Tomasz Adamek edges Steve Cunningham in 'controversial' split decision

Polish heavyweight Tomasz Adamek outpointed American Steve Cunningham in a split decision in their IBF title eliminator at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The win was Adamek's second split decision victory over Cunningham, as he also eked out an SD win four years earlier in New Jersey.

But Tomasz Adamek's victory came with a little controversy, courtesy of Judge Debra Barnes' bizarre score card. The fight was initially announced as a draw: David Greer scored the fight 116-112 for Adamek; Tim Miller had it 115-113 for Cunningham and Debra Barnes' initially had it at 115-115 even. But for whatever reason behind the snafu, whether it was failure at basic arithmetic or just a cruel twist of fate, Barnes' score was changed (or corrected) to 115-112 in favor of Tomasz Adamek (48-2, 29 KOs) that obviously bewildered a visibly dejected Steve Cunningham (25-5, 12 KOs).

"I really don't know what more I can do. What can I say? What can I do? Real men cry, real men shed tears. You can't knock everyone out. We did our thing in the ring. It saddens me. I can't be getting cheated like this. It's sad, man, it's sad. It's nonsense. What needs to be done in boxing for this not to happen again? This isn't a game. What else do I have to do?"

In 2008, Tomasz Adamek knocked Steve Cunningham down three times during the fight, but failed to sink him as he settled for a split decision verdict. It took four years for Tomasz Adamek and Steve Cunningham to meet again, and although both fighters are older and heavier this time around, both fighters came to fight...
And a game plan: Steve Cunningham, in an interview before the fight, said that he will exploit his reach advantage (82" vs.75") and utilize his jab, while Tomasz Adamek stated that he will use his quickness and power to gain an edge.

After the customary 'feeling out' process in the first round, true to form, both fighters began to implement their prepared fight script against each other. Steve Cunningham began to let his left jab go and dictate the tempo, while Tomasz Adamek attempted to pressure his opponent to land his power shots.
For the first four rounds, Steve Cunningham began holding court and was successful in fending off Tomasz Adamek's attacks by his constant movement, stiff jabs and hard rights.

But in the fifth, Tomasz Adamek began to press the issue as he finally penetrated Steve Cunningham's defenses and landed his shots. Although Cunningham would fire back, it was obvious on who between them had the more lethal firepower.

It became a see-saw battle, starting in the sixth up until the end of the fight. Just when you think one fighter will have the round under wraps, momentum would shift making it a very hard fight to score. Throughout the entire 12 rounds, the fight was close and could have gone either way as both fighters were doing everything they could to gain an advantage over one another.

Both fighters had their moments: Tomasz Adamek cutting the ring and landing hard rights to his opponent's face while pinning him in the corner, while Steve Cunningham would suddenly come alive and retaliate with his own hard punches to the jaw.

The give and take was intense -- both fighters would score and make their punches count when they mattered: Steve Cunningham with his accurate left jabs and jarring overhand rights; Tomasz Adamek with his double-fisted hard attacks. It was a battle between two determined gladiators right from the start. And the firefight did not let up until the bell tolled to end the 12th and final round of the bout.

Steve Cunningham had an edge over Tomasz Adamek in total punches landed, 209-169, and he also outjabbed the Pole, landing 129 of 349. But Tomasz Adamek connected more power punches than his American opponent, 120-80.

Roger Bloodworth, Adamek's trainer, put the fight in perspective --

"It all depends on what you were looking at. If you looked at effective punching, which is what the judges saw, they would have give this to Tomasz. If you liked running and being a stylist, then you wanted Cunningham. I think the more effective puncher won this fight, and that was Tomasz."

True, it was a close fight that was hard to score and this writer would have no problem if it ended up the way it was first announced -- a draw.

What do you think?

Note: This article was first published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Nonito Donaire tames "The Menace" with his fists

photo credit: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs), the WBO super bantamweight champion made short work of challenger Jorge Arce inside three rounds. The Filipino Flash blitzed El Travieso in the fight and into retirement with his fast and powerful hands. And as usual, Nonito Donaire made an emphatic statement with his fists on Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

The total number of punches thrown by Nonito Donaire belies his dominance but confirms the power packed in his hands: landing 27 of 93 punches thrown for 30% clip against Jorge Arce's anemic 13 of 96 connection for a mediocre 14% rate.

Jorge Arce (61-7-2, 46 KOs), the Mexican veteran, was never in the fight. Aside from skills and talent, the Filipino fighter's edge in all departments are enormous: the punching power difference was obvious, the reach advantage was glaring, and the disparity in size was plain to see. Yes, Jorge Arce was tailor-made for Nonito Donaire to be massacred.

It was apparent to the casual ring observer that Jorge Arce was intimidated by his opponent's reputation inside the ring even before he climbed into it. Thus, we can say, like many that came before him, Jorge Arce already lost the battle inside his head and only needed a validation of some sort inside the ring to confirm what he feared or believed.

Nonito Donaire is boxing's version of "The Great Intimidator." Yes, folks, that's what Nonito Donaire does to his opponents. How many times have we seen fighters with glowing records who melted under Nonito Donaire's glare? How many times have we seen boxers with solid ring credentials who tripped when they entered the ring with Nonito Donaire? Now we can add Jorge Arce's name to that growing list of Nonito Donaire's 'famous' victims.

After a ho-hum first round, Nonito Donaire sent an omen of things to come to the very wary Jorge Arce, with a short right straight down the middle that led to the referee's mandatory eight count on the Mexican in the second round.

In the fateful third round, Jorge Arce abandoned his cautious approach in favor of his old reliable style and decided to mix it up with Nonito Donaire. Big mistake, as the Filipino Flash quickly put an end to his night: a combination of a powerful right and three successive lefts put Jorge Arce on his back with less than a second left in the round.

Yes Houston, Nonito Donaire had no problem at all in disposing Jorge Arce in his usual 'boring' fashion. Jorge Arce was easy pickings for Nonito Donaire and many boxing observers believed that we have not seen Nonito Donaire's best yet.

Maybe a fight with Abner Mares or Guillermo Rigondeaux, two of the best fighters in the division, will be the catalyst for the real Nonito Donaire to finally burst out of his shell?


Note: This article was first published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Leo Santa Cruz retains title in boxing's return to CBS network

photo credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images

International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz defended his title via unanimous decision (116-112, 118-110, 119-109) against challenger Alberto Guevara at the Los Angeles Sports Arena Saturday afternoon.

The championship fight heralded the return of boxing to CBS Sports, which has not shown the sweet science in more than 15 years. And by choosing Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KOs) to headline the event, the organizers have shown that they know their business well, since the Mexican fighter has a crowd-pleasing style and the reputation of being an all-action fighter.

Leo Santa Cruz is a volume puncher and a high-octane fighter who is always exciting to watch, and pitting him against Alberto Guevara (16-1, 6 KOs), the erstwhile undefeated challenger who made his U.S. debut in this fight, proved to be a boxing coup.

There was no feeling-out process as both fighters immediately went at each other right from the opening bell. Alberto Guevara took the fight to Leo Santa Cruz, surprising the crowd. Leo Santa Cruz ended the first round with a bloodied nose.

The next two rounds proved that Alberto Guevara came to fight as he engaged Leo Santa Cruz in a chess match; countering well, never staying too long in the pocket and moving out of harm's way. Leo Santa Cruz, who could only cover and counter, found himself being outpunched and outlanded by the very game challenger.

The same script was followed in rounds 3 and 4 as Alberto Guevara continued to move, circling and taking potshots at Leo Santa Cruz. The hit-and-run tactics were running smoothly for Alberto Guevara, until Leo Santa Cruz landed a left straight down the middle to halt his opponent's momentum. The action picked up thereafter as Leo Santa Cruz decided to push his attack to Alberto Guevara, obliging the champion in a tit-for-tat battle.

Leo Santa Cruz began to get the better of Alberto Guevara by landing the harder and cleaner punches during the furious exchanges. Leo Santa Cruz also began to put pressure on his opponent's defense, even though Alberto Guevara would continue to give him angles and proved elusive to hit with solid punches.

Still, Leo Santa Cruz persevered by constantly coming forward, firing on all cylinders as he waged battle against an equally determined opponent. Alberto Guevara was also quick to the draw and able to hold his fort against Leo Santa Cruz's determined assault.

The seventh round was highlighted by furious exchanges in the pocket: Santa Cruz landing his shots, hurting Guevara in the process. The power and volume of Leo Santa Cruz's punches overwhelmed the resistance being put up by the brave and durable Alberto Guevara.

In the 8th round, Leo Santa Cruz continued a double-fisted assault that began slowing down Alberto Guevara. Fatigue and wear-and-tear began to take their toll on the challenger as Leo Santa Cruz stepped up his onslaught, unloading his arsenal, and putting the hurt on Alberto Guevara who continuously took them.

Despite being outpunched, Alberto Guevara showed his big heart as he continued to return fire. But Alberto Guevara was wilting under constant pressure from Leo Santa Cruz's bombs, and the body shots that the champion had invested earlier were now taking their toll on his nemesis.

The 10th round saw Leo Santa Cruz turning to southpaw stance as he continued to impose his will on Alberto Guevara, who, although slowing down, was still fighting back and resisting Santa Cruz's advance.

The 11th round saw Leo Santa Cruz mount an spirited attack, but Alberto Guevara took everything that his opponent was giving him, while returning the favor at every chance and opportunity. But the difference in power and accuracy between the two protagonists was telling. Leo Santa Cruz was undeniably the harder puncher and dominant fighter between the two.

The last round was characterized by torrid back-and-forth action at the center of the ring. Both fighters gave the fight their all and then some.

Despite the constant pressure and being outgunned, Alberto Guevara never wavered in this fight. Alberto Guevara was game until the very end, but Leo Santa Cruz would not be denied in his third successful defense of the title that he took from South Africa's Vusi Malinga earlier this year.

Leo Santa Cruz outlanded Alberto Guevara in total punches 291/989 (29%) to 158/793 (20%). The champion also eclipsed the challenger in jabs (81/429 19% to 46/404 11%) as well as in power punches (210/560 38% to 112/389 29%).


Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Manny Pacquiao: "No Excuses"

“I want people who watch this fight to be satisfied. I don’t care about a belt and I don’t care about the money – I want to win in style.”- Manny Pacquiao

Juan Manuel Marquez better watch out. Manny Pacquiao is going to put the hurt tonight. But that will only happen if the Filipino boxing superstar is in top shape and true to his pronouncements.

We may say, Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez have fought for 36 rounds before, and the Filipino fighter managed to put the Mexican down four times but failed to finish him off; what else is new this time around?

For a change, the news that came out of his training camp was nothing but positive, encouraging and spectacular. They say that Manny Pacquiao is very focused and has worked very hard for this fight. Gone are the usual distractions: the booze, the gambling, the women and the late nights. They advertised that the fire in his belly is back and that he has knocked down several sparring partners this time around, a fact that has not been seen in his training camp since his preparation for the Miguel Cotto fight as proof.

Yet amid all these pronouncements and press releases, many of us remain skeptical since we all have heard this kind of news before, and we all have read this kind of script before, and we all have seen this kind of movie before.

Truth is, Manny Pacquiao has not been the same fighter inside the ring ever since he showed mercy on a bloodied Miguel Cotto in 2009. He then went out and had fun with Joshua Clottey and made mince-meat of Antonio Margarito a year later. And in 2011, instead of fighting, Manny Pacquiao engaged Shane Mosley in a 'touched-gloved' diplomacy and did not take Juan Manuel Marquez seriously in their trilogy.

And last June, Manny Pacquiao cruised and sleepwalked on Timothy Bradley, which he could have easily taken care of if he only cared enough to push for a stoppage. And so Manny Pacquiao paid the price for his lackluster performance by eventually losing the said fight albeit a controversial one.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao has been shamed and humbled by the Bradley debacle. And he is on a mission to bounce back and show the boxing world that he can still be a fireball inside the ring.

Yes, despite his age and the wear and tear, Manny Pacquiao wants to prove that he can still be the 'Typhoon from the Pacific' who can unleash a storm against his opponent. Yes, Manny Pacquiao wants to silence his critics and convince the skeptics and regain the stature that made him one of the most loved, if not the best fighter of his era.

Manny Pacquiao states that tonight, there will be "no doubts this time" when he hammers the final nail on the coffin on the Juan Manuel Marquez question.

However, all these talks about Manny Pacquiao's exploits in training camp would not matter if on fight night, Manny Pacquiao fails to deliver. All these press releases to be the 'old' Manny Pacquiao and knock out Juan Manuel Marquez will be for naught if he fails to pull the trigger.

So, if Manny Pacquiao hopes to 'win in style', then all he has to do is bear in mind that old famous Nike slogan, "Just Do It."

 Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Juan Manuel Marquez: In search of the holy "grain"

If we want to understand Juan Manuel Marquez's mentality as a fighter, we only need to look back in all the things that he did and the discipline that goes with them so that he can acquire "that little grain of difference" against his opponents.

And there is no other fighter that can make Juan Manuel Marquez shift into overdrive in preparation for a fight than Manny Pacquiao. He engaged the Filipino superstar in three brutal wars that could have gone either way, but he ended up on the losing end twice (2008, 2011) and managed to eke out a draw in one (2004).

And there is no other topic that can make Juan Manuel Marquez's blood curdle than the mention of his defeats to Manny Pacquiao. His setbacks to the Filipino fighter are what drive him to prepare harder and resort to unconventional methods just so he can have even the slightest edge over his nemesis.

Yes, in the mind of Juan Manuel Marquez, he believed that he has won all three of their fights, a belief that only adds fuel to his desire to finally get one over Manny Pacquiao. And tonight he will have his chance to finally end years of frustration, quiet all his detractors and unburden him of the weights on his shoulders.

Juan Manuel Marquez's desperation bordering to obssession to finally beat Manny Pacquiao is one for the books; because of his unconventional approach in his quest for boxing's holy grail, Juan Manuel Marquez at one time or another has become the butt of jokes among fans and fighters alike.

After all, nobody in the boxing world has the mental toughness and intestinal fortitude that Juan Manuel Marquez has exhibited in preparation for a fight. His burning desire to have that wee-bit of an advantage once led him to drinking his own urine to no avail.

Juan Manuel Marquez has never shied away from using both traditional and new technology to enhance his chances of winning a fight. He uses the hyperbaric chamber to breathe 100% pure oxygen and has also incorporated 'cupping therapy' in his regimen to relax his 39-year old body.

And that search for "that little grain of difference" found him hooking up with Angel "Memo" Heredia, a trainer with a dark and shady past who once bragged in a 2009 interview that modern day testing for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in sports is 'laughable' -- Juan Manuel Marquez has made what many boxing observers believed to be a pact with the devil.

So, Juan Manuel Marquez with Angel "Memo" Heredia overseeing his strength and conditioning training has transformed himself into a hulking, muscular, well-chiseled specimen. He professes that he feels good and is ready to engage Manny Pacquiao in a no-holds-barred fight. He proclaims that his hard work and his new-found strength and speed will make the big difference in the fight. And he also vows that he will go for a knockout against Manny Pacquiao this time around.

But whether Juan Manuel Marquez has really found 'that little grain of difference' with Memo Heredia in his corner for this fight remains to be seen. Juan Manuel Marquez will still need to go out there and prove his mettle against Manny Pacquiao to earn the nod of the boxing public.  Juan Manuel Marquez needs to commit and take the fight to Manny Pacquiao to show the judges who is in charge inside the ring.  As they usually say, a warrior does not waste his time waiting for the enemy to commit mistakes and good fortune always favors the brave.

Tonight, a victory by Juan Manuel Marquez will be a vindication of his long quest and the road that he has taken for that elusive W against Manny Pacquiao. But another defeat in the hands of his traditional nemesis will not only be devastating but a bitter pill to swallow for the fighter from Mexico.

So, what would Juan Manuel Marquez do?




Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

ESPN FNF Special Edition: Ray Beltran outslugs Ji-Hoon Kim in Las Vegas

photo credit: Chris Farina/Top Rank

In Thursday night's ESPN Friday Night Fights Special Edition main event, NABF lightweight champion Ray Beltran retained his belt via a 98-92, 98-92 and 97-94 unanimous decision victory over the very game Ji-Hoon Kim at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The wide margin in the scorecards does not mirror the brawl that ensued right after the opening bell, when both fighters traded knockdowns to usher the 10-round firefight.

It was a hard-earned win for Ray Beltran (27-6, 17 KO), who for years was Manny Pacquiao's main sparring partner, against one of the toughest brawlers in the division in Ji-Hoon Kim (24-8, 18 KO) of South Korea, who was on a three-fight win streak and ranked no. 3 by the IBF.

It was sweet victory for Ray Beltran, the perrenial "sparring partner" who for years was fighting for respect as a fighter. The Mexican fighter did not get his due against the likes of Sharif Bogere and Luis Ramos Jr. wherein he found himself at the short end of the decisions. He did not get the respect that he deserved even in a win against highly-touted Hank Lundy, who by the way, is still ahead of him in many sanctioning bodies' rankings.

But in this particular fight, Ray Beltran earned his due and got the respect that he deserved -- rankings, ratings and sanctioning bodies be damned.

The epic first round...

Ji-Hoon Kim immediately jumped into Ray Beltran right from the start with hard albeit wild shots, which Ray Beltran tried to evade by backtracking as he tried to time and counter his opponent. But with 1:44 in the round, Beltran found himself on the canvas after receiving a short left to the jaw from Kim.

Ray Beltran beat the count as Ji-Hoon Kim swarmed him, throwing wildly with power shots, but Beltran never panicked and and landed a counter left, smacking Kim in the jaw. Kim staggered backwards and smiled as he acknowledged the hard shot that he just received. It was a see-saw battle from then on as the two fighters tried to outland and outbomb each other.

With less than 10 seconds left in the round, Ray Beltran snuck in a left hook to the jaw that downed Ji-Hoon Kim. Visibly shaken while the referee administered the mandatory eight count, Kim was saved by the bell as he wobbly walked back to his corner.

For whom the bell tolls...

The second round found Ray Beltran and Ji-Hoon Kim continuing where they left off: Going toe-to-toe in the pocket; Beltran digging to the body and hooking upstairs. Kim, on the other hand, continued to head hunt. In the last 10 seconds, Beltran hurt Kim with several hard shots, but Kim was again saved by the bell.

Ray Beltran showed his patience while under fire (even absorbing a low blow with 2:12 minutes left in the round) and was very methodical and accurate with his punches when attacking the wild punching Ji-Hoon Kim. Still, Beltran has a cut above his left eye to show after the round, caused by one of the bombs that his opponent landed on him.

In the third round, a minor snafu in his corner did not deter Ray Beltran from engaging Ji-Hoon Kim in trench warfare. With the referee stopping the fight and ensuring that he had his mouth guard on him, Ray Beltran and Ji-Hoon Kim continued putting the hurt on each other. While Ji-Hoon Kim continued to head hunt, Ray Beltran began digging on his opponent's rib cage. And the Korean would wince every time Ray Beltran's right would land on his side with a thud.

And with 15 seconds remaining, Ji-Hoon Kim found himself on the receiving end of Ray Beltran's assault. Again, the bell played its spoiler role and Kim survived the onslaught.

From rounds 4-10, the trend of the fight was throwing bombs all the way. Every punch thrown was packed with mean intentions. Every punch landed with thunderous explosions.

The hardnosed battle showed both fighters trading hard shots in trying to outgun and outpower each other inside the pocket. But while Ji-Hoon Kim continued to come forward and head-hunt, Ray Beltran always varied his approach to the fight -- a right hook to the body, a left hook to the face -- tactics that proved a menace to Ji-Hoon Kim's cause in the end.

In a tit-for-tat war, Ray Beltran's very methodical approach negated Ji-Hoon Kim's wild hard punches. In the brutal exchanges, Jin-Hoon Kim's vaunted artillery failed him. Ray Beltran's investment in the body early took its toll on Ji-Hoon Kim's power and aggresiveness later on. In the end, Ray Beltran's accuracy in the trenches proved to be the difference, while Ji-Hoon Kim's weapons faltered when it mattered the most.


Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Jessie Magdaleno grabs NABO super bantamweight title in easy win over Jonathan Arellano

Prospect Jessie Magdaleno stamped his class over Jonathan Arellano during the ESPN Friday Night Fight Special Edition on Thursday night, sweeping the three judges' scorecards 80-70, 80-70, 80-69, for a unanimous decision win to keep his unblemmished record intact (13-0, 9 KO) and claim the NABO super bantamweight belt at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Jessie Magdaleno brought the fight to Jonathan Arellano (13-2-1, 3 KO) right from the opening bell as he immediately unloaded on his opponent. But Arellano withstood the early barrage to escape the round unscathed.

The second round proved to be Jessie Magdaleno's best round of the fight as he put down Jonathan Arellano on the canvas with a well-timed right hook on top of the head with just 1:24 left in the round. Still, Jonathan Arellano regained his bearing on time and survived the round.

Jessie Magdaleno continued his double-fisted attack in the third canto: Pummeling Jonathan Arellano at every chance he got -- driving him into a corner, or pinning him on the ropes with a variety of shots. But Jonathan Arellano was able to counter with a left hook to the face that backtracked Jessie Magdaleno.

In the 4th round, Jessie Magdaleno boxed beautifully, timing and countering with hooks everytime Jonathan Arellano tried to mount an attack. But in this round, Jonathan Arellano would not be denied as he landed three consecutive hard left hands on Magdaleno just before the round ended.

With 1:08 left in the 6th round, Jessie Magdaleno pummeled and downed Jonathan Arellano to the canvas. Magdaleno tried to finish him off but was able to grab for dear life to survive the round.

Both fighters bartered shots throughout the 7th with Jessie Magdaleno sneaking several uppercuts, while Jonathan Arellano landed some left hooks of his own. But Jessie Magdaleno was way ahead in all the scorecards, and barring a freak knockout, is already assured of victory.

The last round was anti-climactic as Jessie Magdaleno elected to fight in spurts as he easily cruised to a unanimous decision victory over the overmatched Jonathan Arellano.

"Charles & Reggie: Toe to Toe with Manny Pacquiao" explodes on TNT tonight

We all know that Manny Pacquiao loves basketball and is a big fan of the NBA. It is well-known that on numerous occassions, he would defy his trainer Freddie Roach's order not to play the game during training just so he can play pick-up basketball with his friends.

But if there is any doubt left about the Filipino boxing superstar's passion for the game, we only need to remember his fight with Timothy Bradley last June wherein Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum decided to delay the start of the main event so that Pacquiao could watch Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.

We also know that NBA Legends and Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller are big boxing aficionados. They are also regular fixtures at big time fights in Las Vegas. And NBA fans have seen Charles Barkley figured in a scuffle with fellow TNT analyst Shaquille O'Neal eons ago during one of their games, but if we are talking about Sir Charles' boxing skills, that's another story.

On numerous occasions, both Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller have been very vocal about their love of prizefigting as well as professing their admiration for Manny Pacquiao during their coverage of NBA games on TNT.

And in last week's Thursday night telecast of the Miami-San Antonio game, Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller spoke about their experience working out with Manny Pacquiao.

Charles Barkley: “We spent a day with Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach, and let me tell you something — one of the great days of my life. “

"I don’t wanna brag, but there’s no doubt in my mind I could knock Manny Pacquiao out."

To which, Reggie Miller disagreed, “No, you can’t. Manny (Pacquiao) call me, let’s set this up.”

Now, there is no doubt that Reggie Miller is one of the best shooters to ever play in the NBA. Yes, there is no doubt that Charles Barkley is one of the best talkers, if not the best bruisers to ever play in the NBA. And there is no doubt that Manny Pacquiao is one of the best boxers to ever display his wares in the ring. Aside from their common love for Boxing and Basketball, all three are funny and hilarious in their own special way.

Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller gave us a hint of what we should expect from the 30-minute TNT wherein they went toe-to-toe with Manny Pacquiao.

 "As a boxing fan, it was one of the coolest things I've ever done," Barkley said.

"As a professional athlete, it's always interesting to hear how other elite athletes prepare themselves for competition. Training with Manny was an experience I'll never forget," added Miller.

It will be interesting to see how Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Manny Pacquiao talk shop, interact, and literally and figuratively throw jabs at each other -- a welcome respite from all the monotony and serious talk about the fourth fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, subjective odds, analysis and all, being peddled to every boxing fan by boxing scribes during fight week.

Let us keep our fingers crossed and hope that the well-adverstised TNT special will not only be explosive but a knockout; Laugh-wise, that is.

Tonight, TNT will air  "Charles & Reggie: Toe to Toe with Manny Pacquiao" after the NBA double-header between the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks at 8 p.m. ET, with the Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns following at 10:30 p.m. ET.

 Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero outguns and tames Andre "The Beast" Berto

Days before his fight with Andre Berto, Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero vowed that he will beat Andre "The Beast" Berto up and "take care of business" on fight night. On the other hand, Andre Berto proclaimed that "I've had a hell of a year, going through a lot of trials and tribulations," and hoped to turn things around.

On Saturday night's HBO Boxing After Dark, Robert Guerrero (30-1-1, 18 KOs) fulfilled his promise in stunning fashion as he gave Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KOs) the beating of his life and his second career loss via a Unanimous Decision victory to retain the interim WBC welterweight title in front of a loud and boisterous crowd at the Citizens Business Center Arena in Ontario, CA. The three judges have identical scores of 116-110 favoring the Gilroy, CA native.

On Saturday night, Andre Berto went to hell and back, yet fell short of his aspirations and succumbed to a gutsy and superior fighter in one of the best fights of the year to date.

Andre Berto surprised the crowd when he came out of his corner doing the patented Floyd Mayweather, Jr. stance. Robert Guerrero surprised the crowd by coming out of his corner by taking the fight to his opponent and throwing bombs.

Caught by surprise by Robert Guerrero's aggressiveness, Andre Berto's experiment, the 'shoulder roll' defense was no match for the hard shots that were unleashed by a fighter ready to rock and roll.

And despite giving up 5 pounds to Andre Berto (158 to 152), Robert Guerrero imposed himself on his opponent: leaning, crowding, pushing and smothering him against the ropes -- tactics that the Ghost used very well to his advantage in order to tame the Beast.

Although Andre Berto was able to recover from two earlier knockdowns, the rugged fight once again showed his vulnerability; his suspect chin, among others, probably contributed to the way the fight unfolded.

A left upper cut by Robert Guerrero followed by two left hooks to the side of the head that downed Andre Berto in the first round set the tone of the rough and tumble fight. Never mind that Guerrero landed some of the shots while holding Berto behind the head for leverage and easier targets. The dye was cast and the showdown was on.

The second round belonged to Robert Guerrero as he pummeled Andre Berto with hard shots that sent the game Haitian-American to the canvas for the second time. A lot of observers thought it would only be just a matter of time before Andre Berto would crumble from the barrage of punches that he was taking. Yet, he survived the fateful round, regained his composure, fought his way out of danger and engaged Robert Guerrero in a war of attrition for the next 10 rounds.

And what 10 rounds of no-holds-barred fighting it would be -- a test and showcase of both fighters' will to win and unyielding courage. They exchanged vicious upper cuts that would put a lesser man to sleep. They traded wicked blows to the body, digging hard and deep with impacts that could make even the Undertaker wince in pain.

Robert Guerrero and Andre Berto pummeled each other with sledgehammers, wrestled like no other and threw some dirty tricks on the side for good measure, all just to have that small edge in the hotly-contested firefight. Both fighters traded their original game plans in favor of closed quarters combat characterized by toe-to-toe bombings and phone booth snipings.

It was a fast-paced, mean-spirited battle between two fighters who threw caution to the wind and unleashed their vast and powerful armaments on each other: upper cuts, hooks, straights. But Robert Guerrero maintained the upper hand for the rest of the night because just like in a nightmare, the Ghost just keeps on coming and engaging Berto in an in-your-face brutal brawl.

Andre Berto was supposed to be the faster and stronger fighter, but he had little effect against a very game Robert Guerrero, a fighter with decent power and speed beating him to the punch as well as to a pulp.

We may ask, where is the speed and where is the power? Either Robert Guerrero's chin is made of granite or the Ghost was on his element on this particular night because he was getting off his punches faster and quicker than his opponent.

Or could it be that Andre Berto's vaunted speed and power were the product of PEDs, as some people allege? Thus, having tested positive for norandrosterone recently last May and just serving out his suspension, maybe it is safe to assume that Andre Berto was free of any PEDs inside his well-chiseled body for this fight.

Anyway, Robert Guerrero and Andre Berto figured in an old school slugfest that made boxing a true mirror of man's heart and spirit. The barnburner was a picture of two fighters who gave it their all and then some.

And when the final bell tolled, both fighters sported the marks of a hard-fought battle: Robert Guerrero with a huge mouse on his right eye while Andre Berto's eyes were almost closed from the swelling, not to mention all the blood, sweat and tears that they shed in the ring.

Robert Guerrero landed 258 of 731 of his total punches for a 35% clip compared to Andre Berto's 182 of 411 for a 44% clip. But Robert Guerrero also threw more power punches to negate Andre Berto's accuracy -- 234/611, 38%, versus 162/326, 50%.

In the end, Robert Guerrero outworked, outhustled and outgunned the favored Andre Berto to ensure his career-defining victory.

Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Manny Pacquiao- Guillermo Rodriguez 24/7

Grand Rapids' Peter Quillin beat Hassan N'Dam to win WBO middleweight crown

photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images for Golden Boy Promotions

Peter Quillin, the undefeated middleweight who grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and is now fighting out of New York City, put on a show in the Big Apple to become the first American boxer since Kelly Pavlik in 2010 to be crowned middleweight champion of the world, via a unanimous decision verdict against tough and durable defending champion Hassan N'Dam of Cameroon.

The fight card by Showtime at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn showcased Peter Quillin's firepower as well as Hassan N'Dam's durability and recuperating power. Peter Quillin, who goes by the moniker "Kid Chocolate," failed to melt Hassan N'Dam's fighting heart as he could not put the erstwhile champion away for good despite delivering 6 knockdowns in the 12-round WBO middleweight championship fight.

Both fighters came into the fight undefeated and identical impressive resumes: Peter Quillin at 27-0, 20 KOs and Hassan N'Dam at 27-0, 17 KOs. Peter Quillin have long aspired to be a world champion, while one of Hassan N'Dam's dreams while toiling in Europe was to "fight in front of American TV."

After the 12-round ebb and flow battle, both fighters have earned their keep and the respect of the boxing world. If there is a positive light in defeat, Hassan N'dam's tough but losing stand against the explosive Peter Quillin is one.

Despite the three judges (Julie Lederman, John Stewart and Don Trella) identical lopsided scorecards of 115-107 in favor of Peter Quillin, Hassan N'Dam went down fighting and was never out of the fight. For 12 rounds, he toiled and labored and gave the fight his best shot up until the last seconds of the last round, worthy of a champion defending his belt in hostile territory.

For the first three rounds, Hassan N'Dam was having his way with Peter Quillin. Fast on both hands and feet, he used his lateral movement and jabs to keep Peter Quillin at bay. But Peter Quillin was a patient lot and bid his time as he patiently stalked his prey.

And Peter Quillin's wait was not long as in the fourth round, his first punch thrown, a left uppercut, rocked N'Dam and staggered him backwards to the ropes. Quillin stepped in for the kill but N'dam was able to evade the attacks. But with 2:08 into the round, a counter left hook to the jaw downed N'Dam, but he was back on his feet in no time.

Peter Quillin stalked and attacked. Another solid blow to the jaw by his vaunted left hand almost toppled N'Dam if not for the ropes backing him up. Hassan N'Dam found himself being outgunned and overpowered by the American's guns and unloaded his jabs to keep his distance from his opponent's range. Peter Quillin, though, remained patient and methodical in his pursuit.

And with 41 seconds remaining in the round, Peter Quillin launched another bomb and caught N'Dam in the kisser and dropped him on his back. The shot from Quillin's killer left, left N'dam still wobbly after beating the referee's count, but Hassan N'Dam was able to withstand Peter Quillin's onslaught. Two slips to the canvas later, the bell rang to mark the end of the round and Hassan N'Dam staggered back to his corner to end his ordeal.

Surprisingly, Peter Quillin went gunshy in the fifth round as Hassan N'Dam came back to fight. Showing movements and his fast hands, he jabbed and jabbed his way around that prompted Peter Quillin's corner to quip during the intermission, "This is your night, let's get rid of him. You gave that round off."

Peter Quillin's hard hands came alive in the last minute of the sixth round. A short left to the jaw dropped Hassan N'Dam in the corner of the ring. Again, Hassan N'Dam picked himself up and proceeded to fight. With 26 seconds to go, a 3-punch Quillin combo landed on N'Dam's face and dropped him on his behind. Again, Hassan N'Dam was up on his feet again in no time.

Rounds 7, 8 and 9 saw Hassan N'Dam coming to life again as he went on the offensive. He was the busier fighter as he peppered Peter Quillin with his jabs, uppers and short, choppin' shots. Peter Quillin's passive stand prompted Eric Brown, his cornerman, to remind the American, "Do you want this title? You let this guy hang around unnecessarily..."

The 10th and 11th rounds saw Hassan N'Dam eager to engage and trade with Peter Quillin. Hassan N'Dam had the moves but Peter Quillin had the power. Although N'Dam gave Quillin and his corner fits in the 10th round, Quillin's hard blows buckled his legs on at least two occasions.

Peter Quillin's corner urged him again before the beginning of the twelfth and final round, perhaps seeing that their fighter was slowing down:

"Don't let him survive, don't give him time, you can't stop punching on this kid."

But Hassan N'Dam had other plans on his mind and intensified his 12th round comeback. Looking fresher, he assaulted with everything he had and pushed Peter Quillin to the ropes. Peter Quillin was under intense attack and found himself in the corner while Hassan N'Dam was coming forward, throwing everything in his arsenal but with 27 seconds to go in the round -- Boom!

Peter Quillin snuck a counter left and landed on the target. In the blink of an eye, Hassan N'Dam was down on the seat of his pants, gloves on his side touching the canvas, more embarrassed than hurt and shocked.

Again, Hassan N'Dam showed his durability and was up on his feet again and engaged Peter Quillin again, but was dropped on one knee by a right straight to the chin with less than 10 seconds left in the final round.
The bell rang for the last time while referee Eddie Claudio was administering the count and Hassan N'Dam survived the brutal war on his feet, losing the fight but with his pride intact.

In the postfight interview, an emotional Peter Quillin looked back at his journey as a prizefighter.

"I want to thank Grand Rapids, Michigan for making me a fighter and New York City for making me a man."

Note: This article was previously posted on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Dazed and Confused: Donaire dazzles, Nishioka crumbles in California

photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images

When Roy Jones, Jr. speaks about Nonito Donaire, Jr.'s attributes as a boxer, the former pound-for-pound great has only positive things to say: "Donaire has the skills, speed, power, agility, great foot movement and very explosive!" He opined that Donaire has the "quality to be what a pound-for-pound fighter is" and believes the Filipino fighter is the "best fighter in the world today."

By disposing every fighter who steps in his way with ease, Nonito Donaire, Jr. was the prohibitive favorite coming into the fight to win over a supposedly tough and durable Toshiaki Nishioka, the WBC super bantamweight emeritus. On paper, the protagonists' resumes were impressive as both were on a hot win streak: Donaire has not lost a fight in 11 years while Nishioka has not tasted defeat in 8 years. Throughout their careers, they have faced quality opponents and have earned their rightful place in the sport.

And by virtue of their fearsome records (Donaire 29-1, 18 KOs and Nishioka 39-4-3, 24 KOs) and their reputations as two of the best fighters in the division, it was only fitting that the people inside the arena and those glued to their TV sets were expecting nothing but a barnburner from Nonito Donaire, Jr. and Toshiaki Nishioka. After all, they were not nicknamed the Filipino Flash and Speed King respectively for nothing.

In fact, the promoters, HBO Boxing and their rah-rah boys have bombarded the boxing sphere for weeks about the Donaire-Nishioka super bantamweight showdown for the WBO title. They were so sure about the fireworks that will explode on fight night that they were pronouncing the event as Fight of the Year (FOY) material. But some of them, though, have probably not heard of Robert Burns before, yet the Ploughman Poet's words echoed at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA on fight night: "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men."

And so the fight went on with only Nonito Donaire, Jr. showing up for the fight. Toshiaki Nishioka, the Japanese samurai, was a no-show and nowhere to be found in the biggest stage of the biggest fight of his career. No Kamikaze attacks, no Banzai charge but just a token resistance from the fighter from the land of the rising sun.

In the fight, Toshiaki Nishioka exhibited one of the worst cases of nerves in recent memory, which is quite a surprise especially for somebody who was touted as a warrior. In this particular fight, Nishioka was mentally and physically finished just seconds into the first round and probably regrets finding himself trading leather with Nonito Donaire, Jr. He was so wary and intimidated by Nonito Donaire, Jr.'s vaunted left hook that he spent the night in retreat, on the defensive and refusing to engage in battle.

With just 58 seconds remaining in the sixth round, Nishioka's worst fear came in the form of a left upper cut to the chin from Donaire that dropped him on the seat of his pants. Though he tried to put up some fights in the next few rounds after that, it was clear that he does not have the will to go to war with the Filipino.

And with 1:54 in the 9th round, Nonito Donaire, Jr.'s right straight landed into Nishioka's kisser that snapped his head and put him on the seat of his pants for the second time in the fight. Although the Japanese fighter was able to beat the count, it was the prelude to the end of the ugly fight as his corner finally threw in the towel shortly thereafter to end his pitiful night.

Nonito Donaire, Jr., the Filipino Flash dazzled us with his power and quick hands, his double-fisted attacks, his purposeful movements and solid footwork inside the ring. We can even say that Donaire's offensive arsenal is one of the best, if not the best in the business. Yet, to some people watching the fight, the masterpiece that Donaire was painting against Nishioka inside the ring seemed to lack the proverbial explosion of color and soul that many expect from him.

From all angles, it was a clinical demolition administered by Nonito Donaire, Jr. on the hapless and bewildered Toshiaki Nishioka. But despite outclassing his opponent, the Filipino Flash failed to put on the requisite fireworks that were needed in the fight. Some people even believed that Nonito Donaire, Jr. could have ended the fight early if he wanted to, just to save them from the agony of watching a one-sided fight.
And Nonito Donaire, Jr.'s post-fight statements supports their belief.

"We know that we can end the fight with one punch. And that what's happened. We just want him to make a mistake and well get him. And he made a mistake."

"When you do engage, Nonito is a surgeon. The demolition man comes in and knocks you out."

For all of Nonito Donaire, Jr.'s talent and skills, time and again and sometimes through no fault of his own, he has uncannily found himself in boring one-sided fights. Because of Nonito Donaire, Jr.'s huge talent and skills, the bar for his exploits inside the ring was set way up high. Thus, even if Nonito Donaire, Jr. would ultimately end up knocking the lights out of his opponents, many fight fans would sometimes not be satisfied with the way he fights.

For example, this writer has watched the Donaire-Nishioka fight with five other boxing fans over some pizzas and beer, and these guys are no ordinary or run-of-the-mill fight fans, for they know their boxing well. They have been around and witnessed the Kronk and Tommy Hearns era in Detroit.

But despite watching Nonito Donaire, Jr. running rings around Toshiaki Nishioka and giving the Japanese a neat boxing lesson, and eventually stopping him in the 9th round, they were of the opinion that there was something lacking in the fight. They compared the fight to the food offerings typically found in a fast food chain -- bland, hard to swallow and no flavor at all.

And there lies the rub.

Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

First Take: Larry Merchant sells his take on Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight

photo credit: HBO Boxing

This morning, respected boxing analyst Larry Merchant graced ESPN's First Take in what host Stephen A. Smith called as "ESPN collaborating with HBO on boxing," that was hailed by many boxing observers as a move in the right direction for the networks.

For people who regularly follow the show, the guest appearance of Larry Merchant was like a breath of fresh air after being exposed for far too long to the daily diatribes of the two hysterical, loquacious, and hilarious motormouths in Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith. On a side note, the addition of Cari Champion as the moderator between the two protagonists is a welcome addition, too.

Larry Merchant, a hard-hitting veteran of the boxing circuit, who is not afraid to speak his mind on any topic, knows his boxing really well. He will not hold any punches to dish out verbal jabs, hooks and straights on anyone if he deems it necessary to convey his point. He is a straight-shooter inside and outside the ring and is probably one of the greatest, if not the greatest, TV boxing analysts of all time.

The topic of the discussion was: "Running Scared: Is Floyd Mayweather really afraid of Manny Pacquiao?", showing video snippets of Pacquiao proclaiming on one of his earlier appearances on First Take that he is willing to accept a lower percentage of the fight revenue (45%-to-55%) and that his earlier objection to random drug testing is now a non-issue ("No problem even at the night of the fight, no problem").

But the most telling piece was when Manny Pacquiao was asked whether Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is afraid of him. Manny Pacquiao laughed at the question and seriously stated that he believes that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is really afraid of him -- "I think it's kind of that."

But true to form, Larry Merchant had a different opinion on the matter: "Mayweather is not afraid of fighting Manny Pacquiao. I think, number one, what's held up this fight, and I've been in the 'yes it's going to happen' category when the nos have been carrying the day for a few years, is that there's a disincentive financially."
He further explained that both fighters are "making upwards of 40-50 million a year: Pacquiao by fighting twice, Mayweather by fighting once. There's no urgency. It's a business as well as a sport."

Stephen A. Smith then offered his 'solution' of "stop buying the pay-per-view other than a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather, Jr." fight and went on to say that he believes that Floyd Mayweather will win it because "he is the best boxer on the planet."

Larry Merchant went on length to convey his views on Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. -- "They are the heavyweight champions in America in terms of their popularity, in terms of reaching beyond boxing to the casual fans."

"I think Floyd Mayweather thinks he's going to beat Manny Pacquiao. He will be the favorite. What Mayweather is afraid of more than anything else is an L, a loss. He has marketed himself as this unbeaten and unbeatable fighter, and to a lot of new fans or unsophisticated fans, they think that's a big, big deal, which it never has been, because if you fight enough good, young fighters in their prime, somebody's gonna beat you. It happened to Pacquiao even in a bad decision, but against a tough, good kid."

Skip Bayless pressed Larry Merchant further, "Does Floyd think he'll win or lose to Pacquiao?"

"I think he thinks that Pacquiao is the greatest threat to him. Why take, in the risk-reward equation, if I can make $40 million for fighting some guy (and) I've only got to give him $3 million to take the fight, why am I going to do that (fight Pacquiao)? There have been comparable situations in the past. Lennox Lewis and Tyson didn't fight 'til well into their careers and broke records; they were past their primes. So, it's business. Will the heat still be there? Will they both have maintained their star status? Will they lose it? It's not unprecedented in boxing. Hopefully it'll happen someday. Meanwhile, we've got 3 big pay-per-view events in boxing in a year instead of one big blowout."

And Stephen A. Smith, not to be outdone, posited this silly question to Merchant-

"Who's the best boxer on the planet right now?"

"I think Mayweather is on top and I think Pacquiao is right there." Merchant then confessed though that he "likes Pacquiao's style as a puncher-boxer."

Then Larry Merchant added this nugget of a wisdom on the possible Mayweather-Pacquiao scenario:
"The old expression "good defense beats good offense." It was the pitcher for the Pirates Bob Veale who said, "good pitching beats good hitting" and vice versa. It's the good hitting that sometimes beats good pitching."

The round-table discussion continues with Skip Bayless interjecting that he is on record that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is "ducking Manny Pacquiao because he fears that Manny is equal to him in hand quickness but has more punching power, and for the first time in Floyd's career, not only does he stand to take the L but he stands to get hurt, to get caught."

Larry Merchant, in his own irrepressible way, delivered the counterpunch: 'I'm surprised that Skip has such strong opinions on this thing" that elicited laughter among themselves.

"My attitude about the fight is I wanna see it happen. Mayweather fought Cotto; it was a good fight, a better fight than expected, and the 4th Marquez-Pacquiao fight may be a better one than the first three, all of which were good fights."

Cari Champion then asked that if Mayweather and Pacquiao get together, "Who do you think is gonna win the fight?"

Larry Merchant refused to answer the question directly but has this to say:

"I'm gonna wait 'til it happens. And because things happen between now and then, there's no doubt that Mayweather will be the favorite. And that if you go by the history of these things, the boxer, the guy who comes out of the dressing room with his first and second thoughts are 'I'm not gonna get hit' and is a master at that," and in Merchant's opinion, "it's hard to beat him."

Many fight fans are hoping that Larry Merchant's first appearance on the show will not be his last. And even if we do not agree with some of his views, it is refreshing to listen to somebody as knowledgeable and eloquent as Larry Merchant sharing his thoughts regarding some of the issues plaguing the sport.


Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Jorge Linares stings Hector Velazquez in Sacramento

In Saturday's FOX Sports Championship Boxing, held at Sacramento Memorial Auditorium in California, for 10 full rounds in their lightweight bout, former WBC featherweight/WBA super featherweight champion Jorge Linares duked it out against Mexican veteran Hector Velazquez to earn the nod of the three judges 100-89, 98-91, 97-91.

Despite the scorecards, the unanimous decision victory did not come easy as the durable 37-year-old Hector Velazquez made it hard for Jorge Linares to easily run away with the victory. Hector Velazquez never backed down and engaged Jorge Linares tit-for-tat the entire fight.

The victory may have earned Jorge Linares a rematch with erstwhile tormentor Antonio DeMarco, who in October 2011, rallied from being behind in the scorecards, and despite being outlanded 216 to 97 in total punches, stunned the favored Venezuelan in an 11th round TKO at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA to claim the vacant WBC lightweight title.

Jorge Linares (32-3, 20 KOs), who showed battle scars all over his face, stated in the post-fight interview that he would "like to fight again this year if his doctor would allow him" and "wants a rematch with deMarco" next year.

But seeing Jorge Linares in action last Saturday and the trouble that Hector Velazuez caused him, this writer believes that he needs to work more on his defense if he wants to avenge his embarassing loss to Antonio DeMarco.

Jorge Linares, dubbed "El Niño de Oro," or "Golden Boy," has a very good boxing pedigree. He is a well-skilled, two-fisted fighter who can knock the lights out of any opponent on any given day. Yes, he is a talented fighter but a very vulnerable one. He possesses a very good offensive arsenal but also has very poor defense and a certified glass chin. Alas, all of his losses were knockouts to power-punching opponents: Antonio DeMarco, Juan Carlos Salgado and Sergio Thompson.

In his fight against Hector Velazquez, Jorge Linares had all the statistical advantages on his side: younger (27 y/o to 37 y/o), taller (5'-8 1/2" to 5'-7"), weight (135 1/5 lbs to 134 1/2 lbs) and reach (72" to 69") yet the older Hector Velazquez took him into deep waters.

The fight was on right from the opening bell. Both fighters negated the traditional 'feeling out' process as they elected to just get it on and pounced on each other, testing their resolve early.

It was a give and take affair in the center of the ring: Jorge Linares would launch a two-fisted attack digging into his opponents belly while Hector Velazquez would use his right hooks to connect upstairs.

Jorge Linares started strong and was winning the trade-off early as he used his speed, reach advantage and footwork to confuse Hector Velazquez. He speared from a distance, landed the harder shots and easily moved out of range of any counterattack from Velazquez.

But Hector Velazquez would not be denied as he imposed his presence onto Jorge Linares. Hector Velazquez narrowed the gap, forcing himself into Linares, smothering, crowding and pinning him against the ropes while doing damage in close-quarter combat.

The fight was intense and hard-fought. Jorge Linares had the edge in offense as he peppered Hector Velazquez with combinations, but the Mexican would take them all in the chin and continue his attacks, probing and penetrating Linares' porous defense.

And this is why Jorge Linares is vulnerable. For a fighter gifted with a vast array of offensive firepower and a very good footwork to boot, the guy loves to trade shots with his opponents thereby negating his advantages. Jorge Linares is hittable and his glass chin would be his downfall especially if his opponent can walk through his punches and posseses the power to shatter his chin. If Hector Velazquez (52-18-3, 35 KOs) was 10 years younger, he probably could have pulled the trigger. But father time has diminished his ability to do that.

However, Antonio DeMarco, a young lion who packs power in both hands and endowed with a granite chin, will be a very different animal for Jorge Linares. Antonio DeMarco proved it before and he will surely prove it again the moment their paths will cross in the future. And as the old saying goes, "be careful what you wish for."


Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Flashback: Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier

October 1, 1975
Araneta Coliseum
Quezon City
Philippines

HBO Boxing After Dark: Antonin Decarie chops down Alex Perez in 6 rounds

photo credit: Edward Diller/DiBella Entertainment

Alex Perez has the so-called pedigree; a highly-touted undefeated prospect who hones up his chops in the mean streets of Newark, New Jersey and with a fearsome record on paper of 16 wins, 9 inside the distance (although on closer examinations he feasted on patsies to pad his resume) is on the way up, and coming into the fight, maybe in his mind, grabbing the NABF welterweight belt is nothing but just a formality of his promise as a prizefighter.

Nicknamed the "Brick City Bullet", Alex Perez has the compelling backstory that the boxing media loves: shot twice and survived right after his pro debut in 2004; charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault in 2008. He was a young fighter who was given a second lease in life by finding boxing.

It was supposed to be Alex Perez's coming out party and a showcase of his talent and skills until the so-called sacrificial lamb spoiled his grand plans big time.

Nobody thought Antonin Decarie, the 29-year old journeyman from Canada, could pull the upset against Alex Perez. Nobody would have believed that the fighter from Quebec would dismantle his favored opponent inside the ring. But by doing so, Antonin Decarie made the most of his opportunity to appear on the HBO Boxing After Dark fight card at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Conn.

In all 7 years of his professional boxing career, Antonin Decarie was known to be decent albeit a feather-fisted fighter. His record of 7 knockouts in 27 fights speaks for itself. But his record also shows that Antonin Decarie knows how to win and can hold his way inside the ring by compiling a 26-1 win-loss record, a fact that was probably overlooked by Alex Perez and his handlers.

The plot was supposed to be an easy one for Alex Perez. Thus, he was favored to steamroll over Antonin Decarie. It was a fight dubbed by some quarters to be between a streetfighter and a gym denizen; a puncher and a pitty-patter; a future star and a cannon fodder.

But as it always happens, the championship fight did not follow the right script as the boxing gods played a cruel spell on Alex Perez's quest for glory. He was not only outclassed but was stopped in stunning fashion by Antonin Decarie (27-1, 8 KOs) who took home the title via a 6 round TKO.

It was a painful loss for Alex Perez as he was really never in contention during the fight. Antonin Decarie did not give him the chance to get on track. Decarie disrupted Perez's rhythm right after the opening bell.

Antonin Decarie made himself an elusive target for Alex Perez's power shots. He moved constantly and used the entire ring wisely. He would dart in but maintain his distance, potshotting his opponent, and backtracking before Alex Perez could react to counter.

Antonin Decarie invested heavily into Alex Perez's body, digging deep inside while not neglecting to unleash the occasional hammers upstairs. These small things Antonin Decarie did with uncanny accuracy.

And so the story of the fight goes...

Antonin Decarie would continue to chop Alex Perez's body while hammering his head in increasing fashion. On the other hand, Alex Perez was only contented with throwing the occasional power shots during the fight.

In the interval between the 5th and 6th rounds, Alex Perez's corner was egging him to "make a fight" since they know that he is "down on the scorecards." But his corner's prodding was to no avail as it was in the 6th round when Antonin Decarie unloaded his best shots to damage Alex Perez's name and reputation as a fighter.

And with time down to 25 seconds, Antonin Decarie landed a crushing left hook flush on Alex Perez's chin that made him dance the "Paso Doble" in slow motion for a moment before getting hit by a huge right follow up on the chin again, as he went down on his back spread-eagled on the canvas.

Alex Perez struggled to get up on his feet and beat the count but Antonin Decarie, seizing the momentum, did not give him the chance to recover as he immediately moved in for the kill and unloaded several wicked rights as Alex Perez, glassy-eyed, his back on the ropes and visibly dazed, took them badly.

And with just 6 seconds on the clock, Antonin Decarie connected again on two successive right bombs on Perez's temple as Danny Schiavone, the referee, stepped in to stop the carnage.

The fight was a major disappointment for the favored Alex Perez, but a coronation for Antonin Decarie, the underdog who followed his game plan to the letter and used his ring smarts to stun his opponent and the crowd.

The statistics showed Antonin Decarie's workmanlike dominance of Alex Perez: 110/229, 48% versus 56/313, 18% in total punch output while more than doubling his edge in the power department by landing 99/150, 66% against 46/165, 28%.

We do not know how long Antonin Decarie can hold on to his NABF welterweight title but the realities of the business are stacked against his favor. But for whatever its worth, last Saturday night, he was just magical and he earned the right to call himself - 'Champion.'

Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

For Love of the Game: Vic Darchinyan manhandles Luis Del Valle

Photo Credit: VakthangVicDarchinyan/Facebook

There was a time when Vic Darchinyan was the most feared fighter in his division. There was a time when Vic Darchinyan could gore and bully his way against anybody who dared to step into his path. There was a time when Vic Darchinyan was invincible in the eyes of many boxing observers. Yes, there was a time when Vic Darchinyan, the Raging Bull from Armenia fighting out of Australia was on top of the boxing world...

Up until he came across the nightmare that is Nonito Donaire, Jr., and his myth of invincibility went pfft. And with a single blow from Donaire's wicked left hook to the chin, Vic Darchinyan's world crumbled to the ground and he was never the same again.

After that first blot on his once-unblemished career, Vic Darchinyan embarked on a rollercoaster ride: eking out a draw against Z Gorres; bombing his way through Dmitri Kirilov, Christian Mijares and Jorge Arce; stumbling against Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares; rebounding against Yonnhy Perez and then dropping consecutive losses to Anselmo Moreno and Shinsuke Yamanaka.

At 36, Vic Darchinyan, who once held at one time or another every major championship belt in boxing's alphabet soup in every division that he fought in, is obviously at the tail-end of his career. But Vic Darchinyan is a proud man, more so a very proud fighter. His pride and desire to win is the fire that fuels his drive to fight whoever and whenever the boxing gods bring him.

And so, it was on Saturday night that he brought his wares to the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut for the HBO Boxing After Dark fight card against a young and undefeated prospect in Luis Del Valle in a 10-round bout (the first time Darchinyan has appeared in a 10-rounder in 10 years) for the 'lowly' NABF super bantamweight crown.

Vic Darchinyan, who used to headline his fights, but had to play second fiddle to the Edwin Rodriguez-Jason Escalera main event this time around, did not mind the demotion. All Vic Darchinyan was concerned about was to give a good account of himself inside the ring as well as show that he still has the goods to be a player in his division.

Right after the opening bell as his wont and amid the chants of his fans and supporters, Vic Darchinyan immediately initiates contact. He attacks and probes Luis Del Valle's defenses. The two fighters exchanged power punches, testing each others will and chin.

The partisan crowd chanted Dar-chin-yan! Dar-chin-yan! as they applauded their fighter, unorthodox and herky-jerky and trying to bully his way against the young Luis Del Valle.

Luis Del Valle, a brave young lion, stood his ground and tried to engage Vic Darchinyan punch for punch, power for power and grit for grit. But as the fight went on, it was obvious that the young fighter's will was no match for the veteran's aggression.

Vic Darchinyan used every trick in the book to daze and confuse his young inexperienced opponent. He bulldozed and rushed his way, pushing and smothering his opponent as he pummeled him with power shot after power shot. He would hug and clinch his way out of trouble on a few times that Del Valle's punches found its mark.

Vic Darchinyan descended on Luis Del Valle with mean intentions, throwing bombs along the way. But Luis Del Valle showed his big heart and strong will. His chin took all that Darchinyan could give and dished out his own brand of damage.

In rounds 4 and 5, Vic Darchinyan started to wither his game opponent as Del Valle elected to engage him in a brawl. Vic Darchinyan, by this time, was landing his big left upstairs.

In round 6, Vic Darchinyan gave Luis Del Valle lessons in pro boxing, old dirty tricks and all: leading with his heads, elbows, forearms, etc. The rough-house tactics took their toll on Luis Del Valle, and he has the marks and cuts to show for it -- a cut on the bridge of the nose as well as a gash on the chin.

The brutal beating continued in rounds 7 and 8 as Luis Del Valle traded with Vic Darchinyan, but the Armenian was beating him to the punch and landing at will. But Luis Del Valle is a young warrior and so full of heart; he would come back albeit landing one hard shot at a time while receiving several hard shots in the exchanges.

In the last 60 seconds of the fight, he landed a right hand on Darchinyan that made him backtrack a bit and momentarily halted the attacks. However, Vic Darchinyan came back and retaliated with hard shots of his own up until the end of the round.

The last two rounds were an exhibit of 'how to take everything on the chin,' literally and figuratively speaking. Despite at the receiving end of vicious punches, you can never count Luis Del Valle out though, a young and determined fighter with power in both hands who is always dangerous at any time in any round in a fight.

The 9th round looked one-sided in favor of Vic Darchinyan, looking more like the Raging Bull of old; he is administering a good old fashioned beating on his opponent when Luis Del Valle's left hook snuck and found its mark on Darchinyan's face, visibly rocking him and stopping him in his tracks. Luis Del Valle tried to move in for the kill but Vic Darchinyan fought back while eluding his attacker's assaults and survived the round.

Vic Darchinyan may be dominating and menacing in the ring but his style also makes him vulnerable; thus, there is always drama in his fights. And most fight fans love these kinds of drama.

Vic Darchinyan came back strong in the 10th and final round to seal the win. The judges gave Vic Darchinyan a unanimous decision winning by 99-91, 99-91, 96-94 on all scorecards. Vic Darchinyan landed a high 54% 205/381 of his powershots to Luis Del Valle's anemic 25% 129/524. Luis Del Valle threw more punches 577 to 552 but Vic Darchinyan landed more 227 to 132, a 41% to 23% statistical edge.

Vic Darchinyan traveled to Connecticut and may have gotten himself an 'insignificant' piece of hardware if we put into account where he was coming from. But to Vic Darchinyan, it does not really matter whether the price is big or small, because all he wants to do is fight.

Yes, the Raging Bull showed that there is still a lot of fight left in him, and Vic Darchinyan wants to have more fights in the future and it will not hurt boxing if we give him more chances to fight.

 Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Road To Glory: Edwin Rodriguez bombs his way to victory

In the main event of HBO Boxing After Dark's "Road To Glory" fight card at the MGM Grand's Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT, Edwin Rodriguez made his case very clear by drubbing into submission erstwhile unbeaten boxer Jason Escalera in the 8th round of their 10 round bout for the USBA super middleweight belt.

In the aftermath of the one-sided carnage, Edwin Rodriguez, who is undefeated with 22 wins and 15 knockouts on his resume, proclaimed that he is ready to step up and face the likes of Kelly Pavlik or any other marquee fighter who wants a piece of his scalp.

"Today I wanted to send a message and I believe I did. I'm ready now. My promoter and manager have done a great job moving me along and if they think I'm ready, I'm ready."

Caught in the euphoria of his win, Edwin Rodriguez even vowed that he is willing to move up to light heavyweight and challenge former WBC titlist and Ring Magazine Champion Jean Pascal if the latter obliges their friendship notwithstanding.

"Pascal is a good friend, but this is business. If he wants to get it on, I'm down as well."

The fight with Jason Escalera (13-1, 12 KOs) was an easy one for the bigger and heavier Edwin Rodriguez as he used and exploited his advantages in talent and power over his raw and inexperienced opponent to perfection. Rodriguez ballooned to 186 lbs from 166 lbs while Escalera rehydrated to 176 from 165 lbs after the weigh-in the day before the fight.

Edwin Rodriguez outworked, outwitted and outslugged Jason Escalera round after round en route to an 8th round TKO when the referee Steve Smoger finally stopped the one-sided fight just 8 seconds into the fateful round when Rodriguez cornered and continued to pummel the obviously hurt and almost defenseless Escalera in the corner. The dazed Jason Escalera, with blood oozing from his busted right ear from Rodriguez' vicious hard lefts, submitted to the referee's verdict without protest.

The omen of things to come came early just seconds into the first round when Edwin Rodriguez, nicknamed "La Bomba," unleashed his bombs right away and caught Jason Escalera early in the chin with a power shot that sent his mouthpiece out of his mouth and onto the canvass. He would receive several more hard blows downstairs and upstairs from Rodriguez's hard two-fisted attacks up until 2:05 remaining in the round when the referee had to stop the beatdown so that Jason Escalera could have his mouthpiece back in place.

The short respite was to no avail as Edwin Rodriguez resumed bombing his way into Jason Escalera's porous defense, landing 49 of his 82 powershots in the round. What Jason Escalera lacked in experience and skills, though, he more than made up for in his huge heart and showed that he possesses a granite chin, as he absorbed everything that his opponent threw his way while applying token resistance and trying to shake off the cobwebs in his head.

It was all downhill from there for Jason Escalera as he tried to wage an uphill battle with an opponent who is not only better skilled and talented than him, but also has a vast array of weapons in his arsenal.

The story of the fight was the glaring contradiction between the two protagonists in poise, savvy, experience, power, talent and skills. The story of the fight was Edwin Rodriguez's constant pressure and consistent overhands, hooks and upper cuts to Jason Escalera's ineffective counterpops. It was also the story of Escalera's 'flying mouthpiece' and Rodriguez's accuracy with his power shots as Jason Escalera's mouthpiece was dislodged from his mouth on numerous occasions as a result of Edwin Rodriguez's bombs connecting with his mouth, jaw and chin.

Punch Statistics showed that Edwin Rodriguez stamped his class over the hapless Jason Escalera in this particular fight. Rodriguez connected 195/335 power punches for a 58% accuracy compared to Escalera's woeful 65/222, 29% connection rate and outlanding him 231/537 for a 43% clip compared to 95/440, 22% total punches.

Yes, the slow, methodical and deliberate beating that Edwin Rodriguez delivered on Jason Escalera is a mirror of his maturity and readiness for bigger fights ahead. The verdict is still out there though for Edwin Rodriguez, and a future fight with the likes of Kelly Pavlik and the other big names in the division will show his real worth as a prizefighter.

The win was doubly sweet for Edwin Rodriguez since it happened on the birthday of his twins, who were born 'premature' six years ago to the day.

Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

ESPN First Take: Mayweather-Pacquiao Saga Continues

Fight to Educate: Demetrius Andrade schools and blasts Alexis Hloros in two

Middleweight boxer Alexis "Hurricane" Hloros (16-5-2, 12 KOs) of Mt. Clemens, a prime attraction at Michigan's famed Royal Oak Music Theatre wherein he made a career of plastering patsies to pad his records, was himself plastered Thursday night by undefeated contender and 2008 Olympian Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade (18-0, 13 KOs) inside two rounds at the 11th annual Fight To Educate Pro-Am card held at the Wireless Verizon Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Demetrius Andrade neutralized the Hurricane early and did not commit any boo-boos as he schooled the Michigan native in the finer aspects of the sweet science, eventually stopping him in the second round of the 10-round bout.

On paper, Alexis Hloros' record might be good, but a closer examination will reveal that most of his wins were against fighters with losing and atrocious records, and the only other time that he stepped up in opposition was against James Kirkland in 2011 wherein he also got blasted within two rounds.

Fight To Educate is a "charity event that combines a love of sports with the vision of assisting children and seniors in need, who with fundraisers like this could be 'down for the count.' During the past 10 years, Fight To Educate has raised more than $500,000 in donations benefitting local New Hampshire non-profit organizations."

The organizers revealed that "proceeds from the 11th annual Fight To Educate will benefit SEE Science Center (www.see-sciencecenter.org), The Bobby Stephens Fund for Education (www.stepheneducationfund.com), and New Horizons for New Hampshire."

ESPN First Take: Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. speaks about his future, jail time and Manny Pacquiao

Credits: David Becker/Getty Images

After his release from jail, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has so far managed to maintain a low profile when it comes to his career and personal life. Except for a few interviews here and there, Mayweather has been quiet on all fronts; no mean feat for a person who historically craves the limelight and a magnet of controversy both in his words and actions.

In one of the interviews he did for FightHype, a sober Floyd Mayweather, Jr. opened up his mind and bared some of his plans. He spoke about his personality ("It's about having personality, you know. You gotta be outspoken and have personality. It's not really the bad guy. I enjoy entertaining. That's what it's about, giving the fans excitement and entertainment. Some pay to see me win, some pay to see me lose, but they all pay."), his relationship with his rapper buddy 50 Cent ("everything that he touch turns to gold"), his promotions company, his time in a Las Vegas prison, and of course, Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. gave us a glimpse of his life in jail which included his distrust of the food that was being served, "I was surviving off commissary. I didn't eat the food at all...I don't like it and I didn't trust it" and the activities that he did to keep himself in good physical shape, like ridiculously pushing himself to do push-ups -- from a few hundreds to a thousand push-ups or more per day -- "I started doing 436 pushups a day. Then I went from 436 to 872. Then I went to 1308, so I was doing like 1300 pushups a day."

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. also divulged that he also found time to read while incarcerated, "I was doing a lot of reading from the fans, and just reading different books, different magazines." It would have been interesting to know what kind of books and magazines Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has found a liking to, except that the interviewer did not pursue the topic.

But the most telling part of the interview was the one regarding his views and positions on fighting Manny Pacquiao. His ambivalence on the topic was palpable as he tried to explain his reasons, as well as reiterating his uncompromising stand on his demands.

"I don't have any hate towards Manny Pacquiao, you know. I respect him, but I'm just saying, it's not a crime. I'm also saying I'ma do random blood and urine testing, you know, just so I can be in a clean sport. That's all I'm asking."

"Actually, we don't do the same type of numbers, so how can we split? We don't draw the same type of money."

"It's kind of hard. I mean, Arum wants money, but the thing is, it's about putting the fighters in a good position. It's about Pacquiao and Mayweather. It's about putting both fighters in a good position, and of course I'm going to put myself in a good position."

"I can't really say why he won't do the random blood and urine tests...at this particular time, I don't know if he wants to do it or not."

These pronouncements are nothing but empty rhetorics though, since we have all heard this before. These pronouncements are nothing but a sad refrain from a fighter who is showing ambivalence in fighting the one person who could test his will and limits as a prizefighter. There is no question that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is one of the greatest fighters of his era and is actually favored to beat Manny Pacquiao if ever they face each other in the ring, but until the day happens we will never really know the answer.

Obviously, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is putting the blame on Bob Arum for the failed negotiations of the megafight. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is still adamant that he will call the shots when it comes to the purse split as well as the percentage of the pay-per-view revenue. And lastly, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. makes it appear that Manny Pacquiao is still against random blood testing. (For the record, Manny Pacquiao has gone on record on numerous occasions that there is no more problem on his part with the blood testing issue -- random, Olympic or otherwise.)

And Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has this to say as a parting shot, "The only thing I can continue to do is, if I do fight again, I'll fight whoever they put in front of me."

It would have been great for boxing if only Floyd Mayweather, Jr. would be true to his pronouncements, but based on his track record, we will all need to take everything that he says with a grain of salt.

  Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner