Trash-talking Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is questioning the basis for the Boxer of the Decade award given to Manny Pacquiao by the Boxing Writers Association of America and recently said he should be recognized as the world’s greatest fighter ever, dismissing the exploits of Hall of Famers
Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali.

Mayweather may be creating hype for his expected showdown with Pacquiao in November although nothing is certain about the much-awaited fight. Representatives from both camps are reportedly conferring to agree on terms that will make the bout a reality. Revenue splits and drug-testing are the main issues which need to be resolved before Pacquiao and Mayweather are good to go.

There is talk that Pacquiao is scheduled to leave for the US on July 1. The speculation is he will fly to meet Top Rank chairman Bob Arum and finalize a contract to face either Mayweather or Antonio Margarito in Las Vegas before the year ends. Mayweather is the priority as a fight against Pretty Boy will break pay-per-view records for sure. Mayweather and Pacquiao could rake in as much as $40 million apiece if they slug it out. Margarito is a competitive opponent but won’t be able to draw as much sales as Mayweather.

“I got respect for Sugar Ray Robinson,” said Mayweather, quoted by Ron Borges in Boxing Monthly (June 2010). “I got respect for Muhammad Ali. But I’m a man like they’re men. I put on my pants just like they put on their pants. What makes them better than I am? Because they fought a thousand fights? In my era, it’s totally different. It’s pay-per-view now so things change. It’s out with the old and in with the new. Ali was one hell of a fighter but Floyd Mayweather is the best. Sugar Ray was one hell of a fighter but Floyd Mayweather is the best.”

Mayweather, 33, took potshots at Pacquiao in downgrading the Filipino icon’s legendary status.

“Pacquiao struggled twice – which we really know he got beat – with (Juan Manuel) Marquez,” he went on. “We know he really lost, right? And we know he’s been knocked out twice. And he’s been outboxed by Erik Morales but they still gave him Boxer of the Decade so that’s something I don’t understand. We’re talking about what these guys are doing but I’ve been dominating since the ‘90s. That’s what I’ve been doing.”

Mayweather, who is unbeaten, went a step further in doubting the competence of TV commentators who are mesmerized by Pacquiao.

“You got to realize most of the commentators on HBO know nothing about boxing,” he said. “The only one who knows something about boxing is Lennox Lewis (whose contract as commentator recently expired). But I know where I stand. Pacquiao beat a Miguel Cotto who just got pummeled with a cast (Margarito) and he beat Ricky Hatton who got stretched by me. So I’m trying to find out what it really is. It’s not for me to put him in the Hall of Fame. All I’m saying is if you’re a clean athlete, take the test.”

Mayweather insisted that Pacquiao admit to random drug-testing, Olympic-style, as a condition for them to fight. His condition, however, is not a requirement by US state boxing commissions and fans are wondering why Mayweather keeps bringing up the drug bogey – is he looking for an excuse to avoid Pacquiao, knowing the Filipino will never agree to a blood extraction unless it’s 14 days before a fight?

“It’s only fairness I’m looking for because when it comes down to it on the night of the fight, all that matters is me and him,” he said. “We must be on an even playing field. Too many fighters are dying. Too many fighters’ families are suffering. I’m a clean athlete. I’m doing it the old-fashioned way.”

Mayweather claimed he doesn’t take drugs. “I don’t drink, smoke or do drugs,” said Pretty Boy. “No matter what anyone says, they aren’t God. Only God can judge me.”

Mayweather’s father Floyd Sr. once served a 5 1/2 year prison sentence for cocaine trafficking. But Mayweather has no history of drug use.

Mayweather hasn’t lost a fight since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics where he settled for the bronze medal. As an amateur, he compiled an 84-6 record, starting his career in 1993 weighing 106 pounds – Pacquiao’s same weight when he turned pro in 1995. Mayweather has a record of 41-0, with 25 KOs compared to Pacquiao’s 51-3-2, with 38 KOs.

Showing signs of slowing down, Mayweather has scored only one knockout in his last six outings dating back to 2006. In contrast, Pacquiao – who is 31 – has won 11 bouts, including seven by knockout, since 2006. They’ve battled three common opponents – Oscar de la Hoya, Hatton and Marquez. Pacquiao stopped De la Hoya in eight while Mayweather beat the Golden Boy on points in setting a new record for pay-per-view buys at 2.4 million. Hatton went down in two to Pacquiao and lasted until the 10th round with Mayweather. Pacquiao fought Marquez twice, drawing once and winning a split decision in a rematch. Mayweather outpointed Marquez in his comeback fight after a 21-month layoff last year.

“My goal is to be one of the best who ever lived,” said Mayweather, quoted by Chuck Johnson in USA Today. “I feel I’m the best fighter to ever put on a pair of gloves. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali but I’m in a sport to be the best.”

All Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. had to do was avoid stepping near a boxing ring. He would have had a relatively peaceful life and could have made his own path in his own chosen career path.

Instead, he chose to enter the arena that his father dominated. Indomitably, the comparisons started. But just as quickly as they began, they ended. Chavez Jr. had nowhere near the talent his father possessed, as he struggled with journeymen, getting some dubious decisions against Carlos Molina and Matt Vanda. A miserable showing against Midwestern hack Troy Rowland seemingly shut the door on the money making machine. A name can only take you so far.

Enter Bruce Trampler and Manny Pacquiao. Known as the best matchmaker and boxer in the world, together they convinced Chavez Jr. to train at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California. Chavez Jr. had trained with his uncles up until this point, and had a reputation for laziness in training. In his fight against Rowland, he had to use a diuretic to make weight.

The final piece of the puzzle was Freddie Roach. Known as the top boxing trainer in the world, he had his hands full with Chavez Jr. With only four weeks, pundits wondered what transformation could take place in such a short period of time. Roach himself would tell the media Chavez Jr. was struggling to pick up moves he was teaching, and that he was losing every round in sparring. But the effort was there. How that translated on fight night would be the question.

A few years ago, John Duddy was supposed to be the next Irish dream. A good looking, charming Irish boxer, his fights were known for packing rollicking fans on both sides of the pond. He was a promoter’s dream, as long as he kept winning, the dollar signs would keep multiplying.

Then a funny thing happened along the way, Duddy hit a plateau as a boxer. He struggled mightily against shopworn Yuri Boy Campas, and with a title shot against middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik on the line, Duddy struggled and was sliced up against Canadian stepping stone Walid Smichet. Then, finally, Duddy lost to total unknown Billy Lyell. The dream was over.

His career was rebuilt slowly, as he won three fights in a row against mediocre opposition. Then, he got the opportunity he had always dreamed of. A main event fight against another undefeated fighter. Chavez Jr. and Duddy were put together for a fight card in San Antonio, two boxers who never reached their potentials, a perfect matchup.

A crowd of 8,172, mostly raucous Mexican fans, gathered for the occasion. Duddy looked mean and focused; Chavez still had the face of a twelve year old boy. But when he removed his robe, the results of his hard training were clear. Rippling muscles from a previously flabby body were clearly apparent. The hard work had paid off.

In the ring, what Chavez showed was remarkable. Suddenly he had become a marksman, throwing hard, accurate punches that sent Duddy’s head rocking back constantly. Boxing acumen had never been his forte, but suddenly he looked like a former Olympian.

All things were going well until the sixth round, when Duddy rocked Chavez with a combination. Chavez’s knees buckled, and he was truly hurt. He managed to escape the round, and from the seventh on, the domination continued where it had left off. In the later rounds, one wondered why it was even allowed to go on, and Duddy was simply taking unnecessary punishment, reeling around the ring numerous times after taking a hail of Chavez punishment. Yet, his pride forced him to continue until the final bell. The scores were academic: 120-108, 117-111, and 116-112, all for Chavez Jr.

The young man finally reached his potential, the older one showed his heart. A good night for boxing, and one that showed the old story holds true: all truths are exposed in the ring.

Source: doghouseboxing.com

The Yapping finally ends on Saturday night and UFC betting 114 is definitely heating up. It is difficult to say what is more important to these fighters – pounding their opposition unconscious or a Light Heavyweight title shot. This is a grudge match for the ages with the bonus being a shot at Shogun Rua for the Light Heavyweight belt.

UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (30-7-0): -120
Rashad Evans (19-1-1): -110

When: May 29, 2010
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
How: Per-Per-View (Spike TV 9PM ET/6PM PT, PPV – 10PM ET/7PM PT)

The distain between these fighters is well documented but now is time to put the verbal jabs aside and figure out who will win this fight, from a championship title perspective and for a UFC betting perspective. While there is not a huge favorite in the fight, there appears to be one man who better prepared and one who has more motivation for victory.

Jackson is a true veteran of MMA who boasts some of the most powerful strikes in the division and has arguably the best killer instinct of any fighter in the UFC today. While there is not any question about Jackson’s power, there are many questions about his commitment to the sport and ultimately his future in the UFC.

Rampage is a banger who does well against other strikers. Well-rounded fighters are the ones that appear to give him the most trouble. In his last three fights, Jackson has defeated Wanderlei Silva and Evans’ best friend, Keith Jardine, while he lost to Forrest Griffin.

There is no secret as to what Jackson will try to do in this fight – strike. His move to England to train at Wolfslair MMA Academy has done absolutely nothing to help him improve upon his ground game. A one dimensional fight plan and a lengthy lay-off just may be his undoing in this fight.

Rashad Evans would love nothing more than to knock Quinton Jackson out early in their Saturday bout but he knows that his well-rounded game will be a ticket for success. Evans is a wrestler whose stand-up game has grown exponentially since his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter.

Evans works his stand up and ground game relentlessly but has thrown a new wrinkle into his fight preparation – the mental side of MMA. This mental side was on display with his win over a very tough Thiago Silva following his devastating defeat at the hands of Lyoto Machida in his defense of the Light Heavyweight belt. Evans is cerebral, focused and in the best shape of his career.

When evaluating this fight for UFC betting purposes, take into account all four aspects of MMA. The striking is about even between the two fighters, Rashad clearly has the edge in the ground game and Keith Jardine showed Evans that Rampage is susceptible to leg kicks. Give Rashad the edge in two of these three. Evans also has the edge in perhaps the most important intangible in this fight – the mental side. Rashad is hungry, focused and absolutely clear about what it is going to take to defeat Rampage.

UFC Betting Pick: Rashad Evans -110

Click here to bet on UFC 114 Jackson vs Evans!

Las Vegas has finally crossed the finish line to land the March 13 megafight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, sources close to both fighters said Saturday.

The MGM Grand Garden, despite a seating capacity of only 16,200, appears to have won out over the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which could seat 100,000 for the bout.

Top Rank president Todd duBoef said late Saturday the deal with the MGM Grand is not complete.

A source close to Mayweather said: “Nothing is signed. The talks are ongoing. It’s getting close, but there’s no deal in place yet.”

DuBoef’s boss, Top Rank founder and chairman Bob Arum, said last week he wanted to have a site for the fight locked up before Christmas. DuBoef has been handling site negotiations with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer for the past 10 days, since Schaefer abruptly canceled a planned trip to Dallas on Dec. 9 to meet with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Jones had made an initial offer of $25 million. Dallas Mavericks owner and fellow billionaire Mark Cuban was interested in partnering with Jones to bring the fight to Texas. It is not known whether Jones had sweetened his offer.

While the MGM Grand cannot compete with the Cowboys’ massive stadium from a seating standpoint, it can pool resources with other MGM Mirage properties to have as many as 50,000 seats available between the live gate and closed-circuit seating. Closed-circuit locations could include the MGM Grand conference center, the Mandalay Bay Events Center and venues at the newly christened CityCenter.

MGM Mirage can offer hotel rooms, food and beverage capabilities and other amenities that Jones can’t. Another factor in the negotiations is the MGM Grand’s longstanding business relationship with Top Rank and Golden Boy, as well as Mayweather’s promotional company.

Mayweather Pacquiao fight bound for MGM

Richard Sturm, president of entertainment and sports for MGM Mirage who has been negotiating with duBoef and Schaefer, said through a spokesman that it is not an appropriate time to comment.

The Grand Garden has hosted both boxers’ most recent fights: Mayweather’s return Sept. 19 when he defeated Juan Manuel Marquez after a 21-month layoff, and Pacquiao’s 12th-round TKO victory over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14.

Arum, who like Mayweather lives in Las Vegas, has said from the beginning of the negotiations he would like to see the fight in his hometown. However, Arum said it was important to consider all bidders, especially after Jones’ huge $25 million offer. But it appears that despite having the smaller venue, the MGM is going to win out to play host to boxing’s biggest fight in years.

“When we’re ready to release a statement, we will let everyone know,” duBoef said.

Source: http://www.lvrj.com/sports/mayweather-pacquiao-fight-bound-for-mgm-79750342.html

Saturday night at the Beeghly Center in Youngstown, Ohio, Kelly Pavlik defeated Miguel Espino. Pavlik won the fight when Espino’s corner threw in the towel during the 5th round and referee in charge of the action, Steve Smoger stepped in at 1:44 to halt the fight.

With the victory, Pavlik who owns the WBO and WBC middleweight titles, record improves to 36 wins, 1 loss with 32 KOs. Espino’s record drops to 20 wins, 3 losses and a draw with 9 KOs.

A spirited effort by both fighters, but Espino hit the deck 3 times during the fight. It was obvious that Pavlik who was coming off a long lay-off (10 months) due to a staph infection in his left hand, was not going to lose.

Source: Fox.com

He was America’s next great hope, remember? Kelly Pavlik first burst onto the national boxing scene in 2007 with a best boxing knockout of Edison Miranda and captured the countries hearts with two decisive victories of unified middleweight champion Jermain Taylor. With an entertaining back story and a concussive right hand, this tire-whacking, dart-playing, sleeping-on-his-mother’s-couch kid from Youngstown, Ohio was quickly tabbed as the next American to thrust his name into a globalized sport that was being dominated by champions with the last names of Klitschko, Pacquiao and Marquez.

Tabbed, that is, until an almost jaw-droppingly swift fall from grace.

It has been less than two years since Pavlik won his second fight with Taylor. In that time he has defended his middleweight crown twice, in knockout wins over unheralded “contenders” Gary Lockett and Marco Antonio Rubio. But he failed in his test against light heavyweight champ Bernard Hopkins and could not come to terms on the only fight anyone really wanted to see: a matchup with heavy handed IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham. Most recently, Pavlik was forced to withdraw from a scheduled date with Paul Williams due to a lingering staph infection in his left hand.

“No question,” Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said. “The shine has come off Kelly’s career.”

Pavlik’s first attempt to restore that shine comes Saturday, when he steps in the ring for the first time since last February and defends his titles against Miguel Espino in Youngstown (9 p.m ET, Top Rank PPV). The opponent isn’t especially challenging: Espino (20-2-1), a sparring partner of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., has little power (nine knockouts) and has never fought for a major title. But for Pavlik, Espino represents the first step in what Arum believes will be a yearlong comeback.

“I feel I have to go out there — especially after the layoff — I feel we have to look good,” said Pavlik in a conference call. “If there are critics now, there are going to be a lot more if I don’t dominate.”

Critics, who were few and far between when Pavlik first won the titles, have swarmed like vultures on Pavlik since the loss to Hopkins. His win over Rubio, the WBC No. 1 contender, was dismissed as a joke. And when Pavlik pulled out of the Dec. 5 fight with Williams and made the Espino fight for two weeks later, there were some who questioned whether Pavlik was ducking the fight.

“[The criticism] doesn’t bother me because some people know absolutely nothing about boxing,” said Pavlik. “They don’t know how the sport works or what goes on in the sport. So the people that said he is now fighting two weeks later, they don’t understand the story and have no idea what was behind it. I’ve got my own things I’ve got to worry about on the 19th and that’s where my focus is right now, on that fight.”

“It really makes me want to cry because people like that saying what they say [about Pavlik's injury],” said Arum. “They have absolutely no factual basis for what they are saying. We knew what Kelly went through physically and how close he was to not making it at all, not just to fight, but not making it at all, and to have those statements made. Like the genius that trains Williams [George Peterson] claiming that Kelly was faking the injury. When I hear that I feel so embarrassed for the sport. I’m 78 and I’ve put my whole life into this sport and to hear morons like that talk when they have no basis for what they are saying really makes me sad.”

Indeed, there are some questions as to whether Pavlik should have agreed to this fight. He claims his hand is 100 percent but when pressed he admits that he still can’t close it all the way and that the only reason he agreed to fight Espino was because he didn’t want to risk being stripped of his titles.

“It has been crazy, the hand,” said Pavlik. “The problem with the hand was time-consuming. People wanted to fight and everything was supposed to get done. After the first surgery we thought we would be ready to go. After I got the stitches out, it opened up again and the puss started coming out and they did a re-culture on it and an MRI and it got worse. Finally we were on a new antibiotic and that wasn’t doing the job so we went back in and did another surgery and after that everything was fine. The infection eventually went away with new antibiotics. After it went away we got a new reaction from the antibiotics. That put me in the hospital for four days with a very serious problem. At the end of the day we had two major surgeries within two months of each other and the tendons were coming out of the hand. So we had irritation and stiffness and I had therapy to get movement back in the finger. We wanted to fight, that is the main thing. We told the people to push the fight back. We had to hurry up a little bit, pile everything into five weeks.”

Arum said both he and Pavlik understand that Pavlik needs a monster 2010 to reclaim his career, which is why they are targeting a rescheduled date with Williams — whose oft-mentioned status as “the most feared fighter in boxing” is a source of irritation for Pavlik — and possibly a move up to 168 pounds to fight one of the emerging contenders there.

“My career has been in a little bit of limbo,” said Pavlik. “[But] there are plenty of big fights in the future. I had a setback like everyone has. Football players get staph infections all the time, I got one and I will still fight twice this year. I still stayed somewhat active in ’09. I know what we have planned for the future and know what track we are on.”

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/chris_mannix/12/18/pavlik/

(You can check out the Malignaggi vs Diaz fight video here)

By Chris Williams: Former International Boxing Federation light welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KO’s) may have rekindled his career with an impressive 12 round unanimous decision victory over former lightweight champion Juan Diaz on Saturday night at the UIC Pavilion, in Chicago, Illinois. Malignaggi, 29, dominated Diaz, beating him by the scores of 116-111, 116-111 and 116-111.

The lopsided scores don’t really do justice to how badly Malignaggi dominated Diaz on Saturday night, because the fight was never competitive in the least due to Malignaggi’s crafty hit and run style of fighting. This victory opens up potential big money fights against opponents like Amir Khan, Ricky Hatton and Timothy Bradley.

There’s no end in sight for the potential fights that Malignaggi may find himself in. Only a year ago, Malignaggi was totally dominated by Hatton in a fight in which Malignagi was taken out in the 11th round. At that point, it looked like Malignaggi’s days of being a contender were numbered. However, with his win over Diaz, things have brightened considerably for Malignaggi.

Four months ago, Paulie lost a controversial 12 round decision to Diaz in Houston, Texas. Malignaggi completely bitterly about the defeat long and hard, feeling that he wasn’t given a fair shake by the judging. Many boxing fans felt the same way and urged that a rematch take place outside of Texas. Thankfully, the two sides were able to line up a fight quickly enough for the bout to still have relevance. This time, there was no question that Malignaggi won the fight, as he landed at will against Diaz and was able to avoid most of Diaz’s attempts at landing his own shots.

Malignaggi moved in and out skillfully, getting in nice combinations and then backing away before Diaz could land any shots of his own. By the 10th rounds, Diaz was desperate and no longer showing any finesse at all as he charged forward. Late in the round, Diaz was dropped when he was hit with a cuffing right hand from Malignaggi.

Diaz was charging forward at the time like a little bull and was hit with a right hand from Malignaggi, causing Diaz’s left hand to scrape the canvas. Referee Genaro Rodriguez immediately scored it as a knockdown, even though it was pretty clear that Malignaggi had cuffed Diaz.

It didn’t matter. Diaz was going to lose the fight anyway, because he was out of his class in this fight. Diaz really needs to consider moving down in weight to the lightweight division. At only 5’6”, Diaz doesn’t have the size or the power to compete against the best light welterweights in the division. He needs to move down because the fighters get much bigger than Malignaggi as Diaz goes up the ladder in the division.

As for Malignaggi, he would be the perfect opponent for Khan to fight. There are rumors of Khan appearing on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao bout in March. Malignaggi would be ideal for Khan to show his stuff. It’s hard to pick who would win, but based on his better offensive skills, I would have to pick Khan.

Source: http://www.boxingnews24.com/2009/12/malignaggi-breathes-new-life-to-his-career-with-win-over-diaz/

Return to Best Boxing Knockouts

Tonight in Berne, Switzerland, 17,220 people have paid to make Klitschko’s latest defence of his World Boxing Council heavyweight title against American unknown Kevin Johnson a genuine sell-out. The truth is that the fight is an event first and a world heavyweight championship contest second, and Johnson, a smooth talker without a punch of significance, is a minor attraction.

Klitschko is now 38 and tonight’s workout will be his fourth fight in 14 months after ending a forced and uneasy sabbatical from the ring when his body collapsed under the relentless strain of training and forced him to quit for four years.

It looked like Klitschko, whose younger brother Wladimir holds three versions of the world heavyweight title, would never fight again, but slowly, after taking herbal cures in a dozen countries and resting his battered body, he was strong enough to return; winning the WBC title in his first fight and so far making two quick defences.

“The break was not perfect for me,” admitted Klitschko. “I always wanted a rematch with [Lennox] Lewis, but now I have my sights set on [David] Haye – he is a foolish man, a bad example of a champion.” In 2003 Klitschko required nearly 100 stitches to close his facial wounds after losing a six-round tiny epic with Lewis. In July a fight between Haye and Klitschko was agreed in loose terms, but a deal was done in haste and privacy for Haye to fight Nikolai Valuev for the World Boxing Association’s bauble. Haye won and the rest is bitter history to Klitschko, who ruthlessly beat the latest great American hope, Chris Arreola, in 10 one-sided rounds in place of a lucrative fight with Haye in Germany.

Haye, understandably, has a different opinion of the way events unfolded and insists that both Klitschko brothers were so desperate to avoid fighting him that they made him insulting offers assuming that he would simply say no. “They never really wanted to fight me,” insisted Haye. “Now I will embarrass one or both of them into the ring and this time I will have some say at the negotiating table. Let’s face it, Vitali needs to fight me or his legacy will be a beating from Lennox and a few wins against unknown Americans.”

Johnson has not lost in 23 fights and, in the time-honoured tradition of modern heavyweight challengers, managed to avoid sharing the ring with anybody resembling a real contender, and he starts as a massive underdog. He will be four inches shorter, but he has a two-inch reach advantage and as an infamously light puncher he has developed a fine straight jab, the punch Lewis used to slice open Klitschko’s big face.

“Guys like Johnson and Arreola simply don’t have the necessary skills to beat a fighter like Vitali,” claimed Lewis, who still has to constantly refuse offers to end his retirement. “I’m friends now with Vitali, but his wife is always asking me to fight him one more time. She tells me that he has not got over the fight!”

Klitschko has methodically broken the hearts of his last three opponents, all of whom delivered more than Johnson, before forcing the corner, the fighter, the referee or a combination of all three to end the massacre in rounds 8, 9 and 10: Johnson will do well to make it that far.

Klitschko v Johnson: Tale of the tape

Vitali Klitschko

Age: 38

Birthplace: Belovodskoye

Height: 6ft 7in

Weight: 247lbs

Reach: 80in

Wins: (KO) 38 (37)

Losses: 2

Draws: -

Last Fight: Arreola, 26th Sept 2009, Opp retired.

Kevin Johnson

Age: 30

Birthplace: New Jersey

Height: 6ft 3in

Weight: 243lbs

Reach: 82in

Wins (KO): 22 (9)

Losses: 0

Draws: 1

Last Fight: Vargas, 15 May 2009, technical KO

By Steve Bunce, Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/boxing-klitschko-has-sights-set-on-haye-1838681.html

By   Chris Iorfida. What makes a great fight?

Both were knocked down in the first round, and each took turns gaining control of the bout. Each tried boxing and brawling, depending on what was working for them and how tired they were.

The early knockdowns were eye-opening – both men have shown good chins in the past – and surprise also came in the fact that while boxing observers welcomed the matchup, the expectations weren’t for a sensational fight.

It was suspenseful, with moments for each fighter where they looked susceptible to being knocked down again. But they summoned yet more courage and energy, shaking off several blows that would have felled most others, and the result hung in the balance until the end.

Had Lynne Carter not scored the final round for Williams, it would have been a draw. Personally, I agreed with judge Julie Lederman, giving Martinez (a fighter whose style I previously haven’t cottoned to) the last three rounds.

That put him ahead on my card, but I can’t argue with either man winning by a round or two.

Round 5 was the rare occasion where I gave an even round not because it has hard to say who did enough to merit the round, which happens often in boxing, but rather because both guys fought terrifically and deserved it. To cause a two-point swing on the cards by almost arbitrarily picking one over the other was unfair, I felt.

None of the official judges went that route, because even rounds are generally frowned upon, but the two judges actually watching the fight split their verdict on this round.

Of course there often has to be a bad guy in boxing and on this night one Pierre Benoist scored the bout 119-109 for Williams. He never gave Martinez a round after the second.

Veteran judge Chuck Giampa, writing for the Ring Magazine website, was incredulous over the scorecard. Longtime fight fans will know that Giampa has handed in some dubious cards in his dozens of big fights, but nothing that even remotely compared to this.

There aren’t any easy answers to this issue. If you went the old amateur sports route and had five judges and threw away the cards at each extreme, it would eliminate wacky scorecards but it would also increase the likelihood of draws. It would also just likely mean more cronyism within state athletic commissions of handpicked appointees with little affinity for boxing, which is part of the reason there is this problem.

I can divine by some research done on Sunday by longtime fight figure Mike Marley that Benoist is in his 70s. Going over a list of his previous assignments courtesy of boxrec.com, he doesn’t appear to have ever have judged a fight of this calibre and was working his second consecutive fight of the night, having been ringside for the Cris Arreola undercard win.

Earlier this year, veteran judge Gale Van Hoy scored a pick’em fight between Juan Diaz and Paulie Malignaggi 118-110, or 10-2 in rounds, for Diaz. His card is part of the reason those two will fight in a rematch in 12 days away from Texas, where Diaz and Van Hoy both reside.

We’ve also seen big fights in Las Vegas where the average of the three judges was about 68 (though admittedly Nevada seems to finally be improving a bit on this score).

It might sound like ageism to the unitiated, but longtime fight fans know the score. It’s a responsibility, particularly for an action-packed fight, in which a lot of information must be processed in a very short time. With so much talk in the sport about how a fighter can “turn old overnight”, it’s about time a few judges were given the golden watch.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/2009/12/williamsmartinez_battle_exceed.html

Even though there wasn’t any best boxing knockouts it was still a helluva fight!

Amir Khan produced the most stunning performance of his young career to retain his World Boxing Association light-welterweight title in just 76 seconds here at the Metro Radio Arena last night.

His mandatory challenger, Dmitriy Salita, literally never knew what hit him, hammered to the floor three times in the opening round and beaten for the first time in 32 contests.

The echoes of the opening bell had barely died away before Khan sent him crashing with a sweetly delivered right to the jaw. He rose pale and shaken to take a statutory eight-count before Khan pounced again, pummelling him to one knee in the neutral corner before he was hauled off by Puerto Rican referee Luis Pablon.

Again, the Ukrainian emigre from Brooklyn got to his feet only to be chased across the ring and sent flying into the ropes with a left hook which prompted the referee to step in and save him from what would have been further savage humiliation.

Stunning indeed, and no one was more stunned than Salita, the 27-year-old who on paper was due to present Khan with the most exacting examination since the former Olympic silver medallist was himself flattened by Breidis Prescott last year. Khan did to Salita what Prescott did to him, showing how much he has improved and how his skills and speed have been honed in Los Angeles under the tutelage of Freddie Roach.

“Very explosive,” said Khan. “It was just what we asked for. We had too much firepower for this guy. After the first shot I could see his legs buckling.” He went on to thank Roach for helping to get his career back on track. “Freddie is like a father figure to me and just having him in the corner gives me so much confidence.”

He added: “It was a blessing in disguise what happened to me against Prescott. I’ve come back stronger and now I’m a world champion and a world champion defender.” Khan, who will be 23 on Tuesday, showed how far he has grown beyond his boxing adolescence. These were fists of fury which landed cleanly and precisely.

If there was any doubt about the reaction Khan would receive from the capacity crowd of 10,000 after his comments that he was disturbed by what he felt was a racist attitude in this country, it was clear from the reception he received that he is indeed a genuine sporting hero.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/boxing-khan-leaves-salita-in-a-heap-with-thrilling-show-of-force-1835148.html

One of the best boxing knockouts of Khan’s career!