Roy Jones, Jr. and Felix Trinidad did an impressive 500,000 pay-per-view buys on the early estimate. Here's what I think this really proves. Boxing fans, first of all, are an incredibly loyal breed. And secondly, there are a lot of fans that are not exactly among the diehards anymore that will buy a fight between two names they know. Jones and Trinidad are two of the biggest stars of the 90s into the early 2000s, both at one point regarded as among the very, very best in the sport. This was a nostalgia fight, and it sold as such. I am happy for the fighters that their fight did well, and I also greatly appreciate the effort both gave us. As Dan Rafael said, they gave us the best they had in them, and you can't ask for more than that.
I do not congratulate Don King. I don't disagree that fights like Jones-Trinidad have a place in the game, but I can't see this one as a score for the current state of boxing. Then again, I'm not one of the plebes that goes on and on about the horrible state of boxing. I think it's healthy as a horse.
Antonio Tarver is finally going to put his fists where his mouth is, as he has signed off on a fight on April 12 with light heavyweight titlist Clinton Woods. Woods is already talking a good game, saying he will "make mincemeat" of Tarver, and then wants Joe Calzaghe should Calzaghe get past Hopkins the week after.
The Woods-Tarver fight will be paired with another light heavyweight title bout between Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson on Showtime. But HBO will be sending out a welterweight title doubleheader to go head-to-head -- hey, thanks! Four notable fights on one night, and fans get to make a decision!
With the Cotto-Gomez fight, we will also see a rematch between the returning Kermit Cintron, fresh off of injury, and former conqueror Antonio Margarito. This fight replaces the supposedly all but set in stone bout between Margarito and Zab Judah, which is now gone by the wayside. Dan Rafael says that Cintron-Margarito II is not just a title bout, but also for a shot to unify titles against Cotto in July, assuming Cotto beats Gomez as expected.
Rafael also says that Margarito-Judah fell through because the two sides were distant on the subject of money. Margarito-Cintron just came together easier, so that's the fight we get. Margarito had given the OK for either fight.