Posts Tagged ‘Manny Pacquiao’

Boxing Almanac – July 2017

Posted: August 2, 2017 in Boxing
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7/1 – Ring Magazine No. 1 Cruiserweight and WBO champ Oleksandr Usyk was announced as one of eight Cruiserweights in the World Boxing Super Series, the 16 man bracket-style elimination tournament that will take place in the Cruiserweight & Super Middleweight divisions. In all, five of the top 10 Ring Magazine rated Cruiserweights along with two of the other recognized World Champs will also participate, including Ring Magazine No. 2 & IBF Champ Murat Gassiev, Ring Magazine No. 4 & WBC Champ Mairis Briedis, Ring Magazine No. 7 Marco Huck, and Ring Magazine No. 10 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk. The quarter-finals begin in September with the tournament finishing in May of 2018.

7/1 – Ring Magazine No. 7 Jr Welterweight Eduard Troyanovsky punished unrated Michele Di Rocco, stopping him at 2:18 of the fourth round at the Russia Concert Hall in Moscow, Russia. Troyanovsky was stunned early in round one, but ended up scoring a knockdown later in the round. Knockdowns ensued in the third and early in the fourth round, with Di Rocco rising each time. The fight was stopped shortly after the last knockdown, with Troyanovsky teeing off while Di Rocco was on the ropes. This was Troyanovsky’s first fight since his first career loss, a devastating first round KO to Julius Indongo last December when he lost his IBF Title.

7/1 – Ring Magazine No. 6 Jr Featherweight Diego De La Hoya won a 10 rd UD over unrated Alan Luques by the scores of 98-92 twice & 97-93 at Parque La Pedrera in Villa Mercedes, San Luis, Argentina, Luques’ homeland. There was no drama in this one as De La Hoya was in control throughout. This was his fourth straight bout to go the distance.

7/1 – Ring Magazine No. 7 Jr Middleweight Michel Soro lost a 12 rd SD to unrated, but undefeated Brian Carlos Castaño by the scores of 113-115 twice & 116-112 at the Casino d’Evian, Evian les Bains, Haute-Savoie, France. Castaño won the early rounds, but seemed to tire in the middle rounds and it appeared Soro would get the stoppage. Castaño battled back and re-took control in the later rounds to pull off the upset. Soro lost for the first time in his last 13 fights. Castaño is the new interim WBA champ, with the real champ being Erislandy Lara.

pac horn

7/2 – Ring Magazine No. 4 Welterweight and WBO Champ Manny Pacquiao shockingly lost a disputed 12 round UD against unrated, but undefeated Jeff Horn by the scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Pacquiao was cut on both sides of his hair line from unintentional head butts. Horn was almost stopped after taking an all around beating in round nine, with referee in charge Mark Nelson said, “show me something,” in between rounds. Horn fought bravely down the stretch, arguably winning the last two rounds. The fight could easily have been scored four rounds apiece heading into the ninth. Pacquiao needed a total of 17 stitches to close his two cuts, while Horn needed seven for a cut over his right eye. The attendance was 51,052! Horn went the distance for the first time in four fights. Pacquiao had won five of six including back-to-back fights following his loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2015.

7/2 – On the undercard of Pacquiao/Horn, Ring Magazine No. 8 and IBF Jr Bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas successfully defended his title for the second time, stopping unrated and undeserving Teiru Kinoshita with a body shot at 1:53 of the seventh round. Kinoshita was cut over the left eyelid from a punch in the second round and never posed a threat. All three judges had identical 60-54 scorecards at the time of the knockout. Ancajas has now taken on back-to-back suspect opponents since winning the title. Kinoshita hadn’t even fought in the division since 2014 and entered off a win over a fighter making his pro debut. Ancajas has now won 14 straight, 13 by KO.

7/5 – Ring Magazine No. 8 Jr Bantamweight Luis Concepcion knocked out unrated Luis De la Rosa at 1:34 of the second round at Fantastic Casino de Albrook Mall, Panama City, Panama. Concepcion lost the WBA Jr Bantamweight title at the scale before losing a 12 round to Khalid Yafai last December. Concepcion had won 12 of 13 prior to the loss.

7/8 – The World Boxing Super Series announced the first round of matchups that will take place in the Cruiserweight & Super Middleweight divisions. The fights will take place in September and October.

7/9 – Ring Magazine No. 5 Cruiserweight and WBA Champion Denis Lebedev successfully defended his title for the first time with a 12 rd UD by the scores of 120-107 and 119-108 twice over unrated Mark Flanagan at DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Flanagan survived a ninth round knockdown from a body shot. Lebedev was elevated to full WBA Champion last May when he also won the IBF title. He entered off a 12 rd SD loss to current No. 2 rated Murat Gassiev last December, but only the IBF title was at stake. He’s now won five of six. Flanagan was fighting for the first time outside his native Australia and had his 11 fight win streak snapped.

Berchelt Miura7/15 – In a battle of top five Jr Lightweights, Ring Magazine No. 4 and WBC Champ Miguel Berchelt successfully defended his title for the first time with a 12 rd UD over No. 5 Takashi Miura by the scores of 120-109, 119-108, and 116-111 at the Forum in Inglewood, Ca. Berchelt scored a knockdown in the first round and both fighters had heated exchanges throughout with Berchelt getting the better results. Berchelt has now won 11 straight since his lone loss in 2014. Miura has lost two of his last four fights, with both losses coming in World Title bouts.

7/15 – On the undercard of Berchelt/Miura, Ring Magazine No. 3 Jr Lightweight and WBA champ Jezreel Corrales successfully made the third defense of his title with a 10 round TD against unrated, yet tough Robinson Castellanos by the scores of 96-92, 94-93, and 94-94. Corrales was dropped twice in the fourth round, yet neither knockdown appeared to seriously hurt the undefeated Panamanian, who scored a knockdown of his own in the seventh round. The fight was stopped after an accidental head clash caused a bad cut on Castellanos. There were numerous head clashes throughout with Castellanos being on the worse end, but Corrales was also bleeding from a cut caused by a punch in the third round. Corrales has now had back-to-back decision wins after stopping his six prior opponents. Castellanos lost for the second time in his last five fights.

barrera smith7/15 – Also on the undercard of Berchelt/Miura, In a battle of top 10 Light Heavyweights, Ring Magazine No. 8 Sullivan Barrera won a 10 round UD over No. 5 Joe Smith by the scores of 97-92 twice and 96-93. Barrera tasted the canvas late in the first round from a left hook, but shook off the knockdown and was in control the rest of the way. It was revealed afterward that Smith fought through a broken jaw suffered in the second round. Smith had his 17 fight winning streak snapped. Barrera has now won three straight since his lone loss, a 12 round UD against current Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight Champion and No. 1 Pound for Pound Andre Ward. His previous eight wins had all come by stoppage.

7/15 – Ring Magazine No. 9 Light Heavyweight Marcus Browne stopped unrated, but undefeated Sean Monoghan at :40 of the second round. Browne scored a knockdown in the first round and referee in charge Steve Willis halted the one-sided contest, saving Monoghan from a severe beating. Browne, a 2012 US Olympian, has now stopped four of his last five foes.

Eubank-Jr courtesy PA

Courtesy of PA

7/15 – Unrated Chris Eubank Jr won a 12 round UD over Ring Magazine No. 7 Super Middleweight Arthur Abraham by the scores of 120-108 and 118-110 twice at the SSE Arena in London. Abraham made the 168 pound limit at yesterdays weigh-in after initially coming in two pounds heavy. The 37 year old German based Armenian looked every bit his age and fought mostly defensively. Eubank had been rated No. 6 in the Middleweight division by Ring Magazine when the fight was announced. With the win Eubank secured the final spot in the World Boxing Super Series. Abraham lost for just the second time in his last 12 fights. Eubank had his six straight KO streak snapped and was fighting a second straight time as a Super Middleweight. He’s now won seven straight overall since his lone loss in 2014.

7/15 – On the undercard of Abraham/Eubank, Ring Magazine No. 4 Featherweight and IBF Champ Lee Selby successfully defended his title for a third time with a 12 round UD over unrated Jonathan Victor Barros by the scores of 119-108 and 117-110 twice. Selby was never in trouble and scored a knockdown in the twelfth round from a left hook. He was cut over the right eye after a clash of heads in round five, but it didn’t affect the fight. Selby has won 21 straight since his lone loss, a four round decision in 2009. Originally this fight was to take place on Jan 27th but the fight was cancelled the day prior because Barros failed to submit is medical records to the Nevada commission.

7/15 – Ring Magazine No. 2 Strawweight and WBA Champ Knockout CP Freshmart aka Thammanoon Niyomtrong successfully defended his title for the third time with a 12 round UD by the scores of 117-110 twice and 115-113 over unrated unrated Rey Loreto in Thailand. Niyomtrong has gone the distance in four of his last five fights.

7/17 – Former IBF Featherweight and IBF Jr Lightweight World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero announced his retirement. Guerrero was dropped five times and stopped for the 1st time in his career on July 15th against Omar Figueroa. Guerrero ends his career with a record of 33-6-1 with 18 KO’s. He lost five of his last seven bouts, all in the Welterweight division.

7/19 – Former undisputed Middleweight World Champion and 2000 Olympic Bronze medalist Jermain Taylor was arrested and charged on three counts including first degree terrorist threatening after allegedly biting and threatening to kill his girlfriend. He was already on probation at the time of the arrest. Taylor last fought in 2014 and has a record of 33-4-1, 20 KO’s.

7/20 – Former WBO Heavyweight World Champion Shannon Briggs was suspended for six months by the World Boxing Association after a positive doping test conducted on May 14th. His suspension will end on November 13th.

kyaguchi7/23 – In a battle of Top 10 Strawweights, Ring Magazine No. 8 Hiroto Kyoguchi won the IBF title with a 12 round UD over No. 4 Jose Argumedo by the scores of 116-111 twice and 115-112 at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan. Argumedo survived a ninth round knockdown as he was attempting to defend his title for a fourth time. Kyoguchi has now gone the distance in back-to-back fights after stopping his first six foes. He made his pro debut just 15 months ago. Argumedo had his six fight winning streak snapped and lost for just the second time in his last 14 fights.

7/23 – On the undercard of Argumedo/Kyoguchi, Ring Magazine No. 3 and WBA Jr Flyweight champ Ryoichi Taguchi successfully defended his title for the sixth time, stopping unrated Robert Barrera at 24 seconds of the ninth round. Taguchi was in complete control from the outset as Barrera showed his heart by refusing to go down. Taguchi is unbeaten in 19 of his last 20 fights.

7/26 – Ring Magazine World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury speculated his retirement via an Instagram message. Fury hasn’t fought since winning the Ring Magazine, WBA, IBF, and WBO titles over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. He stayed out of the ring in 2016 due to well publicized battles with depression, alcohol, and drug use. He was stripped of all the titles except the Ring Magazine belt after being unable to defend them last year. Fury has a record of 25-0, with 18 knockouts.

7/27 – Former WBC/WBO Jr Welterweight and WBO Welterweight World Champion Timothy Bradley has decided to retire. His last fight was a 12 round UD loss to Manny Pacquiao in 2016, therefore making him eligible for the IBHOF in 2021. He finished with a record of 33-2-1, 13 KO’s.

kimura vs shiming7/28 – Unrated Sho Kimura pulled off a shocking upset, stopping Ring Magazine No. 5 Flyweight and WBO Champ Zou Shiming at 2:28 of the 11th rd at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, in Shanghai, China. An accidental head butt in the third round left Kimura bleeding badly above his right eye, but he wasn’t deterred and dropped Shiming in the 11th. Shiming, making the first defense of his title, was able to get to his feet, but was in no shape to continue. Shiming was up on two of the three judges scorecards at the time of the stoppage, 97-93, 96-94 and 94-96. Shiming, a three-time World Amateur Champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, had his three fight win streak snapped. It was his first fight since leaving Top Rank and trainer Freddie Roach. Since losing his pro debut, Kimura is now unbeaten over his last 17 fights, stopping eight of nine.

7/29 – Ring Magazine No. 1 Lightweight and WBC Champ Mikey Garcia moved up to Jr Welterweight and won a 12 round UD over unrated, but former four division titlist Adrien Broner by the scores of 117-111 and 116-112 twice at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, NY. Garcia was in complete control throughout with Broner offering little resistance. After taking two and half years away from the sport due to management issues, Garcia has now fought three times in the last 12 months. He went the distance for just the second time in his last 15 fights.

7/29 – On the Garcia/Broner undercard, Ring Magazine No. 5 Bantamweight Rau’shee Warren moved down to Jr Bantamweight and won a 12 round UD over Ring Mag No. 9 Jr Bantamweight McJoe Arroyo by the scores of 118-110 and 117-111 twice, becoming the mandatory challenger for IBF Champion & Ring Magazine No. 7 Jerwin Ancajas. Warren simply out-boxed Arroyo in a matchup between former Olympians and World Titlists. Warren won for just the second time in his last four fights, however both his losses have been in world title bouts. This was his first fight as a Jr Bantamweight. Arroyo has now lost back to back decisions.

7/30 – Two of the Ring Magazines current top 10 Jr Lightweights announced their retirement. No. 6 Takashi Uchiyama and No. 9 Takashi Miura, both from Japan, were also both former titleholders. Uchiyama held the WBA Jr Lightweight title for a Japanese record six years and three months, successfully defending the title 11 times. His only two losses were in his final two fights. The 37 year old retires with a record of 24-2-1, 20 KO’s. His last fight was in 2016, making him eligible for the IBHOF in 2021. Miura held the WBC Jr Lightweight title for just over two and half years, making four successful defenses. Three of his four losses were in World Title bouts. The 33 year old retires with a record of 31-4-2, 24 KO’s. His last fight was on July 15th.

7/30 – Ring Magazine No. 8 Jr Lightweight Tevin Farmer was shot in his right hand during a family gathering after a dispute arose. The bullet went straight through without causing any major damage to the hand. He received stitches and is expected to make a full recovery. Farmer last fought on April 29th. After winning just seven of his first twelve fights, he’s won 18 straight.

Baker’s Dozen (Thirteen things I know that you should know too)

Posted: April 30, 2015 in Boxing, Browns, Cavaliers, College football, Football, Indians, Soccer
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1. In last week’s column I wrote that the Cavaliers would bring the city Cleveland its first championship in 50 years. I should of prefaced that by adding, ‘barring injury.’ Now that Kevin Love is done for what appears to be the remainder of the season, the Cavs will more than likely get beaten by the Chicago Bulls in the next round (Yes, the Bulls will get by the Bucks). Fans and media alike have ‘loved’ to pile on Love this season unnecessarily, as those that truly understand the game of basketball were aware of his importance and what his role was with this team.  In his absence, the Cavaliers won’t be able to space the floor as they had been doing, and the open lanes that LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had been accustomed to will be gone. Tristan Thompson was valuable in his role coming off the bench, but his flaws will become much more glaring now that he will be forced to play more minutes. To use a phrase that my former colleague Kenny Roda coined long ago, OIC (only in Cleveland).

2. It’s truly a shame that Kevin Love was taken out by a dude that cannot even grow facial hair, instead opting for the peach fuzz look. In hockey there’s a term for mediocre players that are just put on the ice to get physical with the opposition. They’re called a goon. That’s exactly what Kelly Olynyk is. There’s a difference between setting a hard screen with a push like what Kendrick Perkins did to Jae Crowder and putting a guy in an arm bar and pulling his shoulder out of its socket. Truly a bush league play.

Cavaliers Celtics Basketball

3. For those that are worried about reigning American League Cy Young award winner, Corey Kluber, don’t be. Kluber AKA Klubot will be just fine. Here is a look at his numbers from last April compared to this April.

2014: 2 W, 3 L, 37 IP, 35 K, 10 BB, 2 HR allowed, 4.14 ERA, 1.51 WHIP

2015: 0 W, 3 L, 34 IP, 36 K, 7 BB, 2 HR allowed, 4.24 ERA, 1.26 WHIP

Nearly an identical start from last season, look for Kluber to start dominating hitters in the near future and hopefully the Tribe will start giving him some run support.

4. One player who could help the Indians with their hitting woes is their top prospect, Francisco Lindor. Current starting shortstop Jose Ramirez is hitting a paltry .186 and the Indians as a team are hitting just .234 which is third worst in the American League. Lindor recently went on a 10-16 stretch and appears to have come out of his own early season slump. He’s hit safely in 10 of his last 14 games. The time is right for Lindor to get promoted to the ‘Big Show.’

5. The NFL draft is here which means it’s the time of year that the Cleveland Browns usually waste their picks on garbage players. There’s a report that the Browns are attempting to move up in the draft to take Oregon quarterback Marcus Marriota. That would be a mistake. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner was a great college quarterback, but his talents favor that game, not of the NFL variety. Marriota ran an up-tempo, no huddle, spread option offense taking snaps from the shotgun in college. In the NFL he will be huddling every play, taking snaps from under center, and won’t be able to leave the pocket as frequently as he did at Oregon. He was also injury prone, and while he was never hurt in a major way, that’s sure to change when he’s hit game in and game out by NFL players. This guy has bust written all over him.

6. A lot of Browns fans want to take a wide receiver in the first round. This is another foolish option. The rules in the NFL so highly favor receivers now that an average receiver can be a good receiver while a good receiver can become a great receiver. This was proven just last year when two of the Browns undersized receivers (Andrew Hawkins & Taylor Gabriel) both had successful seasons and proved that they could make plays despite their physical appearance.  There are an abundance of receivers in the college game nowadays that enter the NFL much more ready than previously due to the spread offenses that are being run. The Browns shouldn’t take a receiver in the first or second round when they can still find value in that position later in the draft. It would be a waste of a pick to do so early. Besides, take a look at this years Super Bowl combatants. Neither the Patriots nor the Seahawks have what you would call a playmaking wide receiver. The fact is, you don’t need one to succeed in this day’s NFL. If the Browns are smart (a HUGE if there) and stay where they’re currently sloted to pick in the first round (numbers 12 and 19) they should get NT Danny Shelton, who should be there for them at twelve and if DE Shane Ray falls to them at 19, they should run to the podium and take him.

7. Speaking of Shane Ray, yeah I know he just got pulled over and the officer found weed on him. So what? Marijuana is now legal in over 30 states and will soon be legal in all 50. The majority of NFL players smoke it and it’s really not a big deal. Hell, I’m sure more than half the people reading this column are doing so while puffing on a joint right now. If Ray were a QB, that would be different. You don’t want your quarterback smoking out. But a defensive player that partakes is fine by me. There have been plenty of NFL players that were busted for weed that were among the games elite. Ray has the talent to be among the best DE’s in the league and if other GM’s are afraid to draft him, hopefully Browns GM Ray Farmer won’t be.

8. Another name being thrown out there for the Browns is running back Todd Gurley. That is an absolute joke. If the Browns would draft him, or any other RB in the first or second round, I would seriously consider jumping off the 480 bridge. The NFL is a passing league. The rules are set up for the quarterbacks and receivers to succeed. Running backs are a dime a dozen. There are no ‘featured’ backs anymore with the exception of maybe a few guys. Nearly every team has a RB by committee approach and the Browns should be no different. Why should the browns take a RB that may carry the ball 10-15 times a game in the first or second round? That makes absolutely no sense! And I didn’t even get into the fact that Gurley was hurt twice getting hit by pimple faced college kids. What’s going to happen when he gets hit by grown men? I’ll pass on that option. Besides, the Browns already have two young running backs that complement each other very well.

9. It’s fight week for one of the most anticipated boxing matches in years. Floyd Mayweather is taking on Manny Pacquiao in a fight that is five years in the making. Some people are discouraged that the fight took so long to take place but the fact of the matter is that the fight will be much more competitive and entertaining now then it would have been had they fought five years ago. Mayweather is a defensive wizard, and he’s spent the majority of his career as a ‘hit and not get hit’ defensive minded fighter. Many of his fights have been lackluster due to the fact that he has simply outboxed his foes with tremendous hand speed and perfect foot work to escape without taking any real damage. Mayweather would have taken Pacquiao to school five years ago. Now though, Mayweather isn’t as fleet a foot as he once was and has taken more and more punches in the ring over the last two years. Pacquiao still has that blazing hand speed and with his non stop aggression and constant punches coming from a variety of angles, has a chance to land some shots on Mayweather. I don’t anticipate an upset here (Mayweather is a heavy betting favorite in Vegas) but I do think these two will offer an entertaining fight that will give the fans their money’s worth ($99 on PPV).

10. My dude Casey Kulas has made it official. It’s the ‘Summer of Brisket!’

https://twitter.com/CaseyKulas/status/592474880030986240

I’m up for the challenge. If you start to smell the smoke in South Lorain, just follow your nose to La Casa De Castro. I’ll probably have enough to share.

11. There are just 126 days until the college football season begins! Pre-order the Phil Steele College Football Preview aka the College football Bible here:

https://www.philsteele.com/store/

12. Shoe pick of the week. I don’t have these but word on the street is these are the shoes that Manny Pacquiao will be wearing during the Mayweather fight.

pac shoes

13. I know most of you reading this don’t like soccer but so what. This is my column and I do. The Columbus Crew are on fire as they’ve outscored their last two opponents by a 7-1 margin! That’s like 118-3 if you were watching football lol. Oh and Kei Kamara is tied for the lead with the most goals in the MLS this season!

Bakers Dozen (Thirteen things I know that you should know too)

Posted: April 21, 2015 in Boxing, Cavaliers, College football, Football
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1. Now that the NBA playoffs have started I’ll make my prediction. Those that know me personally can vouch I’ve said this well before the playoffs even started but now I’ll put it down on my column. The Cleveland Cavaliers will win the NBA Finals, ending the city’s 50 years Championship drought, and Kyrie Irving will be named the Finals MVP.

2. Speaking of the NBA playoffs, assuming the Chicago Bulls get by the Milwaukee Bucks, they’ll be next for the Cavaliers. Here’s to hoping D-Rose stays healthy. I, for one, believe the Bulls are a better team WITHOUT Rose. Give me more Rose and less Jimmy Butler. It Just makes the series that much easier for my Cavaliers.

3. Speaking of the Bulls, the series with the Cavs should be fun. We all know how Joakim Noah feels about the City of Cleveland, but do you know what he thinks of LeBron? Well, see for yourself.

 

4. The mega fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is less than two weeks away. Boxers usually walk to the ring with a hype song to get them fired up, however, Pacquiao is going to extreme measures with his ring entrance song. He actually recorded his own song to enter to. Chances are you’ve never heard of it, but lucky for you, I’ve got your back. Check it.

Not my idea of a hype song to say the least. If I was advising Pacquiao, I’d have him enter to something a bit more up-tempo. Something like this.

At least there’s an Ivan Drago reference in my pick.

5. Speaking of the fight, Mayweather is rumored to be making north of $100 million for this fight! ‘Money May’ is already the highest paid athlete in the world and when you have that much money and can have pretty much anything you want, you start purchasing silly things. Case in point. Mayweather has a $25,000 mouthpiece that has actual $100 bills sealed on the inside. Crazy, right? Here’s a look at a few of them.

mouthpiece

6. Recently I was home during the week in the middle of the day and did what any normal American would do when at home during normal business hours. “What’s that, you ask?” Watch The Price is Right of course. Now I have immense pride in Cleveland, the city I was born in, but even I had to question this. Either Cleveland is truly blowing up, or The Price is Right is on the decline. Get this. One of the prizes on the ‘Showcase Showdown’ was a trip to Cleveland with tickets for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! I’m not making this up just to get a laugh either, and yes, you read that correctly. I’ll repeat. One of the prizes on the ‘Showcase Showdown’ was a trip to Cleveland with tickets for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! I’m not talking about one of the prizes that everyone bids on beforehand, now. I’m talking about one of the grand prizes at the end of the show! My jaw is still dropped from that moment lol. I love my city, but even I know that a trip to my hometown shouldn’t be a prize worthy enough for a ‘Showcase Showdown.’ Or am I missing the boat on this one? Cleveland family, feel free to share your thoughts.

7. Got a case of the Monday blues? I’ve got just the answer to wake you up and get you ready to accomplish damn near anything after a party filled weekend. Listen to ‘Pitbull.’ Here’s one such song that should fill your Monday with a little joy.

 

8. I love Spring, mostly because that means winter is over, but I also love spring because of what it brings. No, I’m not talking about the rain or the flowers that begin to bloom. I’m talking about the Aut-O-Rama drive-in movie theatre and the Dog n Suds drive-in restaurant. I’m a sucker for history and how simple things used to be.

dog and suds

9. One of my favorite shows growing up was the Dukes of Hazzard so I was saddened by the passing of Roscoe P. Coltrane. How can you not be entertained by this sheriff.

 

10. If you haven’t seen ‘The Gambler’ starring Mark Wahlberg, don’t even waste your time.

Yes, the trailer makes this movie look good, but just believe me. It’s not.

11. If you’re anything like me, you miss the sound of real Hip-Hop. Today’s version of the genre is horrid, so I was beyond excited to learn that De La Soul was coming out with a new album.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1519102394/de-la-souls-new-album/widget/video.html

12. The College football season is just 135 days away!

13. I picked up a new pair of shoes recently. Here is the latest addition to my addiction.

adidas-supercolor-26

Bakers Dozen (Thirteen things I know, that you should know too)

Posted: December 2, 2010 in Boxing, Browns, Buckeyes, Cavaliers, Indians, Soccer, Vikings
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1.  I’m getting tired of every so called “expert” talk about second half adjustments and play calling every time the Cleveland Browns lose a game.  I’ve got an idea, how about the other team just made more plays at more crucial moments? 

2.  If no one showed up to the Q to witness “Quitness” on Thursday, wouldn’t that be the ultimate bitch slap back?  I mean, I don’t want to be anywhere near that Arena during the game.  If everyone followed suit, LePrick would notice just how important he really is.

3.  There isn’t a classier boxer in the world than Ring Magazine number 1 ranked Super Middleweight and former USA Olympic Gold Medal winner Andre Ward.  He wore trunks dedicated to Showtime blow-by-blow announcer Nick Charles as he battled cancer earlier this year, and after his hard fought decision over Sakio Bika on Saturday, he gave a shout out to North East Ohio Native Kelly Pavlik to let him know that he was in Ward’s prayers as the former Middleweight Champion is undergoing alcohol rehabilitation.   

4.  Certain things in life are undeniable.  Death.  Taxes.  And of course The Ohio State University Buckeyes beating Michigan while winning another Big Ten Championship and securing another BCS Bowl bid.

5.  The best basketball in the City continues to be played by the Cleveland State Vikings and it’s not even close.  They are off to the best start in School history at 8-0, and begin Horizon League play this week.  I’m shocked that the Wolstein Center crowds have been non-exhistant.  Truly embarrassing if you ask me.

6.  I’m dropping down $25 to play in the snow at Progressive Field.  There will be more sounds of joy this winter in that ballpark then what was heard all year during the baseball season.   Damn you Larry Dolan.  Damn you.

7.  Jared Sullinger has continued to impress me despite being double and triple teamed continuously down on the block.  He has three double-doubles already, which is the second most by a Freshman behind UK’s Terrence Jones.  Can I get a Buckeye versus Wildcat matchup in the tourney this year??

8.  It’s simply not worth staking out overnight to get Black Friday deals.  Wait it out and you will find deals that are just as good on Cyber Monday from the comforts of your own home. 

9.  Jake Delhomme should put the football down and pick the clipboard back up.  As much of a veteran as he is, I’m still astonished at the decision he makes with the football.  INT after INT.  He’s like a poor man’s JaMarcus Russell.

10.  Kelly Pavlik was reportedly in rehab ten days before his fight with Sergio Mora.  Ten days.  Pavlik was winning the fight before suffering his second cut over his eye and therefore, unable to see punch’s coming his way.  This is astonishing given how much Martinez’s stock has risen.  Had Pavlik been on the straight and narrow, he would have destroyed Martinez and would be on everyone’s pound for pound list.  Sad story about Pavlik.  Knowing him personally makes it even more difficult for me.  I wish him the best and hope he comes back. 

11.  The biggest pet peeve in the world is getting ready to park in a parking space at the grocery store and when you’re just about to pull in, there’s a empty shopping cart in the way.  SMDH.

12.  Manny Pacquiao isn’t fighting Juan Manuel Marquez again.  At least not next.  The reason?  Marquez will beat him.

13.  Despite not scoring a goal in Barcelona’s 5-0 thrashing of Real Madrid, my boy Lio Messi set up David Villa for two perfect goals and was the Man of the Match, drawing six fouls and controlling the middle of the pitch

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Bakers Dozen (Thirteen things I know, that you should know too)

Posted: November 18, 2010 in Boxing, Browns, Buckeyes, Cavaliers, Indians, Soccer, Vikings
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1.  Running back Peyton Hillis, left tackle Joe Thomas, and center Alex Mack will make the Pro Bowl this season.  I don’t see anyone making it from the defensive side of the ball, as the Cleveland Browns defense tends to be more of a team defense playing together as one unit, rather than relying on a few playmakers on that side of the ball to control opposing offenses.    

2.  Cavaliers point guard Daniel “Boobie” Gibson deserves props.  Not only for his play on the basketball court, but for his charity in the Browns team shop during the team’s loss to the Jets on Sunday.  Gibson tweeted during the game, which he was attending, “headed to the team shop..Free gear on me if you here!!  He’s must follow status now!!

3.  I’m much happier that Antonio Margacheato sustained a prolonged beating for 12 rounds against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday, rather than suffering an early knockout loss.  Margacheato should of been banned from the sport forever after he attempted to enter the ring with loaded gloves when he took on Shane Mosley in 2009.  He will suffer more long term damage from that beating, and he deserves whatever health issues he will be dealt with.     

4.  Terrell Pryor is going to have a big time game on Saturday in Iowa.  Mark it down.  Take my word for it.  He’s too much of a competitor and the fact that people are counting him out right now will feed into his hunger. 

5.  Cleveland State’s Norris Cole is the most exciting basketball player in the city.  He is the Horizon League Athlete of the week and his Vikings are 4-0, matching the best start in school history.  Cole is a senior, and was a first team All-Horizon League selection last season.  He is averaging 22.3 points/game this season.

6.  It’s the offseason for the Indians and the GM winter meetings are underway.  That means the Tribe is in the market for a pitcher that is coming off an injury.  Brandon Webb anyone?  My bet is he will be wearing a Cleveland uniform next year.  Damn you Larry Dolan.  Damn you.

7.  The best basketball player in the state of Ohio is Jared Sullinger.  He’s already convinced me that he can eat whatever he wants and it won’t matter.  I was comparing his weight to that of “Tractor” Traylor last week, but the bottom line is he has accomplished more in two games than Traylor ever did in his entire college and professional basketball career.

8.  Don’t text and drive.  Please.  Don’t text and drive.

9.  I’m not saying that Eric Mangini had a good draft class in 2009, and the Massaquoi and Robiskie apparent busts really stick out, but what about the Alex Mack pick?  I’d take a Pro Bowl player in any draft.  Also, it was Mangini who brought up bringing Peyton Hillis to Cleveland, after watching him as a member of the Broncos. 

10.  I, like everyone else, want to see Pacquiao and Mayweather square off in the ring.  I do, however, find it astonishing that despite adding over 50 pounds since turning pro, Pacquiao is as fast and as powerful as ever.  The whispers about steroids have been out there, and if Mayweather is going to go through the Olympic style drug testing to prove he is clean, then Pacquiao should as well.

11.  I was going to call out my kids for not letting me get the proper amount of sleep I need to be a productive member of society, but I was afraid my words would get taken out of context.  I feel you Leboob.  I understand.  SMDH.

12.  There are already too many weight classes in boxing, and now we are getting more with all the catch weight fights.  The Pacquiao/Margacheato fight was at a catch weight, and this week’s big fight is also at a catch weight.  Martinez is the middleweight champion of the World.  If Williams wants the title, the fight should be at the 160 pound middleweight limit.  When will the madness end?

13.  Ohio is the Soccer capital of the World!!  No, just kidding, but Ohio just may be the soccer capital of the USA.  Cleveland St. Ignatius was named the National Champions after their perfect 23-0 season, and Akron has a chance to become back to back national champions as they are currently participating in the College Cup.

Ring Ratings Update: Pacquiao moves to No. 1 in welterweight rankings

Posted: November 16, 2010 in Boxing
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Ring Ratings Update: Pacquiao moves to No. 1 in welterweight rankings.

Poll: Pacquiao or Mayweather

Posted: November 14, 2010 in Boxing
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Featured Fight of the Week

Posted: November 13, 2010 in Boxing
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Ring Magazine #1 Pound for Pound boxer Manny Pacquiao will battle as Antonio Margarito at a catch weight in the Jr. middleweight division

Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao                                                       Antonio “The Tijuana Tornado” Margarito

51-3-2, 38 KO’s                                                  VS.                               38-6, 27 KO’s
5’6 ½, 144 ½ pounds, 31 yrs. old                                                    5’11, 150 pounds, 32 yrs. old
General Santos City, Philippines                                                       Tijuana, Mexico

Strengths:                                                                                                Strengths:

Southpaw Style                                                                                          Aggressive style
Speed                                                                                                             Chin
Two handed power                                                                                  Hunger/Desire

Weaknesses:                                                                                          Weaknesses:

Can be outboxed                                                                                      Defense              
Outside distractions                                                                               Inactivity

  • Pacquiao is coming off a 12 round unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey in March.  He has won 12 fights in a row, dating back to 2005.
  • Margarito is coming off a 10 round unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia in May.  Before that he was knocked out by Shane Mosley in which it was discovered before the fight that his gloves had been inserted with illegal knuckle pads. 

This fight came together after the biggest fight in boxing, Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather fell through for a second time.  Antonio Margarito, who is promoted by the same promoter as Pacquiao, Top Rank, was an easy choice as a replacement for the company. 

Margarito was known as one of the most feared men in boxing until his unforgettable night against Mosley.  He was in everyone’s pound for pound list, and was coming off a huge knockout win over previous unbeaten Miguel Cotto.  The hand wrap scandal has put a huge question on Margarito’s past.  How long has he been fighting with illegal hand wraps?  That question will probably never be known, but Margarito can silence his critics with a win against Pacquiao. 

Pacquiao is known as the “Mexican killer,” due to his tendency for knocking off Mexican fighters such as Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, and Marco Antonio Barrera.  Margarito will be the biggest Mexican that the Filipino has entered the ring against. 

Despite the size advantage for Margarito, who weighed in six pounds heavier, and could be fifteen pounds heavier on fight night, I don’t see Pacquiao having much trouble with him.  Margarito is an aggressive, come forward fighter, which plays right into the hands of Pacquiao.  Add to that the propensity to get hit and the speed at which Pacquiao’s shots will come, I see Margarito folding as he did against Mosley.  Margarito simply hasn’t been active enough, and hasn’t seen the speed of someone like Pacquiao.  This is going to give him fits.  I see Pacquiao stopping Margarito in the tenth round.  After which, he and trainer Freddie Roach will again call out Floyd Mayweather, and hopefully, for boxing’s sake, that mega fight will happen.

Poll: Pacquiao or Margacheato?

Posted: November 12, 2010 in Boxing
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Stay classy Margacheato & Brandon Rios

Posted: November 11, 2010 in Boxing
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Here is the video of two of the biggest Asses in boxing, Antonio Margarito or Margacheato and Brandon Rios, making fun of Freddie Roach, who suffers from Parkinsons disease from his many ring wars.  Roach is the trainer of boxing great Manny Pacquiao.  Pacquiao and Margacheato square off on Saturday in Dallas at Cowboys stadium.  The mocking starts at the 2:05 mark.

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