Bleacher Report - Articles by Bryan Trafford

Updating the Pound-For-Pound Rankings: Welcome Donaire to the List

Bryan Trafford — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:38:39 -0400

After Pinoy Power this past weekend, Nonito Donaire has cracked many pound-for-pound lists. He is firmly planted as the second best boxer from the Philippines, behind one Manny Pacquiao.

Here are my updated rankings:

1. Manny Pacquaio

Is it just me, or does Manny seem to be channeling Bruce Lee? Every time I watch him on 24/7 he seems to be looking more and more like Lee. In certain shots, it's as if he has transformed into a martial arts master. Oh wait, he is a boxing master, and the best boxer on the planet.

2. Juan Manuel Marquez

Can you imagine the motivation Marquez has right now? If he beats Floyd Mayweather in his next fight, he will most certainly get another crack at Pacquaio. If he beats Pacquaio in that match, he will be the pound-for-pound champion.

Not only will he be pound-for-pound champion, he will become one of the all time greats should he beat boxing's clear two best fighters.

3. Bernard Hopkins

Is B-Hop ever gonna fight again? This guy is gonna be fifty before his next fight. I wish he would just fight Roy Jones so they can put their old man rivalry to bed. Right now it's the battle of the Executioner and Captain Hook. If they both dress up at the press conferences it could be more entertaining than the actual fight.

The rumor mill has him still wanting Adamek in a fight nobody really wants to see.

4. Shane Mosley

Will somebody please fight Mosley already? No Pacquaio, no Mayweather, maybe he should fight De La Hoya again. Ok, or maybe Chavez Jr. I like that idea.

5. Israel Vazquez

Vazquez's time on the pound-for-pound list may be ending pretty soon. His comeback fight will no doubt be a tuneup, but its hard to say what he has left at this point. Let's hope he has some tread left, as there are some interesting matchups for him if he is 100 percent.

6. Rafael Marquez

Marquez is almost in the same boat as Vazquez. Fans want to see them fight again, but that won't be happening...at least not yet. Let's hope these two can lock horns early 2010.

7. Nonito Donaire

Someone somewhere please talk to Gary Shaw. He needs to be made to understand a few things about fans. He seems to think fans don't want to see a Darchinyan/Donaire rematch.

I think he knows Donaire will starch Darchinyan again and wants no part of it. Either way, Donaire needs this fight more than Darchinyan does. While he is a much better overall fighter, he lags behind Darchinyan in name recognition.

8. Paul Williams

Williams will fight for the middleweight title...sooner or later. Once Pavlik mans up and stops postponing the fight, Williams has a great chance to win. If he can keep Pavlik turning, and absorb a few hard shots, you will see a new middleweight champion crowned.

Williams has the potential to be pound-for-pound for years to come. It's all up to him.

9. Vladimir Klitschko

No love for Dr. Steelhammer on Ring's list? No problem I have remedied the situation. Klitschko may beat everyone the same way, but its boxing 101. Jab your opponent until he doesn't see the right hand coming.

That's basic stuff. He deserves to be on this list for no other reason than his recent dominance of everyone he has stepped into the ring with.

10. Ivan Calderon

Can't show the big man some love without giving Calderon his props. He is just as boring to watch as Klitschko, but even more dominant. He has yet to lose his first bout. This guy has skills for days, he just doesn't set TV screens on fire with his style.

UFC 101: Five Things I Learned

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:19:42 -0400

UFC 101 is in the books, and it was a night of solid fights. We saw a champion redeemed, and one find his cure for boredom. If you haven't already logged on to bjpenn.com to see what he thinks, stay with me and take a look at five things I learned tonight.

1. Anderson Silva should keep fighting at light heavyweight.

I know Dan Henderson has been promised a rematch for the middleweight title. Georges St. Pierre may step up to see if he can wrestle the middleweight title from Silva.

Beyond that, Anderson Silva has no business left to finish at 185. He needs to be challenged, and not in a Forrest Griffin sort of way. He needs to be challenged in a Lyoto Machida sort of way.

2. Wanderlei Silva should immediately end his feud with Anderson Silva.

Not only should Wanderlei end his feud, he should apologize to Anderson, publicly. Wanderlei has a negative percentage chance of defeating Anderson. If this fight were to happen, I'm not sure Wanderlei has even the puncher's chance.

I know the UFC is looking for hyper aggressive types to bring out the best in Anderson Silva. But outside providing a highlight reel ko of himself, what can Wanderlei show us Griffin couldn't?

3. Kenny Florian has nothing to be ashamed of.

Kenny Florian is a classy guy. Although nowhere near as athletically gifted as BJ Penn, he is a hard working fighter. He is a smart fighter. He came in with an excellent gameplan, and attempted to execute it to the best of his ability.

Outside of throwing more legkicks and actually securing a takedown, there is little to argue with what Florian did tonight.

He avoided Penn in the standup, as he should have. He pressed Penn against the cage, as he should have. He attempted to take Penn down, as he should have. He landed leg kicks, although he could have landed more.

Florian simply was not strong enough to get Penn to the ground, and it proved to be all the difference.

4. BJ Penn defeated Kenny Florian with skill, not athletic ability.

A lot of pre fight talk centered around Penn being the better athlete, but Florian the better technician. That talk can be put to rest.

Penn stuffed Florian's takedowns for three rounds, then took Florian down himself. He then proceeded to show the difference between a jiu jitsu black belt and himself.

Penn looked to lack much of the explosiveness he normally shows in his fights. Maybe he overtrained, maybe it just wasn't there tonight. Either way he showed us all why is still the Prodigy, and the man to beat at 155.

Diego Sanchez, wherever you are meditating, I hope your ready.

5. Forrest Griffin was knocked out by...................embarrassment.

There are a few ways to look at Silva's knockout of Forrest Griffin. You can say Griffin quit, as he could have continued. You can say Griffin was rocked repeatedly, and never fully regained his bearings.

I say Griffin was outclassed, outgunned, and embarrassed. I think despite all his pre fight I'll do my best talk, Griffin thought he could win. Why else do fighters train hard?

I believe he had a good game plan and thought he could put up more of a fight than he did. He was rocked several times, and never really came close to being in the fight.

Silva did his usual shuffling, dropping his hands, and avoided Griffin's punches with simple head movement. He even ate a jab, shook it off and walked forward just to discourage Griffin.

In the end I think Griffin got frustrated, got wild, and got knocked down. I think his flopping on the canvas was more from embarrassment than being hurt. He realized he had zero to offer Silva, and that's a bad feeling to have as a fighter.

His quick exit from the octagon only serves to further my point. Fighters train hard, and not many train harder than Griffin. He simply was not on the same level as Silva, which is the pound for pound level.

Updating The Junior Welterweight Rankings After Bradley Vs. Campbell

Bryan Trafford — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:24:03 -0400

After Timothy Bradley's third round TKO victory over Nate Campbell, here are the updated junior welterweight rankings.

1. Manny Pacquaio (49-3)

Will Pacquaio win a welterweight title if he defeats Miguel Cotto? As of this writing, its still up in the air. What is known is that Pacquiao clearly beat the last champion at this weight, Ricky Hatton. So badly in fact, there is little clamour for him to fight the next challenger, Timothy Bradley.

2. Timothy Bradley (25-0)

"Desert Storm" is a very good nickname for Bradley. With his swarming, aggressive style, he has clawed his way to the top. He is the best fighter at junior welterweight not from the Philippines. His three round steamrolling of Nate Campbell was his latest stamp on an ever growing resume. Next Up for Bradley?

Apparently Bradley wants to travel to England. He wants to fight either Ricky Hatton or Amir Khan. I would favor him to beat either.

3. Amir Khan (21-1)

Khan is in a difficult place. He has finally reached the point where he should fight the division's best. The problem is, his chin may not do him any favors against anyone with a decent punch. I know, I know, Freddie Roach fixed all that.

I still worry about what's gonna happen next time Khan gets cracked........

4. Ricky Hatton (45-2)

I am conflicted about ranking Hatton at all. The brutal nature of his last loss worries me. Couple that with his recent health problems and he should be retiring. However, all indications say he will fight again. I think he would lose to Amir Khan, hence the number four ranking.

5. Devon Alexander (19-0)

Alexander is coming off a steady performance against Junior Witter. Alexander is a good boxer, with sound fundamentals. I think he lacks pop, which may hurt him as he progresses. His next rumored fight could be against Nate Campbell. If he can handle Campbell, he is ready for the big dogs.

6. Paulie Malignaggi (25-2)

Malignaggi is at a career crossroads. He got rid of Buddy Mcgirt. He has lost both times he stepped up to the top level. He is a good boxer with quick hands and feet. He has virtually no power, and gets hit a little too often for a slick boxer.

His upcoming fight with Juan Diaz should show us what Malignaggi has left.

7. Juan Urango (21-2-1)

Urango was last seen losing to welterweight prospect Andre Berto. His only other loss was to Ricky Hatton. Urango is a tough customer for any junior welterweight. He looks like a bodybuilder, and has an unorthodox style.

8. Andreas Kotelnik (31-3-1)

Kotelnik's last fight was a loss to Amir Khan. Kotelnik is a gatekeeper at this point, and should be fodder for other up and coming fighters. A brief warning though, Kotelnik is a tough out.

9. Kendall Holt (25-3)

Has Kendall Holt ever been in a bad fight? His fight with Timothy Bradley was one that definitely warrants a rematch. Holt is an up and down performer. On any night, he could put your lights out. On the flipside, he may be uninterested in doing so.

10. Marcos Maidana (26-1)

Can someone please get this guy back on TV immediately? Maidana is coming off a fight of the year candidate with Victor Ortiz. There has been rumor of a Khan fight floating around. Freddie Roach should put that rumor down immediately. Khan wants not part of Maidana.

Manny Pacquaio Vs. Miguel Cotto Undercard Starting To Take Shape

Bryan Trafford — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:05:41 -0400

According to Steve Kim at Maxboxing, these are some of the rumored undercard bouts for Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto:

Edwin Valero vs. Antonio Demarco
Humberto Soto vs. David Diaz or Joel Casamayor

For Valero, Demarco is his mandatory opponent for the WBC lightweight title.

If you haven't seen Valero fight, don't blink, Valero's fights are reminiscent of a young Mike Tyson. If you go to get popcorn, the fight could be over already.

Soto will be stepping up to lightweight. It seems David Diaz has become the new lightweight stepping stone for fighters moving up. I think Diaz is a better choice than Casamayor, who doesn't want to go away quietly.

I'll have more as this card takes shape.

UFC 103 Vs. Mayweather-Marquez: Which Card Is Better?

Bryan Trafford — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:06:21 -0400

September 19th is an important date for fight fans. On that date, both the UFC and Mayweather-Marquez will battle on PPV. Mayweather has said some interesting things about MMA in the buildup to this head to head battle.

Fortunately for boxing fans, Floyd Mayweather might not just be all talk. According to both BoxingScene and Steve Kim over at Maxboxing, the undercard of Mayweather vs. Marquez just might not be the garbage fight fans have become accustomed to.

So far the confirmed bouts for this card are:

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

Chris John vs. Rocky Juarez II

Zab Judah vs. Matthew Hatton

Some of the bouts being rumored to be on the card include:

Allan Green vs. Sakio Bika

Michael Katsidis vs. Vicente Escobedo

If both of these bouts end up on the card, the Hatton vs. Judah bout most likely won't be televised. However, this could be a pricey card, so don't be surprised if one or both of the rumored bouts don't end up on the finalized card.

I for one am hoping Katsidis ends up on the card. This guy is all action and the perfect way to kick off any card.

On the UFC side of things, here is the UFC 103 lineup:

Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin II

Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg

Mirko Cro Cop vs. Junior Dos Santos

Martin Kampmann vs. Mike Swick

Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca

There are a lot of crazy rumors going around about Fedor, and the return of Tito Ortiz. Rumor has it that Henderson vs. Franklin matchup will not take place in favor of a more fan friendly main event. What that main event will be remains to be seen.

Boxing fans may end of getting one of the best undercards in a long, long time. As for MMA fans, they will be getting a better main event, possibly involving Tito Ortiz.

There will be countless battle lines drawn, as the idiots and trolls on both sides prepare to gloat over PPV numbers and live gates. I'll reserve my predictions until both cards shake out.

What say you, Boxing community?

What Happened to Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia's Boxing Careers?

Bryan Trafford — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:10:12 -0400

Two former UFC champions, one clear path.

First it was announced that Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski was training with Freddie Roach to improve his standup. Next, there were a string of press releases about Arlovski possibly stepping into a boxing ring. There was even Freddie Roach saying down the line Arlovski was going to fight for a title belt.

All that came to a halt on June 6th, when Arlovski was knocked out in 22 seconds by Brett Rogers. This was supposed to be a tuneup MMA bout before Arlovski's pro boxing debut, scheduled for later that month.

With his quick knockout loss, the questions linger for Arlovski. Was he focused? Did he take Brett Rogers lightly? Did he even train for that bout?

The talk of Arlovski's boxing career has cooled down, for now. At this point it looks as if he needs to seriously commit to one sport or the other. Lingering between the two is obviously not working for him.

In MMA, Arlovski is a very talented kickboxer with good leg kicks and great boxing. He does, however, have a suspect chin which will not serve him well in a boxing ring. If he is to commit to a boxing career, he will have to work on his defensive skills to protect that liability.

Whichever path he chooses, Arlovski will have a difficult hill to climb. He has lost his last two in MMA, and is unknown in the boxing world.

For Tim Sylvia, the fall has been hard and even faster.

Also a former UFC champion, Sylvia has lost his last three fights. After losing his UFC title in his last fight in that organization, he has yet to win outside the UFC.

Sylvia managed to lose to both the best heavyweight in the world, and arguably the worst in consecutive fights.

Getting destroyed by Fedor is one thing, losing in 10 seconds to Ray Mercer is another thing totally.

Sylvia showed up to that fight overweight, reportedly over 300 lbs. Rather than try to use his wrestling skills or submission skills, he opted to stand with Mercer. After absorbing an overhand right, Sylvia fell to the canvas like an Oak tree being cut.

If this loss wasn't humbling enough, Sylvia also wanted in on pro boxing. Right before his fight with Mercer, he dropped the following quotes in Fighters Only Magazine:

"It's something I've always wanted to pursue, and if it works out like I'd like for it too, I can switch over," he told the magazine. "I don't want to be done with MMA, but the money is a lot better in boxing. I would love to fight some of the heavyweight champs, you know? I mean the paydays are ridiculous!"

Random Thoughts

I am in no way implying no mixed martial artist can have success as a pro boxer. What the failures of Arlovski and Sylvia should show us are simple. When fighters lose focus on their primary sport, their performance suffers. In combat sports that will get you hurt.

If these two fighters had dedicated themselves 100 percent to transitioning into boxing, rather than taking MMA bouts they didn't train for, they would both be further along in their quest for boxing dominance.

Basically, fighting is fighting. You concentrate on the man in front of you. If you have an upcoming fight, you focus on that, and that alone. Not on your upcoming boxing debut, or your delusional ideas of future boxing paydays.

Now there has yet to be an influx of high profile boxers trying their hand at MMA, but that will change as MMA paydays increase. Of course then some boxer will half train and get his arse handed to him by a MMA fighter who doesn't care he used to be a boxing champion.

It goes for both sports.

Who Will Vitali Klitschko Fight Next?

Bryan Trafford — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:53:13 -0400

Vitali Klitschko was scheduled to meet David Haye on September 12th, in Germany. It was to be the beginning of Haye's quest for heavyweight dominance. It was also to be the fulfillment of Haye's prophecy that he would sever the heads of both Klitschkos.

If pressed, most fight fans would tell you Klitschko would have been the one to drop out of such a fight. His history with injuries during training is well known. Instead, for the second time in two fights, Haye pulled out of a potential Klitschko fight.

Instead of fighting Klitschko, Haye will now be facing Nikolai Valuev for the WBA title. There is little doubt Haye matches up better against Valuev than Klitschko. However for someone who proudly sported a t-shirt depicting both Klitschko brothers decapitated, this is hardly a fulfillment of that promise.

As for Klitschko, he is left without a dance partner, or a date. According to K2 Promotions, Klitschko will still fight in either September or October, but against whom?

A few names are on the short list, and I put in them in order of likeliness.

Chris Arreola (27-0, 24 KO's)—Arreola is ranked No. 6 by Ring Magazine at heavyweight. Arreola is a fast rising Mexican American fighter with power in both hands. He also has a solid amateur background to go with his undefeated record.

His biggest liabilities are his not so slim waistline and his inexperience at the top level. It's inevitable that Arreola will have to face a Klitschko, but is this the right time?

Eddie Chambers (35-1, 18 KO's)—Chamber's stock has risen quite a bit since his last outing. In his last fight, he dominated the Klitschko brother's sparring partner Alexander Dimitrenko. While not possessing the power of Arreola, he is a versatile boxer with great hand speed.

Like Arreola, he tends to come into fights overweight. If he can come in shape like he did in his last outing, he may be able to give "Dr. Ironfist" a stern test with his movement.

A fight with either young American heavyweight would be a good fight for the heavyweight division. Let's hope one of these youngsters is up for the challenge and seizes the moment.

Timothy Bradley Calls Out Manny Pacquiao

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 14:43:02 -0400

I was wondering when Timothy Bradley would shed the nice guy routine and start naming names. Well it seems I have my answer, the evidence is clear from a conference call with Ring Magazine:

“Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter supposedly … whatever,” he said Thursday on a conference call, which included Campbell. “He’s the poster kid. He’s not fighting the best in the division, though. He’s fighting bigger fighters who are cutting weight and chopping them up because they’re weakened coming down in weight.”

Let me start by saying its about time. I was starting to think Bradley didn't know Pacquaio was in his division. Bradley is rated number one in the Ring Magazine rankings at junior welterweight. Manny Pacquaio is the Ring champion.

Now Bradley does have enough on his plate right now with Nate Campbell. The "Galaxy Warrior" is no slouch, and if he takes him lightly, he can lose this fight. However should he get by Nate Campbell, he really needs to ramp up his Pacquiao campaign.

Not that he has a real chance to land a Pacquaio fight, but Pacquaio is the champ. You can't be the number one rated challenger and act like the champ doesn't exist. Once he settles his business with Campbell, he needs to start calling out Pacquaio like it's nobody's business. That's what a challenger does.

Vernon Forrest Shot and Killed During Robbery

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:36:03 -0400

According to a news report, WBC Junior Middleweight champion Vernon Forrest was shot and killed during an armed robbery.

Forrest reportedly stopped to put air in the tires of his Jaguar, when approached and robbed at gunpoint. As the suspect fled, Forrest gave chase and exchanged gunfire with the suspect. Forrest was shot eight to nine times.

Forrest is best remembered by fight fans as the man who beat Shane Mosley twice, being almost the only man to knock Mosley out in their first match.

Forrest is also known for his charity work. He owned and operated Destiny's Child Inc., which provides housing and living assistance to mentally challenged adults.

According to his trainer, Forrest was gearing up to fight again later in the year.

On a personal note, I have met Vernon Forrest on several occasions. He is a big fight fan and is from my hometown of Augusta, GA.

I've never met a more humble, down to earth fighter. Forrest was always willing to talk boxing with me. The last time I saw Forrest I tried to convince him to fight Paul Williams, who was also in the arena that night.

Vernon candidly told me "Naw bro, no way". That's more honesty than you will get from more than 99 percent of the boxers currently fighting today.

I am deeply saddened by his death, and send my condolences out to his family.

Kelly Pavlik to Face Paul Williams...Maybe

Bryan Trafford — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:46:54 -0400

Here is an interesting rumor that is beginning to pick up some steam. According to Steve Kim over at Maxboxing, Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik may be in negotiations to face division jumper Paul Williams later in the year.

Some early sticking points seem to be the venue and William's purse split. Pavlik's people want Atlantic City, and they want Pavlik to earn a substantially larger payday than Williams for this fight.

I must say if this fight is going to come off, Williams is going to have to agree to whatever Pavlik's people want. 70/30 purse split, glove choice, venue, whatever. Williams has very little negotiating power because he really has no drawing power.

For all the talk of Williams being ducked, it is time to put up or shut up. This is his shot at the REAL Middleweight champion. If he defeats Pavlik he will earn additional negotiating power for future bouts based on being The Ring Magazine champion.

It's up for debate whether or not defeating Pavlik will increase his fanbase, but it certainly will help with his exposure. Not to mention the increased power a win would have in a negotiation for a rematch down the line.

As for William's chances in this fight, I see it as a pick 'em fight. Williams has good movement, throws punches in bunches, and a good set of whiskers. He hasn't faced a puncher who can hit as hard as Pavlik yet, and that may be the tale of this fight.

If he can take Pavlik's best shots, he should be able to outbox Pavlik over twelve rounds. If Pavlik can hurt or slow him down, Pavlik can get the decision or KO victory.

I hope for both parties, this fight get signed. It is one of the very few relevant fights to be had at middleweight.

Mixed Martial Artist Miguel Torres Calls Out Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Bryan Trafford — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:18:34 -0400

According to an interview with Yahoo Sports, WEC bantamweight had this to say about Floyd Mayweather, Jr's recent comments about MMA being for white guys:

"I would love to fight Mayweather, just because of the simple fact that I think he’s a cocky asshole…I’m not a white person, and I will smash his ass. I don’t care.

"His style of boxing is all built on getting people in the clinch. He’ll hit them, and then he’ll get in the clinch with them. Then the referee breaks them, and he’ll hit them and grab them again. I think it’s a great strategy. It’s not clean boxing, but it’s smart boxing. He’s going to hit somebody and grab them in MMA, and he’ll be done for. They’ll take him down. That’ll be all. I’ll be on top of the list to fight him."

I'm not sure what Torres is trying to accomplish with this statement, because I highly doubt Mayweather has any idea who he is. Mayweather has talked about how even the biggest mixed martial artists aren't on his level, and Torres isn't even amongst the sport's top draws. He is one of the pound for pound best in MMA, but not a top PPV draw.

As for his statement, of course he would smash Mayweather in an MMA contest, just as Mayweather would trounce him in a boxing ring.

Neither is going to happen, so what is the point?

As for the bigger boxing versus MMA debate Mayweather is trying to stir up, here is my take on the whole thing:

Boxing for me is like my wife of many years. She was my high school sweetheart, we fell in love, and got married. Over the years, she has had my kids and gained a few pounds, and I began looking at a much younger woman named MMA.

I began cheating on boxing with MMA because she is young and pretty and makes me feel all bubbly on the inside. Sometimes boxing is boring and gets on my nerves. MMA seems to always be there for me when boxing lets me down.

However, as much as I like MMA, I'm not leaving boxing. Not now, not ever. I will just keep MMA on the side, as my little secret.

HBO to Air Arturo Gatti Tribute

Bryan Trafford — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:15:01 -0400

From an HBO press release:

This weekend, HBO will air all three of the classic fights between Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward. The fights will be shown consecutively with the first airing on Friday, July 17 at 9pm ET/PT on HBO2 and again on Saturday, July 18 at 10:15am ET/PT on HBO. The trilogy will also be available through the On Demand service from July 20–August 16.

If you are not a fan of boxing or Arturo Gatti, you will become a fan if you watch these fights. Gatti was a true example of what a warrior should be. He wasn't a model citizen outside the ring, but inside he was a true fighter.

Never one to back down, Gatti came forward and fought with heart and courage each and every time he stepped into the ring. Arturo Gatti truly was boxing's ultimate blood and guts warrior. He will be missed.

Floyd "Money" Mayweather Is Really Fighting For The Cash This Time

Bryan Trafford — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:10:48 -0400

Finally, there is proof of the rumors.

Associated Press writer Oskar Garcia writes:

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has said rumblings about his financial troubles are nothing more than rumors, but public records obtained by The Associated Press show the boxer nicknamed "Money" owes about $6.4 million to the Internal Revenue Service and others.

The IRS hit the former pound-for-pound boxing king with a lien in October for $6.17 million in unpaid taxes from 2007, according to the Clark County Recorder in Las Vegas. A New Jersey Superior Court judgment from the same year shows he owes $193,000 in state taxes there.

Now I'm not writing this to imply Mayweather is broke, but I do wonder if he is in financial trouble. I know we will never get a truthful answer from Mayweather or Leonard Ellebe, his adviser.

If he is in financial trouble, I also wonder how this will affect his future performances. Will he fight harder, knowing that the IRS may be coming to take his things soon? Or will he fight will less inspiration because he really wanted to stay retired?

What say you, B/R Boxing community?

Updating the Welterweight Boxing Rankings After Cotto vs. Clottey

Bryan Trafford — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:43:01 -0400

After Miguel Cotto's split decision win over Joshua Clottey, here is an update to the Welterweight division rankings.

1. Shane Mosley (46-5)

Fresh off of his destruction of Antonio Margarito, it seemed the sky was the limit for Shane Mosley. Almost six months later and it seems the limit is the sky.

Mosley wants the big fights, and no one seems willing to step into the ring with him. It would seem at this point he needs to look at someone not named Pacquiao or Mayweather if he is to fight again this year.

2. Miguel Cotto (34-1)

For Cotto, this ranking is more like 1b.

He owns a win over Mosley, but a more recent loss to Margarito. His win over Clottey was as close as wins can be, so it doesn't warrant a move up in ranking. His next fight against Pacquiao won't be at welterweight, so it should not affect his ranking in any manner.

3. Antonio Margarito (37-6)

This spot is highly debatable. Ring Magazine has Margarito at number four, and it's arguable if he should be ranked at all. However, regardless of personal opinion, if he is going to be allowed to fight on after his suspension is up, he has to be ranked.

Looking at his body of work, he has beat two of the guys Ring Magazine has ranked above him.

I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt in that I feel if he cheated prior to the Mosley fight, we will all know soon enough. His return to the ring should provide the answers the boxing fans want.

4. Joshua Clottey (35-3)

Joshua Clottey is in a tough spot. He has never been dominated or beaten up, yet he finds a way to lose fights he should win. Had he thrown more punches against Cotto, he might be number two now instead of number four. Simply put, Clottey lacks that killer instinct.

Clottey was a difficult matchup for fighters before the Cotto fight. If I were Andre Berto's manager I would keep Clottey away from my fighter. Maybe a return fight against Margarito when his suspension is up will give Clottey a chance to finally step it up in a big fight.

5. Andre Berto (25-0)

Never has a fighter been ranked so high while doing so little. Ok, so I'm exaggerating but you get my point. It's time for Berto to step it up against a legitimate welterweight. Clottey would seem like a perfect dance partner, but I'm not sure it's a good fight for Berto.

If not Berto, a rematch with Collazo would be the next best option.

If Berto is the leader of the next generation of welterweights, it's time for him to show the world—no more junior welterweight fighters moving up.

6. Luis Collazo (29-4)

Several writers and fans feel Collazo did enough to warrant the decision against Berto. Count yours truly as one of them. Naturally there is unfinished business between the two, and it can only be settled in the ring. Collazo is truly the division's gatekeeper, and a win over Berto in a rematch could see him finally emerge from that position.

7. Carlos Quintana (26-2)

Quintana has been knocked out by two of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport. Outside those two losses, Quitana is still a load to handle for any fighter at 147.

Quintana is a southpaw with good boxing skills, and is a high risk/low reward prospect for up and coming fighters.

8. Zab Judah (37-6)

It's difficult for me to say this about a 31-year-old man, but Judah may be entering the twilight of his career. Sure he may keep on fighting, but his days as an elite fighter may be all but gone.

A move to 140 to face the lessor of the two Hatton's is an attempt to prolong his career. Assuming he gets by Hatton, he needs to take on the division's best.

Personally, I don't think he should fight again at 147. Until he says so or says he is fighting 140 full time, he remains at number eight.

9. Isaac Hlatswayo (28-1-1)

Hlatswayo owns victories over Nate Campbell and Phillip N'dou. The only problem is those wins were at lightweight. At welterweight, he has three wins and a draw with Delvin Rodriguez.

10. Vyacheslav Senchenko (29-0)

Senchenko is an undefeated welterweight from the Ukraine. He holds wins over absolutely nobody I have ever heard of. His management should expect calls from Berto's people immediately.

Would a Mayweather Jr. Loss Be Best for Boxing?

Bryan Trafford — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:23:57 -0400

In boxing, there are three types of champions.

The first type of champion is the guy that wants to fight the best. He isn't interested in titles or rankings as much as he is challenging himself. An example of this type of champion is Shane Mosley.

Not only is Mosley actively calling out Manny Pacquiao, he is willing to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., and has even mentioned boxing's boogieman, Paul Williams.

The second type of champion is the guy who fights whoever his promoter puts in front of him. He trains hard to put on a good show for the fans. He leaves the matchmaking to his manager and promoter.

An example of this type of fighter is Vic Darchinyan. Now Darchinyan has been known to call out a guy or two, but for the most part he fights whoever Gary Shaw puts in front of him.

The third type of champion is the guy that follows the path of least risk/highest reward. This type of fighter is concerned with making the most money against the fighter that poses him the least threat.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. falls into this category. While a successful strategy for the fighter's wallet, it leaves many fans disappointed in both the choice of opponents and in ring performance.

The first and second type of champion I have described are the type of guys that have given us this revival of sorts that boxing has experienced in the last year or so. Thanks in large part to the success of MMA and the UFC, boxing's superstars have been forced to give up being the type of guy that follows the path of least resistance.

Guys like Winky Wright, Vernon Forrest, Roy Jones, and others are learning this lesson. The days of fighting anybody and making millions are to a large extent, gone. Name recognition no longer guarantees a guy a million dollar payday everytime out.

While this shift in the boxing paradigm has hurt aging fighters, it has helped the sport and its fans by creating compelling matchups.

Winky Wright was forced to comeback and face a young lion in Paul Williams. Paul Williams wasn't Wright's first choice, but Wright wanted a big payday.

Vernon Forrest is on the verge of no longer being relevant, having recently being stripped of his title for refusing to fight Sergio Martinez. Roy Jones in recent years has shown heart and a willingness to take on guys he should have fought in his prime.

With Mayweather's return to boxing, the low risk/high reward strategy is back in full effect. Mayweather and his advisers chose the guy they believed poses the smallest threat to beating Mayweather while creating the type of payday Mayweather is accustomed to.

This is not to discount Juan Manuel Marquez as an opponent, but there were actual welterweight opponents available. Shane Mosley is the champion at welterweight, yet Mayweather looked past him.

Mosley doesn't fit into Mayweather's formula yet, because he poses a great deal of threat to Mayweather. While Marquez can certainly beat Mayweather, odds are he would have to do so on points. Mosley not only could outpoint Mayweather, he has the power to place him flat on his back as well.

Since stepping up to welterweight, Mayweather has yet to face an opponent he didn't feel 100 percent he was going to beat. Now every fighter should believe they are going to win every fight, but Mayweather doesn't even consider fights he could possibly lose.

Need evidence of this? Watch this interview with Brian Kenny from ESPN. Mayweather seems to scoff at the mere idea of fighting Shane Mosley, as if Mosley were some journeyman. Miguel Cotto was only briefly mentioned once in the entire interview. Paul Williams? Forget about it.

If Mayweather should get by Marquez, and he should, my guess is he wants to fight Pacquiao next. Assuming that Mayweather/Pacquaio can be made, I give Mayweather and excellent chance at winning that fight as well. Which leaves us with Mayweather doing one the following:

1. Retiring Again

Feeling he has once again reclaimed his spot as boxing's pound for pound best, and made millions in the process, he calls it quits again.

This will probably only last long enough for a new fighter to emerge, one that Mayweather feels he can beat. As long as he has the 0 in the loss column, I doubt he will ever really retire. He will always have one more big payday looming.

2. A rematch with Oscar De La Hoya

Just because De La Hoya has retired doesn't mean we will never see him in the ring again. If Mayweather can create enough demand with wins over Marquez and Pacquiao, this fight can be made at junior middleweight. It's not the fight boxing fans want, but its the fight Mayweather wants.

3. Rematch with Pacquaio

Pending this fight does not end in brutal one sided fashion, a rematch would most certainly be in order. Mayweather would certainly oblige, especially if he wins.

4. Calls out Timothy Bradley, Edwin Valero, or Andre Berto.

This is only if the option two or three are not viable. Bradley is a good fight for Mayweather to pick up a title belt and give a young fighter his first loss. Same with Valero and Berto. None pose significant threat to Mayweather, making them all viable candidates.

The most glaring omission to these choices is a fight with Shane Mosley. I don't believe Mayweather will fight Mosley until he is convinced Mosley poses him no threat, whether it be thru age or a bad outing for Mosley.

Why Mayweather needs to lose

A loss by Mayweather to either Marquez or Pacquiao might be a blessing in disguise for boxing fans. Without the 0, Mayweather loses some standing. Without the 0, Mayweather loses some clout. Without the 0, Mayweather can no longer hold fans hostage.

If Mayweather loses to Marquez, he has to take the stiffest challenge available. If he is unable to secure an immediate rematch, he has to throw all caution to the wind. A fight with Pacquiao would be out of the question at that point. The only acceptable fights for him would be against Cotto or Mosley.

If Mayweather were to beat Marquez but lose to Pacquaio, the same rule applies. If he is unable to secure a rematch with Pacquaio, he will be forced to redeem himself by taking the sternest available test. Again its Cotto or Mosley. His ego will allow him to do nothing less.

For the sake of fans, I for one, am hoping for a Mayweather loss. If only for the hope that it transforms him from following the path of least resistance, to taking on all comers. I know this is a pipe dream and maybe nothing changes with a Mayweather loss. The one thing I do know is that if Mayweather keeps winning, he will keep reducing the threat level.

One can only hope Mayweather does the right thing and takes on all comers if he beats Marquez and Pacquiao.

I certainly won't be holding my breath.

Bleacher Report Boxing Pound-for-Pound Rankings: June 09

Bryan Trafford — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:44:02 -0400

June just got a lot less interesting for boxing fans. According to Johnny Benz over at Maxboxing, Haye/Klitschko is off.

Still, we have Cotto/Clottey, John/Juarez II, and Victor Ortiz returning to action. Of these fights, Cotto/Clottey is the only one with pound-for-pound implications. If Cotto should win, he will not only solidify his ranking, but will be in the running for the Pacquaio sweepstakes.

As usual, I asked the top 10 boxing writers for their lists, and I averaged them out. I thank everyone who participated, and those who did not, you owe me 100 pushups.

On to the rankings:

1. Manny Pacquiao

Pacquiao has literally become boxing's cash cow. Whether it's Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, or Floyd Mayweather Jr., they all seem to be lining up for a shot at Pacquiao. Bob Arum has told us Oct. 17 is the date of his next fight, but who will he be fighting?

We don't have the answer to that yet, but one thing is certain. Pacquiao should remain atop the pound-for-pound list, at least until that date.

2. Juan Manuel Marquez

You have got to admire the heart of this Mexican warrior. When he called out Floyd Mayweather Jr. after his last fight, it reeked of posturing.

Well as it turns out, he was not posturing for another fight with Manny Pacquiao. When he said he wasn't waiting around, he meant it.

Marquez is in total control of his destiny. A win over Mayweather Jr. not only wrecks Mayweather vs Pacquaio, but almost guarantees himself a third fight with Pacquiao.

3. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

As a testament to Mayweather's greatness inside the ring, he returns to our pound-for-pound rankings without even fighting. As a testament to his lack of intestinal fortitude, its against a lightweight moving up.

Say what you will about Mayweather Jr. outside the ring, but inside the ring he has yet to taste defeat. With the possibility of fighting both the number two and number one guys in his next two fights, we may see Mayweather Jr. reclaim his number one spot.

4. Shane Mosley

It came down to my vote to break a tie for Mosley or Cotto in this spot. I chose Mosley only by the tiniest of margins. I believe the Cotto fight could have gone either way for Mosley, and Mosley's last performance is still etched into my memory.

It remains unclear who Mosley's next opponent will be, and no one seems to be excited about facing him next. Mosley wants Pacquiao, and I for one hope he gets him.

5. Miguel Cotto

Cotto is the only guy on the list fighting in June, but his spot shouldn't change much unless he loses. What will be interesting is who Cotto will fight next should he get by Clottey. Does he want Pacquaio? A rematch with Mosley?

6. Bernard Hopkins

Is the Executioner gonna fight in '09? Let's hope he can find a dance partner and get in the ring soon. Time is not on his side.

7. Nonito Donaire

Finally some love for the Darchinyan conqueror. He checks in at number seven on our list. It remains to be seen whether Darchinyan will step in the ring again to fight Donaire, as Gary Shaw is adamantly opposed to the idea.

8. Vic Darchinyan

Darchinyan is one of boxing's all-action guys, and never backs away from a challenge. He goes for broke with every punch, and never seems to want the fight to go to decision.

Since his loss to Donaire, he is showing more patience and a jab to set up those brutal power punches. A more complete Darchinyan is a frightening thought for anyone fighting under the featherweight limit.

9. Israel Vazquez

Vazquez may be seeing his last days on the pound-for-pound list. Coming off of four eye surgeries and brutal wars with Rafael Marquez, his best days may be behind him as well.

How much does Vazquez have left in the tank? His upcoming fight may very well let us know.

10. Rafael Marquez

Marquez still remains on the list at number 10. A fourth fight with Vazquez may be the best option left for either of these fighters.

UFC 98: Five Things I Learned

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 24 May 2009 04:36:55 -0400

UFC 98 is in the books,and it was a night full of great fights. We saw an upset, a grudge settled, and a new light heavyweight champion crowned.

It appears Karate Dojos everywhere will see a spike in enrollment on Monday morning.

Here are five things I learned from UFC 98.

1. Urine is the new Red Bull.

It's official. Tomorrow when I wake up instead of going in the toilet, I will go in a cup. I will then proceed to drink contents of said cup, and reap the benefits.

I had been using the nipple tweak thing up until now, but that's so 2008. If you want to train like the pros, you gotta drink your first urine.

It has all the vitamins you need for the day, and its the breakfast of champions. At least the breakfast of the new light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida.

2. Sean Sherk was paid to keep the fight standing against Frankie Edgar.

Ok, so I don't actually believe that. I will say it seemed extremely weird watching Sherk get picked apart and continue to stalk Edgar like he had some awesome one punch power or something.

Sherk got caught up in this new phenomenon sweeping MMA, fear of being boring. It's no longer good enough to win, you gotta exchange. You need knockouts or at least lots of exchanges. Sherk should have shot in early and often, and used what got him to the dance.

As a boxing guy by nature, I have an old boxing adage that seems appropriate. Win this fight, and look good in the next one.

3. The answer is there is no answer to Machida's style.

The questions coming into this matchup were mostly about Machida's style. What would Greg Jackson come up with to answer the Shotokan Karate black belt?

Would Evans attempt to take Machida down and ground-n-pound him? Would Evans attempt to make Lyoto lead so he could counter?

The answer was not as shocking as it was definitive. Evans couldn't get into range to land his shots.

Machida laid back out of range and landed his KO.

Just how do you beat Machida? He stays out of punching range. He has a great sprawl. He is very hard to hit cleanly, and has great Jiu Jitsu.

There is no answer yet, because he has no losses. There are some hints, as some subtle flaws were shown in his fight against Tito Ortiz. In retrospect now, how good does Ortiz look now that Machida has tore thru Silva and Evans?

Against Ortiz he showed he was susceptible to dirty boxing in the Thai clinch. While Ortiz certainly did not do significant damage in the clinch, that is something worth noting for future opponents.

Also it seems that triangle/armbar attempt late in the Ortiz fight is the closest Machida has come to losing in the octagon. Though Machida has a black belt in Jiu Jitsu, this may be something worth exploring. Perhaps he can be submitted.

Outside of Anderson Silva, I don't really see anyone giving this guy much of a challenge anytime soon.

4. Professor X needs to leave the dancing to the dance floor.

I have said it time and time again. It is one of the oldest rules in boxing. It seems MMA fighters have not learned about this rule yet. You do not shake booty on your way to the ring. It is bad luck. It detracts from your focus. If you need to see the best example of this, see Phil Baroni.

I can't say its the entire reason why he lost, but it played a huge part. Oh, and that other rule about always keeping your hands up too.

5. Rampage should not fight Machida under any circumstances.

I know that Rampage gets the winner of Evans/Machida. Now that it is Machida, I don't want to see Rampage fight him. I give Rampage about a 10 percent chance of winning that fight. I only give him that high of a chance due to his knockout power.

Machida's style is all wrong for Rampage. If you saw the Griffin fight, you know what I'm referring to. Rampage can be beaten by an elusive fighter who can utilize kicks and movement.

Machida is at least twice as fast as Griffin. He will lay back and potshot Rampage all night. It will be like the Evans fight, except I believe Rampage to possess a better chin.

This is a fight that makes Rampage look very bad. The UFC should avoid it for as long as possible. I have an idea. Scrap the Griffin/Silva fight and sign Silva/Machida instead.

That way we can get a Griffin/Rampage rematch and I can avoid seeing my favorite fighter get exposed for five rounds.

Roy Jones Jr. vs. Jeff Lacy: Loser Leaves Town

Bryan Trafford — Sat, 23 May 2009 16:49:48 -0400

Roy Jones Jr.

Call it the death of Superman.

May 15, 2004, is a day that will live forever in the minds of hardcore boxing fans. On this night the man we had all known to be unbeatable was rendered both irrelevant and unconscious with one left hand.

On this night Roy Jones was supposed to show Antonio Tarver that he was the greatest fighter of all time and that Tarver was a mere mortal. In their first fight, seven months earlier, Jones had escaped with a win but hardly looked like himself.

In the rematch, Jones came out strong and won the first round easily. He appeared to be on his way to setting the boxing universe back in order when a counter left hook left him under the ropes, struggling to beat the 10-count. He got up, but the fight was waived off.

This fight will forever be marked as the moment Jones' career really ended. Sure he has fought since. He fought Glen Johson, and was sent to the canvas again. He fought Tarver again, and lost again.

Since those fights, he has done little that is relevant to boxing or his true weight class. He has beaten some journeymen (Prince Ajamu) and smaller guys (Anthony Hanshaw) but little else.

His win over the semi-retired Felix Trinidad showed some flashes of his old self, but you have to consider the opposition. Trinindad was fighting some four weight classes above his best weight, which was welterweight.

Jones went on to lose to Joe Calzaghe, a fighter Jones should have had little problem with in his prime. He was beaten and battered in that fight in a gruesome way, and many thought it would be his last fight. Yet he fights on.

After a meaningless win over Omar Sheika, enter Jeff Lacy.

Jeff Lacy

Jeff Lacy was meant for bigger things.

Going into this fight with Jones Lacy has to wonder where it all went wrong for him. He was a former 2000 U.S. Olympian and posed for boxing stardom.

It all started well for Lacy, as he reeled off 21 victories and won a few of the trinket belts along the way. He then signed off on a match that was to determine the Ring Magazine champion at Super Middleweight.

On March 5, 2006, Lacy flew over to Manchester England to "pick up his belt" as he described in his own words. That night he was facing a lightly regarded but unbeaten longtime titleholder, Joe Calzaghe.

What happened that night was one of the worst one sided non knockout bouts this writer can recall. If there was ever a fight that ruined a guy's career, this was it.

Lacy was battered from pillar to post. Calzaghe swarmed him round after round, peppering him with shots all night long. At first, they seemed to be only pitty pat shots. That is, of course, until Lacy's lip started bleeding and his eye started swelling.

Why Lacy's corner never threw in the towel and allowed him to take that full beating is one of boxing's true unsolved mysteries. One thing that is not a mystery is that Lacy has never regained the status or luster that he once had.

Lacy has fought on, losing only once more, to Jermain Taylor. He has never looked the same since his loss to Calzaghe, and often looks lost during large portions of bouts. He remains rugged and durable, however, and still possesses heavy hands.

The Fight

Roy Jones Jr. will meet Jeff Lacy in the ring on Aug. 22. The fight is more than a battle between two former champions and stars. It will be a battle for their careers. If Jones should lose, it will effectively end any small amount of desire fans have to see him fight. It will also end any future bigger paydays he may be seeking.

For Lacy, this is a fight to remain relevant. A win over Jones means nothing as far as the actual rankings go. But for Lacy, it would be a huge win for both his ego and his career. It would enable him to angle for another big fight and possible chance to get his career back on track.

Prediction

There is little doubt who would have won this fight if they were both in prime form. Jones use to toy with guys who fought like Lacy. These are not those days, however, and this is not that version of Roy.

This is a 40-year-old Jones who can only fight in spurts and does not take shots very well. For all his lack of interest in the ring, Lacy can still punch.

Look for Jones to come out and try to potshot Lacy early. When he has the energy, look for him to shoeshine a little to try to impress the judges and win rounds. Jones doesn't possess the kinda one punch power to put Lacy down, and this is where he is in trouble.

Lacy should be there all night, throwing hard shots to the body and head. As Jones slows down and fights less and less, this could be a major problem. If Lacy can manage to stay focused and let his hands go, Jones will be in trouble.

Look for Lacy to win by late rounds stoppage and earn himself one more beating at the hands of one of the top guys at 168 or 175.

Could an Interim Fight Ruin Floyd Mayweather Jr. Vs Manny Pacquiao?

Bryan Trafford — Wed, 20 May 2009 06:05:53 -0400

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has returned.

The former Ring Magazine pound for pound champion has decided to end his "retirement" and fight Juan Manuel Marquez. Mayweather is the undefeated former pound-for-pound champion, and five division titleholder.

Marquez is the current Ring Magazine lightweight champion, and currently No. 2 pound for pound. Some in boxing see this as a case of a good big guy against a good smaller guy.

While Marquez certainly has his work cut out for him on July 18, a win by the Mexican warrior is certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Both fighters are looking past this fight to a proposed bigger matchup with Manny Pacquiao down the road.

For Mayweather, it will be the chance to reclaim the pound for pound spot he lost only due to his retirement and inactivity. For Marquez, it will be the opportunity to finally get a win over an opponent he has lost to twice.

For both fighters, a loss takes the luster off any matchup with Pacquiao later in the year. For Mayweather, this is seen as his version of a tuneup fight. It also perfectly fits his M.O. of finding the best non threat to fight.

Mayweather sees this as an "easy fight." Looking at it from his point of view, he has valid points. Marquez would be moving up in weight, is 35, and just went life and death with Juan Diaz.

In the early rounds against Diaz, it seemed the bigger Diaz was able to muscle and hit Marquez with solid shots before Marquez's accurate counter punching and ring I.Q. set in.

Mayweather is planning to use Marquez to get his timing and accuracy back down against a game, skilled, smaller opponent.

On Marquez's end, this is a great opportunity. If he loses, he can blame it on the size difference. If he wins, he gets a third fight with Pacquaio. In addition, there is the layoff factor. If Mayweather's rusty, Marquez can win rounds with his vast array of offense.

Mayweather is no pressure fighter like Diaz, and will not use his size to muscle Marquez. For Marquez to win, he will need to press the action, and not let Floyd lay back and pot shot him. If he can do this enough to win seven out of twelve rounds on two scorecards, we just may see the first loss on Mayweather's record.

In the meanwhile, word out of Pacquiao's camp is they are also looking for an interim fight. Names being throw in the hat have included Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto, and Shane Mosley.

Recently, it has come down to Cotto and Mosley. Cotto has a tough fight coming up on June 13th, against Joshua Clottey. Should he get past Clottey, a fight with Pacquaio would be a very intriguing fight, but it would have to be at welterweight to make sense.

Cotto struggled to get down to 140 his last few fights at that weight, and it showed in his performances. Freddie Roach wants to keep Pacquiao as close to 140 as possible, in order to protect his fighter. If the weight isn't a dealbreaker, this would be a good fight, albeit one Manny should be able to win.

For all of Cotto's body punching prowess, Manny has the speed and boxing ability to keep this fight at distance, where he could test Cotto's chin. I used to think Cotto was too big for Pacquiao. That was before I saw Pacquiao almost decapitate Ricky Hatton, who was also supposed to be too big.

The other name is probably the most likely. Shane Mosley currently is left without an upcoming fight, and would make for a very fan friendly fight. The weight would be a big issue for this fight, as it is highly unlikely Shane could get down to 142 or so to make this fight happen.

At welterweight, this is must-see tv. Shane always brings it, and Pacquiao has rarely disappointed. This would be a dangerous fight for Pacquaio, as Mosley would be the hardest puncher Manny has stepped into the ring with.

Mosley also has a solid chin, and has a great trainer in Nazim Richardson. Mosley's style would be polar opposite to that of Mayweather Jr. What Mosley has dubbed "power boxing" would certainly result in a war which could result in a short night for either fighter.

A win by Mosley over Pacquiao would likely force a Mayweather fight or Cotto rematch. A win by Cotto over Pacquiao would likely land him a fight with Mayweather Jr. A win by Marquez or Mayweather Jr would land either the fight with Pacquiao later in the year.

Confused? So am I. Good thing this will all be sorted out in the ring, starting July 18th on HBO PPV.

If Not Retirement, Then What For Ricky Hatton?

Bryan Trafford — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:57:13 -0400

The drums are beating loud. From England to the States, writers and fans alike are calling for Ricky Hatton to retire after he was knocked senseless by Manny Pacquiao. Before the HBO-PPV broadcast could end, the speculation had already begun.

Floyd Mayweather Sr., who trained Hatton for his bout with Pacquiao, suggested so when interviewed after the fight. The Monday following the fight, columns and mailbags were full of retirement talk for Hatton.

Yet during all this talk, Hatton has remained pretty tight lipped. Aside from a few statements regarding the fight, he has remained undecided about his future. His dad even went as far as to let everyone know that Ricky had not decided anything yet.

Let's face it, Hatton is done as an elite level fighter. While he may still be a major attraction, he has been stopped both times he stepped up to the pound for pound level. At only 30 years of age, he is at a serious crossroads.

If Hatton is to keep fighting, he would be well served to return to England and choose his opponents carefully. For all intents and purposes, he has been exposed. Mayweather and Pacquiao have shown that he can be timed as he rushes in with his chin up and hands down.

At 30, and with 47 professional fights, its probably too late to change his style. He is what he is; a great brawler with an extremely loyal fan base. Like Arturo Gatti before him, his status or lack thereof does not seem to deter his fan base.

This leaves Hatton with two viable options; a farewell fight in Manchester, or resume careful matchmaking going forward.

If he is to have one last fight, the perfect opponent would be Junior Witter in an English grudge match. The two have traded plenty of words over the years, but no blows. This fight should be a good seller in England, and is a winnable fight for Hatton.

If he is to resume fighting long term, he needs a confidence builder. Lightweight Michael Katsidis would do for such a matchup. Basically a smaller, less rough version of Hatton, the two styles would make for plenty of action. Katsidis lacks the natural hand speed or one-punch power to pose more than a marginal threat to Hatton.

If he should get by Katsidis, a fight with Timothy Bradley would really let Hatton know whether to hang up the gloves. A prime Ricky Hatton would no doubt have been a huge favorite over Bradley, but at this point who knows?

Bradley is skilled, speedy, and has plenty of heart. He would be the perfect opponent to answer any lingering questions Hatton would have about his career. While a very good fighter, Bradley is a step below the Floyd Mayweathers and Manny Pacquiaos of this world.

At this stage, one has to wonder if even a Timothy Bradley is too much for Hatton.

Bleacher Report Boxing Pound-for-Pound Rankings: May 09

Bryan Trafford — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:06:40 -0400

The May Bleacher Report Boxing Pound-for-Pound rankings are in.

I asked the top 10 boxing writers to submit their personal rankings and averaged them out to compile this list.

There are a few changes this month so without further ado.........

1. Manny Pacquiao

This has to be the least controversial number one pick in quite some time. Aside from the people who feel that Marquez beat Pacquiao in their rematch, there is almost universal agreement on this selection.

Manny's latest one-sided thrashing of Ricky Hatton made him the Ring Magazine champion at 140 pounds.

It will be interesting to see what happens with our rankings after former pound-for-pound king Mayweather Jr. and Marquez square off in July.

2. Juan Manuel Marquez

It is a testament to Marquez's greatness that he went 24 rounds with Pacquaio. Although suffering knockdowns in both fights, he managed to outbox Pacquiao in the center of the ring for much of both bouts. That has to count for something—win, lose, or draw.

At 35, Marquez knows his time is now. To get to number one, he knows he must fight the best now. If he should get by Mayweather, a third fight with Pacquiao would most certainly be next. A victory in both of those fights would guarantee nobody underestimates the great Mexican warrior again.

3. Bernard Hopkins

Is the ageless wonder planning to fight this year? A rumored fight with cruiserweight champ Adamek fell through, and now there are talks of a matchup with Carl Froch. It is truly amazing that Hopkins is still among the best fighters in the world at his age. He is the living embodiment of an all-time great.

4. Shane Mosley

I'd like to take this time to say thank you to Shane Mosley. If it were not for you, Shane, we would all think Margarito was a legitimate bad ass, and not the cheating scumbag he is. Thank you for blasting him out of the rankings, and hopefully out of boxing forever.

Now, is anyone out there willing to fight Shane? It was kinda sad seeing Shane almost begging to fight Pacquiao at the post-fight press conference this past weekend.

5. Vic Darchinyan

This little guy is rising fast. I don't know if it's due to his recent impressive performances, or Stoker's recent article about the guy wanting some of Pacquiao. Either way, if he was a stock, the time to be buying would be now. He has a tough fight coming up as he is moving up to 118 pounds to fight Joseph Agbeko.

6. Miguel Cotto

Cotto makes an astonishing comeback thanks to his most recent win. Also, the cloud of controversy surrounding Margarito and his plaster handwraps have led many in the boxing community to wonder if Cotto shouldn't still be undefeated.

His upcoming fight with Joshua Clottey should tell us all if Cotto has any lingering signs from the Margarito fight. Clottey should be able to give Cotto all he can handle.

7. Paul Williams

At this point, the Bleacher Report writers start to disagree. There were about five different guys at this spot, but the guy ranked the highest when I averaged the lists out was Paul Williams. Not having a true weight class might be hurting the "Punisher," but if he keeps winning he will get that big fight eventually.

There has been talk of him stepping up to super middleweight to fight Allan Green or Bernard Hopkins, and I'm not sure I like either fight. I think middleweight is William's true weight class, but who knows? Time will tell.

8. Nonito Donaire

I'll tell you what, fight fans in the Philippines have something to be proud of. Not only do they currently have the number one boxer on the planet, they have a guy in Donaire who could potentially occupy that position in the future.

This guy has all the tools. Power, boxing skills, good speed. Oh, and he also has that knockout over Darchinyan. Gary Shaw sure doesn't seem to be very interested in putting Vic back in there with Donaire, and I think I know why.

9. Israel Vazquez

OK, so it looks like Vazquez has finally been cleared to fight. One has to wonder what he has left after his brutal wars with Rafael Marquez? We shall find out soon enough.

10. Rafael Marquez

There were also several guys at this spot. Ivan Calderon. Juan Manuel Lopez. Fernado Montiel. I gave the nod to Marquez because of his previous rankings on our list, and the fact that he has an upcoming fight. Like Vazquez, we shall see what he has left soon enough.

Manny Pacquiao Knocks Out Ricky Hatton in Lopsided Fight

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:55:11 -0400

From MGM Grand Casino, Las Vegas-

One vicious and perfectly timed straight left hand was all it took.

Seconds before the bell to end round two Pacquiao countered Hatton, knocking him cold, to win THE RING MAGAZINE Junior Welterweight Championship Saturday at the MGM Grand. Pacquiao also retains his position as the consensus number one pound for pound fighter in the world.

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 knockouts) put Hatton (45-2, 32 KOs) on the canvas twice in the first round. The first by a right hook and the second by a left hand.

Realizing he was in trouble, Hatton came out aggressive to start round two. Still being beat to the punch by the much quicker Pacquaio, Hatton attempted to bumrush and bully Pacquiao.

As the round came to a close, Pacquiao countered a bullrushing Hatton with a straight left hand. Hatton,who was out before he hit the ground, landed flat on his back and didn't move for several minutes.

Manny proved to be too much everything for Hatton. Too much speed, too much power, too much movement.

According to Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, the fight was won in the gym. "We noticed during film sessions that Hatton has a little hitch where he pulls back when the throws left hooks."

What's next for these two fighters?

Pacquiao will most likely be awaiting the winner of Marquez/Mayweather Jr., scheduled for July. The newly unretired Mayweather Jr. is looking to reclaim the pound for pound title he held prior to his retirement. Also, a fight with Shane Mosley is an attractive matchup, pending the two can agree on weight.

As for Hatton, it's hard to say where he goes from here. Unable to win in two shots at the pound for pound throne, he may likely retire.

Most Underutilized Techniques in Boxing, Part I: The Check Hook

Bryan Trafford — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:44:11 -0400

Let me start by giving the credit for my idea for this series to Jad Semaan. His very well written article on the Most Underutilized Techniques in MMA can be found here:

Check Hook

In boxing, a counter-hook is designed to catch an aggressive fighter coming forward.

This maneuver consists of a normal left/right hook, combined with some nifty footwork. As your opponent comes forward in an overly aggressive manner, you almost simultaneously take a step back, pivot on your lead leg, and swing your rear leg while throwing a hook.

The result is sort of like when a matador sidesteps a bull and sticks him, but instead you sidestep your opponent, and catch him with a hook for his efforts.

This punch is extremely hard to pull off in a boxing match, simply because it requires great footwork and a good amount of speed to land. A fighter must have the foot-speed to take a half-step back and pivot on his lead leg almost simultaneously.

A fighter must also have the reflexes to make his opponent miss, and the hand-speed to throw the hook while pivoting and swinging the rear leg. While any fighter can learn this technique, applying it in the ring requires much effort.

However, when used effectively, this can be a great tool to stop an aggressive opponent obsessed with bringing the fight to you. At the very least, if landed, this punch will throw your opponent off balance. If landed with authority, this can be a knockout blow, or at least a knockdown blow.

Historical Example

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Ricky Hatton

Ricky Hatton was becoming overly aggressive due to his irritation with Floyd's counter defensive style. He lunged forward with his chin up to get to Floyd. In one swift action, Floyd both sidestepped Ricky, and hit him with a picture-perfect check hook, sending him head-first into a ring post.

Note

Roy Jones Jr. also used this punch significantly throughout his career.

Summary

This punch should be in the arsenal of any fighter with the speed to pull it off. Any young boxer with better than average hand-speed, foot-speed, and a counter-punching style should know this technique.

If Manny Pacquiao is smart, he will add this punch to his repertoire for the Hatton fight.

Is Anderson Silva Becoming Roy Jones Jr.?

Bryan Trafford — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:08:33 -0400

After his latest performance at UFC 97, many MMA fans have expressed outrage with Anderson Silva. He displayed a seeming lack of interest and desire to finish his clearly outmatched challenger Thales Leites.

On several occasions he punched Leites on the thigh, and front kicked his knee, instead of throwing combinations with nasty intentions. During a clinch, he let Leites go rather than hit him with knees.

Silva coasted to a unanimous decision win, and seemed indifferent about his performance afterwards. As a longtime boxing fan, I have a spin I would like to put on Silva's performance. I think Silva and Leites made the "silent contract."

Boxing fans who watched UFC 97 should be familar with the phrase made popular by Teddy Atlas. It was his suggestion that during Tyson's heyday, guys would simply stop trying to win so Tyson wouldn't knock them out. Thus the silent contract.

Saturday night it appeared such a contract was signed, sealed, and delivered.

It has been well documented that Anderson Silva's idol is Roy Jones Jr. During Roy's heyday, such contracts were signed on many a night. Roy was often content to potshot a guy who stopped trying to win. As long as an opponent didn't try to get a fight started, Roy would happily clown and dance his way to easy wins.

Although in different sports, Jones and Silva have many similarities. Not only did Roy rarely get close to losing a fight, he barely lost a round. He was so ahead of his competition that it often seemed as though he might never lose.

Silva has displayed a similar level of dominance inside the octagon. His Muay Thai is the stuff of legend. Like Roy, he seems to have amazing reflexes and reaction speed. He not only seems to be better than every other fighter at 185 pounds, he seems to be in a class all by himself.

However, like Roy, Anderson has become distracted as of late. Roy turned his interests to other sports, playing semi-pro basketball in Europe. He once played in a game and beat Eric Lucas in the same day. He also started a music label, and began promoting fighters.

Silva has stated he wishes to retire from the octagon after his contract is up. He has made clear his desires to box Roy Jones Jr. While at first seeming like just a passing thought, his recent sessions with Freddie Roach make that seem all the more likely.

Silva still says he wants to box Roy. That is the challenge he wants. Dana White has emphatically stated that such a matchup would not happen. Maybe Dana should reconsider.

The humbling that Silva would most certainly experience by even a 40-year-old Roy Jones would certainly rekindle his interest in MMA. While it might potentially damage the UFC by having one of its champions lose, to what extent is debatable.

If Anderson looks better than expected, or even lasts the distance, it should make him even that more marketable.

It seems that if Anderson can't get to box his idol, he has decided to become him instead. If the UFC brass want to avoid him, they need to sternly test him in his remaining fights.

UFC 97: The "A.D.D." Recap, Including Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, and More

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:24:04 -0400

UFC 97 is in the books, and it set a North American attendance record with 21,451 fans in attendance.

Here are the quick results:

Anderson Silva def. Thales Leites via unanimous decision

Sam Stout def. Matt Wiman via unanimous decision

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def. Chuck Liddell via TKO (strikes)

Krzysztof Soszynski def. Brian Stann via submission (kimora)

Cheick Kongo def. Antoni Hardonk via TKO (strikes)

Luiz Cane def. Steve Cantwell via unanimous decision

Random Thoughts

Anderson Silva

A quick scroll through message boards on any MMA website today will show you that fans are disgusted with Silva's performance from last night. Half seem to have hated it, while the other half just severely disliked it.

I for one am not bothered in the least.

You see, Silva's idol is Roy Jones Jr. As a lifelong boxing fan, I can personally understand, since the two have the same amount of talent and have displayed similar dominance.

Last night was a typical late '90s Roy Jones performance. I watched many a dominating Jones Jr. twelve-round decision wondering why he wouldn't just finish the guy.

The answer is simple: That wasn't his style. It's not Anderson's style, either.

If you engage him, he counters. If you bring the fight to him all night, you're probably going to get knocked out. If you choose not to engage, he will potshot you to an easy decision. Not the most crowd-pleasing thing in the world, but a win is a win.

Maybe Dana White should have let Anderson box Roy Jones last year like he wanted. After getting humbled by Jones Jr. my gut instinct is telling me he would be a hungrier fighter inside the octagon nowadays.

The UFC should match Silva with more aggressive fighters going forward and maybe not make him the headliner—just my two cents.

Chuck Liddell

Dana White announced Liddell's retirement last night, and I hope it holds. I don't want to see Chuck in the Octagon anymore.

At this point, I think guys that he beat in the past would beat him now. For example, Babalu and Tito would be victorious against this Chuck.

His reflexes are gone, and he looked painfully slow in there. Not to mention he absolutely did not keep his hands up as he had been rumored to be working on. He also had no defense for that overhand right, despite the fact he knew Shogun was gonna throw it.

If Chuck was really serious about this comeback, there would be changes he would have made before this fight: Keeping his guard high and tight is one, throwing straight punches is another, and using his wrestling and clinch skills also figures in.

But what we saw last night was the same Chuck we have seen lose the last four out of five matches. Iceman, good luck with whatever cushy job Dana has waiting for you.

Shogun

I'm not sure what to think of his display. I mean, sure, Shogun looked a lot better than he did against Coleman, but he still fought a 40-year-old man who looked every bit of forty in the Octagon. Kudos to him for getting the job done in emphatic fashion, but I must reserve judgment for now.

I want to see Shogun fight against an actual top-205er before I'll say he's back.

Luis Cane would do. Krzysztof seems like a good test—any lower top-10 or 15 guy makes sense. Just make sure he's legit and not Kevin Randleman, who they signed for one fight or something.

Final Thoughts

Cane is now a top-10 guy, if he wasn't already. The UFC needs to put him in the mix. Hell, put him against Anderson Silva at 205; at least he will bring it.

As for Krzysztof, its time for him to step it up a notch too. He made easy work of Stann, who I thought would give him a much better fight.

Kongo needs his title shot sooner rather than later. I don't want to see him lose in one of these "stay busy" fights the UFC keeps giving him. It's easy to tell they are building him up as a title challenger potentially for Brock, though they know he won't beat Brock. Should Lesnar defeat Mir, let's see this fight next.

Now, if Mir wins, then a Kongo fight becomes much more intriguing.

What's Next for Paul Williams?

Bryan Trafford — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:32:32 -0400

Few in the game could have put on so dominating a performance.

After his completely lopsided and dominant performance over Winky Wright, options abound for Paul Williams.

Should he return to 147? Campaign at 154? Make Middleweight his new home?

Let's take a look at the potential challengers at each weight.

147

If Paul is to fight at this weight again, it will have to be for big challenges. The reason he moved up in the first place was the lack of potential challengers, and nobody at 147 seems to be calling him out.

Then again, there is one guy that has the guts to step in the ring with Paul at 147, and that guy is...

Shane Mosley

Shane's name has been mentioned as a potential next opponent for Paul Williams. I personally don't think this fight makes much sense for Shane.

Paul is too young, too big, and would simply overwork Shane over 12 rounds. It would be like watching the Wright fight all over again, but at a different weight class.

It is also worth noting that Paul is not a terribly big draw yet, so unless this fight is taking place at Staples Center, it doesn't make much financial sense either.

With that said, Shane will take this fight if he doesn't have a better offer. Mosley is a fighter's fighter, and backs down from no challenge.

Miguel Cotto

No way Arum lets Cotto anywhere near Paul Williams. It would be like the Margarito fight, but with legal hand wraps. Cotto would land the sharper counter blows early, then get steamrolled by the bigger man. This is a nightmare matchup for Cotto.

Those are the only two names being thrown around at 147 for Williams. Margarito is suspended until who knows when, and Mayweather wants no part of Williams.

Mentioning Pacquiao is laughable. Maybe Judah would be desperate enough to sign on the dotted line.

154

This is the weight class with the least amount of high profile matchups for Paul. The Punisher could likely unify and dominate this weight class for years to come, but their are higher profile matchups at 147 and 160.

For this reason, I see Paul only stopping through this weight class for "stay busy" fights. Here are some options.

Sergio Mora

This is an interesting option for a stay busy fight. Mora has a name, and can sell tickets in California. He is not a very hard puncher, and would likely be an easy win for Williams.

The former contender champion has said no to big fights before, though, so there is no guarantee he would agree to this fight.

Vernon Forrest

This fight would be for the Ring Magazine title at 154. Forrest is ranked No. 1 and Williams No. 2. This fight would be similar to the Wright fight, with maybe an earlier ending.

Forrest is getting long in the tooth, and fights more in spots and has proven against Mora that he can be outworked.

Yours truly ran into Forrest at an ESPN fight in Augusta last year and asked him about a potential matchup with Williams, to which he responded, "Nah Bro, Nah."

James Kirkland

This would be a very interesting matchup. Kirkland is not getting aboard the Paul Williams hype train and has started calling out the Punisher.

He has stated that although Williams is a very good fighter, his tendency to give up his height and fight on the inside makes him an easy target for Kirkland's style. I agree to a degree.

If Williams chose to double and triple up on his jab, circle, and tie up on the inside, this could be an easy win for him.

If he chose to fight on the inside with Kirkland, he could get mauled and outworked. This could be one of the toughest matchups for Williams right now.

Sergio Martinez and Corey Spinks are two other possibilities, and each could present some degree of threat. Martinez is speedy, a southpaw, and can box. He can be easy to hit at times, however, and I'm not sure he could keep up with Paul's work rate.

If he could outspeed Paul and keep moving, he could hand Paul a loss. Spinks is very crafty and always underrated, but he is featherfisted and would likely get beat up.

160

Arthur Abraham

Personally I think this would be a bad matchup for Paul. Abraham has a similar defensive style to Winky Wright, and is younger. He seems to be able to adjust well in fights, and this fight would almost have to take place in Germany to make money.

For these reasons I would favor Abraham in this potential matchup. I'm not saying Williams couldn't win, I just think he has less of an edge against natural middleweights who might be bigger men.

Kelly Pavlik

This fight is likely to be made at some point in the near future. This is a pick 'em fight in my mind. I can see this fight playing out in two ways.

Scenario A is Pavlik catching Williams with some heavy blows and stopping him, or earning a unanimous decision after hurting and dropping Williams. Scenario B is Williams using his angles, footwork, and handspeed to outpoint Pavlik.

I would truly like to see how Williams responds to the power of a hard hitter like Pavlik. He has shown a great chin thus far, but if he keeps moving up in weight someone is gonna be able to test that.

Of all the potential matchups I listed, I see Abraham at 160,and Kirkland and Martinez at 154, as being the biggest threats to hand Williams his next loss.

The Five Hardest Punchers in Boxing Today

Bryan Trafford — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:29:00 -0400

While watching Randall Bailey knock out Frankie Figueroa in a brutal display of power on Friday Night Fights, It got me wondering; just who are the hardest punchers in the game today?

Some of the things I considered were percentage of wins by knockout, number of knockouts, and, of course, my own personal opinion.

After much thought and in no particular order, here is my list.

1. Vic Darchinyan (32-1, 26 ko's)

If you have seen Vic fight, you know he is a heavy handed puncher. He possesses power in both hands, and swings with full power every shot.

He has shown power against top competition, knocking out Cristian Mijares in their title fight.

2. Wladimir Klitschko(52-3, 46 ko's)

Dr. Steelhammer makes the list because of his high knockout percentage.

I personally believe Klitschko can knockout any fighter in the heavyweight division at any time, his brother not included.

His straight right hand is precise and extremely powerful. He has shown a good left hook in recent fights, which only adds to his arsenal.

3. Edwin Valero (25-0, 25 ko's)

Ok so he hasn't done it against top competition yet. That fact notwithstanding, he has won all his fights by KO, and won his first 18 by first round KO.

He has many defensive flaws, such as lifting his head in the air when he punches, and pulling straight back. These flaws may prevent him from becoming the Ring Magazine Champion at lightweight some day, but not from making this list.

4. Randall Bailey (38-6, 34 ko's)

Randall made this list because of his most recent fight. That was quite simply one of the most devastating straight right hands I've seen in a long time.

Bailey won his first 21 fights by KO, and although he has been a fringe contender at welterweight, he may be poised for one more run.

5. Kelly Pavlik ( 34-1, 30 ko's)

He may not have the fastest hands in boxing, but he is heavy handed. He wears opponents down and breaks their will with his punches.

His power has carried over as he faced top competition, as seen in his knockout of Jermain Taylor.

Guys that didn't quite make the list: Manny Pacquiao, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto.

Bleacher Report Boxing Pound-For-Pound Rankings: Feb 2009

Bryan Trafford — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:46:13 -0500

The February Bleacher Report Boxing Pound-for-Pound rankings are in.

I asked the top 10 writers to submit their personal rankings and averaged them out. The results may surprise you.

Next month I will ask each of you to write a short paragraph about one of the top 10 boxers to get different opinions than mine.

So without further ado...

1. Manny Pacquaio

Manny hasn't had a fight in the last month, at least not one in the ring. His on-again, off-again May bout with Ricky Hatton has had fans wondering if these two were ever gonna fight.

A victory over the Hitman should cement Manny's spot as the best pound-for-pound boxer, anywhere on the planet.

2. Juan Manuel Marquez

Manny's B side comes in at No. 2 on our list. His upcoming showdown with Juan Diaz should be very exciting. Marquez has pushed Pacquaio to the limits in their two meetings, and is a awesome offensive fighter.

At 34 he may be getting long in the tooth, but Feb. 28 should answer that.

3. Joe Calzaghe

The fighting pride of Wales makes his final appearance in our pound-for-pound rankings due to his impending retirement.

It is not unexpected, as he was left without a big fight. He retires undefeated, one of the few fighters in history to go out on top.

His last two victories over Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones were impressive, but would have been better received had they taken place several years ago.

4. Bernard Hopkins

Say hi to the bad guy.

Hopkins doesn't have an official fight scheduled for anytime soon, so his next move is anybody's guess. What's not a guess is how he got the No. 4 spot, with his dismantling and undressing of the previously unbeaten Pavlik.

5. Shane Mosley

Sugar Shane re-enters the rankings after being out of all pound-for-pound rankings for quite some time. His beatdown of last month's number six guy, Antonio Margarito, was a thing of beauty. His next move may be a matchup against Floyd Mayweather Jr., or the winner of Pacquaio/Hatton.

6. Miguel Cotto

Cotto enters our rankings without winning or losing a fight. With the Margarito hand-wrap controversy swirling around, who knows if he could still be undefeated or not?

Either way, our writers have given him the benefit of the doubt. He is on the list, and Margarito isn't.

7. Israel Vazquez

After his brutal wars with Rafael Marquez, Vasquez has taken some much-needed time off.

A return in '09 against either Marquez or old nemesis Larios might be on the horizon after a tune-up fight.

8. Rafael Marquez

The other Marquez brother debuts on our list at No. 8. A fourth fight with Vazquez may prove once and for all who is the better amongst these two warriors. Either way, fans will be awaiting his next move.

9. Paul Williams

The three division threat has an upcoming showdown with Winky Wright. This will truly be a battle of two of the most ducked fighters in recent boxing history.

A win over Wright should open up some big names for Williams, who is in search of big fights.

10. Wladimir Klitschko

Dr. Steelhammer is rumored to be fighting former Cruiserweight Champion David Haye.

If this one comes off it should be the sternest test Klitschko has faced in recent memory. If not, look for him to take on young Chris Arreola who is a raw, up-and-coming prospect.

Affliction: Day of Reckoning, Five Things I Learned

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:26:00 -0500

Affliction's second PPV is in the history books, and it was a nice follow up to their first outing. The fights were entertaining, The visuals were better, and they have Fedor. Enough said. On that note, here are five things I learned watching Affliction: Day of Reckoning.

1) There is no such thing as a "Baby Fedor."

I don't want to say that Sidelnikov was defeated because of his nickname, but he was defeated because of his nickname. Whose bright idea was it to call this guy "Baby Fedor" anyway? Just because Fedor trains him and he has the same hands down stance doesn't mean he is Fedor.

Fedor is Fedor. There is no comparing anyone to him or calling anyone the next Fedor.

2) Tito has found his calling after fighting.

If Tito wants to stop fighting now, he has my blessing. I thought he did a nice job as a color commentator. I think with time and more training, he could be even better. He has been around MMA as long as anyone in the game, and has never seen a microphone that wasn't calling to him.

His interviewing skills need a little work, but that can definitely be improved upon with time. This was the first time since Pride closed I wasn't really irritated by a non-UFC announcing crew. The lone exception would be that Scott Ferrall guy. He was absolutely horrible.

3) The novelty with Sokoudjou has worn off.

I don't care if he knocked out Arona and Little Nog in Pride. I don't care that he used to wear that cool Predator mask. I don't care that he trains with team Qwest.

If he can't knock you out in the first minute or so in the fight, then he loses. He has now lost three out of his last four. I don't want to see him on any fight card I paid money for until he gets some wins.

4) Josh Barnett is not the man to beat Fedor.

Josh Barnett is good. In fact, he is very good. He is easily one of the top five heavyweights in the world. He has decent enough standup, good wrestling, and excellent jiu-jitsu. What he doesn't have, in my opinion, is what it takes to beat Fedor.

I think Fedor is better standing, and better on the ground. Barnett is significantly bigger than Fedor, if that matters any. Maybe he can find a way to stay on top of Fedor and use that weight somehow to wear him down? Or maybe he gets knocked out or choked out like everyone else.

5) One mistake against Fedor is one too many.

Watching the first minute of this fight you got the feeling an upset was brewing. Ok, maybe you didn't, but I surely did. Arlovski was showing the full arsenal of standup in this one. Great low kicks, body punching, jabs, straights and a pretty solid front kick.

What he did next defies all logic. He went for a flying knee. I repeat a flying knee. Against Fedor. A flying knee. Where in any gameplan for beating Fedor is a flying knee included? If your answer was nowhere, you would be correct.

You simply do not leave your feet against Fedor. You do not get careless against Fedor. In fact, if you get him hurt, you do not even pounce on him, you stay composed, and stick to your gameplan.

I cannot believe no one told Arlovski in his entire training camp that he should expect to get the better of Fedor in the standup. He should have expected early success. He should have been told to maintain his composure, keep the fight standing, keep his defense tight, and not to try anything risky or stupid.

The flying knee shouldn't have been in the gameplan. It couldn't have been. I refuse to believe it.

I am gonna go to sleep tonight and tell myself that Arlovski temporarily got excited, thought he had Fedor hurt, and forgot that it was Fedor for just a second. That second was all it took to send Arlovski on to a new sport.

The only good thing Arlovski can take away from this fight is knowing that when and if he can secure a bout with one of the Klitschko brothers, flying knees will not be allowed.

Five Reasons Shane Mosley Knocked Out Antonio Margarito

Bryan Trafford — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:22:25 -0500

Ok, can someone please hand me a towel so I can wipe the egg off my face? Shame on us all for discrediting a true warrior and most likely first-ballot Hall of Famer in Shane Mosley.

With that said, here are five reasons that Mosley was able to shock the boxing world and knock out Antonio Margarito.

1) Speed Kills

It is one of the oldest sayings in boxing. Better yet, it is one of the oldest sayings in pro sports. Simply put, speed kills. You can't gameplan for speed, and you can't train for it.

I'm sure Margarito brought in many sparring partners with quick hands and movement. Problem is, there is no way to replicate Mosley's speed.

There was no way for Margarito to know how fast Shane would be until the fight began. Shane was able to beat Margarito to the punch early and often, and this was a key to this fight.

2) Miguel Cotto

Shane Mosley, you should send a fruit basket or something to Miguel Cotto. Over the first six rounds of his fight with Margarito, Cotto showed you both how to beat Margarito and how not to beat Margarito.

The how: get off first, jab, punch in combination, stay on your toes. The how not: lay on the ropes, move straight back, let Margarito answer your combinations. Try to knock Margarito out.

3) Nazim Richardson

This point almost led to me picking Shane to win this fight. Almost.

If you haven't heard of Richardson, he is the trainer who led Bernard Hopkins to his near shutout and complete undressing of Kelly Pavlik last year. This guy has come out of nowhere to become one of the best trainers in all of the sport.

He is a masterful tactician, and his advice in between rounds was as good as anything I have ever heard a trainer give to his fighter. He devised a wonderful gameplan for Shane to follow, and it was executed to near flawlessness.

4) Everything in boxing starts with the jab

Another one of the oldest sayings in boxing. Say it with me. Everything in boxing starts with the jab.

Now not only did Shane use his jab like he hasn't in years, but he also correctly shot it to Margarito's chest, and not his head. It would have been harder to reach the taller man with an up jab, rather than shoot it straight into his chest.

The combination that Mosley threw all night was textbook, and he couldn't miss with it. Double jab to the chest, left/right to the body, finish with overhand right and hold. It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

Mosley threw this combination so many times I started calling it out as he was doing it.

5) Mosley's chin

After Shane won the first six rounds, I began to think that Margarito's camp might as well throw in the towel. Shane was beating Margarito from post to pillar, and hitting him at will. Margarito is not a one punch knockout artist, and Mosley has never been knocked out. I didn't imagine that Shane would get the knockout, but I did figure he was gonna give Antonio a frightful beating down the stretch.

One of the key reasons why Mosley was able to improve on the first six rounds of success that Cotto had against Margarito was his ability to take a punch.

We all figured there was no way Shane could knock out the "Tijuana Tornado." Turns out we should have been thinking there was no way Margarito could knock out Shane Mosley.

Random Thoughts

I really didn't think Mosley would use Hopkins' strategy of holding after getting off. I just didn't think it was in his mentality as a fighter. Turns out I was wrong. Not only did he use Hopkins' strategy, he used it to get the knockout rather than ride out a decision.

Thing was, you could always hit Margarito. He would take five to land one or two. Hopkins showed Mosley that Margarito can't answer if he immediately tied him up after landing.

Mosley actually looked stronger on the inside. He grappled with Margarito and actually shoved him around the ring on several occasions.

Did anyone else notice Mosley buckle Margarito with those body shots in the FIRST ROUND? I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought, yeah okay, Margarito is gonna come on strong later.

Richardson said it best, however, with this quote to Shane between rounds: "He is gonna hit the gas pedal later on the fight, and there ain't gonna be no gas in the tank."

What was the deal with that illegal substance that Margarito was caught with in his handwraps? Could that have been the key to his previous successes? Is that why he beat Cotto?

I smell a built-in reason to make the rematch with Cotto more interesting this time around.

That was about as frightful a beating I have seen issued by a 4-to-1 underdog. I am trying to remember a fight this one-sided when a guy came in as that big an underdog. Shows what we know.

Everyone figured Margarito was some sort of terminator after his come-from-behind knockout over Cotto. Turns out even terminators can be shut down and short circuited.