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Manny Pacquiao Vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight: Is Mayweather Jr. Afraid Of Losing?
All the fans of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquaio who have been waiting for Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight, are in for a disappointment. The proposed face-off between the two fighters is unlikely to take place. Though HBO and public pressure was hoped to make Mayweather to sign the contract, it is unexpected that the fighter will change his tune.
Some experts believe that fear of being knocked out by Pacquiao is the reason behind Mayweather’s unwillingness to sign on the dotted line for the much awaited Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight.
Experts say the reason behind this conclusion is Paul Williams’s promoter Dan Goossen’s attempts to arrange for a Williams vs. Pacquiao fight, if Mayweather vs Pacquiao fails to take place. According to experts, Goossen has inside information that Mayweather won’t sign the contract as he and Al Haymon, who advises Mayweather and Williams, have been associates for years.
Experts believe that the strategy employed by Goossen and Haymon is to put pressure on Pacquiao to fight Paul Williams next so as to avoid or deflect any criticism pointed at Mayweather for his alleged dodging of Pacquiao.
Though laymen would be unable to unmask the shrewd tactics, which will save Mayweather from any charges, experts or game loyalists will be able to question the logic of Williams vs. Pacquiao fight or Goossen reluctance to attempt for a Williams-Mayweather, when it is widely believed a fight against Mayweather is the ultimate. Moreover, experts say Goossen is possibly acting on orders from Haymon and Team Mayweather, to cover up the mess of shirking or ducking the biggest fight in boxing history.
http://www.timesnewsline.com/blog/m...is-mayweather-jr-afraid-of-losing-1278987348/
Manny Pacquiao Vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fight: Is Mayweather Jr. Afraid Of Losing?
All the fans of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquaio who have been waiting for Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight, are in for a disappointment. The proposed face-off between the two fighters is unlikely to take place. Though HBO and public pressure was hoped to make Mayweather to sign the contract, it is unexpected that the fighter will change his tune.
Some experts believe that fear of being knocked out by Pacquiao is the reason behind Mayweather’s unwillingness to sign on the dotted line for the much awaited Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight.
Experts say the reason behind this conclusion is Paul Williams’s promoter Dan Goossen’s attempts to arrange for a Williams vs. Pacquiao fight, if Mayweather vs Pacquiao fails to take place. According to experts, Goossen has inside information that Mayweather won’t sign the contract as he and Al Haymon, who advises Mayweather and Williams, have been associates for years.
Experts believe that the strategy employed by Goossen and Haymon is to put pressure on Pacquiao to fight Paul Williams next so as to avoid or deflect any criticism pointed at Mayweather for his alleged dodging of Pacquiao.
Though laymen would be unable to unmask the shrewd tactics, which will save Mayweather from any charges, experts or game loyalists will be able to question the logic of Williams vs. Pacquiao fight or Goossen reluctance to attempt for a Williams-Mayweather, when it is widely believed a fight against Mayweather is the ultimate. Moreover, experts say Goossen is possibly acting on orders from Haymon and Team Mayweather, to cover up the mess of shirking or ducking the biggest fight in boxing history.
http://www.timesnewsline.com/blog/m...is-mayweather-jr-afraid-of-losing-1278987348/
This is a really good article. It's strange, Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz, actually FIRED FREDDIE ROACH from training Bernabe Concepcion so that Buboy could train him instead. This is true for all of Manny Pacquiao's fighters (under MP promotions).
Roach actually says in the article that Koncz actually wants Roach fired as Pacquiao's trainer too. I just dont understand how this guy is still around, his connections must be so deep for him to be around causing so much problems with everyone...
http://www.maxboxing.com/news/main-lead/catching-up-with-freddie-roach1
Roach actually says in the article that Koncz actually wants Roach fired as Pacquiao's trainer too. I just dont understand how this guy is still around, his connections must be so deep for him to be around causing so much problems with everyone...
http://www.maxboxing.com/news/main-lead/catching-up-with-freddie-roach1
Kelly Pavlik-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Planned For Dec. 4
Mexican middleweight (160 pounds) prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (pictured above, at right) will fight on Sept. 11 likely in Mexico, before being matched in a Dec. 4 clash with former world champion, Kelly Pavlik, at The Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Top Rank Promotions CEO,Bob Arum, told FanHouse on Tuesday.
http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2010/07/13/kelly-pavlik-julio-cesar-chavez-jr-planned-for-dec-4/
Mexican middleweight (160 pounds) prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (pictured above, at right) will fight on Sept. 11 likely in Mexico, before being matched in a Dec. 4 clash with former world champion, Kelly Pavlik, at The Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Top Rank Promotions CEO,Bob Arum, told FanHouse on Tuesday.
http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2010/07/13/kelly-pavlik-julio-cesar-chavez-jr-planned-for-dec-4/
Maidana vs. Corley on August 28th – News
July 13th, 2010
By Chris Williams: WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KO’s) will finally get back in the ring on August 28th against former WBO light welterweight champion DeMarcus Corley (37-13-1, 22 KO’s) in a scheduled 12 round bout at the Estadio Luna Park, in Buenos Aries, Argentina. Maidana, 26, has been out of action since destroying Victor Cayo by a 6th round stoppage on March 27th of this year due to management problems. Originally, Maidana was said to have back problems, which ruined a fight against Timothy Bradley.
But later it was learned that Maidana was having management problems. Thankfully he’s now fixed the issues and is ready to get back in the ring. What seems rather strange is that Maidana is picking the 36-year-old Corley to fight instead of someone ranked in the top 15 or at least a good B level fighter. Corley was one of the best light welterweights in the division seven years ago, but he’s been having hard times in the past four years and has lost an incredible nine times out of his last 15 bouts.
Corley can still punch but his chin is very vulnerable to heavy shots like the ones that Maidana throws and it’s hard to imagine Corley lasting more than three rounds with Maidana unless he takes it easy on him and holds off on throwing his power shots. Corley has been stopped by Miguel Cotto, Jose Alfaro (not a big puncher) and Freddy Hernandez in the past four years.
The fight that boxing fans want to see is Maidana vs. Amir Khan. However, that doesn’t appear to be the fight that Khan’s promoters want to put him in for some reason. They’re looking to match Khan up with the winner of the July 31st bout between lightweights Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz. Both Marquez and Diaz are a lot smaller than Khan, fight in a smaller division and don’t have the huge punching power that Maidana possesses. Khan has a history of being hurt in fights when hit hard, and it’s pretty easy to understand why Khan’s promoters aren’t tripping over themselves to try and put Khan in with Maidana.
There’s little question that Khan has the better boxing skills and hand speed compared to Maidana. However, Maidana has a way of cutting off the ring against runners and would literally force Khan to fight him at close range sooner or later. Once that happens, Khan would have to rely on his chin to get him through it and there’s some serious question marks on whether Khan can take a major league punch. He hasn’t been put in with a big puncher ever since he was flattened in the 1st round by lightweight Breidis Prescott two years ago in 2008.
Maidana hits even harder than Prescott and doesn’t need to load up with his shots to deliver that kind of crushing power. We could see Khan kept away from Maidana indefinitely. Golden Boy Promotions have high hopes to make a mega star out of Khan and a fighter like Maidana could wreck all that with one punch.
As for Corley, look for Maidana to take his time, using him as practice for awhile before destroying him in the 3rd or 4th round. This won’t even be close.
July 13th, 2010
By Chris Williams: WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KO’s) will finally get back in the ring on August 28th against former WBO light welterweight champion DeMarcus Corley (37-13-1, 22 KO’s) in a scheduled 12 round bout at the Estadio Luna Park, in Buenos Aries, Argentina. Maidana, 26, has been out of action since destroying Victor Cayo by a 6th round stoppage on March 27th of this year due to management problems. Originally, Maidana was said to have back problems, which ruined a fight against Timothy Bradley.
But later it was learned that Maidana was having management problems. Thankfully he’s now fixed the issues and is ready to get back in the ring. What seems rather strange is that Maidana is picking the 36-year-old Corley to fight instead of someone ranked in the top 15 or at least a good B level fighter. Corley was one of the best light welterweights in the division seven years ago, but he’s been having hard times in the past four years and has lost an incredible nine times out of his last 15 bouts.
Corley can still punch but his chin is very vulnerable to heavy shots like the ones that Maidana throws and it’s hard to imagine Corley lasting more than three rounds with Maidana unless he takes it easy on him and holds off on throwing his power shots. Corley has been stopped by Miguel Cotto, Jose Alfaro (not a big puncher) and Freddy Hernandez in the past four years.
The fight that boxing fans want to see is Maidana vs. Amir Khan. However, that doesn’t appear to be the fight that Khan’s promoters want to put him in for some reason. They’re looking to match Khan up with the winner of the July 31st bout between lightweights Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz. Both Marquez and Diaz are a lot smaller than Khan, fight in a smaller division and don’t have the huge punching power that Maidana possesses. Khan has a history of being hurt in fights when hit hard, and it’s pretty easy to understand why Khan’s promoters aren’t tripping over themselves to try and put Khan in with Maidana.
There’s little question that Khan has the better boxing skills and hand speed compared to Maidana. However, Maidana has a way of cutting off the ring against runners and would literally force Khan to fight him at close range sooner or later. Once that happens, Khan would have to rely on his chin to get him through it and there’s some serious question marks on whether Khan can take a major league punch. He hasn’t been put in with a big puncher ever since he was flattened in the 1st round by lightweight Breidis Prescott two years ago in 2008.
Maidana hits even harder than Prescott and doesn’t need to load up with his shots to deliver that kind of crushing power. We could see Khan kept away from Maidana indefinitely. Golden Boy Promotions have high hopes to make a mega star out of Khan and a fighter like Maidana could wreck all that with one punch.
As for Corley, look for Maidana to take his time, using him as practice for awhile before destroying him in the 3rd or 4th round. This won’t even be close.
Mayweather’s strange silence
By Edward Davis: I do not recall a time that “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been this silent. Ever. The King of the trash talk, the one that gets in everyone’s head and beats them in and outside of the ring. Well, Mayweather can’t beat Manny Pacquiao right now if he’s not talking to him or about him. This week marks the deadline on Bob Arum’s (Top Rank Founder and CEO). Since the fight negotiations have been set in stone, no word on Mayweather whether he accepts or decline the fight proposal. This is not like Pretty Boy Floyd to not say anything. I know he is the king at getting in his opponents heads but I’m starting to think that he knows he can’t play that game with Manny Pacquaio. The Filipino Slugger just wants to fight, anything outside of that is a waste of his time.
Their are those who believe that Mayweather has already fulfilled his legacy and will go down as one of the best, but I beg to differ. He’s very entertaining but he has not accomplished anything. Other than Ricky Hatton (and it bothers me to say this) he has not fought any fighter that is at the top of their game. His level of competitiveness is nowhere near the level of Manny Pacquiao’s. I guess what I’m trying to say is that, despite Pacquia’s “no fear” attitude, he’s stepped in the ring with plenty of guys that should have beat him and Mayweather has not. Mayweather goes in every fight knowing his odds of winning are way higher than that of his opponent. I’m not speaking of confidence I’m speaking of outweighing the odds.
It saddens me to say this but I truly do not think this fight will happen. Not with Mayweather keeping silence about the fight and the fight proposal. It’s weird to not see him talking trash to anyone. It’s also weird to see that he has not done anything for the sport of boxing since proclaiming he wants to “CLEAN UP THE SPORT OF BOXING.” I’m use to the flamboyant talk a lot of trash and back it up in the ring Pretty Boy Floyd. Who is this silent not going to say anything to anyone and avoid all questions pertaining to the fight Mayweather? Hmmmm…Strange Silence!
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By Edward Davis: I do not recall a time that “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been this silent. Ever. The King of the trash talk, the one that gets in everyone’s head and beats them in and outside of the ring. Well, Mayweather can’t beat Manny Pacquiao right now if he’s not talking to him or about him. This week marks the deadline on Bob Arum’s (Top Rank Founder and CEO). Since the fight negotiations have been set in stone, no word on Mayweather whether he accepts or decline the fight proposal. This is not like Pretty Boy Floyd to not say anything. I know he is the king at getting in his opponents heads but I’m starting to think that he knows he can’t play that game with Manny Pacquaio. The Filipino Slugger just wants to fight, anything outside of that is a waste of his time.
Their are those who believe that Mayweather has already fulfilled his legacy and will go down as one of the best, but I beg to differ. He’s very entertaining but he has not accomplished anything. Other than Ricky Hatton (and it bothers me to say this) he has not fought any fighter that is at the top of their game. His level of competitiveness is nowhere near the level of Manny Pacquiao’s. I guess what I’m trying to say is that, despite Pacquia’s “no fear” attitude, he’s stepped in the ring with plenty of guys that should have beat him and Mayweather has not. Mayweather goes in every fight knowing his odds of winning are way higher than that of his opponent. I’m not speaking of confidence I’m speaking of outweighing the odds.
It saddens me to say this but I truly do not think this fight will happen. Not with Mayweather keeping silence about the fight and the fight proposal. It’s weird to not see him talking trash to anyone. It’s also weird to see that he has not done anything for the sport of boxing since proclaiming he wants to “CLEAN UP THE SPORT OF BOXING.” I’m use to the flamboyant talk a lot of trash and back it up in the ring Pretty Boy Floyd. Who is this silent not going to say anything to anyone and avoid all questions pertaining to the fight Mayweather? Hmmmm…Strange Silence!
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The venue still not decided for Froch-Abraham fight
By William Mackay: Here it is almost the middle of July and former WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (26-1, 20 KO’s) still hasn’t decided on a venue for his stage 3 bout Super Six tournament bout against Arthur Abraham (31-1, 25 KO’s). Froch is supposed to be fighting Abraham in September, but now I’m not so sure. Froch, 33, refuses to fight Abraham in Germany because he feels that he won’t be able to get a decision over there.
This is pretty silly, because Froch won what many people feel was a hometown decision in his win over Andre Dirrell last year in October. In Froch’s last fight, he was defeated by Mikkel Kessler by a 12 round decision in Denmark. Froch didn’t agree with the decision, and feels that he should have won the fight and not Kessler.
That experience seems to have jaded Froch because he can’t agree on any of the venues that are being offered up by Abraham’s promotional team. The latest word was that Froch wanted the fight to take place in Ireland for some reason. Given that Ireland is right next door to England, it’s highly unlikely that Abraham will want to go along with that, and I frankly don’t blame him one bit.
Froch wants to find a location where it’s easy for his fans to come see him fight while at the same time picking a spot where he thinks he has a good chance of winning a decision. I don’t that there is a location outside of the UK where Froch will be able to get a lot of his fans to come see him fight. I don’t think Froch is at the popularity level of someone like Ricky Hatton, David Haye or Amir Khan.
The chances of Froch of actually beating Abraham, regardless of wherever they end up fighting, is pretty slim. Froch’s whole style of fighting in which he goes right after his opponents and looks to slug is made to order for Abraham. This is the perfect opponent for Abraham. If you were to make a mold of the ideal guy for Abraham to fight it would be Froch.
The reason why is because Froch likes to stand and trade shots all fight long and hardly ever backs off. He’s basically a 50s type of fighter in the wrong era. Abraham is going to tee off on Froch and lop his head off with one of his big right hands. By not making a decision about the venue of the fight, Froch is saving himself a lot of potential humiliation when he ends up getting knocked out by Abraham.
Once Abraham beats Froch then he’s finished in the Super Six tourney. Froch will have to go back to Nottingham a beaten man and will have to figure out what he wants to do next. Obviously, it’s probably a bad idea for Froch to stay at super middleweight because the talented fighters like Dirrell, Andre Ward, Kessler and Abraham will continue to cause Froch all kinds of problems. What Froch needs to do is move up to the light heavyweight division and try his luck at that weight.
By William Mackay: Here it is almost the middle of July and former WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch (26-1, 20 KO’s) still hasn’t decided on a venue for his stage 3 bout Super Six tournament bout against Arthur Abraham (31-1, 25 KO’s). Froch is supposed to be fighting Abraham in September, but now I’m not so sure. Froch, 33, refuses to fight Abraham in Germany because he feels that he won’t be able to get a decision over there.
This is pretty silly, because Froch won what many people feel was a hometown decision in his win over Andre Dirrell last year in October. In Froch’s last fight, he was defeated by Mikkel Kessler by a 12 round decision in Denmark. Froch didn’t agree with the decision, and feels that he should have won the fight and not Kessler.
That experience seems to have jaded Froch because he can’t agree on any of the venues that are being offered up by Abraham’s promotional team. The latest word was that Froch wanted the fight to take place in Ireland for some reason. Given that Ireland is right next door to England, it’s highly unlikely that Abraham will want to go along with that, and I frankly don’t blame him one bit.
Froch wants to find a location where it’s easy for his fans to come see him fight while at the same time picking a spot where he thinks he has a good chance of winning a decision. I don’t that there is a location outside of the UK where Froch will be able to get a lot of his fans to come see him fight. I don’t think Froch is at the popularity level of someone like Ricky Hatton, David Haye or Amir Khan.
The chances of Froch of actually beating Abraham, regardless of wherever they end up fighting, is pretty slim. Froch’s whole style of fighting in which he goes right after his opponents and looks to slug is made to order for Abraham. This is the perfect opponent for Abraham. If you were to make a mold of the ideal guy for Abraham to fight it would be Froch.
The reason why is because Froch likes to stand and trade shots all fight long and hardly ever backs off. He’s basically a 50s type of fighter in the wrong era. Abraham is going to tee off on Froch and lop his head off with one of his big right hands. By not making a decision about the venue of the fight, Froch is saving himself a lot of potential humiliation when he ends up getting knocked out by Abraham.
Once Abraham beats Froch then he’s finished in the Super Six tourney. Froch will have to go back to Nottingham a beaten man and will have to figure out what he wants to do next. Obviously, it’s probably a bad idea for Froch to stay at super middleweight because the talented fighters like Dirrell, Andre Ward, Kessler and Abraham will continue to cause Froch all kinds of problems. What Froch needs to do is move up to the light heavyweight division and try his luck at that weight.
Chris John Injures Ribs, Fernando Saucedo Fight is Off
By Rick Reeno
Sources within Indonesia have advised BoxingScene.com that WBA "super" featherweight champion Chris John injured his ribs during a sparring session and is unable to move forward with a scheduled defense against Fernando David Saucedo, set for July 26 in Jakarta. Sampson Lewkowicz, John's agent, confirmed the information to BoxingScene when reached for comment. The fight will be rescheduled to a later date
By Rick Reeno
Sources within Indonesia have advised BoxingScene.com that WBA "super" featherweight champion Chris John injured his ribs during a sparring session and is unable to move forward with a scheduled defense against Fernando David Saucedo, set for July 26 in Jakarta. Sampson Lewkowicz, John's agent, confirmed the information to BoxingScene when reached for comment. The fight will be rescheduled to a later date
Spinks vs Bundrage Added To Alexander-Kotelnik Card
Cory will be fighting for the first time under new coach James “Buddy” McGirt, a former welterweight world champion before he became one of the top trainers in the sport.
Bundrage (29-4, 17 KOs), from Detroit, is also trained by a legend, Boxing Hall of Fame member Emanuel Steward from the Motor City’s famed Kronk Gym. Steward is also known for his television work as a boxing analyst for HBO.
In his last appearance, Spinks gave a gritty, crowd-pleasing performance when he took on rising young cross-town rival Deandre “The Bull” Latimore. The vacant IBF 154-pound crown was on the line when the southpaws met on April 24, 2009, at Scottrade Center.
Cory will be fighting for the first time under new coach James “Buddy” McGirt, a former welterweight world champion before he became one of the top trainers in the sport.
Bundrage (29-4, 17 KOs), from Detroit, is also trained by a legend, Boxing Hall of Fame member Emanuel Steward from the Motor City’s famed Kronk Gym. Steward is also known for his television work as a boxing analyst for HBO.
In his last appearance, Spinks gave a gritty, crowd-pleasing performance when he took on rising young cross-town rival Deandre “The Bull” Latimore. The vacant IBF 154-pound crown was on the line when the southpaws met on April 24, 2009, at Scottrade Center.
Roach: Cotto No Better, Pacquiao Beats Him Every Day
By Mark Vester
Only a few days to go before we get our answer on a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight. An agreement was sent to Mayweather for his approval. If Mayweather approves, the fight would happen on November 13 in Las Vegas. Mayweather was given a mid-July deadline to approve the terms. If Pacquiao can't get Mayweather for November, Top Rank has two possible opponents who are ready and willing.
WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito will be the two options for Pacquiao, if the Mayweather fight doesn't happen.
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach sees a Cotto rematch ending in the same way as the first fight. After a few close early rounds, Pacquiao took over the fight to batter Cotto and stop him in the twelfth round of last November's bout.
Roach watched Cotto's title win over Yuri Foreman in June. He wasn't too impressed and saw nothing different about Cotto. The three division champion from Puerto Rico is now trained by Emanuel Steward. Even with Steward, and no catch-weight being involved, Roach says Pacquiao would beat Cotto every day of the week.
“Well, [Cotto] won a title and it would be for Manny’s 8th world title so it gives it some legitimacy. I think if [Cotto] fought one more it would make it even better. It would show he is better at that weight. You know they are talking about a catch weight but I say we fight him at 154. Manny beats him any day of the week. I don’t think Cotto is any better than he was last time. He says he is better at that weight maybe we’ll see,” said Roach to Gabriel Montoya of doghouseboxing.com and co-host of BoxingScene.com's official audio show "Leave It In The Ring
By Mark Vester
Only a few days to go before we get our answer on a Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight. An agreement was sent to Mayweather for his approval. If Mayweather approves, the fight would happen on November 13 in Las Vegas. Mayweather was given a mid-July deadline to approve the terms. If Pacquiao can't get Mayweather for November, Top Rank has two possible opponents who are ready and willing.
WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito will be the two options for Pacquiao, if the Mayweather fight doesn't happen.
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach sees a Cotto rematch ending in the same way as the first fight. After a few close early rounds, Pacquiao took over the fight to batter Cotto and stop him in the twelfth round of last November's bout.
Roach watched Cotto's title win over Yuri Foreman in June. He wasn't too impressed and saw nothing different about Cotto. The three division champion from Puerto Rico is now trained by Emanuel Steward. Even with Steward, and no catch-weight being involved, Roach says Pacquiao would beat Cotto every day of the week.
“Well, [Cotto] won a title and it would be for Manny’s 8th world title so it gives it some legitimacy. I think if [Cotto] fought one more it would make it even better. It would show he is better at that weight. You know they are talking about a catch weight but I say we fight him at 154. Manny beats him any day of the week. I don’t think Cotto is any better than he was last time. He says he is better at that weight maybe we’ll see,” said Roach to Gabriel Montoya of doghouseboxing.com and co-host of BoxingScene.com's official audio show "Leave It In The Ring
Last Chance for Zab Judah?
By Kirk Jackson: Zab Judah is scheduled to fight against Jose Armando Santa Cruz in a welter weight fight July 16th on Espn’s Friday Night Fights.
The winner of this fight will probably get a title shot somewhere down the line in either the welterweight or junior welterweight division, so this is an important match for both men. Especially for Judah, the aging 32 year old boxer who is seemingly on the down side of his career.
Now who is Jose Armando Santa Cruz? A solid contender and former WBC interim title holder moving up from the light weight division, Santa Cruz fought against the likes of former WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz and former Lineal Lightweight Champion Joel Casamayor.
Even though Santa Cruz lost to Diaz via technical knockout in the 10th round, he was up on the cards at the time of the stoppage. After a few victories to get on the comeback trail, Santa Cruz went up against and in the eyes of many seemed to defeat the Cuban legend Joel Casamayor in a 12 round decision. 2 out of the 3 judges would claim otherwise as Casamayor was awarded the controversial decision. Albeit it was a faded Casamayor, it was still a great showing nonetheless from Santa Cruz.
Now most of the people that follow boxing has the drop on Judah.
Judah, a fighter blessed with immense talent and athleticism which includes lightening fast reflexes, and dazzling hand speed that even rivals the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Roy Jones, and Ray Leonard. But there have always been inconsistencies with him throughout his career. Perhaps being trained by his father and falling victim to the distractions and circumstances of his surroundings, or never having the right discipline instilled in him from the beginning, which ever the case may be, Judah hasn’t lived up to his full potential. Looking back he has had a pretty good career but missed many opportunities.
A multiple division world champion, and former top p4p fighter, Zab Judah has certainly fallen from the graces of elite boxers over past 3 years or so. Although Zab has been defeated by the who’s who of welterweights in the last few years with losses to Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto, and Floyd Mayweather, Zab’s inconsistency and unrealized potential has many of his supporters disappointed.
There is no way he should of lost to Carlos Baldomir. Although Baldomir has a great chin, he is a journeyman worker type fighter and Zab had the physical attributes and skills to easily defeat him. But I guess we should of saw this coming at some point. Judah lost to David Diaz twice during the Olympic trials in 1996 which resulted in not making the team. With no disrespect intended towards David Diaz, he is no one near the caliber of fighter of Judah at least in regards to talent. Maybe this just boils down to Judah lacking focus.
Enter Jose Armando Santa Cruz. Expect him to come forward and try to apply pressure to Judah. Many may believe this should suit Judah well, because this style is tailor made for Judah’s style, as he should be able to use his speed and reflexes to counterpunch and land sharp punches on Santa Cruz, who has a tendency to come forward throwing looping punches. But it has also been noted, Zab has a tendency to wilt under pressure over the last few years, and has also had stamina issues and a lack of focus over the course of a fight.
So maybe we shouldn’t be surprised if Judah loses to Santa Cruz this upcoming Friday because Zab is a classic example of a fighter being blessed with all the physical tools and talent, but lacking discipline and direction. Maybe at 32 with his career winding down, Zab finally got the message. This could be his last chance.
By Kirk Jackson: Zab Judah is scheduled to fight against Jose Armando Santa Cruz in a welter weight fight July 16th on Espn’s Friday Night Fights.
The winner of this fight will probably get a title shot somewhere down the line in either the welterweight or junior welterweight division, so this is an important match for both men. Especially for Judah, the aging 32 year old boxer who is seemingly on the down side of his career.
Now who is Jose Armando Santa Cruz? A solid contender and former WBC interim title holder moving up from the light weight division, Santa Cruz fought against the likes of former WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz and former Lineal Lightweight Champion Joel Casamayor.
Even though Santa Cruz lost to Diaz via technical knockout in the 10th round, he was up on the cards at the time of the stoppage. After a few victories to get on the comeback trail, Santa Cruz went up against and in the eyes of many seemed to defeat the Cuban legend Joel Casamayor in a 12 round decision. 2 out of the 3 judges would claim otherwise as Casamayor was awarded the controversial decision. Albeit it was a faded Casamayor, it was still a great showing nonetheless from Santa Cruz.
Now most of the people that follow boxing has the drop on Judah.
Judah, a fighter blessed with immense talent and athleticism which includes lightening fast reflexes, and dazzling hand speed that even rivals the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Roy Jones, and Ray Leonard. But there have always been inconsistencies with him throughout his career. Perhaps being trained by his father and falling victim to the distractions and circumstances of his surroundings, or never having the right discipline instilled in him from the beginning, which ever the case may be, Judah hasn’t lived up to his full potential. Looking back he has had a pretty good career but missed many opportunities.
A multiple division world champion, and former top p4p fighter, Zab Judah has certainly fallen from the graces of elite boxers over past 3 years or so. Although Zab has been defeated by the who’s who of welterweights in the last few years with losses to Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto, and Floyd Mayweather, Zab’s inconsistency and unrealized potential has many of his supporters disappointed.
There is no way he should of lost to Carlos Baldomir. Although Baldomir has a great chin, he is a journeyman worker type fighter and Zab had the physical attributes and skills to easily defeat him. But I guess we should of saw this coming at some point. Judah lost to David Diaz twice during the Olympic trials in 1996 which resulted in not making the team. With no disrespect intended towards David Diaz, he is no one near the caliber of fighter of Judah at least in regards to talent. Maybe this just boils down to Judah lacking focus.
Enter Jose Armando Santa Cruz. Expect him to come forward and try to apply pressure to Judah. Many may believe this should suit Judah well, because this style is tailor made for Judah’s style, as he should be able to use his speed and reflexes to counterpunch and land sharp punches on Santa Cruz, who has a tendency to come forward throwing looping punches. But it has also been noted, Zab has a tendency to wilt under pressure over the last few years, and has also had stamina issues and a lack of focus over the course of a fight.
So maybe we shouldn’t be surprised if Judah loses to Santa Cruz this upcoming Friday because Zab is a classic example of a fighter being blessed with all the physical tools and talent, but lacking discipline and direction. Maybe at 32 with his career winding down, Zab finally got the message. This could be his last chance.
Is Arum shooting himself in the foot with the Mayweather deadline?
By Dave Lahr: I don’t see how Bob Arum’s deadline for Floyd Mayweather Jr. is helping matters in getting him to accept the contract proposal for a fight with Manny Pacquiao. That seems kind of self-defeating to give a big star like Mayweather a deadline and then making it public. That’s the last thing you want to do if you want to get a fight with Floyd.
It gives the appearance that Arum is calling the shots and Mayweather has hurry up otherwise he’s going to miss out on this great thing. I think it’s the opposite. I think Arum needs to be doing his utmost to kiss up to Mayweather to make this fight happen.
Giving him a deadline in public is about as wrong-headed a move that I can even think of. It’s sort of like when you see some really nice looking woman you want to ask out, and you’ve been going out with pretty much ugly women all your life in comparison to her.
The last thing you want to do is say ‘You got until mid-July to make up your mind whether you’ll go out with me, otherwise I’ll continue to go with ugly women.’ Who’s the one losing out here – you are the attractive girl? I see a deadline as a total blow it move by Arum and couldn’t think of a worse way to try and get a fight with Mayweather.
Here you got a fighter with Mayweather that is out-performing your own fighter in terms of pay-per-view fights, is unbeaten and is considered by many to be the best fighter in boxing. And now you’re going to give Mayweather a deadline and if he doesn’t take you’re going to have Pacquiao fight Miguel Cotto, who Pacquiao already beat, or Antonio Margarito who can’t fight in the United States. Either of those fights will go over real good, I bet.
Seriously, who wants to see Pacquiao fight Cotto again? I don’t care if there’s a title on the line. That doesn’t make up for the fact that Cotto got trounced last time out by Pacquiao. And I can just see Americans having to travel to Mexico or the Middle East just to see Pacquiao Margarito. Who needs that hassle?
Arum should be giving Mayweather the red treatment, sending him bottled water, caviar or whatever he wants to try and make the fight happen. He’s got to worm his way if he wants to get a fight with a talented guy like Mayweather. Giving deadlines is the worst thing he can do, unless he really doesn’t want Mayweather to fight Pacquiao. In that case, a public deadline for Mayweather is the perfect way not to make the fight happen
By Dave Lahr: I don’t see how Bob Arum’s deadline for Floyd Mayweather Jr. is helping matters in getting him to accept the contract proposal for a fight with Manny Pacquiao. That seems kind of self-defeating to give a big star like Mayweather a deadline and then making it public. That’s the last thing you want to do if you want to get a fight with Floyd.
It gives the appearance that Arum is calling the shots and Mayweather has hurry up otherwise he’s going to miss out on this great thing. I think it’s the opposite. I think Arum needs to be doing his utmost to kiss up to Mayweather to make this fight happen.
Giving him a deadline in public is about as wrong-headed a move that I can even think of. It’s sort of like when you see some really nice looking woman you want to ask out, and you’ve been going out with pretty much ugly women all your life in comparison to her.
The last thing you want to do is say ‘You got until mid-July to make up your mind whether you’ll go out with me, otherwise I’ll continue to go with ugly women.’ Who’s the one losing out here – you are the attractive girl? I see a deadline as a total blow it move by Arum and couldn’t think of a worse way to try and get a fight with Mayweather.
Here you got a fighter with Mayweather that is out-performing your own fighter in terms of pay-per-view fights, is unbeaten and is considered by many to be the best fighter in boxing. And now you’re going to give Mayweather a deadline and if he doesn’t take you’re going to have Pacquiao fight Miguel Cotto, who Pacquiao already beat, or Antonio Margarito who can’t fight in the United States. Either of those fights will go over real good, I bet.
Seriously, who wants to see Pacquiao fight Cotto again? I don’t care if there’s a title on the line. That doesn’t make up for the fact that Cotto got trounced last time out by Pacquiao. And I can just see Americans having to travel to Mexico or the Middle East just to see Pacquiao Margarito. Who needs that hassle?
Arum should be giving Mayweather the red treatment, sending him bottled water, caviar or whatever he wants to try and make the fight happen. He’s got to worm his way if he wants to get a fight with a talented guy like Mayweather. Giving deadlines is the worst thing he can do, unless he really doesn’t want Mayweather to fight Pacquiao. In that case, a public deadline for Mayweather is the perfect way not to make the fight happen
David Tua And Monte Barrett To Meet In Atlantic City: Is Barrett An Opponent Or A Spo
by Pavel Yakovlev - (July 13, 2010) Monte Barrett has passed his life staring down danger, in and out of the ring. Consistent with his history, Barrett faces powerpunching David Tua this Saturday in Atlantic City. Tua is heavily favored to win: with 43 knockouts among 51 career victories, he is possibly the hardest hitter in boxing today. The bout is regarded as an opportunity for Tua to showcase his abilities before taking more lucrative fights in the next year. By contrast, Barrett is supposed to be the opponent: a former contender with a big name in the final stage of his career. Indeed, the 39-year-old Barrett has even said that he intends to retire after this fight, win, lose, or draw.
But those who think Barrett is just seeking a final payday may be in for a surprise. There is nothing about Barrett’s character or life history that suggests he regards any fight as unwinnable. He has continuously overcome adversity since childhood and is not intimidated by any heavyweight in the world. Although definitely contemplating post-career options, in the back of his mind, Barrett must believe that Tua can be beaten.
Barrett’s tenacity is undeniable; it shows regardless of how heavily the odds are stacked against him. In an interview with this writer, Barrett explained his boxing philosophy.. “Fighting is a word to you, but to me it’s a way of life…it starts in the spirit,” he explained. “Not to be a quitter and to strive to be the best and never let nobody take what’s yours. That’s how I was raised. Somebody hit you, you hit them back.” Concerning his decision to fight professionally, Barrett stated, “I was born to fight and loved doing it. I was doing it for free all my life, now I’m getting paid for beating your ass. For me, that’s like being in heaven.”
GROWING UP IN “AK-47,” SOUTH JAMAICA, QUEENS
It is no exaggeration to say that Barrett learned early to fight or perish. He grew up in South Jamaica – known as “Southside” – a particularly tough neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. Family life was difficult; Barrett’s mother struggled with substance addiction, and his father was a battle-scarred Vietnam War veteran. The family lived on 147th Street. “They called the street ‘AK-47,’ that’s where all the guns were sold,” said Barrett. “About 300 AK-47’s were stolen from the airport, and they ended up on 147th Street. In 1985, 1986…there were a lot of drugs, I saw a lot of my friends get shot, gunned down, there were a lot of shootings,” he explained.
Even the interior of Barrett’s apartment building offered no sanctuary from the violence. “The most memorable thing is when I was 16 years old. There was one guy in my building, older than me. I knew him a little. He was a stick-up man, big time. One morning I was woken-up at 4am by a lot of gunshots in the hallway of my building. After the shooting stopped, I went out to the hall, and saw the stick-up man all shot up, including the mouth. They stripped him naked, too. I guess he messed with the wrong people,” related Barrett.
As a youngster, Barrett needed to use his fists often. “I was the youngest guy in my crew, but I was bigger than everyone else. That meant I did the fighting whenever we had trouble,” Barrett recalled. “I had some legendary street fights. Sometimes I got jumped by lots of guys at once, but I would never quit. No matter what, I would never quit.”
Fortunately, Barrett had access to an environment apart from Southside. That outlet existed in the home of Barrett’s grandparents, the Whites, who lived in Greenville, North Carolina. The Whites enjoyed a stable home and marriage, and were sensitive to the difficulties their grandson experienced in New York City. Hoping to influence Barrett in a positive way, the Whites often invited him to stay with them. “Every summer, I stayed with my grandparents in North Carolina,” explained Barrett. “That gave me a chance to see something different, to have a better life, to feel stability. I got to see the countryside, to swim, to do Cub Scouts, stuff like that. It opened my eyes. My grandmother especially was important; she encouraged me to dream of a better life, and to read. She said anytime things got too rough, to pick up a book and read, and to dream of a better future.”
Paradoxically, the stability and inspiration Barrett acquired from his grandparents may have made him that much fiercer. Barrett’s dreams of a better future were precious to him, and compensated for painful memories of life at home and in his neighborhood. In Southside, however, youngsters with aspirations were regarded as uppity, and sometimes attracted negative attention. Inevitably, some street toughs tried to disabuse the young Barrett of his dreams. Not surprisingly, Barrett responded by abusing the aggressors: foolhardy bullies who challenged the future heavyweight contender quickly found themselves on the pavement bereft of ego and teeth.
In high school, Barrett excelled at football, playing tight end, outside linebacker, and kicker. College coaches noticed: Grambling State University, East Carolina University, and the University of South Carolina recruited him to their programs. But instead, Barrett enrolled in a local community college, where he played football and prepared to transfer to a university as a Proposition 48 athlete. Plans eventually changed, however, and at the age of 23, Barrett took up boxing. Interestingly, he did not intend to become a competitive boxer. Rather, Barrett wanted to gain an edge in street fights. “I just wanted to learn how to knock a guy out with one punch, to get rid of him quickly,” he said.
Barrett first trained in a makeshift gym located in the cellar of a local coach’s home. “We called it ‘The Dungeon.’ It was dark and musty and there were spiders everywhere,” he recalled. Trainers noticed Barrett’s exceptional talent, and encouraged him to box competitively. A short but highly successful amateur career followed. He won the novice division of the New York Golden Gloves. “I knocked out the guy favored to win, he was out for ten minutes,” said Barrett. Afterward, Barrett won the Empire State Games. A national Police Athletic League (PAL) championship came next, followed by victories in duals against foreign boxers. After participating in the 1996 Olympic Trials, he decided to turn pro. By this time, Barrett – a winner of 37 out of 40 amateur bouts – had attracted the interest of important industry people. Barrett’s relationship with the late Eddie Mafuz, a well connected New York City manager and trainer, was especially influential. “Eddie was an important part of my career, getting me started. He was the first big boxing guy I met,” said Barrett.
THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION GETS A TASTE OF 147TH STREET
By the summer of 2000, Barrett had won 23 of 24 pro fights, including 15 knockouts. A London bout with Wladimir Klitschko followed, resulting in Barrett losing via seventh round TKO. Barrett suffered five knockdowns and a huge facial cut in the process. Remarkable, however, was Barrett’s comportment in defeat: despite taking a beating, he never stopped attacking the hulking Ukrainian. Although handicapped by massive disadvantages in strength, power, and size (Klitschko was 23 lbs heavier and four inches taller), Barrett doggedly fought back as long as the bout lasted. In fact, Klitschko had to strain in order to fend off Barrett’s repeated counterattacks. Most heavyweights would have fallen early against Klitschko that evening; Barrett proved himself to be the exception. Afterward, Barrett’s friend, the well-known trainer James Bashir Ali, told him, “That night you became a real fighter.” Barrett had passed his trial by fire: his fighting character now proven beyond doubt, he would soon establish himself as a legitimate top contender.
Barrett’s best career performances followed the Klitschko fight. In 2001 he outpointed former champion Tim Witherspoon. Barrett then stopped hard-hitting Eric Kirkland in ten rounds, withstanding some huge punches in the process. A controversial points loss to Joe Mesi occurred in 2003, but many observers felt Barrett deserved the verdict. Barrett floored Mesi in the later rounds and had him in trouble prior to the final bell. In 2004, Barrett beat two previously undefeated contenders: he knocked out Owen Beck and decisioned Dominick Guinn. After these victories, Barrett was ranked among the best heavyweights in the world.
Of course, Barrett’s career has changed since his peak in 2005. He lost a decision to close friend and fellow top contender Hasim Rahman that year. In 2006 – after 14 months of inactivity – Barrett fought WBA heavyweight champion Nicolai Valuev in a world title bout, losing via 11th round stoppage after rocking the champion early. Another long layoff followed, then Barrett split a pair of knockouts with hard-hitting journeyman Cliff Couser, each bout ending in the second round. Then, in 2008, Barrett scored an upset by stopping up-and-coming Tye Fields in the first round. Since beating Fields, Barrett has lost three consecutive fights, all against world-rated contenders. He was kayoed by David Haye and Odlanier Solis, and lost a decision to Alexander Ustinov.
UPCOMING BOUT AGAINST DAVID TUA
The conventional wisdom is that Tua will beat Barrett quickly and decisively. Oddsmakers have installed Tua as an overwhelming favorite. But is a Tua victory really a foregone conclusion? A closer look at the facts gives reason to pause, and even suggests that an upset could occur.
The view of the experts at www.onelinesportshandicapping.com is particularly interesting. Their boxing analysts wrote, “The overwhelming boxing betting odds on Tua made our boxing picks staff scratch our heads. In recent bouts Tua has looked sloppy both physically and technically. Barrett is the better boxer and has stayed more active fighting the better level of opposition. Tua may have the edge in strength but he is much shorter than Barrett and has developed a bad habit of throwing arm punches. Tua also seems to have lost practically all of the hand speed that once made him such a dangerous puncher.”
Even those oddsmakers who overwhelmingly favor Tua recognize his potential weaknesses. Evan Young of www.boxingforecast.com, for example, predicts a Tua knockout victory. But under questioning, Young did admit that, “Tua's weaknesses are punch output and height and reach. He can be outboxed with smart boxing, movement and a jab. In fact, in his prime he was losing or very close with many guys he stopped late. For example, Maskaev, Oquendo, David Izon, Rahman, even Dannell Nicholson to a degree.” Concerning Barrett, Young remarked, “He's never been a pure stick and move guy. He uses the jab to set up power shots. But he can move if he has to when trouble is near.”
It is important to note that Barrett is five inches taller than Tua, and enjoys a reach advantage of eight inches. Even at age 39, Barrett can jab and move when necessary. In his most recent performance – the decision loss to Ustinov – Barrett boxed well in the center ring, jabbing accurately and using footwork to avoid heavy punches. Altogether, Barrett put on a very competent fight that night, and might even have won if not for the handicaps of fighting with a broken right hand and boxing on his opponent’s home turf. In fact, analysis of the fight video suggests the bout was much closer than the officials’ scorecards indicate. This writer had Ustinov winning by only two rounds.
What does Tua bring to the table in Saturday’s fight? Many experts have noted that, since beginning his comeback last fall, Tua has looked lean (weighing under 240 lbs) and energetic in the ring. Supposedly Tua is a rejuvenated fighter, capable of boxing on the level he displayed in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, when he was a top contender. It is believed that Tua is no longer the overweight, sluggish fighter who struggled with mediocre opponents during the mid-‘00s. But other facts should be considered, too. Notably, Tua is only one year younger than Barrett: Tua’s advancing age is bound to show sooner or later, perhaps even against Barrett. It must not be overlooked that Barrett is probably Tua’s most formidable opponent since fighting Hasim Rahman in 2003. Stylistic issues will work to Tua’s disadvantage as well. In his recent win over Friday Ahunanya (who is shorter and less experienced than Barrett), Tua showed serious weaknesses at distance fighting, and had difficulty cutting off the ring. If Tua cannot force Barrett to the ropes, the fight is likely lost for the Samoan powerpuncher.
Barrett has trained hard for the upcoming fight. “What I’d really like is to finish my career with a big win,” said Barrett in a telephone interview for this article. During the conversation, this writer perused Tua’s record on www.boxrec.com, noting the difficulty Tua had with some opponents during the ‘00s, such as Talmadge Griffiths, Cisse Salif, Maurice Wheeler, and Robert Hawkins. Barrett responded with a knowing laugh. “In this game, you never know what’s going to happen. You just never know,” he said.
by Pavel Yakovlev - (July 13, 2010) Monte Barrett has passed his life staring down danger, in and out of the ring. Consistent with his history, Barrett faces powerpunching David Tua this Saturday in Atlantic City. Tua is heavily favored to win: with 43 knockouts among 51 career victories, he is possibly the hardest hitter in boxing today. The bout is regarded as an opportunity for Tua to showcase his abilities before taking more lucrative fights in the next year. By contrast, Barrett is supposed to be the opponent: a former contender with a big name in the final stage of his career. Indeed, the 39-year-old Barrett has even said that he intends to retire after this fight, win, lose, or draw.
But those who think Barrett is just seeking a final payday may be in for a surprise. There is nothing about Barrett’s character or life history that suggests he regards any fight as unwinnable. He has continuously overcome adversity since childhood and is not intimidated by any heavyweight in the world. Although definitely contemplating post-career options, in the back of his mind, Barrett must believe that Tua can be beaten.
Barrett’s tenacity is undeniable; it shows regardless of how heavily the odds are stacked against him. In an interview with this writer, Barrett explained his boxing philosophy.. “Fighting is a word to you, but to me it’s a way of life…it starts in the spirit,” he explained. “Not to be a quitter and to strive to be the best and never let nobody take what’s yours. That’s how I was raised. Somebody hit you, you hit them back.” Concerning his decision to fight professionally, Barrett stated, “I was born to fight and loved doing it. I was doing it for free all my life, now I’m getting paid for beating your ass. For me, that’s like being in heaven.”
GROWING UP IN “AK-47,” SOUTH JAMAICA, QUEENS
It is no exaggeration to say that Barrett learned early to fight or perish. He grew up in South Jamaica – known as “Southside” – a particularly tough neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. Family life was difficult; Barrett’s mother struggled with substance addiction, and his father was a battle-scarred Vietnam War veteran. The family lived on 147th Street. “They called the street ‘AK-47,’ that’s where all the guns were sold,” said Barrett. “About 300 AK-47’s were stolen from the airport, and they ended up on 147th Street. In 1985, 1986…there were a lot of drugs, I saw a lot of my friends get shot, gunned down, there were a lot of shootings,” he explained.
Even the interior of Barrett’s apartment building offered no sanctuary from the violence. “The most memorable thing is when I was 16 years old. There was one guy in my building, older than me. I knew him a little. He was a stick-up man, big time. One morning I was woken-up at 4am by a lot of gunshots in the hallway of my building. After the shooting stopped, I went out to the hall, and saw the stick-up man all shot up, including the mouth. They stripped him naked, too. I guess he messed with the wrong people,” related Barrett.
As a youngster, Barrett needed to use his fists often. “I was the youngest guy in my crew, but I was bigger than everyone else. That meant I did the fighting whenever we had trouble,” Barrett recalled. “I had some legendary street fights. Sometimes I got jumped by lots of guys at once, but I would never quit. No matter what, I would never quit.”
Fortunately, Barrett had access to an environment apart from Southside. That outlet existed in the home of Barrett’s grandparents, the Whites, who lived in Greenville, North Carolina. The Whites enjoyed a stable home and marriage, and were sensitive to the difficulties their grandson experienced in New York City. Hoping to influence Barrett in a positive way, the Whites often invited him to stay with them. “Every summer, I stayed with my grandparents in North Carolina,” explained Barrett. “That gave me a chance to see something different, to have a better life, to feel stability. I got to see the countryside, to swim, to do Cub Scouts, stuff like that. It opened my eyes. My grandmother especially was important; she encouraged me to dream of a better life, and to read. She said anytime things got too rough, to pick up a book and read, and to dream of a better future.”
Paradoxically, the stability and inspiration Barrett acquired from his grandparents may have made him that much fiercer. Barrett’s dreams of a better future were precious to him, and compensated for painful memories of life at home and in his neighborhood. In Southside, however, youngsters with aspirations were regarded as uppity, and sometimes attracted negative attention. Inevitably, some street toughs tried to disabuse the young Barrett of his dreams. Not surprisingly, Barrett responded by abusing the aggressors: foolhardy bullies who challenged the future heavyweight contender quickly found themselves on the pavement bereft of ego and teeth.
In high school, Barrett excelled at football, playing tight end, outside linebacker, and kicker. College coaches noticed: Grambling State University, East Carolina University, and the University of South Carolina recruited him to their programs. But instead, Barrett enrolled in a local community college, where he played football and prepared to transfer to a university as a Proposition 48 athlete. Plans eventually changed, however, and at the age of 23, Barrett took up boxing. Interestingly, he did not intend to become a competitive boxer. Rather, Barrett wanted to gain an edge in street fights. “I just wanted to learn how to knock a guy out with one punch, to get rid of him quickly,” he said.
Barrett first trained in a makeshift gym located in the cellar of a local coach’s home. “We called it ‘The Dungeon.’ It was dark and musty and there were spiders everywhere,” he recalled. Trainers noticed Barrett’s exceptional talent, and encouraged him to box competitively. A short but highly successful amateur career followed. He won the novice division of the New York Golden Gloves. “I knocked out the guy favored to win, he was out for ten minutes,” said Barrett. Afterward, Barrett won the Empire State Games. A national Police Athletic League (PAL) championship came next, followed by victories in duals against foreign boxers. After participating in the 1996 Olympic Trials, he decided to turn pro. By this time, Barrett – a winner of 37 out of 40 amateur bouts – had attracted the interest of important industry people. Barrett’s relationship with the late Eddie Mafuz, a well connected New York City manager and trainer, was especially influential. “Eddie was an important part of my career, getting me started. He was the first big boxing guy I met,” said Barrett.
THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION GETS A TASTE OF 147TH STREET
By the summer of 2000, Barrett had won 23 of 24 pro fights, including 15 knockouts. A London bout with Wladimir Klitschko followed, resulting in Barrett losing via seventh round TKO. Barrett suffered five knockdowns and a huge facial cut in the process. Remarkable, however, was Barrett’s comportment in defeat: despite taking a beating, he never stopped attacking the hulking Ukrainian. Although handicapped by massive disadvantages in strength, power, and size (Klitschko was 23 lbs heavier and four inches taller), Barrett doggedly fought back as long as the bout lasted. In fact, Klitschko had to strain in order to fend off Barrett’s repeated counterattacks. Most heavyweights would have fallen early against Klitschko that evening; Barrett proved himself to be the exception. Afterward, Barrett’s friend, the well-known trainer James Bashir Ali, told him, “That night you became a real fighter.” Barrett had passed his trial by fire: his fighting character now proven beyond doubt, he would soon establish himself as a legitimate top contender.
Barrett’s best career performances followed the Klitschko fight. In 2001 he outpointed former champion Tim Witherspoon. Barrett then stopped hard-hitting Eric Kirkland in ten rounds, withstanding some huge punches in the process. A controversial points loss to Joe Mesi occurred in 2003, but many observers felt Barrett deserved the verdict. Barrett floored Mesi in the later rounds and had him in trouble prior to the final bell. In 2004, Barrett beat two previously undefeated contenders: he knocked out Owen Beck and decisioned Dominick Guinn. After these victories, Barrett was ranked among the best heavyweights in the world.
Of course, Barrett’s career has changed since his peak in 2005. He lost a decision to close friend and fellow top contender Hasim Rahman that year. In 2006 – after 14 months of inactivity – Barrett fought WBA heavyweight champion Nicolai Valuev in a world title bout, losing via 11th round stoppage after rocking the champion early. Another long layoff followed, then Barrett split a pair of knockouts with hard-hitting journeyman Cliff Couser, each bout ending in the second round. Then, in 2008, Barrett scored an upset by stopping up-and-coming Tye Fields in the first round. Since beating Fields, Barrett has lost three consecutive fights, all against world-rated contenders. He was kayoed by David Haye and Odlanier Solis, and lost a decision to Alexander Ustinov.
UPCOMING BOUT AGAINST DAVID TUA
The conventional wisdom is that Tua will beat Barrett quickly and decisively. Oddsmakers have installed Tua as an overwhelming favorite. But is a Tua victory really a foregone conclusion? A closer look at the facts gives reason to pause, and even suggests that an upset could occur.
The view of the experts at www.onelinesportshandicapping.com is particularly interesting. Their boxing analysts wrote, “The overwhelming boxing betting odds on Tua made our boxing picks staff scratch our heads. In recent bouts Tua has looked sloppy both physically and technically. Barrett is the better boxer and has stayed more active fighting the better level of opposition. Tua may have the edge in strength but he is much shorter than Barrett and has developed a bad habit of throwing arm punches. Tua also seems to have lost practically all of the hand speed that once made him such a dangerous puncher.”
Even those oddsmakers who overwhelmingly favor Tua recognize his potential weaknesses. Evan Young of www.boxingforecast.com, for example, predicts a Tua knockout victory. But under questioning, Young did admit that, “Tua's weaknesses are punch output and height and reach. He can be outboxed with smart boxing, movement and a jab. In fact, in his prime he was losing or very close with many guys he stopped late. For example, Maskaev, Oquendo, David Izon, Rahman, even Dannell Nicholson to a degree.” Concerning Barrett, Young remarked, “He's never been a pure stick and move guy. He uses the jab to set up power shots. But he can move if he has to when trouble is near.”
It is important to note that Barrett is five inches taller than Tua, and enjoys a reach advantage of eight inches. Even at age 39, Barrett can jab and move when necessary. In his most recent performance – the decision loss to Ustinov – Barrett boxed well in the center ring, jabbing accurately and using footwork to avoid heavy punches. Altogether, Barrett put on a very competent fight that night, and might even have won if not for the handicaps of fighting with a broken right hand and boxing on his opponent’s home turf. In fact, analysis of the fight video suggests the bout was much closer than the officials’ scorecards indicate. This writer had Ustinov winning by only two rounds.
What does Tua bring to the table in Saturday’s fight? Many experts have noted that, since beginning his comeback last fall, Tua has looked lean (weighing under 240 lbs) and energetic in the ring. Supposedly Tua is a rejuvenated fighter, capable of boxing on the level he displayed in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, when he was a top contender. It is believed that Tua is no longer the overweight, sluggish fighter who struggled with mediocre opponents during the mid-‘00s. But other facts should be considered, too. Notably, Tua is only one year younger than Barrett: Tua’s advancing age is bound to show sooner or later, perhaps even against Barrett. It must not be overlooked that Barrett is probably Tua’s most formidable opponent since fighting Hasim Rahman in 2003. Stylistic issues will work to Tua’s disadvantage as well. In his recent win over Friday Ahunanya (who is shorter and less experienced than Barrett), Tua showed serious weaknesses at distance fighting, and had difficulty cutting off the ring. If Tua cannot force Barrett to the ropes, the fight is likely lost for the Samoan powerpuncher.
Barrett has trained hard for the upcoming fight. “What I’d really like is to finish my career with a big win,” said Barrett in a telephone interview for this article. During the conversation, this writer perused Tua’s record on www.boxrec.com, noting the difficulty Tua had with some opponents during the ‘00s, such as Talmadge Griffiths, Cisse Salif, Maurice Wheeler, and Robert Hawkins. Barrett responded with a knowing laugh. “In this game, you never know what’s going to happen. You just never know,” he said.
Arreola And Quezada Battle For Mexican Heavyweight Champion On August 13
The 29-year old Arreola, a native of East LA who -- as the top-ranked contender -- got his first opportunity at heavyweight history in an ill-fated title shot against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko last September, will be returning to the scene of his HBO-televised loss to Tomasz Adamek back in April. Arreola says he is determined to not disappoint his fans – again – and that he can and will perform at the levels of a world- class athlete; and that he is a much better fighter than he exhibited against his Polish foe; and is the best Mexican heavyweight in the world. Arreola promises to return to his roots that brought him success: a mental determination to go back to basics in the boxing gym and conditioning; more on old-time training with emphasis on more combination power punching and better stamina.
“I have no one to blame but myself,” Arreola admitted of his subpar performance against Adamek. “Everything is on my shoulders. We spent a lot more time on my conditioning and didn’t do a lot of pad work and, as Henry pointed out, my combination count has gone down a big amount. So that is one thing that I’m going to have to work on.
“This fight is a dream-ender for either Quezada or me,” Arreola theorized. “I know I have to win the fight; there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it if I am going to get another world title shot. I have to prove myself again and get back into contention. And I know I have fought better competition than he has so as much as we are alike, that level of competition separates us. My two losses came to a world champion and a former world champion. He hasn’t fought anyone like that, or me.”
“We’re gonna cut back on the conditioning drills,” trainer Henry Ramirez said. “Obviously he’s gonna continue to run, but we don’t want to get to the point where the strength and conditioning work negates his boxing skills. We want him busting his butt in the gym with more focus on boxing, where it always should have been.”
For Wasco native Quezada, 32, his motivation for beating Arreola comes from a different source. Quezada, who was ranked as high as #4 in the WBC, feels he has fought in the shadow of Arreola, undeservingly so. Consequently, Quezada lost his drive and focus in the gym in preparing for what resulted in an unexpected April loss of his WBC CABOFE Heavyweight Championship to journeyman and heavyweight spoiler Jason Gavern.
“It was my fault, completely my fault,” Quezada, sounding like Arreola, admitted regarding his upset loss to Gavern. “Coming into the fight I didn’t train like I should have. I kind of took him lightly and it showed. In the fight I sustained a cut from a head-butt and I’d never been cut in my career. I worried about that and got away from my game. But it will never happen again.
With new management and attitude, Quezada feels he finally has everything in place, including Arreola in the opposite corner to cast out the shadows on August 13, getting the fight he has been seeking the past two years.
“Arreola got a world title shot and with a victory for me on August 13, then I’ll get one,” Quezada stated. “It’s very important for me to beat him. Don’t get me wrong, Arreola is a tough guy. I know him; he comes to fight, but so do I. I can’t worry about what he’s doing. I have to care about what I’m doing: Keep fighting, keep winning and eventually I’ll get my shot.”
The 29-year old Arreola, a native of East LA who -- as the top-ranked contender -- got his first opportunity at heavyweight history in an ill-fated title shot against WBC champion Vitali Klitschko last September, will be returning to the scene of his HBO-televised loss to Tomasz Adamek back in April. Arreola says he is determined to not disappoint his fans – again – and that he can and will perform at the levels of a world- class athlete; and that he is a much better fighter than he exhibited against his Polish foe; and is the best Mexican heavyweight in the world. Arreola promises to return to his roots that brought him success: a mental determination to go back to basics in the boxing gym and conditioning; more on old-time training with emphasis on more combination power punching and better stamina.
“I have no one to blame but myself,” Arreola admitted of his subpar performance against Adamek. “Everything is on my shoulders. We spent a lot more time on my conditioning and didn’t do a lot of pad work and, as Henry pointed out, my combination count has gone down a big amount. So that is one thing that I’m going to have to work on.
“This fight is a dream-ender for either Quezada or me,” Arreola theorized. “I know I have to win the fight; there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it if I am going to get another world title shot. I have to prove myself again and get back into contention. And I know I have fought better competition than he has so as much as we are alike, that level of competition separates us. My two losses came to a world champion and a former world champion. He hasn’t fought anyone like that, or me.”
“We’re gonna cut back on the conditioning drills,” trainer Henry Ramirez said. “Obviously he’s gonna continue to run, but we don’t want to get to the point where the strength and conditioning work negates his boxing skills. We want him busting his butt in the gym with more focus on boxing, where it always should have been.”
For Wasco native Quezada, 32, his motivation for beating Arreola comes from a different source. Quezada, who was ranked as high as #4 in the WBC, feels he has fought in the shadow of Arreola, undeservingly so. Consequently, Quezada lost his drive and focus in the gym in preparing for what resulted in an unexpected April loss of his WBC CABOFE Heavyweight Championship to journeyman and heavyweight spoiler Jason Gavern.
“It was my fault, completely my fault,” Quezada, sounding like Arreola, admitted regarding his upset loss to Gavern. “Coming into the fight I didn’t train like I should have. I kind of took him lightly and it showed. In the fight I sustained a cut from a head-butt and I’d never been cut in my career. I worried about that and got away from my game. But it will never happen again.
With new management and attitude, Quezada feels he finally has everything in place, including Arreola in the opposite corner to cast out the shadows on August 13, getting the fight he has been seeking the past two years.
“Arreola got a world title shot and with a victory for me on August 13, then I’ll get one,” Quezada stated. “It’s very important for me to beat him. Don’t get me wrong, Arreola is a tough guy. I know him; he comes to fight, but so do I. I can’t worry about what he’s doing. I have to care about what I’m doing: Keep fighting, keep winning and eventually I’ll get my shot.”