Boxing

[Keer]

Okay, so I have one and a half sports that I really pay attetnion to including football. :lol: I say "a half" because after some very shady calls by the judges last year and this year, much of my enthusiasm for boxing has waned.

BUT, my favorite fighter happens to be fighting this Saturday night for what could be a legendary win or a retirement inducing battle.

Oscar De La Hoya, the Golden Boy is challenging Bernard "the Philly Executioner" Hopkins for the Middleweight Championship (168 lbs).

Why is this important? For Bernard Hopkins it's the biggest payday that he's ever had in much of his self-(mis)managed career. Somewhere around $6-7 million for these 36 minutes of fighting.

For Oscar De La Hoya the prize is more oblique. He's already got more money than he could ever spend (in 1998 alone he made approx $60 million including endorsements). A win for Oscar would give him more leverage to call out the fighter who beat him in one of the most sickening displays of judging incompetence in all sports history not to mention Boxing.

In 1998 Felix Trinidad was awarded a split decision over De La Hoya to the astonishment of the study of logic and all the laws of physics. Trinidad then went on to get humiliated by Hopkins the next year. Soo, on this coming Saturday the 18th, if Oscar can "beat the man who beat the man" he can call out Felix to a fight on his terms and show (hopefully) once and for all who's the better fighter.

Personally, I think Oscar is in trouble with Hopkins, though to a smaller degree. But I'll be rooting for De La Hoya because in previous fights he seems to find a way to win.

I'm getting ready to get ready to rummmmbllllle !!

[E-bo Obi]

I never cared for boxing. I hope your guy wins though. I think I remember watching him box in the olympics years ago.

[Keer]

I never cared for boxing. I hope your guy wins though. I think I remember watching him box in the olympics years ago.

Yeah, De la Hoya won the Gold Medal for the U.S. back in 1992. Barcelona, I believe it was. Hence more ammo for the "Golden Boy" promotion.

[Keer]

Oooohhh!!

"It was chopped liver with Hopkins sauce on it," said Bernard Hopkins of the nasty liver punch that knocked out Oscar De la Hoya for the first time in his career. (anyone who knows boxing knows Hopkins is allways good for a funny quote).

Credit to De la Hoya for squaring up with Hopkins for most of the fight. Most (including myself) thought that he would be on the bicycle using hit and fade tactics.

Anticipating that, the Bernard Hopkins camp had Hopkins drop 10-12 pounds from his usual fighting weight. A brilliant strategic move that insured Hopins would have the speed to stay with De la Hoya should he try to run.

Also, the liver punch "with sauce" was one of the best executed that I've seen in 18 years of being a serious boxing fan. It was nasty. The set-up and delivery was in the style of Hopkins' nickname, "The Executioner".

Oscar, always the minimal ego sportsman gave no excuses. "He hit me with the right shot, that's it."

The future path of both fighters is unknown and varied at this time. Both have several challenging and lucrative options. Both fighters were in great shape and displayed no diminishing of skills.

Me? I'm still hoping for that rematch of the 1999 travesty of De la Hoya and Trinidad. I know De la Hoya does too, along with millions of other fight fans all the way down to every hotel worker in Vegas.

Full fight story here:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2 ... hoya_x.htm

[Keer]

Hey, all you boxing fanatics...heh.

Floyd Mayweather, one of the best pound for pound fighters of this generation, advanced closer last night towards a title in his thrid weightclass. Yayy!

In the 8th round, Mayweather stopped Henry Bruseles in the Welterweight division fight. If you've never seen Mayweather fight, it's something to see. A calm tactician, with a very tight defense that frustrates his opponents until he's ready to unleash sharp combinations. Nasty.

This particular fight wasn't stellar overall, but the next one on deck could be. Mayweather should go on to fight the victor of Arturo Gatti vs. James Leija. Most are clamoring for a Gatti fight, due to his classic slugfest brawls with Mickey Ward the last two years. I'm looking forward to it.