Boxing: February !5-16, 2008

[H2O Man]

(All bouts subject to change)

FRIDAY - at Uncasville, Connecticut (ESPN2) -
10 rounds, welterweights: Delvin Rodriguez (21-2-1, 13 KOs)
vs. Troy Browning (20-0-1, 8 KOs); 10 rounds, light
welterweights: Ali Oubaali (20-3, 17 KOs) vs. Ashley Theopane
(20-2-1, 7 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Nuremberg, Germany - 12 rounds,
heavyweights: Nikolay Valuev (47-1, 34 KOs) vs. Serguei
Lyakhovich (23-2, 14 KOs); 12 rounds, super middleweights:
Vitali Tyspko (21-2, 11 KOs) vs. Robert Stieglitz
(31-1, 19 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Las Vegas (HBO PPV) -
12 rounds, WBC middleweight title: Kelly Pavlik
(32-0, 29 KOs) vs. Jermain Taylor (27-1-1, 17 KOs);
12 rounds, WBC super flyweight title: Cristian Mijares
(33-3-2, 14 KOs) vs. Jose Navarro (26-3, 12 KOs);
10 rounds, middleweights: Ronald Hearns (17-0, 13 KOs)
vs. Justin Astorga (11-1-1, 6 KOs); 12 rounds, super
flyweights: Fernando Montiel (35-2-1, 26 KOs) vs.
Martin Castillo (33-2, 17 KOs); 8 rounds, light
flyweights: Cesar Lopez (20-5, 4 KOs) vs. Brian
Viloria (20-2, 12 KOs).

Three interesting fight cards this weekend. The ESPN card looks to be entertaining, and I think that Uncasville-based promotions are usually of a good quality. I don't think this is what Teddy had complained about. Good young welterweights almost always make for action-packed fights.

I wish that the fights cards from Germany would play on US tv. Both Valuev and Lyakhovoch are interesting heavyweights, and either one could give the others in the division a real contest. American sports fans aren't seeing a lot of the heavyweight action these days. I wish the promoters would consider low-fee PPV coverage of these cards in the US; everyone could be happy with that.

I do not think that the Pavlik vs Taylor rematch should be PPV. I'm not going to purchase it. However, I think it will be interesting. On one hand, Pavlik has to be favored to repeat -- perhaps in fewer rounds -- but it is an error to take Taylor for granted.

Before their first fight, I did a break-down of what rounds Kelly tends to end fights in. He is very dangerous between 6 and 9 rounds. Now, as he moves towards his prime, and with added weight, he may end fights quicker. He isn't fighting as often, and it will be interesting to see if that changes anything for him.

I've always liked this young man Jermain. I did not think Manny S worked well with him. There was no improvement in four fights -- in fact, he regressed. Now Taylor is back with Oxell Nelson.

I was surprised that Taylor said he didn't spar much for the first Pavlik fight. He was in Manny's rural, secluded camp, and I guess he concentrated on other things. If you are the middleweight champion, you should be able to secure the services of many sparring partners.

This guy beat B-Hop twice. He also decked Pavlik, and if he hadn't freaked, he could have possibly stopped him. It is hard to read this young man from a few interviews on tv, but I think he is ready to go to war.

The problem is, that may make him an easier target. Who do you pick?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

1. I wonder if Taylor has corrected the problem of keeping his left hand low

I pick Taylor in this rematch just because I think his loss was a major blow to his ego and that he is extremely anxious to get his belt back. It's a matter of the life and death of his entire career. Another Taylor loss would really set him back. A Taylor win would make the third fight between them a super fight and perhaps a very lucrative purse for both. But Pavlik has a tremendous heart and a great chin. He was up at the count of one when Taylor decked him and took only half a round and the minute rest to completely recover. Frankly, I wouldn't bet hard cash against either one of them as they are both good at what they do, but I just think that Taylor who has sometimes been lackadaisical in previous fights will give Pavlik the fight of his life. Taylor can't lay back, limit himself to counterpunching, and let the fighter come to him this time but has to be a lot more aggressive, I think (I agree with your assessment about going to war). I think that Pavlik does not fight that well when going backwards and Taylor has to come after him and that might negate some of Pavlik's power. Taylor also has to be more effective at clinching too, something he isn't always good at, and he must completely stay off the ropes, unlike his previous problems against Pavlik, Winky Wright, and at times against Hopkins. And there's that bad habit of the low left hand.

I cannot agree with you more about the great heavyweight fights taking place in Europe and the fact that the US media has completely let the American boxing fan down. These fights should be shown over here and I think there would be a good market (as far as the dimiminished boxing market goes - compared to what it used to be).

By the way, are Wednesday night fights on ESPN a thing of the past, or will they start up later in the year, if you know?

[H2O Man]

2. I'm under the impression

that the conflict between Teddy and ESPN's management had something to do with the cut in the WNFs. I hope it gets on track. It makes every week better when at least three fight cards are televised.

Taylor drops the hands, and he started to tire out after 8 rounds. That could be because he was a growing young man, and cutting the weight hurts. He has a frame that can carry more weight comfortably.

Earlier in his career, he could go 10 rounds easily. So I think it is in part weight-related.

I also think a big part of it is psychological. He needs to be relaxed. If you think telaxed, and fight relaxed, you should never get too tired. It's interesting to consider the "old fashioned" training methods, versus the modern ones, especially with "performance enhancing" substances. Why could Ray Robinson fight 15 hard rounds -- and a full three minutes per round -- but some modern champions fight in spurts for parts of 12 rounds, and be tired out? I may do an article on this soon. Guys like Joe Louis and Carmen Basilio didn't need drugs. A guy like Ray Leonard needed them to fight Haglar (one of boxing's secrets).

I'd love to see Taylor train old-school. I think Pavlik actually does. That's why I think he has the advantage.

[TroubleMan]

3. You can usually catch the untelevised (in the US) European matches on SopCast

http://www.sopcast.org/

If you or anybody else is interested, I can probably find out what Sopcast channel it's on about 1-4 hours before the fight.

If anybody's worried, SopCast is 100% legal.

[H2O Man]

6. Thanks.

I'm not familiar with SopCast, but probably should be. I appreciate the information.

Sometimes the Fox stations play the fights a week later. That's good, though the European influence is unfortunately marginalized in the American public's view. Next weekend's heavyweight fight might help bring some focus back.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

4. It looks like Teddy Atlas is back - hooray

And it looks like Taylor will not be fighting for the belt, as the fight will take place at a heavier weight. I didn't realize the rematch contract called for the fight to be at a catch weight of 166, 6 pounds over the Middleweight limit. I guess when the rematch contract was written, Taylor was so confident he would win the first fight, he wanted it to take place at a heavier weight without the belt being at stake. In this particular case, I'm not sure why Taylor is even bothering to fight as he can't get the belt back and I wonder if he's planning on moving up to Super Middleweight.

[H2O Man]

5. Right.

He knows he can't compete at middleweight anymore. He is more focused on getting revenge, than on fighting for a title.

Pavlik also has reached a point where he may not stay at middleweight. It is hard to keep a guy with that sized frame at a lower weight when they are maturing.

I could see either one being an outstanding Super Middleweight. And I think that in two years, if they are active, they may be Light Heavyweights. Both men are fully capable of competing in those weights, and would bring some excitment and much-needed attention to the divisions.

Teddy is #1, in my book.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

7. In this case

I wonder if those weight issues for Taylor that you mentioned will be diminished at this slightly heavier weight and whether he shows improved stamina. On the other hand, I wonder whether the lack of a belt being at stake might affect his desire to go all out. When a fight goes into the championship rounds, I wonder if the corner's insistent urgings to their fighter that he has the championship belt within reach might help coax a few more ounces of energy and drive out of him.

Teddy Atlas last night, if I recall it well, said he predicts a Pavlik knock out of Taylor by the 6th round. I don't think I've ever heard him be that specific about a prediction.

[H2O Man]

8. Pavlik

If you look at his record, most of his knockouts come between 6 and 9 rounds. He wears people down, and starts to land with more accuracy. I would think Teddy is going on added power with weight, plus what he sees as psychological weaknesses with Taylor. The guy is, of course, on target.

Still, Floyd Paterson was messed up after losing the title to Ingemar Johansson. Many people were convinced Ingo would KO him in their return bout. You just never know.

I think that there is a risk for either man to try to hurry the pace of the fight. The man who catches the other forcing it could win.

[H2O Man]

9. Valuev wins big!

"In a WBA heavyweight eliminator, seven-foot former WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev (48-1, 34 KOs) scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over former WBO heavyweight champ Sergey Liakhovich (23-3, 14 KOs) on Saturday night at the Nuremburg Arena in Nuremburg, Germany. As promised by trainer Alexander Zimin, Valuev looked much more polished as he dismantled Liakhovich. After a close first round, Valuev punished Liakhovich in round two, landing a series of hard shots at the bell. Valuev, the largest and heaviest boxing champion of all time, continued to do most of the damage as the bout progressed. The "Russian Giant's" long jab caused all kinds of problems for the smaller Liakhovich, who just couldn't get anything going. In the end, the only question was whether or not Valuev would get a stoppage. The game Liakhovich refused to go down, however, as Valuev swept the scorecards 120-108, 120-108 and 120-107. With the win, Valuev earned a rematch and a chance to regain his old belt against WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev."

--From: "BoxingNews"

[H2O Man]

10. Kelly Pavlik by decision.

It sounds like a good fight, but not worth PPV status.