This weekend, on December 1st, Miguel Cotto makes his return to the ring against unbeaten, and relatively unknown, Austin Trout. Both fighters are coming off career best performances, although Cotto was on the losing end, I think he performed very well against Mayweather, maybe not career best but considering Mayweather is one of the best fighters, pound for pound, in the world. Trout is coming off a good win against Delvin Rodriguez, hardly the same level as Cotto. The difficulty in calling this fight should be rather clear, Cotto performed well in his last fight against Mayweather, but is considered well passed his prime. Trout is relatively unproven, but a natural 154lb fighter, and a young up and coming one at that.
What should happen:
Cotto should be his usual self. I don't think Cotto is that far passed his prime, as evidenced by his last fight against one of the best fighters in the world. Trout should put up a pretty good fight, at first, but Cotto will, as usual, impose his will and eventually take complete control of the fight. Cotto is a wise pressure fighter and he will probably try and rough up the younger and less experienced Trout and take him out of his game plan. I think Trout will largely be on the defensive because of Cotto's pressure and body work. If Cotto does stop Trout it will most likely be in the later rounds after Cotto has ground him down, but most likely Cotto will win a hard fought but decisive decision.
What could happen:
Well, Cotto could get old, and Trout could be better than we think he is and shock us. I do not think it is very likely that Trout stops Cotto at all, especially in the early rounds. But he could show up and be a far superior boxer, maybe even stronger than Cotto, and completely outclass Cotto. This would be very good for Trout, to win decisively, or to beat Cotto up. Mayweather seemed to struggle with Cotto at times, which was a surprise to me, so if Trout can show up and pound the hell out of Cotto, or beat him even more clearly than Mayweather, his stock will shoot through the roof, and so will his confidence.
What could also happen is that Trout is way in over his head and not nearly as sturdy as we think he should be and Cotto utterly demolishes him. Cotto is not known for one punch knockouts, but he punches hard enough to hurt and if Trout does not have a good chin, Cotto could exploit that and walk over Trout.
What do I think will happen?
I think it will be a good fight between two good fighters, one exiting his prime and one entering it. I think Cotto will be Cotto, come forward and beat up Trout and get the decision.
After an initial adjustment he won thirty in a row, and scored knockout victories over future Featherweight ChampionErnesto Marcel and former Super Featherweight Champion Hiroshi Kobayashi, culminating in his first title bout in June 1972, where he controversially defeated Ken Buchanan in Madison Square Garden, New York for the WBA Lightweight Championship. Durán, as a 2-to-1 underdog, scored a knock down against the defending champion just fifteen seconds into the opening round and battered him throughout the bout.[7] He was well ahead on all three cards as the bell rang to end the 13th round, at which time Durán (apparently not hearing the bell due to crowd noise and the heat of the moment) continued to throw a couple of extra punches as Buchanan lay on the ropes. Upon closer inspection of the famed low blow, referee Johnny LoBianco can be seen standing behind Durán as the bell rang and immediately grabbed Durán in a bear hug-like style to pull Durán away from Buchanan. LoBianco can clearly be seen in the video altering the direction of Duran's right arm, pulling it downward as Durán attempted to throw a clean body punch at Buchanan; thus the infamous ridicule of Durán intentionally throwing a low blow was born. Buchanan immediately dropped to the canvas writhing in pain from a groin punch, that Buchanan's trainer, Gil Clancy, said was caused by a knee to the groin (which it wasn't). Referee Johnny LoBianco awarded the fight to Durán, insisting that the blow that took down Buchanan was "in the abdomen, not any lower" (the punch did land below belt line, LoBianco was out of position to see it) and that he felt that Buchanan would be unable to continue fighting.[8] Columnist Red Smith of The New York Times wrote that LoBianco had to award the victory to Durán, even if the punch was a low blow, as "anything short of pulling a knife is regarded indulgently" in American boxing.[9]
Durán followed up on his title winning performance with several non-title matches. Later that year, in another non-title bout, he lost a ten round decision to Esteban De Jesús. Durán got back on track with successful title defenses against Jimmy Robertson, Hector Thompson and future Lightweight Champion Guts Ishimatsu. In 1974, Durán avenged his loss to De Jesus with a brutal eleventh round knock out. In 1976, he defeated future Light Welterweight Champion Saoul Mamby. Overall, Durán made twelve successful defenses of his title (eleven coming by knock out) and amassed a record of 62-1, his last defense coming in 1978 where Durán fought a third bout with De Jesus, a unification match where Durán once again knocked out De Jesus and captured his WBC Lightweight Championship. Durán gave up the Undisputed Lightweight Championship in February 1979.
Vacating the Lightweight title was a build up for an attempt at the Welterweight title. Durán earned a pair of wins against former WBC Welterweight Champion Carlos Palomino and Zeferino Gonzales, setting the stage for a title bout against then undefeated WBC Welterweight ChampionSugar Ray Leonard. The venue chosen was the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, the same location where Leonard won an Olympic gold medal during the 1976 Summer Olympics. Durán resented the fact that he was getting only one-fifth the money Leonard would make despite the fact that he was entering the bout with an incredible 71-1 record. On June 20, 1980, Durán captured the WBC Welterweight title by defeating Leonard via a 15-round unanimous decision. The fight became known as "The Brawl in Montreal."[10]
In the November rematch, Durán quit. Leonard has said that his strategy was to use speed and agility to taunt and frustrate Durán, believing it was his best chance of winning the fight.[11] In the seventh round, Leonard started to taunt Durán. His most memorable punch came late in the round. Winding up with his right hand, as if to throw a bolo punch, Leonard hit Durán flush in the face with a left. In the eighth round, Durán, slightly behind on all three scorecards, shortly after a vicious right uppercut from Leonard, turned around, walked to his corner and gave up, supposedly saying the now famous words, "no más" (no more). However, he claims to have actually said, "No quiero pelear con el payaso." (Meaning, "I do not want to fight with this clown.") Another version of events has him saying, in Spanish, "I can't continue." Referee Octavio Meyran, perhaps as incredulous as was the rest of the world at what he was seeing, asked Durán if he was sure, and Durán then said, "No más, no más" (no more, no more). In violation of what any professional fighter does on the day of a fight, Durán gorged himself after the weigh-in and claimed he quit because he was having stomach cramps.[12] However, Durán's manager, Carlos Eleta, said, "Durán didn't quit because of stomach cramps. He quit because he was embarrassed. I know this."[13]
He took some time to recover from that fight and gained even more weight to contend for the WBCLight Middleweight title, but losing in his first attempt at a championship in that division on January 30, 1982, against Wilfred Benítez by a 15 round unanimous decision. Durán was also to lose his comeback fight in December 1982 in Detroit. Kirkland Laing, from London, shocked the boxing world, producing the type of display his talents promised yet he so rarely produced, taking the split decision. After being relegated to a 10 round walk out win over Englishman Jimmy Batten at The Battle of The Champions in Miami, Durán signed with promoter Bob Arum. This marked the beginning of a comeback in which he beat former world champion and now hall of famer Pipino Cuevas via a fourth round knock-out, which earned him a second crack at the light middleweight title, this time against WBA Champion Davey Moore.
The WBA title bout took place at Madison Square Garden on June 16, 1983, which also happened to be Durán's 32nd birthday. The still inexperienced Moore (12-0) was game through the first three rounds, but by the 4th, Durán said he knew Moore couldn't hurt him, and an onslaught began.[14] The pro-Durán crowd at ringside cheered as Durán relentlessly punished Moore. By the end of the sixth round, Moore's eye had swollen shut and he was floored near the end of the seventh. Finally the fight was stopped in the eighth round as Moore was taking such a horrific beating and Durán won his third world title. After the victory, Durán was hoisted up in the air as the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to a sobbing Durán.[10]
Durán later fought for the World Middleweight Championship, meeting Marvin Hagler in Las Vegas in November 1983, but losing in a very competitive fight that went the full fifteen rounds, although after 12 rounds two of the judges had Durán ahead on points. Hagler fought tenaciously over the final three rounds to earn a unanimous decision. Despite the loss, Durán became the only man to ever last 15 rounds against the great Middleweight Champion in one of his defenses.
In June 1984, Durán was stripped of his Light Middleweight title when the WBA did not approve of his fight with WBC Champion Thomas "Hitman" Hearns and took away recognition of Durán as world champion the moment Durán stepped into the ring to box Hearns. Durán lost the fight after a vicious second round knock-out by Hearns.
Durán did not contend another title fight until 1989, but made the shot count when he won the WBC Middleweight title from Iran Barkley in February. The fight is considered one of Durán's greatest achievements, as the 37 year old former lightweight champion took the middleweight crown, his fourth title. In a tough, back and forth fight, Durán knocked Barkley down in the eleventh round and won a close decision. The bout was named the 1989 "Fight of the Year" by The Ring.
His reign was short lived once again as Duran moved up to super middleweight (although both fighters weighed in at the middleweight limit) for a third clash withSugar Ray Leonard in December (a fight dubbed Uno Más—One More—by promoters), but lost in a close decision. Durán seemed to be in decline after the fight, he attempted to win further middleweight titles in 1994, 1995 and 1996 (fighting for the minor IBC belt).
In 1996, he challenged Héctor Camacho for the IBC Middleweight Championship but lost via controversial unanimous decision. In 1997, Durán was defeated by former champion Jorge Castro. Durán fought Castro in a rematch bout and won via unanimous decision.
In 1998, at the age of 47, he challenged 28 year old WBA Middleweight Champion William Joppy. Joppy, a trim, quick-fisted fighter, battered Durán to defeat in just 3 rounds. It was Duran's most emphatic loss since the Hearns fight, over a decade earlier. Durán then announced his retirement in August 1998, but was back fighting in 1999.
In June 2000, Durán avenged a previous loss to Pat Lawlor and won the NBA Super Middleweight Championship on his 49th birthday. He lost the title a year later to Héctor Camacho in a rematch bout and in what would be Durán's final fight.
On December 1st fans will be delighted to see an intriguing heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Kevin Johnson. Fury is an exciting heavyweight, he has many flaws, but he can punch and he loves to fight. Johnson on the other hand seems to think he is a great fighter in his own mind but never really performs come fight night. He has a big mouth but little else. The two exchanged pleasantries during their last press conference, while Fury seemed to have been rubbed the wrong way by Johnson's banter, none of which seemed to make any sense, both promised fireworks. However, Johnson will most likely not deliver on that promise and Fury most definetly will.
What should happen:
This is a tough one to call. Fury has made no secret in what he plans to do, come at Johnson and knock him out. This aggression will inevitably lead to Johnson being on the defensive and if Fury punches hard enough, he will likely just lay back and do nothing like he did against Vitali Klitschko. If this is the case then Fury will probably just beat on Johnson the whole fight and win a decision.
What could happen:
Fury is not without his flaws as he has been knocked down by lesser fighters. However, he has gotten up each time and fought back like a champ. If Johnson has enough power, he could catch Fury and change the tone of the fight, which may be difficult given Johnson's tendency towards defense and Fury's ability to get off the deck and fight back.
Fury could also get frustrated at Johnson's lack of activity. Its clear Fury does not like him much and wants to stop him. The defensive minded Johnson could frustrate Fury to the point of him making a mistake or punching himself out giving Johnson the opportunity to capitalize and get a career best win. In my estimation it will be a one sided decision for Fury, but certainly has the potential to be a shootout.
This coming Nov. 30th we will be treated to a heavyweight fight that should be entertaining while it lasts, and if anything it should give us some insight about the giant up and coming David Price. Price is coming off an 83 second demolition of Audley Harrison, a fight that many observers thought would test Price. Apparently it was such a tough test that Price is fighting a month later. Skelton represents a bit of a step up, but at 45, he probably doesn't have much left to offer other than a good punch. It should be an easy night for Price but Skelton should make a fight of it for the time he is in there. Being that Skelton can punch, we should be able to tell what kind of chin Price has and maybe, if Skelton gets lucky, how much heart and fighting spirit Price has in that 6'8 body.
What should happen:
Price should keep Skelton on the outside with a good jab, not giving Skelton any opportunity to land anything of significance. As the 45 year old Skelton tires, Price should then step on the gas pedal eventually ending things midway through the fight.
What could happen:
Well, it is boxing so technically anything could happen. We don't yet know what kind of beard Price has so if Skelton lands a big bomb and Price has a weak chin, it could derail the heavyweight hopeful right then and there. This is why Price is still a prospect, he clearly has all the talent, power and know how, but we he is not battle tested. He was stopped in the amateurs, but then again, so was David Tua and his chin seems to be fashioned from cast iron as a pro.
Coming off of a huge win against Harrison, Price clearly has the momentum going into this fight. It is entirely possible that Price blows Skelton out in the same fashion he did against Harrison. Because there are still questions about Price, anything could happen. But he seems to be working his way through the who's who of European boxing to establish himself as the man in Europe before stepping up to the Klitschko's, who may be ripe for the picking by the time Price is ready to fight them, both brothers are aging and can't keep this dominance up forever, but, only time will tell.
It is official, Andre Ward and Kelly Pavlik are set to face each other on January 26th. I am a bit baffled by this actually. Pavlik has had a string of meaningless victories against nondescript opposition and he signs to fight Ward? Pavlik has a punch, and thats about it, Ward has everything else except a punch and should easy defeat Pavlik. This will be another good name on Wards ledger for sure, but why Pavlik signed for this fight is beyond me. This is an easy one for me.
Prediction:
Pavlik will probably come out strong looking to impose his will on Ward, but Ward's athleticism and speed will quickly negate any advantage Pavlik has. Ward is much stronger mentally and unless Pavlik matured in the last year or so he won't be able to overcome that and will most likely give up midway through the fight, he won't quit, but most likely just go through to motions pretending to try. Ward is going to beat Pavlik up for 12 rounds, he will bloody Pavlik, possibly and hopefully hurt Pavlik but I am not sure Ward has the kind of firepower you need to put away a guy like Pavlik.
What a spectacular fight. It has been a long while since boxing fans have been treated to such brutal beauty. I picked Guerrero to win the fight decisively, possibly with a late stoppage, which nearly came to fruition. What I did not expect was that Guerrero would dominate Berto like he did. I figured Berto's style and hand speed might give Guerrero some fits early, and I stand corrected. Guerrero knew Berto's advantage and immediately took it away by staying close and roughing Berto up, knocking him down in rounds 1 and 2. Guerrero was wise to turn this into a street fight, it clearly took Berto out of his game as he seemed to be expecting Guerrero to comply and stand outside and box with him, but he obviously did not comply with Berto's wishes. Berto did get off some vicious shots but to no avail as Guerrero never seemed phased by any of them, and even more scary, he never seemed to tire.
This win clearly solidifies Guerrero as a legitimate welterweight and should launch him into some top ten pound for pound lists. Berto was supposed to be bigger, stronger, faster, and better than Guerrero, yet Guerrero beat him down for 12 rounds. At no point did I think Berto actually turned the tide of the fight, he did fight back, he did land some good shots, but they were all answered immediately by Guerrero. I, who picked Guerrero, was surprised that he seemed to be bigger and stronger than Berto who had a 6lb weight advantage the night of the fight and Guerrero was perceived as being the smaller guy who moved up two weight divisions. He muscled Berto around and roughed him up the whole fight. He took everything Berto had and never looked shaken or even bothered, despite having a swollen eye, which at one point he told his trainer that he could not even see out of.
I truly believe that after this type of performance against a top notch guy, whom he was not supposed to beat, he has a legitimate claim to fight Mayweather or Pacquiao. It is a perfect time to fight either as both of them are seemingly in the twilight of their careers.
I think Guerrero should fight Mayweather. I think it is a good matchup for him and the right time as he is entering his prime and Mayweather is clearly passed it. If he employs this same style against Mayweather, he has a serious chance at putting the first blemish on Mayweathers record. Floyd has become less mobile and easy to hit in recent fights and showed that he can be seriously hurt against the aged veteran Shane Mosley. I would like to see that fight happen and it certainly has more intrigue now, but I am not so sure Mayweather would want a fight like that. For a guy who is much easier to hit now and has never been a fan of mixing it up, I doubt that fight would ever happen.
On September 23rd 1952, heavyweight contender Rocky Marciano challenged Jersey Joe Walcott for the heavyweight title at a packed Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Walcott had won the title from Ezzard Charles the year before and was looking in peak form coming into this defense against the you up and comer Rocky Marciano. This historical fight is still considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight title fights in history, but how can something as brutal as boxing be used as a metaphor for life? If we first take this fight as our example, we will see. In the first round, to everyones surprise, Walcott went right at his younger hard punching foe with a ferocity previously not seen. Walcott was known as a cagey and intelligent boxer who could punch, so going after the younger Marciano took everyone by surprise. Even more surprising Walcott hurt and eventually floored Marciano in the very first round. It looked as if Rocky had bitten off more than he could chew as Marciano seemed overmatched and quite confused, rightfully so.
A lesser fighter would have been broken at that point in the first round, confused, seemingly over matched, and knocked down, many people would have given up at that point. However, Rocky rose from the canvas without hesitation. Even though the doubts about him and his chin undoubtedly ran through the minds of everyone watching. The same goes for life, we all get beaten up and often times knocked down. Sometimes it seems that everything is working against us, that we are out of our league and that getting knocked down is a sign that we should stay down and quit fighting. But we all have a Marciano in us, we just have to look for it. Its easy to stay down, let doubt beat us and tell us we cannot win. That is what makes boxing a great metaphor for life. Fighters like Rocky Marciano demonstrated this beautifully. Even when he was seemingly over matched, had been hurt and knocked down in the opening stanza, he never quit. Marciano got back up and did whatever he had to do to survive the onslaught of Walcott. He grabbed and held, threw a few punches here and there and tried to stay as close as he could, not allowing Walcott room to get off his punches.
Marciano continued fighting and was down on all cards, everything seemed to be working against him and it looked as if Walcott would cruise to a decision win. What was not apparent at the time was Walcott was slowing down, no doubt as a result of Marciano who was quietly working the body of Walcott as Walcott piled up the points. What was clear and easy to see was Walcotts flashier punches and every once in a while him dodging a wild punch by Marciano, this is what allowed Walcott to build a lead on the cards. But what we did not account for was the work Marciano was doing to the body and the arms of Walcott. The work Marciano was doing wasn't pretty, it wasn't flashy, but it was effective. Rocky knew he could not stand on the outside and box with Walcott, so he did what he could to fight on this inside, grabbing with one arm, punching with the other and when Walcott tried to hold and get a breather, Marciano wouldn't let him. Marciano, despite losing on all scorecards, was persistent and continued forcing Walcott to fight, not allowing Walcott any room to breathe or rest. This is a great example of how we should be in life, persistent in the face of adversity. No matter what stands in our way, we cannot allow ourselves to quit, to throw in the towel and say I have had enough. This can be applied to many areas in life, especially that of the spiritual life.We must adapt and keep going, no matter how many times we get knocked down and no matter how many people believe in us, we all need to find that Marciano that is within all of us, get up and keep fighting. Even if we lose, there is no shame in losing if we never give up, there is shame in quitting.
Going into the 13th round Marciano really did not have much of a chance at winning a decision at this point, yet he kept coming. Marciano had faith that all the work and persistence would eventually pay off. All those punches he had landed to Walcott's ribs, chest, and arms was slowing the champion down enough to where Marciano could start to land more cleanly on Walcott as his offense was also slowing considerably. Walcott had gotten on his bicycle and wanted no part of the infighting as it was clearly taking its toll, but now choosing to fight at distance presented him some problems. Walcott was tired and was only throwing a few punches which had lost their zip. So much so that Marciano was having little trouble bobbing and weaving away from them. The stage was set, Marciano needed a knockout to win, yet despite Walcott being tired he was a veteran and doing a great job keeping distance between him and his younger, more fresh foe.
By this time Marciano was bloody and swollen, Walcott was tired but not done. Walcott had little choice but to exchange when Marciano came in, throwing as hard as he could to try and stop the relentless Marciano, and he did land some very good shots, however, Marciano kept coming. He kept stalking the champion out of his trade mark crouch, like a lion inching closer to his prey waiting for the perfect moment to spring from that crouch and attack. Marciano patiently krept closer and closer, feinting ever so slightly, waiting, ready to pounce as he backed the champion slowly towards the ropes. Just as soon as Walcott's back touched the ropes he fired right at Marciano, who at the same time, landed the most brutal and famous right hand in boxing history. Striking Walcott so hard it seemed that his head spun for a short second before immediately collapsing face first to the canvas, the only thing saving him from hitting the canvas hard was his left arm, which had clung to the ropes as if he were unconsciencely clinging to it for life.
This became, and still is, one of the greatest fights in boxing history. Had Marciano given in because he was over matched, his name would not be synonymous with courage and persistence. Boxing fans would have been left without this great and historic fight that people still talk about. And even though Walcott lost this fight, and the rematch, he also never gave up. He took serious punishment from a legendary puncher and if he were not disconnected from his senses, would certainly have gotten off the canvas to give a valiant effort at retaining his crown.
I can remember watching this fight as a young boy and being mezmerized by this courageous fighter. I could not understand why anyone would take this kind of punishment and continue to fight. That was my thinking as a young weak kid who was constantly bullied and utterly terrified to leave the house. I didn't know how to stand up for myself, I didn't know how to fight, I was constantly scared. I can remember recording that fight and playing it over and over, trying to understand what would drive someone to do that. The more I watched, the more confident I became, the fear I faced on a daily basis seemed to flee from me as I discovered that I had a little Marciano in me. From that point on, I no longer showed fear towards my foes. Often times I would take beatings from multiple people, and every time I was knocked down I got right back up. These people were used to me crying or even trying to escape in any way possible, this new found confidence baffled them. I stood up and pounded my chest, I didn't move, as I am sure they were expecting me to run. I wanted them to know that I was not scared, I didn't care if I could beat them up or not, that didn't matter to me, I wanted them to know that I could not be bullied anymore.
This mentality has worked well for me in life, there are many things that I fear, but instead of running from fear, I face it head on. I will not allow fear to cripple me, nor should anyone else, no matter what it takes we must endure and overcome. If it takes 13 rounds of hell to do it, then bring it on.
Honorable Mentions
Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo (10th Rd.)
To put this fight into a bit of perspective, Corrales and Castillo stood toe to toe for 9 rounds prior. Corrales is considered one of the hardest punchers and Castillo was a tough Mexican who had never been down or stopped prior to this fight.
Arturo Gatti vs Micky Ward I
To be quite honest pretty much all of Gatti's career is just one long highlight reel. Micky Ward was no bum when it came to all out slugfests either. I don't even need to preface this, just watch it.
James Kirkland vs Alfredo Angulo
This is a more recent classic that actually had me on my feet screaming, which woke everyone up, thats how good this was. Not many people expected Kirkland to last very long simply because he was blown out by light punching Nobuhiro Ishida. But that has to be put in context. Kirkland ran into legal troubles and had separated from his longtime trainer Ann Wolfe and had not looked very good without her. So going into this fight I am not sure anyone expected Kirkland would last against Angulo, a hard punching pressure fighter with a good chin, it was basic logic, right?
Is Ricky Hatton still the hitman, or is he a has been?
This Saturday, November 24th, Ricky Hatton returns to the ring after a three year layoff following his brutal second round KO loss at the hands of Manny Pacquiao. Is Ricky following in the same steps of countless other faded fighters in making this comeback? Honestly, we will have to wait for that answer come Saturday night. Since his KO loss, Hatton has maintained that he was in no condition to fight, that he was over trained by his then trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. I have no reason to doubt Hatton when he says this as I heard reports that he was getting beaten up in sparring before that fight, even getting knocked down. The three year layoff could actually work in his favor, giving him time to rest after losing by KO to both Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Hatton has also stated that he is curbing his appetite for booze as well as food, which often caused him to blow up in between fights earning him the nickname Ricky Fatton.
On Saturday he will be facing Vyacheslav Senchenko, a relatively unknown fighter who was stopped by feather fisted Paulie Malignaggi in his last outing. Despite that Senchenko is a tough guy who can punch a bit and may give Hatton some fits. Of course if Hatton is in true form he should rough Senchenko up and eventually stop him in the later rounds. If Hatton cannot shake the rust and get off to a good start it could prove to be disasterous. Senchenko is looking to make a name for himself and redeem himself after his loss to Malignaggi, so you can bet that he is not coming to lay down. So is Ricky still the Hitman, or is he a has been? We will have to wait and see Saturday night.
I have to be honest, I am not excited about this fight. The first fight between these two living legends was a classic battle, then the two seemed to settle into this boring chess match which got worse with each subsequent fight, the third being the most brutal to watch, in terms of bordom. However I still cannot help but think, hope rather, that I am wrong and that this fight turns out to be a modern day classic. Because of the magnitude of this fight, I must give a prediction, or several as I generally do. I am going to focus on Marquez because the result of the fight will depend on how he fights, we all know what Manny comes to do so in each scenario I am assuming that Manny is looking for the KO.
Scenario #1"Aggressive Marquez": Marquez has stated that he is coming to knock Pacquiao out, and its no secret that Pacquiao is gunning for the same. Marquez is technically brilliant and boxes beautifully, which is what gives Pacquiao fits, this is his bread and butter, not brawling. Pacquiao has proven that he can hurt Marquez as he has floored him 4 times in 3 fights, all he needs is the opportunity and if Marquez comes out looking for a knockout, he will certainly give Manny that chance. It is highly unlikely that Manny would not be able to take advantage of an aggressive Marquez before Marquez could do any real damage. In this case, if Marquez comes out looking for a knockout, Manny knocks him out. Possibly Manny could knock him down and send Marquez into defensive mode the rest of the night, in which case Manny would probably get another decision. Though its not impossible that Marquez gets off the deck, comes back, and gives Manny fits with his boxing style that gives Manny so many problems. It would most likely be another loss for Marquez if he comes into this fight looking to knock Manny out, he needs to stick to his boxing, that is his bread and butter and thats what troubles Manny. Looking for a knockout will only give Manny opportunities to land his bombs. Result:In this scenario Manny wins by another close decision, although a knockout is not out of the question. Scenario #2 "Boxing Marquez":In essence, the result of the fight depends on how Marquez chooses to fight. If Marquez comes in looking to outbox Manny, a few things can happen. If he learned his lesson from the other fights, then he knows that he cannot go backwards all night and win, unless he is clearly outlanding Pacquiao and or his punches are having more effect. Boxing is the best game plan for Marquez and he should stick to that, the only thing he should do different is come forward intelligently. Counter punching will not win him the fight, unless he can blindly walk Pacquiao into a punch, which is unlikely to happen. We know Manny is going to be aggressive so Marquez must choose his battles wisely and then use his ring savvy and boxing skills to step out of the way and then go back to jabbing. If Marquez does this, and he certainly is capable, he can win a clear cut decision. Marquez' style gives Pacquiao all sorts of problems, so he needs to stick to it and not be overly cautious but at the same time he cannot afford to be overly aggressive. Result:If Marquez boxes a bit more aggressively and more intelligent, especially relying on the jab, he should win a clear decision and finally get that ever elusive win against his arch rival.
This is list is incomplete***More fighters to come
Adrien Broner
The heir apparent to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Adrien Broner seems to have it all. He is flashy and charismatic, he can punch and take a punch. He is fast and he loves to fight, unlike Mayweather Jr. Another great thing for boxing fans is Adriens level of maturity. He is very intelligent and doesn't throw temper tantrums like a spoiled brat. He is a pleasure to watch in the ring and just as fun to listen to outside of it. He has proven, thus far, that he is potentially the future of boxing after Mayweather and Pacquiao make their exit from the sport.
Gary Russell Jr.
Gary Russell Jr. is a fast, hard punching southpaw that somewhat reminds me of Pacquiao, which is why I nicknamed him 'Blacquiao'. That is what we know about Russell Jr, a very talented individual who is potentially another future boxing kingpin. What we don't know? If he is really that good. He is not battle tested yet and with his high level of skill, should have been. We know he is fast, we know he can punch, we know he is an all around fighter, but we don't know if he can take as good as he can give and this is the big question mark with Russell. I am hoping to see him in with higher level competition very soon, so we can see what he is made of, but so far so good.
Deontay Wilder
By far the biggest disappointment of all the american prospects. The 27 year old Wilder sports a padded 25-0 record, with 25 knockouts. To casual fans this 100% knockout ratio might seem impressive, that is until they realize that they don't know a single opponent on his record. Wilder is a bronze medalist with a good amateur background, it seems ridiculous that he has not been in with anyone of note in those 25 fights. Even Seth Mitchell, who was no amateur experience, has a better ledger than Wilder. Again this seems quite odd since Wilder has plenty of experience to draw from. Wilder is a guy that I am sure all of us want to do good, but its hard to root for a guy we know little about, in terms of boxing. His opposition has been soft, and that doesn't look to change anytime soon as he is set to face Kelvin Price in December. At this stage Wilder should be fighting trial horses and gate keepers, at the very least, or even other prospects, like David Price of England. I hope Wilder does well, but as of right now he is just a guy knocking out tomato cans for a living.
Mikey Garcia
Garcia is most certainly one of the most well rounded fighters on this list, and that is saying a lot. He is a very well schooled fighter with a bloodline to back it up. He can punch and he can box. He is mature and patient in the ring, which is the mark of a great fighter. He is set to fight the hard as nails Orlando Salido in January so it will be a big test, but he should pass. This is the type of fight in which we will get to see, or should get to see, the very best of Garcia. Salido is a tough pressure fighter who has a had a string of victories against world class opposition, namely Juan Manuel Lopez, whom he twice knocked out. Garcia has so far shown himself to be the complete package, on January 19th, we will see if that is true.
Jose Benavidez
This may be a bit premature to consider Benavidez as an heir to the boxing greats that are on their way out, but it isn't all together unfair. Benavidez is a 20 year old welterweight with a great amateur pedigree but remains untested as a professional. I think it will be some time before we see him tested but I think will be matched tough very soon. Like Russell Benavidez has shown tremendous skill in the ring, albeit against limited opposition. Only time will tell with Benavidez but judging by his ability and pedigree, I am betting that he will start to make his mark in 2013.
David Price
The 6'8 David Price is certainly getting the attention of the boxing public after his 1 minute demolition of the perpetually delusional Audley Harrison. Price sports a record of 14-0 with 12 knockouts, and has some decent names on his record. He is working his way through the British/European fighters, as one would expect him to, before he works his way up to the elite level. Price has a good amateur background, and it shows. He works behind a good solid jab and has a good repertoire of punches. Not only has he shown devastating punching power but a killer instinct to go with it. The only real question mark is his chin, if Price can take as good as he can give, he can go a very long way and possibly be a real threat to the Klitschkos, but without a chin, he won't get passed them.
Robert Guerrero
Robert the Ghost Guerrero is unlike everyone on this list, as he is a battle tested proven champion. We know what he can do and we know what he can take. He is a complete southpaw boxer/puncher who also carries with him a solid chin. He has won titles at featherweight, lightweight and holds the interim title at welterweight, he sports a record of 30-1 with 18 ko's and one draw. His only blemish comes against Gamaliel Diaz, a close decision loss which he avenged a few fights later by 6th round KO. He also lost to battle hardened Orlando Salido, but was later changed to a no contest as Salido tested positive for a banned substance. Also, this was at a time when Guerrero's wife was battling cancer. He is definetly someone to keep an eye on as he is always in shape and is very versatile in the ring. I believe that if he gets more exposure he will gain more fans. He is a great guy outside the ring and a warrior inside it.
James Kirkland
If you have not seen James Kirkland fight, you are really missing out. Kirkland is a throwback fighter who somewhat reminds me of one of my all-time favorites, Henry Armstrong. He comes to fight from the first bell to the last. His record is 31-1 with 27 ko's, his only loss was a shocking first round knockout loss to relatively light punching Nobuhiro Ishida. It was shocking in that Kirkland had proven his chin against hard punchers previously and that Ishida is not a power puncher, having just 8 ko's in his 20 some wins. My theory is that he was not the same fighter without his original trainer Ann Wolfe. After some legal issues Kirkland switched trainers and in my opinion did not look like the same fighter. In the few fights without Wolfe in his corner he looked complacent and not the mauler that we are used to seeing. Of course after that loss he reconciled with Wolfe and did look like the Kirkland we were used to seeing. His biggest test came against hard punching Alfredo Angulo, a Mexican destroyer known for his ability to withstand punishment and crush his foes under the weight of his two fisted attack. Watch the video below to see a classic slugfest between two hard punching brawlers.The ferocity this man fights with is something I have not seen for a very long time, that is why I consider him a throwback, he fights as if his life depends on it, not for a big payday but for the love of fighting and that is rare. At any rate he is someone to keep your eye on, win or lose he is fun to watch and Ann Wolfes training methods are sure to keep him around for a long time to come, hopefully.
Yuriorkis Gamboa
If you like flashy boxers, this is a guy you want to watch. If you like hard punching brawlers, well, then this is a guy you want to watch. Gamboa is a well schooled Cuban fighter who can seemingly do it all, box, punch, brawl, you name it. He has also been knocked down a few times, although never seriously hurt, making him even more exciting given that vulnerability. Gamboa has some of the fastest hands I have seen, that coupled with some serious punching power, amateur pedigree, and unbelievable athleticism make him deadly. Gamboa could easily, and most likely boringly, defeat everyone he has faced, but even he seems to get tired of outboxing his opponents which leads him into some exciting fire fights. The only bad thing is that he does not seem to take his career too seriously, while he is always in shape, he seems bored, almost like things are too easy for him, and it does seem that way at times. That and he as been inactive all of 2012 and is set to fight in December. Assuming he fights more in 2013 he should make his mark in boxing and establish himself as a pound for pound champion. Gamboa has everything you could ask for in a fighter, and then some, but we will have to see how things play out in 2013.
Brandon Rios
Well, if you love brawlers, here is another one for you. Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios, and they don't call him "Bam Bam" because he can't punch, Brandon is a two fisted 140lb titan. Rios only recently made his move to 140 after struggling to make the 135lb limit, looking terribly drained in his last two fights at that weight. He looked so drained, in fact, that I was sure those fights took everything out of him. They were not terribly difficult fights but Rios all but killed himself to make weight and he fights head on, that combination will take a big toll. That is why I was sure that Mike Alvarado would decicively beat Rios in Brandon's first fight at 140, boy was I wrong. Both fighters put on a classic slugfest until Rios eventually got to Alvarado and stopped him in the 7th. Rios has shown an excellent chin, even in the fights where he was utterly drained in making weight, which is amazing to say the least. He, like James Kirkland, seems to enjoy fighting for fightings sake, all the other stuff that comes along with that is just an added bonus. So far Rios has been impressive with each step up crushing his foes under the weight of his high pressure style and devastating punching power. Rios can certainly punch with either hand but does not rely on one punch to get the job done, he prefers punches in bunches, and seems to enjoy taking a good punch as much as giving one. If you like aggressive power punching badasses, keep watching Rios, he won't disappoint.
Keith Thurman
The jury is still out on Thurman, who sports a record of 19-0 with 18 knockouts. This passed Saturday he faced perennial spoiler Carlos Quintana, and he passed that test with flying colors. Putting Quintana down with a vicious, and very loud, body shot in the first. From then on Thurman battered Quintana around the ring until the referee mercifully stopped the bout. What we know about Thurman is that he can punch, he has good skills, he loves to fight, and he has been boxing since he was seven. However, we have not seen him really tested yet and he has been down against lesser opposition. So again, the jury is still out on Thurman but he does have some qualities that make you want to see him again. First, he can punch. The body shot that he leveled Quintana with would have kept anyone else down. Thurman has stated that he does not care about having an undefeated record and that he just wants to get in there and mix it up with the best, great attitude for fans. So he does have some promise.
