Left- Hook Lounge: Deontay Wilder, Garcia/Matthysse, & Mayweather/Canelo!!!

08/12/2013 Vivek Wallace

wilder44 Art N. (Los Angeles, CA): On your Facebook page you spoke about Deontay Wilder and how KO artist should perhaps not get so much early praise. Do you think he has a shot to be the next best American Heavyweight?

Vivek W. (ESB): Deontay Wilder has become a hot topic! How hot? On Yahoo! this weekend he was ranked #7 on the global trending report. As interesting as that may be, my point in the FaceBook post was that I approach him like I do any other heavy handed puncher in the sport. I enjoy the KO’s and the process of seeing the fighter rack them up! But when the rubber hits the road, it all comes down to whether or not that puncher has the ability to deal with an opponent who has the power to hurt them, the stamina to outwork them, and chin to outlast them. That’s when it all gets “real” inside the ring! Many of you who followed the fight game before Tyson went wild and Pacquiao brought “good guy” back in style know full well that power without those other elements mean very little.

Keith “One Time” Thurman: Tale of the “Light-Skinned” Dark Horse

09/15/201608/09/2013 Vivek Wallace

Only a few weeks ago, welterweight Keith Thurman stepped into the ring against a contender who few had heard of, and even fewer had actually seen. Those hardcore fight fans in the game knew that it could be an interesting night, as the scouting report on underdog Diego Gabriel Chaves was that he’s under the radar, but above the rim. Although Chaves entered the night as the relative unknown commodity, to some, Thurman wasn’t exactly popular, himself. Sitting in front of a flat screen TV in a house filled with fight fans ready for some action, I can recall hearing one young lady ask “who’s the light-skinned guy with the long hair”?

A few rounds, several power shots, and a bloody nose later, she made a conscious effort to remember his name, as Thurman gutted his way to an effort she would make a conscious effort to remember. Stepping in the shoes of that young lady for a moment, we ponder the question out loud: “WHO IS KEITH THURMAN”? In the world of Boxing you have pretenders and contenders. In many ways he has shown enough ability to escape the “pretender” tag. But has he truly established himself as a “contender” in one of the sports deeper divisions? What makes the Thurman project such an interesting one is that he appears to have all the tools to do so. 19KO’s in 21 fights is an indelible print left in the minds of both fans and future opponents. Trouble is, practically all of those KO’s came against unproven talents.

Left-Hook Lounge: Mayweather/Pacquiao Demands, Khan/Alexander Riff, & Adrien Broner!!!

08/05/2013 Vivek Wallace

Byron M. (Tacoma, WA): Please tell me that Mayweather is joking about Pacquiao having to sign with Mayweather Promotions in order to secure a fight with him in the future! What is that about?

Vivek W. (ESB): I think the comments as printed were blown out of context. I’d be the first to say that Mayweather absolutely meant what he said. But the actual purpose behind the statement was never defined through the media source that initially reported, which made it appear that Mayweather was just doing what some feel Mayweather always does (talk). There appears to be a major disconnect relative to what he meant by this statement, so I think it can only help to add clarity.

In a nutshell, what it all comes down to is the fact that Mayweather, without question stands as the bigger draw. Once upon a time there may have been a debate. But right now, unequivocally, there are no questions. Without needing to elaborate much further, ask yourself this: why would Floyd – (who clearly feels he should get the lions share of the entire promotion) – take the bigger portion of the fight purse, yet concede the lions share of the promotional element of the purse (which isn’t small)?

Left-Hook Lounge: Duran/Mayweather, Andre Berto & Keith Thurman!!!

07/29/2013 Vivek Wallace

Kevin O. (Aventura, FL): Is it safe to say that Andre Berto is now done as a fighter? He has changed trainers and I don’t know of a way that any one out there can rebuild him at this stage to make him a top contender. What are your thoughts?

Vivek W. (ESB): I’ve been asked this question by almost every fight fan that I know and to be very truthful, it’s a very easy question to answer. For starters, when people ask me should he retire? I can address that one very easily in saying “NO”. There are several fighters around the sport who one can argue should, but the reason that I argue he should not is because he has a ton of heart, which means win, lose, or draw, he will make for competitive fights. Fight fans want to see competitive fights. You may enter that competitive fight knowing what the outcome is when he’s facing a perennial contender, but you know that he has just enough ability to land his shots and make it interesting before he ultimately gets bust up in the face and takes an “L”.

Left-Hook Lounge: Mayweather’s legacy, Pacquiao’s future, and a Trinidad vs GGG fantasy!!!

07/22/201307/22/2013 Vivek Wallace

Jeremy H. (Orlando, FL): How do you compare the legacy of Floyd Mayweather to other athletes in history? In other words, what are your thoughts about him as a man, an athlete, and overall as a person, when he look at his legacy compared to great athletes of the past?

Vivek W. (ESB): This is a very broad question to tackle in just a few paragraphs. I think to best answer it, we have to look at things from day one. When we look at the entire history of Mayweather, we see a man who has had a very storied career that has seen him dominate from a very early stage. Even prior to the professional ranks, you have to consider that there was an Olympic Bronze that would have been a Gold had it not been for a poor decision. From day one, this has been a fighter who has proven himself at every level.

Left-Hook Lounge: Rigondeaux/HBO, Matthysse/Garcia, & Ward/Golovkin!

07/17/201307/14/2013 Vivek Wallace

Mario R. (Atlanta, GA): HBO put pressure on Arum to make the Donaire/Rigondeaux fight, but have somewhat distanced themselves from Rigondeaux after he defeated the fighter they strongly supported? I know this is a sensitive issue, but would you attribute this to race, considering how difficult it has been to promote certain fighters?

Vivek W. (ESB): Looking at this issue from 10,000ft, I think some would say it’s probably a mere coincidence. When we dig beneath the surface of this situation and get to the core, without doubt we have to acknowledge that this is a business, and investments have to be made in any business. When these networks have to shell out big dollars to put on a show, they’re going to make sure that investment is well spent.

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Mayweather/Silva, Canelo, Matthysse vs Garcia, & Cotto/Roach!!!!

07/08/2013 Vivek Wallace

(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) Carlos H. (San Francisco, CA): On your FaceBook account you stated that Mayweather should “closely analyze” the defeat of Anderson Silva as he prepares for his bout with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Explain that statement, as I don’t agree.

Vivek W. (ESB): I think too much has been made of my response to this question. My point was that you don’t just wake up one day and receive the consensus vote as one of, if not thee best of all-time in your craft.

Left-Hook Lounge: Golovkin, Mayweather, Ward, and many more!!!

07/01/2013 Vivek Wallace

Kevin H. (Cincinnatti, OH): Golovkin has impressed me more than any fighter in the sport today. I just don’t see anyone stopping this guy, but I can see him stopping whoever they put in front of him! What are your thoughts about him and who do you want to see him face?

Vivek W. (ESB):I’ll start by saying that as much as I support him for the sport, I don’t think I’m ready to go out on that limb that you and others have quickly jumped too! I say that in light humor, but to be very clear, I won’t be part of that ‘pendulum’ swinging we see every time a fighter does something of this nature. I can remember this rhetoric after Donaire’s KO victory over Darchinyan, Pavlik’s KO victory over Taylor, and so forth! When we look at all of the men who stunned us with KO performances in fights we didn’t anticipate a KO, they each have one thing in common: they fell flat against a man with the skills to out-think them, and the toughness to outlast them.

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Broner/Malignaggi, Khan, Maidana, Rios & More!

06/24/201306/24/2013 Vivek Wallace

Jamison G. (Hollywood, FL): I thought Adrien Broner’s performance was pretty average. I don’t see the hype in him at all. How did you rate his performance overall last Saturday night?

Vivek W. (ESB): Seems fight fans around the globe are pretty quick to swing on that proverbial ‘pendulum’ for a fighter, be it for the positive or the negative. When a fighter knocks someone out, that person instantly becomes the “new” KO artist. When a fighter is knocked out, that person instantly becomes an “exposed” fighter. Many compare Broner to Mayweather. Others say Mayweather’s the last person in the world he needs to be compared to, as he simply isn’t that good in their mind. Those two widely contrasting perspectives would symbolize precisely why I don’t like to get caught up in the hype, as the truth is always somewhere in between…..not to the extremes that supporters, as well as haters pursue.

Left-Hook Lounge: Mikey Garcia, Malignaggi/Broner, & A Look at Puerto Rico’s Struggling Talent

06/18/201306/17/2013 Vivek Wallace

Cristian G. (Coral Gables, FL): Can you give your thoughts on Mikey Garcia’s performance and discuss whether or not you think it’s time for us to start putting Mikey Garcia in the P4P debate?

Vivek W. (ESB): I think Garcia has consistently given us the same product, time and time again. He’s not fundamental in the sense of the Mayweather’s, Ward’s, etc, of the world; but he has totally given life to the notion that Mexican warriors, under the right tutelage, are far better than the stalk-til-they-can’t-walk variety. He has some of the best shot selection I’ve seen anywhere in the sport. He places his punches properly, and they all come with vicious intentions. I absolutely love what I see, and as a future star of the sport, I love having him on the scene, because you don’t have to guess what you’re gonna get when the bell rings.