Karim Mayfield is looking like the real thing. What an exciting time this is for Bay Area boxing. Between Mayfield, Nonito Donaire, and Andre Ward, Northern California is on the boxing map, after many years of not producing anything noteworthy. Virgil Hunter being voted trainer of the year, plus the climate and culture, should be producing more fighter migration to the area as well.
Speaking of boxing centers, the Seattle-Tacoma area is due to produce a decent prospect or two, as well. The 70's and 80's were chock full of champions and contenders: Haugen, Seales, Randolph, Lockridge, Bumphus, etc., but since then, the pickens have been slim. It's a wonder, too, since they have more than enough fight cards at various Indian casinos throughout the state.
Speaking of boxing centers, Germany is in danger of losing it's edge. The ridiculous decision loss of heavyweight Maurice Harris has taken corrupt judging to a new level. Apparently this one was god awful. With more and more German based fighters getting free: Erdei, Dzindziruk, and soon Golovkin, the new in thing to do is going to be building the record there, until someone calls you a protected joke, then coming to the U.S. to cash out, and prove your skills. It's kind of the opposite of what the Klitschkos did. It's making guys look like wimps for not doing it, as well.
Speaking of cowardly moves, Dmitry Pirog has offically erased all intrigue after choosing to face Nobuhiro Ishida in his last fight. Hiding in Russia and fighting exposed journeyman to lackluster decision wins pretty much proves that even he knows his win over Daniel Jacobs was a fluke.
Speaking of flukes, with Andre Berto and Lamont Peterson both failing drug tests for substances hardly any of us have heard of... often to the point that even the fighter has no idea what happened, this calls for a new definition of "performace-enhancing". To the drug testers I say: calm down! To the fighters I say, take vitamins, and probiotics, and that's it! No shakes, no "new supplements". It's your body... research everything you put in it, yourself. Trust no one.
Speaking of Berto, I say with the Berto-Ortiz fight a full 5 weeks away, someone should step in and replace him. Why not Paulie Malignaggi? Ortiz can still fight for a belt, and Malignaggi will have had a full 8 weeks since he won his. A bit of old-school thinking, but why not?
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
