08.08.05 – By Evan Korn: Jeff Lacy emerged as the second best super middleweight in the world following his sensational knockout of Robin Reid. The biggest story of that fight was not Lacy?s smothering attack or the fervor of the hometown crowd. Rather, it was the poor job by referee Jorge Alonso that ruined what could have been a good fight.. While the fight was dirty on both sides, full of low blows and headbutts, Alonso managed only to catch the infractions by Reid. When Alonso intervened to break up a clinch, Lacy cold-cocked Reid with an illegal blow, knocking the challenger to the canvas, yet Alonso called the brutal assault a knockdown, changing the tide of the fight.
Thomas Hearns emerged victorious from his first bout in five years. While opponent Jeff Long was not exactly Roberto Duran or Pipinio Cuevas, Hearns proved that, yes, there are boxers putrid enough to get knocked out by a forty six year old, blown up welterweight.
While I, like most boxing aficionados, adore Hearns, he’s embarrassing himself and his sport, in my opinion.
Dominick Guinn returns from former heavyweight savior exile, getting a crack at James Toney. Call me crazy, but I believe Guinn has a legitimate shot at pulling out the upset. Toney, overweight and aging, has to grow long in the tooth, sometime. Guinn, who has a chronic habit of not letting his hands go, might start putting some punches together.
For all of you saying Guinn doesn’t deserve the Toney payday, get a grip. Name five more available contenders who deserve a shot at the mound round of the pound for pound. All three champions have bouts in the works.
Monte Barrett and Hasim Rahman are fighting one another. Owen Beck and Guinn conqueror, Sergei Lyakovich, are duking it out. Samuel Peter and Wladimir Klitschko are facing off. However, Audley Harrison won’t fight anybody with a pulse.
Speaking of Audley Harrison, is he seriously facing Robert Wiggins? While he is a blue collared heavyweight spoiler who has made his name on ESPN2 cards, he is not a top 20 or 30 type, in my opinion. If Harrison does not step it up soon, he’ll be just another hyped up British import.
Kevin Dillion is impeccable as “Johnny Drama” on the HBO show “Entourage.” In fact, “Entourage” is the funniest, most reverent show to hit the airwaves in years. If HBO would continue to air boxing programs with as much quality, the sport would be in much better shape.
Why is HBO putting the Tarver/Jones pay-per-view fight one week before the Castillo/Corrales pay-per-view? What would you rather watch? A rematch of an all-time great war, or a rubber match between two aging light heavyweights? Why doesn?t Antonio Tarver challenge Jean-Marc Mormeck at Cruiserweight?
Has “Panchito” Bojado fallen off the face of the earth? Bojado and Ricardo Williams make it on the first ballot of the “wasted talent Hall of Fame,” in my opinion.
How many times will ESPN replay the World Series of Poker Circuit Championships?
Sarcastic bite of the week: I’m glad to see George Foreman is returning to the broadcast booth to cover the August 13th Don King pay-per-view card. It’s refreshing to see one of boxing’s most astute and sensible broadcasters back behind the microphone.