By Joseph Herron: On July 2nd, 2011, the big men were on the biggest stage in boxing once again. In front of a huge crowd of about 60,000 screaming fight fans in Hamburg, Germany, universally recognized Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko (56-3, 49 KOs) fought and defeated former WBA title-holder David Haye (25-2, 23 KOs) of England, in what most have described as a very lack- luster and disappointing 12 round unanimous decision.
While most fight fans were waiting for a big heavyweight bout to deliver a much needed, aura boosting knock-out, the highly anticipated mega-fight never quite lived up to expectation and failed to capture the imagination of fans worldwide.
Undefeated Heavyweight contender David “El Nino” Rodriguez (35-0, 33 KOs) explains his theory of why this widely viewed bout failed to place heavyweight boxing back in the forefront of American sports.
“Although Wladimir Klitschko is a great fighter and a tremendous athlete, how do you fight a defensive fighter who seems to lack a willingness to fight? He’s a very good defensive fighter and his fight plan is effective, but Wladimir Klitschko is a boring fighter,” states the 33 year old El Paso, TX, native.
While David admits that the Heavyweight Champion is an effective fighter, Rodriguez believes that Klitschko’s style is not the most aesthetically pleasing to watch and is ultimately bad for the heavyweight division.
“He’s boring. He has a great jab, he knows how to survive and hold, but people don’t want to see this. It’s boring to watch Klitschko fight,” professes the undefeated heavyweight contender. “I actually like to watch David Haye fight. He has a lot of skill and I actually thought he would knock out Klitschko. I was impressed with Haye going into to this fight, but watching him fight Klitschko was a snooze-fest.”
“That right there is the problem I see with the heavyweight division.”
“Klitschko deserves the respect that he’s getting, but his style is just so boring,” claims Rodriguez. “People like to watch fighters who are willing to put it all on the line when they fight. I’m not being critical about him winning, I’m just pointing out that there is no excitement during his fights and people want to see excitement when they watch boxing.”
There is an age old adage in boxing which states, “As the heavyweight division goes, so goes the sport of boxing”.
It’s hard to argue with that logic when 4 out of the top 5 live gates in Nevada Boxing history are Heavyweight Main Events:
1) Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., May 5, 2007 $19.0 million
2) Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield II, Nov. 13, 1999 $16.8 million
3) Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson II, June 28, 1997 $14.2 million
4) Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson I, Nov. 9, 1996 $14.1 million
5) Mike Tyson vs. Peter McNeeley, Aug. 19, 1995 $13.9 million
David Rodriguez feels that this concept is the key to boxing’s revival in mainstream American sports.
“I truly believe that the heavyweight division carries boxing,” proclaims the heavy-handed pugilist. “Fight fans want to see the big guys throw blows because they know that a bout will more than likely end in a knock-out. There’s serious power in the Heavyweight division.”
Although David feels that the Heavyweight division is the most important in boxing, he admits that he is a complete fan of the sweet science.
“I like it all,” concedes Rodriguez. “I like to watch all divisions in boxing. I am a boxing fanatic and I have such a great appreciation for the sweet science.”
“But, I know that the general public likes to see the bigger weight classes throw down. That’s simply the way it’s always been in boxing.”
The undefeated heavyweight from El Paso, TX, believes that a big, natural heavyweight with knock-out power in both hands will make boxing a prominent sport in America once again.
Rodriguez also feels that the boxing public doesn’t have to look any further than El Paso, TX, for the next great American heavyweight.
“When I knocked out Owen Beck with one short left hook in the third round, that was me kicking down the door,” exclaims David Rodriguez. “That was me telling the world that I’m here.”
“A lot of critics were wondering when I was finally going to take that step up in competition, and I think I did that when I fought Owen Beck,” states Rodriguez. “No, I didn’t like seeing him go down the way he did for that duration of time, but I think I took a step up and I passed the test with an A+.”
Since his early years in the gym, David has always realized that he was a uniquely hard puncher.
“I can punch,” states “El Nino”. “This is something that my trainers and I have always known. I’ve starched guys with one punch in sparring sessions. This is nothing new to me. When I was 15 years old, I was knocking out grown men. I’ve always had a knack for it.”
David Rodriguez truly believes that he has what it takes to become the next great American Heavyweight Champion, and feels that in time the truth will reveal itself.
“I am extremely fast for my size, and my power will devastate anyone who has a chin,” claims the 33 year old fighter. “I don’t care who they are. If they get hit by one of my shots, they’re going out. I know this every time I get in the ring.”
“I don’t go into the ring looking for the knock-out, but I’ve come to expect it. I know once I hit them, they’re gone.”
The El Paso native feels that this is the primary reason why he can’t land the “big name” fights and truly believes that he has become an avoided fighter by most of today’s top heavyweights.
“With 35 wins, no losses, and 33 knock-outs, I just can’t explain it,” exclaims the Texas fighter. “I really can’t explain it and I don’t know what to say. I’m frustrated. How do I keep getting overlooked? I’m just going to keep on breaking down more doors until I land that big title fight.”
“That’s fine. Keep doing what you’re doing,” Rodriguez implores his competition. “You’re only fueling my fire. I’m already an angry fighter in the ring. I’m calm and I’m calculated, but I’m angry inside. Just keep ignoring me. I’ll keep busting down more doors.”
“To me, this is my life…this is what I do,” proclaims Rodriguez. “I think in the grand scheme of things, everything comes right on time, and if I’m meant to be Heavyweight Champion of the World, then it will come right on time. As long as I do everything I’m supposed to be doing, it will happen exactly when it’s supposed to happen.”
“I feel that I’m coming into my own right now,” states the Texas resident. “I feel like I’m a veteran fighter with a lot of experience, yet like a new prospect in a lot of ways.”
Many of David’s critics have been vocal in pointing out that “El Nino’s” resume isn’t exactly a “who’s who” among great heavyweights. Most of his detractors feel that this is the primary reason why he hasn’t secured that top spot among American contenders.
Rodriguez feels that overly officious boxing critics are a specific reason for boxing’s idle status in mainstream American sports; and given the current state of the NFL and the NBA, boxing media should be promoting the positive aspects of the sport and not dwelling on the negative.
“I feel that half of these critics are cowards and I don’t take what they say seriously to be honest,” candidly states “El Nino”. “They’ve probably never laced up a glove, and if they did, they probably didn’t go far anyway. So, to me it’s like, whatever; say what you want.”
“I know that in other sports, writers are always positively promoting these athletes in football and UFC, but they don’t do that in boxing,” states David Rodriguez. “Boxing is the sport that deserves that kind of positive reinforcement by the media because of the dangers of getting in the ring, and we simply don’t get that kind of respect most of the time.”
“Every fighter who steps foot in that ring and puts themselves in harm’s way for entertainment deserves the benefit of the doubt from every single member of the media. For the good of the sport, they have to turn that around,” professes Rodriguez. “I’m sick of hearing these announcers pointing out everything bad that a fighter is doing.”
“Negative analysts are a travesty of the sport. It ultimately takes away from boxing. They think that they’re helping the sport but they’re not.”
“It’s ridiculous,” admits David. “It also seems that too much emphasis is placed on a single loss. If a highly regarded fighter loses one fight, he turns into a bum over night.”
David believes that sports journalism shouldn’t be as scrutinizing as the political press. Boxing, after all, is simply for our entertainment.
With a chip on his shoulder as big as the lone star state, David “El Nino” Rodriguez continues his campaign for Heavyweight glory and issues a declaration to anyone who stands in his way.
“Watch out. Watch out…I’m coming.”
“To all of my critics: Keep it coming…your words are fueling my fire.”
Expert Trainer James Gogue breaks down Fury/Chisora
By Joseph Herron
On July 23rd, across the Atlantic Ocean, at the world famous Wembley Arena in London, England, Tyson Fury (14-0, 10 KOs) will challenge British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion Derek “Del Boy” Chisora (14-0, 9 KOs) for not only his two titles, but a chance to challenge Wladimir Klitschko next year for the WBO, WBA, IBF, IBO, and Ring Heavyweight Championship belts.
Expert trainer James Gogue uses his 28 years of experience in the fight game to analyze this great match-up.
“One of the reasons why I’ve been really looking forward to this British grudge-match is because of how great the fight fans are in the United Kingdom,” states the expert trainer. “They have such passion, enthusiasm, and affection for their fighters. I absolutely had to break down this fight for the pound for pound best fans in boxing…so here we go!!”
“Tyson Fury is 6’9” and likes to keep everything at long range,” observes James Gogue. “Like Wladimir Klitschko, Fury likes to use his jab to keep his opponents at a distance. Also, like the universally recognized champ, Tyson likes to use different types of jabs to keep his adversaries off balance.”
“Fury has a sharp, crisp jab that is used as his primary weapon but also utilizes a touch jab to measure distance. The tall British fighter uses his jab 60 to 70 % of the time, and it is his first line of defense as well as his front line of offense.”
“In his fight with Scott Belshaw, Fury showed me that he has a much wider arsenal of punches than most tall and rangy fighters,” claims Gogue. “He stopped Belshaw with some wicked body shots and the fight was stopped in the second round as a result. This is very rare for a man of his height to incorporate body shots in his attack.”
“He has quite a few strengths. Tyson has good footwork and coordination for a big fighter, and he puts his punches together well as a result. He not only throws good combinations, but he can crack to the body as well when his opponents get inside.”
Although James Gogue acknowledges the strengths of the tall British fighter, he is more than a little concerned about how he matches up against a good pressure fighter like Chisora.
“Fury is a good young fighter, but the first time he fought John McDermott, he looked very questionable against a good pressure fighter who can score effectively on the inside,” states the veteran trainer. “During the second half of their first meeting, the hard effective pressure of McDermott really got to Fury and made the tall fighter seem mentally vulnerable.”
“When McDermott got inside of Fury’s defense, Tyson didn’t really know how to handle his pressure and looked awkward as a result.”
“During the rematch, Fury did a very good job of adjusting to McDermott’s pressure and caught him with uppercuts as the veteran fighter maneuvered inside. Although he learned from the first McDermott fight how to handle pressure effectively, Derek Chisora comes in with much a more intelligent type of pressure.”
“Fury has some defensive deficiencies as well,” notices James Gogue. “When Tyson Fury is on the ropes, he likes to keep his left hand awfully low, which leaves himself susceptible to a big Chisora right hand. Fury also likes to stand up on the ropes, which creates a big target for his opponents.”
“Also, Fury absolutely cannot get trapped in the corner when he’s fighting a smart pressure fighter like Chisora or he will get punished.”
While Gogue notices how Fury made the tactical adjustments against McDermott during their second meeting together, the expert trainer recognizes that John McDermott is not nearly as special as “Del Boy” Chisora.
“Derek Chisora reminds me of a heavyweight version of Glencoffe ‘The Road Warrior’ Johnson,” admits James Gogue. “Chisora is a fighter who is fundamentally strong and who always comes into the fight in great shape. He is a very physical fighter who works his jab extremely well in order to get inside of his opponent’s defense.”
“Once he’s on the inside of an opponent, Chisora does his best work at close range. He utilizes uppercuts, hooks, body shots, and straight right hands on the inside, with sharp, compact punches in bunches.”
“Derek Chisora is also a very heavy handed fighter who can hurt his opponents just by laying the gloves on them, anywhere and often. Chisora is very fast, skilled, and has power behind his punches; so this is a very dangerous fight for Tyson Fury.”
One of the variables that makes Tyson Fury such an intriguing fighter is that he is never at a loss for words and really seems to enjoy “talking trash” to his opponents. He not only talks a good game, but he can back it up in the ring.
On Saturday July 23rd, this fight will be won by whoever can win the battle of distance, according to the expert trainer.
“Tyson Fury must control the distance of this fight to win,” affirms James Gogue. “He must control the distance with his footwork, jab, and feints from medium to long range.”
“He must use sporadic combinations of a sharp crisp jab, mixed in with a touch jab to keep Chisora at bay and to set up his big right hand,” claims the expert trainer. “An irregular jab along with his footwork will have to be the key to neutralizing Chisora’s power and strength.”
“If Del-Boy works his way inside, Fury will have to earn Chisora’s respect by throwing uppercuts and left hooks at close range to the head and to the body. If he can land those shots on the inside, Derek Chisora will think twice about trying to worm his way inside.”
“In order for Tyson to be victorious, he absolutely must earn Chisora’s respect if he gets inside,” states James Gogue. “If he is incapable of scoring effectively on the inside and doesn’t earn Chisora’s respect, the champion will keep coming in and possibly stop Tyson Fury.”
“Tyson also needs to keep this fight in the center of the ring and must not get trapped in the corners. The challenger has much more room to use his footwork and maneuver in the center of the ring. If he does get caught laying on the ropes, he needs to remember to keep his left up and look out for that hard right hand of Chisora over the top.”
“If Fury can accomplish all of my keys to victory, he can win this fight.”
Unlike Fury, Derek “Del Boy” Chisora must fight his opponent at close range in order to be successful next Saturday.
“In order to win, Chisora must neutralize his opponent’s jab by throwing the perfectly timed, right hand counter over the top of Fury’s left hand as he is bringing it back. e can Chisora can also take away the jab by getting low and consistently going to Tyson’s body.”
“Chisora must be prepared to take some punishment as he tries to maneuver his way inside and cannot be dissuaded,” proclaims James Gogue. “He must stay relaxed and continue to be persistent in his attack. Even if he is not seeing success early, he cannot abandon his game plan.”
“If Derek can get inside and stay there, he can land his bombs and hurt the 6’9” fighter by throwing and landing effective combinations to the body and to the head.”
After measuring the keys to success for both combatants, the experienced boxing coach is prepared to make his prediction for next Saturday’s contest.
“I believe that Tyson is going to control the distance for the first three or four rounds with his jab and his footwork,” claims the veteran trainer. “But, Chisora is going to start closing the distance in the middle rounds and start landing body shots effectively on the inside.”
“If Chisora gets tired and fights at a moderate pace, Tyson Fury is going to keep Derek on the end of his shots and pick the champion apart with his jab to a unanimous decision.”
“Del-Boy has to continue to work at a torrid pace and touch him with his heavy hands wherever he can on the inside. He must be consistent with his attack and continue closing the distance. Even if he isn’t successful early, he must continue to work and keep the fight at a close distance.”
“I believe that Chisora will eventually close the distance and land something big,” claims the expert trainer. “He will get to Tyson Fury and stop him in the mid to late rounds.”
“Derek Chisora will retain his titles and earn a shot at Wladimir Klitschko possibly later this year.”
Watch “The Big Brawl,” presented by Hennessy Sports. The special event will be distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 3 PM/ET – 12 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, and Avail-TVN, for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. Check with your PPV provider for same day replay times.
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