Money Talks: Williams-Phillips and more
Personally, I don't think Ted wore the white outfit nearly enough.
As always, odds are taken from Bodog.
Paul Williams is a MASSIVE favorite (-1100) against Verno Phillips (+600) in the HBO Boxing After Dark main event tomorrow night, which probably went without saying. Williams (35-1, 26 KO) looks like he's relocated the fire and hunger that made him such a dangerous fighter in the first place. In his last two fights, Carlos Quintana and Andy Kolle have lasted 2:15 and 1:37, respectively, against Williams' big power shots. I think he's going to come out storming against the way undersized, 38-year old Phillips (42-10-1, 21 KO), too, and I don't know if Verno can last. Phillips also hasn't fought since March, when he outpointed Cory Spinks. And I still say that was a robbery.
In the televised opener, heavyweight sluggers Cristobal Arreola and Travis Walker will go head-to-head, and their fight has the exact same odds as the main event, with Arreola the heavy favorite. I don't see it with this one -- Arreola is a big sucker's bet.
Arreola (25-0, 22 KO) came in fat and slow against Israel Garcia in September, but since Garcia lacks any real skill and was just a can with a decent-looking record for Arreola to run over, Chris got away with that. He knew he was out of shape. He's a big dude at 6'4", but if he could keep himself in the 230s, which he's done before, he'll be way better off. The question is whether he has the discipline to do that. Weighing in at a hair under 260 pounds in September was inexcusable. He didn't carry it well, and he's not such a good boxer or so powerful that he can get away with that sort of laziness.
I don't really see why Walker is such a huge underdog, because I think he has a very good chance. "Freight Train" (28-1-1, 22 KO) has only lost one fight, and it was a horrible referee stoppage in the first round against T.J. Wilson, a loss that Walker emphatically wiped away when he beat Wilson down in the second round of their rematch. It's not that I think Walker is all that good, really. He's willing to trade, and so is Arreola, and it should make for a good fight. And even though Walker has little in the way of legit competition so far, guess what? Neither does Arreola, the American heavy people are starting to pin their hopes on.
If Walker catches Arreola, it could go bad for Cristobal. If Arreola isn't in shape, Walker might drill him. If you take yourself away from how much fun Arreola is to watch, the flaws are so clear that it's impossible for me to put anything big on the guy's shoulders. He's a good fighter, an entertaining fighter, but I don't know that he's a world-class fighter. He's 27 and isn't developing anything new; instead, only new questions about his career arise after several fights.
In Panama, former WBA featherweight titlist Jorge Linares (-3000) moves up in weight to face Whyber Garcia (+1500) for the WBA's vacant junior lightweight strap. Chances are it'll be easy work for the 23-year old Linares, one of my favorite young fighters. One of everybody's favorite young fighters, actually.
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The judges did all of us a favor as stripped Spinks from his belt, god bless him but the man can make water become ice interesting.
Oh and in case no one has seen the the lone Walker loss… here it is…
by Zocalo on Nov 28, 2008 5:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Linares
I’m worried that he won’t last very long, considering how often he’s gotten injured as a young fighter. That’s not a good omen for having a long, prosperous career. It’s absolutely absurd to have a fight to fill a vacant belt where one fighter is a 30-1 favorite though. Why not just give the kid the belt? A vacant belt is supposed to be filled by a fight of the top contenders, not a top contender and a schlub.
The Walker loss was very questionable in my opinion, and he came back to avenge it convincingly. I still think he’ll lose to Arreola though. He seems to get overwhelmed sometimes. He upset Big Six because Estrada was hesitant to throw and he was able to outwork Estrada. Arreola won’t have that issue, and despite being a big, muscular man, Walker doesn’t have that much power.
Spinks-Phillips was a complete robbery. I had it 9-3 Spinks in terms of rounds, and Spinks was even relatively entertaining for much of the fight.
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Nov 28, 2008 6:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Spinks-Phillips
I had it 8-4 (116-112). I remember Col. Bob Sheridan had it like 1034 to negative six for Spinks on commentary.
"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum
by SC on Nov 28, 2008 8:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well I didn’t see it… much props given that it wasn’t on TV. It was streamed on Donkingtv… I consider myself a hardcore fan but that was one fight that I had no interest in seeing.
by Zocalo on Nov 29, 2008 12:46 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Arreola
Cristobal Arreola weighs in at 254 i heard. Fat bastard. His discipline worrys me , Walker is not too bad a fighter. .. See what happens.
People may have hopes for CA but i think Eddie Chambers is the best “prospect” out there in the American HW division. ..and its the weakest i known it.
Mainstream is brought to you ..
Underground you got to go there...
by dinkman on Nov 29, 2008 1:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Have to agree with you
Since yesterday I’ve been wondering how Chris is gonna walk into the ring tonight… hoping that it might be at a decent weight. Walker weigh in at 231. We’re gonna see Chris’ slowless yet again. So much for turkey tacos.
"I beat him so bad, he ended up in the Hospital. And I am still pretty." -Cassius Clay
by CRAZEDANG1280 on Nov 29, 2008 1:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Watch out for Tor Hamer
Two-time NY Golden Gloves winner, one-time national GG winner at superheavy was impressive in his pro debut, and is much fundamentally sounder than most of the American HWs out there at the moment. He’s a bit on the small side (6’2", 225, but built like a tank). Has as good of footwork and body movement of any US HW I’ve seen in a while.
Here’s a couple of his amateur fights. His pro debut was aired on delay on MSG yesterday, but I can’t find it on Youtube (yes, despite being named Tor Hamer, he’s the black guy, not some Nordic guy). Obviously we’ll need to see whether he has the power or the chin to adjust to the pro game, but he’s promising enough that DiBella signed him straight out of the amateurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEwFj0cP-3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eveXdMVO3bA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mDY-GlKM7k
Vogt early, Vogt often.
by Brickhaus on Nov 29, 2008 2:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

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