James Toney vs. Denis Lebedev
Well, for all Roy Jones has slipped, he still has a bizarre hold over past opponents. Once Roy holds a win over you, even if you go on to achieve your own greatness, you never seem to forget it, and end up chasing a ghost. Hopkins , Tarver, and now Toney… all chasing either Jones himself, or other Jones conquerors. To prove what? I am not sure. Toney might just be trying to prove he can still make Cruiserweight. Toney vs. Tarver would be a fun fight at any weight, and the winner might sneak into a title shot at Cruiser or Heavy. Toney would earn a number 1 ranking with the win, but my gut tells me this is the fight where he ages too much. Lebedev by narrow UD.
Alfredo Angulo Vs. James Kirkland
Many people think this fight would have been more impressive before Angulo’s loss to Cintron, and subsequent exile. It definitely would have been better before Kirkland was imprisoned, then KO’d in the first round by light-hitting Noburo Ishida, right? I disagree. This is one of those fights that will actually be even better because both men have something to prove. Trainer and promoter difficulties, losses, exiles for different reasons, etc. The 154-160 landscape has moved on without them to create ‘Viva Mexico ’ stars, but are both still wide open besides them. Neither man would beat Sergio Martinez, but they are live with anyone else. Their recent losses will also make them more marketable to avoidance-monsters like Alvarez and Chavez Jr. Any pick would be logical here, because each man will be forced out of a comfort zone. However, my guess is, much like Rios-Antillon, it’s going to come down to chin. Angulo has one. Kirkland doesn’t. Angulo by 4th round KO in a wild slugfest.
Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Manny Pacquiao 3
The third installment of this trilogy isn’t coming too late chronologically, as it’s only been 7 years since the first match-up, yet as far as what has transpired in the interim, the two are worlds apart. True, Marquez did move up and take the lightweight division by storm, but his elite days are behind him in any weight class, and we are expecting him to jump two divisons to tangle with a miraculous Pacquiao. I am afraid we are looking at Manny’s 4th straight decision win. This one will not be close. Prepare for a bit of a repeat of the Mosley matchup, wherein a fighter realizes he’s in with something different than he has seen before (even though Marquez has seen a different view of Pacquiao twice before). He then will use his guile to last, not win. The first indicator is when a fighter is using the word “warrior” too much, as did Mosley, and now is Marquez. Who are they trying to convince? The answer is themselves. Pacquiao by UD.
November Predictions Part 2
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
