29.12.06 – By James Slater: The new year is almost with us. And what kind of a year will the boxing world have in the coming twelve months? For what it’s worth, the following five picks predict what I feel will be some of 2007’s between the ropes highlights.
Prediction 1. James Toney will be stopped for the first time in his career.
Starting with a bang, I give my take on what I think has a great chance of happening in 2007’s first big fight. In a rematch with the big puncher who both beat him (controversially, of course) and troubled him with his power shots, James Toney will have the lights put out on him for the first time ever. Don’t get me wrong, I love James Toney, and he has done exceptionally well fighting amongst the big men of his sport over the past few years. Especially for a former middleweight.
But at the age of thirty-eight, and with his newfound training regimen – a strict effort intended to see that James enters the ring at his lowest weight in years – I think Toney is set to be KO’d. Messing about with his weight at this late stage in his career will, I feel, leave him vulnerable to the blows that wobbled him last time out.
Make no mistake, “The Nigerian Nightmare’s” punches troubled James in their first meeting – who can forget the terrible way in which James spoke immediately after the action? Punched a little punch drunk anyone? Peter by late rounds KO on January 6th.
Prediction 2. Ricky Hatton will have his hands full with Juan Urango.
Making his headlining Las Vegas debut, Ricky Hatton faces the unbeaten Columbian on the 20th of 2007’s first month. Though he has moved back down to his natural weight class of light welterweight and is being predicted by many to score an impressive KO win as a result, I think a hard fought points win will actually unfold. “The Hitman” will win, but don’t be surprised of the verdict is a tight and somewhat debatable one. However, Hatton will have a good year overall in ‘007 thanks to a great stoppage win over Jose Luis Castillo in the summer – a fight that will instantly be rated as a classic.
Prediction 3. Floyd Mayweather will beat Oscar De La Hoya.
In a fight that will not only be the first mega fight of the coming year, but one of the biggest bouts of all-time, Floyd Mayweather will win against his highest profile opponent, yet still get criticised for the manner in which he does so. Though the fight will be one that is massively viewed and very much a huge event, the action itself will play out pretty much the same way most of “Pretty Boy’s” bouts have – namely he will triumph via a eemingly passionless points victory. Floyd simply makes it look easy. What with his sublime speed of both hand and foot, together with his impregnable defensive moves, Mayweather fails to endear himself to many fans who mistakenly think that just because he makes it look so easy, it actually is. Never has there been a more misunderstood or criminally under appreciated boxer. Don’t expect things to change after Floyd completely outpoints “The Golden Boy,” in a non too crowd pleasing fashion in May.
Prediction 4. Manny Pacquiao will have another dominant year.
Sure, you can call this prediction a no-brainer if you want. But the only reason it is so is because “Pac-Man” is so great a fighter. With a rematch with fellow great Marco Antonio Barrera (despite all the legal wrangling) as well as a return with the talented Juan Manuel Marquez likely as his 2007 engagements, Manny is certainly in no short supply of formidable opposition. The fact though, that many will consider “Pac-Man’s” likelihood to see the year out without a loss to be a straightforward one just goes to show how fine a fighter the dynamo from the Philippines actually is. Was Pacquaio the fighter of the year for 2006? He may well be considered so at the end of next year too.
Prediction 5. Clinton Woods will avenge his loss to Roy Jones.
Now considered by many to be the number one light heavyweight in the world, Clinton wants to prove this to himself by avenging the losses he has suffered over his career. The reigning IBF king has done so against the teak-tough Glen Johnson and is anxious to do the same with a win over the man who stopped him in six rounds back in 2002. Pre-title, the Sheffield man was no match for R.J. Yet now, having acquired the confidence becoming a genuine world champion brings you, Woods is more than capable of doing to Jones what he did to him. As for Roy, his sizeable ego will see to it that he attempts to become a world champion once again before his fighting days are over. And this same ego will convince him that a win over a man he has already defeated will be his for the taking. Big mistake. Look for Clinton to stop Roy in the later rounds if and when their fights comes off in 007.