Left-Hook Lounge: Dawson, Lara, & Maidana vs Broner!!!

06/10/2013 Vivek Wallace

dawson100 Virgil B. (Liberty City, FL): Chad Dawson is a very good fighter, in terms of skills. But he has looked worse in the last few fights and I just don’t get it. Is his heart no longer in the sport? Is there outside distractions? What do you think the reason for this really is?

Vivek W. (ESB): I always like to look at things by measuring the total picture. There are times when it’s best to analyze certain elements exclusively; but when trying to determine probable cause for flaws, on a wide scale, I always like to look at the total picture. When I look at the evolution of Chad Dawson, particularly scanning over my catalog of notes over the years, two things in particular stand out. Back in 2008, I remember watching Dawson take on Glen Johnson. Decent performance, but it left me with a few questions. From that point through 2010, I remember criticizing him for taking part in what I termed the “Senior Tour”, facing aged veteran after aged veteran.

Left-Hook Lounge: Mayweather/Canelo, Garcia/Matthyssee, and Calzaghe/Froch!

06/03/201306/03/2013 Vivek Wallace

Jason N. (Manhattan, NYC): Canelo has made it clear in several interviews now that he plans to attack the body primarily against Floyd Mayweather. Considering that he’s the most fierce puncher Mayweather has faced, do you see this being the ultimate gameplan for a Mayweather opponent like him?

Vivek W. (ESB): For starters, I’d like to commend both of these men for taking this fight. Mayweather has 4 more after this one and with Canelo being the biggest name on the radar (that fans actually want to see him face – Jr. Middleweight and below) I don’t know where Floyd goes next if he does in fact win. That being said, I’ve said from day one that this is a nail-biter fight for Mayweather.

Left-Hook Lounge: Froch, Hopkins, Ward, & Matthysse!!!

05/27/201305/27/2013 Vivek Wallace

ward46 Marshall T. (Queens, NYC): When you look at Carl Froch’s resume, he has faced everyone who is someone in the super-middleweight division. Andre Ward is being considered for a rematch, but Hopkins makes a strong case too. Who do you think he should face and why?

Vivek W. (ESB): This is a very interesting scenario we have brewing here. In Andre Ward, we have arguably the #2 best fundamentally sound fighter in the sport. In Bernard Hopkins, we have what can be defined literally as a living and active legend. His historical effort in the sport may never be duplicated again. When we look at who Froch should face next, I think it’s actually an easier decision than many think. Ward and Froch have faced off. To be quite frank, it wasn’t even really close. Ward white-washed him on the cards and although Froch will make adequate adjustments to compete, when the smoke clears, does anyone really think the outcome changes? I’m not so sure it does.

Left-Hook Lounge: Matthysse/Peterson, Can Matthysse tame Broner?, and Should Peterson/Judah Be Next?

05/20/201305/20/2013 Vivek Wallace

Mason N. (Bronx, NYC): I never saw the Matthysse victory over Peterson coming the way it did! Your Facebook post was almost spot on! What did you see coming into the fight that Peterson and a few of us didn’t?

Vivek W.: Although I predicted a Matthysse victory via split decision, the main premise of my argument that supported him winning was the fact that I don’t think we ever quite knew what we had in Peterson. We saw him gut out a few tough victories, but we also saw him buzzed quite a bit, and actually dropped 3 times in the past. One of those knockdowns came at the hands Timothy Bradley who has never been known as a hard puncher, highlighted in his abysmal 11 knockouts in 30 pro fights. When we look at the core of those knockdowns and those near knockdowns, each and every time they came as a result of his reckless penchant for staying in the pocket and trying to bang.

Left-Hook Lounge: Vivek Wallace touches on Mayweather/Guerrero, Canelo, Ortiz, & Rosado vs Love!

05/06/2013 Vivek Wallace

Marv G. (Charlotte, NC): Despite the layoff, time in jail, and partying, I really thought Mayweather looked incredible. Do you think Guerrero was just a joke? Or do you think Floyd is really that good?

Vivek W. (ESB): We’ve seen quite a few fighters around the sport enter the ring with far less time off and the effects the layoff is typically very much pronounced. I don’t care who you are and what your profession is, you’d be hard-pressed to see anyone take that amount of time off and still be able to execute at such a high level. I saw a few things that let me know Mayweather isn’t totally who he used to be. But in the end, what I saw most is that he doesn’t have to be. Michael Jordan at 90% was still heads above everyone across from him. In the case of Floyd Mayweather, I don’t think things are any different.

Mayweather vs Guerrero: Keys to Victory, Four to Explore, Official Prediction

05/04/2013 Vivek Wallace

Tonight, the world of boxing welcomes the return of P4P King, Floyd Mayweather. Another year away from the ring and a short incarceration stint will play their hand at leveraging what most consider to be sheer greatness. Whether or not the man across from him (Robert Guerrero) holds the key to exploit this possibility is another story. That question we can’t answer. What we can answer is the fact that between the calendar year of 2012 and current, something very interesting happened in the world of Boxing.

All the men who dominated the sport in close proximity to Mayweather saw things come to an abrupt end. Cotto, Pacquiao, Margarito, Williams, and Mosley were each ushered one by one to the doorstep of retirement. Some refuse to walk in, yet each clearly have one foot in, one foot out. Mayweather remains the last man standing of that golden era. Quickly, we take a look at the odds of him remaining that way beyond tonight:

Left-Hook Lounge: Garcia/Judah, Martinez, & Amir Khan

05/02/201304/29/2013 Vivek Wallace

(Photo credit: Naoki Fakuda) By Vivek Wallace:

Jaron H. (Queens, NYC): Would you say that Garcia’s performance cleared him as the best 140lb’er in the world? I thought he weathered the storm nicely and proved so. Would you agree?

Vivek W. (ESB): I think Garcia did a very good job and earned the victory, but I would also say lets keep things in perspective. Judah is a solid veteran and one who knows the boxing game as well as most. Sadly for him, execution is another story. The biggest subplot coming into the night for Judah was whether or not he would stay on course after getting touched up a little. What we learned is he would try a bit harder, but in the end it wouldn’t be enough, as again, his effort fell short on the big stage.

Left-Hook Lounge: Is ‘Canleo’ Ready For Mayweather, and Could Cotto Be Next?

04/22/2013 Vivek Wallace

Reggie B. (Dallas, TX): I’m still not sold on Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. I don’t think Trout fought his best fight. Do you think Canelo is ready for a Mayweather fight?

Vivek W. (ESB): I have to be honest and very direct in saying that I simply feel people just aren’t ready to give Saul Alvarez credit. Coming into this fight I knew that Trout would have to be at his best and that he would need to execute somewhat flawlessly to even have a shot. Despite his activity rate, he didn’t do any damage, and furthermore, he didn’t do enough to truly seize the victory from Canelo. I think we have to be honest in saying that the deck was already stacked against him – in the sense that Canelo was the house fighter. It was Mexican “Fiesta” weekend in San Antonio, Canelo is the bigger name and the international name, and despite Trout’s victory over Cotto, Canelo was the one who carried the promotion.

Mike Tyson Tour: A New Day…..And A Night To Remember

09/15/201604/19/2013 Vivek Wallace

Miami, Fl – On any given night the streets of South Beach offer every form of entertainment from sky lounges for swingers to jazz clubs with humdingers! In a city where everything under the sun has taken place in the darkness of the moonlight, recently, locals had a chance to witness one of the few things that no one there had ever quite seen. A typical South Beach night starts to buzz at about 1am. But on this particular evening, only moments after 8pm, a very festive audience fell into a deep silence.

In a suddenly dim theater, the only thing visible to the naked eye was a white silhouette gracefully crossing the stage in a somewhat poetic cadence to the crisp vocals of the legendary Nat King Cole’s intimate piano driven “Nature Boy”. Seconds later, those in attendance heard a familiar voice, yet a very unfamiliar tone. Under the spotlight at center stage like he did at age 20 when he became the youngest champion in Heavyweight history, was none other than “Iron” Mike Tyson.

Left-Hook Lounge: Rigondeaux, Donaire, Garcia, & Roach!

04/16/201304/15/2013 Vivek Wallace

Christopher N. (Atlanta, GA): How would you rate Donaire’s performance? And would you entertain the thought of placing Rigondeaux on the P4P list?

Vivek W. I think the best way to address your questions is to point to something I said a long time ago and have maintained ever since. The way I see the whole P4P topic is totally abstract from what the rest of the sport feels. I once touted Donaire’s talent as much as anyone else, but when the topic shifted to such accolades as “Fighter of the Year” and “P4P” worthy, I openly stated that I would take no part in such dialogue. The kid is better than average. His heart is bigger than average. He’s a good lookin’ kid, and a very likable guy outside the ring. All that being said, for those who understand the greatness behind pure fundamental skills, there’s no hesitance to address the fact that he simply isn’t on that level.