Comments? Suggestions? I'll write some new fitness articles soon. I promise.
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Rado's Boxing Update 6-17-07
What's going on today in the world of boxing. A few names like Paul Malignaggi, Lovemore N'dou, Ricky Hatton VS Jose Luis Castillo, Bernard Hopkins VS Winky Wright, Erik Morales VS David Diaz, James Tony VS Danny Batchelder, Sultan Ibragimov VS Shannon Briggs.
Paul Malignaggi takes on Lovemore N'dou. N'dou has been the gatekeeper to the junior welterweight division for as long as I've been watching boxing. N'dou might have 8 losses but he's never been knocked. Malignaggi on the other hand, has only had 5 knockouts of the 22 wins he's been able to scratch out. You've got a light puncher against a strong-chinned opponent. Lets factor in the fact that N'dou has also given Miguel Cotto a harder fight losing the fight by a smaller margin than Malignaggi. Lovemore has also fought better competition having met Ben Rabah, Junior Witter, and Sharmba Mitchell and loses only to people that have SOME power. I don't know, I think Paul Malignaggi is going to lose a decision unless he can somehow keep N'dou occupied enough with his speed and awkward in and out style.
**** UPDATE - I jacked up this call and lost the bet on bodog. ****
Erik Morales VS David Diaz
I don't know what Erik Morales is doing taking on a junior welterweight in what looks to be his last boxing match. While David Diaz doesn't have a list of high quality of wins, he does however have a win over Jose Armando Santa Cruz. Cruz is a big 5'10" junior welter who CAN fight. I actually trained in the same gym as Cruz a while back and that guy is definitely WAYYYY bigger than Morales. That fact that David Diaz was able to TKO him while losing to Cruz would mean that Diaz can hit hard enough to hurt a legitimate junior welterweight. A closer look at his profile on boxrec shows that while he's only 5'6", he has a solid chin and has only been TKO'ed by Kendall Holt, a guy who just recently beat Mike Arnaoutis, a solid junior welterweight contender. Diaz can punch hard enough, is the bigger man, and has only lost to another solid boxer.
Erik Morales has never fought as high as the lightweight limit of 136lbs. This should be a sign that he's unable to make 130 for whatever reason relating to an aging body or metabolism problems. I can very well see Erik Morales boxing for survival. I hope Morales doesn't try to brawl but David Diaz isn't going to quit but Morales just find it easier to sit down on the canvas if he's pressured enough. He's getting old and the signs are showing. I think this fight will go to the 12th round with Morales winning a morale victory by not getting knocked out in his final fight. Now that I think about it, David Diaz is a junior welterweight meaning he's 15 pounds bigger than Morales recent-average weight. We might see a late knockout win for Diaz but I hope not. Below is a video of David Diaz taking on Jose Armando Santa Cruz so you can see what he looks like.
Manny Pacquiao VS Humberto Soto
Manny Pacquiao wins this one easy in my book. Bobby Pacquiao had just enough power and speed to rock and hit Soto several times. Will Soto stand just as tough and retain his composure against Manny like he did for his brother? - I just don't think so. Bobby lost because he was scared and flinched against many of Soto's punches and leaned back too much while Soto took perfect advantage by staying on his front foot and moving forward most of the time while still remaining calm. Some other mistakes Bobby made was standing and waiting in front of Soto the whole time. Soto was constantly pivoting out of harm's reach against Bobby and returning straight rights and left hooks. Soto is a solid fighter who remains very calm and keeps his feet under him at all times and stays accurate doing fights. I just don't see him being able to stand calm against the wild and speedy swarming style of Manny Pacquiao. We also need to remember that Manny is a true warrior in every right. He will walk through EVERYTHING to force himself upon you. Manny will not go down and he will come back even harder if you hurt him. Nonetheless,, we can all expect another great fight for boxing this coming October from Manny Pacquiao.
Bernard Hopkins VS Ronald Winky Wright
I heard Freddie Roach is training Bernard Hopkins for this one. I find this to be very interesting. I guess Hopkins was very impressed with what Roach did for De La Hoya during the Mayweather fight preparation. You gotta understand that Roach did a great job making a controversial fight out of Mayweather by using an older fatiguing fighter in De La Hoya. I don't know what Roach can do for Hopkins except get him excited over Winky Wright. I've always picked Hopkins to win this one simply because he is sneakier and perhaps even more aggressive than Winky. Winky has a solid job and all but you're going to need a lot more than that if you want to beat Hopkins. You need speed to beat Bernard Hopkins. Speed was something Roy Jones and Jermain Taylor used to beat Hopkins by being busier if not more accurate (in Jermain Taylor's case.) Winky Wright is excellent at being a very basic fighter, staying comfortable behind his high guard and utilizing awkward-timed punches to catch his opponent. Another key in this fight is that Bernard Hopkins is probably the bigger man and therefore Winky will not be able to bully him or push him around whatsoever. Hopkins is smart enough not to sit in the corner and allow Winky to barrage him with punches. Hopkins wins a small decision against Wright is my pick.
The heavyweight division.
I didn't know James Toney just had a fight and I was shocked to hear he got caught with steroids in his system again in his fight against Danny Batchelder. Wow, were they both purposely juiced up to give the fans a show? I'm glad Toney finally made 70 wins but I really think he's slick enough NATURALLY not to need any enhancements. I think he should just take a final big fight and sit out of boxing.
I heard about Sultan Ibragimov beat Shannon Briggs. A younger guy gets a decision over a once-retired out-of-shape boxer. Oh wow, I could care less.
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Floyd Mayweather Jr VS the World
A quick analysis about Floyd Mayweather Jr vs some of the best boxers available today...
Miguel Cotto - Strong and stylistically adaptable to any opponent. Very smart fighter with a solid offense and defense. He shares a common opponent, Zab Judah, with Floyd Mayweather who he easily knocked out compared to Floyd who had a bit of trouble in the early rounds against the speedy southpaw. Cotto doesn't have enough speed to surprise Floyd but he does fight every minute of every round. I think if Floyd keeps his conditioning up he can jab and run all night to win a comfortable but unfavorable decision against Cotto.
Kermit Cintron - He hits hard but fights too much like a textbook. He's stiff and you can see some of his punches coming. His reflexes just aren't that good. For some reason, I see him getting caught by Floyd's lead right hand numerous times if they ever fought.
Antonio Margarito - Another wide puncher. He also tires visibly and becomes even slower. He has a ton of heart and punches hard when he connects. I don't see him being fast enough to catch Floyd Mayweather and I also thought Clottey would have beaten him easily if he only had a healthy right hand.
Cory Spinks - Spinks moves around yes but he doesn't hit hard and he doesn't commit much. He fights like an amateur by punching to score and then quickly getting out of the way. Floyd can this fight easily by simply playing out the part of the aggressor and moving forward and beating Spinks in a jab contest by throwing lead rights and left jabs. Spinks will duck around but he won't outsmart the more elusive Floyd Mayweather. Floyd is very smart by blocking small punches to make his opponent think he will still be there and then he ducks the big punches. Spinks just doesn't like to get hit period so he waves his upper body up and down all day long. Dodging punches won't win over the judges if you don't throw counter punches.
Ricky Hatton - Although Floyd plays well to Hatton's style by leaning on the ropes and fighting defensively, I still don't think Hatton will be able to pressure Floyd Mayweather effectively. This guy is too small and too wild. He does have a quick slip and left hook but I don't think his constant strategy of lunging in all night with leaping lefts and right hands is going to overwhelm Floyd. Floyd will have very fast and accurate standing left hooks and right hands in return to counter. Hatton also doesn't a long enough jab to effectively slow Floyd down and open him up for bigger shots. I wouldn't be amazed if Floyd Mayweather's accuracy cuts up Hatton to a mid-fight TKO.
Paul Williams - This guy is too slow and lanky. His height is not used to maximum effect. He hangs his chin too much. His wide punches are going to be blocked and picked off easily. SEE what I wrote for Margarito above. He also gets hit wayyy too much. Anybody with a good punch will drop him easily with all the free chin shots he gives in each fight. Floyd was so much faster and a more punishing counter-puncher against Sharmba Mitchell. Against an older more worn Mitchell, Williams did nothing but trade shots against the shorter older fighter. Williams does not have exceptional power, speed, or a fast jab. His footwork ain't that smooth and I just don't see him being able to surprise Mayweather in any way.
Shane Mosley - an AWESOME pick. I think this guy even though he's old, at 35, might just have the speed needed to beat Floyd. He's certainly a very busy and accurate come forward fighter. I do agree with many others that Mosley has the faster hand speed. Floyd Mayweather has fast body speed, reflexes and footwork that make his hands appear fast. Floyd throws very accurate and quick single shots but he does not throw faster combinations than Sugar Shane Mosley. Mosley is also bigger and hits harder than Floyd Mayweather Jr. At this very moment, I've got this fight dead even.
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Rado's Fight Pick when Ricky Hatton Takes on Jose Luis Castillo
Ricky The Hitman Hatton is fighting El Terrible Jose Luis Castillo this weekend. I like both these guys but only one can win. Who is it going to be?
Jose Luis Castillo I think is going to be the man under bigger pressure tonight. He's the underdog and many are going to write him off because of his advanced age and lack of brilliance in recent fights. At 33 years old and having been in 63 fights in his career, Jose Luis Castillo is definitely going to be the old fighter in this fight. His last fight against Herman Ngoudjo was very lackluster as he plodded around the ring using his ring generalship and boxing experience to ride out a 2-point decision. The fight was Ngoudjo's fight to lose as I had him winning by 4 points by the mid to late rounds but he simply stopped punching for whatever reason. Castillo seemed flat in that fight and nowhere near as dangerous as he's known to be.
Jose Luis Castillo was entirely flat in the last fight and was unable to intimidate or overwhelm his opponent. The fact that Herman Ngoudjo was pretty comfortable in that fight and the fact that the fight was so close has made me feel that Castillo just doesn't have it anymore. I saw a Jose Luis Castillo that was forced to reserve his energy for the later rounds instead of throwing non-stop punches like he did against Floyd Mayweather Jr years ago. Maybe it has to do with having to make weight and getting old that makes him so flat. He also appears much slower. Castillo has a ton of experience and has fought just about every type of fighter out there. It's also comforting to know that Ricky Hatton will not bomb him like Diego Corrales did. Ricky Hatton may not even be a better boxer than Castillo but regardless, Hatton is the last thing Castillo needs. Jose Luis Castillo needs to stay away from fighters that don't quit. Hatton is not going to break down and psychologically, this fight was all wrong for Castillo from the beginning.
Ricky Hatton in his last fight was dominant but also quite unimpressive in some ways. I laughed when a writer called Ricky Hatton the welterweight John Ruiz when Hatton fought against Juan Urango. For the most part it was true. Ricky Hatton certainly had the speed, power, and volume to overwhelm the inexperienced fighter and he certainly made Urango look like nothing more than a slower plodder for many rounds. Urango didn't punch much but still managed to hurt Hatton with a body shot in the early-mid rounds. Hatton nonetheless still closed the show and won the fight by a large decision out-boxing Urango easily but not without listening to his silly trainer's advice to punch and HOLD in the late rounds.
Hatton was unimpressive in his last fight because his trainer told him to be. Castillo was unimpressive because he just doesn't have it anymore. In their boxing showdown together, I see Hatton starting faster and staying busier with Castillo trying to relax and weathering the storm. Problem is, Hatton will never stop punching and Castillo will go back to his old self fighting on the inside with Hatton. Hatton will be faster and more determined. Castillo will probably throw a few low blows when he's losing the exchanges. Castillo doesn't have enough energy for a full 12 rounds but he does have the heart for it. Hatton might just pick up another TKO as Castillo leans against the ropes too tired to return punches. I doubt that will happen though because Hatton will box cautiously after being belted by a strong Castillo body punch. A 4 point decision win for Ricky Hatton is my biggest guess. No man is really strong enough to hurt the other.
I can't help but feel that Castillo's managers are cashing OUT on him for what may be his last big fight while Ricky Hatton's managers are cashing IN on a do-able win over a big name boxer like Jose Luis Castillo.
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