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NEXT FIGHT NIGHT
November 7 (PPV)
Nikolai Valuev
(50-1, 34 KO)
v.
David Haye
(22-1, 21 KO)
* * * * * * * *
John Ruiz
(43-8-1, 29 KO)
v.
Adnan Serin
(19-10-1, 7 KO)
November 7 (HBO)
Chad Dawson
(28-0, 17 KO)
v.
Glen Johnson
(49-12-2, 33 KO)
* * * * * * * *
Alfredo Angulo
(16-1, 13 KO)
v.
Harry Joe Yorgey
(22-0-1, 10 KO)
* * * * * * * *
Five Most Recent
NOVEMBER 6
Judah-Hernandez
Casamayor-Davis
NOVEMBER 6
Sexton-Rogan II
McCloskey-Rasilla
NOVEMBER 4
Litzau-Edwards
Figueroa-Holloway
Evans-Rorie
Ring Magazine Champions
Accept nothing less! These are boxing's true CHAMPIONS -- anyone not listed here that claims to be a champion of a division is a titleholder.
Heavyweight
Wladimir Klitschko
Cruiserweight (200)
Tomasz Adamek
Light Heavyweight (175)
Vacant
Super Middleweight (168)
Vacant
Middleweight (160)
Kelly Pavlik
Junior Middleweight (154)
Vacant
Welterweight (147)
Vacant
Junior Welterweight (140)
Manny Pacquiao
Lightweight (135)
Juan Manuel Marquez
Junior Lightweight (130)
Vacant
Featherweight (126)
Vacant
Junior Featherweight (122)
Vacant
Bantamweight (118)
Vacant
Junior Bantamweight (115)
Vacant
Flyweight (112)
Vacant
Junior Flyweight (108)
Ivan Calderon
Strawweight (105)
Vacant
Quick Picks: Valuev-Haye, Dawson-Johnson II and Angulo-Yorgey
by SC on Nov 7, 2009 6:39 AM EST
in Fight Previews
2 comments
Bad Left Hook will have live, round-by-round coverage, scoring and analysis for both of these cards. Valuev-Haye starts at 3pm on Integrated Sports PPV in the States ($24.99) and on Sky Box Office in the UK, and the HBO card starts at 9:30pm ET.
Nikolai Valuev v. David Haye (12 Rounds, For Valuev's WBA Heavyweight Title)
I'll flat-out admit again that I'm rooting for Haye because a win for him makes the stagnant heavyweight division that much more interesting. The last time the division got any shot in the arm, it was Vitali Klitschko coming back. And that comeback has simply led to two Klitschkos manhandling their opposition instead of just the one. Haye winning opens things up. Valuev winning does not.
But Valuev can win, and the closer we get to it, the more it feels to me as though that's what we're going to see. I don't like it, but for all the world this just reeks of a massive disappointment for an exciting, dynamic fighter whose chin simply isn't going to stand up. Valuev will be more aggressive here than he was against Holyfield. Valuev, soft as he is, is almost surely a better cardio guy than Haye, and his stamina is likely to hold up. Haye could stop Valuev, but I don't think he's going to get there.
But it's the chin, really. Monte Barrett clipped and wobbled Haye a year ago -- Haye's last fight, mind you -- and with all respect to Barrett (whose fights I've generally enjoyed over the years, and who is still owed a debt of gratitude for getting Tye Fields off of TV), he stinks now.
Valuev will lose some early rounds. Valuev will eventually catch and hurt David Haye. Haye will get up, try to fight back, and in his recklessness, get hit hard again. I hate doing it, and I hope I'm wrong, but I'm going with Valuev by TKO.
Alfredo Angulo v. Harry Joe Yorgey (12 Rounds, For the Vacant Interim WBO Junior Middleweight Title)
I know he's only 27 and that he's got only 17 pro fights under his belt, but this is an immediate future make-or-break for Angulo. He's mauled everyone except Kermit Cintron, and since I think Cintron is way better than Yorgey (yes, I just complimented Cintron), I sort of expect he'll do that again. Yorgey's a tough guy and a decent boxer, and I think he'll make this a pretty entertaining fight for as long as it lasts, but I just don't think he's in Angulo's league. Of Jack Loew fighters, Yorgey's over by Billy Lyell, not by Kelly Pavlik. Angulo by TKO.
Chad Dawson v. Glen Johnson II (12 Rounds, For the Vacant Interim WBC Light Heavyweight Title)
The WBC light heavyweight titlist, for the record, is Jean Pascal, who won it in June, defended it against a mandatory in September, and is fighting a rematch with Adrian Diaconu in December. But hey! Interim title! Good job, WBC! I'll be sure to take your moral stands from your idiotic convention really seriously!
Not even that, but Dawson held the title before and gave it up so he could fight Antonio Tarver instead of Diaconu. Yet Shane Mosley, who once gave up the interim WBC welterweight title, needs to publicly apologize for doing that if he wants the WBC to sanction a fight with Andre Berto in January. Who do these rubes think they are, exactly? I'm serious when I say a six-year-old could poke holes in their logic. I'm no rocket surgeon over here and it's plain as day to me.
Anyway, I expect Dawson to win this one clearly. It's not that I'm underestimating Johnson or don't think he'll make for another competitive, entertaining fight, but Chad's younger and faster and all that. Johnson's a 40-year old man, and 40 is going to be a big, flashing red light for a little while longer. If Johnson wins this fight, that'll put that to an end. Bernard Hopkins alone isn't enough to make me stop thinking fighters tend to decline pretty hardcore at this age. Dawson by UD.
2 comments | 0 recs |
Little Giants: David Haye Looking to Make History
by SC on Nov 7, 2009 5:00 AM EST
in Classic Events and History
0 comments
When David Haye climbs into the ring later today to take on WBA heavyweight titlist Nikolai Valuev, he'll be looking to make history as best I can tell.
Should Haye win the fight, he will have set a record for overcoming the largest official weight difference in notable heavyweight boxing history. Just a quick scan of some famous fights and other notable bouts shows that Haye's 98-pound disadvantage tomorrow would top the record that Ruslan Chagaev set when he beat Valuev in 2007.
Now, I might be wrong, but I'm fairly sure I'm not. If David Haye can beat Valuev tomorrow, he will have made some form of history, no matter how frivolous it really is in the grand scheme of things.
One note of course: Valuev isn't just heavy, he's seven feet tall. Some of the guys on this chart were giants for their time, such as Primo Carnera (6'5 1/2"), but the height differential tomorrow is quite enormous, too. Jack Sharkey, who beat Carnera while giving up 59 pounds, was about 6'0". Max Baer was 6'2 1/2", and Joe Louis was 6'2". They gave up very little height to Carnera. Jack Dempsey's very famous win over Jess Willard was similar -- Willard was a massive 6'6 1/2", while Dempsey was also quite a big man at 6'1".
Haye, at about 6'3", gives up a lot more height than those guys did. Valuev has often beern compared to some of these guys, relative to the eras. Like Carnera, many have seen him as a lumbering lummox with no appreciable skill, but I'd actually say he's a far better boxer than Carnera was.
Here are some of the notable fights Haye over Valuev would top. (Notes: The biggest weight differential loss of Carnera's career was actually 68 pounds to Larry Gains in 1932, and I included Holmes-Butterbean mostly for fun.)
| Date | Fight | Weight Differential |
|---|---|---|
| 2007-04-14 | Ruslan Chagaev (228.25) over Nikolai Valuev (319) | 90.75 |
| 2002-07-27 | Larry Holmes (254) over Eric "Butterbean" Esch (334) | 80 |
| 1935-06-25 | Joe Louis (196) over Primo Carnera (260.5) | 64.5 |
| 1931-10-12 | Jack Sharkey (202) over Primo Carnera (261) | 59 |
| 1919-07-04 | Jack Dempsey (187.5) over Jess Willard (245) | 57.5 |
| 1934-06-14 | Max Baer (209.5) over Primo Carnera (263.25) | 53.75 |
0 comments | 0 recs |
Arum furious with Oscar over alleged favoritism to Pacquiao
by SC on Nov 7, 2009 2:04 AM EST
in News
1 comment
In Oscar de la Hoya's latest blog entry at the Ring Magazine's web site, he suggested that promoter Bob Arum had shown favoritism toward Manny Pacquiao on November 14 by getting the fight into a bigger ring than normal. It was a glaring mistake, of course, as it was way back in August that the ring issue first came up.
At the time, there were rumors that Cotto-Pacquiao would be held in a 24-foot ring. It was totally false information. Nevada regulations call for a 20-foot ring, and the fight will be in a 20-foot ring.
The Ring essentially apologized for the error and removed that portion of de la Hoya's entry, which originally read as follows:
"I believe that’s the reason Bob Arum arranged to have a big ring, to give Pacquiao an advantage. Arum promotes both fighters but, obviously, it benefits him more if Pacquiao wins so they’re going to favor him."
What the Ring didn't print was Arum's full, angry statement about the alleged favoritism. Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports interviewed the Top Rank chief, who had this to say:
“Is that little (expletive) crazy?” Arum asked. “Who writes this (expletive) for him? I’m absolutely outraged. He can pick whoever he wants to pick to win the fight and he can say whatever he wants to say about me, but to write that I arranged to have the ring made bigger to favor anyone is a complete (expletive) lie and is just not true. For as long as I can remember, the rings in Nevada have been 20 feet by 20 feet and I didn’t do (an expletive) thing about changing it.”
Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer -- who had cleared this up back in August -- backed Arum:
“Mr. Arum absolutely did not ask for a different ring size,” Kizer said. “We haven’t been asked that in a long time. As you know, our standard ring is 20-by-20 and no fighter, no promoter, nobody, has asked for a different size in quite some time. The size of the ring on Nov. 14 will be 20-by-20, like it always is.”
Some things never change.
1 comment | 0 recs |
Zab Judah and Joel Casamayor win in comeback bouts
by SC on Nov 7, 2009 12:32 AM EST
in Post-Fight Analysis
2 comments
Zab Judah and Joel Casamayor won as expected in their Las Vegas comeback fights tonight on pay-per-view, leaving only the question of what's left and if either of them are actually any good anymore. Tonight taught us nothing.
In front of a very small crowd that included Erik Estrada at The Palms, Judah stopped retired scrub Ubaldo Hernandez in two rounds on a clear low blow and some sort of arm injury after knocking down the journeyman in the first. The groin shot wasn't intentional, it just sort of happened as Judah was going to the body. He knocked him down on a jab to the body in the first.
Judah (38-6, 26 KO) proclaimed after the fight that he'd be going down to 140 pounds -- yes, he said that again -- to fight titlist Juan Urango. Honestly, as little as I think of Judah at this point, if he's got much of anything left he can and should beat Urango. I have no doubt that Urango could knock him out, but if Zab can make 140 comfortably and fights smart, he's way too fast and skilled for the exceptionally slow and plodding Colombian. He said after that he wants to return to 147 and take on Andre Berto, a guy I'm quite confident he'd lose to in typical Judah fashion.
Before anyone gets excited about Judah's return, let's recap just what this fight was. Hernandez, now 22-20-2, was never good. Ever. And he also hadn't fought in two years. For some reason, Hernandez came out fighting southpaw. His complaining about his arm might indicate he came in with an injury from training.
His recent resume is utterly pathetic for a guy still paraded as a contender. He's also been talking this return to 140 jive for about two years, and he's never actually done it. He did use that as an excuse for pulling out of a twice-scheduled fight with Matthew Hatton, who has never fought at 140 pounds. He ducked out of two fights with Hatton and one with Antonio Diaz this year, and then turned down an offer from Shane Mosley. He'll tell you it was money or not a big enough name, but what do you think he pulled in tonight? This show made no money. This opponent was a straight-up bum with zero credibility who hadn't fought in two years.
If you're going to talk the talk, at least try to walk the walk.
In the co-feature, Joel Casamayor took his first fight at 140 pounds and looked sluggish, powerless and old against a game Jason Davis. Casamayor (37-4-1, 22 KO) won an eight-round decision, taking the cards 79-73 across the board. Bad Left Hook scored it 78-74 for Casamayor. It was a definite win, but not much of one, and it was obvious he has zero power fighting that heavy. He shook off the rust, but never had Davis in any trouble at all and couldn't get the guy to back down one step. He has no future at 140 pounds and if he can make 135 (which his handlers say he still can), he needs to get back down there. He's 38 years old (officially, anyway) and the clock is ticking fast if it hasn't totally run out.
A few more notes:
- Zab Judah brought out a bunch of belts he used to hold. That was cute.
- Fernando Vargas, who co-promoted the show, did post-fight interviews and such. He needs to fight again about as badly as I need another meatball sub. (Or about as badly as he needs another meatball sub.)
- Casamayor says he'll fight anyone, that he's "old school." I'll give him this: He's definitely old school, and I don't doubt he'll fight anyone.
- I'm serious. Erik Estrada was there.
- The American national anthem was sung by an Englishman.
2 comments | 0 recs |
Bad Left Hook Live Boxing Results and Commentary: Zab Judah and Joel Casamayor Return
by SC on Nov 6, 2009 11:11 PM EST
in Round-by-Round
49 comments
Yeah, you read it right. The co-main events are just about to start (11:08pm ET).
Junior Welterweights: Joel Casamayor (36-4-1, 22 KO) v. Jason Davis (11-4-1, 3 KO)
Welterweights: Zab Judah (37-6, 25 KO) v. Ubaldo Hernandez (22-19-2, 10 KO)
Let's... do this.
49 comments | 0 recs |
Respect overdue for Dawson, long overdue for Johnson
by SC on Nov 6, 2009 10:15 PM EST
in Fight Previews
1 comment
He was referred to by Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter during Mayweather's short retirement. Four of his last six wins came over top names. When he took the title, he really took it.
He's the only man yet to beat Tomasz Adamek. He routed Antonio Tarver twice. And he came out the victor in a highly competitive and very entertaining fight against Glen Johnson last year. But somehow, Chad Dawson still doesn't seem to have mass respect.
Part of it lies with the fact that many feel Johnson deserved the W over Dawson. I scored that fight a draw, and still feel it's hard to really make a good case that Johnson was "robbed," but since that's been the story of Glen's career, it's an easy story to market from the Johnson side.
Part of it also stems from the fact that Dawson, despite being a very likable guy who makes for solid fights when not against the frustrating Tarver. He's unbeaten, has had good backing from both Showtime and HBO, and has honestly taken the best fights he could get. The Tarver rematch was a contractual thing, the Johnson rematch something he admittedly didn't want to go after, but when his hand was forced, he did it, and he vacated a title to make it happen. It was the only fight out there for him.
Someday, Dawson will move up in weight. He's talked about going down to 168, but that would probably just serve to weaken him. There are several who feel -- and I'm one of them -- that Dawson will someday compete at heavyweight, as his old foe Tomasz Adamek is now doing. A stop over at cruiserweight could offer some attractive bouts, too, and would help him bulk up naturally.
For now, though, he's a light heavyweight, and you can argue he's the world's best (I don't, at least not yet, with Bernard Hopkins still existing). And the rematch with Johnson tomorrow night can go a long way to earning him the accolades he's yet to fully acquire.
Make no mistake, it's no easy win. Johnson is probably still the most dodged man in the division, and at 40 has shown no real signs of slowing down. He's as tough as they come, a relentless sort who loves to mix it up, with a chin made of granite and heavy enough hands to put down anyone. Since the narrow loss to Dawson, Johnson has again found it hard to get proper opponents. He has faced Aaron Norwood and rematched Daniel Judah in the 19 months since the Dawson loss.
Dawson, who lives in New Haven, will have the home field advantage in Hartford, Connecticut tomorrow. His family and friends will be there, the XL Center will be almost 100% his fans, and the truth is, he's the younger, faster, more athletic, more dynamic fighter. He should win.
And if he doesn't, make way for 40-year old Glen Johnson, the continually-ignored, continually-great fighter that refuses to go away, no matter how many times it seems like promoters or TV networks wish he would.
1 comment | 0 recs |
Sexton tops Rogan, McCloskey dominates Rasilla in Northern Ireland
by SC on Nov 6, 2009 6:55 PM EST
in Post-Fight Analysis
1 comment
On the Friday Sky Sports double-header from two sites in Northern Ireland, Sam Sexton came out with a much clearer victory over Martin Rogan in their heavyweight rematch, and Paul McCloskey dominated Spaniard Daniel Rasilla to claim the vacant European junior welterweight title.
First from Magherafelt, McCloskey improved to 20-0 with a completely one-sided victory over Rasilla, a late substitute for Souleymane M'baye, stopping him with two knockdowns in the ninth round. McCloskey won every round of the fight, and basically every minute of the fight, with his awkward, stalking southpaw style. His punches come from all angles, and he gave the outclassed Rasilla nightmares the entire evening.
Rasilla (15-3, 4 KO) gave a brave effort, but was just too slow and mechanical for McCloskey, who hopefully will get a fight on par with the M'baye proposal next. He's good, but it's time to find out how good with another step up. Rasilla was no challenge at all. McCloskey (20-0, 10 KO) probably won't be a world force, as he's already 30, but only the very best wouldn't have a bit of trouble with his style, I believe.
In the big heavyweight rematch in Belfast, Martin Rogan came to knock Sam Sexton out, which he likely should have the first time around, but failed to get rid of him. I had Rogan up four rounds to one (49-46) after five rounds, the fifth of which was an oddly desperate sort of charge by Rogan, who was clearly leaving it all in the ring in what smelled of a last-ditch effort.
As it turned out, it pretty much was. Sexton dominated the sixth round with jabs, combinations, lead rights, and left hooks, destroying Rogan and leaving him wobbling at the end of the round. After that sixth round, Rogan retired from the fight in his corner.
Afterward, Rogan (12-2, 6 KO) said he has a pinched nerve that was a holdover from the first fight with Sexton, and that his left arm felt "dead." Again, the fifth round felt like a guy who was fighting to get a knockout or that was it. He must have felt that injury creeping up fast, because he was winging every big shot he had in his arsenal. Sexton withstood it, blasted him around in the sixth, and Rogan decided that was enough.
Sexton (13-1, 6 KO) retains his Commonwealth heavyweight title with the big victory, and at 25 I think he has some solid promise, at least on the domestic level. He is getting better, and he mostly dominated the first fight with Rogan with his jab. This time around he wasn't in the same rhythm, but he also appeared much more calm, relaxed and aware of what he could do. They were confident this time, and it showed, even though I had Sexton down 58-56 when the fight was stopped. That sixth clearly had the fight going his way, and had Rogan come out again a stoppage wasn't far off.
At 38, Rogan has only a short window remaining. I actually think he's a better boxer than he's often given credit for being. Yeah, he's a lunging brawler and gets hit a fair amount, but his base skills really aren't that bad. He's not some hack; he knows what he's doing in there. And given that his fights are almost always entertaining and that he's absolutely adored in Northern Ireland, he's still got some fights left in him. His career's already been pretty improbable, but I for one am glad we've gotten to see it happen.
Congratulations to Sexton and McCloskey on their wins, and a hats off to the brave Rasilla and the always-fun Martin Rogan.
1 comment | 0 recs |
HBO promo for tomorrow night's Dawson-Johnson II / Angulo-Yorgey double-header on World Championship Boxing.
about 14 hours ago
SC
4 comments
0 recs
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Super Six Standings
| No. | Fighter | Points | Fights Completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Arthur Abraham |
3 | 1 |
| 2 |  Carl Froch |
2 | 1 |
| 3 |  Mikkel Kessler |
0 | 0 |
| 3 |  Andre Ward |
0 | 0 |
| 5 | Andre Dirrell |
0 | 1 |
| 5 | Jermain Taylor |
0 | 1 |
Key: Knockout win = 3 points, Decision Win = 2 points, Draw = 1 point to each fighter
Tournament began October 17, 2009
For Super Six World Boxing Classic coverage, click here
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
