I like the excitement I feel from Friday Night Fights coming back each January, but isn’t one of the biggest pluses to boxing that we have no season? Sure, big fights are timed around late February, early May, September, and mid November when no other big sport is ending, but we pretty much go all year round. If you have to stop FNF for College Football, why not bring back the Wednesday night fights for a fall series?
Speaking of Fall Series, I liked the shortened version of Cotto vs. Margarito, 24/7. We have seen each one before on 24/7, therefore why rehash it. Perhaps this can work in future PPV build-ups, so we don’t have to rewatch everything we already know about Mayweather and Pacquiao.
Speaking of Margarito, can you think of anyone besides Mike Tyson who has made more money after already proving himself washed up? We should all have a retirement package like this.
Speaking of retirement, Vitali Klitschko should wind things down. Given his age, knees, and back… he’s going to end up with yet a third loss due to injury, in a fight he was winning. His 16 year career, of losing maybe 12 rounds in his entire career, is already extraordinary. There is nothing left needed for his legacy.
Speaking of tarnishing legacies… can Robert Helenius’ people get Evander Holyfield in the ring? Chisora exposed the big Finn as vulnerable, while he still seems to KO all the durable old pros. This fight is the best way to cash in an over-hyped bum, while giving an old dog the beatdown he needs, in order to convince him to call it quits.
Speaking of calling it quits, how ridiculously early was the Jermain Taylor – Jesse Nicklow stoppage? Not at all, if you’ve been reading my blogs for the last few years. This is a disease in my home state of California . Early stoppages are rampant here. There is no such thing as a come from behind win in California . Just look at T aylor ’s last KO win. Nearly 7 years ago, against Daniel Edouard. Again, it was an early wave-off, in Los Angeles . How many times does this need to happen before someone besides me recognizes it?
Speaking of recognition, I’d like to congratulate referee Steve Smoger for continuing to be the best referee in boxing. He lets fighters fight it out, spots the infractions, and it’s no coincidence he is often involved in some great slugfests.
Speaking of great slugfests, something tells me Nobuhiro Ishida vs. Paul Williams is going to be good. Both have good but not great power, vulnerability, and a lot to gain from winning. The winner will likely get a crack at Sergio Martinez, now that Maravilla has completely cut ties with the WBC.
Bravo to Martinez for that, by the way. He doesn't need that biased, evil organization anyway. They were never going to let Chavez Jr. take his ass-whuppin' from Martinez anyway, so why play their game? He's only got a few good years left at his age, so congrats on not wasting a moment of it. Now JC Jr. can lose the way his bosses deserve to see... in a complete upset, with much less money on the line.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com