Why We Accept Boxing Broken

It is something intrinsic.

Something primal and savage and animalistic that burns deep within every one of us, without exception.

It speaks to us through deafening silence, from a quiet place as the chaos unfolds.

It is this nearly unexplainable inherent quality that captivates us, that speaks to us on some higher plane.

And for this reason, despite all the poor judging, inept referees, full-scale riots, quarreling promoters, postponements and the like, still we love the Sweet Science.

There is no secret there is something terribly wrong with professional boxing, from the appalling sanctioning bodies, to the overabundance of champions, to the core issue of non-existent central authority. But we as fans soldier on with limitless patience, evangelizing to the non-believers, baptizing the casual masses in the names of Gatti-Ward, Vazquez-Marquez, and Corrales-Castillo.

We can accept the sport we love is flawed, even broken. But we cannot believe the heresy being regurgitated time and again, that “boxing is dead.” A wounded animal attacks when cornered and often comes back stronger. When boxing was on supposed life support after Sugar Ray Leonard walked away, Oscar De La Hoya was there to pick up the torch. When the Golden Boy started throwing promotional punches full-time, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather were primed and ready to carry the banner. And when the current kings are ready to move on, there are hungry fighters like Donaire, Ward, and Rios waiting in the wings; signs of life couldn't be more evident.

Like an addict with a moment of clarity, we know the risks of using, but the yearning overcomes us. Our mistress calls to us, and drunk with love we chase after her. Boxing is the last remnant of ancient Rome, where a city stood entranced by man-to-man combat. The modern distractions and shortcomings fade away as the Squared-Circle of Truth beckons. Our flames dance and flicker under the bright lights as modern-day gladiators prepare for battle.

No time-outs or substitutions.

No tools and no enhancements.

Coliseum to the core.

Pacquiao Perfection?

During the undercards on Saturday night, Miguel Cotto sat ringside with his family, preparing for the inevitable battle that awaited. Hardening himself, the WBO welterweight champion probably didn't anticipate confessing to the world, “Manny is one of the best fighters of all time.”

The fight correctly dubbed “Firepower” became a firing squad for Pacquiao, and an utter cease-fire for the former champion Cotto. Pacquiao connected 49% of power shots, landing largely as he pleased throughout the fight. Cotto made it through the first round brilliantly, boxing and counter-punching effectively, keeping Pacquiao at a surprised distance with his solid jab. However, Pacquiao planted Cotto on the canvas in round three, distracting Cotto with a right hand feint, landing a straight left to the body, followed by a blinding right hook to Cotto's temple, finished with a left uppercut on the way down, just for good measure.

Against Freddie Roach’s advice, Pacquiao languished on the ropes a bit, testing Cotto's punching power. And that question seems to be answered: Manny Pacquiao can take the best punches from a full-fledged welterweight—he walked through the “stronger man's” best shots for twelve rounds. In the fourth round, Pacquiao landed a brilliantly placed left uppercut, penetrating Cotto's guard, his eyes rolling back as he stumbled to the canvas for the second time.
Cotto won round five with effective jabs and a measured attack, Pacquiao taking a rest after two consecutive 10-8 rounds. However, from round six on, Pacquiao controlled the fight, thrashing Cotto with blistering combinations from all angles. Pacquiao boxed on his toes beautifully early on and hunted flat-footed relentlessly to close the show. Pacquiao seemed to debilitate Cotto, the infamous body puncher, with every blow downstairs. In full retreat, the fight could have been justifiably called in the ninth round, Cotto back-pedaling from corner to corner, unable to adjust to the fight Manny dictated; Cotto’s wife and son left the arena before the bell ended the round.

Chief second Joe Santiago gave no technical advice to his fighter between rounds. Instead, a sense of mayhem and desperation ensued; Miguel even kissed his father between rounds, as if to say 'I will weather this...' But the Pacquiao-storm continued. Pacquiao grinned when hit flush by Cotto, beat his gloves together as he methodically stalked the defending champion, and often stopped in frustration, as if to say 'I thought this was a fight...' Even so, Cotto showed his true courage and warrior's heart as he stayed on his feet until Kenny Bayless waived the fight in the last round. Out-classed and aware of the outcome that loomed ahead, Miguel Cotto demanded to go out on his own terms.

In the aftermath of the most-anticipated fight of the year, a new welterweight champion has emerged. All questions regarding Pacquiao's previous victories over De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton should be laid to rest. All doubts regarding Manny's abilities against a legitimate welterweight champion have been undeniably removed. And the case for Pacquiao's pound for pound supremacy continues to solidify, a debate that Freddie Roach wants resolved in 2010.

Manny Pacquiao continues to exceed all expectations, winning a record-breaking and historical seven championship belts in seven different weight classes, solely responsible for carrying the hopes of a burdened nation, continually dominating bigger opponents in scintillating fashion. The popular question seems to be “Is Manny Pacquiao good enough to beat Floyd Mayweather?” But after making yet another career-defining emphatic statement in the middle of the ring, Pacquiao clearly states, “Is Floyd Mayweather good enough to beat me?” Fans of the Sweet Science eagerly wait with baited breath for the answer they deserve.

"Pac" Backpedaling

By nature, humans are brash and outspoken, boldly predicting what looms ahead with confident conviction. But time tends to clean the lens: hindsight provides 20/20 vision. And with that in mind, I thought back to the eager anticipation, the unwavering predictions from Manny Pacquiao's last two mega-fights--"contests" which are now brought into question, even disregarded after the impossible was accomplished.

Disclaimer: I am not denying that Oscar De La Hoya was weight drained on December 6th, 2008. However, we seem to forget the unanimous predictions that were shouted across the boxing board. Thomas Hauser, famous boxing writer and analyst, wrote "The disparity in weight between De La Hoya and Pacquiao has led to complaints that boxing's Golden Boy is buying a gold-plated mismatch. Oscar is in danger of being seen as a school-yard bully who, after having lost to fighters his own size, is now picking on tough little guys." Even fellow welterweights Paul Williams and Antonio Margarito blasted De La Hoya for fighting a lightweight, predicting a third round KO for the Golden Boy.

And now that the dust has settled and De La Hoya is throwing promotional punches full-time, the world seems to forget the way it was "supposed" to go. In factual comparison with all bias aside, Mayweather himself challenged a tough lightweight in Juan Manuel Marquez, at a catch-weight of 144 lbs (although Mayweather ignored the limit). With the blue-print of Pacquiao/De La Hoya scrapped and the finished product cemented, some were giving Marquez a fighting chance, largely due to his blood-and-guts wars with Pacquiao, the new Pound for Pound king.

But unlike the "Dream Match," the fight followed the predicted script, with the bigger and stronger Mayweather soundly beating a "tough little guy." Meanwhile, Mayweather's iconic rival went on to assassinate the bigger Hitman inside of two rounds. Roach predicted a KO inside of three rounds, which many scoffed at during the prelude to the fight. And although Manny was the betting favorite following his Goliath-like slaying of De La Hoya at 147 lbs, he was facing a prime RING champion in his own 140 lb weight class.

But boxing has no season, and as the fight calendar moves forward and new anticipations are found, fans tend to forget that Manny Pacquiao is defying the odds. De La Hoya writes in his exclusive RING blog that Pacquiao never hurt him with any punches, yet his swollen face and post-hospital visit beg to differ. And while Mayweather stays busy fighting radio DJ's like RA the Rugged Man, Pacquiao prepares for the fight of his career in Miguel Cotto. Much like his fight against the bigger and stronger Hatton, Pacquiao is already a 2-1 favorite over the bigger, stronger, prime, and natural welterweight. Some have stated in the aftermath that Pacquiao "cherry-picked" Oscar and Ricky, weight-drained and overrated, although both defeated foes were the one's to challenge the newly-crowned king. And in challenging Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao is doing what Mayweather should have done, and may be favored by odds-makers and sports-betters, but at least one boxing purist views this fight as even. Anyone who disagrees is seriously underestimating both warriors.

On the morning of November 15th, listen to the whispers around the boxing world. Will they say "Miguel Cotto was damaged goods," even after boldly predicting an end to Pacquiao's reign? Or will Cotto emerge victorious and restore logical thinking, executing the predicted-ending that was written off and forgotten after Pacquiao shocked the world? Maybe RA the Rugged Man can challenge the winner after his TKO of Mayweather. No matter the outcome, fight fans can rejoice, witnessing the best fight the best. All predictions, heated debates, and personal opinions aside, we should embrace the winner and finally give them the credit he deserves. If Pacquiao's hand is raised, we will know that Pacquiao bested a prime, welterweight champion, and all other squabbles about Oscar's weight and Hatton's lack of skills should be left behind. And if the Caguas Crusher celebrates in victory, he will have beaten Manny Pacquiao, the man that defied the odds. As fight fans of the Sweet Science, back-pedaling to excuses is trivial, yet some writers continue to live in the past. I for one am looking forward to the future, and an entire year of new anticipations to discover.

Worn with Pride.

We are ten days away from the fight of the year: Cotto vs. Pacquiao, November 14th. I recently ordered this shirt online (compliments of Ariel Payopay) to be worn on fight night. The bottom inside of the shirt flips up to read "VICTORY."

Pacquiao's keys to victory:

• constant in-and-out movement
• use uppercuts and angles to break the "ear-muff" defense
• fighting and counter-punching off the back foot early
• get Cotto's respect early, land blows often
• let Cotto assume the aggressor role, but jump on him when he starts to fade

Cotto's keys to victory:

• use the right hand lead followed by the left hook
• attack the body early and often
• use timing to offset speed (Mosley, Judah)
• use ring generalship to make Manny move
• find Pacquiao in the corner and against the ropes

In the last two mega-fights of Manny Pacquiao's career, I have always felt that twinge of uncertainty as the fight draws near...De La Hoya was a 2-1 favorite over the "little man," and while Hatton was the underdog, he blindly believed in his strength and power. And even though I feel confident that Pacman will make history that night, the looming size and natural weight of Cotto brings a shade of doubt; anything can happen in a fight.

I loved RA the Rugged Man's phone interview with Floyd Mayweather. Even though the interview was meant to get Money worked up, I loved how every question had no legitimate answer. Here is what we found out, compliments of Floyd Mayweather:

1. Weight doesn't matter in boxing (referring to Floyd choosing a chubby 36 y/o Marquez to move up and fight him)
2. Legacy doesn't pay the bills (referring to Floyd caring more about the payday than the quality of opposition, even though he maintains his mansion is paid in cash)
3. Boxing dies if I leave (maintaining that he alone is the star draw in the sport of boxing, despite the new-found fame and success of Manny Pacquiao)

Sergio Martinez vs. Paul Williams is a good secondary following another Pavlik pull-out. It would be sad if Kelly was stripped of his lineal titles in February if he doesn't make a defense...

I'm sick of Antonio Margarito even being mentioned. If he wants to fight, he should get in there with countryman Alfredo Angulo at 154 and find out how a proud Mexican warrior fights.

It's funny how Mayweather wants to be loved for his undefeated record, not his resume of opponents. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is undefeated. Need I say more?

Expectations.

When Ricky Hatton made his second attempt to gain P4P supremacy on May 2nd, the burden of proof fell on the Hitman to make it through the early rounds, which would have given him a chance to make the fight a brawl in the later rounds. Manny put Hatton to sleep before he had the chance...

The same burden of proof fell on undefeated Cris Arreola, who needed to eat enough punches to get inside and brawl with Vitali Klitschko, the heavyweight champ with the highest KO percentage in boxing history, now 38 wins by 37 KO's.

But the Mexican-American fell short. He did last 10 rounds, which is more than the majority of Klitschko's other opponents can say. Vitali simply changed up his game-plan to frustrate the inexperienced challenger, using that huge reach advantage to maintain distance with the jab, conserving energy by throwing mostly "arm" punches, which seem to do as much damage as any other fighter who turns his weight into his punches.

Although I was hoping that Arreola could make it a dog fight while it lasted, I knew without question that the fight would end this way, though I didn't envision Arreola weeping...

The same goes for last week's fight with Mayweather taking on Marquez. Although I hoped the older, smaller fighter would be able to capitalize on enough of Mayweather's disadvantages (his long layoff, his injured ribs, the extended training camp, etc.) to make a difference, clearly these hopes were pipe-dreams.

And that seems to be my biggest reason for anticipating the November 14th showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto: there is no easy pick.

Sure, Manny has the P4P throne, the speed, footwork, and angles. But Cotto brings his destructive power, infamous body punches, ring generalship and offensive pressure. Plus he's the naturally bigger and stronger man--a natural welterweight.

In a fight with so many factors, it would be irresponsible for anyone to predict the winner before the bell sounds. And that's what excites me--what excites any true boxing fan. Pitting the best one man can give against another, forced to expect the unexpected.

Pre-Destined.

The King has been challenged.

Mayweather ended his 21-month layoff showing no signs of rust or age, dismantling the technical veteran Juan Manuel Marquez in 12 one-sided rounds. The former pound-for-pound king made Marquez look like a sparring partner, rolling his shoulder and dancing away from punches. Money landed close to 50% of total punches, while Marquez was only able to land an embarrassing 12%, with only 21 jabs throughout the 12 round fight.

Although Marquez went down on a lazer-left hook in the 2nd round, he proved irrefutably that not only does he have heart, but also that Floyd is no powerhouse.

The fight went exactly as planned, following the blue-print to the letter. There was talk of Mayweather wanting the knockout, but coasting to a comfortable UD over a smaller man defines his style.

After the fight, Marquez drew some comparisons in the P4P debate, stating "They have different styles. Floyd is very clever. He’s a defensive fighter 100 percent. He’s a good counter puncher. [But] Pacquiao is a guy who likes to fight."

That seems to be the answer to the P4P debate: Mayweather is the best BOXER. But Pacquiao stands alone as the best FIGHTER.

People didn't love Arturo Gatti because of his slick style or technical gifts: they loved him because he dug down deep, found a hidden reservoir of talent and heart, and came back swinging for the fence. Mayweather will be unable to develop that kind of following until he is stuck in a war that forces him to dig...We all know there's talent there, waiting. But is there heart?

All roads seem to be leading to Pacquiao/Mayweather. But not if Shane Mosely can throw up a road block. In Kanye West-esq fashion, Mosley interjected into Floyd's post fight interview with Max Kellerman, taunting the victor a little, saying "this is the fight the fans want to see." Floyd, complete with entourage and guest WWE star Triple H, did not welcome the interruption.

Shortly after Kellerman tried to calm the peace, he shouted the only name that could silence Floyd: "Manny Pacquiao!" And after Floyd gave his usual "I need to talk with Leonard Ellerbe and Al Haymon" (Floyd's advisors), Kellerman had to cut the interview short to avoid Sugar Shane and B-Hop from tag-teaming Floyd and Triple H...

What I've come to realize is this possible mega-match between two P4P kings is comparable to the Cold War: Floyd and Manny are in an arms-race. Pacquiao beating Cotto will give him 7 titles in 7 weights classes, something no other boxer has accomplished, even with all the ridiculous belts and titles. Pacquiao will also have beaten a top-10 P4P fighter, as well as an undisputed welterweight champion. But Floyd brings his perfect record, his self-proclaimed superstar draw, and now an easy victory over the man that took Pacquiao to the limit. Even with Manny's blowouts of De La Hoya and Hatton, you know that Marquez will now factor into the monetary debate.

Like the Cold War, this battle of "World Superpowers" may never even come to fruition. The United States and Russia prepared vigorously for a war that seemed inevitable, but ultimately never took place. Thankfully, the world was not forced to witness such a potentially horrific battle of military superpowers. But hopefully, the world WILL be privileged enough to witness such a potentially terrific battle of two of boxing's greatest superstars, something that seems inevitable--pre-destined.

It's Only Just Begun.

Fight season is finally here.

I honestly won't be upset whoever wins either fight, Mayweather/Marquez or Pacquiao/Cotto. If Mayweather wins, we are one step closer to the biggest fight in boxing--the fight that would do guaranteed record-breaking numbers: Pacquiao/Mayweather.

But if Marquez pulls the upset and hands Money his first defeat, who the hell can complain about a Marquez/Pacquiao III? Maybe Marquez gave Pacquiao a run in their first two wars, but Pacquiao wins in dramatic fashion if a 3rd fight is made. These two guys were made to wage war...

And if the underdogs pull out the victories? I'll settle for Marquez/Valero and Cotto vs. the winner of Mosley/Berto.

Props to Cotto and Pacquiao both. I don't know who has more guts: Pacquiao for fighting the bigger, stronger man--a true welterweight champion. Or Cotto, a favorite fighter of mine since watching him demolish Zab Judah at the Garden, continuing his commitment to only fight the best opposition in challenging the best P4P fighter in the world.

I'm glad to hear that the rumors surrounding Arreola and his lack of training for his Sept. 26th fight against Dr. Ironfist, Vitali, are un-true. Nightmare is looking reasonably fit and ready for the chance of a life-time: become the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion of the world.

Why the hell are Mat Korobov and John Duddy's fights UN-TELEVISED on Top Rank's Latin Fury 12 PPV Card??? Those will be the two best fights of the night. Mark my words: Korobov is the truth.

Did anybody else think of the Ortiz/Maidana fight when watching the entertaining FNF headliner with punchers Urango and Bailey? Why not make Maidana/Urango...eh?

The only competition on tonight's Showtime Super Six preview, feat. Kessler and Ward making their respective mandatories, will be who blows out their opponent faster.

Also LOVE the idea of bringing the Mayweather/Marquez, Pacquiao/Cotto winners to fight next year at Yankee Stadium, where Joe Louis and Max Schmelling drew a crowd of 70,000 people for their heavyweight fight. It's time for America to remember it's true past-time...

If Pavlik pulls out of another fight because of staph infections, I think he should be forced to fight Paul Williams with one hand...new date tentatively set for December 5th.

This change in the HBO schedule pushes Mosley/Berto back to January 30th. Mosley was originally settling for Clottey on December 26th, but HBO came to it's senses and refused a card so close to Christmas. Since Mosley would have to wait until 2010, this solved the money problem which brought Berto back into the equation for a unification fight. Clottey, already training in Las Vegas, was silenced by giving him a slot on the Pavlik/Williams undercard. This pushes B-Hop's (possibly last) fight back to February, after his 45th birthday, which the wily veteran is not so pleased with.

Get all that?