Bleacher Report - Articles by Nick Tylwalk

Oh, (No) Canada: Another Questionable Boxing Decision North Of The Border

Nick Tylwalk — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:55:29 -0500

Before this past Saturday, HBO hadn’t aired a live boxing card from Canada since 1977. It may take nearly as long for it to happen again.

I’m exaggerating a bit, but that’s the feeling I got while watching the inexplicable decision handed in for the lightweight title fight between Joan Guzman and Ali Funeka on Boxing After Dark in Quebec City.

After starting slowly, the lanky Funeka grew more and more comfortable as the fight went on, peppering Guzman with jabs and continuing to pressure him with combinations.

Commentators Bob Papa, Max Kellerman, and Lennox Lewis wondered at one point if the referee would have to stop the fight because of the continuous damage Guzman was taking. To his credit, he battled gamely until the final bell, and I even generously gave him the last round on my personal scorecard .

In the end, though, I had it 116-112 for Funeka, which seemed in my mind to be giving Guzman every benefit of the doubt. My brother scored it 117-111, as did HBO’s Harold Lederman, and Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules , whose opinion I really respect, had it 118-110 in Funeka’s favor.

Astonishingly, two of the official judges found six rounds to give to Guzman, turning in 114-114 cards that made the fight a majority draw (the final judge saw it 116-112 for Fuenka). The decision drew an on-air rebuke by all of the HBO crew and crushed Funeka, who was almost literally speechless when Kellerman interviewed him after the fight.

Understand that this was not a matter of style preferences like Carl Froch’s victory over Andre Dirrell last month, the last time I truly disagreed with a decision. In that fight, Dirrell retreated almost the entire bout and did a ton of grabbing and holding.

Funeka was the aggressor more often than not and ended with large disparities in punches thrown and landed. After the first four rounds, his shots appeared to have more power behind them, and he was able to keep Funeka on the outside a majority of the time, where his height and reach advantages served him well.

Despite all that, two judges were not convinced Funeka did enough to win. Starks called it the worst decision of the year on his Twitter page , and it’s hard to disagree with him.

It wouldn’t be quite as bad if it was an isolated incident, but the commentators had already done some discussion about the last time eyebrows were raised over a questionable call in Canada.

That happened in October 2008, when Lucian Bute got the benefit of some extra time —some observers have said as many as 24 seconds—to beat a ten-count after Librado Andrade knocked him down in the closing seconds of their fight.

Bute put that night behind him with an impressive fourth-round KO of Librade in Saturday’s main event. Boxing fans should be talking about his performance and how fans eager to see him fight reportedly snatched up all of the tickets at the Pepsi Coliseum in the first hour they went on sale.

Instead, the takeaway from this weekend is going to be how Funeka got robbed. It’s a shame too, because with titleholders like Bute and Jean Pascal, boxing in Canada is riding a nice wave right now.

Fighters complaining about the home cooking they encounter when fighting in foreign countries is nothing new. American boxers constantly gripe that they can’t get a fair shake in Europe, and vice versa.

It’s also a little unfair to paint a whole country with one brush, so let’s assume that there are knowledgeable, competent boxing officials who reside north of the border. Those people need to be promoted to the big time pronto, because the public perception of big time boxing in Canada just took another uppercut flush on the chin.

If that keeps happening, it really might be another few decades before HBO makes its next trek to the home of the Maple Leaf.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com . Follow his Twitter feed @Nick_Tylwalk .

Weekend Boxing Predictions: Bute-Andrade II and Guzman-Funeka

Nick Tylwalk — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:06:30 -0500

Last time Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade met, things were going Bute's way for almost the entire fight. And by that, I mean until the last few seconds of the 12th and final round.

After outboxing the more aggressive but less effective Andrade in almost every round, Bute got either a bit tired or a bit brave and ended up trading with his challenger.

He came out on the wrong end of the exchange and needed what seemed like a lot more than 10 seconds to "beat" the count and hold onto his super middleweight title.

Andrade's team must not have been too upset over the perception that Bute (who's originally from Romania but resides in Montreal) was bailed out by home cooking, because he's headed back to Quebec for Saturday's rematch.

Quebec City will be the site this time, but the fans should still be solidly behind Bute.

There's really nothing to suggest this fight will go too much differently than the first one. Andrade needs to find a way to land more punches while he's pressuring Bute, but while the IBF titleholder is sometimes around to be hit, he's much faster and just slick enough not to lose too many rounds.

Expect the tough and persistent Andrade, who's never been knocked out, to be around until the end. But unless Bute experiences another late-fight case of fatigue or bravado (take your pick), he should retain his title by unanimous decision .

The co-feature on HBO's Boxing After Dark broadcast has the potential to outshine the main event. Joan Guzman and Ali Funeka will do battle for the vacant IBF lightweight title in a bout where both boxers likely feel they have something to prove.

Aside from Kelly Pavlik, there's probably no more star-crossed top contender in any weight class than Guzman.

He was all set to take on Nate Campbell in August 2008, but failed to make weight and ended up not fighting at all after doctors decided his efforts to cut would have endangered him.

Earlier this year, Guzman's name was thrown around as a possible opponent for 140-pound champ Timothy Bradley, but that fight never materialized.

Whether he's at fault or not, the former super bantamweight and super featherweight titleholder has fought just twice in the last 35 months.

Funeka, meanwhile, was pretty much an unknown quantity outside his native South Africa until this past February, when he gave Campbell all he could handle before dropping a majority decision.

He's tall, strong and very active, and he's certainly capable of bringing it to Guzman for 12 rounds.

This is a tough call to make because of the uncertainty over what version of Guzman will enter the ring on Saturday. He's always had quick hands and slippery defense, but ring rust and stamina are concerns.

It's also fair to wonder if he'll have enough pop to keep Funeka honest, as he's never been a huge puncher (his last eight wins all came on the scorecards) even in lower weight classes.

If Guzman looks anything like he has in his best form, his speed, accuracy and defense should be a package that is too much for Funeka. Anything less and the man known as "Rush Hour" wins.

This pick is made without a ton of conviction, but this writer likes Guzman to take a narrow decision by rediscovering some of his old magic, leaving Funeka once again to agonize over how close he came to a big win.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com , where this piece originally appeared. Follow his Twitter feed @Nick_Tylwalk .

Evaluating Potential Sites for the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Fight

Nick Tylwalk — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:02:27 -0500

Now that negotiations for a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight have begun in earnest, it's only natural to briefly stop wondering about whether or not it will get done and start considering where it will take place.

The reflex action is to say it will be held in one of the Las Vegas casinos, and it's true that Sin City is still the fight capital of the world. But this is no ordinary boxing match, and the usual rules simply don't apply.

It's widely believed Pacquiao-Mayweather will shatter pay-per-view records, creating hefty paydays for both fighters regardless of the final negotiated split. Still, the PPV take is just one part of the overall revenue picture, and the people who put the fight together are going to want to maximize the live gate as well.

A normal boxing venue like the MGM Grand would sell out easily, even with high ticket prices. Why settle for around 17,000 fans, though, when a fight of this magnitude could sell many more tickets on top of that?

Staging the fight of the decade (and yes, 2010 i

s the final year of the decade we're in, not the first year of the next one) requires thinking outside of the box. Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum is already fielding calls from some surprising locales.

There's no telling where the fight will eventually end up at this early stage, but the speculation is part of the fun. Here's a look at the pros and cons for four venues that have already been mentioned in the mainstream sports media as potential landing spots for Pacquiao-Mayweather:

Proposed Outdoor Stadium—Las Vegas

What to do when the perfect facility to hold the fight doesn't exist? Build it, of course.

Casino mogul Steve Wynn is said to have floated the idea of building a 30,000-seat outdoor stadium to host the bout, and that rumor has been picking up steam. Iole says the Las Vegas officials are brainstorming ways to keep the fight on the Strip, with the former site of the New Frontier looking like the perfect amount of empty real estate.

Since Mayweather calls Las Vegas home and Pacquiao has fought there frequently, the city would seem to be the early front-runner. Hotel rooms certainly wouldn't be a problem, especially with MGM's massive CityCenter set to open soon.

The big obstacle could be the calendar. To have the fight take place in the first half of 2010, the stadium would have to be constructed in a matter of months. Even for a temporary facility, that's not a lot of time, so Vegas needs to get cracking to avoid having another city lure the fight elsewhere with the promise of more seats.

Yankee Stadium—New York

Talk about the newest incarnation of the "House that Ruth Built" as a suitable spot for Pacquiao-Mayweather began back when Manny was doing his press tour for his bout with Miguel Cotto. It's precursor saw the likes of Muhammad Ali, Ray Robinson, and Joe Louis all perform within its confines, so in a sense it would be returning the sport to its roots.

Capacity wouldn't be a problem thanks to 50,000-plus seats. The stadium just opened this past April, so few comparable facilities can match it in terms of amenities. That's important since large corporations are reportedly considering sponsoring the fight.

Spring or early summer weather could be an issue, at least for the fans since the ring can be covered. The larger question would be location, as Mayweather has fought only a few times on the East Coast (in Atlantic City, most recently against the late Arturo Gatti in 2005), and Pacquiao has been an exclusively Western U.S. attraction, where he's closer to his Filipino fan base.

There's little doubt that people would travel to Yankee Stadium and fill it up, but there's something to be said for sticking with what works. Here's a case where the romantic notion of putting on the fight in New York might be outweighed by the logistics.

Cowboys Stadium—Arlington, TX

Jerry Jones didn't spend $1.3 billion just to host eight Dallas Cowboys home games a year. The largest domed stadium in the world would be the grandest stage possible for what could be the biggest boxing match ever, and that's just the kind of show Jones would want to put on.

Well over 100,000 people could pack the ultra-modern facility, and even fans in the nosebleed sections would have great views of the action. That's because the stadium also boasts massive HD screens that hang over the field, which were the subject of intense scrutiny before the NFL season but would come in extremely handy for boxing purposes.

Texas has been the site of a number of world championship bouts over the years, but Pacquiao-Mayweather would blow all of the previous ones away. Cowboys Stadium is an intriguing option to play host, and one worth keeping an eye on if reports that its representatives have already reached out to Top Rank turn out to be true.

Superdome—New Orleans

Iole's column mentions that NOLA is trying to get into the Pacquiao-Mayweather derby, enlisting help from the likes of James Carville to pull it off. It's not a place that normally comes to mind when the sweet science is discussed, but the Superdome is certainly large enough (it should hold well over 70,000 configured for a boxing match) and has hosted numerous prominent sporting events in the past.

New Orleans is accustomed to entertaining tourists, and with the French Quarter, Bourbon Street and casinos around, it would provide some of the same atmosphere as Las Vegas. There's no reason to think fans of both fighters wouldn't be willing to travel there.

However, the Superdome is older than the other stadiums on this list and a multi-million dollar renovation plan to return it to state-of-the-art status won't be complete until 2011.

That would seem to make it a big underdog to host the fight, but if there's one thing that New Orleans has proven, it's that you can never count the city out.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com . Follow his Twitter feed @Nick_Tylwalk.

Re-Handicapping the Super Six World Boxing Classic Field

Nick Tylwalk — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:18:07 -0500

The boxing world wasn't exactly turned upside-down when Andre Ward upset Mikkel Kessler this past Saturday, but a big portion of it certainly sat up and took notice.

Kessler was considered by many as the tournament favorite, and while Ward was highly regarded, fans just didn't know if he was ready for the level of competition he'd face in the Super Six World Boxing Classic.

Now they do.

Ward boxed exactly the fight he needed to against a stronger and more experienced opponent, frustrating Kessler with his hand-speed and movement. He tied up often and did a lot of jumping in and out, which didn't make for an aesthetically pleasing fight all the time—Kessler and his team went a step further by suggesting the fight was dirty—but his tactics led to a surprisingly easy night.

With the first stage of the tournament's round robin portion complete, Ward's victory announces him as a real contender to win the whole thing. The beauty of the Super Six format is that anyone could still win it, but we learned enough from the first round of fights to have a better guess at who's going to be around at the end.

That makes this a perfect time to evaluate each boxer's chances of taking the silver cup. I won't pretend to be an expert on setting odds, but here's one writer's attempt to size up the field going forward:

Arthur Abraham: 2 to 1

King Arthur was my personal pre-tournament favorite, and he did nothing to change that opinion with his spectacular knockout of Jermain Taylor. The extra point he earned for the KO was important, because even if the wheels come off in his next two round robin bouts, it may very well be enough to get him into the semifinals anyway.

I don't expect that to happen, though. No one has been able to figure out Abraham's style yet, and even though Andre Dirrell and Carl Froch will give Abraham two very different looks, neither fighter was impressive enough when they fought each other to make anyone think either will be able to pull it off.

Abraham may very well run the table. I'd be surprised if he doesn't make the final, and stunned if he isn't at least in the semis.

Andre Ward: 4 to 1

Ward has the physical tools and charisma to be a star, and now he is in great position to take the next steps down that path. Regardless of what you thought of the uglier parts of his fight with Kessler, he proved a lot and has to be taken seriously.

Ward's path to the elimination round should only get easier from here. He should be a huge favorite against Jermain Taylor (or a substitute) in his next match, and even though Dirrell's speed will be a test, it's one that S.O.G. should be able to pass.

My one qualm about Andre's chances to win the whole thing is that he often left openings for counters on Saturday. Such openings would play right into Abraham's hands, but Ward has plenty of time to work on closing that hole in his game before he'd run into King Arthur.

Mikkel Kessler: 8 to 1

Assuming he's able to heal from the cuts he suffered against Ward and get his mind right, the Viking Warrior should be far from finished. Kessler's lateral movement is an Achilles' heel , but his next fight is against Froch, who should be much easier to find.

A victory over The Cobra should fix any remaining confidence issues he'd have, leaving him with a date against Taylor, who looks like the weak link in the field. It's not hard to see Kessler with two wins and the No. 2 or No. 3 seed once the semifinals begin.

Once he's there, his biggest problem would be facing Ward again, or perhaps Dirrell. Don't count Kessler out yet.

Carl Froch: 15 to 1

Yes, Froch has two points under his belt, but they didn't come easy. I'm still not convinced he deserved the decision against Dirrell, and he just doesn't appear to have enough weapons in his arsenal to emerge as the overall winner.

Even if Froch advances out of the round robin, it's fair to wonder what he'll have left in the tank. His fights against Kessler and Abraham stand great chances of turning into slugfests with the kind of action that takes something out of both combatants.

The Cobra has a way of finding a way to come through when the chips are down, so he can't be completely dismissed. He just looks too limited to bet the house on him ending up as the last man standing.

Andre Dirrell: 40 to 1

I truly believed Dirrell's athletic ability would make him the wild card in the tournament. That may yet prove to be the case, but man, he really needed those two points against Froch.

The Matrix looks to have the toughest road to the semis thanks to upcoming fights against Abraham and Ward. If he beats one of them, it will be the kind of upset that will shake up the whole Super Six.

Dirrell said during the Kessler-Ward broadcast that he still feels confident. He'll need that belief in himself and a lot more than that if he's going to make a run.

Jermain Taylor: 500 to 1

Surprisingly, Taylor recently revealed on Twitter that he's planning on staying in the World Boxing Classic. Many observers assumed he'd look to drop out after that vicious knockout at the hands of Abraham last month.

This analysis is easy: Taylor has now lost four of his last five, with three coming by KO. If he wins four bouts in a row against top competition, which is probably what it would take for him to win the tournament, it will go down as one of the most amazing turnarounds in the history of any sport.

Never say never in boxing, but that's about as close to never as you can get.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com , where this piece originally appeared.

Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward: Round By Round

Nick Tylwalk — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:39:26 -0500

It's time for the final fight in the first stage of the Super Six World Boxing Classic. Oakland is the site for hometown boy Andre Ward to try to salvage a win for the Americans as he faces off against WBA super middleweight titleholder Mikkel Kessler.

Gus Johnson is at the Oracle Arena, joined by Al Bernstein and Antonio Tarver. They talk over the first two fights in the tournament, with Bernstein saying the key to the whole thing may be who figures out Arthur Abraham's style.

They also talk about whether or not Jermain Taylor will continue on, and they confirm what the boxer himself said on Twitter recently, that he is still planning on staying in the tournament.

Jim Gray talks with Andre Direll, who says he definitely thinks he won his fight with Carl Froch. He says his confidence is still high, and that he learned he can hang with the champions.

Dirrell compares Ward's situation today to the time they were Olympic teammates, when Ward came through as the last American standing and won a gold medal.

Showtime takes a minute to plug an upcoming MMA broadcast by talking to Scott Smith. He'll fight Cung Le in Strikeforce on Dec. 19.

A video package gives us some background on Kessler and his upbringing in Denmark. We see Ward as well, who calls himself a "thinking man's fighter."

Tarver says Ward's key to victory will be his versatility. He likes Kessler's experience and his fundamentals.

Finally we go to Jimmy Lennon Jr. in the ring for the introductions. Oakland's own Ward comes out first, waving an American flag and getting a warm reception from the partisan crowd. Ward is 20-0 with 13 KOs, but this is his first world title fight.

Kessler hears some jeers as he walks to the ring. The Viking Warrior is 42-1 with 32 KOs, with his lone loss coming to Joe Calzaghe in November 2007. Tarver does not think the crowd will bother him at all.

The tale of the tape shows both men are virtually identical in all physical categories. The main difference is that Ward is five years younger, and Bernstein says it's a fair question to wonder if Kessler is an "old" 30 since he has logged plenty of rounds and had some injury problems.

Lennon does the introductions, and we are all set to go, scheduled for 12 rounds for Kessler's WBA belt.

Round One

Quick left hook by Ward. A jab hits Kessler, then two more. Now a left hook by Kessler connects. Ward gets inside and escapes without taking any damage. Straight left by Ward. Both men pawing with jabs, and Ward goes to the body.

Kessler is trying to cut off the ring. He tries to unload in the corner, but Ward ties up. One-two by Ward followed by some jabs.

Fans get a "USA" chant going as Kessler lands a jab. Thumping left glances off Kessler's guard. No big damage done, but that was a good round for Ward.

BoxingWatchers.com: 10-9 Ward

Round Two

Kessler looking to get more aggressive, but Ward catches him with a left hook coming in. Kessler has Ward off balance for a second but doesn't connect with any big shots. Ward bulls his way in and ties up. Both men trying jabs.

Kessler closes the distance and gets tied up several times. Ward misses with a wild left and they clinch again. Ward is doing a lot of dancing and lateral movement.

He ends a combo with a body shot. The ref warns Mikkel for holding, and Ward connects with a right before the bell.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round Three

Ward starts off with a nice left but Kessler stands his ground and fires right back. Ward jukes and pops Kessler with a left in the corner.

The announcers think Ward's speed is bothering Kessler right now. Mikkel chases and tries to corner his foe. Right to the head and left to the body by Ward.

Kessler eats two shots right off a break. Ward smacks his man with a right and takes a jab in return.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round Four

The one negative thing about Ward's fight thus far is that he's retreating a lot, and we saw what happened to Andre Dirrell. Ward is cautioned for two shots right on the belt line. Press row has it a shutout for Ward so far.

Ward just misses a big left. They fight in close and Ward gets the better of it. Kessler lands a big left hook but gets stunned a bit by a right hand. That was the best punch of the night thus far.

Kessler laughs but he gets popped by another right.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round Five

Kessler has some blood coming from the right side of his face. He stumbles a bit as they exchange in the center of the ring. Straight right by Ward finds the mark. More grabbing, mostly by Ward.

Left hook by Ward, and jabs fly both ways. Kessler lands a left hook to the body before they clinch. Kessler scores with a few shots along the ropes which are answered by Ward.

Kessler jabs and takes two left hooks back. Ward has been switching stances a lot. Closer round but still hard to give to the Viking Warrior.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round Six

Ward opens with a two-punch combo. Kessler is fighting with more urgency and firing a bunch more jabs. Kessler uses a left hook counter that scores. Mikkel lands a few more shots as Andre loses his discipline for a moment. Nice uppercut by Ward in close.

Right-left combo to the head as Ward rushes forward. Bernstein says Kessler needs to take advantage of the openings he's getting. Kessler eats a left but avoids the right. Ward's movement is confusing Kessler more often than not.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round Seven

Ward goes to the body off his jab. Kessler is getting closer with his power shots. Tarver wonders if Kessler took Ward too lightly. Nice right by Kessler before they tie up.

He lands more jabs and Ward fires his own followed by a hook. Wild swing and a miss by Kessler. Ward uses a right to the body and they clinch. Repeated jabs hit Mikkel as he backs up.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round Eight

Kessler apparently told his trainer he is having trouble seeing. Short right by Mikkel and a jab. Ward uses a right and a left hook to get some space. Right hand by Ward with no answer.

Kessler lands a jab but misses the right hand. Both men having some trouble finding the range. Ward lands a short uppercut before the ref steps in. Right-left combo knocks Kessler back, but he gathers himself and tries to return fire.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round Nine

Kessler is cut over the left eye and below the right eye. His corner tells him he can only win by knockout now. Ward opens the round with two shots to the head. Body shot and a left hand by Andre.

Lots more clinching, but Kessler is doing most of it now. Kessler tries short lefts from very close range. Ward uses a right hand upstairs and a left hand downstairs.

Another huge swing and a miss by Mikkel. Now Kessler shows some determination by digging in for a flurry.

BW: 10-9 Ward

Round 10

Replays make it look as if the cut over Kessler's eye came from a clash of heads. Both men settle behind their jabs. Quick right hand by Ward, then a stiff left jab. Kessler complains about a clash of heads and the fans boo him.

Left-right combination by Ward opens up an exchange. Nice left hands both ways. Right hand and a left hook by Kessler on the inside.

Ward backs up Kessler though nothing huge landed. Kessler measures a right hand. Give Kessler credit for guts.

BW: 10-9 Kessler

Round 11

Bernstein calls Ward out for leading with his head in the last round. Two frames to go, and Kessler likely needs something dramatic to save his belt. Left-right combo by Ward as Kessler tries a straight right.

Clubbing shots by Kessler force Ward to stand and trade. Andre jabs his way in and ties up. A lead right gets Kessler's attention. The ref stops the fight, as the doctor says it's over due to a cut on Kessler's eyelid.

We have to go to the scorecards because the cut that stopped the fight was caused by a headbutt. The judges score it 97-93 and 98-92 twice, all for the winner... and new WBA super middleweight titleholder... Andre "S.O.G." Ward.

Gray congratulates Ward, who thanks God first. They talk a bit about the thought that Kessler was unable to make mid-fight adjustments and how that proved to be the case.

Ward does say Kessler is a tough fighter and he's not surprised Mikkel was a champ for so long.

Kessler complains to Gray about the holding and hitting and Ward using his head. The ref apparently said there were five unintentional butts, but the Viking Warrior says he thinks they were blatant.

Kessler says the cuts may be a problem going forward but he'll see if he can use more lateral movement in future fights.

Asked about Taylor, Ward mentions Jermain's tweets saying he will continue on. Andre says he'll be ready for the next fight regardless of who it is.

Ward scoffs at the idea that he was using his head on purpose and gives Kessler and Gray some props before checking out.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com , where this report originally appeared live.

Mikkel Kessler vs. Andre Ward: Super Six In-Depth Preview

Nick Tylwalk — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:38:44 -0500

"The Viking Warrior" Mikkel Kessler

Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark
Resides: Monaco
Height: 6' 1"
Reach: 73"
Current World Titles Held: WBA Super Middleweight (168 lbs.)
Former World Titles Held: WBC Super Middleweight
Professional Record: 42-1, 32 KOs
Record in World Title Fights: 8-1, 6 KOs
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 4-1
Record at 168 lbs.: 26-1, 22 KOs

Notable Wins: UD12 Librado Andrade, KO3 Markus Beyer, UD12 Anthony Mundine
Notable Loss: UD12 Joe Calzaghe

Andre "S.O.G." Ward

Birthplace: San Francisco, California
Resides: Oakland, California
Height: 6' 1"
Reach: 73"
Current World Titles Held: None
Former World Titles Held: None
Professional Record: 20-0, 13 KOs
Record in World Title Fights: First world title fight
Record in Fights Going 12 Rounds: 2-0
Record at 168 lbs.: 11-0, 7 KOs

Notable Wins: UD12 Edison Miranda , TKO7 Rubin Williams

Analysis:

It may not seem like it right now, but the boxing world isn't on hold while it waits for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather to decide if and when they are going to fight each other. Hardcore enthusiasts know there are a number of intriguing fights in the next few months—and the final first stage fight in the Super Six World Boxing Classic definitely qualifies.

Though Mikkel Kessler has fought most of his career in his native Denmark, he isn't viewed with as much suspicion by American fans as some of his European contemporaries. That's because the hard-punching yet technically solid Viking Warrior has taken on some solid competition and come out on top. His lone loss came while giving a prime Joe Calzaghe a good battle, and that's no easy task.

Andre Ward isn't at the same virtuoso level of the sport as Mayweather, but he does possess a similar ability to make aspects of the game look smooth and effortless. He's got very fast hands and is comfortable fighting in either an orthodox or southpaw stance. Ward's undefeated record includes just one bout that seemed like a true test, when he easily outpointed slugger Edison Miranda earlier this year.

Both men are well-rounded, but that doesn't mean the shape of the fight won't favor one more than the other. If Kessler can use his experience to turn it into a slugfest, he looks to have the upper hand, as Ward has questions about his power and a sometimes unreliable chin. S.O.G. probably wouldn't mind 12 rounds of boxing, because his youth and athleticism would be bigger factors.

Even though his fellow Americans both fell to defeat, Ward can take some solace in the fact that the first two fights in the World Boxing Classic were won by the men fighting in front of their home fans, and he'll be right in his backyard in Oakland.

This will be Kessler's first appearance in the U.S., but he did face Calzaghe in Wales and has enough rounds under his belt that it's unlikely that he'll be rattled.

Kessler's Winning Strategy: Get Inside

Usually it's a size differential that makes it imperative for one fighter to close the range, but in this case Kessler and his opponent are almost identical in all areas of the tale of the tape. The Viking Warrior has a good jab and enough skill to box from the outside, yet staying in Ward's face still seems like the sounder plan.

Kessler throws great uppercuts and body shots, both of which are best utilized in tight. As mentioned above, Ward may not have enough pop to keep Kessler honest, and if that's the case, Mikkel should look to back his man up against the ropes and attack with impunity.

Logic suggests that if this fight ends in a knockout, it's going to be Kessler who has his hand raised. The chances of that happening are that much greater if Mikkel can keep the average distance closer than Andre would like.

Ward's Winning Strategy: Let Your Hands Go

Stylistically, Ward doesn't bear that much resemblance to Calzaghe. But the only man to beat Kessler did lay out a game plan that he can use to earn a victory, providing he has the heart to pull it off.

JoeCal flummoxed Kessler at times with combination punching when he didn't expect it, capitalizing on his ability to get off first. Ward should be able to do that comfortably from the outside, using his jab and firing immediate follow-up punches. He'll want to do the same on the inside even though there is some risk involved due to Kessler's heavy hands.

What he should try to avoid is holding as often as he did against Miranda, because that won't cut it against the Viking Warrior. Outworking the other man seems like the way to go here, and Ward has to have the conviction that a high activity level will pile up the points and have him ahead on the cards at the end of 12 rounds.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com , where this preview originally appeared.

Manny Pacquiao's Power the Key To Defeating Miguel Cotto

Nick Tylwalk — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:08:52 -0500

Even with a few days for it to sink in, I'm still doing a bit of mental digestion of Manny Pacquiao's 12th-round TKO of Miguel Cotto.

It isn't the result (which I correctly predicted , if I may toot my own horn a bit), or the titles in seven different weight classes, or even the hype already building as fans salivate over a possible meeting between Pac Man and Floyd Mayweather (the early line is already set ).

Instead, what stands out to me as something to ponder is that in what many people billed as a contest between speed and power, it was Pacquiao's power that was really the deciding factor. The telling quote in the aftermath of the fight came from Cotto trainer Joe Santiago.

"He hit harder than we expected and he was a lot stronger than we expected."

Think about that for a moment. It's a much different song than the ones sung by David Diaz or Oscar De La Hoya pointing to Pacquiao's quickness as the main cause of their defeats. Oscar even went as far as to suggest he didn't think Manny hit that hard.

For the first few rounds, though, Cotto was able to handle, if not completely neutralize, Pac Man's speed. He did so mostly by staying busy with his jab and capitalizing on his reach, plus throwing in the occasional counter shot.

Pacquiao had already started stepping it up toward the end of the second round, perhaps proving Freddie Roach's assertion that Manny wasn't following their preferred strategy. Still, it was only after Cotto tasted some flush shots—especially the left to the chin that dropped him in the latter stages of the fourth round—that he looked like he was lost, essentially fighting while going backward for the remainder of the bout.

Manny's high KO percentage and reputation as an action fighter somewhat obscure the fact that he didn't really have fearsome one-shot power at featherweight or super featherweight. He couldn't keep Juan Manuel Marquez down despite dropping him three times in their first meeting and lost to Erik Morales in their first fight. At 130, Oscar Larios, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Marquez (again) all escaped with decision losses.

Since moving up to lightweight and beyond, though, Pacquiao has stopped everyone he's faced, suggesting his pure punching power is peaking. The punch that turned Ricky Hatton's lights out was just about the perfect evidence, and the knockdown shot from this past Saturday was a great Exhibit B.

That's not to say that Pacquiao's speed and knack for throwing punches from unorthodox angles didn't bother Cotto, because they clearly did. But for a guy that had already been in with Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito, no slouches in the power department themselves (though Tony may have had some, um, help), to be so affected by shots landed by a man who had campaigned two weight classes lower the previous year is truly remarkable.

Should the megafight with Mayweather ever becomes a reality, it's that power that very well could prove to be the x-factor. Both men are exceptionally fast, meaning any edge in speed either way will be a tiny one. Floyd gets the nod in lateral movement and ring generalship, though Pacquiao has made vast improvements in both areas over a relatively short period of time.

If Pac Man can land clean shots against Mayweather—and yes, that's a big if due to Floyd's defensive wizardry—Money may very well find that he's up against the hardest hitting welterweight he's ever faced. A week ago, I wouldn't have believed it, but it's hard to discount that line of thinking now.

Nick Tylwalk is the editor and co-founder of BoxingWatchers.com , where this piece originally appeared.

Manny Pacquiao Vs. Miguel Cotto: Round By Round

Nick Tylwalk — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:04:09 -0500

The undercard is over and the big fight is about to get underway. Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto will go head to head for Cotto's WBO welterweight belt.

Magic Johnson, Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Derek Jeter, Roberto Duran and Sean "Diddy" Combs are among the big names on hand. There are three national anthems to get through before we start. La Diva handles the Filipino anthem, Ednita Nazario sings the anthem for Puerto Rico and Ramiele sings "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The tale of the tape shows Cotto with an inch and a half advantage in height and a slight reach advantage as well. Pac Man weighed in at 144 pounds, Cotto at 145.

Cotto is 34-1 with 27 KOs. He's won twice since his lone defeat at the hands of Antonio Margarito in July of 2008. Pacquiao is 49-3-2 with 37 KOs. A win tonight would be his 11th in a row.

There's an awfully long wait for the fighters to head for the ring. Pacquiao walks in first to AC/DC's "Thunderstruck," which then changes over to "Eye of the Tiger." He smiles and bounces on his feet as he acknowledges the crowd.

Cotto has the hood on his robe up as he comes out to Kanye West's "Stronger." His face is a sharp contrast to his opponent's; very businesslike.

Michael Buffer does the introductions and we're ready to go!

Round One

Cotto flicks out the first jab. Now a double jab that lands. Manny gets smacked by another jab. Pac Man is reaching a bit. Cotto is really on with the jab. Manny tries his own jabs and gets caught jumping in. Nice counter left by Miguel. Pacquiao has to scramble to avoid getting cornered. Good feinting both ways. Manny is giving Miguel plenty of respect. One-two by Pacquiao and a nice counter after Cotto tries to answer. Cotto lands one right at the bell.

Franchise: 10-9 Cotto
Spartan117: 10-9 Cotto

Round Two

Manny tries to counter off Miguel's jab. Pacquiao tries to settle down behind the jab. Two-punch combo is blocked by Cotto. Manny gets in a few straight rights, but Cotto answers with a right of his own. Hard jab by Cotto again. Two nice lefts score for Pac Man. Big left hook by Cotto gets a crowd reaction. The ref tells Miguel to keep his punches up. Short left hands by Pacquiao as he dances around. Body shot by Manny as Cotto digs in. Miguel goes body and head but eats two lefts. Great action in the corner at the end of the round.

Franchise: 10-9 Cotto
Spartan117: 10-9 Pacquiao

Round Three

Manny waves Miguel in and he obliges with jabs. Pacquiao gets caught a bit coming in but Manny answers with a right hook that sends Cotto down. He's up quickly and doesn't look too hurt. Cotto turns southpaw and backs Pac Man up. Left to the body by Cotto; right hook to the head by Pacquiao. Manny holds and hits a bit in close. Cotto lets the jab flow but Pacquiao forces him to cover up. Nice left hook by Cotto that connects. Left uppercut connects and snaps Manny's head back. They wrestle to kill off the final five seconds.

Franchise: 10-8 Pacquiao
Spartan117: 9-9

Round Four

Cotto opens up with the jabs again. Manny misses a wild right hook. Miguel peppers Manny with lefts along the ropes. Counter left to the body by Pac Man. Both men score with short shots from their off hands. Combo punching by Pacquiao that Cotto tries to answer. Manny fires off lefts as he circles. Cotto ties up to catch a breather. Pacquiao gets backed up against the ropes and eats a right hand. He ducks away to get space. With 20 seconds to go, Pac Man lands a left that scores another knockdown. Cotto beats the count but looks a little more dazed this time.

Franchise: 10-8 Pacquiao
Spartan117: 10-8 Pacquiao

Round Five

We'll see where they stand pretty early here. Cotto is still coming forward. Manny fires short lefts and dodges to his right. Pacquiao's speed is bothering Cotto a bit right now. Right hook by Manny and he darts away. Cotto tries the body as he shoves Pac Man back. Manny continues to look fluid as he mixes up his punches. Cotto lunges to throw a three-punch combo, then uses an uppercut along the ropes. Left hook by Cotto. He has to scramble to avoid a final Pacquiao flurry.