Who’s the daddy?

I hear that Riddick Bowe is thinking of making a comeback: nice to hear that “Big Daddy” is thinking. Mind you, he must be slurring his thoughts as much as his speech if he thinks he has any legitimate business being in a boxing ring. Apparently he’s set his sights on Juan Carlos Gomez, a man who calls himself the “Black Panther” but acted like a domestic kitty in his title fight last year against Vitali Klitschko.

Bowe was showing signs of the punishment from taking too many punches fourteen years ago, before the last slugfest of his epic trilogy with Evander Holyfield. Clearly Gomez is never going to be world champion but his punches are still capable of adding a punctuation mark to Bowe’s sentence.

The most successful boxers usually possess a level of self-belief bordering on the clinically insane; it’s likely an important part of what elevates them to the top of their sport. But it’s this same self-belief that leaves them fighting on for too long. Eventually it’s hard to tell arrogance from Alzheimer’s; why wait until the diagnosis is obvious?

If you’re in any way uncertain about which end of this spectrum Bowe is on, listen to his comments about the possibility of fighting Gomez: “He’s already fought Vitali Klitschko and now it’s his last chance to prove he belongs with real world class.” Given that Bowe’s last top-flight fight was nearly a generation ago, one might wonder why he thinks that Gomez is the one facing a last chance at the big time. I don’t disagree that Gomez is far from deserving another title shot, if indeed he deserved one in the first place. But Bowe is hardly at the front of the line.

Furthermore, for Gomez, in what way would fighting Bowe be equivalent to fighting a world-class contender? If Bowe really thinks that he is an adequate test then he’s in need of some tests of his own and he should be wearing a gown that fastens at the back when they’re administered. But wait, isn’t Evander’s fight with the “White Buffalo” Franz Botha, lost in limbo? Perhaps Holyfield and Bowe can go at it together, one last time, and be buried side-by-side.

A bad wrap for boxing?

According to several recent reports, Antonio Margarito is set to return to the ring this March, on the under card of the Pacquiao-Clottey fight, a year after having had his license revoked. Margarito’s ban stemmed from being caught with pads, soaked in a plaster-of-paris like substance, hidden beneath his hand wraps shortly before he was due to fight Shane Mosley. Nazim Richardson, Mosley’s trainer first sounded the alarm and the California State Athletic Commission’s inspector consequently found the pads and had them removed. Margarito’s hands were re-wrapped, and many will consider the subsequent nearly nine-round beating he received from Mosley to be some form of Platonic justice.

Obviously we have no evidence that Margarito, who cowardly claimed ignorance about the presence of the pads, had ever fought with such ‘accessories’ before, but we’re free to speculate. And such speculation should throw into doubt the status of his previous major ring successes in addition to making us wonder why he’s been allowed to box ever again.

It’s no small matter to promote doing away with a man’s primary mode of making a living. But Margarito was willing to subject Mosley to such a risk and this suggests that he doesn’t share my feelings. So surely we should return the favour and refuse to watch him fight on. We may not be able to stop his reinstatement but we don’t have to pay his wages.

It seems to me that a lifetime ban is the only fitting punishment for Margarito’s blatantly immoral actions. The California State Athletic Commission clearly doesn’t agree and we can’t count on the promoters to do the right thing. Bob Arum, an advocate of Margarito, stated after the suspension was handed down that he’d arrange for Margarito to fight in his native Mexico, outside the jurisdiction of the US ban. That didn’t actually happen and Arum now has the temerity to suggest that this should be seen as a positive factor in any decision to formally reinstate Margarito’s US boxing license. Mind you, if the chances of reinstatement were actually in any doubt it’s unlikely that Margarito would have already exchanged contracts with his next opponent, Carson Jones.

Finally, it will be interesting to see whether or not Javier Capetillo, Margarito’s disgraced trainer, will also be reinstated. But not half as interesting as finding out if he is still Margarito’s main-man. Capetillo claimed sole responsibility for the attempted subterfuge. If that claim were true, then one would presume that Margarito had crossed him off his Christmas card list. If ‘Tony’ steps up to the ring apron in March and spits into a bucket held by Capetillo then that’s one in the eye for us too. And the next morning the face of boxing will look worse than that of Carson Jones.

Boxing Clever?

The fit between transitivity and trading punches is a poor one. Case in point: if Antonio Margarito is taller than Shane Mosley, and Mosley is taller than Miguel Cotto, then logically it must follow that Margarito is taller than Cotto. In boxing however, Margarito beat Cotto and Cotto beat Mosley, but we all know what happened when Margarito met Mosley. If logic and boxing are such bad bedfellows, then in what way are we reasoning when we predict that one boxer will beat another?

That’s not easy to answer no matter what your profession, so perhaps we should spare a thought for the people who get punched in the head for a living. After all, you might suppose that when one boxer refuses to fight another on the mere suspicion that his proposed opponent may have used performance-enhancing drugs, then he’d sure as hell refuse to fight someone who had actually admitted such abuse. Right? Well apparently not, as the rush is on to make the match between Mayweather and Mosley.

Clearly, we can’t square away Mayweather’s consistency inside the ring with his inconsistency outside of it. But let’s not let logic get in the way of a good thing, this is still one of the best fights that could be made in boxing in the near future. So here’s what I’m wondering, what was it that made Mayweather default on the Pacquiao fight when he seems willing to meet Mosley? On paper, at least, this assignment doesn’t look to be any easier. Hopefully we’ll find out soon. But in the event that the past actually is a good indicator of the future, I won’t hold my breath until I see them both standing in the middle of the ring.

Jones vs. Hopkins? Hop-ping Mad!

The boxing New Year appears to be off to an inauspicious start. On the one hand we’re currently being denied the one fight that every boxing fan wants to see. On the other, we’re being offered the one fight that no one in his right mind wants to witness. It doesn’t help that Golden Boy Promotions has a hand in both affairs. And whilst they can’t be blamed for failing to get Floyd to sign for the fight against Manny Pacquiao, they sure should be for backing Bernard Hopkins versus Roy Jones Jr.

What we’re being offered in these aging athletes is B-Hop, who wins but lately looks bad doing so, against Jones Jr., who loses but looks good whilst he’s upright.

To even enter into discussion about the possible outcomes of this farcical fight is to take it too seriously. Unfortunately, the odds that the fans will watch this sham are high. The probability that this will be an entertaining battle is slim. The odds that the conclusion will affect either fighter’s entry to the Hall of Fame are zero: if comparisons about their careers have been affected by the fighters’ failure to peak at the same time, then it’s hard to see how either man’s actions can address that now.

The inflated sense of self that helps propel pugilists like these to championship status, always outstays its welcome and the subsequent, predictable path from delusion to dementia is way too easy to chart. For the fans, this fight may well be adding insult to injury but the real damage is always sustained by the fighters. The instruction, “protect yourself at all times,” should be taken more seriously.

Hats off to Hatton?

You have to wonder if there’s anyone in the world, other than the man himself, who really wants to see Ricky Hatton fight again. Still his own vote seems sufficient, as he made clear yesterday, by confirming that his return to the ring will take place some time this summer.

In one sense it isn’t difficult to understand why Hatton wants to throw his hat in the ring one more time; the devastating way in which he was dispatched by Pacquiao must be hard for him to forget. But nothing he does will erase that knockout from the collective memory either. Of course Ricky doesn’t seem to think so. Why else would he claim that only an, ‘alphabet champion,’ or a top-ten pound-for-pound fighter will suffice for his comeback?

Let’s leave aside, for the moment, the notion that Ricky probably no longer belongs in either of those categories. Hatton must know that as exciting as he was in the ring, arguably nothing he did is as memorable as the knockout he suffered, in the second round, at the hands of Manny Pacquiao. He can’t change that now, so by fighting on he has nothing to gain and his health to lose.

If Hatton faces someone significantly lower on the ratings radar, then his winning exit from the sport will ring hollow. But even if he does manage to beat a bona fide champ, what’s the likelihood that it will alter any long-term assessments of his career?

A damned-if-I-do-and-damned-if-I-don’t mentality isn’t helpful for Hatton and thoughts about his long-term health should help him tip the balance into retirement.

Hatton’s face-forward fighting style always left him vulnerable to punishment, let alone KOs and there’s plenty of evidence, from recent fights, that his punch resistance is reading “empty.” A return to winning won’t change the way that posterity ranks Hatton’s career and, anyway, the greater likelihood is that he’ll lose against the first decent foe he faces.

Hatton is adamant about his return and will doubtless make much noise about it in the coming months. He has always been exciting to watch, and an excellent ambassador for the sport. Given how much he’s admired for his after-dinner speaking ability, he should retire whilst he’s still loud and clear.

Money’s Masterstroke?

The members of my Monday night sewing circle have a saying; money talks and bullshit walks. That’s great if you want a fair price on a fair-isle sweater but it holds little sway in boxing. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. can’t negotiate a contract, can’t agree to disagree, and won’t be beating each other up anytime soon. Or will they?

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum has apparently agreed to stage a fight between Manny and teak-tough Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13th at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. Supposedly the fight is on but I haven’t heard word that either fighter has signed on the dotted line. What could be the hold-up, I hear you ask.

Mayweather’s return, from a roughly one-year “retirement,” may have been motivated by many things, money especially. I haven’t taken time to look into Floyd’s finances, but word has it that Oscar de la Hoya had to bail “Money” out of a back-taxes tight-spot.

On the other hand, when Mayweather went into boxing hibernation he was generally regarded as the sport’s pound-for-pound primo. During his absence, Pacquiao ascended the rankings and the weight classes. The stars, then, aligned. This presented Mayweather with the makings of a career-high payday against Pacquiao, the man who had usurped the number one spot in his absence. On a cost-benefit analysis, Floyd finally had a foe, and the attendant finances, that made risking his health for the sake of his ego worthwhile.

So what should we make of recent reports about the demise of this match-up? Mayweather versus Malignaggi is hardly a fight to get excited about. Except perhaps for the “Magic Man.” Indeed if Paulie can stop talking long enough, he’ll be licking his lips at the thought of putting-up his feather fists against Floyd for his retirement fund.

Clottey, on the other hand, has a much better chance of derailing the Philippine’s finest; the outcome of this fight, should it happen, is hardly a foregone conclusion. So why would Manny take the fight? He surely doesn’t need the money. What else could it be but an attempt to keep off the ring-rust until the fight we all want is back on the schedule?

Mayweather’s well aware that facing anyone other than Pacquiao will do little to enhance his position in the boxing pantheon. And whilst the money doesn’t hurt, the punches probably do. No, Mayweather only wants one thing, Manny. But the current delay might just be Mayweather’s masterstroke: if the “Pacman” gobbles up Clottey, then the fight with Floyd has to go ahead and they both win the lottery. If Manny should lose however, Floyd can claim that he was overrated all that time, claw back the pound-for-pound title by default, and slink safely into a well-financed retirement without ever facing the man that many think is the only real threat to his legacy.

Taylor over and out?

After hearing of Jermaine Taylor’s withdrawal from the Super Six tournament, I was both happy and sad. It was always a concern that someone would pull out, sad news for both Taylor and the excellent Super Six tournament. However it is not very often a boxer knows when it’s time to hang them up, so looking like he has little left to offer the world of Championship boxing, it would make me happy to hear of his firm retirement. If you are really only as good as your last fight, or last five in Taylor’s case, then can there be much argument for him continuing? To have reigned as World Champion in what has always been considered the most prestigious weight class outside of the heavies, he can retire happy, having dethroned a modern great in Hopkins, made several successful defences and earned a healthy bank balance. Jermaine can probably beat the fringe contenders, but even that may prove difficult given recent showings and boxing at the highest level is all that interests him. In recent years, defeats to Kelly Pavlik, Carl Froch and a one punch collapse to Abraham surely signalled the end of any aspirations he had of recapturing a title, or his reputation as a ferocious finisher, illustrated in his run to the Middleweight crown. Under his own admission he has no interest in the boxing world outside of fighting; retiring then and staying away should prove less difficult for him than for those who literally eat, sleep, and breathe the sport. Let’s hope his friends and family around him feel the same and that Jermaine Taylor, a softly spoken gentleman starts to enjoy life after boxing sooner rather than later.

Pacq it in!

Like a rebound relationship, cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s own face, is a phenomenon we are all usually well aware of, even whilst we’re involved in it. So you might wonder what exactly Floyd Mayweather Jr. is thinking right now. If you are, then come on in, you’ve become part of the pre-fight promotion.

Following failed mediation, Pacquiao’s camp has declared that the proposed March 13^th super-fight with Floyd is no more. Do you remember Pac-Man’s negotiations with Ricky Hatton? No? Do you remember the boy who cried wolf?

No, the fight will go ahead. The blood-testing issue is nothing more than a negotiating tool. And not a particularly good one at that. Mayweather appears to have miscalculated the public’s taste for stories of steroid abuse. Indeed, as Alexus Mcleod mentioned in the comments to a previous post on this site, even mainstream media has refused to bite. Mayweather managed to climb the weight divisions without sacrificing speed or strength, now we’re supposed to believe that he kicked the ladder away?

Perhaps Pretty-Boy’s cameo appearances for the WWE have unduly affected his business acumen. In that industry the fight outcomes are pre-planned; there’s no genuine line between promotion and action. Someone should tell him that Pacquiao isn’t playacting.

Check for faulty wiring.

After years of observing the manner in which sports fans in the UK support teams or individuals, I’m always curious why so many seem to lean toward the perennial losers and/or underdogs. What’s wrong with winning? Do we just crave the upset, or is it, instead, compassion for the constant loser?

Football supporters hold the number one spot for both bias and blind ignorance, rarely giving praise, no matter how impressive the feat is by an opposing side, and at the same time swearing blind that fouls committed by their own players did not happen. Sound familiar?

Boxing ‘fans’ offer a different kind of ignorance, manifested by staggeringly high expectations. For instance, unimaginative accusations are aimed, with annoying regularity at silky smooth boxers who fail to score KOs, or my favourite, “ he’s chinny”, usually rolled out specially for exciting champions known for engaging in up and down thrillers.
I suggest that logic plays little or no role here.

Lets go back to the losers or underdogs who were fan faves until they became champions; suddenly the fans find faults and weaknesses previously unnoticed, or merely unmentioned, once the object of their affection reaches the pinnacle.
Perhaps someone can explain the sudden desire that fans seem to show to see a team sink into relegation as soon as they’ve achieved number one status, or the dogged desire to see a newly crowned champion KOd?

Can fans not stay impartial and remain factual in their analysis of an ongoing game or fight, even as they cheer for their favourite? Is there much evidence of this happening anywhere near you?.

So we know the answer to the question: How long do we support the loser or underdog? Until they become winners.
What I’m still struggling with is why? If anyone would like to enlighten me, I’m all ears.

Happy New Year

On behalf of the team here at “The Milling Cove,” I’d just like to wish our legion of fans, and flash coves everywhere, a Happy New Year!