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Mandatory Eight Count - Lost and Found

USS Cunningham will get another shot at a title, facing Matt Godfrey, but will he ever get a shot at building a fanbase?

USS Cunningham will get another shot at a title, facing Matt Godfrey, but will he ever get a shot at building a fanbase?

Jerry Jones on his bid for Mayweather-Pacquiao | ESPN

Dan Rafael interviewed Jerry Jones and got his thoughts on why he's willing to shell out so much to bring a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao to his brand spankin' new stadium.  In interesting glimpse into the mind of a sports mogul.  As an aside, Rafael mentions that a location in the Democratic Republic of the Comgo (f/k/a Zaire) is also interested.  Probably the last biggest fight before this one (Ali-Foreman) was in Zaire, and there hasn't been a big fight there since then.  I wonder if President Mobutu would be willing to bankrupt his country again just to bring the biggest fight in the world over there.

Jean Marc Mormeck defeats Vinny Maddalone | Boxrec

As might have been expected based on past history, Maddalone was the aggressor, but Mormeck sat back and picked the more accurate shots.  As also might be expected, his stamina reportedly looked pretty awful, and that's probably not getting any better now that he's fighting 20 pounds north of his best weight. In another fight I didn't even realize was happening, Jhonny Gonzalez came back with a knockout win over Marlon Aguillar.

Steve Cunningham to face Matt Godfrey for IBF Title | Inside Fights

Don King Productions won the purse bid for a whopping $65,000.  Cunningham might be the best cruiserweight in the world, and between inactivity and lowball bids on his mandatories, he isn't making squat.  It's a wonder Don King still has clients. 

Golden Boy signs Sergio Mora and Nate Campbell | Bleacher Report

Speaking of the Don's recent failures, The Galaxxy Warrior is finally moving on to greener pastures, although to King's credit, Campbell is a much bigger star now than he was when he signed with King.  Hopefully GBP matches him up with one of their other rising junior welterweights, like Marcos Maidana or Victor Ortiz.  As for Mora, no word on whether they'll try to enforce that signed contract Kelly Pavlik skipped out on. 

Denis Lebedev stops Ali Ismailov | Fightnews

Lebedev knocked out Enzo Maccaranelli in his last fight, earning Macca the "Glass Chin of the Year" award.  Ismailov is a former title challenger, but not really much more than a stepping stone for the Russian to move up the rankings.  Reportedly, Lebedev laid out the heavy artillery early and late, although Ismailov was able to outbox him at times. 

Search for Jimmy Robinson | ESPN

This one was pointed out in a Fanshot by Kyle Askine, but as they say over on DRaysBay, "nobody reads fanshots."  Anyway, this is easily the best boxing-related journalism I've read in years.  Just a completely heartbreaking story about the fruitless search for Sweet Jimmy, Muhammad Ali's fourth opponent, who ended up living off the grid in the ghettos of Miami.

Pacquiao is the Filipino Dream | Sports Illustrated

More puffery on Manny Pacquiao.  Money quote comes from Lennox Lewis, who's on a roll lately, who says that Manny's influence in the Philippines is similar to what Nelson Mandela's was in South Africa.  But even if it's drivel, it's still nice to see the most mainstream publications paying some more attention to boxing lately. 

Gary Hyde wins rights to Rigondeaux | Bragging Rights Corner

I mentioned this in my write-up of Rigondeaux's fight last night, but this deserves a bit more attention.  As people may remember, Rigondeaux tried defecting twice, and the first time he signed with Gary Hyde, and the second time he signed with Arena Box.  Up to this point, he's been fighting under Arena, but Hyde won a lawsuit earlier in the week that gives him promotional rights over Rigondeaux through 2012.  Of the prominent Cubans who have defected over the past few years, about a third of them are signed with Hyde, but they've mostly been fighting in Ireland.  No word on how this affects Rigondeaux's burgeoning American career, or whether he'll need to be pulled from his scheduled Friday Night Fights card.  I won't have any complaints as long as Hyde sticks to Arena's general plan - keep him with Freddie Roach, have him get on U.S. TV often, and push to have him fighting for a title by the end of 2010 or early 2011.  He's already 28 years old, which is ancient for a guy his size, and he only has a few prime years left.  No need to waste them with incompetent management.

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I know I don't post here much,

but I live in the Philippines, and trust me, any statement regarding Pacquiao’s fame is understating the issue.

When he wins a fight, the president declares it a national holiday, and everyone gets off work.

The crime rate in the Philippines drops so low during his fight broadcasts, that the police are able to all sit down together at the station and watch without a single call coming in.

When he comes back, it’s like a World Championship parade in a major American city. Every. Single. Time.

There is no such thing as innocence, only degrees of guilt.

by misterjonez on Dec 18, 2009 1:22 AM EST reply actions  

But he also didn't end apartheid

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Dec 18, 2009 8:24 AM EST up reply actions   1 recs

Mandela ftw

"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Dec 18, 2009 1:43 PM EST up reply actions  

Hey, he didn't get the opportunity

That Mandela guy stole a march on him

by FCF on Dec 18, 2009 7:16 PM EST up reply actions  

Looks like boxing fans won't have to put up with shit for a few years...

A lot of papers have been publishing BS about how boxers have no real influence over people anymore whereas back in the 50’s and 60’s boxers were like heroes to working class people.

They’ve started to change their tone lately and if Pac wins that election it will show boxers are the kings of the world.

There still isn’t a sports personality that has walked this planet quite like Ali and if anything Pacquiao shows boxers aren’t a bunch of talentless cowards who hand pick their fights for the biggest pay packet, boxers are people who can lift up a nation during a bad time.

Personally I’m loving this they are swallowing their words after writing off boxing for being sold off to the butchers only interested in money. Boxing is back baby.

by MannyPacquiao on Dec 18, 2009 1:38 AM EST reply actions  

Steve Cunningham deserves a good payday… At least a spot on a PPV undercard. 65K… means he is getting around 40K….

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 18, 2009 1:43 AM EST reply actions  

Sounds like Dallas is a major player…

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 18, 2009 1:44 AM EST reply actions  

Lennox's mind

Andre Dirrell : Muhammad Ali :: Manny Pacquiao : Nelson Mandela

Also, Mobuto’s dead, isn’t he?

by taco pal on Dec 18, 2009 1:52 AM EST reply actions  

Yeah, for over a decade

But I couldn’t think of how else that country could possibly afford the fight.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Dec 18, 2009 8:27 AM EST up reply actions  

Shadow Boxing

 Great Story about the search for Jimmy Robinson, one of Ali’s early opponents. Go to ESPN boxing page, click on Shadow Boxing story, author is Wright Thompson. Peace!!

by Iron Beach on Dec 18, 2009 4:40 AM EST reply actions  

It is good for sure!

"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006

by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 18, 2009 6:25 PM EST up reply actions  

Segio Mora would be a great, great test for say Danny Jacobs before putting him in a title shot as well.

by jcarr71 on Dec 18, 2009 6:34 AM EST reply actions  

opinionz 4 u:

Maddalone being able to stick around for 8 rounds is sad for Mormeck. Dude needs to stay retired.

I’d be upset about Cunningham not getting a big shot or something, but there’s no one to fight at 200, and this is for a vacant belt. Looks like a prime example of a Shobox show to me, too. I just don’t see what better options he has; Go back to Poland to get robbed? Go to Germany to get robbed? I mean, I can’t see Universum giving him another chance to beat up Huck or even a sniff of Erdei.

by VirtualBalboa on Dec 18, 2009 8:56 AM EST reply actions  

You're probably right

I’m just annoyed that nobody’s even tried to build him up. People complain that there are no American heavyweights, and here you have a well-spoken, stand up guy who would have been a heavyweight a decade and a half ago, probably the best in the world at his weight, and nobody even tries to get him fights much less try to turn him into a draw. Not only that, but he’s been in a few wars now that were really exciting fights. The networks and whatnot have this preconceived notion that the cruiserweight division just stinks and nobody cares about it, and that’s just not necessarily the case. I just feel like nobody’s taking the time or the risk to try to turn him into something, when I think he could pretty easily become a decent draw, at least BAD material.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Dec 18, 2009 10:29 AM EST up reply actions  

The thing is that he doesn’t have KO power… andd having one punch knockout power is something that people crave. You look at him and he looks the part of an explosive knockout artist but he doesn’t have it in him. You saw vs Adamek that the smaller guy had the heavier hands.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 18, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions  

HBO won’t build up Adamek, which tells you how off their rocker they are right now. Instead we’re subjected to Cris Arreola fights, thanks to a poorly designed contract with Golden Boy. There’s no way they’ll look at Cunningham. That leaves him two choices; Look at Europe and see what’s there, like before (right now, opportunity is scarce), or start building a fanbase in America with lesser money fights on ESPN and Showtime. He ought to go for the latter, in my mind. I don’t see a future in Europe right now, I don’t see a future at heavyweight for awhile, and so trying to create an audience here in the States on free TV seems the best alternative option.

by VirtualBalboa on Dec 18, 2009 11:13 AM EST reply actions  

I can see why they went with Arreola

seeing as he is exciting and the heavyweight division is histroically the most popular. However why on earth did they decide to so strongly promite Chad Dawson? I can name a dozen boxers who would have been better signings eiher due to their more exciting styles or interesting personalities.

"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Dec 18, 2009 1:47 PM EST up reply actions  

But Bad Chad would still beat them!

"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006

by The Midnight Rambler on Dec 18, 2009 6:26 PM EST up reply actions  

Well Yes

but I still don’t think he was a very sound financial investment. He will certainly beat them but he’s never going to sell PPVs of him beating them. Don’t get me wrong I’m glad money went to a fighter who is so good even if his fights aren’t action packed but it seems a bad idea from HBO’s ratings point of view.

"Honey i forgot to duck" - Jack Dempsey

by Drunken cutman on Dec 18, 2009 6:38 PM EST up reply actions  

Adamek is a great fighter underrated by the masses…

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Dec 18, 2009 7:46 PM EST up reply actions  

Cruisership USS Cunningham

He is a fun fighter to watch. I watched the Krzysztof Wlodarczyk fights because they were on recently on universal HD, and they were surprisingly good. Surprised that he doesn’t get more coverage…

by waldo47 on Dec 18, 2009 10:43 PM EST reply actions  

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