THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING…RIGHT
San Francisco, CA– If you want to look at the big picture, the economy is worse than it’s ever been in 80+ years, and yet some Democrats are leading the charge to prevent the President from raising the income tax on the top 1% earners in this country from 36 to 39%. The big picture in boxing was spelled out on two continents Saturday with WBC heavyweight champ Vitali Klitschko stopping (TKO 9) Juan Carlos Gomez in Stuggart, Germany, while Roy Jones punished Omar Sheika in his native Pensacola, FL.
FRANKENSTEIN-LIKE VITALI NABS WIN #2 AFTER LAYOFFThe 37-2 (36 KOs) Vitali Klitschko, the elder brother of WBO/IBF champ Wladimir Klitschko, he continues to win in a fashion that puts him ahead of his brother on the heavyweight chain. Rugged and hard to hit because of his size at 6’7, seeing Vitali is the best, than must not the glass be half empty, rather than half full? With only one fight since 2004, a 2008 win over Sam Peter, Vitali is the best the division has to offer. Gomez, impressive in just one fight, the WBC cruiserweight (200 lbs) title winning effort (UD 12) over then once beaten Marcelo Dominguez, fought “backwards” by his being a southpaw and moving to the left.
ROY USED SHEIKA AS LIGHT-HEAVY BAG
The now 40-year old Jones, now 53-5 (39 KOs) was once the best ‘pound for pound’ boxer around, but probably not the best ‘pound for pound’ fighter in the world, he may as well have hung Sheika (27-9, 18 KOs) upside down like an Everlast light-heavy bag. Maybe then Roy might have missed on occasion. As for Jones being a great boxer, but not a great fighter, Roy’s thing was his speed and reflexes. And like an NFL running back that loses a second off his 40-yard sprint, one that no longer get through the holes, Roy slowed to the point where he couldn’t get his chin, “tender” since his amateur days, out of the way of the punches of Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson, who both knocked him out.
ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO FINISH A GUY?
When Jermain Taylor couldn’t finish Kelly Pavlik when he hurt/dropped him in their first pairing, the fight was lost. The same applied to Jones fighting Joe Calzaghe, as Roy hurt the Welshman in round two, and failed to finish him before going on to lose every round thereafter. I remember when the late-Bill Cayton, Mike Tyson’s original co-manager, managed Sheika. He once, and might I had unsuccessfully, tried to convince that Sheika was the next coming.
WHERE DO THE WEEKEND WINNERS GO FROM HERE?
Klitschko, Vitali to his friends, he needs to just open up and swing for the fences. And while the same can be said for brother Wlad, Vitlai has a solid chin that has never been even slightly dented. If Klitschko, be it either brother, was an exciting fighter that offered thrills and not chills, American fans would appreciate them. Until then, they have to continue to fight in Germany, cause they’re just not the way America wants heavyweights to fight.
JONES TO FIGHT ON LIKE EVANDER!
If you want a crystal ball to look into the future of Roy Jones, just look at Evander Holyfield 2009 for the 2010 version of Roy Jones.
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is an award-winning writer, TV commentator, radio talk show host, former San Francisco Policeman and four-time Golden Gloves champion. Comments regarding this submission can be left below.