BY: Rota Em

When fighters step into the ring, they are assuming that they will receive a fair fight. There are judges, referees, medical personnel, sanctioning bodies, and commissions set in place to make sure anything that can be seen before-hand is addressed so nothing should go wrong. 

But what about the decisions from the panel of judges? Is there no check and balance for the almighty deciding body?

When a judge, or judges, make the wrong call is there anything that can be done to rectify it?

I can understand the scrutiny that comes with the ability to attest fight decisions but sometimes it is more than warranted. At the very least, the specific situations that are worthy of a second look should receive just that.

Normally, in the classroom, when we add up an equation incorrectly the teacher has the ability and opportunity to correct us. But what about when a judge adds points incorrectly—why can’t anything be done about it even if it IS after the fact? Fights have been deemed ‘no contests’ when a fighter fails a post-fight drug test so it IS possible to go the other way. If it means that the original decision has to be changed, wouldn’t it be worth it in the face of fairness?

This past weekend at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, we saw another controversial decision go in favor of a hometown hero. Juan Diaz got the nod on all three judges’ scorecards for the unanimous points victory. For that fight, we are not debating the decision to give the win to Diaz, considering how close the fight was and their difference in styles, but what we are questioning is why the scores were so wide. Many people that caught the fight, either live on HBO broadcast or in person, saw exactly what the judges saw so why would there be such a gap for the hometown favorite? If anything, the close decision should’ve been awarded to the visitor, Paulie Malignaggi but one judge even saw Diaz win with the absurd score of 118-110. Aside from Lennox Lewis pronouncing the Magic Man’s name incorrectly (he referred to Paulie as Maggiano), two of the three judges must’ve been tuning into the wrong fight altogether.

Not only did Malignaggi control the pace of the fight, but he kept Diaz at bay with his jabs and swift footwork. After the fight the Magic Man saved no face in addressing the robbery that had just occurred a few minutes prior. Although he did no favors for himself in the manner of his lash out, he did have a right to confront the unfair and unjust treatment.

I am embarrassed to say that I cannot cover all of the bad and controversial decisions that have occurred throughout the history of the sweet science, but we can briefly list off some from recent memory.

Joel Casamayor- Jose Armando Santa Cruz. The scores were 114-113 for Casamayor (twice) and 114-113 for Santa Cruz even after a 10-8 1st round. Ron McNair, Frank Lombardi, and Tony Paolillo held Santa Cruz’s fate in their hands as they gift-wrapped the win for Casamayor who held and back-peddled throughout the entire fight. They even let him open the present in the ring. Even the 114-113 score in favor of Santa Cruz was silly considering he should’ve been well ahead; I saw Casamayor winning only two rounds.

Ricky Hatton-Luis Collazo 115-112 (twice) 114-113 all for Hatton. With the win he takes Collazo’s belt although I agreed with the many fans ringside and at home who felt that the Brit didn’t do enough to take the championship. After a flash knockdown to a back-peddling Collazo, Hatton did not show that he belonged in the welterweight division. After the fight he vacated and went back home to 10 stone (140 lbs). In his next visit to the welters Hatton was smashed by Mayweather.

Mayweather-Castillo 1, April 2002. In his move up to 135-lbs, Mayweather encountered an underestimated Mexican warrior in Castillo. I had Castillo winning rounds 3,5,6,7,8,10,11,12. Mayweather took rounds 1,2,4,and 9. There was a point deduction for Castillo for hitting on a break in the 8th, a round that Castillo won. This gave Mayweather an extra point. A round later Mayweather blatantly threw a punch after the bell in which the ref did not address. In the 10th, however, Mayweather was deducted his own point for a forearm as if it was to make up for the previous non-call. This was also a Castillo round making it 10-8. Early in the championship rounds (11th), Mayweather stood toe-to-toe with Castillo and was outworked as he took punishment downstairs. Knowing that he wasn’t the favorite, Castillo came out blazing in the final round never taking a break and out-hustling Mayweather to the final bell in a round in which he clearly won. HBO’s Harold Lederman scored the bout 115-111 for Castillo to retain his belt. The scores were 116-111 and 115-111 (twice) to give Mayweather the go-ahead nod as he was given a Christmas present in the middle of spring. In their rematch, Floyd was more convincing in his win but, ironically, the scorecards were closer than their first fight. Go figure.

Pernell Whitaker-Luis Ramirez 1988. This was Sweet Pea’s first title shot and the first robbery of his career. He had won 9 of 12 rounds, at the very least, but went on to lose a split decision. He avenged this SD loss with a clear cut UD win a year later. Four years after that, he was mugged again. Read on.

Pernell Whitaker-Julio C. Chavez Sr. 1993– Draw. Whitaker won 9 of 12 rounds, give or take one or two swing rounds. This fight made the front page of Sports Illustrated that same year with a bolded six-letter word (“Robbed”) to accompany the image of Sweet Pea popping Chavez with a stiff right jab. Not only was the Chavez-Taylor fight controversial enough when referee Richard Steele halted a fight in which Taylor was well ahead with two seconds remaining, but to cap it with this draw is just plain unsportsmanlike. Chavez told SI the morning after the fight that he felt “a little beat up.” When the highly partisan Mexican crowd knows that their hero had lost but still got awarded the “w”, then you know you’ve just been robbed in broad daylight. 

Miguel Huerta-Kid Diamond. 114-113 Kid Diamond (twice) and 116-111 Huerta. I had it 116-111 for Huerta who averted damage and successfully countered the Kid. He even scored a knockdown in the 7th. The decision was in no way a fault of the Kid but the crowd showed their opinion when the boo’s rung in during the post-fight interview for him. Huerta, however, was served with standing ovations as he visited all four corners.

De la Hoya-Felix Sturm 115-113 all for the Golden Boy. Similar to the Malignaggi-Diaz fight, Sturm landed more (234 to 188) but unlike that same fight, he did it with a higher percentage (43% to 23%). The back-story of this match was probably the setup for a superfight between De la Hoya and Bernard Hopkins (in which Hopkins KO’s Oscar with one punch). In a post-fight interview, De la Hoya stated that “everything went wrong tonight” although he walked away with Sturm’s belt. I’ll admit that this fight was closer than other controversial decisions but normally the champion gets the nod. AP press scored the fight a draw (114-114) while HBO had Sturm ahead by two points. I had Sturm comfortably ahead by two points as well.

Juanma Marquez-Manny Pacquiao 1—Draw. Burt Clements scored the first round 10-7. There were three knockdowns and Pacquiao had clearly blasted Marquez in the opening round, the natural scoring should’ve been 10-6. The end result for Clement’s card? 113-113. With the normal bickering between close fights aside, this is a simple case of NOT knowing how to add/subtract. In the eyes of many fans, and myself, it is just ridiculous that a simple mathematical error cannot be corrected. It’s not like we’re allowing another round, but we are simply asking for the correct tallies. Much to anyone’s dismay, the score stands and the result is a draw. I had Pacquiao up 113-112, the score that Clements would’ve ended on had he correctly scored the bout.

Rocky Juarez-Chris John—Draw (114-114). At the same venue and state as Saturday’s debacle of a fight score, Juarez battles John to a disputed draw. This was another close fight that was more than deserving of a Chris John win. I had it 116-112.
I know I said I wouldn’t mention controversial decisions from too far in the past but I cannot overlook the “long count” between Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney for the heavyweight championship. This fight took place in the mid 1920’s at Soldier Field with a crowd of 100,000 plus. Ring-side spectators recall that it took the champion approximately 15 seconds to get to his feet. The ref, Dave Barry, spent the first couple seconds guiding Dempsey to a neutral corner before administering a brand new count therefore giving Tunney the legendary “long count”.

Another fight that had me barely holding my head on is the Roy Jones Jr daylight robbery at the 88’ Olympics. Park Si Hun, a South Korean, was behind in the eyes of just about every single viewer. A South Korean radio covering the fight even stated that “Hun needed a knockout to win the gold as he was hopelessly behind on points.” Even the referee’s jaw dropped. 

I am awe-struck by the fact that there are no checks and balances for the panel that ultimately decides an athlete’s future. It’s a shame that such a serious offense can go unobserved! For one, after the Diaz fight, Malignaggi hit it dead on when he said that he is now forced to be a “money” fighter—nothing more than a journeyman. And Diaz, well, he’ll be on to bigger and better things.

One first step that all sanctioning bodies can take is to develop some sort of checks and balances. This is a lot to ask for considering there are different rules for different arenas but when it gets to the point where we can’t even correct the wrong score addition for a judge, then what is the use of the panel anyhow? We live in an era where basketball and football officials have had a hand in “nixing” games. Why wouldn’t there be a possibility of boxing judges doing the same? I believe that part of the black eye for boxing is the “no questions asked” attitude. It’s as if they are looking to address the issue ONLY when they need to. But that time has already passed!

The addition of instant replay is great for a number of reasons. And I can only think of positive ones to be quite honest. This is a great step for boxing, now we just have to get judges who actually know the game and can add. That, one would assume, would’ve been the easier problem to rectify.

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BY : Rota Em

The fight between Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao will be nothing short of spectacular. Both fighters have been radiating confidence throughout their much anticipated press tour across Hatton’s home turf. Although the Hitman has been known to run on empty in the late stages of some recent bouts, much of that conditioning problem has to do with him ballooning some 35, 40 pounds in between fights. After wrapping up the promotional tour with Pacquiao, who is on his first ever trip to the UK, Ricky reiterated how much he wants the mythical pound-for-pound title and asserts that he is already in top physically track. “I’m in fantastic condition already that just shows how much I’m up for this fight… Manny leaves himself open, there is no reason why I shouldn’t be confident,” says Hatton.
For Manny, his first trip to England was as pleasant as can be. Overwhelmed by thousands of Filipino supporters Manny, AKA Mr. Nice Guy considering all the charity he’s dipped his hands into lately, sticks to the more personal side of the verbal exchange. “Freddie Roach is my best friend,” stated Pacquiao. And in addressing how he plans to handle Ricky’s power, Manny says, “Hatton hits very hard… He is bigger than I am but this is not about big. It’s about punching hard and being effective.” And he cannot be more on the money.

In going over the press tour statements and after seeing these two stand toe-to-toe, a couple things came to mind.
First, I couldn’t help but notice how explicit Ricky Hatton was on his game plan and intentions for Pacquiao’s aggressive style. All the while Manny makes a joke regarding the phenomenal turnout from his countrymen saying, “Although it’s Hatton’s place, I think Manchester is now ‘Mannychester’!” Pacquiao has always had a calm demeanor but at times it is hard to decipher underestimation from confidence.
”I know Ricky Hatton’s weakness but I do not want to discuss that,” Pacman declares to a video reporter after his press conference at the Trafford Center.
Secondly, the Hitman’s size isn’t as overwhelming as I initially thought. On paper they are the same size but it means so much more to see it in person. This is not good for England’s proud son.
The last couple years have been generous to Manny Pacquiao. After campaigning at such a low weight class in his teens, it’s truly unbelievable to see the once dirt poor Filipino grow into his own light and size. Now he’s challenging a man who has never been beaten at 10 stone (140 lbs). The outcome, however, may very well be easier to speculate when you factor in a couple noteworthy details but like everything else, will only be 20/20 in hindsight.

To date, Manny Pacquiao has dropped, stopped, and retired (on the stool) Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Oscar de la Hoya. Looking back ten years, you cannot deny the fact that the figures lining Pacman’s resume are upper echelon prizefighters.
When Pacquiao fought David Diaz, speed favored him immediately. And halfway through the fourth round a significant punch landed flush, the Manila Ice as we’ll call it for now, and it staggered Diaz. Now David was losing every round to this point and he lost every round afterwards too but this punch alone proved to be the most effective addition to the Filipino’s arsenal. And for a southpaw, a good right hook is the finest instrument to own.
Flashback to his second fight with Morales, before Erik was dropped he was hurt by a whooping right hook. Don’t believe me? Watch it for yourself <a href=”http://video.aol.com/video-detail/erik-morales-vs-manny-pacquiao-ii/1199378940”>HERE</a>. The more time Morales spent in the ring with Pacquiao, the more effective his right hand became. In the third and final meeting between them, Manny’s newfound love crept back in the game even earlier. Before being canvassed and forced to quit, he was rocked badly by, you guessed it, a right hook.

So what does this have to do with Ricky Hatton?
Well, for one I don’t consider the Hitman to be as technically sound as Marquez is, nor is he as smooth as Morales was, and he sure didn’t last the whole dance with Mayweather like Oscar did.
I’m a firm believer of the idea that Manny’s choice to pursue a fight with Ricky is safer than a third meeting with Marquez.
When you factor in the reach advantage on top of speed, it’ll be a very troublesome night for our beloved Hitman. He might just get a taste of the revamped ‘Manila Ice’ first hand. Don’t worry; the gimmicky symbol will catch back on in no time. I’m surprised this hasn’t turned up in more boxing venues of discussion. Just watch his recent fights, the right hook is as prominent as the Cotto is in MSG.

Before you scour the internet for facts to contest my reasoning, take this into consideration.
In Hatton’s win over Malignaggi, he threw exactly 516 punches and landed 124 (24%). Paulie landed 27%.
Malignaggi is a slick, speed boxer but he’s not Pacman fast. And he’s not Mayweather slick. Besides, the ‘5-KO-in-27-fights’ Magic Man had a difficult time getting past 10-loss veteran Lovemore N’dou prior to his shot at Hatton.
The 2007 meeting between the more skilled PBF and Hitman saw the punch stats heavily favoring Mayweather at 129 landed (39%) to 63 (17%) for Ricky. Enough said. Despite the horrible reffing, Hatton just wasn’t effective.
After getting tattooed to the body in a fight with Juan Urango, Hatton averaged 20 fewer punches per round over the course of the last half of the fight, which computes to half the output from the first half. The first couple rounds were easy nods in favor of Hatton but midway through the fight Urango, a natural righty fighting southpaw, began to land to Hatton’s body. He had Ricky on the retreat but did not follow up with ANYTHING from that point on. You can bet this is not what Manny, who normally throws more than his opponents, will be doing. But the damage was done and despite the large points victory, Hatton showed how a right hand can change things fast. Just like his fight with Juan Lazcano, Hatton was criticized greatly for his performance rating.

When Pacquiao fought De la Hoya, the audacious southie landed 224 out of 585 (38%) punches thrown. Oscar came out at 21%.
The toughest fights of his life were against Marquez though. When they fought to a draw, he was robbed of a win due to an incorrect points tally. And in the second match, per HBO stats, if the scorecards were based on who connects more on a round-by-round basis, Pacquiao would still get the 6-5-1- nod (115-114). And that’s not including the 3rd round knockdown, which would make it 115-113. A third fight has the potential to overshadow the original Thrilla in Manila because I think another go at it will decide a victor in convincing fashion. And why not in the Philippines? I’m sure his fanbase would appreciate the ‘walk’ to the fight as opposed to a two thousand dollar airfare expense.

With all that said, styles make fights but Hatton only has one to offer really. And I highly doubt he’ll turn to counter punching after being beat to the trigger. I’ve gone over some surface keys for Hatton in a previous article but they are all dependent on whether he can reach, control, and keep up with the quicker, more aggressive Filipino. After all, the Pacman has his own set of keys and strategies to victory too. But it looks like we’ll have to wait until the fight is closer before Roach and company start to divulge their game plan I guess. This is just a sad, sad reminder that the super showdown is still two months away. I’m sure Money May and Sugar Shane are watching, anticipating, and probably will be in attendance come May 2nd.

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http://www.diamondboxing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=26

Hatton Strategy: http://www.diamondboxing.com/newsstory.php?list=6401
Pacquiao-Morales 2: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/erik-morales-vs-manny-pacquiao-ii/1199378940

 

Dr. Pietro Baio DC www.diamondboxing.com

 

On Tuesday January 27, 2009, while driving through Staten Island to get to a business meeting in NJ I stopped by Nicky DeMarco’s Gym. As I walked up the dark stair way to get to the ring I heard nothing but silence. That all changed when I stepped into the room. Nicky was busy Shadow boxing in the ring during his down time. He seemed a man determined to get back into the gym and back into the ring after not fighting for 13 months. That long of a lay off can take a lot out of you. You lose your hunger. It great to see he still had his desire and determination to make it in such a hard sport. Most people don’t understand how much boxing takes out of you mentally in and out of the ring.

Once Nicky was done with his training session I managed to get a few quick questions before he closed up shop for an hour to refuel.

 

Dr.B:

How did you get started in boxing?

Nicky:

I was always boxing since a little kid. I used to go to the gym with my grandfather.

Dr. B:

Your grandfather used to box:

Nicky:

Yeah, my grandfather was a junior welterweight champ in 1941 in the service. When he turned pro he had like 30 pro fights.

Dr. B:

What branch of the service?

Nicky:

In the Army.

I was always round boxing. I started to take it serious late because he never wanted me to do it. I was always in the gym with him. He always took me to the gym. My uncle was a karate guy. He was a seventh degree black belt. He was a fireman and turned to boxing. He did some amateur fights.

Dr.B:

What did he do as a martial artist?

Nicky:

He traveled through North and South America with Chuck Norris, and then he got hurt fighting (boxing) cops vs. fireman. I don’t know what happened. As a kid, they had something there when he was sparring. The guy hit him and he felt pressure in his head. They took him to the hospital. Long story short, now he is in nursing home in a wheel chair. That’s why never wanted me to fight. If you’re looking to do it for a living its not what it’s cracked up to be.

Dr. B:

Anything you have to say about the 4 fights that you’ve had?

Nicky:

Learning experience. Definitely a learning experience. The first two fights were pretty much lay-ups basically. The next two fights were definitely winnable. Looking back, I definitely should have won both. The third fight against Guzman in my book, there was no way I lost the fight. Good fighter. The fourth fight was January 2008 in Atlantic City. They flew in a tough kid. Everyone fights with confidence and I never thought in my weight class I’d get knocked out. In my mind, being a little guy I played every sport. Every sport I played with bigger guys. I was used to getting smashed around by bad guys. So going into any fight I always think I have the upper hand strength wise. That fight was just a reality boost. I got dropped in the first round. Which was, I feel, because of mentally not being prepared. No really wanting to fight. It being a swing bought, it was put your gloves on take them off, on and off all night. I got called out of Paulie’s dressing room ice cold they threw me in. While we go in the ring the other kid was soaking wet.

Dr. B:

Now it’s been a year and a month.

Nicky:

Yeah, I always wanted to open a gym. Even amateur wise where I can be there for the kids, guide them. I opened this up a month ago. I haven’t fought since that January 5th.

Dr. B:

You still have the desire?

Nicky.

Yeah, I love the sport. I love the training but once the business end gets behind it that where I don’t really have a love for it. I may be possibly fighting next month. I worked out a little today and we will see where it goes from there. I have 5 or 6 kids that I train going in to the (golden) gloves. That’s where I’m focusing now. I still love to train. In the right situation and right mind frame I feel I can hang with any body. Me in my weight class coming up, I’m not saying I’m better then any one, but I feel I can stay in there mentally in my position. So we will see what happens.

Dr. B:

What do you think of the guys at the top of your weight class right now?

Nicky:

It is a good division. Juan Diaz is fighting Marquez. To me Marquez might technically be one of the best guys out there. Then you have Juan Diaz that fights 12 round 3 minutes, 36 minutes he doesn’t stop punching. Its going to be a battle of whose game plan is going to out last the other. Marquez, come on, drove Pacquiao down 3 times. And Juan Diaz’s only lose was to Nate Campbell. Those are the top guys.

Dr. B:

What did you think of the Mosely vs Margarito fight?

Nicky:

Mosely fought a picture perfect fight, but maybe Margarito was a little too lax.

Dr. B:

Do you think Getting caught and having to re-tape his hands 3 times affected him?

Nicky:

Yeah, you know everybody underestimated how much of boxing is mental. At this level everyone trains hard, so when people say it was a good camp, they trained hard. A good camp means the intangibles. You know no distractions, your head being clear, and no other issues. That’s a good camp. Taping and things like that. Maybe it got to him mentally. Maybe it distracted him. Maybe he just went in there over confident. All the credit in the world to Shane Mosley. 37 years old, he looked like he was 17. Anything can happen in boxing. All the old guys are coming back.

 

DeMarco has an upcoming super featherweight bought in Staten Island February 26, 2009. Also, if your driving through Staten Island and are looking for a place to train checkout Demarco’s Gym at 101 Ellis St Staten Island, NY (718)-227-2013.

 

Dr. Pietro Baio DC
Performance Edge Chiropractic, P.C.
7315 Ave U
Brooklyn, NY 11234
(917)-309-5464
PBaio_DC@yahoo.com
myspace.com/performanceedgechiro

Diamond Boxing goes one on one Daniel Edouard the current WBA Fedelatin Champion:

P.G. Congratulations on your win in your last bout against Panamanian champ Edouardo Dela Cruz. You won a title in that fight. Which belt was it?

D.E. Thanks. Cruz was a tough fighter and really pressed me from the onset of the fight. I hit him with a straight right which he basically couldn’t recover from. I won the WBA Fedelatin Championship in that fight which is sort of a fringe title but a definite stepping stone. Winning my last three fights impressively have moved me up in the rankings also.

P.G. How was it fighting in Panama? The fans are very knowledgeable over there aren’t they?

D.E. It was an awesome experience fighting in Panama. Boxing is one of those unique sports that will take you around the world and visiting other countries, experiencing the beauty of other cultures is truly a dream come true.

P.G. Did you get to experience any of the Panamanian culture or was it strictly business?

D.E. You never get to experience as much as you’d like because you have to maintain your focus on your fight but I was able to see a lot of the city. Hopefully the next time I go I can visit some children’s organizations. I would love to do that.

P.G. You have a solid amateur background. Can you elaborate on your amateur experience?

D.E. I had 100 amateur fights. I think my record was 84-16-0. Most of the 16 was because of my hard head not listening to my trainers (laughing). It was a pretty good amateur career. I lost to Jeff Lacy in the Olympic Trials. Though I would’ve loved to represent the United States in the Olympics if I had known that I could have represented Haiti I would’ve done so. I don’t mean that as disrespect to USA boxing just the opportunity to be an Olympian is rare.

 P.G. How did you get into boxing?

D.E. That is a funny story. I was sitting in a barber shop waiting to get a haircut and there was a guy talking about a recent fight that he lost. So me with my big mouth started ragging the guy. I was saying stuff like he must be sorry since he lost. Luckily he was mature and didn’t get pissed. He simply gave me a phone number to a trainer and said call him and come to the gym and see if I still talk that much when I get in the ring. So next day I did and let’s just say that boxers are very well conditioned (laughing). It’s history from there.

P.G. I’ve noticed that the date of your next bout isn’t solid. Do you know when your next bout will be and who your next opponent will be?

D.E. I’m not sure when my next bout is or who my next opponent is. I’ll keep you posted on that one but I did hear that there are fighters from Australia and Panama calling out my name. We’ll see what happens. I hope they know what they’re asking for (laughing).

 

P.G. You’ve continued to change weight throughout your career. Is this an issue for you or are just trying to find your favored weight?

D.E. It’s not an issue. I made an effort to get down to 154 thinking that it would give me some physical advantages but it caused a major strain on my body going down so quickly. When I was fighting Eromosele Albert I dominated the first round buy when I went back to the corner I was out of energy. That’s not to take anything from Eromosele, he did an excellent job but that fight and my struggles to get to 154 prompted me to abandon the junior middleweight division at that moment.

P.G. Which weight do you feel most comfortable at and why?

D.E. I prefer fighting at 160 because I feel more comfortable but I wanted to give 154 a try to see how it felt and to know if I could make the weight. So I know that if I absolutely had to I could get to 154. I would just need a little more time to get there effectively.

 P.G. Is your training and weight on schedule?

D.E. I stay in shape. I’m never more than 5 or 10 pounds over my fight weight. You never know when you’re going to get that call and I don’t want to get caught off guard and out of shape. I’m training right now, staying in shape and waiting for the next opportunity to strike.

 P.G. I’ve been hearing a buzz that you are starting your own boxing promotion company?

D.E. Yes I am starting a promotion company. It’s named Haitian Sensation Promotions. There are many reasons behind it but the major one is I want to have more control over my future inside and outside the ring. There is a lot missing in boxing and I feel my company can fill a void. There is a gap in boxing promotions. It goes from club shows to major shows.

P.G. Why start your own company at this stage in your career?

D.E. There’s no middle ground for fighters to acclimate to the upper levels. I experienced that when I took on Jermaine Taylor. There is a major difference from fighting in front of hundreds of people and 10 or 20,000! We want to prep fighters for the next level. It’s sort of like visiting Orlando. Disney isn’t the only thing there. We want to be attraction that is smack in the middle. Not middle in talent but middle in terms of what has been achieved by the fighter thus far. We want to be the company that you can see 10-0 and 13-0 fighters head to head. We want to be the proving ground for fighters.

P.G. Who works with you on Haitian Sensation Promotions?

D.E. We have a small staff that is headed up by Tim Walker who sits as the CEO, smart guy; Very knowledgeable.

P.G. So charity work is a significant part of who you are. What inspires you to give back?

D.E. I don’t really look at it as charity. My inspiration is simple. That’s what is required of each of us, to help each other. So I do all I can to give hope to the hopeless. If we all took the time to help out another the world would be a way better place. I’m just doing what Jesus asked of us to do and I’m not just saying that. I feel that we are required of God to show love.

 P.G. Okay. This is a no nonsense question. Who do you most want to face in the ring at this minute and why?

D.E. Who do I want to fight? I’m not in the business of calling out fighters and it really doesn’t matter as long as it’s a fight that fans will enjoy. My two goals are to have awesome fights and bring awareness to the foundation. As my success grows so does the foundation’s presence and impact. Champions need guys to fight.

P.G. Where do you see your career going after your upcoming bout, what is your ambition?

D.E. After my next bout I see myself winning a title shot somewhere in the next two or three bouts. Provided I get the shot. My goal is to get a world title shot this year. That is my ambition and that’s what I’m going to attain.

P.G. Good luck in your upcoming bout and in the rest of your career, any last words?

D.E. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to do this interview and the fans of boxing for giving me a forum to present my talent because without you and the fans it would just be two guys fighting in the parking lot (laughing). You all bring the buzz and the hype that is so needed in the business. If anyone wants to learn more about the foundation you can get in touch with us at www.myspace.com/officialhaitiansensation or www.myspace.com/hspboxing Thank you again and God bless.

BOXING NEWS www.diamondboxing.com

Pacquiao (above) all smiles after his victory over De La Hoya.

 

 

BY:Robert Epstein

Thousands have voted in our poll, the results are in and by a slight margin boxing fans selected Ricky Hatton over Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the opponent they want to see in the ring next with Manny Pacquiao .The margin was very slim as 49 percent of the voters selected Hatton and 44 percent selected Mayweather.

So now the fans have spoken and the promoters Golden Boy and Top Rank are working on the details to put together Pacquiao vs Hatton. I am sure working out the details of the fight is a challenge for them however the fun comes when they select the title for this fight. It goes without saying and at this point in the year it has been written countless times that Pacquiao has achieved greatness in 2008. He is the official pound for pound king of the ring and deserves all the accolades after his victories over Marquez, Diaz and De La Hoya.

On the other hand Hatton did not have the superstar year that Pacquiao had. However, he was able to record two victories in his two fights and regain the momentum he lost after the Mayweather defeat in December 2007. Hatton under the guidance of Floyd Mayweather Sr. was able to put together a dominating performance over Paulie Malignaggi which catapulted him into the Pacquiao sweepstakes. So here we are with the books for 2008 about to close and new chapters about to be opened in 2009, with what maybe the most memorable boxing event in history about to be announced.

Ricky Hatton (above) in the media room at the Pacquiao - De La Hoya “Dream Match”

In years past both Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions have promoted great battles featuring the legends of the sport, each great fight also included a great title. As they think about the title for Pacquiao – Hatton here are some of their greatest event titles and battles from their past promotions to help spark their thought process:

1985 - “The Fight” - Hagler vs Hearns

1986 - “SuperFight” - Hagler vs. Leonard

1990 - “The Puncher and the Preacher” - Foreman vs. Cooney

1990 - “Once Is Not Enough” - Toney vs. McCallum

1991 - “Battle of the Ages” - Foreman vs. Holyfield

1993 - “Heavy Damage” - Foreman vs. Coetzer

1996 - “Ultimate Glory” - De La Hoya vs. Chavez

1997 - “Buster on Broadway” - Douglas vs. Ryan in NYC

1999 - “Fight of the Millenium” - De La Hoya vs. Trinidad

 2002 - “Bad Blood” - De La Hoya vs Vargas

2006 - “Sworn Enemies” - Mayweather vs. Judah

2007 - “War For Four” - Morales vs. Diaz

2007- “Fast and Furious” Cotto vs Mosley

2008 - “The Battle” - Cotto vs. Margarito

2008 - “Unstoppable” - Pavlik vs. Hopkins

2008 – “Dream Match” – Pacquiao vs De La Hoya

For Pacquiao first it was the epic rematch battle with Juan Manuel Marquez which was labeled as “Unfinished Business “sandwiched in between the De La Hoya “Dream Match” we had Pacquiao Diaz “Lethal Combination”. As for Hatton his fight with Malignaggi was called “Power vs Precision”. So what will the marketing geniuses at Top Rank and Golden Boy come up with for their megasode of Pacman vs Hitman?

 We have asked around and here are some of the suggestions we got         

“Battle of the Generation”

“Battle of the Planets”

” Total Collision”

” Clash of the Storms”

“Collision Course”

“Thunder vs Lightening”

“New Horizons”

My personal favorite title is Pacman vs Hitman “A Battle for the Fans” both fighters have huge fan bases in their own countries and beyond. When Pacquiao fights the Philippines is at a standstill so that they can watch their hero. Hatton fans travel by the tens of thousands to see him fight, which make him the leading box office draw. The fans provide the energy, support and desire they need to reach beyond expectations.  Pacman and Hitman inside the ring always demonstrate their loyalty to their fans with their attacking and never give up styles. So why not title this one Pacman vs Hitman “A Battle for the Fans      

 

Please email me your title suggestions to rob@diamondboxing.com

Boxing News www.diamondboxing.com 

Pacquiao’s supporters (above) cheer him on against De La Hoya.

BY: Robert Epstein www.diamondboxing.com

With victories over Marquez, Diaz and De La Hoya and the title of current pound for pound champion all accomplished in the twenty ninth stanza of his life. Pacquiao now looks ahead to his thirties and the final stages of his boxing career. Not to leave doubt in any ones mind that Pacquiao deserves to be listed as one of The Greatest Boxers of all Time he will now take on Ricky Hatton.  Forget about any rumors of bouts with Kendall Holt or Zab Judah these make no sense or no money and will do Pacquiao no justice. A pound for pound champ wants to fight the best and the best name out there right now is Ricky Hatton. A Hatton – Pacquiao bout if held in the U.K. will break all of the boxing attendance records. However, as negations enter the final stages it appears that the bout will take place in Las Vegas in order to achieve the best economic results.  

While Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton will due their battling inside the ring some time in May 2009, the fans of these two boxing warriors have already begun to square off outside the ring. The message boards the rebuttals, the polls have already started to heat up. The pre fight hype is on and the fan comradery alone will be a battle in it’s self.

Pacquiao with his aggressive boxing style, his offensive approach, always on the attack mentality makes him fan friendly and his recent destruction of De La Hoya has added believers to The Pacman Nation. If you add in Pacquiao’s kind hearted good deeds along with his generosity it becomes very difficult not to be a fan. Pacman has his country of 91 million strong behind him and with the additional support around the globe growing by leaps and bounds Pacman Nation is at its peak stronger than ever. Pacman Nation is ready to take on the Hatton Cult.  

Hatton (above) greets thousands of his fans at the MGM in Vegas before the Malginaggi bout.  

Hatton by far is the leading box office draw, without a doubt if this bout was held at Wembly Stadium 100,000 strong will come and maybe the stadium attendance record of 126,047 could be challenged. When Hatton fights no matter if its home in England or in his second home Vegas the cult comes out. In his last two Vegas bouts against Mayweather and Malignaggi the Hatton following hit the Vegas desert in droves, by the tens of thousands. The pre-fight weigh-in-in is an event in it’s self with over 6,000 Hattonnites strong. Oh yes Hatton has his own Elvis and lets not forget his brass band.

The interest in this bout has already reached a fever pitch, the bout has not been officially announced and the entire boxing world is buzzing with Pacquiao – Hatton thoughts. Pacquiao who has been installed as the 2 to 5 betting favorite to win the bout will also be the global fan favorite. However with his traveling army Hatton for sure will still have the larger on-site fan support.

De La Hoya (above) slumped in the corner at the end of the eighth round

As Pacman journeys to another era in his career one has to reflect back on the amazing past year Pacquiao had, fresh in the minds of all is Pacquiao’s destruction of the Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. Yes it was destruction from the opening bell to the lasting image of De La Hoya slumped on his stool in the corner at the end of the eighth round. That image will play in my mind for a long time as it wasn’t the end of De La Hoya’s career that I am thinking about but the beginning of Manny’s. I know Pacquiao has been boxing for over thirteen years, I know he has 48 victories and only 3 losses, I know he beat the likes of Barrera, Marquez and Morales all who may have been better boxers than De La Hoya. However, it’s the De La Hoya conquering that catapulted Manny as one of The Greatest Boxers of all Time.

Now Hatton must go face to face with the career ending giant Paquiao, if Pacquiao can achieve the same results and crush Hatton in De La Hoya like fashion Hatton’s cult will also be retired.

Forum Contest Win $100 Select the Mosley - Margarito Winner http://www.diamondboxing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=26

BOXING NEWS www.diamondboxing.com

 

BY: Diane Bennett

On December 11 the newly built Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey was christened with a boxing classic. Steve Cunningham put his IBF cruiserweight championship belt on the line against number one challenger Tomasz Adamek. After 12 grueling rounds of amazing action in which both fighters left every single ounce of their energy in the ring it was Adamek prevailing by split decision. However, it was Cunningham who was the aggressor through – out the bout, firing more punches but only to have them absorbed by the   steel chin of Adamek. At points when it appeared that Adamek was wilting to the Cunningham punishment, he would dig deep and find away to land shots of his own, three of those shots landed Cunningham to the canvas. Cunningham immediately got up after each knockdown which occurred in the second, forth and eighth rounds. As Cunningham would say afterwards “All the knockdowns were flash knockdowns to me. I was not really hurt” In the forth round in particular it looked like the champ was going to put Adamek away. Cunningham was demolishing Adamek with an onslaught of blows for the first two minutes or so of the round then with twenty second left Adamek roared backed and nailed Cunningham with a shot sending him to the canvas. The fight had the same theme all the way until the final bell.    

As soon as the final bell sounded the first thought that I had was when will the rematch take place. Boxing fans should not have to wait more than the required time for these two cruiserweight gladiators to climb through the ropes and do it again.

Very few survive three knockdowns and are able to finish the bout let alone receive a favorable decision from the judges. In this case many experts believed that Cunningham’ who threw more punches and connected more frequently was deserving of at least a draw. The judges felt differently with only one of the three giving the nod to Cunningham. Judge Clark Sammartino scored the bout 114 – 112 for Cunningham, while John Stewart had it 116 -110 and Shafeeq Rashada 115-112 for Adamek.

As the dust settled and the massive amount of Polish fans that were in attendance to cheer on their new champion emptied the Rock, both fighters were greeting the press in the post fight conference room. This post fight conference had a tune to it, even before Cunningham who was first to speak could utter a word the hundred or so media in attendance shouted REMATCH, REMATCH. That remained the constant during the conference and Cunningham without hesitation stated that is exactly what he wants. On the other hand Adamek was non comitial.

A week has gone by now and all the reports have been printed, each boxing expert had the fight scored within one point either way and all agreed that an immediate rematch needs to happen. Many went further to say that this was the fight of the year. One thing is for sure USS Cunningham already has the gloves laced and is ready to go. Now it’s up to Adamek and the powers to be to give the fans what they want to see now Cunningham – Adamek II.

BOXING NEWS www.diamondboxing.com

 

Photo Credit - Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro

De La Hoya and Pacquiao Kick off the “Dream Match” at the Statue of Liberty

BY: Rick Assad - After what transpired between Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya inside the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena this Saturday night, it became apparent to the 15,001 fans in attendance and those watching on pay-per-view, the Golden Boy has likely fought for the final time.

The relentless pounding that Pacquiao rendered over eight rounds during their non-title welterweight match, and the manner in which De La Hoya left the ring, his only decision can be “no mas.” Anything else would be futile.

“I was able to defend his jab,” said Pacquiao, considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.”I was connecting with everything. He was connecting with nothing. Speed was the answer to this fight.”

Once great and formidable, the 35-year-old De La Hoya looked old, out-of-shape and tired when trainer Nacho Beristan called a halt to the fight prior to the ninth round. De La Hoya’s left eye was practically closed, and his face looked pained.

“I stopped the fight because I didn’t want him to leave his greatness in the ring,” said Beristan.”Oscar was in good condition, but he couldn’t control Manny’s southpaw stance or style. He wasn’t able to stop him. He just didn’t seem to have the strength tonight.”

The beating De La Hoya absorbed, especially in the seventh round, should tell the one-time Olympic gold medal champion that his time is over.

“I am not shocked because at this stage, when you face someone like Manny Pacquiao, you know you are going to be in a fight,” De La Hoya said. “I worked and trained really hard for this fight, but as I have told everyone, it is a totally different story when you get in the ring.”

De La Hoya went on: “My style is to go forward, but he was boxing on his toes all night and waiting for me to make my mistake. I just didn’t have the strength to stop him and my body did not respond.”

Don’t feel too sorry for the 10-time world champ in four weight divisions. With Golden Boy Promotions the industry leader, the company will be solvent for years to come.

The same, however, couldn’t be said for De La Hoya, who landed 21 percent of his punches (83 of 402), 13 percent of his jabs (32 of 238), 31 percent of his power punches (51 of 164), and was taken to a local hospital as a precaution after suffering the worst loss in his distinguished 17-year-career.

Then again, the last few years haven’t been kind to De La Hoya (39-6-0 and 30 knockouts), who once had brilliant hand speed and extraordinary footwork.

In May at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, De La Hoya won a unanimous decision over lightly-regarded Steve Forbes.

Despite that, after the fight, De La Hoya had obvious puffiness around his eyes. He even looked slow, and couldn’t floor the heavy underdog.

Mind you, this was against Forbes, who would never be compared to a world-class fighter like Pacquiao (48-3-2 and 36 KO’s).

A year earlier at the same MGM Grand Garden ring, De La Hoya had a close bout with undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr., for the World Boxing Council super welterweight belt, but walked away losing a split decision.

That night, De La Hoya started quickly, winning four or perhaps five of the first six rounds, only to fade in the second half.

On Saturday, after eight rounds, Judges Dave Moretti and Adalaide Byrd each had Pacquiao ahead, 80-71, while Stanley Christodoulou favored Pacquiao, 79-72. Diamondboxing.com. scored the bout in favor of Pacquiao, 78-73.

This time, from the opening bell, the quicker and better-conditioned Pacquiao, who has held world titles in four weight classes, was the aggressor, throwing stiff right-hand jabs, followed by darting lefts that continued to find De La Hoya’s face and midsection.

Covering the final three rounds, the 29-year-old Pacquiao connected with 97 punches, while De La Hoya answered with 21.

The seventh round was the tipping point, as Pacquiao, the Filipino hero, threw head and body shots seemingly at will, and had De La Hoya in the corner over much of the three minutes. It wasn’t until the final 30 seconds or so that the East Los Angeles-native answered with his own material.

Over the course of eight rounds, Pacquiao, who landed 38 percent of his punches (224 of 585), 59 percent of his power punches (195 of 333), and 12 percent of his jabs (29 of 252), minimized De La Hoya’s four-inch height and five-inch reach advantage.

These numbers, and De La Hoya’s 20 percent bigger body size, enlisted him a 2-to-1 opening-line favorite. The line dropped significantly in the days prior to the fight.

In retrospect, the younger and faster boxer prevailed. Anyone who saw Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard at the end of their Hall of Fame careers can vouch for this.

Or as Babe Ruth, baseball’s one-time home run king put it at the close of his brilliant career: “Getting old is hell.” De La Hoya knows that feeling.

FULL DREAM MATCH JOURNEY STARTING WITH THEIR TAKE OFF FROM HOUSTON 

 

 

 

  

  

 

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What’s the most important piece of equipment you need on fight night? No, it’s not your jockstrap, all though if you’re looking to have kids you may think it is. Think again. It’s your mouth piece, the last thing you think of and put on before the start of the fight. I have forgotten mine a few times and had to buy a cheap $2 mouth piece. I could have been knocked out. Not smart considering all a good mouth piece does for a boxer.

 

There are three main types of mouth pieces. The cheap ones you get at any old sporting good store. More expensive mouth pieces which get boiled so they fit better. And lastly the mouth guards you get made up at a dentist. You may think that a more expensive mouth piece is out of the question or just not worth the money. Well, each type of guard increases your protection and may even have performance enhancements not found in the cheaper guards.

 

The regular run of the mill mouth guards will mainly do one thing. It will keep your teeth from falling out. So if all you’re looking for is tooth protection save your money and go cheap. In the long run you’re limiting air flow. Also, your teeth will not be in optimal position to save that glass jaw of yours.

        

Next, we have the middle grade mouth guards that everyone usually buys. They cost $15-$150 and may come with some form of ventilation which will increase your air flow. These guards, like I stated before, are usually more of a custom fit. You boil them and then have them contoured to your mouth. Some have kits that allow you to send impressions of your teeth to a company to have a special guard made up. This is better and my even save you from a few upper cuts or hooks to the jaw.

 

Lastly, and possibly the state of the art at the moment, is the ultra guards that are out there. These guards are usually $750 and up. You say crazy? Not really. What’s not getting knocked out worth to you? Or how about being able to throw full force punches well into the 12th round? OK, so you’re not looking to go into the 12th round. Maybe you’re hoping your opponent is wearing a cheap mouth guard that only protects his teeth so you can knock him out. You still never know.

 

These high end ultra mouth guards take a lot into consideration. We can start with your bite. The dentist will usually relax the jaw and neck muscles using electrical stimulus, massage, acupuncture or chiropractic. This will allow for the best possible impression. Just think, if your muscles are tight the impression will be off and you will have a guard made from an unbalance mouth. Clench your teeth, now feel the muscles on the side of your head and jaw. Do you feel the tightness? While it may be secure it is also very fragile and uneven.

        

The next important part in fitting the mouth guard is your jaws natural alignment. A good guard should be fitted based on the center point of your bite. Using a computer an image is generated of your jaw as you move the jaw up and down, left to right, and in and out. The most comfortable position allowing for the most relaxation of your facial muscles is what you need to look for. Every one has a comfort zones with a space between your upper and lower jaw which keeps you confident.

 

  

 

 

Amir Khan and trainer Freddie Roach (above)

BY: Robert Epstein

Amir Khan chats with Diamond Boxing about training in the U.S. alongside Manny Pacquiao and with his new trainer Freddie Roach. With days to go before his next fight on December 6 Khan also tells Diamond Boxing about his opponent Oisin Fagan and how he is preparing for this bout.

As a special bonus for the fans at Diamond Boxing, Amir gives his thoughts on the Pacquiao – De La Hoya Dream Match. Read what Khan’s manager Asif Vali told his long time friend Khan after Khan suffered his first professional defeat to Breidis Prescott in his last bout on September 6 AND MUCH MORE….

Diamond Boxing and Asif Vali:

D.B. - Asif after the lose to Prescott what did you say to Amir?

Asif -After the fight, my immediate thought for Amir was his health and I was asking him if he felt ok and was not confused, in the corner my first thought was to get him back to the dressing room and not to do the press conference, however Amir, whilst on his stool said to me he wanted to do the ringside interview to which I was shocked as most fighters would go and lock themselves away. I knew then he was ok and let Amir carry on and face the media, as he wanted to explain himself where he went wrong and where the team went wrong.

 D.B. - What do you think about Amir switching trainers again and the selection of Roach?

Asif -The weeks after the fight Team Khan had many discussions and Amir decide he wanted to try out Freddie Roach again, we went to America and spent a week with Freddie, Amir returned and choose Freddie as his new coach. I am confident that this will be a fruitful partnership as the bond between the two is fantastic and the different technique Amir is learning will make him a better fighter and a world champion.

D.B. - What do you think about Amir switching trainers again and the selection of Roach?

Asif -Amir has plenty of time now to wait and make his American debut, There is no rush and when the time is right that will come, Amir has to continue learning as he still young and Amir desires to be a world champion and he is more hungry than ever, he wants to prove all the people who have wrote him off that he will be a world champion and believe you me he will.

Diamond Boxing with Amir Khan:

D.B. - Are you enjoying the training camp in the states?

Amir -  Hi Rob I’m back in the UK now two weeks before the fight but the training camp at The Wild Card Gym went really well, the atmosphere there is amazing and I really enjoyed it.

D.B. - In what ways has sparring with Manny helped you?

Amir -   Sparring with Manny has been great, he’s just as fast as me and keeps me on my toes, its helped me a lot mentally as well, knowing that I’ve been in the ring with Manny who is pound for pound the best fighter in the world, and the confidence it has given me, and I can go out there now and fight anyone.

D.B. - How much time are you getting with Freddie?

Amir -   I get plenty of time with Freddie, usually around 3 hours a day which is perfect.

D.B. - On the 6th December you’ll be fighting at the ExCel Arena, will it affect you not having Freddie Roach in your corner for this?

Amir -  Unfortunately Freddie can’t be there, but we’ve gone over plenty of things together and I know how well and hard I’ve trained so I’m fully prepared and it shouldn’t affect me.

D.B. - Have you seen much of your next opponent Oisin Fagan? How have you been preparing for this bout?

Amir -   I’ve watched a couple of videos of him, he looks strong and is a pressure fighter with a big heart, so I’ve had a few good sparring partners along with Manny, and done plenty of rounds to get me prepared.

D.B. - How has he tried to improve your skills? Have you concentrated on defensive work after your defeat?

Amir -   Freddie is fantastic to work with, he’s improved me a lot, we’ve been working on everything along with defensive skills, he’s taught me a lot of new things as well and I can’t wait for the fight.

D.B. - Has the KO by Prescott affected your confidence?

Amir -   Not at all to be honest, yes it put a big dent in my career but I’m back and more confident than ever, I’ve got a point to prove now, and its actually made me a better fighter, I’ve changed a lot of things and maybe it was a good thing what happened in the last fight, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have been training in the States with the best.

 D.B. - Thoughts on Manny’s preparation for Oscar?

Amir -   Manny’s preparing well, he’s like a machine in the gym, and works so hard, I’ve always said the harder you train in the gym the easier it will be in the ring, and Manny is doing everything spot on, it’s nice to train there at the same time as him as he has got a huge fight on the same night, we push each other all time in training, if its running in the mountains or sparring or general bag work, which gives us that extra edge.

D.B. - How do you see the fight going?

Amir - It’s going to be a very exciting fight to watch, very hard to call as they have different styles, but styles make fights, Oscar is a great boxer but I think Manny will be too explosive for him.

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