When Nonito Donaire last fought, I expressed a lot of frustration with how poorly his career has come along, and I wondered if he was for real or just a one-punch highlight fighter after knocking out Vic Darchinyan a few years back. Well, Donaire is in fact for real and he proved it by absolutely destroying Wladmir Sidorenko last weekend. He will no doubt head into his mega-fight with Bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel with big fan fare. Hopefully after Donaire starches Montiel in five or less rounds, he'll face off against the winner of the Bantamweight tournament on Showtime, which will finally have him where he should've been after the Darchinyan win years ago: on top of the game.
Wheels on the (Top Rank) Bus Go Round and Round
Is anybody interested in Margarito-Pacquiao 2? How about Cotto-Pacquiao 2? I can probably assume that, besides the diehard Pac-fans that are no doubt ready to defend such fights, the answer is probably no. Well, it looks like Top Rank CEO Bob Arum is making that his plan at this point by staging a rematch between Cotto and Margarito this June and anointing the winner as the top candidate to get smashed again by Pacquiao. This honestly has to stop, but seeing that Top Rank's hermit-like business tactics generate nothing but profit, there really is no end in sight.
This week alone, Top Rank has openly turned down fights that would pit either Cotto or Pacquiao against Middleweight king Sergio Martinez, and there's no way in hell Juan Manuel Marquez or Andre Berto is going to fight Pacquiao unless they sign with Top Rank. As a bonus, Freddie Roach said that he'd only be interested in matching up Pacquiao with Martinez if they fought at a catchweight of....get this
147 pounds! The only way boxing is going to get out of this pattern of complacency is if Shane Mosley isn't as washed up as Top Rank thinks and he somehow beats Pacquiao this April.
Klitschko-Chisora Nixed
Enter David Haye?
Wladmir Klitschko is out of this weekend's bout between himself and aspiring knockout victim Derek Chisora due to an abdominal injury that will take 3-6 weeks to heal, but instead of rescheduling the fight, it seems that Golden Boy Promotions is going to try to convince Haye to fight Klitschko in Vegas. Haye, who is more the Heavyweight champion of the UK than of the world, may feel pressure from his American promoters seeing that Golden Boy is running out of profitable fights and the only high-profile bout they can make is Haye against Klitschko. However, it is just as likely to assume Haye will publically accept the challenge, but instead goad Andrew Golota out of retirement or some other European taxi cab driver to add to his recond.
Potshot Picks:
Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana
I don't like Amir Khan, at all, but how can I pick against him when the only scenario I see Maidana winning is being behind on all cards and landing a lucky punch? Khan by UD.
Victor Ortiz vs. Lamont Peterson
Great fight on paper as Ortiz is facing his toughest fight since quitting against Maidana last June, but if Timothy Bradley can drop Peterson, then Ortiz can and will more than once. Ortiz TKO8.
Yonnhy Perez vs. Joseph Agbeko 2
Expect another great action fight from these two with Perez's activity and ability to keep pace overcomes a slow-starting and poor-finishing Agbeko. Perez by UD.
Abner Mares vs. Vic Darchinyan
Unless Darchinyan reverts back to the style he used against Cristian Mijares, he's going to be in for a long night against the bigger and faster Mares, who is gunning for an upset. Mares by shocking one-sided UD.