anymore. It’s from my day, I guess. Sayings come and go. Have you ever said: “Where you going,” to somebody and they say: “Crazy…wanna come?” So, the top 5 PPVs that I would like to see in the next year or so…
1.Floyd Mayweather, JR., vs. Antonio Margarito: the P4P best in there with his biggest challenge. Margarito deserves this fight and so do the fans, but the majority of casual boxing fans would rather see De La Hoya in there with PBF. The truth of the matter is that Margarito has a very good chance to win this thing and will produce a much better fight than what “The Golden Boy” could do.
2.Wladimir Klitschko vs. Nikolay Valuev: Okay, I’m probably the only journalist that is pushing for this bout, but hear me out. The IBF/WBA titles would be unified and what a sight it would be to see these two monsters head to head. It’s a pick’em bout too, in my opinion. If Valuev can hang in there, he may be able win this thing. Keep in mind that I am a fan of the Godzilla movies and perhaps that is why I want to see this bout so much. Godzilla vs. King Kong for the unified heavyweight title. I gotta see it!
3.Miguel Cotto vs. Ricky Hatton: Can you say “war?” You can? Me too. War. That’s a pretty stupid question. Unless you are talking to a mime, the assumption has to be that they can indeed speak. In this fight, you have to out of control, freight trains headed for each other at ninety miles per hour. Who wins? Who cares? This is an outstanding bout.
4.Jose Antonio Rivera vs. Oscar De La Hoya: Okay, this one is personal for me. I want to see Jose Rivera get his shot at the really big time and no matter what happened with Oscar, he would make it a war and the Mayorga bout may be misleading. I don’t think that he’s the fighter that he used to be and Rivera would pull the upset for sure. Well, pretty sure at least.
5.Joe Calzaghe vs. Winky Wright/Jermain Taylor winner: I think that Joe Calzaghe has a chance to be a really big star, but he isn’t pushing hard enough…although he is huge in England. Perhaps that is enough for him. Well, a bout with the winner of Wright-Taylor would be a great showdown, especially if Taylor comes in undefeated as well. The 0 must go.
Okay, there is my list my good buddy.
MAGIC MEN
Geno,
I’m a long time reader and sadly I don’t really know who you are. *rim shot* But your mailbag has been great. I think that’s due to the Paclanders that you’re getting not to mention your unbiased opinions and saying it how you see it. It would seem Pacman fans are rabid aminals. Yes, I misspelled on purpose.
Anyway, I’m writing to rant about the ridiculous notion of putting every damn boxing match on PPV. These pugilists who think that they have earned 50$ of the public’s hard earned $ is just plain retarded. For example, Tarver, Malignaggi or however you spell his name, Cotto, even PBF. I know its not the boxer’s fault but more of the greedy promoters but c’mon, If you want to be a household name in boxing, put yourself out there for free and earn it. Do it the old school way. How can you justify charging 50$ for a mediocre main event match and meaningless under cards and expect to be well known in the boxing world.
Actions speak louder than words. There’s only so much publicity you can get by acting like an ignorant thug and supposedly “KTFO” of somebody in the ring and end up with a damn cure for insomnia.
If some of these boxers acted a little differently and use their charisma towards the positive, it would be beneficial to them. Just use Pacquiao for example, you don’t see him going to conferences and saying: “I’ll destroy you and your legacy etc etc etc.” Sorry to ramble on, but its just annoying to see all these mediocre matches be on PPV and yet they ‘demand’ to be respected and adored by the public.
BTW, I’ve been a boxing fan for over 17 years, I have yet to see someone with as big a chip on their shoulder as Tarver. Tarver is in no place to demand any respect from anyone. He’s a mediocre boxer and not a great one. His mouth has more output than both of his two hands combined. I despise the way he holds himself up in a pedestal and yet his track record doesn’t back it up. He beat a RJJ at the dawn of his career. That’s not something you should base your entire boxing career on.
What are your thoughts on this?
Chino
Chino,
Boxing needs a lot of help and the bigwigs that run the show have raped the public. Boxing has the potential to be the most popular sport in the world, but it’s not being handled correctly. If the major networks and promoters put their heads together and presented consistent cards with competitive bouts, boxing would begin to move back to where it once was. There was a time when the Heavyweight Champion the World was the most famous man on the planet. Now, nobody cares. They would rather watch cars race around in circles aimlessly then to watch the best sport in the world!
There are so many young fighters out there that the world has yet to see, and outside of Shobox, and ESPN’s FNF, there is nowhere else for them to go. I remember a time when ABC, CBS, and NBC would broadcast boxing programs and on Tuesday nights, you could sit back and watch USA’s Tuesday Night Fights. Now, all of these networks would rather put on some reality television garbage instead of some boxing matches. Is there anyone out there that actually enjoys “Hogan Knows Best?” It’s garbage. Look at the schedule of each network and see how much fluff they have lined up. Nanny 911, Trading Spouses, The Surreal Life, My Fair Brady, and there are many more that are forcing good programming off the air. Thank God for House and Law & Order. If it weren’t for those two shows, I’d toss my television out of the window.
Have you seen the T.V. show: House? I love it! My wife has the hots for him, I think, but that’s okay. He’s not really a threat…unless he is reading this and realizes that I’m at work during the day and the opportunity might be there. House, stay away from my wife!!! I love Law & Order too, but they all start the same. You have a couple of people walking along and they stumble across a dead body. The same thing happened to me…it was so ironic, now that I think about it. I was walking along and discovered a dead body…well, it was my Nana’s funeral. Does that count?
Trash talking is the thing nowadays, you little punk moron. Sorry, I just wanted to fit in. Don’t take it personally…I just want to be perceived as a badass like Roy Jones, JR. I consider Antonio Tarver a good champion, but not an all time great. He beat an old and relatively shot RJJ. That’s a fact. I know that Tarver takes offense at that, but I wonder if he can honestly say that he beat Jones, JR., at his best?
WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
Geno,
Hey my friend Geno, what’s up? Have you heard of Manny Pacquiao’s site? Every time your mailbag comes out, they post it there and I always see it. I think they love your site too. But my question is now that Floyd Mayweather, SR., said that if De La Hoya will pay him 2 million, he will train him and he will knock out his son. What do you think of that Geno? Thank you more power
Rjay
Rjay,
What’s up? Oh you know…a little bit of this…a little bit of that. I have heard of Pacman’s site and I do frequent it. I’m as pleased as punch that they like my articles and post them. As for Mayweather, SR….I know that he and his son have had their issues, but to train somebody to beat up a family member? That’s pretty cold. I, myself, regret the time that I paid those thugs to rough up my Nana. Hey, I let her borrow ten dollars and she didn’t want to pay it back. She had her “Bingo,” and business is business. Okay, I watch the Sopranos a little too much. Is it me, or is the voice of James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano completely ridiculous? I like the show, certainly, but Gandolfini needs some work. I know that you can’t argue with success, but that voice is so distracting. Couldn’t he have done better?
I guess that money talks and if there is enough on the table, PBF, SR., will sit back and watch his son possibly lose. For 2 million smackers, I would let my father take on any fighter…even if it was Tong Po from Kickboxer and they had to fight the ancient way. Then again, I don’t really care for my father. I would probably allow him to step in there for a large Caramel Iced Latte from Dunk-N- Donuts. I would drink that delicious beverage as my father was beaten to a pulp, so I guess that I can relate to Floyd Mayweather, SR. I wish that somebody would come up to me and say: “Geno Bambino, I have two million dollars in this suitcase and I have a proposition for you, but it involves your dad.” I would immediately say: “Which bridge do I have to push him off of?” Wow, if I had two million dollars, I would be so happy. I would buy caramel iced lattes all around!
THE BEST OF THE BEST
Geno,
I just want to know from your perspective on who has (in any division)
1. The most explosive punch.
2. The fastest hands
3. What fighter caused the biggest upset
4. And the richest boxer
Thanks,
V-Man
V-Man,
This is the G-Man. Whoa, when you said: “The fastest hands,” I immediately thought of my cousin, Scott. He had the fastest hands reportedly, but it didn’t apply to boxing, I guess. Oh, wait a minute…I remember why they said that he had fast hands! I can’t go into it because it’s a family website, but let me say, Scott spent a lot of time alone… Okay, what was the question again? Okay, the most explosive punch. At this time, I would say that Wladimir Klitschko has the best punch in the game. Even though he has many flaws, I still think that he makes up for most of it with incredible power. He dropped Ray Mercer and Lamon Brewster…2 of the best chins ever.
The fastest hands…my cousin Scott. No, forget it. I would say that the quickest fighter right now is Zab Judah. He is lightning quick and I still consider him one of the best in the game.
What fighter caused the biggest upset…hmm. The most recent one that I can think of was the decision win for Carlos Baldomir over Zab Judah. Zahir Raheem’s win over Erik Morales is another that comes to mind.
Richest boxer? “The Golden Boy” Oscar De La Hoya. Have you ever heard the saying: he has money falling out of his a$$? Well, this dude does. He is a true super star and in his last bout with Mayorga, he showed that he brings in the money. Hey Oscar, show me the money! They don’t use that saying anymore, do they? What about: “Don’t go there.” I like that saying. When the cable company demands their money, I say: “Don’t go there.” “But Mr. McGahee, we want our money. Those adult rentals are NOT FREE!” “Don’t go there.” One time they said: “Geno, show me the money,” but that was years ago.
PRIME TIME
Geno,
Do you really think the prime Larry Holmes can beat the prime Ali? Both have similar style. I think prime Ali will beat the prime Holmes.
Arnulfo Cruz
Arnulfo,
Even though I consider Larry Holmes the best heavyweight of all time, I do see the style problem that he would have with Ali and vice-versa. They both had a hell of a time with Ken Norton for sure. I think that Holmes picked up a lot from his sparring sessions with Ali and really replicated his style. I would see a close fight that could go either way, and that should probably be a draw, but Ali would get the decision.
DOUBTING THE EXECTUTION
I was shocked to see the picks stacked against Hopkins by such a wide margin: 12-1 in favor of Tarver beating Bernard. It was amazing that it seemed everyone bought into Tarver’s talk and not his record and level of competition. I picked Hopkins by UD12 and never thought twice about that pick. It seemed given that he would take what little Tarver has to offer and be able to use his old school skill, will and savvy to make Tarver look every bit as average as he is. Tarver has two (3 if you count Glen Johnson) big wins on his resume and they came from a shot Jones. It doesn’t matter how many times Tarver tries to convince us all (and obviously himself) the man that he was facing was ” the best Roy Jones” and ” The best Hopkins”.
What I don’t think he realized was Hopkins was not and is not shot. While Hopkins is getting up there in age for an elite boxer to be active, he has taken very little punishment over his years and is more savvy today then 5 yrs ago. He is like Toney in that aspect.
What made you pick Tarver? And who do you like in Taylor versus Wright?
Keep up the GREAT work. I love this site and everything it has to offer.
Mr. Sweet Science
Mr. Sweet Science,
I think that the huge backing of Tarver to win this bout was the non-efforts in the past two Jermain Taylor bouts. It seemed to me, as it may have to others, that Hopkins was in this for strictly the money. In the second Jermain Taylor bout, Hopkins claimed that he was “bringing back the Philadelphia style and leave no questions,” but it was all nonsense to sell the PPV. He began talking the same talk before this Tarver fight and I assumed that he was going to be content with losing a decision. As for Tarver: I have never been impressed with him as a fighter. He was there at the right time against RJJ. Tarver is a good champion, but not a great one, and even though I felt that Hopkins was more skilled, I thought that he was going to not take any chances and lose a UD. There was no way that Tarver was going to stop him. No way. That was some more hype to sell an unattractive PPV. If the odds were 12-1, a lot of people made some serious money. I could understand 2-1, but 12-1? That’s ridiculous.
As for Wright-Taylor: I am strongly going with Winky Wright to win a decision. He is too slick for Jermain. That’s one slick Winky, if you don’t mind me saying so. You have to be a tough guy to be called “Winky.” For instance, if I were to call myself: “Winky McGahee,” people would laugh and point and insist that Winky was my middle name and “Small” was my first. Winky Wright however, has earned that name and nobody implies anything. One day I will go to the Wright Gym and go up to his trainer and say: “I need to see your Winky.” Okay, enough Winky jokes… Jermain Taylor is overrated, in my opinion, and Wright wins by UD.
Thanks for the props and this site wouldn’t be where it is if it weren’t for the readers. The appreciation is mutual.
COTTO’S WEIGHT
Geno,
Good day Geno! This is my first time to ask your opinion but I’m an avid fan of your articles. Well, I’m just concerned about the conditioning of Cotto in his fight with Malignaggi. I think he looked a little weak. Is it because he is fighting his weight or does he just look like that. I’ve watched most of his previous fights and comparing to his stature now, he looked better before.
For Malignaggi: I watched his fight only once and I think he’s really good-I just don’t like his behavior inside the ring. My question is this, if ever Cotto will be defeated, is it because he is weak or is Malignaggi better than him?
Thanks much and more power….
Sef
Sef,
Miguel Cotto is beating the system by staying at such a low weight. He looks like a middleweight and brings in the strength. He comes into fights a lot higher than 140, I’m sure, which is a big advantage for him…much like what Gatti has done in the past. I do think that his fight with Malignaggi showed a lot of good things and some bad things that may be attributed to his weight fluctuation. If Malignaggi had more power, he may have gotten Cotto out of there in the later rounds. I thought that Cotto was wearing down at the end, even though he came back in the 12th impressively. I am actually very pleased with the Cotto-Malignaggi PPV. They showed a lot of competitive bouts and the main event was really entertaining. Top Rank did a great job and even though I’m not keen on paying 40 smackers, it’s better than the usual Pay Per Screw that we get.
I would love to see Cotto face Ricky Hatton. That is the bout, and I would lean toward the Brit at this time. If he can survive the power of Cotto, he’ll get him later in the fight. It would be action-packed and perhaps we can get a good under card as we got over the weekend.
IMPOSSIBLE PAY PER VIEW
Geno,
Could you please tell me your thoughts on these matches…one night, PPV?
Nikolay Valuev vs. Wladimir Klitschko Jermain Taylor vs. Antonio Tarver
UNDERCARD
Paul Williams vs. Antonio Margarito Jose Luis Castillo vs. Miguel Cotto (140) Diego Corrales vs. Ricky Hatton (140) Jorge Barrios vs. Rocky Juarez MAB vs. JMM
PAC
Pac,
This would be the best PPV of all time. Okay, I will break this down.
Nikolay Valuev vs. Wladimir Klitschko: TIMBER!!! If Larry Donald can outbox Nikolay Valuev, I suspect that he wouldn’t be able to stop Wlad’s skillful aggression. If Valuev survives, he wins by late TKO, but I believe that we would see a third round KO in favor of Dr. Steel Hammer.
Jermain Taylor vs. Antonio Tarver: After Tarver’s dreadful performance against Hopkins, I would make this a pick’em fight and would probably lean toward Taylor by UD…but he is more aggressive and might run into the power of Tarver. To be honest, I’m not really impressed by either guy.
Paul Williams vs. Antonio Margarito: This is a wonderful bout with the activity and skill of Williams trying to combat the aggression and power of Margarito. As much respect that I have for Williams, I would still go with Margarito by mid-round TKO. Margarito is a monster.
Jose Luis Castillo vs. Miguel Cotto: This is a fight fan’s dream, if Castillo doesn’t screw it up by coming in at 200 pounds. I would lean toward Cotto because I feel that he is just stronger and would outlast Castillo.
Diego Corrales vs. Ricky Hatton: I would be cheering for Corrales big time to win this…and not because I’m anti-British. Just wanted to nip that in the bud…or bud it in the nips, if you follow me. I would be rooting for “Chico,” but I think that Hatton would out-muscle Corrales and eventually stop him in a thriller.
Rocky Juarez vs. Jorge Barrios: I would lean toward Juarez big time in this one by knockout. Barrios was stopped by Acelino Freitas and Juarez is a much better puncher with pinpoint accuracy. Juarez by late KO.
Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Juan Manuel Marquez: At this time, I would lean toward MAB to outpoint JMM slightly over the distance in a tactical and relatively boring fight.
THE PAC SACK
Geno,
Hi, do you think there can be any possibility that Bobby Pacquiao will try and ask his Brother Manny for a bout? I just came to think of it since Bobby and his supporters kept on telling the press prior to any of his fights that he wants to be known as himself and not as the brother of the great Manny. How do you think everybody will react? All the more, when Bobby is really raring to go for it, just to settle the score, that his brother is a mile greater than he is… This will truly be a good indication, if they step on it and try to find out who the real shadow is…Peace!
Eugene
Eugene,
What is going on? I don’t think that we will ever see a Pac vs. Pac fight. I like the work ethic and guts of Bobby. He is a good fighter, but Manny is a star and they are in two different leagues. It’s not a good idea for family members to exchange punches in the ring. I remember when I boxed my cousin at a family get together as the entire family watched. My Uncle Jimmy stood there and screamed incoherent things…he was a little bit slow. Anyway, I accidentally hit my cousin with an uppercut to the grapes and they stopped it…awarding him a DQ win! Can you believe that? It took a long time for my cousin to forgive me, and I don’t want to see that animosity develop between the Pacquiao brothers.
Geno,
I think a bout between Manny Pacquiao & Juan Diaz would be more intriguing than the ones you mentioned. Let’s be realistic, Corrales is way to big for Pacquiao! Popo has a glass jaw…should I say more? Juan Diaz is a nonstop pressure fighter that doesn’t stop throwing bombs! Both Pacquiao and Diaz don’t know how to back up! I personally think that match up would be a classic.
Miguel Gutierrez
Miguel,
I’m kind of sorry that I didn’t mention Juan Diaz as a possible opponent because it would be a war. The question would be: Can Diaz take the punch of Pacman…like in most Pacquiao fights. If his chin holds up, he will overwhelm Pacman and perhaps stop him. If Manny is countering affectively and hurting Diaz as he attacks, he will eventually stop him in another thriller. Now that I think about it, Diaz may just be the best choice out of the bunch. Congrats Miguel, you came up with a better match than I did. Popo would be an interesting challenge and I think that Pacman would win, but as far as action goes, a Diaz fight would be better for the fans. Diaz in unfortunate in a way. He lacks the big punch and most fans want to see knockouts. He gets so little attention from the boxing fans that the demand might not be there for a Pacman bout. Popo Freitas would bring in the masses for sure, and monetarily it would make more sense for him to face Manny. Hopefully a Juan Diaz-Manny Pacquiao match will be made in the future. With Erik Morales and Oscar Larios waiting in the wings, Diaz has time to gain some more attention and create some demand for the eventual meeting.
Geno,
Well, that is true that if Pacman fights the likes of Chico Corrales, it will be one of the best for Pacman’s part because if he wins, there is no question that he is the best…but can he actually win? I would love to see this fight so for the fans: Pacman-Corrales…fight!!! Thanks and good luck.
EJ
EJ,
From a fan’s standpoint, just the mention of this showdown is exciting, but in all actuality, there are far better options for Pacman. There is no need to face Corrales…he is just too big. I’m not saying that Pacquiao doesn’t have a chance, but I will say that I would make the odds somewhere in the 5-1 in favor of Chico. The size difference will be to much to overcome. Perhaps Pac could land and shock the world, but the problem with Chico is that when he goes down, he usually gets up and comes back harder. When you mix in the size, power, reach, and heart of Chico, it doesn’t bode well for Pacquiao
Geno,
I think Pacman should go first for the belts from the junior lightweight to prove himself that he the great 130 pounder, and then grab the lightweight division.
Paloc Dobluis
Paloc,
With Pacman’s wins over MAB, EM, and his near win against JMM, he has already proven himself in that division. There is still some intrigue in the third bout between Pacman and Morales, since they are 1-1, and there are others in the division like Rocky Juarez, Jorge Barrios, and MAB that he could take on before moving up. The lightweight division would be tougher for him, but under the correct circumstances, he could excel. As mentioned by one of our RSR readers, Juan Diaz would be an attractive bout and I would like to see a match with Popo Freitas. I like Freitas, but his fashion sense is pretty bad. I think that they call it a “Canadian Tuxedo,” where a man and/or woman wear a pair of denim jeans and a denim jacket…all denim…all the time.
I have this buddy Steve, and he was known for wearing strictly denim. There was even a rumor that he wore denim undergarments, but I don’t like to talk about it. Well, somebody stole his denim jacket and we are still on the hunt for it. I watch Law & Order and I have picked up a few tips on how to investigate these sorts of things. I need a DNA sample, I think. Steve is 260 pounds…a big boy. So, the thief has to be fat too, unless he plans to make several denim jackets out of it. I’m going on the premise that he is fat. So if you see a fat man in a denim jacket, please email me and let me know. He probably stole it from my friend, Steve. I’ll take it from there. Steve desperately needs the jacket back before fall comes. I don’t want to see him get a cold.
Geno,
MP has future waiting for him unless he abuses his popularity. He should remain humble and continue his quest for glory.
Fernan
Fernan,
I wish that I were on a quest for glory. I think that it may be compromised by my quest to steal cable and get away with it. There could be a movie: Quest for Glory, starring Geno Bambino as himself. I could steal cable and also fight off crime or something. It’s a work in progress…bare with me.
Hi Geno.
Thanks for the wonderful: “Future of Manny Pacquiao” article. It was very informative and balanced. While you mentioned Pacman’s good qualities, you also indicated his weaknesses and the risks he will be exposing himself when facing boxers like Corrales.
Personally, I would like to see Pacman in the ring with Marquez first before the former moves up in weight. This is the fight Manny have been waiting for for the longest time and it was a disappointment that Marquez refused a second outing with him before due to purse issues. Argh!
Good luck to you and again, many thanks.
Francis
Francis,
Thanks for the mad props on my article. I think that is was my most popular article of all time. The Pacman-JMM rematch would be great, but I get the sense that JMM doesn’t want to risk his health by facing him again, and that is understandable.
Geno,
Do you think that “PACMAN” can move the same speed or slower? I don’t think he can maintain his speed when he move up in weight, It’s hard for him to challenge a natural lightweight.
JayJay
Jayjay,
Your question was dynamite! Bad joke/reference to “Good Times.” I apologize sincerely. I’m entitled to a bad joke once in a while, right? I don’t think that five pounds will make that much of a difference in the speed of Pacman. He will still have that speed, but the punches coming at him will be harder, especially if he faces a guy like Corrales.
Mr. Geno,
You are a good man because you say Pac should fight men of his size, it is very good to read write ups like that, I am a boxing fan and I enjoy watching fair fights. People who push Pac to fight Chico does not care for Pac’s safety because it is a very mismatch.
Regarding your fear on airplanes, just Pray before the plane takes off and if you’re a Catholic just recite Our Father, because it says: forgive our sins as we forgive those sins against us.
Have a nice day Mr. Geno
Leonides
Leonides,
I agree with you. It would be a mismatch due to the size difference and most that believe that Pacman will run away with it is guilty of wishful thinking. I think that the majority do care for the safety of the fighter, but they are sort of blinded with hope that he will defy the odds and score that KO. It’s a major gamble in my opinion.
As far as my fear of airplanes…I will take your suggestion under advisement. I did fly once to Las Vegas…city of sin, and I was terrified. There was a lot of turbulence on the way there and my wife and her sick sense of humor scared me even more. “Geno,” she said, “this isn’t normal.” She then looked at me and laughed. It wasn’t funny. She had flown a many a time, and I was a virgin…as far as air travel was concerned. I wasn’t part of the mile high club either…unless I was drugged and dragged into that small bathroom by the pilot and unknowingly joined the club. I haven’t heard of that happening, but never say never.
I made it to Vegas and back and with 200 smackers in my pocket to boot! It was the time of my life, but I was once again freaking out on the way back. I’m like Mr. T from the A-Team. They needed to drug him and get him onto the plane. I’m just like him, but I don’t wear gold chains or have a Mohawk.
Geno,
You rule man! You seem to know a lot about boxing, and its great to know that you’re a PACMAN fan. I’ve been visiting your sites a lot lately and I really get good information about the sport from you. Keep it up. Are you sure you’re not a Filipino? We love you, man!
BongP61
BongP61,
Thanks man! I am a Pacman fan. I have watched his four big bouts with MAB, JMM, and EM quite often. Then again, I tend to watch boxing matches over and over again anyway, with the exception of the John Ruiz bouts. My ex-girlfriend used to get pissed off at me for watching so much boxing. She would say: “Haven’t you seen this fight before?” I did, but her nagging became too much for me and I had to break it off. She was the one that also convinced me not to bet my 100 smackers on Evander Holyfield at 22-1 odds to defeat Mike Tyson. So, I dumped her because A. she complained about my obsession with boxing, and B. she cost me 2200 dollars, and C. She was bobbing and weaving on another dude, if you follow me.
I am not a Filipino my friend, but I have been told that I am an honorary one, so I will take that. We are all people…you know what I’m saying? Much love right back at everyone.
Geno,
Howdy! Here’s another PAC question.
If PAC will lose this coming July 2nd, do you think this will derail the train, which will lead us to the PAC-EM 3 bout?
I don’t think so! EM-PAC 2 happened eventhough EM loses to RAHEEM. PBF-JUDAH happened even though JUDAH loses to BALDOMIR.
So I (and all the Pinoys around the world) could sit back, relax and wait for the 3rd PAC-EM encounter without worrying the PAC-LARIOS outcome.
Juncay
Juncay,
My friend, how are you? Howdy! Howdy doody! Do you remember the Howdy Doody Show? It is way before my time, but I have a buddy that looks like Howdy Doody and one day I said: “F you Howdy Doody.” Oh, it was hilarious because he looks like him and he can’t deny it. It reminds me of another situation. Do you people have time for another story? You do? Hot damn! Okay, my friend Steve, that I discussed earlier, was the best man at his brother’s wedding. His mom was sobbing. Now, Steve is the favorite in that family and I commented that his mother would probably have a heart attack if he were the one getting wed. Steve said: “My mom would be screaming: My baby! My baby! My baby!” That’s when I threw in there: “My Baby Huey.” I thought that it was funny because Steve is pretty chunky and so too is that cartoon duck. If he was a cartoon character, he’d be that fat duck. Go to any image search and look it up…you’ll get a chuckle.
Okay, back to boxing… If Pacman loses, will the EM bout be called off? No. If HBO’s recent PPVs have taught us anything, it will go on regardless. There used to be a penalty for losing a bout prior to a big PPV. Ray Mercer was set for a PPV date with the heavyweight champ, Riddick Bowe, but he lost to Jesse Ferguson and blew the title shot. Nowadays, the promoters and HBO don’t seem to care. I can see if the fight proceeds, but make it a freebie to the fans. So, unless one of the fighters pull out for their own reasons, expect it to go as planned no matter what Larios achieves.
Okay people. This is it for my Hump Eve mailbag. Tomorrow, Part II: the hump edition will be out of: Ask Geno, where I answer more questions. Well, take care people and visit our message board! You can talk with other boxing fans and win prizes. You could win a glorious prize that you would cherish for the rest of your life. Peace out until tomorrow people!
