Random Thoughts and Open Thread for Aug. 9

August is generally a pretty thin month for boxing news and events, so here's an open thread. Talk about whatever you like. Just keep it clean and civil.

Also, some "random thoughts"!

• Arthur Abraham might well find the going a bit tougher at 168 than he did at 160. Not only does the Super Six feature some major league talent the likes of which, frankly, he has not yet faced, but he's going to be the small guy against everyone. I like his first matchup with Jermain Taylor, but that's more that I'm unsure if we'll ever see the "old" JT ever again; in fact, I'm almost positive we won't. But Abraham against Kessler? A quick guy like Dirrell? A tricky guy like Ward? They're interesting fights, and hard fights for Arthur.
• Juan Manuel Marquez is having trouble finding sparring partners to prepare him for Floyd Mayweather Jr. on September 19. Golden Boy should probably send Shane Mosley down to give Marquez a hand. Mosley is famous for being able to imitate styles, and while he doesn't fight like Mayweather, he offers a fair approximation of Floyd's hand speed. Plus Mosley and Marquez work together. Plus it'd be good for 24/7. Recent Golden Boy signee Joan Guzman might be a good choice, too, though Guzman is busy himself.
  
• I think I've had enough Cotto-Pacquiao hemming and hawing for the time being. Just fight, guys. The Bobfather is 100% right: Nobody gives a damn about the belt. It turns out that Pacquiao picked the wrong guy to fight a catchweight against and seek his seventh weight class world title. Too bad. Should've fought Mosley, I guess.
• Alfredo Angulo's domination of Gabriel Rosado on Friday Night Fights was good to see, no offense to Rosado. I really think too much was made of his loss to Kermit Cintron, who boxed the best he ever has that night and I still had it a draw. Angulo may not ever be a P4P contender or anything (in fact, I'd bet a set of tires he won't be), but there have been some raw, rugged, slow-handed dudes that have made fine careers in the sport. Angulo will be fine.
• As much as I love guys taking risks, you can't help but question the matchmaking decisions for Daniel Jacobs-Ishe Smith. Who thought that was a good idea for Jacobs? Smith is damn near impossible to look good against, and is no gimme. I'm glad Jacobs is taking an actual challenge and everything, but if I were his business manager or whatever, no way I'd have booked that one. No way.
• Another thing I've had enough of: Shaquille O'Neal. Laziness prevented him from being the most dominant player in the history of the NBA, and now I have to put up with some dopey reality show where he'll fight Oscar de la Hoya? Not to mention every time I call Comcast, there he is with Ben Stein on the phone. I do like that Oscar is trying to sell this "fight," though. I don't know what I want to happen there. Double KO?
• I want to say this again, because credit is due: Roy Jones Jr. and Jeff Lacy have done an outstanding job of promoting their August 15 PPV. It's a minor show, it's not an important fight, most of us don't really care at all, but the two of them really got this fight out there as well as you could possibly expect. Kudos, guys. I'd be ordering if I wasn't getting married that night.
• Jones was also at UFC 101 last night to "scout" or whatever. Blah blah blah, Roy Jones, blah blah blah, Anderson Silva. Jones-Silva is another thing I've had enough of. I thought UFC 101 was a pretty weak show, for what it's worth, but then I hear that UFC never has bad shows, so I'm probably wrong. The WEC show today on Vs. is worth checking out, too. Miguel Torres is my favorite MMA fighter and always a treat to watch.
• Golden Boy's "Fight Night Club" needs to be re-designed or something. That show is absolutely atrocious. I don't care how much you like boxing; you do not enjoy that show. Don't even tell me you do.
• I thought Assault in the Ring was a fine documentary. Nothing mind-blowing. It was heartbreaking watching Resto come to terms with things, and it was infuriating watching Panama Lewis continue to be such a despicable fraud. I wish there had been more time devoted to the Collins side of the story, particularly the idea that he could have fought again, but that his father wanted the lawsuit money.
• Doug Fischer wonders if Filipino interest in boxing will remain after Pacquiao retires. I figure, "Yeah, probably."