The "Witton Lane" Boxing Chat Thread

[Witton_Lane]

Yeh it's probably the perfect fight considering how little power Paulie has.

I bet Paulie has as much power as Willie Limond. Or Michael Gomez

[TheWalletInspector]

Yeh it's probably the perfect fight considering how little power Paulie has.

I bet Paulie has as much power as Willie Limond. Or Michael Gomez

You've got to admit Khan's defence has improved since then though.

[Oaks]

Yeh it's probably the perfect fight considering how little power Paulie has.

I bet Paulie has as much power as Willie Limond. Or Michael Gomez

You've got to admit Khan's defence has improved since then though.

No end infact his defensive movement is 100 times better. And he doesn't just leave his chin there and swing.

[Witton_Lane]

Yeh it's probably the perfect fight considering how little power Paulie has.

I bet Paulie has as much power as Willie Limond. Or Michael Gomez

You've got to admit Khan's defence has improved since then though.

Of course it has....but no-ones actually hit him yet, apart from Barrera - and when that happened Warren was screaming at the ref to stop the fight

I hate to sound like an annoying know all but I said all along that I reckoned Khan regularly gets KO'd behind closed doors, judging by his choice of opponents for his "brilliant comeback" I'd say it's still happening, regardless of the improved defence.

He's still just a KO looking for somewhere to happen, always will be. I reckon Malignaggi will give him plenty to think about just by boxing him anyway, Paulie is a very good fighter despite the lack of power.

[colleh]

Khan will wipe the floor with Malignaggi.

Bigger, stronger, faster and nothing coming back to trouble his chin.

Khan will control the fight with his jab and may even stop Paulie late.

[Gabby15]

Khan is getting knocked out.

[TheWalletInspector]

Why Edwin Valero must quit ring for the sake of boxing

By Barry Mcguigan

Edwin Valero is now a champion in recess, as the WBC call it, which means his lightweight world title is up for grabs.

The idea is to give Valero time for the gash on his head - sustained against Antonio DeMarco last week - to heal and for him to test the waters at light-welterweight.

I wonder if the real issue is being overlooked here. Texas remains the only state in the United States in which he can fight.

That is no accident.

Reports of the brain scan from New York State came as a shock when I learned the findings.

Valero suffered a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain after falling off a motor cycle in 2001. He was not wearing a helmet.

He had an operation to repair the damage and was declared fit to box by the Venezuela authorities.

It was not until the New York State scan that the extent of his injuries were revealed. The fact that he had a traumatic brain injury, a tear inside the cranium in the most vulnerable part of the brain, means he should never box again in my view. That is a devastating conclusion to reach for such a talented fighter but not as desperate as the consequences might be of fighting on.

He is a phenomenal fighter, one I tipped for greatness during his battle for the right to fight in the United States.

But the bottom line is I don't believe boxing can take the risk knowing what we know now.

The ramifications of allowing a boxer who has had a subdural haematoma into the ring could be disastrous.

I accept that Valero, and Marco Antonio Barrera, have fought on without obvious consequences following operations to drain blood from the brain.

But that is not to say there won't be any. The risk is just too great, particularly in championship bouts.

There are also the long-term effects to consider. Brain injuries sometimes take a while to play out leading to dementia or some impaired brain function much later. Valero is a knockout artist. He goes to war in the ring, which is the attraction of him.

But it is a style that leaves him vulnerable in elite class. From a technical point of view, Valero fights recklessly. Yes, he was more measured against DeMarco last week, but could he hold himself back against Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather? Championship bouts in Las Vegas have a way of hitting the adrenalin button. As it is, Valero throws shots like he is looking over a fence with his head stuck up in the air.

That is OK when the opponent is so scared by his reputation that he is already running away. And no wonder. Valero has ko'd each of his 27 opponents.

But against a Pacquiao or a Mayweather, Valero would get the opposite response. Both exploit any technical vulnerabilities.

A bout against either, or a Juan Manuel Marquez for that matter, would be dangerous for Valero.

It is not simply about him. What if he were to suffer a fatal injury in the ring? Subdural haematomas are the most common cause of boxing deaths.

I know what it is like to suffer the effects of a death in the ring.

There is not a day goes by when I don't think of Young Ali. No fighter should have to go through that.

The pressure for Valero to fight in Las Vegas will increase as he goes through the gears. For the sake of boxing and Valero himself, the answer should still be no.

[Gabby15]

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. - Floyd Mayweather has done the math, give or take a tablespoon or two, and that has left him even more baffled than he was before at the demise of his much-anticipated fight with Manny Pacquiao.

In the end that fight didn’t happen because, well…who knows, but it sure wasn’t the math.

“You got 380 tablespoons of blood in your body,’’ Mayweather said recently. “When they draw blood they draw out one tablespoon. You still got 379 tablespoons left. You lose more than a tablespoon of blood in a fight. You lose more than that from your nose and mouth. I’m not talking about me! I’m talking about them other guys (who get hit more in a fight than Mayweather has been in his 40-fight career).

“I never knew a fighter didn’t want to take a $25 million drug test. If I was all about the money (with a guy who calls himself “Money’’) like people say I would have taken the (Manny) Pacquiao fight. I just feel we should clean up sports, period. Records are being broken by cheaters.

“This should happen in all sports to separate the good athletes from the great athletes. In boxing if you start good you usually are all the way good or you start to go down with age. You don’t start off average in this sport and at 25 suddenly become great. You don’t get knocked out at 106 pounds and then come knock out bigger guys. Boxing’s not like that.

“I know I’m a clean athlete. They can come whenever and take blood or urine. Any other athlete who’s clean should do the same. If you’re not on nothing, what’s the problem? A tablespoon of blood?’’

We may never know the real problem that caused Pacquiao to refuse a guaranteed $25 million to fight Mayweather and then settle for far less to face Joshua Clottey March 13 in a fight, frankly, that pales in comparison not only to Mayweather-Pacquiao but also to what Mayweather ended up with, which is a long-awaited showdown with 38-year-old welterweight champion Shane Mosley.

That fight came about because Mosley immediately agreed to the random blood testing Mayweather demanded, insisting he welcomed the chance to prove he is not using performance enhancing drugs as he did prior to his rematch with Oscar De La Hoya. Mosley has long insisted he did not know what he was using under the direction of since deposed strength and conditioning coach Darryl Hudson and one can debate that all day and never know the answer, but one thing is clear.

Both fighters will be clean on May 1 and boxing will be the better for it because unlike baseball, track and field, football and a growing list of other sports, two of prize fighting’s biggest names have decided they won’t wait for the men who run their sport to take a step. They’ll do it themselves.

That Pacquiao refused doesn’t mean he’s guilty of anything, but in the present climate it casts a dark shadow on him because professional athletes long ago lost the presumption of innocence when it comes to PEDs. With the making of the Mosley fight, Mayweather dragged his sport a step closer to the 21st century by stepping into the ring with a guy as willing as he is to prove he’s running on regular, not high-test, a statement that sadly seems it has to be made in these chemically-fed days of sports achievement.

While that is good news for boxing, which has been maligned for so many years in so many ways as being behind the times, what is better news is that Mayweather landed the best opponent not named Manny Pacquiao that money could buy.

Of late it had become fashionable for know-nothings to claim Mayweather had been “ducking’’ Mosley when the facts were he had pursued him back in 1999 when Mosley was still undefeated. At that time Mosley chose not to face Mayweather, moving up in weight for bigger money fights, which was understandable from a business standpoint but could have opened him up to the same charge.

Yet when Mayweather was in the driver’s seat and refused to give Mosley a shot years later, after Mosley had lost several times and no longer carried the same cachet he had earlier, he was accused of avoiding Mosley. Now that, like the lingering doubts about PED use in boxing, have disappeared in this fight because the two men found themselves in a position where they needed the other and didn’t feel like fighting over the particulars. Instead they opted to take the old fashion route and fight where it counts – in the ring.

“The thing is in the sport of boxing, like life, everything is timing,’’ Mayweather (40-0, 25 KO) said. “Just like inside the squared circle. A lot of people need to realize in 1999 I was trying to make a fight with Shane Mosley when he was still undefeated. Now, five losses later, I got the bad end of the stick.

“We’re a lot older now. I don’t know what he’s got left. He looked tremendous against (Antonio) Margarito (who he stopped in nine one-sided rounds) but if I knock him out then it’s ‘He was supposed to knock him out.’ If I don’t then ‘He didn’t knock out Mosley.’ But I don’t care about the negative things people say. I’ll box. I’ll be smart. I’ll be me. I’ll break him down.

“When my career is over, fans will appreciate my skills and boxing ability. There’s nothing cool about taking punishment. What’s cool is dishing it out. I’m in a brutal sport. We’re in hand-to-hand combat. If a guy is on (steroids) I’m basically fighting a robot. It’s like putting steel in the glove.’’

The major reason Mayweather came back to boxing (short of the obvious financial windfalls) was for fights like this one. It is why he sought a match with Pacquiao, who unseated him as pound-for-pound champion after the former went into a self-imposed exile from the sport for 21 months.

Mayweather is back only to fight mega-fights. Only to face mega-challenges from fighters nearly as talented as he is. Along the way, he will make mega-money but the latter comes with the former and he knows that. What also comes with it is what really drives him.

“I missed the sport of boxing,’’ Mayweather said. “I truly did. I missed testing my ability against the best. Shane got to this position for a reason. Just because you had 40 good nights and he had 37 good nights (45 actually) and three he wasn’t (five to be frank) doesn’t mean he’s not a great fighter.

“I could have easily gone on a world tour fighting stiffs and made $200 million but it’s about testing my skills against the best fighters of my era.’’

Shane Mosley is surely that. Mosley destroyed Margarito in his last fight, a year ago, at a time when many felt it would be his demise. Instead he took apart the man who had taken apart Miguel Cotto and Kermit Cintron, revitalizing his own career and creating an opportunity to finally settle the debate between him and Mayweather over who ranks where in boxing’s bloody pecking order.

“You got two guys who are fast,’’ Mayweather said of Mosley. ‘That’s where timing comes in. Timing and inches. I know what I can do. I know a lot more is coming after this.’’

Maybe even Manny Pacquiao... but that will be up to how many tablespoons of blood are too many to lose to decide once and for all who the best fighter of this era really is. Two guys agreed to begin that debate by leaving no debate that they are clean athletes. If Manny Pacquiao ever wants to continue the discussion it will only cost him one tablespoon of blood for the chance to make his case.

The day he does, Floyd Mayweather will be waiting for him…gladly.

Just started on the Teddy Atlas book and 49 pages in it's a really good story so far, didn't know how much shit he got into in his early years He mentioned one of his mates had the same injury Paulie got in the Cotto fight (fractured orbital) and he had to have his eyeball taken out to repair it & the dude got charged with 1st degree assault :shock:

[colleh]

Teddy Atlas is a fantasist.

[Oaks]

Khan is getting knocked out.

Is probably the least likely outcome.

[Gabby15]

Khan is getting knocked out.

Is probably the least likely outcome.

Paulie hits harder than Limmond and Drilzane :winkold:

[TheWalletInspector]

Anderson Silva - seemless, well rounded martial artist.. He'd destroy Mayweather (if they ever fought), and he'd beat Roy Jones Jr.

According to some muppet on another forum.

[AVFCDAN]

I do like Paulie but i can only see a Khan win in this fight.

[Gabby15]

Anderson Silva - seemless, well rounded martial artist.. He'd destroy Mayweather (if they ever fought), and he'd beat Roy Jones Jr.

According to some muppet on another forum.

Tell him I called him a word removed

The negotiations for Amir Khan vs. Paulie Malignaggi have hit a wall with HBO. Talks continue to finalize Khan's American debut against Malignaggi for May 15 on HBO.

Multiple sources have advised BoxingScene.com that Khan's deal with Golden Boy Promotions guarantees him a minimum of over $1 million dollars from American television [not counting his British TV money]. Not only is Khan's HBO minimum a high number, it's actually higher than what most of the other HBO regulars receive.

HBO, from what I've heard, is unwilling to pay enough money to economically satisfy all of the financial factors involved, which include Khan's minimum, Malignaggi's purse and the televised co-feature between Victor Ortiz and Nate Campbell. If I had to estimate, this card will likely cost HBO between $2-3 million dollars. Talks are also ongoing to stage the event at the WaMu Theater in New York's Madison Square Garden, but industry insiders believe the economics involved will push the event to Las Vegas, Atlantic City or some other location that presents a better guarantee and/or upside.

When reached for comment, Malignaggi's promoter Lou DiBella would not discuss the specifics but confirmed there is no deal. He will continue negotiating with Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer over the next few days.

"The deal is not done. We are still negotiating," DiBella told BoxingScene.com.

The reality of everything is simple common sense. Khan, while talented, has absolutely no following or buzz in the United States. Khan needs Malignaggi more than Malignaggi needs Khan. He needs an opponent who is recognizable to the average HBO viewer. Malignaggi has appeared on HBO at least five times, and that doesn't include his televised fights on Showtime, Versus, and ESPN.

Khan's minimum is going to become a factor in future negotiations with just about any recognizable name. When you have a fighter who is recognizable with the American audience and has a certain level of notoriety, you have the option of taking the fight to pay-per-view if the television money is inadequate. Not in this situation because Khan is an unknown in the United States. It is going to be interesting to see if HBO puts up more money, or if Khan shifts some of his guaranteed money to make the event come together.

BoxingScene.com has received confirmation from Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions that a deal has been reached for a rematch between Ali Funeka and Joan Guzman. As previously reported, the fight will land in the co-feature slot to Marcos Maidana-Victor Cayo on March 27 on HBO. The venue is still up in the air.

Funeka-Guzman will have the vacant IBF lightweight title at stake. They fought last November to a very controversial draw. It was one of the worst decisions of the year. Most saw Funeka as the clear winner.

Vitali Klitschko last night announced he will retire from boxing in 2010 and the Ukrainian could bow out with a world title unification bout against David Haye.

The 38-year-old Ukrainian is in difficult negotiations to face Nikolai Valuev, the Russian beaten by Haye in November.

The Londoner faces a mandatory defence of his WBA belt against John Ruiz on April 3, but is keen to face either Klitschko or his brother Wladimir later in the year in what promises to be a massive pay day.

WBC champion Vitali said: 'I only have to win one belt. So this year I will hang up my boxing gloves. And I'll stop visiting different cities to beat somebody's face in.'

Dubbed 'Dr Ironfist', he has been tipped to be elected mayor of Kiev.

[Tegis]

Anderson Silva - seemless, well rounded martial artist.. He'd destroy Mayweather (if they ever fought), and he'd beat Roy Jones Jr.

According to some muppet on another forum.

FFS, and I'm a MMA fan. Anderson probably has the best MMA-boxing around but thats not even near enough to keep up with the middlepack of boxing.

[Gabby15]

Dirrell/Abraham is postponed

[TheWalletInspector]

Whatttttttt?

Why?

[colleh]

Anderson Silva - seemless, well rounded martial artist.. He'd destroy Mayweather (if they ever fought), and he'd beat Roy Jones Jr.

According to some muppet on another forum.

Does he mean in a boxing match?

Silva would destroy them in MMA/street fight, but would get destroyed in a boxing match.

[TheWalletInspector]

Anderson Silva - seemless, well rounded martial artist.. He'd destroy Mayweather (if they ever fought), and he'd beat Roy Jones Jr.

According to some muppet on another forum.

Does he mean in a boxing match?

Silva would destroy them in MMA/street fight, but would get destroyed in a boxing match.

I thought that, but i'm pretty sure he meant in a boxing match.

[Gabby15]

Whatttttttt?

Why?

Dirrell threw his back out again. As someone with back problems, I fully support his decision

Rumour of Saul Alvarez/Matt Hatton on the FMJ/SSM undercard and Valero/Peterson in the summer