Hector L. (Dallas, TX): I’m a huge fan of Brandon Rios and wanted to get your opinion on two things surrounding him. How did you rate his performance? And how do you see him doing against the bigger names at 140lbs now that he has decided to move up in weight?
Vivek W. (ESB): In the past I’ve talked quite often about what I call the proverbial “pendulum” in the sport, referring to the way the media and the masses of fans swing from one guy to the next based on a strong performance before they truly analyze a talent to know whether or not he’s truly worthy. In the case of Brandon Rios, honestly, I think it’s safe to say it’s one of the rare cases where that “pendulum” could very well be swinging in a solid direction. When I see Rios, I see a number of things I love to see in a young and rising prospect. Solid….very solid. That being said, every fighter I analyze is subject to what I would also call the ‘middle-grounds perspective’ and as great as he looks, there are a few things to consider. Here goes….
You have to keep in mind that there’s the type of talent that wins by being entertaining and putting cheeks in seats, and then there’s the type of talent that simply wins…..be it entertaining or non-entertaining. When you look at things for shock value, the type of talent that puts cheeks-in-seats is often great to watch, but not all the time is it dominant enough to repel the best level of competition. We look at young rising prospects like Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Timothy Bradley, Brandon Rios, and others, and we view each of them as men who are basically bulldogs. They take the fight to their opponent using minimal skills and maximum tenacity.
Looks great to the eye of the fan and when you hail from a proud heritage like the Mexican faithful, having this rugged ability fuels that fan base and increases it more quickly, but as much as I love that type of ‘stalk-til-they-can’t-walk’ type aggression, it takes us down a road we’ve traveled many times in the past. And when we’ve come to the end of those roads, it always took me back to a verse from an old Boyz II Men song: “The outside didn’t look like what was in…..and the ending didn’t go like it began”! In other words, these men who looked so rugged and appeared so treacherous weren’t as dangerous against men who required them to do more than plow straight ahead and attack.
One immediate case that comes to mind is Ricky Hatton. Kotsya Tszyu was an incredible fighter. Hatton walked right through him and several others. That mauling tactic worked for a few rounds against Mayweather, until he flipped the script and went from playing checkers to simply playing chess. In Boxing, you have to remember, at the very height of the pinnacle, it’s a thinking mans game.
When stamina starts to fade and power fails to connect, what in your arsenal will gain your opponents respect? Bottom line, I love what I see from Rios, but just like Bradley and ‘Canelo’, I do question what happens to him when he faces someone who has the skills to out-think him and the durability to outlast him? Until he conquers this mountain, he remains an unfinished book in my mind. At 135, 140, or beyond, the sky is the limit……or is it? I think he can find success in any of these divisions. In the end I don’t see weight stopping him……I see a chess-master who knows how to handle a bull-rush being his biggest challenge. Who will that be? In time we’ll see.
Vick N. (Harlem, NYC): I thought Paul Williams got away with true robbery. I know you have spoken highly of him in the past. What are your thoughts now as he clearly got a gift decision and continues to decline?
Vivek W. (ESB): When you analyze Paul Williams, I think it’s best to realize that in all actuality, despite the fact that he only has one boxing career, we’ve actually seen two different sides of it. On the front side, Paul Williams was in fact a very dangerous opponent who hadn’t learned how to lose and had no fear. He was everything we want to see in a fighter. He took on all challenges, and welcomed those he wanted, yet couldn’t secure. He was everything I like to see in a young and hungry fighter. Unfortunately, later, in the story of Paul Williams we learned precisely how delicate the career of a boxer can be.
Paul Williams went from being a very avoided fighter to basically a man few fight fans truly care to support, and it all happened overnight. As I watched Paul the other night, he just really appeared, to me, as a man who is content and no longer looking to push the envelope any more than he has to. His heart isn’t in it. Many ask “why won’t he consider changing trainers”? Or “why won’t he and his trainer do something to avoid that lefthand”? The answer to these questions are very simple and Paul said them himself in the brief interview with Max Kellerman: “I’m gonna just continue to give everybody the same Paul Williams I always have”. Yeah, no stuff, Paul!
From eating the left hands, to fighting small, hunched over in his huge frame, to poor defense and footwork. When I heard Williams say that he’ll basically never consider changing trainers one thing became evident to me: This man’s loyalty is the sword that he has lived by and will die by….with no fear! In many ways I don’t think that’s bad, but in a case like this, it’s horrible, because it’s a strong reminder that he’s fine knowing that his elevation has now hit the ceiling.
Williams is basically saying, “this man (trainer George Peterson) was with me when I had nothing….we came into this sport with very little…..made some great money….and now we’ll prepare to walk and never look back….and when we do, we’ll do it with alot more than we had when we came”! That’s the basic gist of where Paul Williams is at this point mentally. He’s no longer cares to go back to the lab to prepare a few new wrinkles to push him to greater heights. He’s totally fine with his real estate investments and his current status in life.
Honestly, I can’t hate on him for that. I wish him the best. But it’s sad because he could have been one of the best. Many have compared Paul Williams to Tommy Hearns, and in the final analysis, despite the many who felt it was unjust, most will realize that in more ways than one he is similar….at least in theory. Just like Hearns, (in the mind of a very hungry Marvin Hagler), Williams has become the victim of those proverbial “silk pajamas”. And rather than maintaining that initial hunger, perhaps a lifestyle of the rich and famous caused him to ultimately change the channel. Unfortunately for him….just like that old show and Tommy Hearns, neither one will be live on the air much longer. Sad but true.
Felix A. (Cebu, Philippines): What do you think about Bob Arum’s comments regarding a future matchup between Brandon Rios and Manny Pacquiao?
Vivek W. (ESB): I think Arum was doing what Arum does: plant seeds of hope for fights he may have to turn to later. That’s what promoters do. They think about tomorrow today! It’s a very simple logic, but probably not a well thought out one…..then again, perhaps it is. In two years from now, Pacquiao will be shopworn for sure, and Rios will be well seasoned. A middle of the pack Pacquiao and a veteran Rios could very well set a PPV ticket ablaze! At this point, I don’t think there’s much to talk about here, as Rios is all you could hope for, but Pacquiao is all most could dream for! Two very different realities.
It didn’t surprise me that Arum tossed this one out there. With Mayweather suddenly looking at the young and restless to prove to the world that he’s not just fighting cupcakes these days, it only makes sense to have Arum try to present an option for the future that fans can build a buzz for going into the future. He tried the same thing with Valero (RIP). God knows I would have loved to see that one, but it’s no longer an option. You have Timothy Bradley out there, you have Rios, and you have a few others, maybe even Ortiz. So, in the end, I don’t make too much of this commentary by Bob. The man is a promoter. A damn good one might I add. Stay tuned.
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, 954-292-7346, Youtube (Vivek1251), Twitter (VivekWallace747), Skype (Vito-Boxing), and FaceBook).