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I have been arguing for 8 years that Vargas would have won that fight if Tito didnt revert to dirty tactics with some hard shots below the belt. Vargashad the momentum on his side and Tito took care of that by punching him in the junk.
2008 NT Boxing Post Vol. Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao 12/6/08 HBO PPV
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by theprofessorofpugilism,
- Start date
I have been arguing for 8 years that Vargas would have won that fight if Tito didnt revert to dirty tactics with some hard shots below the belt. Vargashad the momentum on his side and Tito took care of that by punching him in the junk.
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idk man Varges fought a dumb fight from the start. his main problem anytime he got knock down fool would hope up in 2 seconds and not even take some of thecount. he was getting nailed the hole night
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Two of my favorite boxers, Tito and RJJ. Not sure who I want to win in this one. Just hope it's a good fight.
edit:
Golota's eye is done.
edit:
Golota's eye is done.
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3 names been throwing around to fight DLH are Steve Forbes, reigning titleholder Paulie Malignaggi and Dmitriy Salita.
PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZ FIGHT THAT BUM PAULIE AND BEAT HIS $#*+#@! ***
PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZ FIGHT THAT BUM PAULIE AND BEAT HIS $#*+#@! ***
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RJJ with the crown on his head.
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Is it me or did dude mess up on the national anthem?
aepps20
Supporter
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I was
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Tito WAY more active in the 1st round.
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Good 2nd round for both.
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This bum roy up to his hold ticks. trying to dance and show boat in the ring. he going to leave his chin out there and tito is going to knock him.
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Roy taking a page from Winky Wright's book with his hands up and pressuring Tito. Tito's punches didn't seem like he hurt Roy... and he wasthrowing some hard shots.
Here we go:
LONDON -- The long-awaited fight between Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe will take place in Las Vegas on April 19.
Six years after Calzaghe's camp tried to set up a matchup with Hopkins, the unbeaten Welshman's handlers announced Wednesday that the fighters will meet as light heavyweights at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The non-title bout will be Calzaghe's first fight at light heavyweight after 21 consecutive world title defenses at super-middleweight. After unifying three world titles by taking the WBA and WBC titles from Mikkel Kessler on Nov. 4 to move his record to 44-0, Calzaghe knew he had to move up a division to take on Hopkins.
Hopkins
Calzaghe
"He definitely needs a facelift and I'm going to sort him out," Calzaghe said at a London news conference. "I just hope he's not going to run."
Hopkins, who is 48-4-1, last fought in July last year when he scored a victory over Ronald "Winky" Wright.
Before fighting Wright, Hopkins had retired in 2006 after a career highlighted by 21 straight middleweight title defenses and a stunning win over Antonio Tarver at light heavyweight.
The 43-year-old Hopkins has built a big reputation with some stellar performances in the United States, unifying the world middleweight titles with a ninth-round knockout of Oscar De La Hoya in September 2004.
The 35-year-old Calzaghe, meanwhile, has struggled to make a name for himself outside of Britain despite beating all the major contenders at the super-middleweight division.
Calzaghe took the WBO title from Chris Eubank in 1997 and, after a series of routine but unspectacular defenses, impressively beat both Jeff Lacy and Kessler. He has overcome concerns about his suspect left hand, which he has broken or damaged several times during his career.
"I have new goals, new things to achieve," Calzaghe said. "With the Kessler fight I achieved everything I wanted to achieve with regards to the super middleweight division. I've also got to fight in the States before I retire."
Calzaghe, who will turn 36 before the Hopkins fight, said he hopes to take two more bouts.
"I could go until I'm 40, but in boxing it's easy to take one fight too many," he said. "There are very few that retired undefeated at the right time."'
The fight, expected to draw 18,000 fans at the Las Vegas arena, will be televised by HBO in the United States.
"I'm going in with an American referee and three American judges and that's a challenge in itself," Calzaghe said.
AP Photo/Reed Saxon
Hopkins, left, and Calzaghe nearly gave fans a sneak peek of their clash during the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton weigh-in.
Fights are won or lost, Muhammad Ali proclaimed, long before the dance begins under the ring lights. So it was apt, perhaps, that Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe came face-to-face for the first time four months prior to their April 12 encounter. With the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas overflowing with fight fans and fight fever -- Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton were a couple of hours away from weighing in for their welterweight showdown -- Hopkins and Calzaghe muscled in on the act. They were hamming it up inside the media center for the cameras and reporters who converged upon them, of course, but the eyeballs and verbals resonated with symbolism and meaning. Hot on the heels of the U.S. vs. U.K. showdown for the welterweight superiority, a light heavyweight clash would soon be taking place, they announced to the burgeoning ensemble. In the background, Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions rubbed their hands with glee. Clearly, transatlantic trash talk goes a long way in boxing these days. A collision of champions from the U.S. and Britain, immediately after Mayweather-Hatton, makes sense economically -- for all involved in the sport. From a fistic standpoint, however, Hopkins was looking for an edge from the outset. He made references to Apollo Creed, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Coming to America," Hannibal invading Italy, the parting of the Red Sea and -- most reprehensibly -- to race. Calzaghe, the Italian-Welchman, stood and smiled, a veritable "Joe Cool." The eyes betrayed no discernible advantage or disadvantage either way. "I laughed. I thought his whole shtick was funny," reflected Calzaghe. "I won't spike his drink but I'll spike his plan, that's a promise," Hopkins declared with disdain. The Philadelphia Phenom, who will be 43 when he makes the second defense of the Ring light heavyweight title at Mandalay Bay, and pugilism's Prince of Wales, about to turn 36 in March, have had remarkably similar career paths. They existed in relative obscurity for years while Roy Jones, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis and lighter-weight practitioners such as De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao and Mayweather took the plaudits.
[+] Enlarge
Al Bello/Getty Images
Hopkins' resentful comments didn't sit too well with Calzaghe -- or the media.
For many years, both men held only one alphabet title before they laid claim to greatness by cleaning out their respective weight divisions. Hopkins won the middleweight tournament organized by Don King in 2001 and Calzaghe delivered a virtuoso performance against Jeff Lacy in 2006. Of course, holes can be picked in both men's ring résumés. Tocker Pudwill, Will McIntyre, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Branko Sobot formed part of what the doyen of British sportswriters, Hugh McIlvanney, described as Calzaghe's "strangely conservative program of fights [which] had obscured historic talent." The same could be said of Steve Frank, Joe Lipsey, William Bo James and a shot John David Jackson in relation to Hopkins. In their biggest fights, both men have proven their worth, though Calzaghe would suggest that De La Hoya, Trinidad and Winky Wright were all "little men" and Antonio Tarver was "over the hill" while Hopkins might have similar reservations about the "overrated" Lacy. That said, their body of work over many years cannot be denied. After winning the IBF middleweight title at the second attempt against Segundo Mercado, a New York-based Ecuadorian, Hopkins made 12 defenses, then won the WBC trinket against Keith Holmes and the WBA belt from Trinidad in successive fights before he made six defenses of the Ring championship. Jermain Taylor, with back-to-back wins, brought an end to his reign. Calzaghe claimed the WBO super middleweight title in a coming-of-age encounter with fellow Briton Chris Eubank. Calzaghe made 17 defenses, then won the Ring championship in his fight against Lacy. He has made three defenses of The Ring belt and 21 alphabet defenses in total, compared to the 20 accumulated as a middleweight by Hopkins. "I used to look at my situation and compare it to Marvelous Marvin Hagler, a great champion who didn't have his biggest fights against Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard until he was in his 30s," Calzaghe revealed recently in his best-selling autobiography, "No Ordinary Joe." "The same with Hopkins. His situation was similar to mine. He was a long-reigning titleholder in the middleweight division, not really given a lot of credit. He'd never beaten any great fighters until well into his 30s when he got the big fights against Trinidad and De La Hoya. So I realized, as I reached my 30s, that there was still hope. All I could do was fight and keep winning." Calzaghe has excelled in this particular task. "Joe's versatility, his tactical knowledge and natural athleticism and his enormous will to win are attributes which, I believe, set him apart," suggested Richie Woodhall, a one-time super middleweight titleholder who lost to Calzaghe by 10th round stoppage in December 2000. "He doesn't fight angry. In fact, he's very cool when he steps in the ring and it's the speed of his punches and their very precise timing which combines to disorientate opponents, even though he's not regarded as a devastating puncher. It was interesting to hear Mikkel Kessler say after their fight last November that the amount of punches Joe landed left him feeling confused and overwhelmed. Even approaching 36 years old, he's as effective as ever." Hopkins has betrayed signs of deterioration and increasing vulnerability, attempting to disguise his decline by resorting to the kind of spoiling tactics that marred his uninteresting 12-round bout against Wright. But you underestimate The Executioner at your peril, as De La Hoya warned, recalling the ninth round knockout he suffered at the hands of Hopkins in September 2004. "Bernard will figure out a way to beat you. I don't care who you are, he will figure it out and he will beat you," De La Hoya insisted. "Hopkins is a young 43, still going strong. Like Ricky Hatton, we know that Calzaghe has a tremendous following. He brought 35,000 people to Cardiff, Wales, for his fight against Peter Manfredo from "The Contender" and a crowd of 50,150 came to watch him beat Kessler. This is phenomenal and I'm sure that his British fans will come to Las Vegas in their thousands once again for another spectacular event and will demonstrate the global strength of the sport of boxing." Global superiority will be at stake when the American and the Brit come together in April. The psychological warfare will have some bearing perhaps, but the fight will be won and lost in the Hollywood hills and in the Welsh valleys and, most pertinently, when the bell rings inside the Mandalay Bay, for these are two wily veterans who have seen it all.
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http://youtube.com/watch?v=OHcuebDKCCkhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=OHcuebDKCCkI know the 115 lb division isn't popular amongst American fans... but I'm gonna promote my boy Z Gorreswho's fightning Vic Darchinyan next Saturday:
Its been a year since Gorres was robbed of a decision when he fought Fernandon Montiel for the WBO super flyweight championship. He gets to redeem himselfwhen he fights the hardest puncher in his division in Darchinyan. Vic arrives here in Cebu tomorrow... Can't wait till he starts talking crap!
Its been a year since Gorres was robbed of a decision when he fought Fernandon Montiel for the WBO super flyweight championship. He gets to redeem himselfwhen he fights the hardest puncher in his division in Darchinyan. Vic arrives here in Cebu tomorrow... Can't wait till he starts talking crap!
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some Gorres highlights
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So, Oscar De La Hoya has decided to fight three times in 2008, beginning with a May 3 tune-up fight to prepare for a September rematch withpound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, followed by a farewell fight in December.
The fight with Mayweather last May, which De La Hoya lost by split decision, was far more competitive than many believed it would be. And De La Hoya, pasthis prime, came into the bout off a year of inactivity. It's reasonable to believe that had De La Hoya, 34, been a bit sharper he could have pulled it out.Fighting once a year, however, especially when you're in your mid-30s like De La Hoya (38-5, 30 KOs), is not the best way to get ready to fight the bestfighter in the world.
That's why De La Hoya wants/needs a tune-up. But whom to fight?
De La Hoya, who will likely fight at about 150 pounds, has narrowed the field to three names: Steve Forbes (33-5, 9 KOs), PaulieMalignaggi (24-1, 5 KOs) and Dmitriy Salita (27-0-1, 15 KOs).
All three fight at 140 pounds and are much smaller than De La Hoya. None is a big puncher either. In other words, they're relatively safe opponentsagainst whom De La Hoya figures to get in some work, not get hurt and move on unscathed to a rematch of the biggest-grossing fight in boxing history.
So if you can accept that De La Hoya won't be facing a topflight opponent -- and remember, at least this one is being planned for HBO, not a $50pay-per-view, and there are going to be plenty of cheap tickets available -- who would make the best foe for De La Hoya to fight, keeping in mind that the ideais to prepare for Mayweather?
Here's a look at the three candidates:
• Forbes
Forbes, 30, who won a world title at 130 pounds before moving up, is best known for being the runner-up on the second season of "The Contender."In the September 2006 final, he lost a split decision to Grady Brewer -- fighting at 149 pounds, well above his natural weight. De La Hoya iscertainly a lot better than Brewer.
Following the loss to Brewer, Forbes faced Demetrius Hopkins, the undefeated nephew of light heavyweight champion BernardHopkins, in March 2007 and was the victim of one of the three worst decisions of the year. Ringside media overwhelmingly had Forbes not only winning,but winning comfortably. I was at the fight and had it 116-112 for Forbes.
Guess who was also sitting ringside getting a good look at Forbes? De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions, which works well with "The Contender,"put on the card headlined by Juan Manuel Marquez-Marco Antonio Barrera.
Forbes rebounded to take a split decision from one-time top prospect Francisco Bojado in October. Again, De La Hoya was ringside becauseGolden Boy put on the card headlined by the Manny Pacquiao-Barrera rematch.
Like Mayweather, Forbes is quick with his hands and on his feet. He can counterpunch well and has a similar physical build to Mayweather. In fact, Forbesand Mayweather have sparred with each other and have been friendly for years.
Of the three candidates, Forbes is the obvious choice if De La Hoya truly wants the opponent most similar to Mayweather. Although Forbes could give De LaHoya some problems, De La Hoya figures to handle him based on the physical size difference alone. Forbes is Mayweather-lite and fits the bill. It's myguess that he will get the fight.
• Malignaggi
Malignaggi, 27, is a reigning junior welterweight titleholder coming off a close victory in his first defense against Herman Ngoudjo onJan. 5.
Malignaggi is a skilled fighter with good defense and speed. In that sense, he's similar to Mayweather. And, like Forbes, he has almost no chance tohurt De La Hoya.
The flashy New Yorker is also tough as nails and no matter what De La Hoya hits him with, it would take a little bit to knock him out. Anyone who saw thevaliant effort he turned in during his only loss, a decision to Miguel Cotto in a 2006 junior welterweight title bout, knows what I'mtalking about.
Another plus for Malignaggi is his gift of gab. Maybe De La Hoya would physically handle him in the ring, but the build-up to the fight would be a lot offun because Malignaggi has a great personality and is one of the best talkers in the game. He's far more outgoing than Forbes or Salita and would add a lotto any promotion.
However, Malignaggi could also make De La Hoya look bad, even in a victory, because of his tricky style. Of the three candidates mentioned, Malignaggiprobably has the best chance to pull the upset.
Promoter Lou DiBella says he's had a call from Golden Boy Promotions about Malignaggi's availability, but that was a week ago.That's not a good sign.
• Salita
Salita, 25, is an Orthodox Jew from Ukraine living in Brooklyn, N.Y. He has to be the biggest long shot to land the fight with De La Hoya because he'ssimply not credible, despite his glossy record.
Salita has faced woeful competition and has been knocked down three times in his past five fights. One De La Hoya left hook could mean a quick end if Salitawere picked as the opponent.
Forbes and Malignaggi may be a lot smaller than De La Hoya, but they are world-class fighters with championship experience. Salita isn't.
How suspect is he? When HBO and promoter Main Events were haggling over an opponent to face Arturo Gatti last year, Salita was brought upby the Gatti camp. HBO considered him but ultimately rejected him after one executive attended a March fight and came away extraordinarily unimpressed.
Salita hasn't fought since that poor performance. If he couldn't get approved by HBO to face Gatti how in the world could HBO justify approving himto fight De La Hoya?
And then there is this wrinkle: Because Salita is religious, he won't fight before sundown on Saturday, which is when the Sabbath ends in Judaism. De LaHoya's next fight could take place in Southern California, where it could still be light out when they get in the ring. That means if Salita is selected,he would have to go against his religious beliefs, which I guess he could do for such a huge opportunity. But I wouldn't count on him being put in aposition where he has to decide
The fight with Mayweather last May, which De La Hoya lost by split decision, was far more competitive than many believed it would be. And De La Hoya, pasthis prime, came into the bout off a year of inactivity. It's reasonable to believe that had De La Hoya, 34, been a bit sharper he could have pulled it out.Fighting once a year, however, especially when you're in your mid-30s like De La Hoya (38-5, 30 KOs), is not the best way to get ready to fight the bestfighter in the world.
That's why De La Hoya wants/needs a tune-up. But whom to fight?
De La Hoya, who will likely fight at about 150 pounds, has narrowed the field to three names: Steve Forbes (33-5, 9 KOs), PaulieMalignaggi (24-1, 5 KOs) and Dmitriy Salita (27-0-1, 15 KOs).
All three fight at 140 pounds and are much smaller than De La Hoya. None is a big puncher either. In other words, they're relatively safe opponentsagainst whom De La Hoya figures to get in some work, not get hurt and move on unscathed to a rematch of the biggest-grossing fight in boxing history.
So if you can accept that De La Hoya won't be facing a topflight opponent -- and remember, at least this one is being planned for HBO, not a $50pay-per-view, and there are going to be plenty of cheap tickets available -- who would make the best foe for De La Hoya to fight, keeping in mind that the ideais to prepare for Mayweather?
Here's a look at the three candidates:
• Forbes
Forbes, 30, who won a world title at 130 pounds before moving up, is best known for being the runner-up on the second season of "The Contender."In the September 2006 final, he lost a split decision to Grady Brewer -- fighting at 149 pounds, well above his natural weight. De La Hoya iscertainly a lot better than Brewer.
Following the loss to Brewer, Forbes faced Demetrius Hopkins, the undefeated nephew of light heavyweight champion BernardHopkins, in March 2007 and was the victim of one of the three worst decisions of the year. Ringside media overwhelmingly had Forbes not only winning,but winning comfortably. I was at the fight and had it 116-112 for Forbes.
Guess who was also sitting ringside getting a good look at Forbes? De La Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions, which works well with "The Contender,"put on the card headlined by Juan Manuel Marquez-Marco Antonio Barrera.
Forbes rebounded to take a split decision from one-time top prospect Francisco Bojado in October. Again, De La Hoya was ringside becauseGolden Boy put on the card headlined by the Manny Pacquiao-Barrera rematch.
Like Mayweather, Forbes is quick with his hands and on his feet. He can counterpunch well and has a similar physical build to Mayweather. In fact, Forbesand Mayweather have sparred with each other and have been friendly for years.
Of the three candidates, Forbes is the obvious choice if De La Hoya truly wants the opponent most similar to Mayweather. Although Forbes could give De LaHoya some problems, De La Hoya figures to handle him based on the physical size difference alone. Forbes is Mayweather-lite and fits the bill. It's myguess that he will get the fight.
• Malignaggi
Malignaggi, 27, is a reigning junior welterweight titleholder coming off a close victory in his first defense against Herman Ngoudjo onJan. 5.
Malignaggi is a skilled fighter with good defense and speed. In that sense, he's similar to Mayweather. And, like Forbes, he has almost no chance tohurt De La Hoya.
The flashy New Yorker is also tough as nails and no matter what De La Hoya hits him with, it would take a little bit to knock him out. Anyone who saw thevaliant effort he turned in during his only loss, a decision to Miguel Cotto in a 2006 junior welterweight title bout, knows what I'mtalking about.
Another plus for Malignaggi is his gift of gab. Maybe De La Hoya would physically handle him in the ring, but the build-up to the fight would be a lot offun because Malignaggi has a great personality and is one of the best talkers in the game. He's far more outgoing than Forbes or Salita and would add a lotto any promotion.
However, Malignaggi could also make De La Hoya look bad, even in a victory, because of his tricky style. Of the three candidates mentioned, Malignaggiprobably has the best chance to pull the upset.
Promoter Lou DiBella says he's had a call from Golden Boy Promotions about Malignaggi's availability, but that was a week ago.That's not a good sign.
• Salita
Salita, 25, is an Orthodox Jew from Ukraine living in Brooklyn, N.Y. He has to be the biggest long shot to land the fight with De La Hoya because he'ssimply not credible, despite his glossy record.
Salita has faced woeful competition and has been knocked down three times in his past five fights. One De La Hoya left hook could mean a quick end if Salitawere picked as the opponent.
Forbes and Malignaggi may be a lot smaller than De La Hoya, but they are world-class fighters with championship experience. Salita isn't.
How suspect is he? When HBO and promoter Main Events were haggling over an opponent to face Arturo Gatti last year, Salita was brought upby the Gatti camp. HBO considered him but ultimately rejected him after one executive attended a March fight and came away extraordinarily unimpressed.
Salita hasn't fought since that poor performance. If he couldn't get approved by HBO to face Gatti how in the world could HBO justify approving himto fight De La Hoya?
And then there is this wrinkle: Because Salita is religious, he won't fight before sundown on Saturday, which is when the Sabbath ends in Judaism. De LaHoya's next fight could take place in Southern California, where it could still be light out when they get in the ring. That means if Salita is selected,he would have to go against his religious beliefs, which I guess he could do for such a huge opportunity. But I wouldn't count on him being put in aposition where he has to decide
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AM i the only one that thinks roy jones can beat calzaghe?
oh and jermain will slaughter kelly in the rematch......or i'll be very broke
oh and jermain will slaughter kelly in the rematch......or i'll be very broke
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as active as Calzaghe is roy wouldnt stand a chance. if tito had any power at 170 he would have knocked roy out. Calzaghe would kill roy
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Kelly wins a split over JT RJJ vs Calzaghe - Calzaghe by UD Get paid Roy!
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