It was very sad for me the last week as among other matters, a page – of the many that I have in my life – was touched by the passing away of a close friend and one of the best Latin-American boxing mentors and trainers, Amilcar Brusa from Argentina, with whom I spent many days, especially during the time of the great Carlos Monzón, for whom Brusa was trainer-manager always. May he rest in peace at the side of God and my hero, Carlso Monzón.
One other boxing hero and friend, Hector López, who died while sleeping at the age of 44, touched my heart as he had been in the Mexican team for the Olympic Games at Los Angeles, where he won a silver medal – which should have been gold, if justice could be found. I was a close supporter and advisor of the amateur Mexican team at the time, when Raul “Ratón” Macías was the president of the amateur federation, and I was invited to go to an L.A. Gym and found López to bring him to Mexico to beat the competition to be selected, as he was born in Mexico. He left two sons, who he was training for the Olympic Games in Brazil. Hector can be sure in heaven that the WBC will comply with his wishes.
One very happy day, and highly sensitive for me, was to see my son Mauricio be distinguished by his hand prints on the Hall of the Stars of Mexico City. I sincerely do not know how could I comply with my commitments at the WBC, without Mauricio, so I sincerely think that he deserved it, even when he was quite modest in originally objecting to such honor. There will be, for sure, people who do not empathize with father and son receiving recognitions, as that is human nature, but I can assure all those friends who are kind enough to read these thoughts, that neither my children nor myself look for anything else other than being of service to others, especially the most in need, always with love to our country and all of our friends around the world, with whom we share our devotion for the service of our sport, with deep gratitude for their kind consideration for recognitions that I do not deserve.
I would like to touch now on a boxing theme, addressed to all of the Mexican fans, for the exaggerated advertising in Mexico in the promotion of teams and athletes to raise them to heaven by the media, but to assassin them after they fail, while creating a spirit of high disappointment for the great Mexican fans. Boxing has been the greatest sport for Mexico, as its fighters are lions who travel the world to give great courageous fights with many obtaining world titles, but even in boxing advertising, and the media raise our boxers to the sky, like they did with Juan Manuel Márquez against Floyd Mayweather, who defeated him easily.
I am referring this time to the fight between Manny Pacquiao, considered to be one of the top – if not the top – pound per pound fighter of today, against the good Mexican fighter Juan Manuel Márquez, with some of the press painting him as the conqueror who has been the winner of all Mexicans, except for Eric Morales, who beat him once. I can express my thoughts for this fight as their fight will not be for the WBC title, even when both have been WBC champions in the past. Statistics and boxing common sense do not give an opportunity to Márquez.
I was in Thailand eight or nine years ago when Manny conquered his first WBC championship of the world of the flyweights, that he lost later after suffering inhumanely to make the weight. From there, he continued his career in eight different divisions, being at a prime age of 32 years old, being as strong as a bull, and having defeated many of the greatest boxers of his time, like the Mexicans Eric Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Márquez himself, Oscar de la Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Ricky Hatton, Antonio Margarito – all of them great fighters, among many others.
Juan Manuel Márquez is 38 years old, with his age and moving up to welterweight making him slower by nature, and having met Joel Casamayor, Juan Díaz, Barrera and Michael Katsidis, who are, in my opinion, at a much lower level than those who Manny has fought, and when Marquez met Floyd Mayweather he was dropped once and lost every round of the fight, even when his courageous heart allowed him to fight valiantly the 12 rounds.
Pacquiao and Márquez have fought twice, with a draw and a win for Manny, and the Manny of those fights is definitely the Giant of today, while Juan Manuel is a four-years older boxer, now at 38; Pacquiao has changed his style, and now he also uses the right hand while he also boxes around, which he didn’t do in the past. Márquez is one of the great counterpunchers of today, which was difficult for Pacquiao four years ago, but not anymore, if you include all the considerations expressed above.
This is not a prediction, as anything can happen in boxing. It is plainly a warning to the boxing fans not to let them be misguided, especially in a city of gambling, just to make them aware that if Juan Manuel Márquez defeats Manny Pacquiao, it will be one of the greatest deeds of boxing today.
I express my appreciation to those friends who read my weekly thoughts, and express my best regards to all.
Sampson Boxing present Velez- Cooper II on November 20th
By Reynaldo Sanchez: Sampson Boxing, property of the promoter & matchmaker Sampson Lewkowicz will present next Sunday Nov-20th in the Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas, a card in which as curious fact, the main event will be in charge of the females Ada Velez facing in revenge Melinda Cooper for the super bantamweight IBF title in a 10 rounds bout
Velez and Cooper they faced already last March 31st in the National Stadium in San Jose, Costa Rica. Velez from Puerto Rico won the vacant title vs Cooper via split decision
With the Velez-Cooper II, the Puerto Rican Velez, who trains with Luis Perez in Fort Lauderdale, hopes to remove all doubts and according to his words, she goes for a forceful victory and don’t want to give to the judges the chance to write his cards.
“I already know her better and know what is can do, I am focused to win by my force and speed, but also my trainer and I are ready to come at the end of the fight and for that, we are working very hard ” Velez was saying to us this evening in the Gym where she trains.
Luis Perez, know that Cooper is a very dangerous rival, and he thinks that at this time they should not leave doubts about who is the champion. “We are going to defend the crown, this fight will decide that my fighter is better and we will show that next November 20th in Vegas” Perez assures.
Gunn Challenges Tank Abbott For Bareknuckle Title
In Dayton, Ohio this past weekend, former UFC heavyweight Tank Abbott won a unanimous decision over Scott Ferrozo in a no holds barred contest. In lieu of the win, current world heavyweight bareknuckle boxing champion Bobby Gunn has launched a formal challenge to Abbott to accept a fight for the title.
“First I want to congratulate Tank on the win; he is a great fighter and I have much respect for him, and so that is why I would like to give him an opportunity to fight for my title,” said Gunn. “Under the advice of Joe McEwan—aka Big Joe Mac—I was told that Tank Abbott is the perfect opponent for my first title defense. I think a fight with Tank would be a perfect tune-up in preparation for my fight with James Quinn in February.”
Abbott built a name for himself in the MMA world due to his savageness inside the cage and his unrelenting attack. Tank prided himself on being a bareknuckle fighter and always putting on a show, win or lose.
“Myself and Tank Abbott would be a bareknuckle fight that fans would love to see,” said Gunn. “But Tank, here it is. I am giving you the chance to fight me for the world heavyweight bareknuckle title on November 19 at the Fort McDowell Casino in Arizona.”
Since Bobby Gunn defeated Richard Stewart in August to claim the vacant world heavyweight bareknuckle boxing title, last held by John L. Sullivan nearly 123 years ago, the international buzz for bareknuckle boxing has been increasing. Gunn is confident that in the near future the fight sport will be as mainstream as MMA and boxing.
The reason for the recent taking off of bareknuckle boxing is that it offers the science of boxing coupled with the excitement of a MMA fight.
“I think the more big fights we have the popularity for bareknuckle boxing will continue to take off,” said Gunn. “Ultimately I want to see it expand into an assortment of weight classes so bareknuckle boxers of all different weights can have their shot.”
Currently Bobby Gunn and James Quinn are scheduled to fight for the world heavyweight bareknuckle boxing championship in February of 2012. This bout will feature two of the most revered bareknuckle fighters of our time, and will surely pave the road to a long and exciting future for bareknuckle boxing.
“We will anxiously await a response from Tank’s team,” said Gunn. “I have received offers from some lesser known fighters who are simply looking to make a name for themselves and don’t belong in the ring with me, and I know that a fight with Tank would not disappoint fight fans worldwide.”
“Lastly I want to give thanks to all of Team Gunn for all of their ongoing support,” said Gunn. “A very big thanks to Dave Feldman, Al Roth, Renato Colantoni, Joe McEwan, Matt Yanofsky and Chris Cella.”