Boxing News {12-8-06}

It's a big weekend for boxing fans. Let's look at some of the fights:

The "big card" in Little Rock features Middleweight Champion Jermain Taylor, 25-0 (17 KOs) defending against Kassim Ouma, 25-2 (15 KOs). Taylor is a big middleweight, and Ouma is a small jr. middleweight. That makes a heck of a difference. Still, Ouma is a talented fighter, and Taylor continues to show an eagerness to fight the best competition.

On the undercard, welterweight Andre Berto, 15-0 (13 KOs), fights a 10-rounder against Miguel Figueroa, 24-5-2 (14 KOs). Berto may be one of the best "young guns" in the very talented division.

Also, in an 8-rounder that probably isn't on tv, Dominick Guinn, 26-4-1 (18 KOs), fights Zack Page 12-8-1 (4 KOs) in a heavyweight mismatch. Guinn is being spoon-fed in an attempt to revive his very disappointing career.

In Charlestown, SC, heavyweight Ray Mercer, 34-6-1 (25 KOs) will beat up Kenny Lenos, 8-4-1 (5 KOs). It is sad that Mercer is reduced to this.

And in Hollywood, FL, two other former heavyweight champions try to recapture the past. Michael Moorer, 47-4-1 (37 KOs), fights Cliff Couser, 25-10-2, (13 KOs). Michael was a very good lightheavyweight champion before he went up to heavyweight. I would put him in the very top of that division's best, at least in the top 7 or 8. He was a good heavyweight, but will be best remembered for his loss to Big George Foreman. He needs to stay retired.

Oliver McCall, 48-8 (35 KOs) fights Yanqui Diaz, 13-4 (8 KOs). McCall had so much potential in his younger days. He flattened Lennox Lewis, and for that matter KOed Oleg Maskaev in less than a round. Substance abuse stole his career, sadly. But he is on a strange comeback, with some impressive wins. He hits hard enough to beat a number of top 10 contenders.

Also, two of my favorites were voted to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame this coming June: Roberto Duran and Pernell Whitaker. I'm making reservations!

Also tonight, Oleg Maskaev, 33-5 (26 KOs) defends his WBC "title" against Peter Okhello, who has a record reported as either 18-7 or 18-4 (16 KOs). The 37 year old Maskaev, who now lives in the US, will return to Moscow for the first heavyweight "title" bout ever held in Russia. Okhello, who is relatively unknown in the US, is a 34 year old Ugandan living in Japan. I think both fighters are very capable of losing this fight.

Early 2007 will be interesting for those who enjoy the heavyweights, as there are three intersting matches scheduled. On January 6 in Florida, Samuel Peter, 27-1 (22 KOs) fights James Toney, 69-3-3 (43 KOs). Peter won a close decision in their first fight. Toney has reportedly been training hard for this match. Peter has been taken in by Don King, who recognizes that Samuel may be a big part of the division's future. I'm a little tired of Toney's people whining that Peter hit him illegally on the back of the head in the first fight. No, he didn't. Toney turns so the punches landed there. They weren't clinching. It's not an illegal blow. But it is a dangerous place to absorb any punches, especially from a very hard puncher.

On January 20, in Switzerland of all places, Nikolay Valuev defends his "title" against Jameel McCline. It will be the "biggest" heavyweight title fight ever. Valuev, 33, is 7' tall and 350 lbs. McCline, 36, is 6'8" and 280 lbs. Valuev is attempting to win 5 more fights to surpass the reported (but inaccurate)49-0 record of Rocky Marciano. McCline has won 6 in a row, and has actually looked good in recent matches.

Then on February 17, in Atlantic City, Shannon Briggs, 48-4-1 (42 KOs) fights Sultan Ibbragimov, 19-0-1 (16 KOs).

Also, W Klitschko has signed to defend his "title" against Ray Austin. While some are saying that this isn't a good fight on paper, I think two things stand out: first, Klitschko has every right to take an "easy" fight; and, second, Austin may prove to be more difficult than expected. He is big, strong, and athletic. He is not easy to look good against. Reminds me of Ernie Terrell.

I'm surprised Maskaev didn't score a KO. Guess the challenger was more durable than I thought. From what I gather, both Ray Austin and Ibragimov have earned shots at belts. They fought a few months back at the Hard Rock in Hollywood for a shot at the IBF belt. It was a fairly entertaining fight and I figured they'd do it again. But since Ibragimov will get a chance against Shannon Briggs, Austin can take the fight with Wladimir Klitschko.

It doesn't seem like I missed much in regards to the HW card. Moorer and McCall won easily, as you pointed out.

Onto the HBO card...

Andre Berto was impressive. Figueroa was tough but had no defense and little chance to win. It was disgraceful that his trainer sent him out for the 6th Round. Figueroa was clearly spent and had nearly no chance to win. Figueroa wanted to the fight to be over, and the trainer should have obliged.

Taylor wasn't as impressive as the HBO crowd made it sound. Taylor won easily IMO (10-2 rounds) and landed the harder punches. However, it wasn't a very polished performance. The case could be made that he did a good job of blunting Ouma's aggressive style. Ouma wasn't able to throw the 100 + punch rounds that he did against lesser opponents like Verno Phillips and Sechew Powell.

I'm not a big fan of the open scoring process. One problem is that it's only used in bouts sanctioned by the WBC. And it also allowed Taylor to slow down after 8 Rounds, knowing all he needed was to stand upright to win a decision. IMO, open scoring doesn't address the problem of hometown decisions and corrupt/incompetent judging.

And speaking od incompetent officiating, I couldn't believe that Laurence Cole was working the Berto fight. I haven't heard a good explanation as to why he told Marquez that he was winning on the cards and therefore could quit and take the decision. I've never liked Cole for a variety of reasons. #1 is that his father, Dick Cole, heads the Texas Boxing Commission. And #2, Cole is connected to the insurance company that underwrites the policies for fights in TX. Sure looks like a conflict of interest.

I wish Merchant was at the Marquez/Jaca fight when Cole made that comment to Marquez. I was screaming at the time, knowing that a referee can never tell a fighter the scores, nor should he have knowledge of the cards. The HBO team of Kellerman and Lewis merely stated it was "odd" for Cole to say that. IMO, it deserved further inquiry.

a rematch with Austin due to the draw. Of course, I thought Rahman and Toney would fight again, too. A draw in a big fight is a good reason for a return match.

I found Cole's statement way out of line. That is the type of thing that can't go unaddressed, if the sport is going to be viewed as clean and honest.

The scoring thing has more negatives, in my opinion, than the few positives it offers.

I'm thinking the heavyweights are going to become a much more attractive division in '07. There are guys who are willing to fight the other top guys. There is also a fairly strong second tier of talent. It's not going to be the same as in the days of Ali, Frazier, Foreman and the other top fighters of that era. But we are seeing some good fighters emerge. I love it.

Taylor - 159 lbs
Ouma- 158 lbs

I have to pull for Ouma. I like his story of coming over to America from Uganda as a young boy. He also happens to train in my home town of West Palm Beach.

I also like Jermain Taylor. I think he's a pretty good representative for the sport of boxing. He needs to come out with an impressive performance tonight. Ouma's an action fighter, but Taylor is the naturally bigger and more powerful man.

I expect that Taylor's counterpunching will eventually overwhelm Ouma's activity. Ouma has the chance to come out early and make some noise. Still, Taylor's the better overall technical boxer. He'll likely end up stopping Ouma in the later rounds of this fight.

In other news, I just read on the Internet that Audley Harrison TKO'd Danny Williams in 3 rounds in England. Neither of these guys mean much in the division today. Harrison is delusional if he believes, like he says, that he'll be undisputed champ by 2008. "Fraudley", as some call him, never lived up to his 2000 Super Heavyweight Olympic Gold status.

I just purchased my ticket for Toney/Peter II at the Hard Rock in Hollywood. I was impressed last time I attended a fight there, which was the rather boring Glen Johnson/Richard Hall bout. For a $50 seat, the view was still good from the 300 section. I wish I had the money for the lower zone tickets, but I'm just happy to be able to attend the fight.

I don't agree with Toney getting the immediate rematch. While the fight was close, a Peter decision wasn't an outright robbery. Maskaev, the current titlist that the winner will be mandated to fight, is keeping himself busy by fighting on Sunday in Russia. Not much media attention over here in the States. And judging by the opponent he selected, it looks like more of a hometown celebration for Maskaev, who just this week was certified as a Russian citizen.

I'd actually be interested in seeing Valuev/McCline. I doubt any major American television station will go to Switzerland. When McCline is focused, he could pose a threat to Valuev. Unfortunately, he tends to freeze in big moments, such as his hyped matchup with Wladimir Klitschko in December 2002. Incidentally, that fight took place almost four years ago to the day (December 7).

I couldn't bring myself to spend $50 for tonight's atrocious PPV main event from the Hollywood Hard Rock between former champ Michael Moorer and "Twin Tyson" Cliff Couser. Just an abomination of a PPV telecast. Brings me back to the old Cedric Kushner "Heavyweight Explosion" days.

can get the Moorer card for $10 on "SecondsOut" on the internet.

I agree with you on every point. Taylor may be just too big .... a guy who is ikely to be a super middleweight or even lightheavyweight soon. I really like both of these guys.

The British heavyweights put on a better fight at the weigh-in.

Taylor by decision in an entertaining fight. Berto by TKO.

Moorer by TKO in 1. McCall by KO in 7.