YOUTH MEETS ELDERLY IN TAYLOR-HOPKINS II
Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas, NV (HBO PPV) Jermain Taylor (24-0) vs. Bernard Hopkins (46-3-1) (World Middleweight Championship) Odds/Prediction: Taylor 2-1. Opening line was 2 Ω to 1. Suckers are betting on 41-year old Hopkins. Had the head butt not taken place, the first fight wouldnt have been close. Think about it, I mean really think about it. Before the clash of skulls, Bernard hadnt won a round! This really is a battle between, youth and the elderly. It would take a minor miracle, I think for Hopkins to win. Jermain, will need to rough Bernard up, all the while making him exert energy.
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WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS BET ON THE OLD GUY?
Something that has always marveled me is why fans, mainly squares, but some knowledgeable folks as well, why they drop money on an old, aged champion? Be it Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, I dont care who it is, but there are always people willing to bet sizeable chunks of cash on an old man! Odds wizard, Herb Lambeck, once told me that, people remember the great fights, and fail to realize how important youth is.
SUPPORTING BOUT, ITS MORE THAN JUST THAT!
The semi main has Oscar Larios (56-3-1) vs. Israel Vazquez (38-3), for the World 122 lb. title. Odds/Prediction: Oscar 13-5. Great match, but I cant see Israel winning. Still, knowledgeable followers, they say Oscar has regressed, and Vasquez is LIVE! OK, but I still say itll be Oscar Larios, having his hand raised.
LAS VEGAS NOTEBOOK!
CASATILO-CORRALES III IS ON! Got a press release yesterday that announced Jose Luis Castillo-Diego Corrales III. Man, you would have thought Diego, who is smarter than the average boxer, that he would take some time off, before he put his soul on the line again. The rubber match, will be on SHOWTIME February 4, from the same venue as Taylor-Hopkins III, the Mandalay Bay Casino & Resort. RATNERS WIFE BOUNCING BACK: First up, we wish a speedy recovery for Mrs. Marc Ratner. The wife of the Nevada Athletic Commissions Executive Director, the Mrs., was recovering nicely on Thursday, after some minor surgery. Having seen people die of late, one from hip surgery, the other from gallbladder stones, nothing to me is minor surgery! TAYLOR-HOPKINS II REFEREE & JUDGES: Referee Jay Nady, Judges Dave Moretti, Chuck Giampa, & Patricia Jarman. OSCAR-ISRAEL OFFICIALS: Referee Tony Weeks, Judges Glenn Trowbridge, Melvina Lathan, & Peter Trematerra. MOSLEY-VARGAS PRESS LUNCHEON: Fernando Vargas & Shane Mosley, set to clash February 25th, will try and dazzle the media at a Mandalay Bay press conference and luncheon today at noon. Mosley, of Pomona, CA, is 41-4, with 35 early wins. Oxnard, CAs Vargas, his record is 26-2, with 22 stops. The pair go on HBO PPV.
LISTEN TO “RING TALK RADIO” RIGHT AFTER THE FIGHTS!
With the World middleweight championship bout going down tonight, you can catch the results tonight LIVE on Ring Talk Radio at midnight ET, thats 9 PM PT! Listen, and find out who wins, Jermain Taylor or Bernard Hopkins? Click on the blue box on the top of this page labeled, Live Radio Feed, at 9 PM PT. Then fight fans, get ready to rock with the longest running talk show in boxing history!
Pedro Fernandez