Need some guidance from the Bad Left Hook posters..

I’ve gotten very bored with the MMA world…. so I’m just going back to where the interest in combat sports began.

Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao’s big rival, great technician and heart. To me(may take some flack on this), Marquez is like watching a boxing robot, not in any tactical or strategic sense, but technically the guy he’s so clean and sharp it’s almost inhuman

Juan Diaz has a great heart, he’s a Texas fighter so I may be biased. Watch him fight Michael Katsidis if you can. Another Texan, James Kirkland, major flaws but big-league attack dog.

Paul Williams. Many people say the guy is boring but he’s been a welter-weight at over 6’, freakish. And, he showed a way to beat Margarito.

Did you ever see Marco Antonio Barrera v. Erik Morales? Great contest, even though it was more like 8 years ago.

For up and comers see Andre Berto, Yourikis Gamboa, and (((can’t remember his name, just destroyed Texan Victor Lares on the DLH-Pacman card))). Also, David Haye is a really entertaining ’tweener trying to be a heavyweight. Check out David Haye v. Monte Barrett, entertaining but wild.

Others: Alfred Angulo, Lucian Bute. That’s the top of my head, I’m sure I’m missing some big dogs

It’s too bad they’re down to just Friday Night Fights, but them’s the times.

You absolutely HAVE TO watch the Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez trilogy. It has a legitimate argument as the best three fight series you’re ever going to see. I find it hard to judge the stuff I didn’t get to watch live from back in the day, but of the modern trilogies I rank it over Barrera-Morales (which was hard for me to do), Gatti-Ward, and Bowe-Holyfield.

Pavlik-Taylor from last year was blistering.

Chad Dawson is good and can still get better. Jorge Arce is always a hoot, same for Vic Darchinyan — those two fight on February 7. Should be good while it lasts. The recent Carl Froch-Jean Pascal fight was a hell of a cracker, and I guess FOX Sports Net is going to replay that before the end of the month as they pick one fight from overseas every month to air on tape delay (this is the first time they’re doing it, and it’s a great idea).

Y’all are definitely gonna keep me busy over the next few weeks…. I thank you. My wife thanks ya too since I’ve been bored out of my damn mind since I quit training… lol

All three fights of the Israel Vasquez-Rafael Marquez trilogy. Probably two of the three best fights of the last 5 years were in that trilogy, with the other being Corrales-Castillo I.

Fights to track down (in general order of how good I rank the fights):
Marquez-Vasquez I – III
Corrales-Castillo I
Barrera-Morales III
Toney-Jirov
Morales-Pacquiao I
Gatti-Ward III
Katsidis-Earl
Adamek-Cunningham (hint – there’s a youtube link on this site)
Sithchatchawal-Monshipour
Adamek-Briggs I and II
Pavlik-Taylor II

Fighters who have really established themselves in the last 5 years and are worth watching (i.e. not boring):
Miguel Cotto
Antonio Margarito
Paul Williams
Kelly Pavlik
Chad Dawson
Vic Darchinyan
Juan Diaz
David Haye

Fighters who are on the cusp of stardom and are worth watching (i.e. not boring):
Juan Manuel Lopez
Victor Ortiz
Lucian Bute
Timothy Bradley
Alfredo Angulo
Yuriorkis Gamboa
Jorge Linares

The new generation of warriors not destined for greatness but fun to watch:
Michael Katsidis
James Kirkland
Chris Arreola
Andrey Tsurkan
Chris Henry
Edwin Valero

I, like gunslinger, am trying to get back in the loop when it comes to boxing