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Hits & Misses: A recap of the month of January
SAT February 11, JASON HERRON - January was an interesting month in boxing. Let's take a look back at one of the the craziest months in recent memory.
HITS
5. O'Neil Bell captures the undisputed championship.
Bell came into his fight with champion, Jean-Marc Mormeck, as a live underdog. But nobody expected him to stop the stronger fighter. After weathering Mormeck's early flurries, Bell threw his own thunder, and knocked out the reigning champ in the tenth round. The new cruiserweight king is exciting. Let's hope SHOWTIME showcases him more often.
4. Arturo Gatti heroic again.
Gatti hurts his right hand, as he usually does, early in the fight. He fought through the pain and stopped the previously undefeated, Thomas Damgaard, in Atlantic City. The rumors are swirling that Gatti might get a chance at the undisputed welterweight championship this Summer. Think Atlantic City would be rocking for that one?
3. Damgaard gives his all in exciting fight.
Give Damgaard his due. He was outgunned. He was outclassed. But he kept throwing punches, until he was stopped in the 11th round. All fighters should learn from Damgaard's effort.
2. Carlos Baldomir: Cinderella Man.
Baldomir entered the fight against welterweight champ, Zab Judah, as a a speed bump. A Judah victory would propel him into a mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather. Baldomir was the biggest speed bump in the history of boxing. He took the fight to Judah, and had the defending champion in big trouble numerous times. Judah survived, but lost his title by unanimous decision, in the biggest upset in years. Next up, Baldomir might face Gatti in a big money, big action brawl.
1. Manny Pacquiao-Erik Morales put on a show (again).
Morales-Pacquiao II was just as entertaining as the first. This time, Pac Man got his revenge with a tenth round TKO. Morales tired late and Pacquiao pounced. Morales needs a vacation from all of the wars he's fought in recent years.
MISSES
5. Judah turns immature (again).
The last time we saw Judah implode, he was throwing stools and choking referees after his TKO loss to Kostya Tszyu. Judah told everybody time-and-time again that he had grown up and was a mature fighter. But as soon as the decision was announced in Baldomir's favor, he pouted and blamed his promoter, Don King. Judah doesn't have many fans outside of New York, and he didn't win any this night either.
4. Rematch Clauses.
As soon as every major fight ends, all the announcers talk about rematch clauses. There was a clause in Morales-Pacquiao II calling for a rematch if Pac Man won. That all but eliminates any chance of Pacquiao taking on Marco Antonio Barrera in a rematch for the Ring Magazine junior lightweight championship. Rematch clauses must go!
3. Jermain Taylor-Winky Wright falls apart and now back on again
Taylor is the middleweight champ. Wright is the number one contender. Let's make this fight already. The fans deserve it and as of today, it looks like June 17th on HBO these two will be in the same ring fighting for the title.
2. Judah-Mayweather is still on.
WHY?!? I bet this fight draws under 150,000 Pay-Per-View buys.
Neither fighter is a marquee name. Sorry, but like Larry Merchant says, "Just because you beat Tiger Woods, doesn't make you Tiger Woods." Judah should have to fight his way back into contention after his lackluster effort versus Baldomir. Mayweather should fight the new champ, or move back down to 140 pounds and face Ricky Hatton.
1. SHOWTIME announcers blow it!
After Baldomir's historic upset of Judah for the undisputed championship, the SHOWTIME announcers (I'm not even going to mention their name because they sicken me) should have talked about the changing of the guard. Instead, they wasted the viewers' time by debating which fighter paid which sanctioning fee to the WBC, WBA, IBF, etc. WHO CARES!?! It's quite simple: Baldomir beat the champ, therefore he is the champ, regardless of what the WBA thinks. He's the Ring Magazine champion. That's all that needs to be said.
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem!
Predictions for February
Feb. 12th (ESPN): Peter Manfredo-Scott Pemberton. "The Contender" runner-up faces his toughest competition to date. Manfredo by close decision.
Feb. 18th (PPV): Antonio Margarito-Manuel Gomez. Why is this fight on Pay-Per-View? Madness! Margarito by late KO.
Feb. 25th (PPV): Fernando Vargas-Shane Mosley. Should be an exciting battle between two aging warriors. Vargas by decision.
Jason's prediction record in 2006 is: 2-2 and can be reached at: jasondfd@hotmail.com.
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