Palm Springs, CA– The 2010 boxing year has had more downs than ups for fans looking for excitement from their top athletes. For one reason or another we didn’t get the mega fight that most anticipated in the potential Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather clash. We also have been force fed matches by the powers that be (HBO) who have once again have illustrated that their only care is the bottom line. Fans simply need to stop paying for match ups we are not interested in just because they’re available on PPV.
“SUPER SIX” TOURNEY BEST OF YEAR?
World & WBA super middleweight (168 lbs) champion and 2004 Olympic king Andre Ward has become one of the bigger draws in America as he is becoming a star in his hometown of Oakland, CA. It is refreshing to see bright young star in the game, with not just a good smile and positive attitude, but a warrior mentality in the ring. That mentality however is currently being questioned. His proposed September 25th fight with fellow American and close friend Andre Dirrell appears to be in jeopardy because of friendship.
BE FIRENDS AGAIN AFTER THE FIGHT GUYS!
What’s important here is that both guys need to remember that this is a business and both need to conduct themselves accordingly. They get paid to fight and that’s exactly what they should do. Both Andre’s, especially Ward the tournament favorite, will show a lack of professionalism if somehow they don’t go through with this bout. Don’t want to point blame on either camp, but both knew the fight was coming and regardless if the fight can be made bigger in the future, they both need to step up now!
SERGIO MARTINEZ “FIGHTER OF YEAR?”
In a positive light there were match ups that produced some drama and excitement thus far and must be recognized. Without a clear front-runner for fighter of the year, newly crowned middleweight (160) champion Sergio Martinez was brilliant in his dispatching of Kelly Pavlik. To those who believe Pavilk was exposed are entitled to their opinion but the Youngstown, OH native was competitive and game throughout the contest before losing to the better man.
KELLY ‘NICE” GUY NOT GREAT PUGILIST
Even though Pavlik won’t ever go down as one of the best middleweights in history, he tried to bring it every time out. Martinez desperately needs to avenge his close decision loss to Paul Williams in December of last year to put himself as front-runner for fighter of the year honors.
CANADIAN PASCUAL GANGSTER SLAPPED DAWSON
Last month Jean Pascal put himself in the conversation for fighter of the year in a dominant win over unbeaten American Chad Dawson. If the Haitian born Canadian citizen can get future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins in their proposed bout tentatively scheduled for December 18th he has an argument that he had the best year of any prizefighter in the business.
KLITSCHKO BROS. GIVE AMERICANS NAUSEA!
As boring as many believe the Klitschko Bros. (Vitali and Wladimir) ARE in the ring, both heavyweight champs are on quite a run. It is unfair to bash the two best heavyweights in the world when they actually treat the sport with a high level of respect and integrity. They both come into bouts in tremendous condition, and despite the quality of their opposition, they take care of business. They sell out stadiums and are ambassadors for what is good about this game we love. Some of the criticism is warranted, however I can think of much worse champions form the past like some of the alphabet titleholders from the 80’s who aren’t worth mentioning.
GREATNESS ACHIEVED IS GREATNESS PERFORMED!
One thing about being considered great you must have a great dance partner to achieve that status. Imagine Muhammad Ali sans Joe Frazier, Ray Leonard without Roberto Duran & Tommy Hearns, or Marco Antonio Barerra not having Eric Morales. Well you get the picture.
MONTIEL DESERVES MASSIVE PROPS
The lower weight class fighters are often overlooked by the masses, however one little guy has resurrected his career. Fernando Montiel is a candidate for fighter of the year thus far based on unifying the bantamweight (118) titles against accomplished Japanese champion Hosemi Hasegawa. It wasn’t just the fact that he unified the sanctioning body belts, no it was how spectacular the fourth round knockout was. The Mexican went into the other champion’s backyard and made a serious statement that he is not only the best at 118, but arguably one of the top fighters in boxing.
Kevin “KP” Perry