WHO IS THE REAL KING AT 140 LBS?
San Francisco, CA– Last week, there was little good to report in boxing. Antonio Margarito got a license, there was a Klitschko sighting, Bob Arum, like him or not, the guy lost his son John, and I got depressed looking at some Alexis Arguello photographs from exactly 11 years ago. The capper was that it was a no TV boxing weekend domestically in the U.S. Now 48 hours later, I am licking my chops like a 2010 style cub reporter (you know, a guy at Kinko’s) over the 140 lb. division.
WITHOUT RAP ON CHIN, WOULD KHAN BE BEST?
We begin with the British prodigy that is WBA 140 lb. guy Amir Khan. Earmarked for greatness, his not winning the 2004 Olympics was the first sign that he was infalable. Then came the first round KO at the hands of a then unbeaten hungry Colombian in Breatis Prescott in 2008. Unbeaten since, Khan’s most recent outing was his drubbing of Paul Malignaggi for 12 fistic frames in May. The size disparity between the two is what I remember most, as Khan looked at least one weight class bigger.
KHAN LEAVES WARREN AT CURB FOR GBP
Khan, 23 years of age, is 23-1, 17 KOs. After bolting from longtime promoter Frank Warren last year, Khan is now under the Golden Boy Promotions umbrella. On December 11 Khan defends against the “avoided one” Marcos Maidana (29-1, 27 KOs). After a lackluster effort against Andriy Kotelnik in 2009, the 27-year old Argentine came back in his next fight and stopped then unbeaten Victor Ortiz of Oxnard, CA. MM throws an assortment of punches, including fight ending body shots!
DECEMBER MEETING SAID TO BE CERTAIN!
With December 11 being penciled in for Khan-Maidana, two things have yet to emerge. One is where will the fight be? The other, will GBP make this an HBO PPV event or an HBO Championship Boxing production? One other side note, Khan beat common foe Kotelnik, Maidana did not!
AFTER STINKING JOINT OUT, DEVON COMES AROUND
After some Don King-like stalling tactics failed, Devon Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs) of St. Louis, MO will meet 140 lb. counterpart Tim Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs) in January 2011. One is the WBC guy, the other dons the WBO 140 lb. belt. This is match that some insiders have been clamoring for. Why? I don’t get it, Khan-Maidana is more likely to produce fireworks as Alexander-Bradley has a 12 round decision in this battle of non-punchers with a combined 50% KO ratio.
ONE GREAT FIGHT, THE OTHER INTERESTING
Khan-Maidana looks like a barn burner with each guy going to the edge of the cliff to impose their will. Two good boxers that can punch, both offensive minded having a combined 44 KO’s in 52 wins. The Bradley-Alexander fight is unique in that it matched two talented and unbeaten African-American fighters. But seeing they can’t punch, wake me up when that one is over!
Pedro Fernandez