Who said that boxing was a dying sport? There is action a plenty for the hardcore boxing fans this weekend. The showcase of elite talent on tap is very appealing. This is not for the casual fan, but these are the kind of fights that could transform the casual watcher into a fight fanatic for life. I had hoped to cover the Steve Cunningham-Matt Godfrey vacant cruiserweight title bout in my hometown. Still, even with its cancellation, this is amazing weekend of fights.
Showtime is providing a free preview weekend. What better time than now to check what they have to offer on their boxing programming.
On Saturday night, from Detroit, live on SHOWTIME at 10:30PM ET/PT (delayed on the west coast), we have the first fight of Group Stage 2 in the Super Six World Boxing Classic. It's the biggest fight of the weekend, but the biggest does not mean the best. However, it should be a heated contest.
The Armenian-born German sports icon Abraham (31-0, 25 KOs) currently leads the Super Six World Boxing Classic point standings with three, by way of his final-round knockout victory over American Jermain Taylor on Oct. 17 in Berlin. Andre Dirrell, the former middleweight bronze medalist (2004 Olympic Games) from Flint, Mich. , dropped a close, disputed 12-round split decision to defending champion Carl "The Cobra" Froch in his Group Stage 1 match for the World Boxing Council (WBC) World Championship the same night in Nottingham, England .
A main-event as compelling as this match-up is must-see television.
HBO's Unofficial 140-pound tournament continues as baby-faced knockout artist Marcos Maidana returns.
Fight fans remember Maidana as the virtual unknown who stole not only the thunder of highly-touted "Vicious" Victor Ortiz, but called many to question the heart of the young contender in an HBO-televised fight last year. Since stopping Ortiz in the sixth round, a stunning upset that won him the interim WBA 140-pound belt, Maidana has successfully defended his title with a third-round knockout of William Gonzalez.
Expect to see punches thrown with mean intentions when the Argentina-native Maidana
(27-1, 26 KOs) defends his interim title for the second time against unbeaten Dominican Republic star Victor Cayo (24-0, 16 KOs) in the 12-round main event of a world championship doubleheader from The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Erik Morales also makes his return as a welterweight against Jose Alfaro. The fight itself is nothing to celebrate about, but there is the curiosity factor regarding the second act of Erik Morales.
Bash the old and celebrate the new...
Yuriokis Gamboa is the only fighter in the game who might have a combination of explosiveness, dynamism, ability and power to rival the Pac Monster and Doug Fisher's adopted son. Last time out, Gamboa stopped the ultra-tough Rogersin two rounds. I want to see the Cuban defector fight the best featherweights - and hopefully we can without Big Bob telling the masses to go fuck themselves. Until than, I am going to just enjoy the ride and see how it unfolds.
Other big fights: Giovani Segura vs. Ronald Ramos in Acapulco, Mexico; Juan Carlos Gomez vs. Alexey Mazikin in Hamburg, Germany; Koki Kameda vs. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, 12 rounds for Kameda's flyweight title and the vacant RING 112-pound championship in Tokyo; Anselmo Moreno vs. Nehomar Cermeno, 12 rounds for a bantamweight title in Venezuela ; Steve Molitor vs. Takalani Ndlovu, 12 rounds for a vacant junior featherweight title in Rama, Ontario, Canada.
JASON VOORHEES
Does anyone remember him? Jason Voorhees is the fictional character from the Friday the 13th series of slasher films who would not die. Well, it appears that John Ruiz has become boxing's version of Jason Voorhees.
John Ruiz will fight David Haye for some alphabet trinket on April 3. If you are like me, you've been waiting for what seems like an eternity for John Ruiz to get a straight beatdown that will convince him to get out of this game forever.
If you've seen Ruiz fight, if you can call his mauling and mugging fighting, on more than a couple occasions, and remain a fan of prizefighting nonetheless, you are more addicted to this brutal game and its craziness than is probably considered healthy. Vaya Con Dios.
There is one slight problem: Ruiz might just cold-cock Haye. I hope not, but there is logic to this: Haye's tendency to fade, his suspect chin, and what makes Ruiz as annoying as a New York cockroach: his grit, experience and a certain toughness that Haye just may lack.
Who would've thought that John Ruiz would have a better career than David Tua?
End of the week musings:
Roy Jones Jr has come to the realization that Bernard Hopkins hates him? It's offical. Roy Jones Jr. is punch-drunk. It took him this long to know that?
What happened to Rock Allen?
People keep saying that Manny Pacquiao has never failed a drug test. That we have no evidence that he is not clean. I am not saying that Manny is dirty, but haven't we heard this same thing from several professional athletes before and later down the road we find out different. Mark McGwire anyone?
How good is Odlanier Solis?
Now that the Andre Ward vs. Alan Green has been reset for June, which Alan Green will show up? The Allan Green who was surprisingly unspectacular against Edison Miranda or the Allan Green who brutally knocked out Jaidon Codrington in the first round with a left hook to the chin. We all know about Andre Ward. Or do we? Praise has been given to Ward, and rightfully so, but maybe Mikkel Kessler is not as good as many thought he was.
For Questions or Comments, E-Mail John Herndon at jherndon@fighthype.com