Boxing

Has everyone now seen the fourth round of the Mayweather – Ortiz fight? If you’ve seen the fight, you’ve probably got your own opinion of what went down at the end. Many are upset that the fight ended controversially. But the controversy is more because with questions not because a foul was committed.
Many have said that Ortiz was sucker punched because he was hit on the break or that he was looking at the referee when he got punched. Ortiz wasn’t hit on the break. Look at the fight. I’m not a Mayweather fan anymore today than I was yesterday. Even though his crude and arrogant actions push me away from the person, I watched the fight and I think that I may have noticed what many have missed. Before the second hug from Ortiz in ring center, the referee waved them together to fight. After Ortiz hugged Mayweather the second time and backed off, Mayweather hit him with a left hook while he was looking at the referee. A little less than a second after the hook, Mayweather hit him with a right cross and Ortiz went down. Cheating? No cheating.
I believe that Mayweather was on his way to stopping Ortiz within the next four rounds, so why did he take Ortiz down in a way that would leave the public with questions? He was beating Ortiz handily and was taking hardly any punishment in return. Why not just wait and get a cleaner finish?
Why was Ortiz still looking at the referee after the first left hook that hit him? Let’s say for the sake of argument that Ortiz didn’t remember the referee waving them back to fight before the second hug. He got in the face by a left hook, why didn’t he put his hands up, even as a reflex? Ortiz wasn’t so dazed by the punch that he was knocked down or even have his knees buckled, but he didn’t draw up in defense, not even as a reflex. He just kept looking at the referee, the right cross didn’t come until almost a second later. I could say that he didn’t have time if it was a quick 1-2 combination, but it wasn’t. Cheating? No cheating.
Although I have no way of telling what was going on in Ortiz’ mind, it looks like he may have been giving up. The second Holyfield – Tyson fight comes to mind after watching this fight. Tyson had given Holyfield his best and still couldn’t take the advantage, as a matter of fact, Holyfield was winning. So Tyson resorted to biting Holyfield not once but twice and ended up being disqualified. Tyson said that is was in retaliation for Holyfield’s head butts. I believe that he realized that he couldn’t win and instead of losing with a real excuse to make, he chose to be disqualified then he could always say “what if”. Ortiz was losing to Mayweather, repeatedly being beaten to the punch and not being able to mount an effective offense in return. He may’ve felt that he couldn’t win so he tried to escape. So, he head butted Mayweather, so hard that he left his feet in the effort to make contact. Then after the point was deducted and they were waved back in to fight he hugged Mayweather again. Nothing illegal or wrong about that but after the left hook he just looked at the referee, didn’t attempt to cover up, not even as a reflex action. Then the right cross lands, followed by the ten count. Now Ortiz wasn’t beaten, he was hurt by a punch that he didn’t see.
This fight ends controversially, because it leaves questions of “why”, not because of cheating. The only ones being cheated are the public, being forced to watch Mayweather and Pacquiao fight everyone but each other.

Category: Boxing

I wished it was a sick joke but watched a couple of times as my wife subscribes to a filipino tv channel. I watched parts of the press conference held in Mexico for the upcoming fight with Juuan Manuel Marquez. And also i watched an interview made by a reporter inside his vehicle. As somewhat a candid Manny Pacquiao is caught off guard and said he wants to retire on 2016 as a profesional boxer. And focus and concentrate full time as a politician and be the Vice president of his country. This to me is a surprise and it saddens to know that one of the best boxer of this generation will retire in 5 years time.

Category: Boxing

Heavyweight contenders Alexander Povetkin and Ruslan Chagaev will meet for a vacant WBA title on 27 August in Erfurt, Germany. What is going on?  Wladimir Klitschko won the WBA's title to unify it with his two other sanctioning organization belts on 2 July, when he scored a unanimous decision over David Haye. This just seems extra, if not ridiculous.  
There are too many belts and divisions. Make only nine divisions (Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Cruiserweight and Heavyweight), no juniors or supers (basically the same thing), it worked before and it can work again. Recognize only three sanctioning bodies (WBA, WBC & IBF) with only three belts per division (the world championship). Then give the champions twelve months to actively try to unify the titles in their divisions or risk being stripped, like they would if they tried to duck a mandatory challenger. In the end, for each division, there can be only one champion. It worked before, and it can work again.

Category: Boxing

In a ‘Ring magazine’ article 'Steward explains why Haye is in trouble against Klitschko', someone was quoted to have said, "Thus, it’s no great surprise that Steward compares his punching power to that of giant-sized former protégé Lennox Lewis and most people believe he hits harder than Mike Tyson ever did." Who said this, Emanuel Steward, Michael Rosenthal or someone else? Whoever it was that made the statement has a very biased opinion or is just wrong. Klitschko hits harder than whom? You must be kidding.
I believe Tyson hits harder than either Klitschko. Tyson broke bones and herniated discs with his power; one bit of proof is Andrew Golota.
Klitschko hits harder than whom? The Klitschkos hardly ever get a one round KO, look how many Tyson had. 
Klitschko hits harder than whom? Tyson, Lewis, Liston and Marciano hit harder; Foreman and Louis hit even harder. But arguably the hardest puncher of all time never held the belt, Ernie Shavers. 
While the Klitschkos have good punching power, as evidenced by their KO percentage, even if they don't produce many ten counts, I don't believe either Klitschko hits like Mike Tyson. 

References:

Rosenthal, M., (2011), Steward explains why Haye is in trouble against Klitschko, Retrieved from

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/
167895-steward-explains-why-haye-is
-in-trouble-against-klitschko

Category: Boxing

I am huge James Kirkland (and Anne Wolf- his trainer) fan.  Anybody know when he is gonna fight next?  I heard he signed with Golden Boy.  Anybody know?

Category: Boxing