(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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.