Monday, January 31, 2011

The Greatest

Many of those who follow boxing always put together All Time Great lists. I've seen people with a top 10 all the way through a top 100. What I am going to do is make an ATG list of the boxers who have fought while I have been alive. The careers did not have to start after I was born, just fighters who fought between 1985 and the present. Based on talent, legacy, and overall accomplishments in the ring.

1)Sugar Ray Leonard

2)Marvin Hagler

3)Manny Pacqiuao

4)Roberto Duran

5)Floyd Mayweather Jr.

6)Roy Jones Jr.

7)Mike Tyson

8)Evander Holyfield

9)Bernard Hopkins/Larry Holmes

10) Oscar De La Hoya

Friday, January 21, 2011

Dover Downs Card and Sonny Liston

ESPN's Friday Night Fights will be making its return to Dover Downs for a card on Feb. 25th with hometown veteran, and former world title challenger, Michael "No Joke" Stewart headlining the card against tough David Torres. Stewart, undoubtedly, in the twilight of his career has enough time to make one last run at it. This run will start with a decisive win over Torres, which could propel him into Top 10 status with one of the alphabet organizations.

Also on the card are many local products such as Rockin' Ryan Belasco sporting his 14-4-3 record into the ring. Dan 'Bada Bing' Biddle will be back in action at 5-1, also Anthony 'Caputo' Smith of Kennett Square will be stepping in the ring with his 8-0 record still intact.

The two fighters I will be paying most attention to, other than Stewart, will be 'Mighty; Mike Tiberi, and Amir “Hardcore” Mansour. Tiberi is an extremely promising fighter, who has spent time at Middleweight and as high as Light Heavy, is coming in at 15-1 so far in his career and is starting to catch more attention on the East Coast. Mansour is an interesting story, he was starting off a great career before he was incarcerated years back, and is now on the comeback trail and supposedly picking up right where he left off. Known for having devastating KO power Monsour is a very fun fighter to watch.



I recently have been reading more about Sonny Liston, former heavyweight champion. Basically his entire life is a mystery, no one knows when he was born, and no one knows when he died. We knew every time he stepped into the ring that where he came from must not have been nice. Liston had numerous large scars on his back from what looked like to be a whip. In between those two moments of time (life and death) he was a human wrecking machine, one of the most feared punchers of all time. His supposed link to the mafia almost discredits the man, but in that time, how many boxers of relevance weren't owned by someone? He worked just as hard as anyone else, no one can say he did not. Liston was renowned for his jump roping ability(appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show to demonstrate), and would stand on his head 2 hours a day to strengthen his neck and back.
He ran with the wrong crowd some say, the hustlers and gangsters, but that is who he liked to be with, they were his friends. The public was never on Sonny's side, he came in at a bad time, just like Larry Holmes. He knocked out the lovable Floyd Patterson in the first round to win the title, and again in the rematch, and then the charismatic Cassius Clay came along yelling and rhyming. People feared the quiet spoken man, who's badness transcended race and put fear into blacks and whites alike.
But I believe the man was misunderstood, a product of where he came from, doing what he had to do to provide and survive. Not the villain most made him out to be.
Sonny Liston was a great champion who, unfortunately, for the most part is still under recognized for his abilities. From what I gathered and have watched and read about the man, Sonny can best be described like this...'A quiet man, with sadness in his eyes, and dynamite in his fists.'

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Fighter, Pavlik, Heavies, AC.

On Christmas Day I went to see the new movie about the rise of Micky Ward, The Fighter. For boxing fans, such as myself, this movie was amazing. Fight scenes were shot very and well Wahlberg did a wonderful job as Micky. I think what stole the show in this film was the performance of Christian Bale as Dickey Eklund. He was simply stunning, from his mannerism, speech, attitude, everything was Dickey. The movie as a whole was very good, I would recommend it to any non-boxing fan as well.

Kelly Pavlik left the Betty Ford Clinic yesterday and is said to be chomping at the bit to get back into the ring. Hopefully Kelly can keep his deamons at bay now and concentrate on the sport that made him so famous, and can continue to do so. I feel like he should stay at 160lb. for now, without the excess drinking and partying, keeping the weight off should be much easier for him. Many are calling for the head of his trainer Jack Loew. Jack has done a great job bringing Kelly up and I dont think Jack should leave the camp, but I think a different point of view is needed by maybe adding someone new to the camp. Only time will tell, but I wish the Ghost the best.

There are articles popping up suggesting that Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye will finally be mixing it up come late spring, early summer, most likely in a German soccer stadium. This will be good for boxing, to have 2 heavies, who genuinely do not like each other, that possess legitimate one punch KO power square off. Hope this one finally gets made.

For my new years wish I would like for Atlantic City to get some bigger fights. I know Vegas, and now Dallas are better for the box office, but Boardwalk Hall cannot be forgotten. It is a great venue and a lot of fun.