13.04.07 – By James Slater: Nobody can see into the future. But it’s fun to try. For this article, I looked into my imagined crystal ball and came up with a number of results that may or may not actually happen in the sport of boxing in the coming weeks. To be sure, this piece can be taken primarily as fun. But still, my gut instincts were involved when conjuring up the events that I think will occur in the ring throughout the remainder of 2007. And I take my instincts seriously. As a result, I genuinely believe we will see the following happenings unfold soon.
In no particular order, my predictions are as follows.
Prediction One: Joshua Clottey will win a version of the welterweight title.
His win over the incredibly brave Diego Corrales aside, Clottey has proven himself time and again. His fast hands, rock chin, respectable punch power and ring smarts allowed him to push the Mexican fighter not too many other guys want to face, in Antonio Maragrito, all the way with only one hand. But for the damage to his left, sustained somewhere in round four, the talented African may well have won that fight. We can’t be sure on this score, but I AM sure he will triumph in any title shot he gets this year, including a return one with Tony.
Prediction Two: Diego Corrales will drop down to 140 pounds.
The man who lost to the aforementioned fighter in Clottey, has no option, other than retirement, but to struggle and boil his way down to light-welterweight. And retirement is not a serious option for “Chico.” Maybe he should quit – after the almost insane amount of punishment he’s taken during his hall of fame career he’s entitled – but all bets are definitely off that he will. The first thing trainer Dickey Wood said to Diego after his ten round loss to Clottey was, “Do you wanna go down to’40?” Corrales never said no. Count on it, Diego’s next ring appearance will be at light-welter.
Prediction Three: Floyd Mayweather will win on May 5th, but will have to get off the canvas to do so.
Let’s face it, “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather will be way too fast for Oscar De la Hoya in the fight being dubbed “The World Awaits,” especially in the early to middle rounds. And despite what he may be saying to the contrary, Floyd will not stand toe-to-toe with Oscar. That’s just not his way. Never has been and never will be. But, and it’s a big but, the weight class the fight is being fought in will take its toll on the pound-4-pound king later on in the fight. This is where I believe we will see the most dramatic moment of the fight. Watch for “The Golden Boy” to invoke screams from a supportive crowd with a left hook counter that briefly decks a tiring Mayweather in one of the championship rounds, let’s say number eleven. The drama will be palpable, yet short-lived, as “Pretty Boy” gets back up, dusts himself off, then cautiously boxes his way to a winning finish line.
Prediction Four: Evander Holyfield will win a version of the heavyweight title.
I’m not joining those who say Evander has returned to anything like peak form. But “The Real Deal” has looked pretty sprightly in his last couple of fights. In his last outing in particular, though he was matched with the full of heart yet crude and easy to hit Vinny Maddalone, Holyfield put his shots together extremely well. He still has something left, clearly. Not enough to beat a Klitschko, a Peter or a Valuev; but enough to beat a Shannon Briggs. Watch Briggs KO “Iggy,” as Shannon likes to call his next opponent, in Sultan Ibragimov, and then sign to fight the four-time heavyweight champ late in the year. A decision the current WBO ruler will live to regret.
Prediction Five: Zab Judah will beat Miguel Cotto. By KO!
Call me crazy, but I think Zab’s style is all wrong for the Puerto Rican sensation. Remember Cotto’s fight with DeMarcus Corley? Corley had Cotto all over the place in the early going with a shot to the temple. But he couldn’t finish the job. I think Judah, who is not too dissimilar in his approach to the inferior Corley, will do so. Cotto has made a big mistake in taking this fight. Watch for Zab to shock the boxing world with a mid-rounds KO.