Older fighters shouldn't necessarily be dismissed -- The Ring

By William Dettloff, The Ring

It was hard to peruse any boxing coverage at all over the last couple weeks without happening on one diatribe or another about how we all should be ashamed of the back-to-back atrocities titled Bernard Hopkins-Roy Jones and Evander Holyfield-Frans Botha.

From the hysteria, you would have thought the Nevada State Athletic Commission had sanctioned matches pitting rabid wolverines against baskets of puppies. And that the promoters put it on pay-per-view, charged $49.99 and forced everyone to watch.

And in the days since, many otherwise reasonable journalists and fans have called for - nay, all but demanded -- that all the fighters involved retire posthaste, lest we be forced ever again to witness the awful degradation and indignities that accompany aging in professional athletes.

Well, not all of them. No one cares what Botha does -- not here in the United States, anyway. He’s South African, has always seemed rather a buffoon and the platinum goatee gives him a sinister look many of us find unsettling.

So let “The White Buffalo” fight well into his dementia years. Who cares?

But the others -- Hopkins, Jones, Holyfield -- should not only be forced into retirement, but banned from any activity that doesn’t involve complaining about Democrats and watching The Price is Right. So say the majority.

The majority have forgotten that a mere two fights ago, Hopkins, already well into his 40s, took apart then-26-year-old, undefeated Kelly Pavlik.

Conveniently dismissed too is the inconvenient reality that going into the Jones fight, Hopkins was ranked in the upper Top 10 of any credible pound-for-pound list.

He beat Jones by a wide margin and his reward has been a nearly universal call to drop him entirely from all pound-for-pound rankings (a call ignored, I’m proud to note, by THE RING editor Nigel Collins) and a suggestion by his own promoter to have a serious talk with family, which is code for “stop bothering us and retire already.”

Why? Because it was an abominably ugly fight?

Can any of you name more than one fight out of Hopkins’ last eight or nine that wasn’t ugly? Does being in an awful fight mean he’s too old to compete?

“There’s no question Bernard Hopkins is still competitive,” Greg Sirb, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission told RingTV.com. Hopkins outpointed Enrique Ornelas in Philadelphia in December.

Sirb said his commission uses a four-pronged approach when it considers granting license to older fighters: Their medicals; their boxing record, particularly their most recent record; the matchup itself; and then the age of the fighter.

“If you put all those four together, a commission should be able to make a good decision,” he said. “Is he medically fit? Does his record show that he’s still competitive? Is the matchup worthy? It may not be a match between the two best guys in the world, but is the matchup, irrespective of anything else, competitive?”

With that criteria, it’s impossible to deny Hopkins a license or not sanction Hopkins-Jones, regardless of how old they are.

“You cannot make a sweeping statement, anybody over 35, anybody over 40, is not allowed to fight. That’s ridiculous,” Sirb said.

Jones’ knockout loss to Danny Green makes his a more-complicated case even though sometimes guys that are smack in the middle of their prime get hit on the sweet spot and go to sleep.

But consider this: Three out of Jones’ four losses over the last five years were to Antonio Tarver, Joe Calzaghe and now Hopkins -- an elite group. All were decision losses.

If he were a perennial contender, say a Rocky Juarez type rather than the game’s former pound-for-pound king, and in between those losses had beaten Jeff Lacy, Omar Sheika, Felix Trinidad and Anthony Hanshaw, would you still be on your soap box?

Clearly Jones isn’t what he used to be. Who is?

Keith Kizer, Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, in whose jurisdiction the subject fights took place, told RingTV.com that decline in a fighter’s skill level is not germane to the question of license renewal.

“That’s not relevant unless the reason for that is something we need to know about,” he said. “Let’s say a guy suffered a severe shoulder injury and never got back to where he needed to be and is still being bothered by that shoulder injury. Or it might be something neurologically that caused him to slow down. And you can see this guy is really messed up. That’s one thing.

“But to say a guy shouldn’t be re-licensed just because he’s not as good as he used to be? Then every fighter should lose his license after the best fight of his career.”

Kizer said that in Nevada, every fighter born in 1974 or before is subjected to a series of medical tests in addition to the tests all fighters receive. Then he reviews three criteria: how well the fighter has done in his career, how well he’s done lately, and how many times he’s been stopped.

For Hopkins and Jones, Kizer went the additional step of reviewing recent video that showed the fighters speaking and compared it with older footage of similar content.

“I was pleased to discover that they talk just as well now as they did 10 or 15 years ago,” he said.

Lastly, there is Holyfield, who at 47 years old has been viewed for probably 10 years as the poster boy for fighters over-staying their welcome. The outcry for the permanent revocation of his license is all but universal.

Here’s the problem: In December 2008, Holyfield lost a very controversial decision to Nicolay Valuev. In November 2009, Valuev lost what some saw as a controversial decision to David Haye.

It is logical, then, to say that Holyfield did about as well or almost as well against Valuev as did Haye. And if that is so, why is no one calling for Haye to retire? Where’s the outrage?

You can say Valuev has the mobility and boxing talent of a stone gargoyle, but that’s hardly Holyfield’s fault. THE RING and everyone else rated Valuev among the Top-10 heavyweights in the world.

As for sanctioning Holyfield-Botha -- which some have suggested was a desperate measure to bring some business into Las Vegas’ flagging economy -- it’s not as though Holyfield was facing Wladimir Klitschko or some other young stud. Let’s get real: It was Frans Botha.

“This was not a mismatch for either guy,” Kizer said. “Neither guy was coming in to fight the next big thing who was 20-0 with 19 knockouts and is 25 years old. This is not a situation where there was an unfair matchup.”

Kizer’s right. And though it’s never fun watching our heroes suffer a slow death, their once glowing expertise giving way to a kind of senile incompetence, it’s their right to hold on as long as they can, to fight it until their desire for battle is exhausted.

And it’s our obligation, within reason, to let them.

Some random observations from last week:/b>

The Kelly Pavlik-Sergio Martinez fight was going pretty much the way many expected it would until Martinez opened up Pavlik’s right eye in the ninth and “The Ghost” more or less quit fighting. Bad for Pavlik, who’s a class act. Good for Martinez, who appears to be one too. …

On a related note, how many good smaller fighters have to beat good bigger fighters before people who should know better stop automatically picking the bigger guy? …

And when did Corey Hart start training Martinez?

Lucian Bute gets better all the time. He’s like Joe Calzaghe with a punch. …

Was anyone else disappointed by HBO’s “Real Sports” edition covering the deaths of Alexis Arguello, Arturo Gatti and Vernon Forrest? It felt a little dumbed-down for HBO, and not just because Frank DeFord has the most ridiculous hair in the long history of sports writers with ridiculous hair. …

How bad do you have to be to make Tony Thompson look like George Foreman? About as bad as Owen “What the Heck” Beck, who would be a lot more fun if his name were Owen Buck. Or Tuck. Or Shuck. You get the idea. …

The two most memorable lines from the latest edition of Mayweather-Mosley 24/7, both from Mosley’s camp: “I don’t bark; I bite,” from Mosley; and from the always entertaining Nazim Richardson: “No one wants to be the 21st person at the buffet.”

Bill Dettloff, THE RING magazine’s Senior Writer, is the co-author, along with Joe Frazier, of “Box Like the Pros.” He is currently working on a biography of Ezzard Charles. Bill can be contacted at dettloff@ptd.net

Source: ringtv.com

B.J Flores Wants To Prove Danny Green And His Trainer Wrong, Is Willing To Face Green In Australia! -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

Right after his recent 3rd-round win over Manny Siaca, Danny Green said how there are no cruiserweights out there capable of competing with him, and that any fighter from that weight class would be KO'd should they face him (at least Green's trainer Angelo Hyder made these comments). Well, one man who is eager to put it all on the line so as to prove "The Green Machine" wrong is unbeaten 200-pounder contender B.J Flores.

Very kindly giving me the following interview, in which he fired back at the Australian and his trainer's ultra-confident remarks, 31-year-old Flores, 24-0-1(15) made it clear he is more than willing to go over to Australia to call the 37-year-old's bluff..

James Slater: Thanks once again for speaking with me, B.J. Straight to business - you want to fight Danny Green and you disagree strongly with what his trainer had to say about how no cruisers can live with Green?

B.J. Flores: I think they're unbelievable comments, James (laughs). I mean, Green is a good light-heavyweight, but to say he will KO any cruiserweight he fights when he hasn't fought one yet! It's okay him having confidence if he believes this, but there are a lot of cruiserweights out there willing to prove him wrong, and I'm at the top of the list.

J.S: Did you see Green's win over Siaca?

B.J.F: Only on You Tube. Siaca is basically a gatekeeper; a guy who was never a great champion or a big name, with all due respect. I think he was brought in as the opponent. I've seen Green fight before - I saw his fight with [Julio Cesar] Dominguez in Mississippi, which was a tough fight for Green; very much back and forth until Green got the TKO (in the 5th-round). Green is a good fighter, like I say, but he's a good light-heavyweight - he has to face a young, hungry fighter at cruiserweight to prove he's the real deal at cruiserweight. And I'm totally willing to go to Australia to fight him.

J.S: Is this the fight you and your team will go after then?

B.J.F: Absolutely. I'll be back in the ring in June - I need to get myself back - and then, after that, in either July or August or September, it doesn't matter, I'll go over to fight Green. He has no fight coming up, we've been in touch with his team and they are interested, so this is the perfect fight for him. Green needs to make a statement at cruiserweight - not just fight old guys who have been on the shelf, like Roy Jones and Antonio Tarver - and he would make a big statement if he beat me. But I don't think he can do it. I'm willing to lay it all on the line to find out, though!

J.S: You'd have no problems going to Australia?

B.J.F: None at all. I don't care how he wraps his hands (in reference to the Roy Jones fight), he'll be fighting a 200-pound man and I think I'll be stronger than him. I think I'll be too strong and too skilled for him. It would be a big attraction in Australia, too. It wouldn't be so much of a big fight over here, but Danny Green is a big star in Australia and the fight would be a bid deal over there.

J.S: He's fought as high as 185-pounds, but no higher. Is that why you think you'd be stronger than him - what with you being a genuine 200-pounder?

B.J.F: Yeah, he's fought at 184, and if he'd fought guys who were 200-pounds that would have been okay, but he fought guys who were smaller [than full cruiser] also. I just don't see any time he'd be able to dominate the fight. He has more experience than me, but I've had 25 fights myself and I've fought guys who punch harder than Green does. Okay, Green is a more proven all-round fighter than the guys I've fought, but I have fought some good guys who hit harder than Green does.

J.S: Do you think you will get the fight, though? I mean, you were unable to get that fight with Marco Huck, and Green is talking Antonio Tarver, Evander Holyfield and even David Haye (at least his trainer did in a recent article)

B.J.F: Well, he can forget all about David Haye, David's not even thinking about Green, I can guarantee that! And Holyfield and Tarver, you know, I have respect for both guys - and in his prime Tarver beats Green or gives him problems - but Green needs to get off that whole Roy Jones, Antonio Tarver thing. We get it that he can defeat older guys who have been on the shelf - but what is that proving? Like I say, he needs to invite a young and hungry contender like me to his country if he's to make a statement.

J.S: Who will you fight in June, and how many rounds will you box?

B.J.F: I think it will be 8 or ten rounds as I don't like to box less than that. We've spoke to a couple of people but I'm not sure who it will be yet. It's just time to get back in the ring; to dig myself out of the hole I've been put in with me not having had a fight since August. I'm very excited about getting back. The priority for me now is to get the fight with Green and prove him wrong. I'm sure he can't beat me, and I'm willing to go to Australia to prove it. And I've been in camp all this time - don't think I haven't been getting good work! I've been working with some of the best heavyweights in the world.

J.S: Well, I hope you get the Green fight, B.J. For whatever reasons you were unable to get the fight with Huck; let's hope you have more luck here. One final question please - I read that you looked into going into MMA. Is that still a possibility?

B.J.F: It was a possibility. The thing is, I was so frustrated at not being able to get any fights in boxing and I did wrestle [as a youngster]. People were throwing ideas at me, saying I should do MMA. It's still something I would entertain, as I'm still young and I'm athletic. But the June tune-up and then the Green fight take precedent right now. And with regards to that [the Green fight], not too many guys would be willing to go to Australia. But I'm confident that whenever my big shot comes, I'll come though it with flying colours. And I must also say, Danny Green's a great guy. He's charming and funny and I liked him a lot when I met him. But that doesn't mean he beats me! Let's make the fight, in Australia, and let's lay it on the line!

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Green learns from bitter rival's mistake -- WA Today

WAToday.com.au

Danny Green insists he is treating tomorrow night's IBO cruiserweight world title fight against Manny Siaca in Perth with the same respect he took into his battle with legendary American Roy Jones Jr last December.

Green demolished Jones Jr in 122 brutal seconds but said he expected his bout with Siaca to go the full distance, even though the Puerto Rican has promised to win by knockout.

"I don't anticipate this fight being stopped early, Manny might have other plans," Green said.

"If it goes 12 hard rounds it will be a bonus for me because it will be a bonus for what happens in the future."

Green would not be drawn into making a prediction on the outcome.

"Everyone knows my style, my style is to go forward and to break my opponent down," he said.

"I've practised for a 12-round fight for different styles. We've got a Manny for all occasions.

"If he goes on the back foot, if he wants to counter punch, if he wants to come forward and be aggressive - we are ready to counter what he's going to bring."

Green said he wouldn't make the same mistake as Jones Jr, who was more focused on lining up a re-match with fellow American Bernard Hopkins when he took on Green in Sydney.

"I'm not looking past Manny Siaca - can't afford to do what Roy Jones did," Green said.

"He looked forward and he looked at Bernard Hopkins and he forgot about a guy that was in front of him.

"I've been very conscious of focusing only on Siaca.

"It's defending my world title, it doesn't matter who's in front of me. I'm going to prepare the same way.

"Roy Jones, Manny Siaca - same thing."

Green, 37, has been installed as a raging $1.14 favourite by TAB Sportsbet while Siaca, who has fought only a handful of times since defeating Anthony Mundine in 2004, is a $5.25 outsider.

"I'm not really fussed with what the bookies and the people say is favourite and who's the underdog," Green said.

"I'm taking this as a very hard fight. I know it's going to be difficult because technically he's a gifted fighter and he's a proud guy, too.

"My job is to break this man down, my job is to defeat him, my job is to destroy him. That's his job, too."

Green said he would not change the wrapping in his hands despite Jones Jr claiming his method was illegal.

"We'll be wrapping according to the rules," Green said.

"Whatever the rules say is how we'll wrap our hands, how we have done every fight and how we did with the Roy Jones fight, so it will be no different." -AAP

Source: watoday.com.au

Danny Green power leaves trainer stunned -- Daily Telegraph

By Nick Walshaw, The Daily Telegraph

PROOF of the power is Angelo Hyder phoning a Perth chiropractor this week. Aching.

The Sydney fight trainer explaining down that phone line how an urgent house call is required for work on his shoulders, neck and back. On both elbows and wrists. "And can we please get it done this afternoon, mate ... Greeny wants me back on the focus pads tonight."

This is the reality of Danny Green's right hand. A frightening conglomeration all intent, intimidation and oversized knuckle. A fist that, Hyder insists, is Australia's most deadly. You see, while Green and his entourage fronted a large media contingent at Kings Park, Perth yesterday, the key statement had already been made almost 24 hours before. Announced inside a tiny Scarborough hotel gym where the space was cramped and the free weights paltry.

Its clientele compromising one wiry Indian guy on a treadmill.

Yep, this was the last place you'd expect a world champion to hold his final preparations. And the first all those cameras should've looked.

Because here, three storeys below the simple apartment Green's been sharing with Hyder since arriving last Thursday, you can watch the IBO cruiserweight champion saying everything with two gloved hands. Sweating, moving, whacking. More than once causing the experienced Hyder to wince in pain.

And later over dinner Green's trainer will quietly concede that, yes, he has been forced to see a Perth chiropractor. Soaking nightly in hot Painaway tubs too. As sore as you'd expect from a fella insisting Green's right could now challenge Great Whites and Eastern Browns as our most deadly Australian.

"Right now Greeny could knock those Klitschko brothers, the Russian heavyweights, cold," Hyder insists. "Honestly, I've held the pads for Aussie heavyweights like Bob Mirovic and Kali Meehan - none of them have his power. Right now, Dan's hitting harder than any fighter I've ever been involved with ... his left is harder than any Aussie heavyweight's right."

Green's conditioner Hayden Knowles agrees, adding: "You look at his birth certificate and this just shouldn't be happening ... but Danny Green's punches are getting stronger with age."

Of course, this close to his world title defence against Manny Siaca, Green himself has nought to say on the topic.

You want a quote, ask about Siaca.

You see, despite his $1.14 favouritism with TAB Sportsbet, Green knows the wiry Puerto Rican can prove an awkward opponent. A fella boasting reach, nous and one of those chins you could whack for weeks with a shovel and not dent. A fighter who, unlike Roy Jones Jr, will fire back.

It's why Green has sparred some 100 rounds for tomorrow night's fight. Why he's used six sparring partners, worked closely with cage fighters and trained with such intensity three noses have been broken. Why right now, in this tiny hotel gym, his combinations rip into those moving mitts like shotgun blasts.

Hyder wincing as he goes.

Source: dailytelegraph.com.au

Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jnr should bow out now -- Liverpool Echo

By Nick Peet, Liverpool Echo

WHILE David Haye was single-handedly changing the face of boxing in Manchester on Saturday night, across the pond fight fans could only glance in envy from ringside in Las Vegas as two dinosaurs of the ring fouled their way through 12 disastrous rounds.

Bernard Hopkins’ win over Roy Jones Jnr would have been the biggest fight of this era had it happened 10 years ago, but 17 years late it was an absolute stinker.

Filled with low blows, rabbit punches and butts and elbows, the slug-fest was a major turn-off in the States and all but ended both of their drawn out careers – finally!

Undoubtedly two of the greatest champions of the last 20 years sure, but it’s high time both of them walked away with what’s left of their dignity and credibility.

Not surprisingly Haye quashed any talk of a scrap with old man Hopkins, who must be 60 if he’s a day, while Jones has only himself to blame for destroying his legacy – he’s gone from Superman to journeyman in one long sweeping uppercut.

Thankfully, credibility will be restored to the US scene at the end of the month when another ageing former champion steps back into the ring for one last crack at top.

Sugar Shane Mosley may be in the twilight of his career, like the two previous practitioners, but he’s at least enjoying an Indian summer right now with some big wins in the tank and he’ll be a game match for Floyd Mayweather in three weeks.

Mayweather, of course, is marking time before reconvening for talks ahead of his mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao which, hopefully, will finally come off later this year.

But make no mistake Mosley is nobody’s fool and certainly won’t be training to get paid.

The former lightweight great has got a similar free-spirited style to Floyd and, while he may not be as sharp as he used to be, he’s got good power in either fist and seems to be something of a party spoiler these days, having won seven of his last eight against world class opposition.

Whether that will be enough to see him become the first man in 41 tries to defeat ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd is yet to be seen. But, with a ringside ticket in hand, I can’t wait to find out.

Source: liverpoolecho.co.uk

The jury’s still out on Haye -- The Sun

By FRANK WARREN, The Sun

DAVID HAYE stopped John Ruiz last week to remain WBA heavyweight champ.

But until I see him in with a 'live heavyweight', the jury is still out.

Haye did as expected - you can only defeat what's put in front of you.

But let's not get carried away - Ruiz had effectively lost four of his previous seven fights and, at 38, had seen better days.

Haye has been in the right place at the right time in fighting Nikolay Valuev and Ruiz, because the pair are probably the worst two heavyweight world champions of all time.

After the fight, Haye, 29, said he was glad he had won because he didn't want to be like Frank Bruno and lose his title in his first defence.

That is unfair on Bruno. Other than the Klitschkos, the heavyweights of his generation were far superior to today's.

Haye says the Klitschko brothers are next on the agenda but Vitali and Wladimir are very different prospects to Ruiz.

On Saturday, Haye took more shots than he needed to. If either of the Klitschkos connect, they are going to have Haye in big trouble.

Bernard can't Hop to heavy

BERNARD HOPKINS finally avenged his loss to Roy Jones at the weekend, defeating his nemesis on points.

Hopkins immediately called out David Haye - but there's no way he's going to heavyweight.

The most likely scenario is a showdown with light-heavyweight No 1 Chad Dawson - or retirement.

I expected Hopkins to stop Jones but he opted for a safety-first approach to get the win.

Despite being 45, Hopkins has managed to fight on because he knows how to look after himself.

Jones, on the other hand, has now lost six of his last 11 fights and has ruined what was once an impressive legacy. He should call it a day. To me he just about won a round.

Hopkins hit the canvas a couple of times after being caught with rabbit punches, which led to one observer saying: "Hopkins has a glass back of the head."

That's kids' stuff

SCHOOLS from the North-West took part in a competition last week.

Hundreds of spectators watched the kids' boxing skills in 22 contests. Points were awarded in a new form of boxing for skills, self-discipline and scoring on the target area.

Pupils with disabilities acted as officials - good to see boxing having a positive impact on kids and communities.

Ali film is all gold

FACING ALI is the latest US documentary on Muhammad Ali.

There are interviews with Joe Frazier, George Chuvalo, Larry Holmes, George Foreman and Ken Norton. It also touches on Ali's connection with Malcolm X and Louis Farrakhan including tapes of Farrakhan's death threats against Washington Post writer Milton Coleman.

Can't wait to see it.

Calzaghe comeback?

THE only man to have beaten both Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins was at a Press conference held by Golden Boy last week.

Could Joe Calzaghe really come out of retirement for a rematch with Hopkins?

He shouldn't come back but it's not impossible.

Source: thesun.co.uk

Hopkins would leave Golden Boy to fight again -- ESPN

By Don Steinberg, ESPN.com

Bernard Hopkins is content with his ugly revenge over Roy Jones Jr. on Saturday night -- "a win is a win is a win," he says -- but the aftermath of the fight has him questioning the loyalty of his own promoter, Golden Boy, and contemplating a walk to another promoter if that's what it takes for him to keep fighting at age 45.

Hopkins believes pretty much the entire boxing industry is seizing upon the lackluster Jones rematch as a lever to drive him and his nonconformist attitude out of the sport, "to wrap me up in Roy Jones' grave and throw me in, and kill two birds with one stone," he told ESPN.com on Thursday from his house in Delaware. "I'm not going to let them do that to me."

Many in the media have urged both Jones, 41, and Hopkins to hang up the gloves before someone really gets hurt. Those doubters aren't new to The Executioner, but he seems especially hurt by comments that Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer made to the media. Schaeffer nudged Hopkins toward retirement, saying it "could be something which, as a friend, I might advise him to consider. I think it's time for his friends and family to have a serious talk with him."

Denying Hopkins a chance to earn a living in the ring doesn't sit well with the fighter.

"Maybe the money's not being made off me like it's being made off somebody else," Hopkins said. "If that's the problem, then fine. I've got a lot of other promoters calling me as of today … It's gonna look strange to y'all when I'm moving in with [Bob] Arum or [Don] King. I don't blame anybody for being a businessman. Just tell me, so I can do what's right for my family, so you can't blame me for going across the street. That's all I'm saying.

"It needs to come out now, because at the end of the day, Bernard Hopkins [has] always been his own man, and if the industry thought that I was gonna be a controlled puppet because I'm in with a big company, they're in for a rude awakening. Because Bernard Hopkins is not going to become part of the industry. Maybe I won't survive as a Golden Boy promoter. "

One thing Hopkins is sure of is he's not saying goodbye to the ring just yet.

"The thing is coming to a head based on my next move. Because my next move isn't retirement. I have no reason to retire," he said.

Hopkins has spent nearly a year telling people he'd like to challenge for David Haye's heavyweight title. Now he suggests even his own company (Hopkins has a small equity stake in Golden Boy), which also promotes Haye, is walking away from the idea.

"Don't tell me that he's bigger, he's stronger," Hopkins said, seemingly aiming his comments at his own business partners. "They told [Evander] Holyfield that. You're telling me that [he can't fight Haye] because of the Roy Jones fight? So, let's play Devil's Advocate, Richard … Now you try to use the illegal hit on the back of the head to say that you won't be a part of that [a Haye fight]?"

Even Haye said he'd rather fight Wladimir Klitschko than give Hopkins a shot, and that scenario seems increasingly unlikely.

So what's next? Hopkins says he's "in talks now." Only time will tell.

Source: espn.go.com

If Hopkins Beat Haye It'd Be The Greatest Accomplishment In Boxing History -- The Sweet Science

By Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science

Now that Bernard Hopkins, 51-5-1 (32) has evened the score with his career rival, Roy Jones, there's only one goal left for him to try and accomplish before shutting his career down. And that's adding his name to the list of fighters who have held the middleweight title and then moved up at some point in their career to capture a piece of the heavyweight title. As of this writing only Bob Fitzsimmons and Roy Jones have succeeded in doing that.

Immediately after Hopkins was declared the winner of his rematch with Jones, he said he wanted to be the heavyweight champ and fight WBA title-holder David Haye 24-1 (22), who stopped John Ruiz in the ninth round earlier that day. Most probably think Hopkins spoke a little too soon about wanting the Haye fight. And it's easy to see why. Haye looked terrific in becoming just the second fighter to stop the durable Ruiz. Obviously Haye would be a decisive favorite over the 45-year old Hopkins if they signed to meet. But after the way Haye looked against Ruiz, the risk/reward would be so out of balance in Hopkins' favor, how could he not take the shot? And if you're Haye - a fight with Hopkins has to look like shooting fish in a barrel, and the money would be Fort Knox, especially if the fight were to take place in England, something Hopkins would no doubt be willing to do for the right money. Not to mention he'd relish being the biggest underdog he possibly could be on fight night.

If Haye had been the dud that some including myself thought, it wouldn't have been out of the question for Bernard to have lived with him and possibly scored the upset. But Haye is more formidable than Hopkins thought he was before the night of April 3rd. It's Haye's chin that's going to let him down when he loses, which means that Hopkins won't be the guy to do it. However, Hopkins moving away from Haye is a lot different than Ruiz continually pressing forward into his gun-fire. Bernard would present a smaller target and Haye would most likely head hunt and look to end the fight with one big right hand. And if Hopkins somehow extended the fight beyond the first few rounds, he could mess with David a little bit psychologically. No, that's not an endorsement for Hopkins winning the fight, but if you're being optimistic on his part, it's something to consider. Although the best case for Hopkins is he stinks the place out in losing a one-sided decision.

However, a win by Hopkins at age 45 would have to be considered the biggest win and accomplishment in boxing history. It would jettison his legacy into a new stratosphere and eclipse what Fitzsimmons and Jones did as former middleweights who won the heavyweight title. Even an embarrassing loss by Hopkins to Haye wouldn't tarnish his career accomplishments at all and he'd laugh all the way to the bank.

Hopkins could still probably make the 168 pound super-middleweight limit, and the heavyweights today are bigger than they were a hundred years ago. So why not go for the smallest one holding a legitimate title belt who is much less experienced than either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko, who are still considered the top of the food chain in the division? Although in fairness to David Haye, he's closed the gap and has to be considered no lower than three in the pecking order of the top heavyweights in the world.

Bernard Hopkins has compiled a remarkable career and record as a fighter and self manager. Other than losing his pro debut, he's avenged the only convincing defeat of his career that he suffered when he was decisioned by Roy Jones in his fourth year as a pro. Since then he's lost three very close decisions after turning 40 years-old to Jermain Taylor twice and Joe Calzaghe. And in reality he's at worst 2-1 in those fights based on what transpired in the ring.

Hopkins held the middleweight title longer and made more defenses of it than any other fighter who's ever owned it. Some of his critics question his opposition at middleweight. However, they conveniently forget that aside from Rodrigo Valdez, the two greatest fighters Carlos Monzon defended the middleweight title against were former all-time welterweight greats Emile Griffith and Jose Napoles when they were on the decline. And Monzon's 1973 rematch with the 36 year old Griffith wasn't his finest hour and many consider the decision to be controversial. Marvin Hagler is another former middleweight great Hopkins is measured against. And as it is the case with Monzon, it's often overlooked that the three best fighters Hagler defended the title against were an overfed all time great lightweight, and two former welterweight greats. Hagler certainly didn't look like a world beater during the 15 rounds he fought Robert Duran. Two years later he erased that memory with a three round demolition of Thomas Hearns - and then lost his title two defenses later to Sugar Ray Leonard who fought once in five years before facing Hagler. At least Hopkins devastated the two top welterweights he fought in Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. Not to mention he's never been beat up or cut during a fight. How many boxers can that be said about?

Hopkins also tempted fate and convincingly beat the fighter who shattered Roy Jones' legacy to win the light heavyweight title, Antonio Tarver. But in fairness to Monzon and Hagler, they would've been overwhelming underdogs to Bob Foster and Michael Spinks, who represented the best fighters at 175 during their title tenure. (The same goes for Hopkins.) Again, the point is Hopkins cannot be admonished for Tarver not being on the level of Foster and Spinks. At the same time it also cannot be said with impunity that Monzon or Hagler would've defeated Tarver.

With the exception of Harry Greb and Sugar Ray Robinson, Bernard Hopkins has perhaps the deepest legacy of any other middleweight title holder in history. A win by Hopkins over Haye would have him nipping at the heels of Greb and Robinson. And at the worst his name would have to be mentioned in the same vein as Greb and Robinsons.' I know that's sacrilegious to even say as a joke, but the case in his favor, again, if he beat Haye, would be tough to refute.

If you want to say Mickey Walker, Marcel Cerdan, Tony Zale, Jake LaMotta, Dick Tiger, Charley Burley, Freddie Steele, Gene Fullmer, Carlos Monzon and Marvin Hagler would've have defeated Hopkins if both were at their best, you very well may be right. On the other hand it's nothing close to a reach to envision Hopkins beating every one of them as well. What can't be said is that they were more accomplished middleweights nor does their body of work measure up to Hopkins'. And it cannot be said even as a joke that there's ever been a middleweight who was harder to hit cleanly or took less punishment than Hopkins.

Bernard Hopkins the promoter has mapped out the conclusion of his career perfectly and is playing with house money if he does somehow finagle a fight with David Haye, who like Hopkins is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Source: thesweetscience.com

I take it all back! Hopkins-Jones II was a disgrace -- Eastside Boxing

By Dave Cacciatore, Eastside Boxing

I have tremendous respect for both Roy Jones Jr and Bernard Hopkins, but the performance they gave us this past Saturday night was a disaster but worse than that it was a disgrace. Two men who have benefited so much from the sport of boxing did their best jobs to send fans running in cavalcades to the MMA, basketball games, the home shopping network, or house chores..

The fight lacked many things, most notably punches, something usually thought of as being indispensible in a boxing match. Why I am surprised I am not quite sure. I think I was operating under the delusion that these two great artists of the ring would resemble their former selves, and not pathetic sideshows.

Roy Jones Jr, at one time untouched by the best out there for years. Skilled, lightening fast, thought to be as near to invincible as a fighter has ever been regarded. Roy looked scared walking into the ring. He resembled a blue chip baseball prospect who after being beaned in the head is now afraid to step into the batters box.

The worse sin of all though for Mr. Jones Jr is that he appeared to lack courage. He was more than content to just go the distance without getting hurt. Even with his older slower opponent giving him opportunities and allowing him to stay in the fight he only flashed his punches. Roy never committed to taking chances with explosive bursts that could win rounds and possibly the fight. Roy did not display the heart he showed in the first Tarver when he willed himself to a victory in a similar situation.

While Jones trepidation might have been somewhat excused by his recent history of being knocked out, Hopkins fought more like the “white boys” he despises and less like the leader of the cell block. Hopkins constant crying and whining to referee Tony Weeks was despicable, especially in light of what a dirty fight he fought. Hopkins took every opportunity to foul Jones Jr when he could, then when Roy like every good boxer is taught fouled him back he pouted and acted like the prison punk.

Hopkins histrionics shamed the sport that has given him so much. His feigning that the light punch Roy landed to the side of the back of his head caused so much damage was absurd. If Hopkins was that fragile he would still be on the canvas in Ecuador from when Segundo Mercado dropped him. The most insane part of all of it was that Tony Weeks was either too intimidated or bought it and actually took a point away from Jones the first time he did it. Thereby, giving Bernard the green light to give us encore performances of his Montell Griffin impersonation in the rounds to come. If Tony Weeks really wanted to do his job he would have warned Bernard the first time he pulled that stunt and taken points away if he did it again.

I was wrong about the fight, but I won’t be wrong again about these two declining legends. My biggest regret is that one of my good friends actually shelled out money so that we could watch this joke of a rematch. Hopkins won the fight by a comfortable margin; he is without a doubt a first ballot hall of famer, and one of the greatest middleweights of all time. Roy is a once in a generation fighter whose place in boxing history cannot be questioned. The saddest part of Saturday night is that these two once great ring warriors proved that their greatness is behind them and that what lies ahead is a kind of con/pimp job. Whoring out their names and reputations for a few dollars. By all accounts, neither of these two men needs the money and both have plenty of other business opportunities.

So for the love of the sport that gave you two both so much just let it go guys! Roy’s legacy is already tarnished by his ring performances in the later years and Hopkins with his professional wrestling type antics is on the same road. Bernard achieved his revenge against the man who defeated him 17 years earlier in name only. It was painfully evident that the Roy Jones Jr of the 1990s left the arena a long time ago. Please Bernard dispel any notions you might have of a rubber match, or a challenge for Haye’s paper title. There is nothing left to prove.

Source: eastsideboxing.com

David Haye is The Man and the Klitschkos have nowhere else to go -- The Guardian

By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk

We must all now hope that Adam Booth is as good a negotiator as he is a ring strategist. It would be a missed opportunity almost as criminal as the aborted Pacquiao-Mayweather fiasco if David Haye's next fight is not against Wladimir Klitschko.

Haye's trainer and manager again got the tactics right against poor John Ruiz in Manchester on Saturday night, as the WBA champion stayed at range to turn the American challenger's face into putty.

Booth will need similar resolve when he sits down with his promotional partners Sauerland Event and Golden Boy Promotions to get Haye out of his mandated rematch with Nikolai Valuev so he can get his hands on Klitschko. That might be the easy part.

If Valuev takes step-aside money (as Ruiz did so Haye could fight Valuev last November), Booth then has to convince Wladimir to come to Wembley in the autumn to put his WBO and IBF titles on the line with Haye's belt.

This is going to be tricky. Klitschko knows that if he loses, Haye would then have three belts to use as negotiating chips in talks with his brother, Vitali, who owns the WBC version. That fight, outdoors somewhere in Europe, would be as big as it gets. Even American television would be on board, mainly because they have nothing credible to offer fans there in the heavyweight division.

People here still worry about American TV. I'm not sure why. Sure, it's great for fighters to go to Las Vegas for the buzz and the extra money. But this is where the clout is now, especially in the sport's premier division. And the man who is creating more buzz than any other big man in the world is Haye.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE

Haye was terrific on Saturday night. Not perfect, but electrifying.

He is creating the sort of excitement Nigel Benn did, a charismatic big hitter with a slightly unreliable chin who loves to entertain.

What more could fight fans in this country ask for: a British world heavyweight champion who throws bombs and only just gets out of the way of the return traffic – but not always.

As Booth said afterwards, "I'm always unhappy with him when he gets hit. We knew that was down to lack of sparring. The only way to work on your defence is to have people punching at you. So we just worked on his punch conditioning, so he could work hard for 12 rounds. This will make him a better fighter, because he had to come through some rough times."

Haye got cut in sparring four-and-a-half weeks before the fight, yet was still confident enough in his own talent to go through with the Ruiz fight. It's that sort of arrogance champions are made of.

Haye looks increasingly comfortable in that role. He knows he is The Man. He knows the Klitschkos have nowhere else to go.

To get these fights for Haye, Booth will have to work on the Klitschkos' sense of honour, because they are both proud men. He could do worse than quote them an old Russian saying that is familiar to these sons of a former Soviet air force colonel: "It is a bad soldier who does not dream to be a general."

The Klitschkos are good soldiers. Some of their recent opponents, though, have been no more than cardboard targets on a firing range.

HOW GOOD IS GEORGE GROVES?

On a quality undercard, the most impressive fighter of the night after Haye was the new Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves.

He looked sensational in stopping the tough old champion Charles Adamu – and in just his eighth fight. Groves still hasn't been past eight rounds.

What was impressive was the 22-year-old puncher's confidence. He showed no nerves at all as he threw wicked right hands behind a demoralising jab and moved around the ring as if it were his own living room, a fighter comfortable in his environment.

That right hand looked a lot like Haye's and it is clear the heavyweight champion is having a good influence on a new champion who can claim to be the best young fighter in the country.

POOR OLD AMERICA

It is not nice to see the business struggling across the pond – especially with farcical contests such as Bernard Hopkins's apparently ugly 12-round win over Roy Jones Jnr on Saturday night.

I didn't watch it and don't want to. But reports suggest it was an ill-tempered affair between two old dogs scrapping over a bone nobody cares about. And they put it on pay-per-view! I can't wait to see the numbers.

This Saturday the farce continues when Evander Holyfield fights Frans Botha. That's the same Botha Lennox Lewis beat in London 10 years ago, the same Holyfield who lost to Lewis in 1999... and to John Ruiz in 2001.

It doesn't get much sadder.

STAT OF THE WEEK, MONTH, YEAR

Philadelphia, once the blue-collar home of the American fight game, now has more MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fights than boxing matches.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK, MONTH, YEAR

Lou DiBella on the state of the game: "MMA didn't take boxing and put it in the shape that it's in, we did! Sometimes I'm the first to mention MMA to other promoters and they say, 'Shut your mouth,' and they are right. We have to worry about our own sport. We have to make sure we are providing compelling entertainment. In our sport, we shove shit down people's throats, and they are supposed to be interested in it?"

Source: guardian.co.uk

David Haye rules out Bernand Hopkins fight offer -- BBC Sport

BBC Sport

Britain's WBA heavyweight champion David Haye has dismissed the prospect of facing American Bernard Hopkins.

Hopkins avenged a 17-year-old defeat by Roy Jones Jr on Saturday - and promptly declared he wanted to face Haye.

"People will think the punch in the back of my head made me a little crazy, but I want Haye," said Hopkins, 45

But Haye, 29, told BBC Radio 5 live: "I think he just wants a big pay day, to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world he can demand big money."

The Londoner, who defeated American John Ruiz in Manchester on Saturday added: "Bernard Hopkins is one of my idols. Looking back at his fights over the last 20, 25 years, he's always been a great fighter.

"But now he's 45 years of age, he fought another 40-year-old on the same night as me and it was a dire fight for everybody there in attendance."

Ex-middleweight champion Hopkins beat Jones, 41, by unanimous decision in an ill-tempered Las Vegas bout.

The non-title fight erupted into life in the sixth round after Hopkins took a blow to the back of the head.

When the pair met in 1993 Jones beat Hopkins on points and the cagey start to the belated rematch suggested the full 12 rounds would be needed once more.

Indeed, the action was in stark contrast to the display put on just hours earlier in Manchester as Haye dropped Ruiz twice in the first round and twice more later on to stop the durable American for only the second time in 55 fights.

However, as the Las Vegas contest reached its mid-point, the contest finally sparked into life as Jones spun out of a clinch and landed a short punch to the back of Hopkins' head.

Hopkins dropped to his knees for several minutes but when the round resumed, he attacked Jones with a furious flurry and the two men continued to exchange punches as the bell rang, with security guards having to restore order.

Hopkins went down on two other occasions, albeit from another rabbit punch and a low blow, while an accidental head butt in the 11th round opened a gash on Jones' left eyelid.

"It was kind of rough," said Hopkins, who improved his record to 51 wins, five defeats and one draw. "Roy's a veteran. He was tying me up. I was tying him up. It was a good fight."

Former super-middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight title holder Jones, whose record slipped to 54 wins and seven defeats with his sixth loss in 11 fights, admitted he may now choose to call time on a glorious career.

"I'll go back and talk to my coaches and my dad and if we think I still have it, we'll keep going, and if not, we'll call it a day," he said.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Andre Berto ready again after crisis in Haiti -- Miami Herald

BY SANTOS A. PEREZ, Miami Herald

Eleven months ago, Andre Berto stepped into the ring at Hard Rock Live Arena in Hollywood, ready to defend his welterweight title against Juan Urango and enhance his stock in the talent-rich welterweight division.

Berto defeated Urango and retained his World Boxing Council belt, but instead of keeping a busy fight schedule, he has remained inactive. The lengthy separation between fights finally ends Saturday night when Berto makes the fourth defense of his title against Puerto Rico's Carlos Quintana at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise.

A vital reason for Berto's inactivity stems from the earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12. Born in Miami to Haitian parents, Berto became deeply involved in the earthquake relief effort, forcing the postponement of his bout against Shane Mosley on Jan. 30.

``I was training for the biggest fight of my life,'' Berto said. ``We tried to stay in the routine a couple of more days. As soon as [the earthquake] happened, it affected me greatly.''

Berto had reason to worry: His sister lives in Haiti, and the family didn't know of her whereabouts for days. They finally received news that she and her daughter were safe.

But the joy of learning of his sister's survival turned to despair when Berto's uncle and his family died as a result of the earthquake.

HOMEWARD-BOUND

Although Berto, 26, grew up in Miami and later moved to Winter Haven, he never disconnected from his Haitian roots. Before the earthquake, Berto made humanitarian trips to the island nation, especially visiting children in schools and orphanages. Not surprisingly, Berto flew to Haiti soon after the postponement of his fight with Mosley.

``It was just a different place from what I had seen before,'' Berto said. ``You smelled a lot of pain, smelled the death. There was a just a lot of tragedy.

``Everybody was in a frenzy, scattered around. Schools crushed to the ground. The children we went to see [in previous trips] were gone. But, at the same time, I saw a lot of strength. [People] were still trying to make something out of nothing. I saw people singing Haitian spirituals and hymns. Hope was also present.''

After his return from Haiti, Berto found a new fight date and opponent. With Mosley choosing to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 1, Berto will fight Quintana, a Puerto Rico native and former welterweight champion.

``It's been a while since I've been in the ring, but I've had tremendous sparring,'' Berto said. ``We are ready to go.''

Berto's promoter, Lou DiBella, said he understood Berto's decision to withdraw from the Mosley fight.

``Before the earthquake, he was in great shape. It was a good time to get Mosley,'' DiBella said. ``Andre wasn't prepared mentally after the earthquake. With your sister and niece missing, you are obviously not going to be completely focused. Once he was ready, he wanted a big fight. We got him the best welterweight available. This is the fight that can vault him to an attractive fight.''

Berto (25-0, 19 KOs) said he won't be consumed by the Haiti crisis once he gets in the ring against Quintana (27-2, 21 KOs). But Berto knows that Saturday's fight will provide a platform to assist Haiti. In fact, the card is billed as ``Fighting for Haiti,'' and proceeds will benefit the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

``Everything happens for a reason,'' Berto said of his inactivity and his new opponent. ``I believe everybody's been reading and hearing what's been happening for months.

``There is also anticipation because I have been gone for a while.''

HOPKINS WINS BIG

Bernard Hopkins avenged his 1993 loss to Roy Jones Jr. with a lopsided decision late Saturday against the Pensacola native in Las Vegas.

Hopkins (51-5-1) was the busier puncher in the 12-round light-heavyweight bout. The fight was marred by repeated fouls, as Hopkins twice fell to the canvas after Jones (54-7) hit him with punches behind the head and once from a shot below the belt. Hopkins, 45, also hit Jones, 41, with a punch below the belt.

Two judges scored the fight 117-110 for Hopkins; the third had Hopkins winning 118-109. Jones beat Hopkins for a middleweight crown in 1993.

sperez@MiamiHerald.com

Source: miamiherald.com

Hopkins, Jones could be near retirement -- ESPN

By The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS -- Even after thrashing Roy Jones Jr. in a lopsided unanimous decision, Bernard Hopkins looked like a beaten man.

The wizened, weathered champion felt like one, too, after taking two shots behind the head and another below the belt. Sure, he had earned a bit of ice-cold revenge on his biggest remaining rival in boxing, but at what cost?

"I started seeing spots," said Hopkins, who made a record 20 middleweight title defenses before becoming every larger-weight fighter's nightmare matchup well into his 40s. "My head is killing me still."

The final rounds Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center had an air of finality about them, culminating in the sight of two longtime greats punching themselves into exhaustion.

Hopkins' business partner is among those who hope the fight will persuade the 45-year-old fighter to consider retirement -- and the bout's brutal result might send Jones into retirement as well. Although Hopkins still has the savvy to survive against nearly any opponent despite his diminished power, the 41-year-old Jones appeared to have little left except a propensity for punching Hopkins behind the head and below the belt.

Hopkins appeared to get little enjoyment out of avenging his 1993 loss to Jones -- and he subsequently collapsed in his dressing room, finally overwhelmed by Jones' questionable blows and nearly a quarter-century in his brutal sport.

Nobody really took much joy from this long-overdue bout near the end of two impressive careers -- certainly not the frustrated Jones, who got another confirmation of his skills' departure, and not even many of the half-full arena's fans, who booed sporadically and got excited only by various dirty blows.

A few years ago, the matchup would have been a heavily anticipated meeting. In 2010, everyone was simply grateful Hopkins didn't seriously hurt Jones -- and that Hopkins apparently was fine after a precautionary trip to the hospital.

Boxers are infamous for not knowing when to retire, and these two champions are threatening to test the patience of friends, families and fans who worry they won't realize it's time to go.

"They might think I'm crazy, but I want David Haye next, and to win the heavyweight championship of the world," Hopkins said before he collapsed.

Although Hopkins has never been seriously outclassed in a fight, he hasn't knocked out an opponent since 2004, and even Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schafer was willing to publicly suggest his friends would like Hopkins to go out on top, rather than horizontally.

After all, Oscar De La Hoya, Hopkins' partner in Golden Boy, pulled the plug on his own career after Manny Pacquiao worked him like a heavy bag two years ago.

"For Bernard, it could be a good ending," Schaefer said. "He got his revenge, and he waited 17 years to end it. It could be something which as a friend I would advise him to consider. ... I think it's time for his friends and family to have a serious talk with him."

Most observers agree Jones has been in precipitous decline since his mid-30s, and the loss was the sixth in 11 fights for the former pound-for-pound champion. Hopkins didn't have the punching power to seriously hurt Jones, who was stopped in the first round of his previous bout, but Schaefer and others agreed Jones might not be so lucky against a harder-hitting foe.

"I'll go home, talk to my team, and if we decide to call it a day, we call it a day," Jones said, refusing to apologize for his tactics in a fight filled with veteran wiliness. "Bernard is a defensive fighter, and I had to try to make it happen."

If the bout was these veterans' final fight, at least it contained some entertainment value -- even if it was mostly derived from Jones' questionable tactics. A shot behind Hopkins' head during a clinch in the sixth round sent Hopkins, who has been legitimately knocked down in just one fight in his career, to the canvas on his knees for nearly 3 minutes.

Hopkins eventually shook it off and finished the final 10 seconds of the round with the fight's most impressive work, punishing Jones on the ropes in a flurry that kept going well after the bell.

"I was just really mad," Hopkins said. "I have a lot of respect for Roy, but he was trying the whole night to get me to retaliate with some of those punches he was throwing.

The late hits and the ensuing scuffle involved security guards and resulted in Jones' son apparently jumping into the ring and then getting thrown out of the building by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

On weary legs that finally gave out in the dressing room, Hopkins finished the bout with brute persistence. If it turns out to be his final fight, he at least left the ring upright.

"I kept pressing," Hopkins said. "I'm a scrappy Philly fighter. I might not please everyone, but that's the way I fight."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Jones-Hopkins flop made Clottey-Pacquiao look like King Kong-Godzilla -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

You can't say that the beyond dreadful Roy Jones-Bernard Hopkins rematch, a terrible idea since its inception, was not holiday appropriate.

Their fight at Mandalay Bay, and I use the term fight rather loosely, got right into the Easter theme on Holy Saturday.

Jones, 41, and the 45 year old BHop combined to lay an egg, a Golden (Boy) egg in Las Vegas.

Every man, woman and child who checked into the host hotel-casino was given free tickets for this bum offering which is, I guess, how they were able to announce having just over 6,000 in attendance.

The crowd, another term I use loosely, spent most of the night jeering and booing. Credit ref Tony Weeks for staying awake for the full, tedious 36 minutes.

The first five rounds were sleep inducing and the balance of the bout was spotty and lethargic. Hopkins threw himself to the canvas three times, claiming rabbit punches and low blows. Weeks did take one point away from Jones in the sixth round for a punch behind Bernie's old, gray head.

Who won, oh yeah Hopkins by a 117-110 twice and 118-109 scores. As if that mattered...

"It was horrible," veteran boxing agent-matchmaker Johnny Bos said. "It made Joshua Clottey-Manny Pacquiao looks like King Kong versus Godzilla.

"Hopkins kept throwing himself to the floor and Jones can't let his hands go anymore. It was one of the worst fights ever and the undercard was even worse than the main event which doesn't really seem possible."

Much as I hate to accuse another boxing writer of good taste, I commend Las Vegan Kevin Iole, the Yahoo scribe, who publicly announced that he would skip covering this one from ringside.

I guess the end result proves Iole's good taste.

As for me, I quit while I was ahead. I thoroughly enjoyed David Hayemaker Haye's "coronation" from the United Kingdom as he starched another oldie, 38 year old John Ruiz, in nine rounds.

And then I went to bed, sleeping completely through the snoozefest in Vegas.

Good career choice, I must say.

How bad was it, you ask?

While Hopkins, on his way to either the hospital or a retirement home, called for a bout against Hayemaker, Richie Rich Schaefer had other ideas.

Hit by a lightning bolt of honesty, the Golden CEO said it was time for Hopkins to retire.

But, Sir Richard, we knew that BEFORE this bomb, didn't we?

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Bernard Hopkins UD 12 Roy Jones Was Not Worth The Wait -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Bernard Hopkins went from "The Executioner" to "The Exorcist" against Roy Jones (pictured at right, against Hopkins above), albeit, before a largely disappointed audience in a boring fight on Saturday night at The Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.

The 45-year-old Hopkins avenged a May 1993, loss to to Jones with a lackluster, foul-filled light heavyweight (175 pounds), 12-round unanimous decision victory over his 41-year-old rival, rising to 51-5-1, with 32 knockouts, and dropping Jones to 54-7, with 40 KOs.

"It was worth it, and it was sweet revenge," said Hopkins, whose loss to Jones by unanimous decision earned the latter the vacant IBF middleweight (160 pounds) title by at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Judges Glenn Trowbridge and Don Trella had it 117-110, for Hopkins, with Dave Moretti, scroing it 118-109. FanHouse had it for Hopkins, 119-107

"It was kind of rough," said Hopkins. "But Roy's a veteran. He was tying me up, I was tying him up. It was a good fight. I mean, it was as good fight."

But there will be many who would argue that Hopkins is completely wrong in his assesment of the contest.
Known for his own sometimes dirty tactics, Hopkins was the one who complained of being fouled three times by Jones, who landed rabbit punches in the sixth, and, eighth round, and who also fired a low blow against Hopkins in the 10th.

Hopkins went down and complained for long stretches each time, with Jones being penalized a point by referee Tony Weeks in the sixth.

But Hopkins clearly landed at least one low blow before Jones did, and, also, fired a rabbit punch in the eighth prior to Jones', which was in retaliation.

"I fought through [dizzyness] after the first six rounds. I saw spots, you know. I've been hit behind the head in the gym, you know, but not without a head gear on. So right now, I'm toughing it out doing this interview with you. But I've been seeing spots since six rounds," said Hopkins during a post-fight interview with ringside commentator, Doug Fischer.

"I was just trying to smother him up so that he couldn't counter because he's still got speed. I was trying to stay on top of him, keep the pressure on, throwing combinations," said Hopkins.

"I saw that I could get inside and throw punches. I just felt that I got hit in the back of the head and my legs just went. I saw spots. I'm in shape for the fight, but I'm still human in there," said Hopkins.

"I was mad after the sixth round. I've got respect for Roy, but he was trying to get me to get myself out of the fight by retaliating back, or trying to get out of the fight by saying that I hit him low or by hitting me behind the head," said Hopkins. "But I'm a scrappy Philadelphia fighter. I might not be pretty, but I might not be flashy, but I'm a hard, blue collar worker like most Americans."

Hopkins said that he would next like to face 29-year-old, WBA heavyweight champion, David Haye (24-1, 24 KOs), who, earlier in the day, stopped 48-year-old, former two-time heavyweight champion, John Ruiz (44-9-1, 30 KOs) in England.

The victory was the 14th straight for Haye, and the 12th by knockout during that stretch.

"I want David Haye," said Hopkins. "I want to win the heavyweight championship of the world."

Jones said that he felt he was unfairly penalized, and that he was concerned about being disqualified from the sixth round on.

"Bernard Hopkins does like he always does. He was going to get his rest. He's a real crafty veteran. He was hitting me behind the head, and the refs don't say nothing. But when I hit him, I get points taken and everything else," said Jones.

"But that's Bernard Hopkins, and you've got to know that, he's a veteran," said Jones. "I was worried about that after the first time, so that's why I went for the knock out. Because if I did it too much, I was going to get disqualified."

Jones also had to endure a cut over his left eye that was caused early in the fight by a punch, but which was reopened later by an accidental head butt.

"The fouls didn't affect the way that I fought, but I just knew that if I did it too much, that I was going to get disqualified," said Jones, who wagered with Hopkins that the man who knocked out the other would earn a 60-40 split of their purses.

"I kind of got behind because so many things were going on. But I was trying to get the knockout because I wanted that 60-40, I ain't going to lie. I was trying to knock him out," said Jones. "I feel great. At this age, I'm still able to go. That was a great fight. I can't take nothing away from him. It was a hard type of a fight. He did the normal Bernard Hopkins."

For Jones, who was largely ineffective and inactive throughout the fight, it could mark the end of a nearly 21-year-long career.

Jones was coming off of December's first-round knockout loss to Austrailia's Danny Green, a fight that took place at cruiserweight (200 pounds).

Jones has also been stopped by Antonio Tarver, and, Glen Johnson, in two, and, nine rounds, respectively. Jones is 5-6, in his last 11 fights.

But if Jones retires, he will do so as the first man to have won crowns as a middleweight, super middleweight (168 pounds), light heavyweight, and, heavyweight.

"I'll go back to my coach, and my dad, and we'll see what they think and I feel like I can still muster it, we'll keep on do it. But if I don't, then we'll call it a day," said Jones.

"I've had a wonderful career, I can't ask for too much better. God has blessed me time and time again," said Jones. "I love the fans, I love trying to give the fans what they want. It didn't happen tonight, but that's how it goes."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Hopkins gets his revenge against Jones -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com



LAS VEGAS -- For 17 years, Bernard Hopkins wanted another crack at Roy Jones, an opportunity to erase that clear decision loss he suffered when they met for a vacant middleweight title as rising contenders in 1993.

Hopkins didn't care that the rematch came only when Jones, years past his best, had faded into nothing more than a shell of the great fighter he once was.

Well, Hopkins got his revenge, hollow as it may have been, as he easily outpointed Jones in their long overdue -- and foul-filled -- light heavyweight fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday night.

"It was definitely worth it. It was sweet revenge," Hopkins said.

Maybe so, but it proved that both fighters should seriously consider retirement. Jones has nothing left. Hopkins is getting there.

What once would have been one of the biggest fights on the planet was a sad scene throughout the week leading to the fight. And on fight night, even the 6,792 in the papered arena had a hard time mustering much enthusiasm.

Maybe they came to see if Jones could turn back the clock one last time, but he couldn't, not at age 41 and years into a steep decline. Still, he couldn't bring himself to say it was over even though it clearly is.

"I'm gonna go home and talk to my team and if we decide to call it a day we'll call it a day, but it's not my decision. It's everybody's decision," Jones said.

And Hopkins (51-5-1, 32 KOs), who is 45, had more left in the tank even though he is also slowing down, was unable to do any real damage to Jones, who had been knocked out in the first round by Danny Green in December.

After taking some punishing blows behind the head from Jones (54-7, 40 KOs), Hopkins collapsed in the dressing room after the fight. He was able to make it to his feet and was taken to the hospital. Jones also went to the hospital as a precaution.

"For Bernard, it would be a good ending. He got the revenge," said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Hopkins' promoter and friend. "He waited 17 years for revenge. He got it. Retirement is something that as a friend I would advise him to do."

Jones was barely able to pull the trigger on anything. Only when somebody in his corner would yell, "Showtime" with 30 seconds left in each round, would he hear the signal and try to spring to life and perhaps steal a round. It didn't work.

Hopkins won 117-110 on two scorecards and 118-109 on the third. ESPN.com also had it for Hopkins, 119-108 in a fight that was about as bad as many anticipated.

"I am a scrappy Philadelphia fighter," Hopkins said. "I might not please everyone but that is the way I know how to fight."

Oh, what might have been between these two legends had they fought a few years ago.

What we got instead of a huge fight between elite stars was two proud athletes doing the best they could, even if it wasn't much.

It was no surprise that Jones, a former four-division champion, offered so little. He reached the apex of his career on March 1, 2003, when he moved up in weight and easily outpointed John Ruiz to win a heavyweight title -- becoming the first former middleweight champion to do that in more than 100 years.

Then it was all downhill culminating with the pathetic performance on Saturday night.

It began as a tactical fight with both showing each other a lot of respect before it degenerated into a sloppy affair with a lot of holding. That gave referee Tony Weeks, who did an admirable job, plenty of work.

Hopkins, the former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, seemed to rattle Jones with a right hand late in the second round, sending him into a corner. He landed a couple of more shots before the bell ended the round and Jones emerged with a small cut over his left eye, which got progressively worse as the fight wore on.

The most action of the fight turned out to be the fouls.

With about 10 seconds left in the sixth round, Jones landed a blatant left hand to the back of Hopkins' head. He went down in agony and Weeks called timeout. The ringside doctor came into the ring to check on Hopkins, who was down on all fours holding the back of his head.

"He's a defensive fighter," Jones said. "He fought a smart fight and I had to chase him the whole time. When he went down it wasn't even a hard punch. He was trying to take a rest, get a break."

Weeks docked Jones a point, and the wildness really began. After the fight resumed, Hopkins rushed at Jones and they continued to fight well after the bell in some of the most spirited action of the fight.

A member of Jones' entourage jumped into the ring and security followed, quickly restoring order.

Jones, with nothing left, resorted to another shot behind the head, this time a right with about 20 seconds left. Again, Hopkins went to a knee and the ringside doctor had to come take a look at Hopkins before the fight continued.

In the 10th round, it wasn't a shot behind the head from Jones that did damage. This time it was a left hand below the belt that doubled Hopkins over and caused another delay.

When the most action in the fight comes from fouls, you know it's not good.

"It was kind of rough in there. It was really rough in there," Hopkins said. "He's a good fighter. He tried to rough me up and I tried to tough it out, but after the sixth round I was seeing spots. He still had some speed but I kept putting the pressure on him.

"I was trying to throw soft punches like so I could get inside and throw my harder punches. Then in the sixth round I got hit in the back of the head and my legs went. It was hard [the rest of the fight] because I was seeing spots. My head is still killing me."

Before Hopkins collapsed in the dressing room, he said he wanted to fight on, no matter how bad of an idea that is.

"Maybe because I got hit over the head they may think I am crazy but I want David Haye next," he said. "I want to win the heavyweight championship."

Haye, of course, is the much younger, prime titleholder who knocked out Ruiz on Saturday in England in his first defense. It's a fight that conceivably could happen, especially because Haye and Hopkins are both with Golden Boy.

"He said he still has to fight for the heavyweight title," Schaefer said. "It will take his friends and family to have a serious talk with him. He's had an amazing career and, after 17 years to get the win he was waiting for so long, that's pretty darn good. But it might be time to go."

For both Hopkins and Jones.

Their careers have been intertwined for so long, it would be poetic for them to leave together and then share the stage at the International Boxing Hall of Fame, where the memories will be of their greatness -- not the depressing mess that took place on Saturday night.

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

B-Hop Has More Than RJ In Foul Fest In Las Vegas -- The Sweet Science

By David A. Avila, The Sweet Science

LAS VEGAS-Rivals Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. didn’t have the same snap as 17 years ago but in the end it was the Florida fighter that didn’t have the legs to keep up with the older Phillie fighter in a dirt filled trench war with seemingly more fouls than punches on Saturday.

“I’m still hurting on the back of the head,” said Hopkins, 45.

The big rematch between bitter rivals Hopkins (51-5-1, 32 KOs) and Jones (54-7, 40 KOs) in front of more than 6,700 fans at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino wasn’t a brawl but a match between two ageing but wily foes.

“He fought a smart fight I had to chase him the whole time,” said Jones, 41, who is usually the guy getting chased. “He’s a crafty veteran.”

In a bitter rematch between two defensive first fighters, defense ruled the day.

The first round saw lots of feints and posing as Hopkins did most of the work with body shots and some blows behind Jones head. Jones tried to use his sneaky speed but wasn’t able to catch him.

A four punch combo by Hopkins opened the second round and a right-left combination snapped Jones head back toward the end of the round to close it for Hopkins.

Hopkins had the third round easy as Jones couldn’t seem to get off punches. Everything he tried was too far away to land or be effective. A four punch combo by Hopkins forced Jones back to the ropes.

Jones opened up a little in the fourth round and snapped a couple of uppercuts on Hopkins in the clinch. Both traded left hooks as the crowed oohed in anticipation of seeing Jones showcase his blazing speed of the 1990s. Not on this day.

In the fifth both fought inside with Jones using uppercuts and a clinch. Meanwhile Hopkins worked the body continuously and finished it off with his own uppercut.

All hell broke loose in the sixth round as Jones hit Hopkins in the back of the head. Down went Hopkins from the blow as the crowd booed. After a few minutes the fight resumed and Hopkins bolted toward Jones firing on all cylinders. The end of the bell didn’t make Hopkins and Jones stop as both continued to swing with the Florida boxer receiving a slightly bloodied nose and a swollen right eye after order was restored.

“I was mad,” said Hopkins about receiving a blow on the back of the head. “He’s a good fighter he tried to rough me up. I tried to toughen it out but after the sixth round I was seeing spots.”

In the eighth round Jones hit Hopkins again on the back of his cranium and once again Hopkins retaliated by opening up with a barrage and finishing with a right hand that seemed to stagger Jones.

Ninth nothing much but Jones landed two right hands in a very slow round.

“He still had some speed but I kept putting the pressure on him. I was trying to throw soft punches to get inside,” said Hopkins.

After a low blow felled Hopkins, the first two minutes of the 10th round were the second best minutes of the fight as Jones worked his uppercut inside and Hopkins worked the head with a two punch combination.

“It wasn’t even a hard punch. He was trying to take a rest,” said Jones of Hopkins going down again after a foul.

An accidental clash of heads caused a welt on Jones right eye that later broke up and bled a little. Hopkins was the busier fighter in the last two rounds as Jones was content to hold on the inside and Hopkins ever the careful fighter opening up only when it was available.

After 12 rounds of fouls, punches and vengeance, both fighters embraced each other. Nobody collected the 60 percent purse that would have been given to the knockout winner. The judges scored it for Hopkins 117-110 twice and 118-109.

“It was definitely worth it,” Hopkins said. “It was sweet revenge.”

Hopkins said he wants a match with WBA heavyweight titleholder David Haye who stopped John Ruiz in England earlier in the day.

Both fighters were sent to the hospital in Las Vegas. Hopkins reportedly buckled in the dressing room.

Litzau vs. Juarez

Jason Litzau (27-2, 21 KOs) successfully defended his NABF title by winning a technical decision over bad luck Rocky Juarez (28-6-1, 20 KOs) after a shortened fight that was stopped due to an accidental butt that caused a welt and cut on the champion.

“I was so calm I’ve never been so calm before,” said Litzau who won by scores 68-65, 67-66 twice. “I knew that me and Rocky would give a hell of a show. I had ten more rounds in me.”

Litzau was the busier fighter in the first four rounds using his jab and holding when necessary. But around the sixth round it seemed his legs were rubbery and Juarez was connecting more. It was too late.

“The cut came from a punch,” insisted Juarez who was roaring back in the seventh round as Litzau seemed to tire.

The ringside physician advised the referee to halt the fight at the end of the seventh. Once again a title slipped through Juarez’s hands.

Mora vs. Green

Former junior middleweight world champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (22-1-1, 6 KOs) moved back to his normal middleweight division and shook out the rust, survived a first round cut and then slipped into another gear in the third round against Calvin “Killa” Green (21-5-1, 13 KOs). Then the shellacking began and ended with a seventh round technical knockout.

“After the third round I felt like the Latin Snake was back,” said Mora. “This guy was a tough guy. This was my fifth opponent. I knew nothing about him.”

Green caught Mora with some good punches in the first and second round but Mora proved more and more elusive despite fighting primarily in the inside. Body shots, uppercuts, lefts and rights to the body and head were landing abundantly. A few times it looked like referee Russell Mora was going to halt the fight but let it continue. But not during the seventh round when a Mora right hand turned Green around. The referee jumped in and stopped it at 1:50 of the seventh round.

“I want to fight the best fighters,” said Mora who was signed by Golden Boy Promotions this year and is managed by Cameron Dunkin.

Tecate awarded Mora their Con Caracter award for his action packed fight.

Sillakh Wins title

Ukraine’s Ismayl Sillakh needed one round to warm up then let loose with the combinations to floor Daniel Judah twice in the second round before the referee stopped it 49 seconds into the round. A right hand followed by a right through the guard and a left hook to the liver caused the first knockdown. Judah recovered but was met with a left hook that dropped him a second time. Judah got up on shaky legs and the fight was stopped. Sillakh, who now trains in Simi Valley grabs the vacant NABF light heavyweight title.

Frankie Gomez vs. Howard

East L.A.’s Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (1-0, 1 KOs) blew through Florida’s Clavonne Howard (2-4) in his professional debut to win by technical knockout at 2:45 of the third round when referee Joe Cortez stopped the fight. Gomez showed good defense and seldom got hit though he was teeing off on Howard the entire three rounds it lasted. The aggressive Gomez was telegraphing his punches but he throws so many that even though you know one is coming the other three and four are right behind it. Howard had no answer but landed a good right hand in the third. The lanky fighter never hit the canvas but was getting tagged with multiple blows until the referee stopped the contest.

“It’s totally different with no head gear. That guy was a tough fighter, he can take punches,” said Gomez, 18. “Honestly after I got hit that’s when I started going.”

Gomez was recently signed by Golden Boy Promotions in a bidding war with other promoters and eventually signed with the L.A. based outfit.

Gomez feels he can do much better now that he has that first pro fight out of the way.

“I will do much better in my second fight because I haven’t fought since last year. I’ll be alright,” Gomez said. “My coach was telling me to keep the pressure but I had to get hit first before I get going.”

Hector Ibarra, coaches and manages Gomez, said he warned his fighter “In the pros you can’t really do that stuff, but adds he’s very smart and his work ethic is incredible.”

Other bouts

Florida’s Buddy McGirt Jr. (22-2-1, 11 KOs) ended a super middleweight bout against John Mackey (11-5-2) with a crisp right hook during an exchange to knockout the Alabama fighter at 2:58 of the second round. Referee Vic Drakulich made the call when Mackey collapsed again after trying to get up.

Scotland’s Craig McEwan (18-0, 10 KOs) maintained his spotless record against Canada’s resilient Kris Andrews (15-9-2). Despite flush punches to the jaw and chin McEwan just couldn’t floor Andrews who ate punches like candy. Not until 2:11 of the eighth and final round of the middleweight bout did it end when a four punch combination by McEwan convinced referee Joe Cortez to end the fight. Andrews never was floored but overwhelmed.

Cleveland’s Yaundale Evans (6-0, 4 KOs) dropped Minnesota’s Juan Baltierrez (2-2-2) with a thud after connecting with a counter right hook at 2:08 of second round of a junior lightweight bout. The fight was stopped by referee Russell Mora.

Source: thesweetscience.com