Fight Preview: Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley

Stats

Manny Pacquiao

Age: 33

Hometown: General Santos City, Phillipines

Nickname: "Pacman"

Height: 5'6 1/2"

Reach: 67"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 54-3-2 (38 knockouts)

Ranking: Tied atop the pound-for-pound list with Floyd Mayweather; number 1 ranked welterweight

Titles Held: WBC Flyweight (1998-1999); IBF Junior Featherweight (2001-2003); The Ring Featherweight (2003); WBA Junior Lightweight (2008); WBC Lightweight (2008-2009); The Ring Junior Welterweight (2009); WBO Welterweight (2009-Present); WBC Junior Middleweight (2010)

Timothy Bradley

Age: 28

Hometown: Palm Springs, California

Nickname: "Desert Storm"

Height: 5'6"

Reach: 69"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 28-0 (12 knockouts)

Ranking: Number 8 pound-for-pound and number 1 ranked junior welterweight

Titles Held: WBC Light Welterweight (2008-Present); WBO Light Welterweight (2009-Present)

*Stats and rankings provided by BoxRec and The Ring

Can these two pick up where Mayweather and Cotto left off?

Last month, boxing saw one of it's biggest stars, Floyd Mayweather, engage in a toe-to-war war with future Hall of Famer, Miguel Cotto. On June 9, Manny Pacquiao will try to make his own statement by taking on the undefeated junior welterweight champion, Timothy Bradley. Although some would be right to question the value of Bradley as a pay-per-view draw, none can question the skill set and potential problems he may pose for the Filipino star. Boxing pundits and aficionados alike have been intrigued by this match-up since the bout's announcement.  Could Timothy Bradley be the man to end Pacquiao's reign atop many pound-for-pound lists? How will Bradley's body react to fighting in a heaver weight class? Will Pacquiao look like an dominant force, or an aging one? These are some of the questions that have been asked, and rightfully so. There are so many possibilities with this fight that one can't help but be intrigued at the different "what if.." scenarios that could arise. It is this kind of uncertainty which has made the pre-fight build up for this pay-per-view something that couldn't have been said for Pacquiao's previous outings, and that is exciting. On paper, this match-up has the potential to be one of, if not the toughest, outing for both fighters. Come June 9, however, only one will walk away the victor in a fight that has potential to not only launch careers, but bury them as well.

Pacquiao will be looking to keep his belt
collection at eight following his fight
with TimothyBradley.

When one looks back on Manny Pacquiao's resume, there is absolutely no denying that he has consistently fought some of the best in boxing throughout his career. His in-ring endeavors are what have propelled him to main stream acceptance, and the acknowledgement from fans that he is an all-time great. Regardless of his god-like status in boxing, Pacquiao has quickly learned that there is no defeating Father Time. Pacquiao's last two fights came against aging veterans Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez, and in neither fight was he able to make the resounding statement so many expected. In his bout with Shane Mosley, Pacquiao was criticized for his inability to put away the virtually stagnant boxer within the full twelve rounds. To his benefit however, Pacquiao would go on to put up a much livelier performance against his rival, Juan Manuel Marquez, albeit a controversial one. With these fights now behind him, there is no doubt that Pacquiao is coming into his bout with Bradley with a chip on his shoulder. He and Roach know that in order to silence his critics Pacquiao has to not only defeat Bradley, but look dominant while doing it. To defeat Bradley, Pacquiao is going to have to not only fight smart, but fight aggressive. His (Pacquiao's) heavy pressure style of boxing has been shown to give opponents fits in the past, and it would be no different here. He needs to come at Bradley early, and not give Bradley any room to breathe, let alone recover. Bradley has already shown in the past that he can get hit, so with that in mind, Pacquiao must blitz him early in order to catch him and set a dominant pace should the fight go a full twelve rounds. If Pacquiao applies pressure effectively, while avoiding the counter attack of Bradley, expect him to earn a fairly one-sided and dominant win over the young champion.

Bradley wins his first title with a
stoppage victory over England's
Junior Witter.

Although you may no have heard of him, Timothy Bradley is one of the most talented and intelligent boxers in the game today. Many might question how deserving he may be of a big money fight like this one, but all one has to do is take an in-depth look at his record. Since making his professional debut in the junior welterweight division, Bradley has looked nothing short of unstoppable, owning wins over Junior Witter, Lamont Peterson, and Kendall Holt. Even more recently he defeated highly-touted prospect Devon Alexander, as well as veteran Joel Casamayor in two dominant showings. However, with every praise one hears for Bradley, a criticism follows. The criticism that has followed Bradley throughout his career is the fact that he often leads with his head. This habit has led to many of his fights ending or at least being affected by an accidental clash of heads. Due to the unintentional nature of the headbutts however, there is nothing an opponent can do but avoid them. Aside from his negative habits, Bradley has shown other traits that give him the potential of turning into something truly special in the welterweight division. Bradley has shown that he can take a hell of a punch, has cardio for days, and that he possesses the type of power that quickly turn the tide of a fight. To defeat a fighter like Pacquiao however, Bradley will have to be at his absolute mental and physical peak. He must use an effective jab to keep Pacquiao at bay, while intelligently moving and using angles to batter the Filipino phenom. Now that Bradley will be fighting as a full-fledged welterweight for the first time in his career, he must also be sure to pace himself throughout the fight. If he can pace himself, while effectively jabbing and countering the aging Filipino, expect Bradley to earn a dominant majority decision win.

Prediction

As both fighters answer the bell for the first round they will both come out tentative, throwing out the occasional pawing jab as they try to time their opponent. Bradley will immediately rush Pacquiao, but it will be the Filipino who is landing more shots. As the second round bell sounds, Bradley will once again come out strong against Pacquiao. He will try to push the Filipino to the ropes while trying to land a counter right hand and clinching. Both fighters will have been busy, but Pacquiao once again seems busier, although Bradley was the more aggressive. In the third and fourth rounds, Pacquiao will begin to hit his stride. He will keep Bradley at bay by throwing combinations to the head and body, all while avoiding a potential clash of heads from the notorious Bradley. Inevitably, Pacquiao will make contact with Bradley's brow and will now have to deal with a cut from this point forward. As the middle rounds approach, Bradley will finally have a feel for his new weight and begin turning up the pressure on Pacquiao. Similar to the early rounds, he will force the Filipino to the ropes while countering and effectively defending from any shots to the body. On the ropes, Bradley will instigate wild exchanges in which he will get the better of Pacquiao, causing the phenom to superstar to clinch and try to survive the round. With the seventh and eighth rounds approaching, Pacquiao will be fairly fatigued while Bradley is still undeterred. Regardless of his current state, Pacquiao will begin finding success as he once again throws combinations to the head and body of Bradley. Eventually, Pacquiao will catch Bradley with a left jab, right hook combo that will wobble Bradley, but before Pacquiao can capitalize, the bell rings, signaling both fighters to return to their corners. As the championship rounds approach, both fighters will be fatigued, with Pacquiao being in far worse shape than Bradley. As he is reminded of his opportunity, Bradley will opt to make the most of it and once again blitz Pacquiao. Bradley will force Pacquiao against the ropes will he will hurt the champion with wild punches in an attempt to steal not only the final rounds, but the fight as well. The final bell rings, signaling the end of a fairly close fight.

This fight is so close on paper that it is almost impossible to pick a winner. You're best option is to flip a coin. It'll be a close one, but I feel an upset coming.

Pacquiao (Left) and Bradley (Right) face off after weighing in.

Pick: Timothy Bradley def. Manny Pacquiao by Unanimous Decision (UD)

Devon Alexander vs. Marcos Maidana

Stats
Devon Alexander
Age: 25
Hometown: Saint Louis, Missouri
Nickname: Alexander the Great
Height: 5'8"
Reach: 70"
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 22-1 (13 knockouts)
Ranking: unranked
Titles Held: WBC Light Welterweight (2009-2011); IBF Light Welterweight (2010-2011)


Marcos Maidana
Age: 29
Hometown: Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina
Nickname: El Chino
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 70"
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 31-2 (28 knockouts)
Ranking: unranked
Titles Held: WBA Light Welterweight (2011-current)
*All stats are provided by BoxRec

(In order, left-to-right) Broner, Alexander, Maidana, and Perez
pose before their respective fights.

It's been a while, but HBO is finally back with a double-header featuring two young boxers whoa re hoping to make a splash in the boxing game. The co-main event of the evening pits the young, cocky, and talented Adrien Broner against the crafty and always game, Eloy Perez. Although many feel that this should be the night's main event, it was instead given to Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana. With both Alexander and Maidana remaining respectful to one another throughout preparations for the fight, many feel the tension between the Broner and Perez camps warrants the extra promotional push. Don't be fooled though. Just because tonight's main-event fighters have remained light on the pre-fight hype, doesn't mean their fight will be light on the action. With Maidana's mix of sheer agression and experience, and Alexander's use of speed and combos, many feel this match-up is an early candidate for fight of the year.

Alexander is hoping to silence his critics
with a victory of Maidana.

Just a couple of years ago, many thought Devon Alexander was going to an absolute force in the junior welterweight division. At the time his biggest statement was his stoppage victory against the granite-chinned, Juan Urango (22-3-1). His hype quickly began to fade however, as soon as Andriy Kotelnyk (31-3-1) made him look very "human". Luckily for Alexander, he earned the controversial decision, and put himself in position for a fight against junior welterweight kingpin, Timothy Bradley (26-0). As competitive as this match-up was hyped up to be, it was quickly obvious just how blatant the skill difference was as soon as the fight started. Alexander was being thoroughly out-boxed by Bradley, but was the victim of an inadvertent head-butt. This forced a stop to the fight, but the gap in skill between the two fighters had shown in the judges score card. Instead of focusing on his debilitating loss, Alexander went on to fight the always tough, Lucas Matthysse (28-1). Although Alexander certainly had a better showing in this fight than in his bout with Bradley, but once again it came with controversy. Against Matthysse, many people felt that Alexander was soundly beaten due to Matthysse superior movement and aggression. Once again, Alexander found himself the winner after earning a controversial decision. This led many people to cry foul, and believe that Alexander was earning "home-cooked" decisions in his hometown. Coming into this weekends fight with Alexander, Alexander is not only walking in heavier (now a welterweight), but with a heavy chip on his soldier. He'll be looking to prove that those wins weren't a fluke, and silence his critics. The only he can do this, is by decisively beating or stopping Maidana. It is no secret that Maidana's biggest asset is his devastating punching power. To avoid getting caught, Alexander is gonna have to constantly stay off the ropes, while mixing it up against the Argentinian brawler. His best bet would be to take a page out of Amir Khan's book from his fight with Maidana. This involves intelligently moving in and out of Maidana's punching range, while mixing it up with alternating shots to the head and body. This chopping attack will exhaust Maidana, and even began to sap the energy of his punches. If he boxes smart, Alexander could win this by mid-to-late round stoppage and start making waves in the welterweight division.

Maidana (right) pounces on a hurt Amir Khan (left)
before losing a unanimous decision.

Marcos Maidana has been described as one-dimensional, reckless, and just shy of greatness, but you will never hear anyone say that he is boring. Anytime that Maidana fights, people acknowledge the chance that he might put on another Fight of the Year performance. For proof of this, one has to looks no farther than his barn burner of a fight against Victor Ortiz (24-1-1). Since then, Maidana has taken on a role of a gate keeper with promoters. They use him as a kind of measuring stick, to test just how deep their fighter is able to dig in order to beat the relentless Maidana. One such example of this occurring, was in his match-up with Amir Khan (23-2-0). Khan and his promoters were hoping to make a statement that he didn't have a "glass jaw" with a victory over the powerful puncher. Sure enough, Khan was able to earn the decision after out-boxing the Argentinian, but this didn't come easily. In the tenth, Khan was nailed with a vicious Maidana hook which had him badly wobbled. This shows just how great a threat Maidana is regardless of how early or late it is in the fight. Since the loss, Maidana has earned wins in an exciting match against Erik Morales (51-6), and a dominant win in a tune-up against Petr Petrov (29-2-2). Coming into his fight with Alexander, there is no denying that Maidana has the experience as far as handling the extra weight in the welterweight division. He has also shown that his power can carry on through to a higher weight-division, which has yet to be seen with Alexander. As predictable as it may be, Maidana can win this fight only if he turns it into the type of brawl he loves most. He will have to assault Alexander both early and often, and try to push him against the ropes as many times as possible. As soon as Maidana gets Alexander on the ropes, he must unleash his trademark power punches in hopes to finish the young Alexander. Maidana must finish Alexander in order to avoid the "home cooking" decisions that both Kotelnyk and Matthysse had fallen victims to. If he can pushing the pace, and applying his pressure, expect Maidana to finish Alexander and hand him the second loss of his young career.

Prediction
At the start of the first round, both fighters will come out tentative as they try to gain a feel for each other's reach and speed. Alexander will start showing his superior speed by landing crisp jabs to Maidana's head and body. Maidana will answer back, but will only be landing two or three reaching hooks. In the second and third rounds that follow, Alexander will feel as if he finally timed the Argentinian. He will circle Maidana, cleverly mixing it up, until Maidana gives Alexander his first taste of just the kind of power that he possesses. Alexander will have been wobbled for a second, as Maidana pounces on his injured foe. Before he can finish the job, the bell will ring, allowing Alexander to recover. In the mid-rounds, Alexander will be much more tentative, hoping to avoid another chin-check by Maidana. Maidana will have finally set his pace, and will begin stalking Alexander. As he Argentinian begins throwing power shots, Alexander will again try to avoid getting caught on the ropes. Maidana will continue stalking Alexander, throwing punches punches to both the head and body. At this point, the fight will be relatively close on the score cards on account that both are effectively boxing. As the fight approaches the later rounds, Alexander will come out knowing that the fight is close. He will continue his game plan of effective movement while mixing it up, all while avoiding the stalking Argentinian. Alexander will eventually land a crisp shot to the body of Maidana, and after noticing the effect, Alexander will turn up the pace in hopes for a stoppage. As he comes in, Maidana will once again catch the young American coming in and once again test his chin. Before anything can happen however, the bell once again rings. In the championship rounds, both fighters will be having to dig deep. Alexander will continue his usual strategy, as Maidana tries to control the final rounds. Maidana will try to trap Alexander against the corners of the ring, while throwing a barrage of heavy-handed punches. Alexander will avoid getting trapped for the most part, but he will certainly face a scare at the end of the eleventh. In the final round both fighters will come out knowing that the fight is close. At the start, Alexander will be in control and he begins applying pressure on Maidana. As the round reaches it's final minute, Maidana will come in throwing wild punches in hopes to secure the final round, and the fight in his favor. The end will finally come, and as expected it will be another close decision. Expect Alexander to win a split-decision based on effective footwork and crisp technique, while just adding duel to the idea that he is indeed the recipient of biased hometown judging.

Alexander (left) and Maidana (right) weigh-in before their
Saturday night clash.

Pick: Devon Alexander def. Marcos Maidana by controversial Split Decision (SD)

Quick Picks
Adrien Broner vs. Eloy Perez

The always cocky, Adrien Broner, is
hoping to climb the ranks with a
win over Eloy Perez.

There is absolutely no doubt that this could be the fight of the night. Between the constant trash-talking by Broner, and the fact that the two teams camps have almost come to a complete brawl at multiple points, further adds to the idea that this match-up won't disappoint. Both fighters are top ten junior lightweights, with the opportunity to further increase their notoriety in the boxing world with a good performance on Saturday night. As far as exposure goes, there is no denying that Adrien Broner is the one with the more recognizable name. With his cocky attitude, and Mayweather-esque pre-and-post fight rituals, he is on his way make himself a super star. This fight certainly won't be easy for either fighter as they both hold the skills necessary to stop the other, but Broner seems to be the safer pick on account of his punching power and overall skill set. Look for him to earn an exciting unanimous decision win against Perez.

Pick: Adrien Broner def. Eloy Perez by Unanimous Decision (UD)

The Super Six World Boxing Classic Final: Andre Ward vs Carl Froch

Stats
Andre Ward
Age: 27
Hometown: Oakland, California
Nickname: S.O.G. (Son of God)
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 73"
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 24-0 (13 knockouts)
Ranking: No. 1 super middleweight; No. 9 pound for pound
Titles Held: WBA Super Middleweight (2009-present)


Carl Froch
Age: 34
Hometown: Nottingham, England
Nickname: The Cobra
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 74 1/2"
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 28-1 (20 knockouts)
Ranking: No. 2 super middleweight
Titles Held: WBC Super Middleweight (2010-present)
*Rankings from The Ring Magazine

Not only are the fighters' titles at stakes, but so is the
tournament trophy, as well as The Ring super middleweight
title

Two years ago, Ken Hershman proposed the idea of holding a boxing tournament that would bring together the best fighters in a weight class, and have them fight each other until a clear champion was crowned. Many were intrigued by the idea, and the speculation grew as to which weight-class would be chosen for this inaugural tournament. Boxing writers and analysts pondered as to which weight-class would be selected, with the welterweights and lightweights being the clear favorites. These ideas were quickly shot down as soon as Hershman revealed that this tournament would take place in the super middleweight division. Hershman's decision was quickly questioned by the media and amateur pundit's alike, as they argued about the drawing power of the seemingly barren super middleweight division. Two years after the start of the tournament however, one could hardly question Hershman's vision. Since the start of the tournament, viewers have been treated to some of the best fights ever put on by the division, while also dealing with constant injuries that plagued the initial entrants of the tournament. After two years of drama and excitement, two fighters have emerged from the tournament as they come to face off in the Super Six Final. The winner of this fight not only wins the tournament trophy, but also earns the accolades and recognition as being the best super middleweight in the world.

Andre Ward (right) earns the upset over Mikkel
Kessler (left) en-route to earning his first major title.

Andre Ward came into this tournament as one of the initial entrants, and also as a relative unknown. Although he was an Olympic gold-medalist, he never gained much exposure with the networks due to his technical and calculating style. This quickly changed after he chose to compete in the world tournament. His first fight came in November of 2009, against the tournament favorite and always tough, Mikkel Kessler (44-2). In their encounter, Ward was able to quickly overwhelm the Swede with his technical style and superior movement, eventually leading to a technical decision win for the young Californian. At first, skeptics were quick to point out that Ward would often lead in with his head, causing a seemingly constant clash of heads that could lead to cuts and other potential fight stopping injuries. Ward quickly silenced his remaining critics with dominating wins over Allan Green (31-3), Sakio Bika (28-4-2), and Arthur Abraham (32-3). With quality wins under his belt, Ward became the favorite to win the tournament and seems on his way to become the next American star. Before any of this can occur, Ward must quickly get past England's own, Carl Froch. In Froch, Ward finds his toughest opponent yet. In order to beat the Brit, he must not only stay mentally tough, but also prepare for the constant pressure that Froch applies in his fights. In previous outings, Ward was the first to come out and set the pace for the fight, but this will quickly change as Froch is always eager to meet his opponent in the middle of the ring. Ward must rely on his superior technique and his corner's instructions in order to get past the rangy Englishman. Ward's best method of victory would be to come at Froch and immediately make this an inside fight as he alternates between attacks to the head and body. This will effectively nullify Froch's reach advantage, while also forcing him to fight off of his heels in order to avoid any unnecessary exchanges. If Ward is able to pace himself while constantly applying this game plan, expect him to earn a unanimous decision victory over a very game Froch.

Carl Froch (right) tags Jermain Taylor (left)
before knocking out the veteran late in
the 12th.

Carl Froch has quickly established himself as one of England's premier fighters with his crowd-pleasing style and overall toughness. Before entering the tournament, Froch was already well-known among boxing fans with his thrilling come-from-behind KO victory over Jermain Taylor (28-2-1). Upon entering the tournament, Froch was already viewed as a favorite, second only to Mikkel Kessler (44-2). His first tournament fight came against Andre Dirrell (18-1), in a fight where Froch earned a hotly debated split decision win over the young American. Froch then went on to face Mikkel Kessler in a fight that many deemed the fight of the year in 2010. Both fighters showcased glimpses of greatness as they stood toe-to-to and traded blows throughout the ring. After a hard fought twelve rounds, Kessler took the unanimous decision as Froch was handed the first loss in his career. Froch went on to fight the hard-hitting Arthur Abraham (32-3), as both were looking to rebound off of their first career losses. Surprisingly, the fight turned out to be a one sided affair, with Froch taking over from the opening bell. Froch went on to earn a lopsided decision win, while earning the very belt that he had previously lost to Kessler. In his semi-final fight, Froch defeated a shop-worn Glen Johnson (51-14-2) to earn himself a spot against Andre Ward in the tournament finals. As the fight approaches, it appears as if Froch has been largely written off as any kind of a challenge to the man whom many think will be the next super star. This is foolish considering Froch's tendency to overcome seemingly hopeless adversity. One will have to look no further than his fight with Jermain Taylor to see this. No matter how many rounds Froch may be losing, he will always be dangerous on account of his capability to end a fight regardless of how late it may be. With his "unorthodox" boxing style and reach advantage, Froch is a difficult match-up for anyone in the division. Against Ward, he must resort to both the previously mentioned attributes in order to win his tournament match-up against the hungry champion. Should Froch quickly establish range, while avoiding an invitation to brawl, expect him to frustrate the young American. Along with his jab, Froch must resort to his foot work not only to avoid any oncoming punches, but to avoid the head of Ward from crashing into his. If Froch fights a smart fight, while constantly circling and jabbing Ward, expect him to earn a split decision win.

Prediction
As the first bell rings, both fighters will waste no time in quickly trying to establish their pace. Both will meet in the center of the ring as they alternate combos from the head to the body of their opponent. Although both will have success, Ward will get the better of the exchanges due to his superior technique and movement. The round will end, with the next two following a similar pattern as the first. The two fighters will continue to try and push their opponent around the ring while unleashing furious combos with intentions to stop their opponent early. Towards the end of the third, Froch will have Ward on the ropes as he unleashes his own volley of punches. Up to the fifth, both fighters will have traded brilliant exchanges in a fight that will be seen as even up to this point. In the sixth, Ward will come out over-eager and quickly cause a clash of heads. This will be ignored by the referee and just gives Froch more reason to beat the American into submission. Froch will ignore the cut caused by the butt, and will continue in his attempts to overwhelm Ward. In the seventh and eighth rounds, both fighters will begin to show signs of exhaustion as they continue their attempts to gain a lead on their opponent. Through the ninth, the fight will stay relatively even on the cards as both fighter's corners stress to go for the finish. Towards the end of the ninth, Ward will turn up the pace by hitting Froch with a flurry of punches that will be mostly blocked by the Englishman, but will be enough to steal the round in the judges eyes. Froch's corner will begin giving the Brit the idea that he is losing the fight, causing him to come forward and impose his will on Ward. He will have Ward circling the ring until he eventually forces the American against the ropes once again. Froch will begin attacking the body, hoping to cripple the American, but Ward will survive until the bell. The fight is once again even as both fighters come out for the championship rounds. For the next two rounds, both fighters will both flash excellence as they dig deep and try to stop their constantly charging opponent. At the last minute of the fight, Froch will try to steal the round by immediately unleashing a ferocious attack against Ward. This could be enough to steal the round for Froch, but it might not be. The judges will have one hell of a time trying to score this fight as it seems fairly even on all of their score cards. Instead of ruling the fight a draw, expect the judges to score many of the close rounds for  Ward in what will be viewed as a case of "home-cooking" (awarding close or even rounds to the local or home-town fighter) for the American. Froch will immediately question the decision, and rightly so. He will challenge Ward to an immediate rematch that will eventually be mandated by the major sanctioning bodies of the seemingly useless belts. Regardless of the outcomes, expect both fighters' stock to significantly increase after this tournament, as they both prepare for another confrontation should they agree to a rematch in the near future.

Carl Froch (left) and Andre Ward (right) in their final face-off
before their tournament final bout.

Pick: Andre Ward def. Carl Froch via controversial and hotly contested Split Decision (SD)

Lamont Peterson vs. Amir Khan

Stats
Lamont Peterson
Age: 27
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Nickname: "Havoc"
Height: 5'9"
Reach: 74"
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 29-1-1 (15 knockouts)
Ranking: No. 6 junior welterweight
Titles Held: None


Amir Khan
Age: 25
Hometown: Bolton, England
Nickname: "King Khan"
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 71"
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 26-1 (18 knockouts)
Ranking: No. 1 junior welterweight
Titles Held: WBA Junior Welterweight (2009-current); IBF Junior Welterweight (2011-current)
*Rankings from The Ring Magazine

Champion Amir Khan (right) poses with challenger Lamont
Peterson (left) before their Dec. 10 fight.

Aside from final exams, this weekend also signals the return of Amir Khan, as he hopes to further silence his critics by overcoming his toughest test in Lamont Peterson. It's no secret that out of the two fighters Khan is the more recognizable, but Peterson is hoping to use that as a platform to infamy should he defeat the young Brit. Although this isn't the "super-fight" of the division everyone hoped for between Khan and Timothy Bradley (28-0), this is still a solid match-up between two ranked fighters who are on their way to the "big fights" should they defeat their opponent this weekend. As far as drama goes this fight seems to have it all. Khan continually talks about his inevitable move up in weight, as well as trying to entice a fight with boxing's bad boy, Floyd Mayweather (42-0). At this point, it seems Khan is worried more about his potential match-ups instead of the current task at hand. If he is smart, he will not overlook Peterson come December 10. Although Peterson hasn't gotten as much of a promotional push as Khan, there is no denying that he has the potential to make this an extremely hard fight for the Englishman. What Peterson lacks in power, he makes up for in rugged determination and pure heart as he always looks to overwhelm opponents with his seemingly relentless pace. This fight can go so many ways, but one thing is certain, both fighters will come into this fight hungry and determined as they try to silence their opponent as well as their critics.

Amir Khan (left) batters an aging Zab Judah (right)
en-route to earning a stoppage victory.

Olympic gold-medalist, Amir Khan has already had an interesting, albeit young professional boxing career. Upon entering professional boxing, Khan was touted as England's next great boxer, but these hopes were quickly dashed after Khan was stopped by Breidis Prescott (24-4) a minute into their lightweight clash. Since then, Khan has gone undefeated as well as moved up in weight. Unfortunately, it will take far more than an undefeated streak to erase the memory of his fight with Prescott. This is the reason why Khan goes into every fight with a massive ship on his shoulder, hoping to finish his opponents in such a manner that people will have no choice but to praise his performance. In his last two outings, Khan has looked nothing short of dominant as he stopped both Paul McCloskey (23-1) and Zab Judah (41-7) within 6 rounds. Going into this fight with Peterson, Khan must carry the same level of confidence as he did when he fought Judah and McCloskey. Should Khan successfully do this, he will be able to withstand Peterson's heavy pressure style of boxing. Once he finds himself mentally sound as the fight begins, Khan will have to resort to superior technique and his speed advantage to outbox and perhaps stop the tough Peterson. To win the fight Khan must box smart bell-to-bell, and not get into any unnecessary exchanges as he did against Marcos Maidana (31-2). Should he stick to his game plan and rely on his superior technique and speed, Khan will earn a dominant decision win over the tough Washington boxer.

Lamont Peterson (left) overcomes adversity to earn
a hard-fought "Draw" against Victor Ortiz (right)

When a person hears the name Lamont Peterson, they seem to either have a confused look or they think of his younger brother and lightweight standout, Anthony Peterson (30-1) . Once one goes back to this competitive fights against Timothy Bradley (28-0) and Victor Ortiz (29-3), they immediately remember Lamont as the fighter who makes it impossible to ever look good against. Regardless of his seemingly constant underdog status in his fights, one has to respect his sheer determination as well as his fearlessness in how he is always willing to challenge the best fighters in his division. Even if Lamont is lacking in power and overall technique, he more than makes up for it in his toughness and never quit attitude. A perfect example of this came against Victor Ortiz (29-3). Ortiz floored Peterson early, in a fight that was then looking as if it was going to be a slaughter. Instead of sitting out the count, Peterson rallied back from adversity in which he was able to escape the fight with a draw against "Vicious" Victor. Coming into his fight with Khan, it is no surprise that Lamont finds himself as the underdog yet again. Regardless of what the betting lines say however, this fight has potential to be much more competitive than they suggest. With his superior reach, Peterson can frustrate Khan by establishing his range as well as by constantly coming forward. Should Peterson stalk Khan throughout the fight, there is no doubt that he will frustrate the young fighter, even stealing some rounds. If Peterson listens to his corner and defend effectively, he will come away with a split decision victory over the champion, as well as finally reach the level of recognition he so desires.

Prediction
As the first bell rings signaling the start of the fight expect both fighters to come out tentative. The first minute will see both fighters trying to get a feel for each other, while also prevent the other from setting the pace. As the round continues, Khan will begin throwing combos as well as mixing in body shots. Peterson will try to steal the round back by landing a few ineffective jabs, but the bell will sound before he can do much more. As the fight continues to rounds 2 and 3, Peterson will try to smother Khan as the Englishman tries to circle away and set up his punches. As Peterson comes forward, Khan will counter punch the Washington native as he lunges in with his punches. Peterson will begin to get frustrated, but sticks to his normal game plan of applying pressure, while having an answer for every one of Khan's shots. Towards rounds 5 through 7, Khan will have a comfortable lead as he weaves in and out of the pocket effectively landing body shots on Peterson. Before the end of the seventh, Khan will dig a left hook into the side of Peterson, forcing him to take a knee. Peterson immediately answers the refs call, and then goes to his corner for the next round. By rounds 8 through 11, Peterson will know that he is losing the fight on points and is looking to stop Khan. He will come in lunging with every shot, which allows Khan to effectively counter-punch the tough boxer. This will cause fits with Peterson and his corner, and by the twelfth he knows that he must score a knockout. As both fighters answer the final bell Khan is on cruise control, while Peterson is doing everything he can to knock the Brit out.   As Peterson comes charging forward, Khan will continue circling his opponent while landing a few combinations. The cycle continues as the final bell rings, and the two await the results. After a hard-fought twelve rounds, Amir Khan will win the fight by a wide margin on points. Expect Khan to announce his official move to welterweight, as well as his intentions to try and entice a fight between himself and Floyd Mayweather.

Khan (left) and Peterson (right) weigh in before their
Dec. 10 title clash.

Pick: Amir Khan def. Lamont Peterson via Unanimous Decision (UD)

Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez III

Stats

Manny Pacquiao

Age: 33

Hometown: General Santos City, Philippines

Nickname: "Pacman"

Height: 5'6 1/2"

Reach: 67"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 53-3-2 (38 knockouts)

Ranking: Current pound-for-pound king and number 1 ranked welterweight

Titles Held: WBC Flyweight (1998-1999); IBF Junior-Featherweight (2001-2003); The Ring Featherweight (2003); WBA Junior Lightweight (2008); WBC Lightweight (2009-2009); The Ring Junior Welterweight (2009); WBO Welterweight (2009-Present); WBC Junior Middleweight (2010)

Juan Manuel Marquez

Age: 38

Hometown: Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Nickname: "Dinamita"

Height: 5'7"

Reach: 67"

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 53-5-1 (39 knockouts)

Ranking: Number one lightweight

Titles Held: IBF Featherweight Title (2002-2004); WBA Featherweight Title (2003-2004); WBC Super Featherweight (2007-2008); The Ring Lightweight (2008-present); WBA Lightweight (2009-present); WBO Lightweight (2009-present)

*Rankings from The Ring Magazine

Marquez (Left) and Pacquiao (Right) both feel they earned
the victory after their first contest.

On November 12, long-time rivals Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez face-off for the third time with both hoping to put an epic end to this legendary trilogy. Although both fighters are older and heavier since they last met, many still feel that they are the perfect rivals. The first two fights between the two boxers have been a thing of debate. In their first match, Pacquiao and Marquez battled a hard twelve rounds only to have the judges score the fight a draw. Even though the fight was a draw many in the boxing community felt that Marquez was robbed of a victory. To no ones surprise, the fighters' paths crossed yet again in 2008. The fight seemed to start right where the previous one had left off. Both exchanged brutal combos hoping to erase the memory of their first meeting. Marquez seemingly got the better of Pacquiao in the exchanges, but Pacquiao was eventually able to floor Marquez mid-way through the fight. Marquez seemed unaffected and continued fighting, but the knockdown was enough to sway the judges. Pacquiao won via split-decision in a fight that was determined by a one point difference. After this fight it seemed both fighter's careers took different paths. Pacquiao became the international icon that he is today, while Marquez was left to watch as his rival began living the life of a god. Marquez still seems bitter about this, often saying that he would be where Pacquiao is today if he would have been awarded the victory in the first two fights. Unfortunately, Marquez will never be able to change the results, but he will have a chance to finally prove to everyone who the better fighter truly is. Both Pacquiao and Marquez are coming into this fight more motivated than ever, knowing that this has potential to be another brawl similar to the first two. It's exactly this thought which has both fighters determined to score a stoppage while also erasing any doubt about the legitimacy of the first two matches.

Pacquiao (right) is sent to a neutral corner after starching
Ricky Hatton (left) with a vicious right hook.

As one would expect Pacquiao is a strong favorite leading into Saturday's fight with Marquez. As of late, Pacquiao has seemed nothing short of unstoppable in the way he has been able to seemingly handle his opponents from bell-to-bell. He is coming off of a one-sided decision over an over-the-hill Shane Mosley (46-7-1), and another unanimous decision against Antonio Margarito (38-7). What has led to all of Pacquiao's success is the fact that he is able to move in between weight classes while still managing to keep his speed and power. It's this, along with his southpaw stance, which frustrates opponents to no end, forcing them to abandon strategy as they try to keep up and win a round. The best example of this could be found in his win over Shane Mosley. Pacquiao was running circles around Mosley all night, and all Mosley could hope to do was keep up. Some are right to question the quality of Pacquiao's recent opposition, but it seems Pacquiao is more than content to continue this trend as long as people continue buying his fights. The difference with his upcoming fight against Marquez however is the fact that these two have so much history in the ring. It's this fact alone which seems to be selling the fights to most viewers as they are intrigued about the possibilities that Marquez may really have Pacquiao's "number". For Pacquiao to win this fight he is going to have to ignore these claims. It's no secret that Marquez' strategy will be to constantly apply pressure to Pacquiao, so Pacquiao will have to resort to his quick counter-punching as well as his foot-work in order to effectively out-box a fighter like Marquez. If Pacquiao is able to weather the early onslaught while picking his spots and moving effectively he should be able to make quick work of Marquez while further adding to his legacy.

Marquez (left) batters Pacquiao (right) with counter-punches
in their second fight.

There is no denying the fact that Juan Manuel Marquez is one of the greatest all-action fighters, while also being an eventual Hall of Famer. For now however, he is identified as being the face of Mexican boxing right after the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez. There is no ignoring the fact that Marquez is an older fighter, but somehow he has managed to stay relevant in the sport while also remaining dominant in the lighter weight classes. Marquez is able to manage this feat by incorporating a counter-punch heavy game-plan into his all-action style of fighting. This style allows Marquez to be a fan-favorite, while also boxing smart. Even though Marquez is able to counter-punch effectively there is no denying the fact that he has the tendency to get touched up. In some of his recent fights Marquez has been knocked down or even rocked against lesser competition, yet he has been able to come back and stop his opponents. It is this kind of amazing recovery that allows Marquez to stay in a fight regardless of how many times he was knocked down. One of the best examples was during his first fight with Pacquiao. In the first round Marquez was knocked down three times, yet he managed to recover and come back stronger than ever in the following rounds. Even if Marquez has one of the best chins in boxing, he can't resort to that alone if he plans on beating Pacquiao, come Saturday night. Marquez will have to instigate a brawl with Pacquiao from the opening-bell in the hopes that he can begin counter-punching Pacquiao effectively. If he can set this pace while effectively countering Pacquiao's coming shots there is no doubt that Marquez can convincingly defeat Pacquiao, even stopping him.

Prediction

As the opening bell signals the start of the round both fighters will come out quickly hoping to catch their opponent early. Both will depend on quick combos with Marquez having some early success. Towards the end of the round Pacquiao will unleash his own flurry, catching Marquez by the end of the round. At the start of the second, Marquez will apply pressure hoping to set up his own counter-punches. He will start having some early success, catching Pacquiao as he moves backwards. The two will continue throwing punches as the bell signals the end of the second. As the third round beings, Marquez will look to apply his same strategy as the previous round. Marquez will once again try to overwhelm Pacquiao, but as he lunges in Marquez will get hit by a Pacquiao right-hook. Marquez will taste the canvas, but will immediately rise. The two will continue trading, but Marquez begins getting over-anxious. As the round is about to close Pacquiao will once again rock Marquez badly, but is forced to stop the onslaught due to the signal that the round has ended. As both fighters come out for the fourth, Pacquiao has found his groove as Marquez continues to implement his game plan. The fighters both come out swinging with Pacquiao getting the better of these exchanges. After a brief pause, Marquez will begin looking for the knockout. As he tries to throw a hard right hook, Pacquiao will counter him and land his own left cross. Marquez will once again go down, but will beat the ref's count. The fighters come to the center of the ring as Marquez tries to recover from the last knock-down, but he will he wobbled again by Pacquiao's lunging left straight. As Marquez tries to survive the round he will find himself trapped on the ropes as Pacquiao releases a furious flurry of punches. After a few seconds the ref has no choice but to step in, and call a stop to the fight. Pacquiao is awarded a stoppage victory, as well as a highly-anticipated match-up against former pound-for-pound kingpin Floyd Mayweather on May 5.

Pacquiao (143lbs.) and Marquez (142 lbs.) pose for media after weighing
in for their November 12 scrap.

Pick: Manny Pacquiao def. Juan Manuel Marquez via mid-rounds stoppage (KO)

Quick Picks

Timothy Bradley vs. Joel Casamayor

Timothy Bradley poses as he weighs
in for his fight against Casamayor

In the co-main event, junior-welterweight champion Timothy Bradley will defend his belt against one-time Cuban standout Joel Casamayor. This fight is mostly a showcase fight for Bradley considering that Casamayor is coming into this fight over-weight and over-the-hill. Bradley will control the fight from bell-to-bell with Casamayor offering nothing, but a head to punch. As the fight drags on Bradley may eventually begin to get tired, but Casamayor will still not have much to offer to the young champion. Bradley will come out with a Unanimous Decision win, as well as a chance to challenge Amir Khan for junior-welterweight supremacy.

Pick: Timothy Bradley def. Joel Casamayor via Unanimous Decision

Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz

Stats

Floyd Mayweather

Age: 34

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

Nickname: "Money"

Height: 5'8"

Reach: 72"

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 41-0 (25 knockouts)

Ranking: Former pound-for-pound and welterweight king (removed due to inactivity)

Titles Held: WBC Junior Lightweight (1998-2002); WBC Lightweight (2002-2004); WBC Junior Welterweight (2004-2005); IBF Welterweight (2006-2008); WBC Junior Middleweight (2007)

Victor Ortiz

Age: 24

Hometown: Oxnard, CA

Nickname: "Vicious"

Height: 5'9"

Reach: 70"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 29-2-2 (22 knockouts)

Ranking: #2 Welterweight

Titles Held: WBC Welterweight (2011-current)

*All stats and rankings are based off of "The Ring" Magazine

        Fall is finally here, and with it comes the return of Floyd "Money" Mayweather. Unlike the Fall however, we can never be sure as to when it is Mayweather will come back. For those who are debating whether or not to watch this fight, there is no denying that this is THE most significant boxing event of the year. Some might argue that Pacquiao vs. Marquez III will be the more significant, but that fight doesn't offer nearly as much intrique nor excitement in regards to what the outcome might be. This match-up has all signs that point to a great fight. It offer's a veteran of the sport going up against a young up-an-comer with some of the most brutal punching power in boxing today. It also has the makings to be an exciting fight which really couldn't have been said about Mayweather's previous couple of outings. Instead of going up against an aging fighter he has chosen a to fight Ortiz who is bigger, faster, and stronger then Mayweather himself. Some signs point to  Mayweather looking to face Pacquiao after this, but that point is for another day and another article. For now, let's focus on the fight at hand and see how it might play out.

Floyd Mayweather weighs-in before his
Sep. 17th bout against Victor Ortiz.

        What can be said about Floyd that hasn't been said already? It's true that Floyd has his share of personal and legal issues, but there is no denying that he is one of the greatest American-born boxers of all-time. He is flashy, he is boastful, he is arrogant, and he is one of the best things that could happen to the sport today. Mayweather is a master of promotion. Whether you are a die-hard fan or a fan that prefers he die, the man puts meat in the seats with people curious to see whether he keeps that (0) at the end of his record. Aside from his promotional skills, Floyd is one of the best, if not the best, all-around boxers in the sport today. Floyd is a defensive master, who also possesses stopping power in both hands. Although he hasn't shown it recent since he has adopted more of a counter-punching role, one just has to look at his earlier fights for proof of this. Come Saturday, Mayweather will be coming off a 16-month layoff of inactivity due to his recent legal troubles. Before the lay-off, his most recent-win was a dominant unanimous decision win over an again Shane Mosley. What was interesting about this fight was how Mayweather was able to recover so well after getting tagged by booming straight right from Mosley. This proved to everyone that although Floyd could be hit, yet he still owns one of the best chins in the sport today as far as being able to recover. In this fight he also showed just how bad he can make a fighter look by constantly counter-punching, and forcing his opponent to hit nothing but the air. These are Floyd's biggest attributes coming into Saturday night's fight. If Floyd can control the pace as well as the distance he will be safe from Ortiz powerful right-hook. If he survives the early on-slaught by Ortiz expect Floyd to start counter-punching a tired Ortiz en-route to a dominant decision win.

Victor Ortiz (left) batters Andre Berto (right) en-
route to a stoppage win and his first major title.

At one time in his career, Ortiz was thought of as a waste of talent and a quitter. This reputation came after he quit in the sixth-round of a shoot-out against Junior Welterweight fringe contender, Marcos Maidana (30-2-0). Ortiz decided it was best to officially move up in weight, but this cloud of negativity still seemed to surround him. In his last outing however, Ortiz was able to silence his detractors with an exciting back-and-forth win over one-time titlist Andre Berto (28-1-0) in what is considered the best fight of the year so far.  In this fight Ortiz showed that he could take a shot (was knocked down twice in this fight), while still being able to recover. This alone seemed to finally destroy the reputation he earned of a "quitter" when he fought Maidana. Another thing of note was the fact that Ortiz looked massive in his new weight-class. Instead of looking lanky and dried-out, he looked filled-out and muscular which means this was his natural weight-class all along. His never say die attitude, and his sheer size for the weight class are Ortiz' biggest advantages come Saturday night. What could cause Floyd the most trouble though is the fact that Ortiz is a southpaw. Floyd has been shown to have trouble against southpaw fighters, and there is no doubt that Ortiz is toughest of the ones he has faced. The current odds make it seem like Ortiz doesn't have much of a chance, but in reality that couldn't be farther from the truth. Ortiz can win this fight by controlling the pace from the opening bell, and immediatley going on the offensive. One thing Floyd has always had trouble with was a right hook from a southpaw fighter, and best thing Ortiz can do is throw it and throw it often. If Ortiz follows this gameplan along with mixing in a straight-left with his right hook combo there is no doubt that he can put Mayweather down. This is especially true considering Ortiz is the only man who has scored a knockdown against all of his opponents. I'm doubtful that Ortiz can shut off Mayweather's lights, but he can do just enough to force the ref to halt the bout.

Prediction:
        At the opening bell both fighters will come out tentatively. The first minute will involve both trying to feel each other out with Ortiz throwing the harder shots as Mayweather looks for a counter-punch. At the second, Ortiz will come out pushing the offense and both fighters will begin to exchange. As Ortiz throws punches, Mayweather will roll away from them but will still get stung by a couple of hard shots. All the while Floyd will attack the body as he continues to counter-punch. In the third, Ortiz will tag Mayweather forcing him to jump on his bike and try to regroup. After stalling a bit by holding on to Ortiz, Mayweather will eventually be saved by the bell. By the fourth round Floyd has recovered and already knows what to expect after feeling Ortiz' power. Ortiz will try to rush again, but this time Mayweather will roll under the punch and counter with a thudding left cross. Ortiz will be rocked, but as Mayweather tries to capitalize the bell will wrong. In the fifth and sixth rounds, Ortiz will begin to go into desperation and he fights off the effects of the last round's shot and the onset of exhaustion. He will begin swinging for the fences, and hoping to score a knockdown against Floyd. Unfortunately for Ortiz, Mayweather is able to read him like a book and has taken complete control of this fight based on his slick defense and beautiful counter-shots. Mayweather will continue this same pattern as Ortiz becomes more exhausted and more desperate. After the twelfth round, Mayweather will be awarded a unanimous decision win along with a fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Things quickly turn sour after both fighters hit the scale the day before their
Sept. 17 contest.

Pick: Floyd Mayweather def. Victor Ortiz via Unanimous Decision

Quick Picks
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Alfonso Gomez
In the co-main event of the evening, Mexican super-star "Canelo" Alvarez is paired against Alfonso Gomez. There's not really much to say about this fight. Gomez is no where near the same-level as some of "Canelo"'s past opponents so I don't see him offering much here aside from a pay-day for Alvarez. "Canelo" will take control from the on-set, and win via stoppage in the fourth.
Pick: Saul "Canelo" Alvarez def. Alfonso Gomez via referee stoppage

Erik "El Terrible" Morales vs. Pablo Cesar Cano
In another under-card fight on the pay-per-view, aging Mexican star will face largely untested, and very last-minute opponent Pablo Cano. Due to Cano taking this fight in close to a weeks notice I don't see this being much of a competition. Morales will win a one-sided affair, and will earn the meaningless WBC belt that was practically gift-wrapped to him.
Pick: Erik Morales def. Pablo Cesar Cano via early referee stoppage

*The I Call Bullshit* Award:
Goes to Victor Ortiz for his blatant lie when trying to hype this fight. From the beginning, Ortiz stuck to this story that since he "..was nine, I always told myself and my friend that I would hand Floyd Mayweather his first loss." Mr. Ortiz, as the award implies "I Call Bullshit" on that claim, and I'll tell you why. When you were nine-years old Floyd Mayweather was a young, up-and-comer. At this stage in Floyd's career, he was fighting as a featherweight (126 lbs.) which at the time the lower-weight classes got little to no exposure, and he looked far-cry from the phenom he would turn to be. Congratulations Mr. Ortiz, here's to hoping your gameplan is better than your fight hype.

Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Daniel Ponce de Leon

Stats

Yuriorkis Gamboa

Age: 29

Hometown: Miami (by way of Cuba)

Nickname: "El Ciclon de Guantanamo"

Height: 5'5 1/2"

Reach: 65"

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 29-0 (15 knockouts)

Ranking: #1 Featherweight

Titles Held: WBA and IBF Featherweight titles

Daniel Ponce de Leon

Age: 31

Hometown: Huntington Park, California (by way of Mexico)

Nickname: none

Height: 5'5"

Reach: 70"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 41-3-0 (34 knockouts)

Ranking: #5 Featherweight

Titles Held: none

It seems Fall has finally arrived, and with it comes cool weather along with big-name fights. What differentiates these big name fights from more recent ones, such as Haye vs. Klitchscko, is the fact that these match-ups are poised to deliver even bigger action. The first match-up kicking off this busy Fall is a featherweight tilt between Cuban gold-medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa and Mexico's own Daniel Ponce de Leon. This fight is guaranteed to deliver as far as excitement and entertainment go. If you need proof look no further than the fact that HBO executives gave this fight top-billing over a heayweight scrap between Vitali Klitschko and Tomasz Adamek. If you're new to boxing this is a great introductory match. Hell, even the die-hard fans can discover what they've missed considering the lighter weight-classes don't receive much exposure. No matter what type of fan you are, this fight offers everything you could possibly want. So enough with the banter and let's get on to the preview.



Gamboa (left) lands a ferocious left-hook en-route to a
stoppage win over Mexican veteran Orlando Salido (right).

Yuriorkis Gamboa has been nothing short of dominant ever since bringing home olympic gold to Cuba. Ever since defecting from the country he has become a fan-favorite to many, along with becoming one of the most avoided champions in the sport. What makes Gamboa so dangerous is his mix of speed, skill, and raw power. He is able to seamlessly bring all these factors together while maintaining a patience and technicality that is usually unheard of in a fighter his age. Gamboa's most recent wins come over Orlando Salido (36-11-2), and a brutal stoppage victory against Jorge Solis (40-3-2). Out of the two victories, his dominant win over Salido is considered to be one his most important. This is due to the fact that right after Gamboa handled Salido from bell to bell, Salido would go on to earn a victory against, then undefeated champion, Juan Manuel Marquez. Some thought that Salido had finally earned the recognition he deserved, but all attention went back to the fact that Gamboa. This was due to the fact that Gamboa was able to dominate Salido from bell-to-bell, unlike his rival "Juanma" Lopez who succumbed to Salido's power. The secret to Gamboa's success in the ring is purely based on his style. He is able to let off wicked-fast combinations while continuosly coming forward. As much as this style has worked for him however, there is no denying that there obvious openings for his opponents to capitalize on. Gamboa tends to crowd his opponents with his chin up, and sometimes leaves his hands down. This leads to him getting knocked down in his more exciting fights, but he is able to make up for this in that he stands back up immediatley, seemingly unfazed by what just happened. It's this style of Gamboa's that leaves his opponents frustrated and exhausted, allowing him to capitalize and score a stoppage win. Another tool of Gamboa's is his stinging right hook which he tends to unleash to both the head and the body at will. This punch is definitley Gamboa's bread and butter, yet most of Gamboa's opponents are still surprised by it. For Gamboa to win this fight he will have to do what he does best, which is control the pace and overwhelm the opponent. If he is able to do all this while maintaining distance, along with establishing his jab, he can cruise to a dominant points victory or win via stoppage.



Ponce de Leon (right) tags Eduardo Escobedo (left)
before knocking him down in the later rounds.

Daniel Ponce de Leon is the classic Mexican boxer in that he is willing to sacrifice technique for an all-out brawl in center ring. As appealing as his style may be to watch however, it is this which stops him from reaching a certain level of greatness in his weight-class. Ponce de Leon's last fight was a controversial decision loss to up-and-coming junior lightweight prospect, Adrien Broner. Even though he had lost the fight, many came off impressed realizing that there was more to Ponce de Leon then wild arm-punches and desperate haye-makers. If that wasn't enough to impress people, they had to be impressed in the fact that Ponce de Leon was able to do so well in a weight-class that is above his natural weight. Even though he may be far from being the most technical boxer, he can definitley win this fight. As a southpaw Ponce de Leon already has an immediate advantage, but pair this with the fact that he has a vicious left hook along with stamina for days and you have a fighter who is a tough fight for anybody. To win this fight Ponce de Leon must make this his kind of fight, and lure Gamboa into a fire fight. Although this is a dangerous move for Ponce de Leon, it allows him the best opportunity to catch Gamboa coming in and dropping him. If he keeps this kind of pace from the opening bell, he's in for a short night's work along with some new hardware to take home.



Ponce de Leon (left) and Gamboa (right)
square off at the weigh-ins before their
Sept. 10th contest.

Prediction: As far as the fight itself goes it can go many ways, but there's no denying that this is at the top of my list for potential Fight of the Year. I see both fighters coming out in the first round to a relatively slow start as both try to get a feel for each other. From then on, I see Ponce de Leon being the aggressor in the early rounds as Gamboa tries to counter-punch. By the fourth round, Gamboa will come alive and try to beat Ponce de Leon at his own game. A firefight between the two will take place in the center of the ring up until early in the fifth, where Gamboa will be put down by Ponce de Leon's left hook. Gamboa will recover, and by the sixth will begin swarming an exhausted Ponce de Leon. Gamboa will run a clinic, landing jabs and hooks to the body, as Ponce de Leon tries to answer back. After another shoot-out between the two, Gamboa will land a body-shot in the seventh that stings Ponce de Leon, and will score the knockdown by following up with hooks up stairs. In the eighth, Ponce de Leon will be frustrated and exhausted, allowing Gamboa to once again swarm the Mexican fighter. This will continue until Ponce de Leon is once again dropped, forcing the referee to put a halt to the action. I see Gamboa beating a bloody and very game Ponce de Leon via late-rounds stoppage.

Pick: Yuriorkis Gamboa def. Daniel Ponce de Leon via referee stoppage (KO)

Quick Picks

Vitali Klitschko vs. Tomasz Adamek

I give HBO credit for choosing to air this fight, but I see it playing out as most Klitschko fights tend to. Klitschko will dominate from the on-set with his rangy jab, keeping the much-shorter Adamek at bay and putting a halt to any real exchanges. This will continue for most of the fight as Klitschko continues his pace, and finds success landing more powerful blows. This cycle will continue until Klitschko forces a referee stoppage after trapping Adamek on the ropes pummeling him with his powerful left and right straights.

Pick: Vitali Klitschko def. Tomasz Adamek by whatever the hell he wants