Karim Mayfield
SOME “LOCALS” CAN FIGHT, SOME CAN’T!
San Francisco, CA– If you have had a lengthy tenure writing about boxing, or even athletics in general, you always have the “home town guy” problem. What I mean by that is either you “shill” for the local guy or tell it like it is, meaning you let the chips fall as they may. When I picked Andre Ward to win the Gold Medal in 2004, I was accused of “shilling” by one famous radio talk show host in particular.
S.F. BAY AREA HAS PRODUCED PUGILISTIC GREATNESS OF LATE
The same thing happened when I predicted greatness and championship gold for Nonito Donaire and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, both multi-division titleholders. In reality, the aforementioned trio, especially Ward, lived up to the raw talent I saw in them as budding amateur fighters and early on as professionals.
KID FROM “THE FILLMORE” HEADLINES ESPN 2 THIS WEEK
This Friday night, another local prospect is in the position of proving him as a “contender or pretender” why this City’s Western Addition resident Karim Mayfield steps into the national spotlight in the ESPN 2 main event against Philly’s Raymond Serrano.
“HARD HITTA” MAYFIELD EARNED STATUS BY WORKING FOR IT
Mayfield (12-0-1, 9 KOs) is one of those fighters that the boxing establishment has done no favors for. Having fought and beaten the “house” guy on a number of occasions, Mayfield has stumped both the matchmakers and his opponents with his ability to prevail by combining technique with natural punching power.
SERRANO DOESN’T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING SPECIAL
Although the fight will be in Albany, NY, Serrano is the East Coaster as he hails from Philadelphia, PA. At 18-0, 8 KOs, I looked at some film of him and saw nothing that stands out to his being extraordinary. Mayfield on the other hand could punch at 147 lbs. where he spent most of career at, now fights at 140 and seems to finally found himself a perfect fit at junior welterweight.
“WE BREAK JAWS, NOT LAWS” WAS STRAIGHT FORWARD CLUB MANTRA
Having kept an eye on Mayfield since his amateur days boxing for Ben Bautista’s “Straight Forward Boxing Club,” I didn’t see the raw talent I did with the aforemention trio. Karim has come a long way talent-wise from his days of punching for trophies. That being said, unless can Serrano can negate the relentless pressure and power of Mayfield, the kid from District 5 in San Francisco, where myself, embattled S.F. Sheriff Ross Mirkirimi and platinum recording artist Lenny Williams watched Karim fighting as a youngster, looks like the winner here.
Pedro Fernandez