UNBEATEN VERNON FORREST-RICARDO MAYORGA OPEN 2003
San Francisco, CA– Having tried in recent weeks to contact World welterweight king Vernon Forrest, I was told he was locked away training for his January 25th clash with WBA guy Ricardo Mayorga at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, CA. Unbeaten Forrest (35-0) meets a real puncher (but limited boxer) in the 24-3-1 fighter from Nicaragua.
IS JAMES TONEY PART OF BILL OR NOT?
World cruiserweight champion Vassily Jirov (31-0) is supposed to meet James Toney in a much delayed match at 190 lbs. Although HBO’s Larry Merchant was of the opinion the fight was still on, people are saying it isn’t! Top Rank PR wiz Lee Samuels was unavailable late Sunday for comment.
JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ MEETS REAL RODNEY DANGERFIELD!
Can you think of a fighter who has been dissed more than Tijuana’s Manuel Medina? When last seen Medina was slapping Johnny Tapia around a New York ring. And instead of winning by more than an NFL touchdown (seven points!), Medina (60-12) would incredibly lose a majority decision and the IBF belt in one of the greater heists in boxing.
BATTLE FOR MORE THAN TITLE HERE!
Juan Manuel Marquez was the guy that Prince Naseem Hamed ducked for almost an eternity. After almost three years of waiting for naught, the 39-2 Juan got a shot and lost against WBA titleholder Freddie Norwood in a fight that that stunk like sun dried cod! Although the vacant IBF strap is on the line February 1, in the HBO PPV presentation from the Mandalay Bay Events Center, this all-Mexican match up of two of boxing’s most under appreciated figures to be a stylish affair with LOTS of punches thrown by Medina for sure!
ANOTHER MARQUEZ DESIRES SUGAR!
One week later in the very same arena, “Sugar Shane” Mosley (38-2) steps up officially to 154 lbs. when he tangles with comebacking southpaw Raul Marquez (33-2). This HBO main event will be preceded by a WBO 147 lb. scrap pitting Antonio Margarito (27-3) defending against Andrew “Six Heads” Lewis who is 22-1-1 as a pro and the ex-WBA belt bearer.
2003 LOOKS LIKE A “SIN CITY” REBOUND
I am firmly of the belief that the economy of Las Vegas and the sport/business of professional boxing are intimately intertwined. Without the revenues thrown down by “Sin City” casinos, the mega fights are almost an impossibility. Testimony to a recovering Las Vegas economy is the fact that three major fight cards will occur before sixty days will have elapsed in 2003.
Pedro Fernandez