Boxing Part 2:

First, I am going to respond to fellow idiot, David Bickel's boxing questions and claims. These are taken directly from comments on my last article. And, they are pretty good casual boxing fan thoughts and questions.

1) Mayweather needs to come back and fight Cotto
Obviously, even casual fans understand that this fight needed/needs to happen. I saw Floyd in an interview explaining his beef with Cotto's promotional company - and I actually buy it. Floyd doesn't want to put coin in Bob Arum's pocket, because he doesn't like Bob. Ricky Hatton actually always used the same defense for ducking Junior Witter -a fellow UK Junior Welterweight. When you become this big of a star, you have the power to shit on people who don't treat you, right. Mayweather is basically saying that when Cotto is a big enough star to increase his pay in the fight, he will fight him. While it's not awesome, I don't mind that. My bigger problem with Floyd is that his last four fights: Arturo Gatti, Carlos Baldomir, Oscar De La Hoya, and Ricky Hatton were jokes in a lot of ways. He chose Baldomir because Carlos had just won a paper title and was slow (in fact Baldomir is nearly out of boxing only two years removed from that title fight); he put on a massively boring fight with De La Hoya for a quick buck (which I don't fault him for at all - it made him a star); and then he boxes a guy in a lower weight class who also isn't as fast as him. He has cherry picked overrated big name fighters for four consecutive fights, when the welterweight division is packed with great fighters - Paul Williams, Cotto, Margarito, Cintron, Collazo, and the biggest disgrace - Shane Mosely. Moseley - Mayweather would have been an absolutely huge fight, and Floyd's best chance at fighting a nearly mirrored opponent, and he ducked Moseley too! He has spent a good three years ducking an entire division - which happens to be the most exciting division in boxing. That is why I just can't put him as my pound for pound champion even when he returns. In many ways, his reign has been similar to Roy Jones Jr. Fight tough fights, work your way up, become a star, fight bums, stop challenging within your own division for megafights.

#2. i've only seen pavlik fight once... it was his last fight and he obliterated the dude he was fighting, so i was impressed.
Yeah, the Gary Lockett fight wasn't much. If you have HBO On-Demand you really need to go to Kelly Pavlik's Greatest Hits if they are still up there. He is the most exciting American fighter in the world. His fights against Zertuche, Miranda, Taylor, and Taylor II was a fantastic and impressive four fight stretch and Pavlik-Taylor I is the best fight I have ever seen live. I hope Kelly goes the other way than Mayweather. Here should be his plan:
1) Fight Winky Wright - Winky hasn't been heard from in well over a year; and always makes outrageous monetary claims he doesn't deserve. But Wink has to be desperate at this point. It's a dangerous scary fight for Kelly, but he needs to clear out the Middleweight division fast.
2) Fight Arthur Abraham - if he gets past Wright, he fights fellow titleholder Abraham from Germany. Go to Germany if you have to - it's not unprecedented. If he beats Winky and Abraham hs work is done in that division. He will go down as one of the greatest middleweights of all time, and can start marching up the ladder with no stone unturned.
Kelly and his trainer think he is big enough to one day even capture a Heavyweight crown. But he has to fight the best first.


#3. can ricky hatton fight again soon?

Yeah, Ricky fought just about a month ago on the Versus Network against Luis Collazo. It wasn't all that good of a fight. Ricky looked rusty and was almost dropped in the 10th round. In the fall he will fight this greasy New Jersey fighter Paul Malignanni , who looked even worse on Ricky's undercard that night. But, hopefully he will get by the Magic Man, and then we all could be in for a treat because Manny Pacquiao has plans to go up to Junior Welterweight to fight Hatton if they both keep winning. Old Ricky has always been a little overrated because he is so darn likable. His division is weak, and he's a lot older than his age because of his diet, drinking, lifestyle, weight changes. I think he probably has 4 fights left, and I would imagine that the Pac-Man would be his most dangerous remaining opponent.

Boxing: Top 5 P4P.



Keep in mind, I only rate fighters down to Junior Lightweight. I just can't get goin on the little guys.



1) Miguel Cotto: Let's see he has crushed Shane Mosely and Carlos Quintana. He moves effortlessly between southpaw and classic style, and has an insane uppercut. Oh, yeah, and Mayweather spent two years ducking him, and De La Hoya wants to make him his farewell fight. Has an awesome fight with Antonio Margarito on the horizon.



2) Kelly Pavlik: The Ghost is the most exciting fighter in the game. He somehow combines the work rate of Joe Calzaghe with the brute force of Manny Pacquiao. He wins rounds by throwing tons of punches, yet also has as much power as anyone he faces. His defense isn't first class, but by god his chin sure is.



3) Juan Manuel Marquez - I saw the first two fights with Pacquiao. As much as I like Manny, JMM won them both despite only getting a draw and losing a majority decision. Phenomenal counter puncher.



4) Manny Pacquiao - Not much separates he and JMM. Pac-Man is by far the more exciting fighter with gaudy power and little defense.



5) Jermain Taylor - He beat Hopkins twice - who is somehow rated higher on most people's p4p lists. And, after switching back to his old trainer he nearly stole a decision off of Kelly Pavlik. He's got quick hands, and can deliver a mean counter punch. He caught Kelly clean a bunch of times in that second fight. The thing that really separates them is Kelly's chin. Taylor's face swells up and a shot on the kisser will take him out of his game. Kelly can just take a punch and keep moving forward



Guys that are not in this list and in most are:

Bernard Hopkins - I'm sorry. He fights anyone, which can be lauded. I am convinced he can nearly get a draw from any fighter in history. Unfortunately, he hasn't really won a fight in a long time. And he just sucks to watch.

Joe Calzaghe - Yeah. His fight with Hopkins was awful and I thought he lost it. What else is there to say. Everyone's favorite p4p has won tight decisions against exactly two guys - Hopkins and Kessler. And that puts him number one overall?



Shane Mosely - Fights anyone at any time. He is super fast. Fought Cotto well.