Bleacher Report - Articles by David Reyes

What the Game's Been Missing, Pt. 2: Juan "Baby Bull" Diaz

David Reyes — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:00:18 -0500

Just like any other year, boxing is hopeful and hungry for huge success in 2009. But this year is a bit different than any other in recent memory in some key ways that excite both boxing fans and executives.

First is the fact that two of boxing’s biggest draws are likely retired and will seemingly only come out to fight maybe once more. Second, a new, international superstar in Manny Pacquiao has emerged, and third, the availability of skilled, young talent is arguably the strongest of the decade.

Televised fights have done well in featuring this available young talent, displaying boxers to the likes of Yiokiris Gamboa, Andre Berto, and Juan Diaz, just to name a few.

Additionally, the more hyped fight-cards, like Berto-Collazo, Mosley-Margarito, and Darchinyan-Arce have fared well in the eyes of fans and in the pockets of boxing bosses.

In fact, to the surprise of many, the Mosley-Margarito card set a record for attendance at the Staples Center in Los Angeles―bigger than any other live event.

Anyone interested in the best for the sport hopes that this trend will carry on in Saturday’s HBO Boxing After Dark event. The main event features former undisputed lightweight titlist, Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz (34-1, 17 KO) against virtually unanimous pound-for-pound elite, Juan Manuel Marquez (49-4-1, 36KO).

Saturday’s card will also show a co-feature that shouldn’t be slept on as Rocky Juarez (28-4, 20KO) battles Chris John (42-0-1, 22KO) in what it sure to be a good one. But all of the attention is going to aforementioned Diaz vs. Marquez, and maybe, rightfully so.

Some might label it a metaphorical ‘coming out’ party for Diaz.

Others will see it as a proverbial ‘passing of the torch’ from a Mexican legend to a Mexican-American up-and-comer whose potential has not yet been reached.

But regardless of stance, one thing that is clear is that not only because of the type of fighter he is, but who he is, and what he represents―the “Baby Bull” is what the game’s been missing.

Have you ever seen a chubby 135-pound person?

Okay―what about a chubby 135-pound elite professional boxer who is younger than 30 years old and NOT out of shape?

Factor in the fact that he constantly throws multiple-punch combinations throughout the entirety of the fight.

If you answered yes, then chances are high that you’ve seen Juan Diaz.

The 5’6”, 25-year-old titlist with a healthy dose of baby fat around his gut, puts it all on the line all of the time.

What makes him a good fighter, and potentially partially responsible for shaping the future of boxing is the fact that he acknowledges that he is learning and can improve with every fight.

He notices his weaknesses and tries to address them without straying too far from his signature style of frequently throwing at least 70 punches every round for most of the fight.

In his latest effort, last September against Michael Katsidis, Diaz threw 801 punches and landed about 37 percent of them, including 41 percent of his power punches.

Going in to his March 2008 battle with Nate Campbell, Diaz ranked second only behind Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the statistical category of difference between a boxer’s average punch-connect percentage and his opponent’s. Diaz was plus-23 percent.

On the flip side, Diaz isn’t necessarily hard to hit, as his fight with Nate Campbell displayed (Diaz was hit 414 times as Nate landed 36 percent of his punches) and needs to improve his defense, especially going in to a fight with a sharpshooter like Marquez.

In a rematch with Manny Pacquiao, who is far less stationary and more jittery with faints and movements than that of Juan Diaz, Marquez landed about 34 percent of his total punches, including 42 percent of his total punches.

Marquez is also a more advanced defensive fighter than his opponent. In the Pacquiao rematch, Marquez was only hit 25 percent of the time. It also shouldn’t be ignored that Pacquiao throws a lot of punches like Diaz, but might be a harder hitter than him.

But to spectators, unless they’re hardcore “Baby Bull” fans, it isn’t about whether Diaz wins or not, but more of what he brings to the table―non-stop action, aggression, and a whole lot of heart.

Diaz is the type of fighter who old fans of the sport reminisce about―he throws punches in bunches and doesn’t back down from anyone. But that’s just in the ring. Out of the ring, some may consider Diaz’s story even more notable.

Most boxers wind up in the ring because it was their last resort and they did it to get off the streets or stay out of trouble.

Although those explanations have traces in Diaz’s reasoning, he does it primarily because he loves it…and to pay the bills that he is accumulating while pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Houston.

Upon graduation, Diaz has made it no secret that he hopes to obtain his law degree to eventually assist equal rights efforts in the U.S.; and he is a big time community activist.

The “Baby Bull” is more than just a metaphor, but a statement of how Diaz lives. It represents the affect that he can have on young boxers and young students―especially Latinos along the Mexican-American border.

He’s as aggressive as a bull―grabbing life and its challenges by the horns and he charges his opponents like he hopes to charge wrongdoers in court―with conviction and diligence in hope of the victory.

Win or lose, Diaz’s potential and effect will stretch far beyond Saturday night―far beyond the boxing ring, which is why Juan Diaz is what the game’s been missing.

What the Game's Been Missing, Part One: Andre Berto

David Reyes — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:36:58 -0500

A key contributor to the starving corpse of boxing is an effective alternative in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Like it or not, the UFC sells fights—seven of the top 10 pay-per-view buys in 2008 were UFC fight cards—two were boxing (Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao [1.25 million] and Felix Trinidad vs. Roy Jones Jr. [500,000].)

Less than stellar pay-per-view fight sales have even caused some of boxing’s own (Joe Calzaghe) to declare the sport dead, which ruffled the feathers of many fans, writers, and other combatants.

However, it is imperative to note that his opinions, or PPV sales numbers (his fight with Roy Jones sold less than 200,000), don’t necessarily reflect those of others who leave it all in the ring.

One reason why the UFC is so successful has to be because of their huge appeal to the casual fight fan. It gives them the Fight Club-like brutality quick fix (three or five five-minute rounds) that they might crave for—minus the soap and SAG cardholders.

So where—or who—does boxing have to turn to in order to restore an enthusiastic fanbase to the likes that cannot be duplicated?

HBO and some promoters seem like they took a hint as to the type of fights that need to be made, and they scheduled some potentially exciting matchups in the near future.

All of the fights feature a young, hot prospect as well—investing in the youth leads to a successful future.

One of the prospects was featured last weekend—2004 Olympian and interim WBC beltholder Andre Berto. He fought 27-year-old southpaw veteran, Luis Collazo.

This is what the game’s been missing—non-stop action between two fighters who possess both boxing and brawling skills, but aren’t masters in either.

Two fighters who could take a punch but are also clearly beatable.

A fighter who has the sheer determination and willingness to risk it all to prove that he isn’t just a stepping stone—but a contender.

And a fighter who was out to prove that he wasn’t just an overhyped prospect—but a champion who will adjust, excel, and win no matter what the costs—no matter what you throw at him.

Is Andre Berto what the game’s been missing? Can he restore the fanbase? Does he have what it takes to remain competitive in arguably the deepest division in boxing?

Maybe.

But here’s what he certainly has.

Speed

Shown by his rapid fire combinations and movement as opposed to single punches.

Power

It's hard to think of a right uppercut fiercer than his at welterweight, it doesn’t hurt the case that 19 of his 24 victories (79 percent) are by knockout, and the five who survived have either never been stopped (Steve Forbes), only stopped once in their careers (Collazo and Cosme Rivera), or it was only a scheduled four-rounder.

Decent boxing skill

Against Collazo, when he boxed effectively by sticking and moving, you could make the case that Berto won the majority of the rounds. He also generally takes his time by boxing and breaking his opponent down.

Physique

Berto’s superior physique can cause opponents to think too much and worry about his strength—it serves as a good form of intimidation.

But the 25-year-old, like every other boxer, has downsides as well.

Defense (or lack there of.)

A hot offense beats a cold defense—sure, but Berto still go hit 222 times versus Collazo, and although he might have shown that he can take a punch—the best defense is not getting hit at all. Berto needs to tighten it up.

Fatigue

Don’t let his physique fool you, muscles don’t always translate into great endurance. Time and time again, especially last Saturday, we have seen Berto get tired, put his guard down, and allow himself to get hit. Give kudos to Collazo for a good gameplan, but Berto won’t be able to do that against the top dogs.

Size

Anyone who has personally met or have seen Andre Berto, they would know—5’8.5" is very generous. Luckily, he has decent reach.

Boxing IQ

Some fighters can just fight, and some can fight and execute an effective gameplan.

Andre Berto can fight, but he has trouble with using his head in the ring not for headbutts. It is often said that boxing is 75 percent mental. That’s not myth—and it means just as much in the ring as it does in your head.

Just ask undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr., he credits most of his wins because of how he executed his gameplan or how he thought about what to do.

He uses his head—he has no losses.

That established, it is safe to say that Andre Berto still has some work to do and isn’t ready for the upper-echelon of the welterweight division just yet. He’s currently in the second-tier, which isn’t bad at all in a stacked division.

This second-tier also consists of names like Joshua Clottey and Zab Judah. After Clottey’s victory over Judah last August, he called Berto out. The Ghanaian from the Bronx fights former Olympian Isaac Hlatshwayo next month.

Judah doesn’t have any plans set in stone, but he and Berto have been talking subtly taking shots at each other since early 2008.

Both matchups would heavily contribute to Berto’s development, but more importantly they could be what the game's been missing.

Joe Calzaghe Destroys Roy Jones...If Anyone Is Surprised, Blame "24/7"

David Reyes — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:45:43 -0500

If there was any argument as to why the HBO hit boxing series, "24/7" won a Sports Emmy Award, the debate ended promptly when Joe Calzaghe convincingly destroyed Roy Jones Jr., on Saturday night.

Since the show debuted, they have done a masterful job of convincing fans that the fight they were previewing was going to be competitive.

They did it in the prelude to the May 2007 Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya fight, the December '07 Floyd Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton battle, and leading up to Saturday night's supposed collision, the folks at HBO worked their magic again.

They convinced some fans and well-informed experts that Jones actually stood a chance against Calzaghe.

But much to the likes of the other main events showcased by "24/7," "The Battle of the Superpowers" was completely one-sided.

Despite a first-round knockdown, (which wasn't a flash knockdown) Calzaghe battered Jones for at least 10 of the 12 rounds, leading to a clear unanimous decision against the future Hall-of-Famer.

During most of fight, Calzaghe dropped his defense, shimmied, danced, and mocked Jones while well within his striking distance.

Roy was just too slow, too passive, and might have been too uninterested in the fight.

Blame "24/7."

But if you thought that Roy stood a chance, you should blame yourself more.

Talent wise, Jones is always going to have a feasible shot at victory in the ring, but Saturday was more about the simple aesthetics of the sweet science—which Jones seemed to lack.

Jones has never been a technical defense enthusiast. Throughout his career, he usually relied on his agility and speed to move out the way of his opponent's punches.

But what happens when you combine lack of defense, a 10-month layoff, and a just as fast and capable opponent?

The answer was shown on Roy's face, as he was cut for the first time in his professional boxing career—a nasty gash over his left eyelid which opened up, by a punch, in the seventh round.

Jones also didn't have the adequate footwork, nor was his stamina enough to keep up with "Super" Joe.

He regularly worked himself into a corner, hoping to counterpunch, which is and has always been his style, but not when his opponent's work-rate is relentless and throws almost 1,000 punches.

In the leadup to the fight, Calzaghe mentioned that he couldn't fight Jones like he fought Hopkins in regards to peppering his adversary with open-handed punches, better known as slapping.

Joe said that he had to hit Jones, but he didn't do too much of that.

He slapped more than he punched, which is typical Calzaghe style, but when he did land clean punches, it was to Jones's body, and it slowed Roy down substantially. It is even debatable if Jones's graphic gash on his face was from a clean punch, or a flurry of slaps.

The 118-109 brutality was almost as demolishing as Joe's fight against Jeff Lacy, as Calzaghe landed 344 of his 985 thrown punches.

Jones threw 475.

This could have very well been Jones's worse loss of his career, considering the fact that outside of the first round, he simply was not competitive.

At least in his losses to Antonio Tarver, it was close, and even when was he knocked out in the second round of their third fight, he convincingly won the first round.

When he fought Glen Johnson, he was at least in the fight, only down by two points at most by the ninth and final round.

But after he suffered those three consecutive losses, although he made a "comeback" it wasn't sufficient enough for him to challenge Joe Calzaghe.

His so-called comeback can't possibly be validated regarding who he fought—Prince Badi-Ajamu, Anthony Hanshaw, and Felix Trinidad. Two no names, especially if you didn't watch ShoBox: The Next Generation a few years back, and a blown-up middleweight.

Not to mention, it was Tito's first fight in two-and-a-half years. HBO's Jim Lampley probably said it best. While Jones was fighting Trinidad in January, he asked "How do you make a 39-year-old look good?" He answered his own question, "You fight a 35-year-old middleweight who hasn't fought in two years."

On the other end, Calzaghe stayed active, facing off better opposition against Bernard Hopkins, Mikkel Kessler, Peter Manfredo Jr., and Sakio Bika, all within about two years.

Until Saturday, Jones hasn't fought in 10 months. His preparation had to have been flawed, but on "24/7," the godly series had a scene in which they showed Roy Jones sparring.

They mentioned that throughout his camp, his sparring sessions were exclusively with in-area fighters (California, PA) who were looking for a shot and to have some fun.

Can anyone name me five—no, not even, three decent boxers out of California, PA in the last decade?

The HBO series didn't have too much coverage on Calzaghe's sparring sessions to my knowledge, but it would be safe to assume that his partners were at least fighters who somewhat emulated Roy's style and not just some in-area fighters who consider boxing a hobby and were looking to have a little fun.

This is just general knowledge. It's no coincidence that "24/7" didn't pay any in-depth attention to Roy's so-called comeback trail.

If they did, the public would see that all three of the fights went all 12 rounds and he struggled and got tired at times. If they featured that information at all, the public would have figured that Roy Jones didn't have much of a chance.

Blame "24/7."

So what's next for each fighter?

"Super" Joe Calzaghe said that if he won, he would retire, but in typical boxer fashion, he seemingly backed away from that claim after Saturday, saying that he wants to enjoy the night before he thinks about another fight.

The most logical fight for Joe, if he were to fight again, would be against IBF Champion Chad Dawson, who according to reports, sent out press releases calling out Calzaghe immediately after the fight.

The only downside is that it's not a big-money fight for Calzaghe, and frankly, he doesn't have much else to prove in boxing. The other option would be a rematch with B-Hop, but don't be too surprised if that doesn't happen.

On the other end, Roy said that he doesn't know what the next step is. Before the fight, he claimed that he would fight again, win or lose—maybe that wouldn't be the wisest choice for the 39-year-old.

Maybe he should gracefully bow out now before he ends up like his two other colleagues who continue to fight despite being well beyond their best years, James Toney and Evander Holyfield.

Only time reveals, but time isn't in either of their corners.

The Contender 4 Roster Announced...Who Cares?!

David Reyes — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:13:37 -0400

For many, the once hit TV reality series The Contender, was a show that was used as a tool to revitalize a so-called dying sport.

The first season set the precedent, but then the following seasons (with the exception of a few fights) failed to follow suit. Now, with the announcement of an additional season, it's fourth, and the many changes that will come with it, it is probable that this can easily be their final nail in the coffin.

The Contender has suffered a fall from grace, and while the quality of the show might not hurt boxing's popularity for it's hardcore fans, it surely doesn't help the sport attract fans, either.

The show's first season was popular because of it's diversity. It provided sheer guts and will from some fighters and brash and flash from others. Other than that, everyone likes a little drama and there was no shortage in that department.

The season also introduced some new faces, too, some, albeit not many, weren't too successful, but a few were. Sergio Mora, Peter Manfredo Jr., Alfonso Gomez, and Ishe Smith are four fighters that have reaped the expected benefits from the series.

It must be noted—it wouldn't be wise to expect worldy success from fighters on The Contender. They're on that show for a reason—because they weren't successful in the first place. But that doesn't suggest any lack of skill—the fighters could have been misguided or led down the wrong path by the bureaucracies that come with prize fighting.

In other words, when The Contender 1 winner Sergio Mora captured a Junior Middleweight Championship, despite losing the rematch, he exceeded many expectations—probably even his own.

Season two, however was the start of a decline. Moving from network television to cable tv, despite ESPN being a more suitable home for the show, doesn't make sense in regards to potential audience. Going from ESPN to NBC means millions of potential viewers lost—period.

While the second season was filled with drama and potentially superb boxers, just like it's predecessor, barely any fighters delivered—especially the supposed winner of the contest, Grady Brewer...yeah, remember that guy? He was the winner—where is he now?

It's a shame when the guy beaten in the finale of a show that supposed to be a catalyst to boxing careers has more success than the man who won.

It's not only Forbes that enjoys more success than Brewer, but practically everyone else on that roster has been at least somewhat active, even in losing efforts. Brewer personifies what The Contender shouldn't be about.

But how much blame should go on their promotion?

Much of it—many of the fighters who have continued their careers in boxing have openly criticized the promotional company The Tournament of Contenders for lack of activity with fighters outside the company, among many issues, with the exception of Sergio Mora, who seems to be the company's only marketable fighter.

With that in an eggshell, Grady "Bad Boy" Brewer will fight Cornelius "K9" Bundrage in an undercard fight in mid-November in Providence, RI. The main event will be Peter "The Pride of Providence" Manfredo vs. Sakio Bika, the third season's winner.

The third installment of the series was a return to the Super Middlweight division, and just like the previous two seasons, it had it's share of drama and potential stars. It also featured a Fight of the Year candidate in the show's main event, Sakio Bika vs. Jaidon Codrington.

The season also featured diversity in it's fighters, from all different backgrounds and different ages—it had the potential to be the best yet. Fighters like Sakio Bika—who pushed perennial top-tier pound-for-pound fighter Joe Calzaghe to the brink and Sam Soliman, who pushed former star Winky Wright to the brink. The season also featured supposed future stars like Henry Buchanan and La Farrell Bunting and some veterans like Rubin Williams.

The big downside of season three was their newly implemented power ranking system, which judged who advaned in the tournament based on how fast they beat their opponents—it doesn't favor strategy.

But, just like the previous two seasons prior, another huge downside was the level of fabrication and editing done to the show. It was rare to see a fight in it's entirety outside of the live finale, and the addition of lame sound effects and the editing of rounds misled the audience.

It left many unsatisfied, and the show failed to adjust on those key issues, thus contributing to it's fall from grace.

Now, Contender 4 will debut in December and again, many changes will be featured. Now, the show isn't even on ESPN, it's on the Versus network, an even bigger downgrade for a show that began on network TV.

Additionally, if the show does improve on the fabrication that flawed its previous seasons, a different level of authenticity has taken a hit.

The show replaced boxing legend and Hall of Famer, Sugar Ray Leonard, with former pro fighter and long time fan, Tony Danza. Maybe the replacement is a plan to take the show in a different direction—more fan oriented.

Additionally, Buddy McGirt and Pepe Correa will not still serve as the trainers, being replaced by Tommy Brooks and John Bray. There have also been speculation that the tournament will be in U.S. vs. The World format. Given the roster, that is clearly unlikely.

According to ESPN, the show is being filmed now in Singapore and will be 11 episodes, featuring a two-hour finale in February. The grand prize hasn't been announced, but this season's competition will feature 16 Cruiserweights.

The Roster

Mike Alexander (12-2, 8 KOs)— Claim to Fame: Heavyweight fight vs. American contender, Chazz Witherspoon (23-1, 15 KOs). Alexander lost a Unanimous Decision in 10.

Felix Cora Jr. (18-2-2, 9 KOs)—Claim to Fame: Fight vs. Russian Cruiserweight Vadim Tokarev. Cora Jr. was TKO'd in the fourth.

Ryan Coyne (9-0, 1 NC, 3 KOs)—Claim to Fame: He's young and undefeated, but hasn't fought anyone worth noting.

Ehinomen Ehikhamenor (12-3, 7 KOs)—Claim to Fame: Fought for the New York State Cruiserweight Championship, and WBC International Cruiserweight Championship, losing both.

Deon Elam (9-0, 5 KOs)—Claim to Fame: Young and undefeated, but fought no one.

Alfredo Escalera Jr. (15-1-1, 11 KOs)—Claim to Fame: No. 2 ranked Puerto Rican Cruiserweight.

Tim Flamos (20-4-1, 8 KOs)—Claim to Fame: He's 41 and has fought for the Mass. State Cruiserweight Championship a few times...none really.

Richard Gingras (8-1, 4 KOs)—Claim to Fame: None.

Akinyemi Laleye (10-1, 5 KOs)—Claim to Fame: Ranked top Nigerian Cruiserweight.

Troy Ross (17-1, 12 KOs)—Claim to Fame: In 2007, Ross fought someone with 97 losses...that is not a typo.

Jon Schneider (7-2-1, 5 KOs)—Claim to Fame: None.

Rico Hoye (20-2, 15 KOs)—Claim to Fame: Fought Adrian Diaconu for the WBC International Light Heavyweight Title, and lost, also fought Clinton Woods (L), Montell Griffin (W), and Prince Badi Ajamu (W).

Joell Godfrey (9-0-1, 5 KOs)—Claim to Fame: None.

Lawrence Tauasa (30-5-1, 17 KOs)—Claim to Flame: Ranked no.2 Australian Crusierweight.

Erick Vega (8-2-1, 6 KOs)—Claim to Fame: None.

Darnell Wilson (23-7-3, 20 KOs)—Claim to Fame: Fought for the WBA Cruiserweight Championship, and lost, fought fellow contender Felix Cora Jr., and lost, fought Zab Judah's brother, Daniel.

All in all, barring a surprise in comptetiveness and vast improvement in skill, it seems like another downgrade for The Contender 4. Frankly, don't be surprised if this is the end of the television series forever.

Ricky Hatton Hires Floyd Mayweather Sr. As Trainer, Increases Chances Of Losing

David Reyes — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:36:07 -0400

Can you imagine Ricky "Hitman" Hatton performing a Mayweather-esque Philly shell defense in the ring? Do the words Ricky Hatton and defense even belong in the same breath?

Hatton surely hopes so as he hired defensive guru Floyd Mayweather Sr., as his trainer last week.

It's not a secret—defense and a stiff jab are the elder Mayweather's bread and butter. But how does that affect Hatton? The two biggest assets that the top-tier trainer brings to the table, Hatton has shown a lack of enthusiasm for.

The proof is in the pudding: In his one-sided four-round destruction of Jose Luis Castillo, albeit a past his prime Castillo, Hatton threw only 19 jabs through the four round fight...landing only five.

In another one-sided destruction in which Hatton was on the losing end against Floyd Mayweather, Hatton threw an average of 6.3 jabs per round and landed only 11 through the duration of the 10 round fight.

The reason why the jab was such a big factor dates back to Mayweather's fight against Oscar De La Hoya. When Oscar's jab was utilized, the rounds were a lot tougher to score.

Don't forget—Oscar supposedly gave Hatton some "tips" as far as gameplan against Mayweather was concerned...I guess Hatton isn't much of a listener. Which is a big problem if the demanding Mayweather Sr. is going to train him. Senior is known by every fighter who he has ever trained, including his own son and De La Hoya, as being completely relentless.

As far as defense is concerned, observers have been witnesses to Hatton's philosophy in that department: he defends with his face. The following isn't a secret either—no statistics needed: Hatton gets hit...a lot.

The Hitman was quoted saying, "At this stage of my career I am not going to change my style too much, but you are never too old to learn."

No one is ever too old to learn, and while I'm sure we shouldn't expect the short 65" reach of Hatton to bust out philly shells, Mayweather will want him to change his style a bit—just ask Oscar De La Hoya, Joan Guzman, and Chad Dawson.

Mayweather's a counter-punching, defensive trainer; Hatton is a brawler who throws punches in bunches for at least half of the round...the other half: he holds.

His next opponent, IBF Jr. Welterweight Champion Paulie Malignaggi is never at a loss of words, and regarding Hatton's other "defensive" technique, "The Magic Man" said that Hatton is the John Ruiz of the Junior Welterweight division.

Malignaggi (25-1, 5 KOs) also said that considering Hatton's defense, or lack there of, he wouldn't be surprised if he knocked the UK's finest out.

It's not as far fetched as it seems, Malignaggi's knockout numbers are deceiving in regards to his actual punching power. Like one of his idols, Floyd Jr., Paulie doesn't fight with the intention to knock his opponent out—he fights with to win, and if the knockout comes, so be it.

Paulie worked up a reputation of a "never quit" attitude—the public first took note of it when he kept fighting former champion Miguel Cotto in 2006 despite a broken eye socket and a broken jaw suffered in the first two rounds.

Hatton has the same attitude and shares the reputation. The will of the two combatants will be interesting to take note of—if neither falls victim to a KO, expect the fight to go all 12.

Ironcially, the last brawler-type junior welterweight who switched trainers before a title fight against a flashy, trash-talking, technician of a fighter was in 2005...Arturo Gatti hired Buddy McGirt to prepare and train him for one Floyd Mayweather Junior.

We all should remember how that ended. If not, the words "punishment, destruction, and virtuoso-performance" should all be sufficient in summing up the fight.

McGirt now trains Paulie Malignaggi...talk about six degrees of separation.

Although it wouldn't be wise to count Hatton out for the November 22nd fight, neither history nor logic is on his side.

Sometimes the difference of style in fighter-trainer relationships, despite merit and credential, just don't mesh and simply aren't meant to be.

Frankly, barring a big surprise, the Hatton-Mayweather Sr. relationship, isn't meant to be, and Hatton has a better chance of winning without him.

A Dream Deferred: Rising Boxing Star Slain in the Bronx

David Reyes — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:26:10 -0400

Even as a small child boxing with a bunch of his friends in his father's apartment hallway in the South Bronx, Ronney Vargas had dreams as tall as the Empire State Building. Even then it was clear that Vargas had the talent and the dedication to take his boxing to the next level.

Fast-forward 12 years, and all the training and preparation was starting to paying off for Vargas—he was a rising star.

From 2005-2007, Vargas won three straight New York Daily News Golden Glove Championships at the Junior Middleweight division and turned pro last winter.

Since turning pro, Vargas had a perfect career record with eight wins, six of them by knockout, including a huge TKO on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Alfonso Gomez fight in Atlantic City in April.

As a well-liked, mild mannered guy from the Bronx, it was surprising and infuriating to everyone that knew him to learn that the smooth-talking Venezuelan immigrant was senselessly killed in cold blood at 3:30 a.m. last Saturday morning. The reason: flirting with the wrong girl—senseless indeed.

According to the New York Daily News, Vargas was talking to two girls, whose boyfriends were nearby, in front of a corner store in the East Tremont section of the Bronx.

It started off an argument—Vargas and his friends drove off in his Honda Accord, but were followed by a white car, allegedly the suspect's. A few blocks down, on Hughes Avenue, the Daily News reported that the suspect's car pulled up and blocked the path of Vargas' car.

The suspect got out and approached Vargas' driver-seat window, where he pistol-whipped and shot Vargas in the chest.

Vargas tried to escape by driving backwards until he eventually fell out of the car and collapsed on the ground—his friend rushed out the car and held Vargas while calling for help. Vargas's last breaths were taken his arms.

Vargas was formally pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital, and despite having a surveillance video showing the attack, the NYPD haven't made an arrest yet.

Unfortunately, Vargas is the latest example of professional athletes who are targeted by violence for no specific reason. College athletes at Duquesne University and the University of Miami, along with former Denver Bronco defensive back Darrent Williams, serve as other late examples.

Some questioned why Vargas hasn't moved out of the Bronx given his new found fame, acknowledging that most professional athletes are targets. But Vargas loved his neighborhood, for better or worse.

In an interview with the Daily News in January, Vargas said that he loves his neighborhood and the people in it, so it's hard for him to just leave and start new somewhere else.

He added that the money hasn't changed him and that he's still the same kid from the block, and everyone supported his decision—until something like this happens. Vargas's father, German Vargas, reacted by saying that he wants the suspects, assuming they get caught, to get the death sentence.

According to his manager, Pat Lynch, who has managed the careers of boxers like Arturo Gatti, the 20-year-old Ronney "Venezuela" Vargas (8-0, 6 KOs) was scheduled to fight on the undercard of the Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy fight on November 15.

Collapse of Olympian Boxer Brings Dark Side of All Sports to Light

David Reyes — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:58:42 -0400

For Olympic enthusiasts, gun-ho American patriots, and hardcore boxing fans, when top-tier Bantamweight and gold-medal favorite Gary Russell Jr. collapsed Friday morning, preventing him from competing in the international competition, it stung like a sharp left hook.

Yet, the reason why Russell collapsed and is unable to participate in the 29th Olympiad stretches far beyond the Olympic and boxing communities.

According to the Associated Press, U.S. boxing coach, Dan Campbell, said the two-time Bantamweight national champion was found unconscious and extremely dehydrated in his dorm room Friday morning, when he returned from a morning run.

The 20-year old, 5'5" superstar amateur athlete was trying to make the mandatory weight requirement needed to compete—119 pounds. He was a strong medal hopeful for the U.S., but he hasn't fought at the weight division since almost a year ago, at the world championships in Chicago.

Russell's impromptu exit from the competition due to his failure to make weight, especially for a boxer with such experience and of his caliber, went widely unexpected, but if there is any positive out of this situation, it is that Friday's events have brought subtle attention to an international problem.

Body image problems is a global issue that no individual is immune to. In fact, athletes especially have body image conflicts because they are required to meet vigorous standards of how they should look—much to the likes of runway or advertising models.

Anyone who has ever participated in an organized physical sport, or has modeled, knows the intense boot-camp like training and severe dieting involved with achieving the standards of what you're supposed to look like.

But in order to succeed and fulfill one's potential, he or she has to want to look like that, too.

Although Gary Russell Jr. is the latest example of this, he definitely isn't the only example. According to the Associated Press, British lightweight Frankie Gavin didn't make weight after months of consistently struggling to do so. Gavin reportedly didn't even attempt to make weight, declaring himself out of the competition just one day before Russell Jr. shared the same fate.

Many people will try to associate the two amateur boxers difficulties to make weight with the fact that these athletes are indeed amateurs—but that wouldn't be completely accurate.

Boxing fans vividly remember Jose Luis Castillo's constant struggle to make weight against the late Diego Corrales in their October 2005 rematch of what many view as the fight of the decade in Castillo-Corrales I in May of the same year.

Castillo has since struggled to make weight at both 135 and 140-pound weight divisions. Corrales also didn't make weight in his rematch with Joel Casamayor in October 2006. Both Corrales and Castillo were very unimpressive in their campaigns at higher weight classes.

The question of why arises.

Why are so many trained professionals not only having body-image issues, but also failing to make weight requirements? Some might point to the fact that athletes are forced to stay away from some of the most common foods, making it almost impossible to stay consistent and away from temptation simultaneously.

Others might say that forced dehydration is the big issue, because in order to keep the weight off, it isn't recommended to take in too many fluids if you're not going to sweat it out directly after.

Dehydration is what was seemingly Russell's downfall. According to reports, coach Dan Campbell said, "When these kids try to make weight, sometimes they cut corners. What we believe is he did not increase his fluid intake after we told him to."

But Gary Russell Sr., Russell Jr.'s father, seemed to imply a different reason. Russell is reportedly among many parents and coaches who have disagreed with some of coach Campbell's training methods.

Most notably, his decision to have the U.S. boxing team reside in Colorado Springs, CO for almost a year—the "Mile High" state is notorious for it's thin air. He was also reported to claim that Campbell's conditioning programs emphasized the wrong aspects of training.

The sports community remembers all to well the horrors involved with athletes being dehydrated. In the NFL, it seems like an annual phenomena that a player suffer from dehydration or heat stroke during practice or summer training camps, and unfortunately, death is not an uncommon side effect.

In 2001, former Minnesota Viking offensive tackle Korey Stringer died from complications brought on by heat stroke. Just three years ago, former San Francisco 49er Thomas Herrion died after a preseason game in Denver, CO, and although there was plenty of speculation, heat stroke and dehydration were not counted out as probable causes.

The debate can continue for days, but what isn't debatable is the fact that there is a big issue at hand, one worth further investigation and a search for realistic solutions before more athletes and everyday day suffer fatal consequences.

"Peek-A-Boo" Winky, Where Are You?

David Reyes — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:22:20 -0400

It was just last summer that Ronald "Winky" Wright was among the top five in all boxing's pound-for-pound list composed by most so-called pundits. What a difference a year makes. Since his last significant fight (last summer versus Bernard Hopkins) (48-5-1, 32 KOs), the career of Winky Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) has faded to black.

Currently, he is on no one's top 10 pound for pound ranking, and most boxing writers don't even list him in the top 20 anymore. A complete 180 degree turn for a boxer who some called the heir to Floyd Mayweather's throne just over a year ago.

But is the former #2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world solely to blame? It seems like he has been searching for fights, but between him asking for too much (he asked for $4 million to fight Kelly Pavlik, and wanted the lion's share in a rematch versus Jermain Taylor), or just downright declining the offer, we haven't seen Wright in the ring since last July.

Winky's style doesn't help too much, either - mostly known for his defensive shell-like "peek-a-boo" style, he doesn't draw too much interest from managers or fighters. His latest effort was indeed a snoozer, so it wouldn't be wise to expect overwhelming ticket sales or for anything more than 300,000 homes to buy the fight, if it's on Pay-Per-View -and 300,000 homes is clearly generous.

With his career swiftly sailing into oblivion, many fans will sit back and question his career all along. He's only fought six boxers that the casual boxing fan would even recognize in 56 total fights and although he either won or fought to a draw in four out of six (despite clearly being robbed of a decision against Fernando Vargas in 1999), did Winky even have the credentials to be ranked so high on so many pound-for-pound lists in the first place? That's debatable, as it is to label him a future Hall of Famer.

This is not, by any means, an attempt to downplay Winky Wright's career - but to simply question where he went off to and why? It's clear that he still has much work to do in order to be considered a relevant fighter, much less a top fighter like he was just two years ago. It would be in his best interest for him to simply put pride aside and sign to an anticipated rematch against Jermain Taylor. Heck, if he's successful, that might open up the possibility to fight Antonio Margarito at a catch weight in a fight featuring two of the most avoided boxers in the world.

Simply, Winky Wright has two options: make a comeback (quickly because age isn't in his favor), or just officially retire.