In this weeks ‘Left-Hook Lounge’ segment fight fans around the sport bring us a very wide array of topics to ponder. Making the buzz this week was the usual suspects, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto, however, a couple new faces surfaced as well. To name a few, Kelly Pavlik, Roy Jones Jr., Abraham and Miranda, as well as two heavyweights most figured to be on the brink of self-destruction – James Toney and Hasim Rahman.
Despite the recent loss and renewed talks of retirement, also making it back in the buzz this week is the legendary Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopins, as well as the rebounding Mikkel Kessler. So with no further ado, we take the ‘Left-Hook Lounge’ Back to the streets where a huge fight fan out of Orlando, Florida wanted to know the following……
Winston S. (Orlando, Fl): Now that Calzaghe has decided to face Roy Jones Jr., is there any possibility that either Mikkel Kessler or Bernard Hopkins will fight Pavlik next?
Vivek Wallace (ESB): After receiving this question via email, I began to do a little groundwork to see if there was anything brewing in the underground, and from all accounts I’ve gotten, neither fight is close to materializing at this point. It’s hard to say if either would ever come to fruition because Arum has given mixed signals up to this point. When talking dollars and sense – (as in money and plain logic), Hopkins is the fight to take because he’s a legend and he would be the biggest name on Pav’s resume. Yeah, he lost his last fight, but it was a split decision and he would still be the bigger international draw. As great as the young and budding Kessler is, most reading this article would be hard-pressed to name another fighter on his resume aside from Calzaghe. Although Hopkins appears to be the better choice of the two, where this vision gets a little cloudy is that Arum recently stated that “Hopkins needs to retire” and has shown very little interest in such a fight. Adding to the argument is the fact that Jack Loew (Pavlik’s trainer) only weeks ago stated that Pavlik would remain in his current weight class for another year or so. Hopkins campaigns at the light heavyweight division of 175 lbs and probably wouldn’t agree to go below a potential catchweight of 170 lbs which means those plans would have to be altered a bit. In the end, I think past logic tells us that anything can happen. Personally, I’d like to see the Kessler/Pavlik fight because Kessler is also in his prime and although Hopkins is the bigger name, Kessler would bring a much heavier artillery to wage war with. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen but if I was a betting man, I’d say when it’s all said and done, look for a very grave ending. As in a horror flick, aptly dubbed “The Ghost Meets The Executioner”!
Mario Solomon (Ft. Lauderdale, Fl): How do you see the Edison Miranda/Arthur Abraham fight playing out?
Vivek Wallace (ESB): I won’t go out on a limb and predict a winner because I think the first fight was as solid as you’re gonna find. Take away the Miranda fouls which led to four deducted points and suddenly the plot thickens. I think fight fans can prepare for an all out war, similar to what we can expect out of Cotto/Margarito, if not worst. Both men are hungry, Miranda is 2-0 after an ’07 loss to Pavlik, and Abraham – although somewhat unknown to many Americans – will undoubtedly show and prove why he is regarded as one of the best in the biz. There’s a side of me that feels like Miranda may be a tad bit hungrier, but there’s no way to dispute the heart of a champion. I don’t see either man getting KO’d, but if I had to pick, I think Miranda gets the job done.
Barry Tisdale (Liberty City, Florida): How do you see the Heavyweight fight between Hasim Rahman and James Toney playing out?
Vivek Wallace (EBS): Well, for starters, I think whoever it was surrounding this fight that said “the loser should retire” hit it dead on the button. A few years ago when these guys fought in what was a very lackluster affair and there’s not true hint that this fight will be a bonanza either. Hopefully the thought of being added back to the equation in a heavyweight division that seems wide open is enough motivation to get these guys ‘up’ for this fight. Conditioning has been a major issue for both fighters, but what makes it even more intriguing for James Toney is that this guy – in my humble opinion as well as many others – is one of the most purely talented fighters of this generation. His gift of pure talent has led him to success at points in his career where most other fighters would have fallen flat – literally – considering that he has been able to often win with the worst conditioning you could ever see a fighter fight in. The rumor mill has it that he has finally taken control of his eating habits and dedicated himself to the sport again. If this is true, it could make for an interesting sub-plot because stamina is the only thing that ever kept Toney away from climbing the Heavyweight charts. In a typical journalistic ‘carriage-before-the-horse’ moment, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say don’t be surprised if Toney does emerge victorious, and eventually gets the nod from the U.K.’s David Haye, foolishly under the impression that Toney is easy prey due to his age and recent troubles. As talented as Haye is, the granite chin and craftiness of James Toney would give him fits if his conditioning mirrors that in which we saw when he faced Evander Holyfield years ago. Rahman is talented, but the slow and overly methodical approach he carries wouldn’t allow him to factor too heavily into the current Heavyweight landscape. Both guys have something to prove, but the best conditioned man wins this fight, and the worst conditioned man walks away with yet another reason to hit the fridge and the couch.
Richard E. (Los Angeles, CA): Is Roy Jones Jr. the right decision for Calzaghe in a career ending fight?
Vivek Wallace (ESB): I think for many reasons it was the right move to be made. Kelly Pavlik is a great fighter and few around the sport could logically argue that there’s anyone out there whose stock is rising any quicker, but that being said, Pavlik has kicked butt and made it look so easy that he has somewhat put himself in that high-risk/low-reward spectrum – as it relates to this matter – that plagues so many others. In facing Roy Jones Jr., Calzaghe gets the more internationally acclaimed name, he gets the bigger purse, and he gets the chance to add the last true pound for pound rep in the sport that donned the title long before little Floyd whet our appetites. Seeing things from the other side of the fence, I think this proposition could potentially be more risky than a showdown with Pavlik because Roy Jones Jr, despite what some may say, still has the speed to match Calzaghe in points and the style to make him think more than he had to against the likes of Bernard Hopkins. Within seconds Calzaghe is gonna know that he isn’t in the ring with Hopkins or anyone else he has ever faced. Whether the fight takes place in the U.K. or Vegas, I see this being a spectacle with international implications and in the end, it’ll do something very grand for whichever man walks away victorious. If Jones Jr. can defeat Calzaghe, you have to totally validate the argument that despite his loses, he was truly the most talented fighter of the last few decades, as previously stated by famed trainer Emmanuel Steward. If Calzaghe wins, despite Jones’ age, I don’t think you can discount the victory and in a sense it forces everyone to view this guy as perhaps one of the best fighters in the history of the sport. Definitely a must see fight in my book.
Fernando Moya (Newark, NJ): Will Oscar De La Hoya face Miguel Cotto if he loses to Antonio Margarito, and how do you think his final fight will affect his career standing in the end?
Vivek Wallace (ESB): This is a question I’ve personally pondered ever since the option was discussed. Oscar has a stronger than normal penchant for cooking up new fights before the one on the table is served and done and it has never worked too well in the past. When he scheduled the Bernard Hopkins fight, by everyones account accept the judges scoring, he lost what was supposed to be one of his typical ‘tune-ups’ to Felix Sturm, yet the show went on. As Hatton prepared to face Mayweather, Oscar went out on a limb in saying that he could “see Hatton winning the fight” and that he’d “gladly” entertain a fight with Hatton over in his country, opening speculation to what would later become open discussions of a potential showdown between the two; only to have Mayweather spoil those plans by knocking the Brit out and outclassing him in the process. Each of these scenario’s were cut from the same cloth, and now, there’s the Cotto showdown looming with the same effect. Bottomline, the end analysis will be the same. If Cotto wins, it’s a no-brainer, the fight’s on. If Cotto loses a split decision or something close and/or questionable, the fight’s still on. If Cotto is on the receiving end of an unfortunate KO in a fight that doesn’t go the distance, most would think that Oscar would find himself seeking another tango partner for his already set aside December 6th, fight finale’ date, but once again, the fight would be on. Under no circumstance do I see him facing Antonio Margarito. Antonio is too much of a threat to face in a career departing match for Oscar, and not enough money or glory to risk the potential reward which would equate to a lower than average purse for him. I’d love to see that fight but if Oscar was truly into making this event about competition and not ‘benjamins’, his approach would be different. Consider this….Oscar De La Hoya started the year out by saying he wanted to stay in shape and stay sharp by fighting three times to keep his rhythm, with that final fight being one of epic proportions against a top tier contender. In my observation, if this were completely true, he would have used the now open September 20th date – which was lost when Mayweather suddenly retired – to face another contender a notch better than Forbes to stay sharp and be better prepared. Instead, he closed the door on that potential date which means another period of inactivity that he doesn’t necessarily need before he climbs into the ring with some very formidable foe. Out of respect for a legend, I wouldn’t mind seeing Oscar walk away with a “W”, but if the cynical cry which states that he is only still in the game for the money is true, he may walk away with what he wanted, but not exactly with what he needs….which is a “W” against a future Hall of Fame fighter who’s still in his prime to help solidify his legacy. To answer the question, I think he will face Cotto regardless. How that helps his legacy is not a question for me to answer alone. The consensus has spoken loud and clear enough. Listen carefully…..
(Got Questions or Feedback?: Write ESB’s Vivek Wallace at vivexemail@yahoo.com or show some love at www.myspace.com/anonymouslyinvolved)