By Ted Sares:
“If I’m gonna fight in the alley, I want LeDoux with me.”
—Pat Summerall
Welcome to the latest edition of the Club (22nd overall). I’m delighted to resume the session on ESB where it first started years ago.
This edition is dedicated to the late Scott LeDoux who was a rough, tough road warrior who fought during the golden age of heavyweights in the 70s. He fought tough guys because he was a tough guy during an era of tough guys May the Lord grant him eternal peace.
Tonight, we’re going to have on hand the best of everything. I won’t name them; they’ll just be there ready for you. We will have something for everyone. Each table has just about every fine single malt scotch imaginable and the cigar humidor is overflowing with premium Cubans (I’m smoking a Griffin). Shipments of iced fresh main lobsters, clams, oysters, and mussels are on the way. My personal favorite, Maryland crabs, are here too along with picks and mallets. Anyone with more exotic tastes may want to sample the sushi. Juicy steaks from Ruth Christ and Morton’s are ready for the beef eaters along with equally juicy racks of Memphis ribs with your favorite tangy sauces. For the blokes and mates, we also have some bangers, black pudding and luscious beef carpaccio sliced razor thin and dressed with olive oil and capers. Enjoy.
In a nod mostly to the Big Apple, the music tonight features The New York Singers, Chic with Nile Rodgers and the late great bass player Bernard “Nard” Edwards (yowsa yowsa, yowsa), Kool and the Gang, rapper Ma$e, and anyone else from NYC that you wish to add. Imogene Heap is in the house all the way from London and Jeff Beck might stop by with his new “Rock “n” Roll Party album. Maybe Tal Wilkenfeld will also come by and treat us to her unique electric bass guitar magic. Damn! The late Mcfadden & Whitehead may also get a spin. Look, AIN’T NOTHING STOPPING US NOW.
Now, let’s get to boxing topics, opinions, disagreement, or agreement. Let’s just sit back, unwind, and have some serious fun here.
And to start things off, let me vent and say that I’m getting sick and tired of the continual discussions on PEDs, Mayweather, and Pacquiao. The bile-inducing rants have been debated as nauseam and have detracted from the rest of boxing. There are only so many ways one can say he suspects someone of juicing. Say it and move on. There are only so many ways you can call Manny or Floyd a cherry Picker. Say it and move on. There are only so many ways you can label Mayweather irresponsible. Say it and move on. But please stop saying it over and over and over and over again. It’s no longer compelling.
Allow me to also comment on why the Heavyweight Division seems to be on life support. Sure, Denis Boytsov and Robert Helenius have fine and undefeated records, but who have they fought? Fighting against the likes of Vinny Maddalone, Robert Hawkins, Mike Sheppard, Attila Levin (!), a shot and half-blind Lamon Brewster, and a damaged Samuel Peter—not to mention the other usual suspects and unknowns—does little to console me.. When all the hype is cleared away, only the Klitschko brothers really count in the current heavyweight scene.
The rest are churning in a downward swirl (if not spiral). Names like Austin (ugh), Johnson, Solis, Chagaev, Thompson, David Rodriguez (with his dismal Lamar Clark-like record), Gomez, Chambers, and Dimitrenko keep popping up but when they are given their chance, they fail miserably. Haye and the grossly fat Solis stepped up and then stepped back down. . Too short and too slow David Tua is getting too long in the tooth to provide any meaningful competition. Chisora got decisioned by Tyson Fury, but at least he offers some excitement with his unique brand of biting, butting, and kissing. As for Fury, he seems the best of a promising crop of giants from the UK. And it does look like Povetkin has finally gotten up enough gumption to take on someone other than a big bag. Look, most of these guys are simply not compelling. For me, Arreola and Adamek are the most promising to ignite some excitement because both come to fight, but regrettably, it is what it is and it’s simply not very much to get excited about.
Now then, here is my top ten Pound for Pound
Again, this is simply a snapshot as of August 12, 2011 and is different from my last listing as Donaire moves up and Bute moves down (due to the questionable level of his opposition). Bradley needs to get busy. As for Ward and Froch, that one will be resolved soon enough.
Bute knows the competition coming his way. I know he can compete well and he knows I can. We know each other and both of us know it’s not an easy fight. I think the promoter has to have a little more courage with their fighter. Don’t try to keep me from accepting by low-balling me.
—Glen Johnson
1. Manny Pacquiao
2. Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
3. Sergio Martinez
4. Nonito Donaire
5. Andre Ward
6. Juan Manuel Marquez
7. Yuriorkis Gamboa
8. Carl Froch
9. Timothy Bradley
10. Lucien Bute
Others on the cusp in no particular order include Abner Mares, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, Giovani Segura, Amir Khan, Chad Dawson, Bernard Hopkins, Jean Pascal, Wladimir Klitschko, and Vitali Klitschko.
2) Fight of the Year (so far): Rodriguez and Wolak fought to a draw in a blue collar classic. Look for Wolak-Rodriguez II. This is how a great trilogy begins.
3) Guys who are bringing the heat
Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (28-0-1) is my current favorite because he reminds me of how a prime and pre-scandal Margarito could stalk, stun, and close. However, Rios is better than Margo technically and closes off a ring better than anyone I have seen in years. His inside work reminds me of a prime Greg Haugen with subtle and almost imperceptible, albeit effective moves. He is improving in each outing thanks to Robert Garcia and if he tightens up his defense, he will become unstoppable.
Vernon “The Iceman” Paris (25-0) is more of a stylist—a cutie if you will. I have followed his career form the very beginning. After an incredible roller coaster ride of personal issues including being shot (by a gun), he now appears to be on track again and with his combination of power and technique, he could well become a force.
Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (19-1) is like Rios with his aggressive style and knockout power. As soon as the bell rings, the crowd is up and roaring because the fans know they are in for uncommon excitement. An angered Angulo is a monster.
Eduardo “Canilla” Escobedo (32-3) has won eleven straight and he fights 180 seconds of every round. His war with Miguel Roman in 2008 is still discussed by aficionados.
George Groves (13-0) is a 23 year old Brit who fights like a veteran with both style and the ability to close. Kell “Special K” Brook (24-0) is another Brit in the same mold.
Ismayl Sillakh (16-0) This Ukraine-born slickster (yes, that’s an oxymoron) has all the tools to become a world champion.
What makes these fighters different is that if you know they’ll be on television, you will alter your calendar to watch them.
4. Guys who are quietly sneaking back
Cristian Mijares (42-6-2)
Peter Manfredo Jr (37-6)
Tye Fields (48-4)
Kali Meehan (38-4)
Do you know of any others?
5) Latest Delusional Klit call-outs:
The last one was from Tyson Fury who said that one day he will be able to fight and defeat both Klitschko brothers. This time “Kingpin” Johnson: asserts “I will f**k Klitschko up on a rematch!” Yeah, no doubt, but he better throw a least one punch.
6) What’s with these Euro giants?
Alexander Ustinov measures 6’7&1/2”, David Price is 6’8”, Ivan Drago lookalike Alexander Dimitrenko stands 6’7”, both Klits are above“6’6”, Richard Towers towers at 6’8”, Robert Helenius measures 6’7”, Tyson Fury is way up there at 6’9”, Audley Harrison stands 6′ 5½″ Timo Hoffman is at 6’7 ½”, Siarhei Liakhovich is a short 6’4”, and Tom Dallas is 6’6.”
Anybody have any ideas about this? Is there something in the Euro water or food?
7) Excerpt from Planet Boxing:
“Texas
“The fate of San Antonio’s Robert “Pikin” Quiroga, Oscar Diaz, and Tony Ayala, respectively, are the stuff for movies, and so is the career of John David “Bam Bam“Johnson. Cowboy James Coker (23-4-1) never gave an opponent an easy time, but was hounded by being prone to cuts.
“Like New Jersey and New York, the state of Texas is a place that has so much boxing history that you could literally keep writing about it forever. Suffice it to say that Texas Has been home to great, fan-friendly fighters like the legendary George Foreman, Roy “Cut and Shoot” Harris, Jackie Blaire (90-33-9), Thomas Tate, monster puncher Cleveland “Big Cat” Williams (78-13-1), Johnny Boudreaux, Golden Johnson, Troy Dorsey (who set the record for most punches in a boxing match – 1,527 in 12 round fight and was also voted Fighter of the Year in 1992), Jesse James Leija (who went 2-1-1 with the great Azumah Nelson), Quincy Taylor, Mike Ayala (whose fight with Danny Lopez in 1979 was a Ring Magazine Fight of the Year), Tony Rocha, Ronnie Shields, Hall of Fame inductee Terry Norris, Orlin Norris, and world champions Donald and Bruce Curry. “Rockin Robin” Blake was a television favorite who thrilled fans in the ‘80s with his all-action style but could never take it to the next level. Quincy Taylor fought out of Dallas and was 28-4 with a KO percentage of 75.
“Curtis Cokes, who was famous for his training methods, which he also imposed on other boxers training with him, captured the world welterweight title when titles truly meant something. Hailing from Dallas, he fought throughout the world—from Mexico to Mozambique—and racked up an admirable record of 62-14-4 while fighting between 1958 and 1972. One of his great wins was a 15th round stoppage of the great Luis “El Feo” Rodriguez in 1966; in fact, he went 2-1 against “El Feo.” He also went 4-1 against fellow Texan, Manuel Gonzalez, with one of the wins for the vacant WBA Welterweight Title in 1966. Cokes was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
“David Gonzalez (40-6-1) was an excellent light middleweight who fought out of Houston and duked with stiff opposition between 1986 and 1997. Currently, Dominic Guinn, Chris “Hard Hittin’ Henry, Lanardo Tyner, Rocky Juarez, Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz and Chase “The White Tiger” Shields represent Houston, but once the very strong James Kirkland (25-0) gets his personal life in order, he could loom as the next big thing from Texas.. “
8) Admittedly an unpopular prediction, but I think Miguel Cotto will lose again to Antonio Margarito in a great fight between two guys on the other side of the mountain. The winner will be the one who is focused and is better able to absorb punishment.
Cotto has gone 4-1 since the Margarito beat down. The two against Jennings and Foreman were walk-over’s, but against Clottey and an aging Mayorga, he looked vulnerable. Still, he seems to have recovered reasonably well though he will never be the Cotto of old.
Margarito will never be the stalking monster that he once was. Not after having gone through what he did against Cotto, Mosley, and Manny, but if his Ghost reappears and gets inside Junito’s head; it will destroy Cotto. Margarito will start the chase and stun the now more vulnerable Cotto with uppercuts and the type of heavy body blows that were able to hurt Manny. After that, he will make the “kill” before the referee or corner can make a mercy stoppage.
What do you think will happen?
9) These fighters should at least consider retirement in 2011:
Kevin McBride
James Toney
Antwun Echols
Rubin Williams
Vivien Harris
Bert Cooper
Gabe Brown
Marcus Rhode
Andrew Greeley
Owen Beck
Darnell Wilson
Etianne Whitaker
But no one has the right to force this except maybe a commission. Agree or disagree?
For an interesting boxing tour, visit the author’s website featuring new articles, music, and the ever-changing photos galleries at www.tedsares.com. Also, please sign the guest book so I know you dropped by.