Champs Corner

By Ron "Champ" Miller

04.04 - Hello fight fans!!! Well another "pathetic" weekend in boxing has passed, but the only "robbery" that bothered me was the fans paying to watch Bernard Hopkins fight another stiff. Why?

I agree that Haseem Rahman beat David Tua. What I don't agree is what I have been hearing. It was no Lennox Lewis-Holyfield I robbery. By no stretch. I had Rahman winning a close fight. If anything what bothered me was that Haseem Rahman came in the fight in such poor conditioning, he should be blamed, not the judges or anyone else. Had he come in the proper condition, he would have been able to sustain the jabs he had going for the first 4 rounds. He set the compubox record in the 2nd rd, but was spent in the fifth, collapsing in his stool after each round, like a man beaten. He was so out of shape, he sat on that stool, till the very last moment. He looked ok. You could see the 6 pack (or shades of it) and the spare tire was at a minimum. He is a huge man, as I have met him in person, and was looking up and he still was lumbering over me (I'm a big guy as well). Again, he had the jab going early, but was spent. Then he started leaning on Tua, holding on for dear life. He was a man who was out of shape. No doubt. He should have had pts deducted or a disqualification, if Jay Nady was the referee. But Rudy Battle did nothing but warn him and seperate him over, and over and over again. Make no mistake, he was holding more than Tua.

So I dont feel sorry for Rahman, nor should you. I find it funny that before this fight no one even cared about Hasbeen, but now he can beat Lewis? Please. Bottom line is I thought he won the fight, but it was no shutout. The cards were off. Tua did not win 8 rds, neither did Haseem. It seemed like the last guy was averaging the two with his draw decision. It was kinda strange, but as I was watching this fight, I thought it was headed toward a draw. Rahman dominated the first part, but then David came on. I don't want to see a rematch, nor should either men get a shot at Lewis. I give Haseem alot of credit for performing this well under those conditions, but thats as far as I will go.

As far as Tua goes, what can you say. He can still be outboxed. Nothing new there. But it looked like he was spent as well, early. Does this guy run or not? I wouldnt say that Rahman is in the upper half of the division, so the excuse that Tua loses to only "top guys" goes out the window. He had his moments, but could not sustain an attack. He could not keep his hands moving. Rock was in trouble several times during the fight, near the ropes but Tua could not or would not take advantage. He let Rahman keep the action in the middle of the ring, while getting peppered with the jab. He didnt put alot of combinations together.

I really think David's prime was years ago. He is now just a shell of the fighter who fought a heck of a fight against Ike Ibeabuchi. I dont think he needs a change of manager, trainer, promotor, cornermen etc. David is not aggressive enough, and this is something that cannot be taught. You have it or you don't. I have seen alot of polynesians like that when I lived in Hawaii. They don't have to lift weights, are big and strong genetically, but seem to slip at a rather early age. David is a nice guy, but he took a step back with a guy that was a 3-1 underdog, someone he was supposed to knock out. I don't see David getting any better, and thats a shame.

As far as the other farcical matchup goes, I can't believe Bernard Hopkins is fighting bums like this frenchman. Morrade Hakkar was a joke. This guy was a fairy in the first round, not landing a punch. He was jumping around, running around more than Oscar Delahoya. When he did trade, he got brutalized. But to his credit and chin or lack of power by Hopkins, he did not get knocked out, rather he was saved by his corner.

What I didnt like about Hopkins was his showboating and arrogant badmouthing of his opponent. No doubt Roy Jones was on his mind, but unlike Roy, he doesn't look good doing it. It looks ridiculous. The best part of the evening was when HBO's Larry Merchant put Bernie in his place. I loved every second of it. Hopkins needs medication. He is delusional thinking everything evolves around him. It doesn't, Hops. No sell out, your hometown booed you, and boxing fans were not impressed. You blew your big paydays with Jones among others, trying to do things your way. You burnt your bridges with Lou Dibella and others. Sad and pathetic. Talk about going from the penthouse to the outhouse in a year and a half. That's Hopkins. Now he is calling out Junior Middleweights, but no one wants to fight him, cause there is now money in it. He has no one to blame but himself. Look forward to him fighting another mandatory.

Champs Flurries: Glad to see Zab Judah and Demarcus Corley getting into it. Would love to see that fight. Good thing Shane Mosley came to his senses and is taking the fight against Oscar Delahoya. Look forward to it. This weekends picks? Pretty easy. Ricky Hatton over Vince Phillips. "Cool Vince" is shot and old. A bad combo. I think Junior Witter would give Ricky some problems. He is fighting on the undercard, so hopefully we will see that matchup next.

Baseball season has started. Look for the Yankees to have another championship come October. Too much talent, money and George Steinbrenner. A little worried about the Lakers, but they are still the champs. Till you beat the man....

Well thats it fight fans.....Keep your hands up and keep punching for the stars!!!!!!! Glad to hear about Jessica Lynch and hopefully we can get all our POW's and MIA's back. It is abhorrant what those animals are doing to our POW's. Surely not following the Geneva Convention. Last time I checked torture and rape were not included. It makes me sick what people bad mouth the USA. God bless our troops and God bless the United States of America, the Greatest Country in the World!!!!!!