Sometimes pain becomes an integral part of pleasure and we have to be hurt in order to feel happiness. The dichotomy of the inner self, the strife, the struggle to feel, not only the good, but the bad is what makes us human. That is why it is ok for things to not be okay, it’s just not okay to give up. In boxing, there is an unfair standard to be perfect, to keep intact the "0". The "0" has been marketed so heavy when a new fighter is on the scene that we have put a blanket on the rest of boxing. A lot of times a new fighter has been just that, hyped up, and when he takes a step up in quality of opposition, we see just how much was hype. Then there are fighters that are truly good, and can truly make an impact on the sport. Those are the fighters who needed a set back, in order to be pushed forward. A lot of times we see the potential, we just need a way to tap in and unleash it. The following fighters have been placed on the "Redemption List" because we all know that these warriors have a lot more to offer boxing, and Boxing would love to have them back on the big stage.
10. Alfredo Angulo: El Perro has been off the radar for a number of reasons. First he suffered a devastating TKO loss to James Kirkland. Then Angulo was living in the U.S with an expired work visa. He turned himself in to the immigration detention center in El Centro, California to resolve his issue. He was promised he would be out in a few weeks but was detained there for over 7 months. He was finally released on August 14, 2012. Since his release he has been allowed to work and practice his professional boxing. He is currently scheduled to fight on November 10, 2012 against Raul Casarez under the Abner Mares-Anselmo Moreno Card. He is not the fastest or most technical guy in boxing, but we can see he has never been in a boring fight. Boxing welcomes you back.
09. Chad Dawson: Bad Chad was most recently seen as Sad Chad Dawson after failing to continue after he was knocked down in the 10th round by Andre Ward. I do give Dawson credit as he made a conscious effort to fight the best in and around his weigh division. Although not an excuse, I do feel the weight loss was a factor in the TKO stoppage. He is still the current WBC Light Heavyweight and Ring Magazine Champion and really has no reason to hang his head. He made for an exciting fight and he kept true to his word about fighting the best. A lot of boxers talk about it, Chad Dawson was about it.
08. Lamont Peterson: Lamont Peterson’s entire life has resembled somewhat of a redemption story. His father left him at an early age due to criminal activity and prison sentences and his mother, due to personal problems abandoned Lamont and his brother to the streets of D.C. Reportedly homeless and living off the kindness of others, if there were two people that are not supposed to make it at life, it would be Lamont Peterson and his brother. It wasn’t until a boxing trainer by the name of Barry Hunter came and took Lamont and his sibling under his wing that things began to turn around. He molded Lamont in a complete fighter and was undefeated until he fought Timothy Bradley and lost by UD after knocking Bradley down. He went on the comeback trail and beat Amir Khan in his most notable victory to claim the WBA and IBF Light Welterweight Championship. But after the drug tests came back, it came to light that Lamont Peterson tested positive for synthetic testosterone, in which he took to treat a medical condition. Now labeled a cheat, Lamont is facing an uphill battle to clear his name and work his way back up the boxing ladder.
07. Andre Berto: A boxer/puncher with tremendous upside, speed, agility, amateur background and a willingness to engage. He stepped on the gas in the championship rounds vs Luis Collazo to get squeak out a decision, but his willingness to engage may have cost him the fight vs Victor Ortiz in the fight of the year in 2011. He lost his WBC Welterweight Belt to Ortiz by Unanimous Decision. His next fight was versus highly regarded, yet untested and undefeated IBF Welterweight Champion Dejan Zavec. After 5 rounds of a hotly contested battle, Zavecs corner stopped the fight due to a cut and Andre Berto became the IBF Welterweight Champion. After agreeing to a rematch with Victor Ortiz, Andre Berto failed a pre fight drug test after testing positive for a banned substance and is the main reason he is on this list. Redemption is in the horizon.
06. Erik Morales: He is the first Mexican-born boxer in history to win world titles in four different weight classes. He is a former WBC Light Welterweight Champion, WBC & IBF Super Featherweight, WBC Featherweight (x2) and WBC & WBO Super Bantamweight Champion. Morales has defeated 15 different world champions during the course of his career. He is famous for his trilogies with fellow Mexican legend three-division champion Marco Antonio Barrera and Filipino octuple champion Manny Pacquiao. He ranks #49 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers Of All Time. Why does a fighter of his caliber deserve mention on this list? Because he would rather not be anywhere else. He is a fighters fighter and fan favorite. Erik Morales is a showman with one last outing to prove, not only to himself but the rest of the boxing nation, that he is a champion. He is set to face undefeated Ring Light Welterweight Champion Danny Garcia in a rematch on OCT 20th. He lost the first contest that saw him frustrate Danny at times but couldn’t get over the hump and take advantage of the young lion. He, and all of his fans are hoping for a championship performance from Erik, and then walk into the sunset of retirement.
05. Juan Manuel Lopez: At a time when Puerto Rico was looking past Miguel Cotto to try and find the next "Chosen One" JuanMa Lopez was ready to answer the call. After winning championships he soon became a celebrity on the island participating in many non boxing events. But in the ring, with a devastating left hook he would knock opponents up and down. His dependence on his punching power became a crutch as he opted little to develop his defense, which in turn became his demise when he faced Mexian Orlando Salido. Salido has twice TKO’d Puerto Rico’s JuanMa in what many considered the first a fluke. He has gone back to the drawing board and is currently devising a plan to become once again at the top of his division and claim the glory of being a Puerto Rican Champion.
04. Victor Ortiz: If there is one thing we can say about Victor Ortiz is this, he has never been in a boring fight. After being abandoned by his parents as a child Victor turned to boxing as a way to support himself and his family. He was named the 2008 ESPN Boxing Prospect of the year and he looked it. Of his 29 wins, 22 are knockouts with a 76% KO ratio. Every opponent he has faced, except for two, has touched the canvas due to a Victor Ortiz punch. When Victor loses, he loses in dramatic fashion. He quit against Maidonna after not wanting to take any more punishment. He was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather Jr, after intentionally head butting Mayweather, Ortiz went on an apology frenzy and after time was called in was Knocked out in the process of apologizing. His last outing we saw Ortiz quit on his stool after Josesito Lopez broke his jaw. Sometimes we ask our boxers to be superheroes and Victor Ortiz is an example of the expectation we put on our fighters. If you had a broken jaw, would you continue working at your job? Or would you go to the hospital an seek medical attention? He is a dynamic boxer with tremendous flaw, a human I n the ring. He has been on the biggest stage versus some of the best boxers and he knows that there is still plenty in the tank to accomplish his goals, which is being the best.
03. Amir Khan: A Silver Medalist in the 2004 Olympics, Amir Khan is the youngest boxing Brit to ever win an Olympic Medal at 17 years old. This ushered the stage to the professional ranks where expectations were high. His speed and agility are never in question as he will almost always hold those advantages over his opponents, what is in question though is his ring smarts and chin. He has dropped two of his last 3 and was knocked silly against Danny Garcia in his last outing getting TKO’d in the 4th round. He holds all the potential of any new hot prospect, but gets complacent because of his speed advantages. When he grows as a fighter learns to minimize his mistakes, then we will see the true champion we know he will become.
02. Jorge Linares: Honestly 3 or 4 years ago today, I would have told you that Jorge Linares would have been in the Top 10 pound for pound. He is quick and fluid in the ring. He would have hit you from 40 different angles in a 10 second time span. Today, I cannot say the same. Of his 3 lossess, all three have come by KO or TKO and he is on a 2 fight losing streak. With a championship rematch versus Antonio Demarco hanging in the balance, Linares was TKO’d in the 2nd round vs Sergio Thompson (who?, exactly). He needs a win and he needs it bad. With a fighting style like a lighter hitting Manny Pacquiao, he is always in an exciting fight, but has some internal demons and confidence issues he needs to overcome. He has the makings of an elite fighter, someone just needs to get the timer right. At a crossroads, he needs a win, and he needs it bad.
01. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: You can say what you want about JCC Jr, but one thing is certain, he has began the engraving process of his legacy as an A+ fighter. He made it the distance versus Pound for Pound staple Sergio Martinez, which is a feat upon itself since his 4 of his last 5 opponents didn’t make it to the final bell. In addition to that, he floored and almost finished Martinez in the 12th round in what will almost certainly be billed as "round of the Year". Other than the 11th and 12th round, JCC Jr was being utterly dominated by the quicker and more accurate Martinez. Jr was never hurt throughout the contest and seemed very reluctant to let his hands go, but when he did, you can tell they would inflict damage when landed. Talks of a rematch are in the works, tentatively slated at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Sergio Martinez put on a dominating performance vs an unseasoned Champion, but I feel, of all his career wins, this lost taught Jr. the most. I believe the rematch will have much more drama than the initial contest and is the reason why people become fans of boxing.
The Standing 8 Count
1. The double card from rival promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy last week was not such a bad idea if you look at it from a distance. There were great fights, sold out arenas and happy fans. Talking to a contributing writer to this page he said, "Look at it this way, when the NFL and NBA have games, there’s usually multiple games going on at the same time, and that doesn’t deter the fan, it actually enhances the overall experience" With quality cards, I think he was right.
2. If you think you are great at predicting the outcomes of fights, you have to check out this site and become part of the "Fantasy Boxing Prediction League". It is updated weekly with your score versus other users.--> www.punchbagblog.com
3. Leija Battah Promotions are doing big things in San Antonio and really beginning to achieve what they set out to accomplish, which is make San Antonio a Mecca Of Boxing. You can check out their website and see what they have planned on the horizon here --> www.leijabattahpromo.com
4. Round 12 of Chavez Jr vs Martinez had me jumping up off my seat. There is no other sport on Earth that can have one team dominating in every fashion, then right before the final bell, almost have it all erased and lose.
5. Artist Alert II: I know I have said this before, but Amanda Kelleys work is just "Wow". Take a look at this picture of Manny and Freddie Roach under the 8 count. You can view her work here --> http://amanda-kelley.tumblr.com/
6. Make the FIGHT: WIth Timothy Bradley overlooked for a rematch and Robert Guerrero begging for a fight, it would only make sense to have these two young lions face each other....maybe too much sense.
7. Where would you rank Floyd Mayweather Jr in the "All Time Great Fighters" list?
8. Take action. In the words of Benjamin Franklin...." Well done is better than well said. "
10. Alfredo Angulo: El Perro has been off the radar for a number of reasons. First he suffered a devastating TKO loss to James Kirkland. Then Angulo was living in the U.S with an expired work visa. He turned himself in to the immigration detention center in El Centro, California to resolve his issue. He was promised he would be out in a few weeks but was detained there for over 7 months. He was finally released on August 14, 2012. Since his release he has been allowed to work and practice his professional boxing. He is currently scheduled to fight on November 10, 2012 against Raul Casarez under the Abner Mares-Anselmo Moreno Card. He is not the fastest or most technical guy in boxing, but we can see he has never been in a boring fight. Boxing welcomes you back.
09. Chad Dawson: Bad Chad was most recently seen as Sad Chad Dawson after failing to continue after he was knocked down in the 10th round by Andre Ward. I do give Dawson credit as he made a conscious effort to fight the best in and around his weigh division. Although not an excuse, I do feel the weight loss was a factor in the TKO stoppage. He is still the current WBC Light Heavyweight and Ring Magazine Champion and really has no reason to hang his head. He made for an exciting fight and he kept true to his word about fighting the best. A lot of boxers talk about it, Chad Dawson was about it.
08. Lamont Peterson: Lamont Peterson’s entire life has resembled somewhat of a redemption story. His father left him at an early age due to criminal activity and prison sentences and his mother, due to personal problems abandoned Lamont and his brother to the streets of D.C. Reportedly homeless and living off the kindness of others, if there were two people that are not supposed to make it at life, it would be Lamont Peterson and his brother. It wasn’t until a boxing trainer by the name of Barry Hunter came and took Lamont and his sibling under his wing that things began to turn around. He molded Lamont in a complete fighter and was undefeated until he fought Timothy Bradley and lost by UD after knocking Bradley down. He went on the comeback trail and beat Amir Khan in his most notable victory to claim the WBA and IBF Light Welterweight Championship. But after the drug tests came back, it came to light that Lamont Peterson tested positive for synthetic testosterone, in which he took to treat a medical condition. Now labeled a cheat, Lamont is facing an uphill battle to clear his name and work his way back up the boxing ladder.
07. Andre Berto: A boxer/puncher with tremendous upside, speed, agility, amateur background and a willingness to engage. He stepped on the gas in the championship rounds vs Luis Collazo to get squeak out a decision, but his willingness to engage may have cost him the fight vs Victor Ortiz in the fight of the year in 2011. He lost his WBC Welterweight Belt to Ortiz by Unanimous Decision. His next fight was versus highly regarded, yet untested and undefeated IBF Welterweight Champion Dejan Zavec. After 5 rounds of a hotly contested battle, Zavecs corner stopped the fight due to a cut and Andre Berto became the IBF Welterweight Champion. After agreeing to a rematch with Victor Ortiz, Andre Berto failed a pre fight drug test after testing positive for a banned substance and is the main reason he is on this list. Redemption is in the horizon.
06. Erik Morales: He is the first Mexican-born boxer in history to win world titles in four different weight classes. He is a former WBC Light Welterweight Champion, WBC & IBF Super Featherweight, WBC Featherweight (x2) and WBC & WBO Super Bantamweight Champion. Morales has defeated 15 different world champions during the course of his career. He is famous for his trilogies with fellow Mexican legend three-division champion Marco Antonio Barrera and Filipino octuple champion Manny Pacquiao. He ranks #49 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers Of All Time. Why does a fighter of his caliber deserve mention on this list? Because he would rather not be anywhere else. He is a fighters fighter and fan favorite. Erik Morales is a showman with one last outing to prove, not only to himself but the rest of the boxing nation, that he is a champion. He is set to face undefeated Ring Light Welterweight Champion Danny Garcia in a rematch on OCT 20th. He lost the first contest that saw him frustrate Danny at times but couldn’t get over the hump and take advantage of the young lion. He, and all of his fans are hoping for a championship performance from Erik, and then walk into the sunset of retirement.
05. Juan Manuel Lopez: At a time when Puerto Rico was looking past Miguel Cotto to try and find the next "Chosen One" JuanMa Lopez was ready to answer the call. After winning championships he soon became a celebrity on the island participating in many non boxing events. But in the ring, with a devastating left hook he would knock opponents up and down. His dependence on his punching power became a crutch as he opted little to develop his defense, which in turn became his demise when he faced Mexian Orlando Salido. Salido has twice TKO’d Puerto Rico’s JuanMa in what many considered the first a fluke. He has gone back to the drawing board and is currently devising a plan to become once again at the top of his division and claim the glory of being a Puerto Rican Champion.
04. Victor Ortiz: If there is one thing we can say about Victor Ortiz is this, he has never been in a boring fight. After being abandoned by his parents as a child Victor turned to boxing as a way to support himself and his family. He was named the 2008 ESPN Boxing Prospect of the year and he looked it. Of his 29 wins, 22 are knockouts with a 76% KO ratio. Every opponent he has faced, except for two, has touched the canvas due to a Victor Ortiz punch. When Victor loses, he loses in dramatic fashion. He quit against Maidonna after not wanting to take any more punishment. He was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather Jr, after intentionally head butting Mayweather, Ortiz went on an apology frenzy and after time was called in was Knocked out in the process of apologizing. His last outing we saw Ortiz quit on his stool after Josesito Lopez broke his jaw. Sometimes we ask our boxers to be superheroes and Victor Ortiz is an example of the expectation we put on our fighters. If you had a broken jaw, would you continue working at your job? Or would you go to the hospital an seek medical attention? He is a dynamic boxer with tremendous flaw, a human I n the ring. He has been on the biggest stage versus some of the best boxers and he knows that there is still plenty in the tank to accomplish his goals, which is being the best.
03. Amir Khan: A Silver Medalist in the 2004 Olympics, Amir Khan is the youngest boxing Brit to ever win an Olympic Medal at 17 years old. This ushered the stage to the professional ranks where expectations were high. His speed and agility are never in question as he will almost always hold those advantages over his opponents, what is in question though is his ring smarts and chin. He has dropped two of his last 3 and was knocked silly against Danny Garcia in his last outing getting TKO’d in the 4th round. He holds all the potential of any new hot prospect, but gets complacent because of his speed advantages. When he grows as a fighter learns to minimize his mistakes, then we will see the true champion we know he will become.
02. Jorge Linares: Honestly 3 or 4 years ago today, I would have told you that Jorge Linares would have been in the Top 10 pound for pound. He is quick and fluid in the ring. He would have hit you from 40 different angles in a 10 second time span. Today, I cannot say the same. Of his 3 lossess, all three have come by KO or TKO and he is on a 2 fight losing streak. With a championship rematch versus Antonio Demarco hanging in the balance, Linares was TKO’d in the 2nd round vs Sergio Thompson (who?, exactly). He needs a win and he needs it bad. With a fighting style like a lighter hitting Manny Pacquiao, he is always in an exciting fight, but has some internal demons and confidence issues he needs to overcome. He has the makings of an elite fighter, someone just needs to get the timer right. At a crossroads, he needs a win, and he needs it bad.
01. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: You can say what you want about JCC Jr, but one thing is certain, he has began the engraving process of his legacy as an A+ fighter. He made it the distance versus Pound for Pound staple Sergio Martinez, which is a feat upon itself since his 4 of his last 5 opponents didn’t make it to the final bell. In addition to that, he floored and almost finished Martinez in the 12th round in what will almost certainly be billed as "round of the Year". Other than the 11th and 12th round, JCC Jr was being utterly dominated by the quicker and more accurate Martinez. Jr was never hurt throughout the contest and seemed very reluctant to let his hands go, but when he did, you can tell they would inflict damage when landed. Talks of a rematch are in the works, tentatively slated at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. Sergio Martinez put on a dominating performance vs an unseasoned Champion, but I feel, of all his career wins, this lost taught Jr. the most. I believe the rematch will have much more drama than the initial contest and is the reason why people become fans of boxing.
The Standing 8 Count
1. The double card from rival promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy last week was not such a bad idea if you look at it from a distance. There were great fights, sold out arenas and happy fans. Talking to a contributing writer to this page he said, "Look at it this way, when the NFL and NBA have games, there’s usually multiple games going on at the same time, and that doesn’t deter the fan, it actually enhances the overall experience" With quality cards, I think he was right.
2. If you think you are great at predicting the outcomes of fights, you have to check out this site and become part of the "Fantasy Boxing Prediction League". It is updated weekly with your score versus other users.--> www.punchbagblog.com
3. Leija Battah Promotions are doing big things in San Antonio and really beginning to achieve what they set out to accomplish, which is make San Antonio a Mecca Of Boxing. You can check out their website and see what they have planned on the horizon here --> www.leijabattahpromo.com
4. Round 12 of Chavez Jr vs Martinez had me jumping up off my seat. There is no other sport on Earth that can have one team dominating in every fashion, then right before the final bell, almost have it all erased and lose.
5. Artist Alert II: I know I have said this before, but Amanda Kelleys work is just "Wow". Take a look at this picture of Manny and Freddie Roach under the 8 count. You can view her work here --> http://amanda-kelley.tumblr.com/
6. Make the FIGHT: WIth Timothy Bradley overlooked for a rematch and Robert Guerrero begging for a fight, it would only make sense to have these two young lions face each other....maybe too much sense.
7. Where would you rank Floyd Mayweather Jr in the "All Time Great Fighters" list?
8. Take action. In the words of Benjamin Franklin...." Well done is better than well said. "