I'm in Detroit. We had TVs but they got smashed in the riots, now we cower in the basement and listen to transistor radios.
I'm usually with you Mr. Bee, but since you brought up Ring Magazine, let me give you the real scoop. Ring Magazine rankings and champions are for the most part a joke. You can complain all you want about the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. I got no problem with that. But in trying to clear up the supposed confusion about who the 'real' champs are because there are 4 belts, The Ring decides to make a fifth belt and declare itself the only one that matters with the slobbering help of ESPN. Now I can understand that ESPN being journalists would want the power of the rankings in the hands of fellow journalists but it just doesn't work that way. We have been down this road before with The Ring, they were supposed to be the legitamate true rankings until in the late 70's and the "United States Boxing Championships" when it was exposed that then editor John Ort sold ratings to Don King. The biggest problem with The Ring is that they don't recognize Linear Champions. Because they didn't recognize linear champs they currently have mistakes in their champions and the real linear champions at 175 (true champ is Zsolt Erdei) 115 (Masamori Tokuyama) 112 (Pongsalelek Wonjongkam) There is already a way to decide who is the one true champion in each weight division and it doesn't depend on a belt. Just trace back who was the man who beat the man. Like in heavyweight. Lewis was the last champion because he beat Rahman who beat Lewis who beat Briggs who beat Foreman who beat Moorer who beat Holyfield who beat Bowe who beat Holyfield who beat Douglas who beat Tyson who beat Michael Spinks who beat Holmes who beat Ali who beat Leon Spinks who beat Ali who beat Foreman who beat Frazier who beat Ali who beat Liston etc etc etc. Right now Heavyweight is vacant and will be until the belts are unified or until Lennox comes back. Ring Magazine on the other hand is perfectly willing to fill their vacant titles with a fight between their number 1 contender and their number 3 contender. They called the fight between Vitali Klitschko and Corrie Sanders a championship fight for the 'real' heavyweight title. They were fine with Rosendo Alvarez vs. Bebis Mendoza for 108 title forgetting that number 2 ranked Jorge Arce was the real champion and could trace his lineage back over 10 years. Ring has manuvered their rankings so they can get titles filled because they need their belts to be out there. Look at this last weekend. When the Calzaghe/Lacy fight was in the works they moved Jeff up to number 3 ahead of Marcus Beyer (WBC) just so they could justify Nigel Collins decision to fill their vacant title. Where does this leave number 2 Mikkel Kessler? Out in the cold because a magazine that is driven by advertisements and profit wants its belts to be seen and needed to fill a vacancy. And they have absolutely no way to enforce mandatories and make Calzaghe fight Kessler. The real champions and their lineage can be found here: http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/champ.htm The sanctioning bodies need to get their house in order as well, something I hope they recognize, I saw a glimmer of hope when Jose Sulaiman announced his desire for something I have long wished for and that is a World Cup of Boxing. A tournament to be held every four years between the champions of the 4 governing bodies. WBC President Jose Sulaiman said, "We are going to try to organize a summit with the WBA, the IBF, and the WBO to see if we can have a world championship tournament every four years. Just as FIFA does in soccer with the World Cup, and just as the IOC does with the Olympic games. The WBC will offer up this tournament to the agreement of the other organizations. Whichever accept, if it's three, it's three. It's like a World Cup of professional boxing with the champions, no seconds. We plan to do this every four years in all 17 weight divisions. We want to cover the five continents in boxing. One tournament with four boxers to go for the title, semi-finals and finals. If we have only three champions, or two, it will be the best two."
According to that site you put up, Roy Jones Jr. was never light heavyweight champion. I wouldn't put too much faith in the sanctioning bodies. How was Zab Judah still the IBF champ when he fought Mayweather after Baldomir defeated him? The Ring's not perfect, but it's the best available. That World Cup idea would be good as it would draw lots of attention, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Didn't catch the heavyweight fight on Saturday but a friend who watched it said that WKlitschko looked "awesome" although he's fighting in a different style now. Apparently Emanuel Steward is training him now. Anybody watch? If so, is Wlad the one to save the division?
I cant stand the klitchkos. Super long jab won him the fight, and the rest of the punches that followed. If you cant outmuscle these brothers than your in big trouble. Wonder who can take them out? Hmm.
Wlad is the only one still fighting, right? Thought I heard that Vitaly retired a year or two ago. I was a Lennox fan and wanted him to KO both, especially Wlad when HBO kept pimping him. But nowadays I have no problem with either the brothers. Just like to see someone unify the belts. Anyone except Ruiz.
It's old news, but the Calzaghe vs. Lacy fight is now on DVD for those who are interested. You can now watch Joe paste some over rated gobshite at your leisure. Hopefully, Ricky Hatton can sort himself out and give a few US based fighters a pasting soon as well.
Never been a big fan of Wlad, but I sure am glad he punched a hole through Byrd's face. I swear, between his ticky-tacky punches and his wife screaming ringside the whole time, I wanted to punch Chris Byrd through the TV. What a sad sad division the heavys are when that reject from Super Punch Out somehow becomes champ.
Yeah, his wife was hilarious. I'll bet he's at home now jabbing her on the dome, saying "who's fighting 'stupid' now, huh?"
The heavyweight division is so bad right now, Lennox Lewis could turn up at a fight this evening, and win despite being retired for a few years. Hell, even George Forman could make yet another comeback and be the nuber 1 contender for a title.
I think the heavyweight division is a little clearer now with Byrd getting destroyed, isn't it? Seriously if Valuev fought Klitschko and Liakhovich fought Rahman, then the winners of those fights fought each other, we could honestly have an undisputed Heavyweight champion by the end of the year. To set up for a title defense this time next year against the winner of a Brewster/Brock fight. Of course, I'm only dreaming...
I like the possibility that there could be a true unified heavy champ within a year or so... then Lennox would have to come back and kick his ass.
Heard that Frietas beat Raheem by decision. Anyone watch? I must admit that I haven't really been into boxing much lately. I usually rely on a friend to tell me as he and his cousins buy all the ppv big fights. They'll likely watch the DeLaHoya-Mayorga fight next Saturday. Also (for those who remember) I heard something about Chris Eubank charging £10 to download film of his tragic fight against Michael Watson from the mid-90s (1995?). Watson ended up with brain damage iirc when his head snaped back against the bottom rope as he fell to the canvas. I believe Watson has consented to this and both will split the income 50-50. By all accounts, Eubank is broke. Really sad. I still have on video Watson's fight from 1990-91 when he ended Nigel Benn's incredible knockout/win streak.
Saw some of the fight, it wasn't so thrilling. I guess he deserved to win. Speaking of NIgel Benn, anyone have that fight he had against McClellan (sp?) which ended with McClellan having irrevocable brain damage? The reason I ask is because Nigel Benn went through the ropes in the first round but in my recollection, he was completely faking being hurt.
Yeah, I have that fight too. Haven't watched it in ages cuz I was a McClellan fan and it's tough to watch that one. From memory, I thought Gerald's non-stop punching forced Benn through the ropes. Don't think Benn was hurt, but he didn't get back into the ring until the count of 9. The refereeing in that fight was atrocious as Benn was constantly rabbit punching McClellan behind the head throughout, which I've always felt lead to Gerald taking a knee volutarily in, what was it, the 10th round (?).
That match was in England, wasn't it? Terrible reffing, and look what happened as a result. All my old boxing matches are on old VHS tapes in my old apartment at my old school with my old girlfriend.
You could of just set your $50 on fire. Same result. This is just like DLH's "comeback" against Gatti... pick a guy who's got a name and no defense, pummel into oblivion. And trust me, I hate DLH. But he's KO'ing Mayorga easy.