The Army Boxing Thread

[binnie]

Originally posted by binnie
Lots of great fights in the next couple of weeks.

This weekend,

Juan Diaz vs Nate Campbell.

Diaz will win this I think, but it'll be tougher than people expect. I reckon UD. Maybe a knockdown but no stoppage as Diaz isn't an explosive puncher.

Sam Peter vs Ruslan Chagaev.

Well, maybe not a 'great' fight lol. I suppose the smart money is on Peter as Chagaev is almost as old a Holyfield, but Sam looked terrible against McCline and is a very vulnerable fighter. I really don't feel confident in making a prediction, but I feel Chagaev may cause an upset. Let's hope Peter has a good night.

David Haye vs Enzo Maccrinelli.

Bound to be a good fight. All the smakrt money is on Haye: naturally bigger, fought better opposition, hits even harder and more unorthodox. That being said, I fancy Maccrinelli for an upset either by later round stoppage or points victory. Haye looked incredibly easy to hit in his fight with Morcmeck, and Maccrineeli has a great jab - together, that spells trouble. If Enzo keeps his head and doesn't get into a brawl in the early rounds, I predict he'll win. (knowing my luck, Haye will spark him in one round and I'll look like an idiot, lol...)

Well, I got all three wrong. Must be losing my touch, lol.

Chagaev was clearly shot. Peter fought OK I thought, but he still has a LOT to do to impress me, he looks so damn easy to hit.

Nate Campbell was the surpirse of the weekend, and is a testament to how open the lightweight division is. Juan Diaz will learn from this, and I still think he'll be dominant in 2 years or so.

As for Haye, it was a HELL of a shot. Maccrinelli left his chin out and he knew he'd blown his chance during the post-fight interview (Enzo Calzaghe was pissed because Macc did not stick to the gameplan.) Macc just gave too much space, although I thought he was winning round two up to the knock out.

Now that Haye has moved up, I imagine Maccrinelli will clean up at Cruiser anyway. He'll pummel Steve Cunningham should that fight ever happen, and I don't imagine Mormeck will be big enough to impose himself on Enzo. O'neil Bell is the fight I'd really like to see.

[binnie]

Pavlik will amke his first defence against Gary Locket.

Who? I here you ask.

Exactly. Locket is a middleweight in the Calzaghe-camp and is the WBO mandatory - Pavlik has to fight him or lose the belt.

Now, Locket is a decent guy, and a decent boxer, but this will most probably be a terrible mismatch. Sure, Enzo Calzaghe is a great trainer, and will undoubtedly have a 'plan' to beat Pavlik but I can't see it happening - Kelly is much, much bigger than Locket, and Locket has never been in with anyone approaching this level. Even with all the hand and foot speed in the world, you would have to be as big and strong as Pavlik to keep him at bay.

The planned John Duddy fight sounded like a bad idea, but at least it would have been a war for three rounds or so. I just don't see this been a good fight at all. And the thought of Kelly fighting Tito Trinidad also sounds frankly ridiculous as this point - Trinidad is not a natural middlewieght, and against Jones jr he looked slower than erosion.

On the plus side, there's talk of Pavlik fighting Arthur Abraham at the end of the year. That will be a classic!

[binnie]

Pacquiano-Marquez dawns upon us!

This fight should be an absolute monster. I can see either man winning, but even though I'm a HUGE Manny fan I'm still going with Marquez to cause an upset here.

I'm not confident or sure of the call though - either way it's a GREAT fight for boxing: the #2 and #3 PFP fighters in the world in the same ring!

[binnie]

Pac-Man - JMM was an exceptional fight, real pants on the edge of the seat stuff as it swung one way and then another.

The only disappointing thing? The decision.

Now I've been a HUGE Pac fan for years, way before the Moralles fights, way before the first JMM fight, and I was rooting for him to win even though I predicted he wouldn't. And at the end of 12 rounds I thought he'd lost, albeit in a close battle, and I wasn't alone: the HBO team thouht he'd lost, as did the commentators from the UK.

But the judges, it seemed, were watching another fight. It wasn't a day-light-robbery decision, as the fight WAS close, but how one of the judges scored it 115-112 Pacman I'll never know. He didn't do enough to warrant that score, hell, JMM didn't let him do enough.

I had it 115-112 JMM. For me, he was the superior fighter on Saturday, as he was four years ago when he only got a draw despite completely outclassing Pac-man for 11 rounds (despite being knocked on his ass three times in round one.) Like I said, not a 'bad' decision, but the wrong one (clearly), not a crime but certainly an injustice.

For me, the fight confirmed something that I already suspected. Over the past ten years, JMM deserves the "Most feared man in boxing" label: Nasseim Hammed openly admits that he ducked him for years, Barrera didn't want to know during his first years as champ, and Morrales didn't want any either. You know why? JMM would have killed them all (see the Barrera fight, which I initially thought was close but having re-watched it, realized how much of a beating he gave 'baby-face' between rounds 6 and 12.) He may not be as exciting as those guys, but he'd have beaten them and they knew it: too fast, to good a counterpuncher, and with too fluid foot work to ever be in real trouble. Even at 34, he looked incredible on Saturday.

Congrats to Manny, he is the fist Filipino to win titles at three weights, and it was a great performance which cements his status as one of the best PFP fighters in the world - with the exception of Mayweather, maybe THE best. But I feel JMM was the real winner that night, and I hope that his legacy isn't overshadowed by Barrera, Morrales and Pacman.

[binnie]

Mikkel Kessler and Edison Miranda are due to fight at the end of May.

This should be an excellent fight, but I think Miranda has bitten off WAY more than he can chew. He claims that Kessler is scarred of him, and has taken to calling him "Kessler the Kitten" as opposed to "The Viking Warrior."

Now, Miranda is an awesome puncher but his skill level isn't great. His foot work is basic at best, and his defense is porous. Whilst his knockout of David Banks was a real spectacle, until that point he had looked pretty awful as Banks moved round him and picked him off. The knock-out was a product of Banks' mistake, not Miranda's talent.

Kessler will be a different case. Mikkel hits harder than Satan, and given that Pavlick put Miranda away in 7 (albeit that he was weight-drained) I'm guessing that Kessler will do the same: he hits harder and faster than Pavlick, and has the footwork to keep well out of Miranda's way.

Should be an entertaining fight though...

[binnie]

Casamayora-Kastadis this Saturday.

Should be a great fight. Given that Casamayora looked terrible in his last fight against Santa-Cruz, I've got to go with the all-out warrior Kastadis by late stoppage or a points win.

That being said, it won't be one-sided. Kastadis reportedly struggles with lefties, and in Casamayora he has one of the best ring-craftsmen in the world to contend with, albeit a fading one. Casamayora is also very hard to hit flush, which may nullify a lot of Kastadis's power.

It's a great old vs young, boxer vs fighter match up though. The winner should take on Nate Campbell.

[binnie]

Casamayor won - great fight. He's clearly in decline but he looked a lot sharper than in his previous fight and in the early rounds would still be too quick for the lightweight competiton. That division is wide open.

Something tells me that a fight with Campbell won't happen because of money, but Casamayor can still compete with the best lightweight's out there all night long...

[binnie]

LOTS of big fights this weekend. Predictions?

Miguel Cotto vs Alfonso Gomez.

TKO Cotto. This will be one-sided. I expect Gomez to be durable but not very competitive, and Cotto will wear him down sometime after the 8th. Maybe earlier if he produces a sustained attack on the body.

Kermit Cintron vs Antonio Margarritto.

Cintron has the power to win, but I've not seen enough improvement since their first fight to make me think the result will be any different - Cintron is too easy to hit. Margaritto by late KO, maybe points.

Clinton Woods vs Antonio Tarver.

Woods will win this, Tarver's only chance is a biased decision in his home town. Woods will out work him, smother him and beat him on the inside.

Glen Johnson vs Chad Dawson.

Dawson is the future at 175, and his speed should win him this, But it won't be easy, not by any mens, Johnson will be in the fight for all 12 rounds, and I expect a close decision.

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Bumped....

[binnie]

God I miss Al...........

Been reading back the old posts in this thread during the last few days..

[Dan]

God I miss Al...........

Been reading back the old posts in this thread during the last few days..

We ALL Do,Bro.

[binnie]

Three pretty exiciting fights this weekend:

Tonight - Thomas Adamek - Jonathon Banks (cruiserwieght).

After being outclassed by Chad Dawson at 175, Adamek's career has being rejuventated at 200lbs and he has become the man to beat in the division, cementing his place with a victory over 'USS' Steve Cunningham last year. Banks is undefeated, and can bang, but I suspect his talent - he clearly pussied out of a fight with Enzo Maccarnelli earlier this year. Banks will not have been in with anyone as tough and relentless as Adamek, and he will begin to question himself if his shots don't do the damage they usually do. I expect Adamek to force a late stoppage or (more likely) a UD. Neither guy has great footwork, and don't expect to see much beautiful boxing. It will be a war of endurance, and Adamek is proven in that area.

Tommorrow.

Juan Manuel Marquez - Juan Diaz. (lightweight)

JMM is one of the best fighters in the world, period. Not only are his loss and a draw to Pacquiao highly questionalble, it could be argued that he has taken on better fighters in his move away from his natural weight than the Fillipino legend - beating a 135lber great like Casamayora is a lot bigger achievment than beaing an average David Diaz and shot De La Hoya, IMO. But Marquez has to get old sometime, and that is clearly what Juan Diaz's team will happen in this bout. Juan is not a huge puncher, but breaks guys down with attrition and non-stop pressure - they are clearly hoping that age will faciliate the process against JMM. Well, Pacquiao couldn't do it, and I don't see Diaz being able to either. JMM is a counter-puncher, and Diaz'a come forward style is therefore made for him. I expect a wide UD for Marquez - Diaz'a chin will stop him being KO'd.

Chris John - Rocky Jurez. (featherweight)

Finally, a Chris John bout we can watch. This Indonesian guy is unbeaten (although his victory over JMM is VERY controversial.) Rocky is a good fighter, and a true warrior, and many people are predicting he will scalp John. I doubt it. Chris John knows that this is a 'showcase' fight, a gate-way to the big bucks and will therefore bring his best. He is more experience and a far superior technician. Expect a great performance from him in a wide decision.

[binnie]

Ok fellas, we are less than one week away from what may well prove to be a classic.

Manny Pacquiao - Ricky Hatton.

Who ya picking?

Anyone seen the 24/7 series yet?

I will be watching this - it's airing at about 5am my time. I'm pulling for the 'Hitman' but I'm not at all confident he'll do it - it's a heart/head conundrum for me.

Will the winner fight Floyd?

[redblkwht]

Brilliant Pacquiao cements legacy with win

By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports 1 hour, 45 minutes ago


* MGM prepares for British invasion Apr 30, 2009
* Pacquiao a Filipino uniter Apr 29, 2009


LAS VEGAS – It took just 359 seconds to add the latest devastating chapter to a legacy that will last for decades.

Manny Pacquiao’s flurried fists made short work of Ricky Hatton on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and delivered the most emphatic proof yet that boxing has a superstar for the ages operating at his peak.

Pacquiao sent the Englishman crashing to the canvas twice in a frenetic first round, then sealed the contest with a brutal left hook that had Hatton out cold on his back with one tick remaining in the second round.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have announced his comeback from a brief and scarcely-believable retirement on Saturday morning. But there can be no doubt that Pacquiao is boxing’s undisputed king as he continues to ride a remarkable wave of momentum.

“Our strategy was the one punch,” Pacquiao said. “Left hook. Right hook. That was going to be the key to this fight.”

The Filipino fighter is a quiet and reserved man out of the ring, but between the ropes he morphs into an electrifying machine – and Hatton felt his full force.

The Hatton camp had hoped their man’s power would be telling, yet he simply had no response to Pacquiao’s pace and precision. A right hook put Hatton down with 54 seconds remaining in round one and proved to be the beginning of the end.

“I knew it was over,” said Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer. “Ricky fights the same way over and over. He doesn’t have the ability to adjust.”
ADVERTISEMENT

As Pacquiao moved in for the finish in the second round, Hatton tried to cling on only to be sent down again with a fierce straight left. Doctors immediately rushed to the aid of Hatton, who eventually and thankfully was able to walk from the ring under his own steam.

“I am surprised this fight was so easy,” said Pacquiao. “I did work hard in my training camp and it paid off. This is as big a victory for me as when I beat Oscar De La Hoya.”

That December triumph over De La Hoya did not convince the entire boxing fraternity of Pacquiao’s ability, primarily as the Golden Boy’s powers had so clearly dimmed from his prime. Now there is no speculation. Pacquiao is the top dog, until someone proves otherwise in the ring.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. was a no-show at the postfight news conference, leaving Hatton’s co-trainer, Lee Beard, to explain the mauling by Pacquiao.

“We knew about Manny’s speed and that it could play a factor in the fight,” Beard said. “What you saw was two rounds of action and Ricky got caught.”

Roach’s status as a trainer grows in line with each victory his top fighter posts and it became clear his game plan was perfect. Hatton could not avoid Pacquiao, who landed with 73 of his 127 punches. The Brit could only land 18 of 78.

“This is no shock at all,“ Roach said. “Hatton pumps his hands before he throws a punch, and it makes him a sucker for the right hook.

“Manny is a monster. He is the best fighter ever. There is no surprise here.”

Defeat was a bitter blow to the thousands of Hatton fans among the 16,262 in attendance who had journeyed across the Atlantic but saw their dreams dashed within a few brutal minutes.

The typical symphony of chanting carried on even after their man had been sparked out, but it may not strike up again. Hatton, who was alert in his locker room before being taken to the hospital, is one of the most popular boxers ever with an incredible fan base, but his fighting future is now in serious doubt.

For Pacquiao, the future is brighter than ever, and his legend continues to grow.

Said Pacquiao: “I can fight anybody.”

[redblkwht]

Yet another great white hope..i was looking for a better finish than that,
what a waste of money. overrated..clap clap clap clap clap.