Lampley Ends 2014 With Flurry At Al Haymon on HBO’s “The Fight Game”

Published

9 years ago

December 24, 2014

Soon to be Hall of Famer Jim Lampley trotted out on HBO the final 2014 installment of “The Fight Game”, his news/opinion magazine show, and offered up a rock-solid performance with some smart ring-generalship, as he offered quickie looks-back at recent bouts, and potent power punching, as when he took aim at uber advisor Al Haymon.

Lampley tapped Haymon, the shrouded power broker who lives in parts unknown, and moves the chess pieces without a care about answering to the keyboard tappers or fans, as TFG Person of the Year.

“We keep returning on TFG to the depiction of boxing as a risk vs reward equation,” Lampley said. “Our person of the year is a man who is widely acknowledged to have, on behalf of his star client Floyd Mayweather, mastered that equation like no other manager in history. But our designation of Al Haymon as the year’s most influential figure has little to do with his advice to last year’s Person of the Year, Mayweather. It’s about what he is doing with the other reported 130-plus fighters who now make up his clientele…..If you had a sense 2014 was a year somewhat devoid of compelling top-level competition you wouldn’t be off base.

Light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson had opportunities to fight three fellow stars, Sergei Kovalev, Bernard Hopkins, and Jean Pascal. He avoided all three. Middleweight titleist Peter Quillin gave up a belt and a career-high purse to avoid a fight with Mat Korobov. Talented junior featherweight titleist Leo Santa Cruz fought a sparring partner on the undercard of Mayweather-Maidana II. Adrien Broner and Lucas Matthysse, logical opponents for each other, fought lesser opponents on the same card. Danny Garcia fought a 140-pound opponent so underqualified even the governing bodies that market his belts wouldn’t dignify the enterprise by charging a sanctioning fee. Rising welterweight force Keith Thurman fought long-faded former lightweight Julio Diaz, then fought a 40-year old nonentity. All these stars are advised by Al Haymon, and that’s the proverbial tip of the iceberg,” Lampley continued.

“It would be great for boxing if one brilliant entrepreneur managed an astonishing client list of 130-plus fighters with the consistent objective of making the most attractive and competitive fights available, within reasonable limits to protect their health and business prospects. But that isn’t Haymon’s game. He’s about avoidance of risky competition. His formula has worked for star client Floyd Mayweather for a variety of reasons, among them that Mayweather took the right perceived risks earlier on, versus Genaro Hernandez and Oscar de la Hoya, to get to where he is now. But the Mayweather approach is not the right approach for the overall enhancement of boxing. Boxing fans want to see great fights, without which it is difficult to earn an identity as a great fighter. It’s widely reported that for the next two years, Haymon will provide talent for as many as 40 boxing telecasts on NBC Sports Net, and NBC. This would normally be cause to rejoice for everyone in the business. But no one is rejoicing now, unless the philosophy changes, and viewers get to see the best fighting the best. And based on what happened to Haymon’s clients in 2014, that’s the last thing we can expect.

“So in gathering together the largest concentration of boxing talent in the history of the sport, and then mostly shielding that talent, from the kind of competition that would make him a hero to the boxing world, Al Haymon is the 2014 TFG Person of the Year.”

Three knockdown rule was in effect, friends. Or maybe not, as Haymon seems immune to being affected by criticism leveled by media, or fans…I guess he’s like a fighter who has a Teflon chin, who can be hit by Golovkin and Kovalev at the same time, and just keeps chugging…

Lampley, before that flurry of wordsmithery, offered huzzahs to Nebraskan Terence Crawford, TFG Fighter of the Year, for getting Ws over Ricky Burns, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Ray Beltran. TGF decided that “Bud” narrowly edged Sergey Kovalev, who handily beat legend Bernard Hopkins from the singing of the national anthem onward in AC on Nov. 8.

Lamps kicked off with a look at right-hooker Andy Lee’s takeout of Matt Korobov, and as per usual, a viewer had to be caffeinated, as he briskly threw out asides, such as the jab he threw at Peter Quillin for giving up his WBO middleweight belt, a move that had many scratching their heads.

Lamps called the Lou DiBella-promoted Lee “the ultimate feast or famine” fighter, which, of course, makes him something of a must-see attraction. Those that risk will gain the heaviest helping of rewards, and Lee should be looking at a million dollar bout, enough to feather his retirement nest, coming up.

JL then offered us video and analysis of the David Lemieux power punch showcase on Gabriel Rosado. He offered high praise when he said that a fight against Gennady Golovkin could maybe be “the Hagler-Hearns of this generation.” That one would likely be “savage, beautiful and brief,” he noted. The middleweight muddle was discussed, and Lampley touched on the idea of a Lee-Miguel Cotto square-dance at Madison Square Garden.

“They might need three Madison Square Gardens for that fight,” said the admirably untouched by near requisite cynicism displayed by fightgame lifer Lampley.

“Knockouts” are making the 160 spot a glamour division, he stated…which led us to the segue in which Abel Sanchez won TFG’s Emanuel Steward Trainer of the Year award. He “trains fighters to embrace risk,” the HBO fixture stated. Freddie Roach came close to getting the nod, Lampley said, and he then referenced a Ring poll, which saw 16% choosing Floyd as the best pugilist today…Gennady Golovkin won, taking 48% of the first place votes. Trip G then won Knockout of the Year, and Daniel Geale fans winced.

Next up, Michelle Beadle hit the Wild Card Gym, and the ESPNer chatted up Roach. The trainer said he thinks a Pacman vs. Floyd fight would be a “great Christmas present” for all fans. He sounded optimistic, but then said he thinks Floyd is hesitant because he so adores his unbeaten status. Roach said if he retires unbeaten, Mayweather will be saddled with an asterisk, for not fighting The Congressman. Freddie then told her that Manny was superstitious about taking blood the day before the fight, because that’s what happened before his first loss. “The original negotiations were probably our fault,” Roach said, because of the blood and testing issue. Since then, Team Pacquiao has given in to Floyd’s demands, he said. Roach slapped at Floyd for fighting Marcos Maidana twice this year. Roach said Manny currently has ZERO problem with doing stringent VADA testing, right now.

Roach cracked up when discussing trying to help make The Fight, as he was in there with Bob Arum and CBS boss Les Moonves, and he noted that The Fight is, in his eyes, a “Vegas,” not a Texas, bout. Freddie said a multi fight deal makes mucho sense to him, and having HBO and Sho screen it also passes his sniff test. Roach said he’d like to see Floyd and Manny do it a couple times, maybe three times. “It’s been done before, so it can be done again!” he said. Beadle pressed him and he sounded thumbs up that May 2nd it will get done.

Beadle asked for quick responses to: Bob Arum. “He’s a character,” Roach said, who goes from Grinch-y, calling Roach an “idiot” to good Grinch, to handing Freddie a million dollar check for working a Manny bout.

Les Moonves: Jury is out, because he needs to prove he can deliver Floyd.

Floyd Mayweather: Fred said he can’t wait to get Manny ready to waltz with Money. “We have to fight the perfect fight to win,” he acknowledged. “May 2nd, I have it penciled, it’s gonna be good,” said Beadle, and Roach answered, “I think we’ve waited long enough.” Amen…

Lampley debriefed Beadle, and she said that he’s unfiltered, which she digs, as it is so rare in this era in the world of sports. “I could have sat around for four hours and just had him tell stories,” she said. She ended by saying that The Fight will be embraced fully even if many folks are tired of the endless flirtation, breakups and re-connection sessions.

Then, Lampley talked about the VADA and WBC plan in the works to have WBC-ranked boxers be tested YEAR ROUND. He gave a hearty double thumbs up to this arrangement. It would be revolutionary, he said, if the ‘BC lives up to their end of it. Manny has complied with VADA, will Floyd follow suit, Lampley asked rhetorically. That news has flown under radar, maybe rightfully so, as people take a wait and see approach till it’s implemented…

Sergey Kovalev had “another spectacular year,” Lampley said, and then reminded us about the Terence Crawford-Yuriorkis Gamboa, which he deemed TFG Fight of the Year. Video highlights were scintillating. “Bud,” Lampley said, edges out Kovalev by a hair. He teased a possible Manny Pacquiao-Crawford bout, noting they “share the same promoter.”

Then, “The Gatti List.” Gabe Rosado, no coal for his stocking; Mauricio Herrera; Andy Lee; Steve Cunningham, for showing heart and finding one for his KO kid, Kennedy; and Vasyl Lomachenko.

Max Kellerman joined Jim from another studio. Max showed love to Herrera, for fighting Danny Garcia and Jose Benavidez Jr so tough, and battling judges who seem to have it in for him. Jim said judges need help, and that they could use a TV monitor. “It’s a great idea,” Max said. They touched on Manny-Money; Max said he thinks Floyd’s aversion to being in a joint production, and his ego, stops the fight from being made. But maybe Floyd will want to keep his May date, to keep Cinco de Mayo as his weekend. “I do think Mayweather-Pacquiao happens at some point this year,” Max said.

Adonis vs. Sergey would be “explosive” and not a distance tussle, Max said; Lomachenko vs. Nicholas Walters is a compelling pairing, he said; Golovkin vs. Lemieux would be sort of Hagler-Hearns, but he thinks Team Lemieux avoids that tangle; Cotto vs. Canelo is a SUPER fight.

Lampley fought the championship rounds i.e., the closing segment, with bite and grit, and threw lumps of coal at Haymon with fireballing fury. He offered holiday greetings, and promised to check back in the new year, which we all hope is a better one for our shared addiction, the red light district of the sports world, where the best stories are found, and the most flawed and fabulous people congregate. I share his best wishes to all good people, and for the bad ones to have a Grinch moment, and find a heart.

Merry Christmas, and happy holidays, and thanks for reading, people. I appreciate it, every day.

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Michael Woods

Haney-Garcia Redux with the Focus on Harvey Dock

Published

5 hours ago

April 22, 2024

Arne K. Lang

Haney-Garcia-Redux-with-the-Focus-on-Harvey-Dock

Saturday’s skirmish between Ryan Garcia and WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney was a messy affair, and yet a hugely entertaining fight fused with great drama. In the aftermath, Garcia and Haney were celebrated – the former for fooling all the experts and the latter for his gallant performance in a losing effort – but there were only brickbats for the third man in the ring, referee Harvey Dock.

Devin Haney was plainly ahead heading into the seventh frame when there was a sudden turnabout when Garcia put him on the canvas with his vaunted left hook. Moments later, Dock deducted a point from Garcia for a late punch coming out of a break. The deduction forced a temporary cease-fire that gave Haney a few precious seconds to regain his faculties. Before the round was over, Haney was on the deck twice more but these were ruled slips.

The deduction, which effectively negated the knockdown, struck many as too heavy-handed as Dock hadn’t previously issued a warning for this infraction. Moreover, many thought he could have taken a point away from Haney for excessive clinching. As for Haney’s second and third trips to the canvas in round seven, they struck this reporter – watching at home – as borderline, sufficient to give referee Dock the benefit of the doubt.

In a post-fight interview, Ryan Garcia faulted the referee for denying him the satisfaction of a TKO. “At the end of the day, Harvey Dock, I think he was tripping,” said Garcia. “He could have stopped that fight.”

Those that played the rounds proposition, placing their coin on the “under,” undoubtedly felt the same way.

The internet lit up with comments assailing Dock’s competence and/or his character. Some of the ponderings were whimsical, but they were swamped by the scurrilous screeching of dolts who find a conspiracy under every rock.

Stephen A. Smith, reputedly America’s highest-paid TV sports personality, was among those that felt a need to weigh-in: “This referee is absolutely terrible….Unreal! Horrible officiating,” tweeted Stephen A whose primary area of expertise is basketball.

Harvey Dock

Dock fought as an amateur and had one professional fight, winning a four-round decision over a fellow novice on a show at a non-gaming resort in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. He says that as an amateur he was merely average, but he was better than that, a New Jersey and regional amateur champion in 1993 and 1994 while a student New Jersey’s Essex County Community College where he majored in journalism.

A passionate fan of Sugar Ray Leonard, he started officiating amateur fights in 1998 and six years later, at age 32, had his first documented action at the professional level, working low-level cards in New Jersey. The top boxing referees, to a far greater extent than the top judges, had long apprenticeships, having worked their way up from the boonies and Dock is no exception.

Per boxrec, Haney vs Garcia was Harvey Dock’s 364^th assignment in the pros and his forty-second world title fight. Some of those title fights were title in name only, they weren’t even main events, but, bit by bit, more lucrative offerings started coming his way.

On May 13, 2023, Dock worked his first fights in Nevada, a 4-rounder and then a 12-rounder on a card at the Cosmopolitan topped by the 140-pound title fight between Rolly Romero and Ismael Barroso. It was the first time that this reporter got to watch Dock in the flesh.

Ironically (in hindsight), the card would be remembered for the actions of a referee, in this case Tony Weeks who handled the main event. Barroso was winning the fight on all three cards when Weeks stepped in and waived it off in the ninth round after Romero cornered Barroso against the ropes and let loose a barrage of punches, none of which landed cleanly. Few “premature stoppages” were ever as garishly, nay ghoulishly, premature.

With all the brickbats raining down on Weeks, I felt a need to tamp down the noise by diverting attention away from Tony Weeks and toward Harvey Dock and took to the TSS Forum to share my thoughts. Referencing the 12-rounder, a robust junior welterweight affair between Batyr Akhmedov and Kenneth Sims Jr, I noted that Dock’s Las Vegas debut went smoothly. He glided effortlessly around the ring, making him inconspicuous, the mark of a good referee. (This post ran on May 15, two days after the fight.)

Folks at the Nevada State Athletic Commission were also paying attention. Dock was back in Las Vegas the following week to referee the lightweight title fight between Devin Haney and Vasyl Lomachenko and before the year was out, he would be tabbed to referee the biggest non-heavyweight fight of the year, the July 29 match in Las Vegas between Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr.

The Haney-Garcia fight wasn’t Harvey Dock’s best hour, I’ll concede that, but a closer look at his full body of work informs us that he is an outstanding referee.

—

While the Haney-Garcia bout was in progress, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman threw everyone a curve ball, tweeting on “X” that Devin Haney would keep his title if he lost the fight. Everyone, including the TV commentators, was under the impression that the title would become vacant in the event that Haney lost.

Sulaiman cited the precedent of Corrales-Castillo II.

FYI: The Corrales-Castillo rematch, originally scheduled for June 3, 2005 and aborted on the day prior when Castillo failed to make weight, finally came off on Oct. 8 of that year, notwithstanding the fact that Castillo failed to make weight once again, scaling three-and-a-half pounds above the lightweight limit. He knocked out Corrales in the fourth round with a left hook that Las Vegas Review-Journal boxing writer Kevin Iole, alluding to the movie “Blazing Saddles,” described as Mongo-esque (translation: the punch would have knocked out a horse). After initially insisting on a rubber match, which had scant chance of happening, WBC president Jose Sulaiman, Mauricio’s late father, ruled that Corrales could keep his title.

Whether or not you agree with Mauricio Sulaiman’s rationale, the timing of his announcement was certainly awkward.

Haney’s mandatory is Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin (42-3, 15 KOs), a cutie best known for his 2021 upset of Mikey Garcia. A bout between Haney and Martin has the earmarks of a dull fight.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum, CLICK HERE

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In a Shocker, Ryan Garcia Confounds the Experts and Upsets Devin Haney

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2024

David A. Avila

In-a-Shocker-Ryan-Garcia-Confounds-the-Experts-and-Upsets-Devin-Haney

Its good to be crazy. Like a fox.

Ryan “KingRy” Garcia knocked down WBC super lightweight titlist Devin Haney three times to remind everyone of his fighting abilities in winning by majority decision on Saturday.

“I just knew what I could do,” Garcia said.

Fans will not forget the lanky kid from Victorville, California now.

Garcia (25-1, 20 KOs) fooled everyone in playing crazy weeks before the fight, then showed shocking power to hand Haney (30-1, 15 KOs) his first loss as a professional at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Haney’s WBC super lightweight title was not at stake for Garcia because he weighed three pounds over the limit.

After Garcia seemingly acting out of control on social media, Haney’s guard must have slipped in the first round during the first few seconds as Garcia connected with that hellish left hook and Haney, with a look of shock in his eyes, almost went down. He barely survived the first round.

“He caught me with it,” said Haney.

During the next few rounds, Haney proceeded to advance toward Garcia seemingly fully aware of the lethal left hook. He used feints and rights to score with a busier approach as Garcia seemed cocked and ready to counter with a left hook.

In the fourth round it seemed Haney was confident he had regained control of the fight, but every time he opened up with more than a two-punch combination Garcia reminded him whose hands were faster and more dangerous.

Though Garcia seldom jabbed he seemed bent on looking for the right moment to unleash his deadly left hook. And every time the Southern California fighter opened up with a combination he scored and Haney dare not exchange.

A few times Haney smiled as if signifying he escaped.

In the seventh round Haney looked to punish Garcia’s body and instead was met with a three-punch combination included a left hook to the chin and down went Haney slumped on the ground. He managed to beat the count and as soon as Garcia came within reach Haney wrapped his arms around him with a python grip. Despite the warnings by referee Harvey Dock, the fallen fighter would not release and Garcia impatiently fired a weak punch during the break. The referee deducted a point from Garcia though he could have deducted a point from Haney for not obeying his instructions to release his hold. Haney actually went down three times in the round but only one was counted by the referee.

From that point on Haney was very cautious but still looking to win by decision.

Though Garcia kept using a shoulder-roll defense that left his body exposed, he would retaliate with three and four punch combinations that usually Haney could defend against other fighters.. But Garcia’s blazing combinations were too fast to defend.

In the 10^th round Haney looked to attack and was countered by Garcia’s right and a blinding left hook to the chin and another two blows that sent the former undisputed lightweight champion to the floor again.

It didn’t look good for Haney to survive.

Garcia walked into the 11^th round still composed and never out-of-control He dared Haney to exchange and when within striking distance Garcia unleashed another lightning combination and down went Haney again with a defeated look.

Both fighters had fought each other as amateurs six times so there were no surprises between them. But Garcia’s power and speed were superior and that was the difference in a professional fight.

In the final round both were cautious with Garcia’s combination punching proving too dangerous for Haney to open up. Garcia celebrated early as the round ended confident of victory.

After 12 rounds Garcia was seen the victor by majority decision 112-112, 114-110, 115-109.

“You really thought I was crazy,” Garcia told the interviewer and the crowd. “You guys hated on me.”

Other Bouts

Arnold Barboza (30-0) won a curious split decision victory over United Kingdom’s Sean McComb (18-2) in a 10-round super lightweight fight. McComb’s long reach and busy southpaw style gave Barboza trouble. But he managed to win the fight though the crowd was not pleased.

Bektemir Melikuziev (14-1, 10 KOs) defeated France’s Pierre Dibombe (22-1-1) by technical decision after eight rounds due to a cut on his eye from an accidental head butt. It was a very competitive super middleweight fight.

Costa Rica’s David Jimenez (16-1, 11 KOs) outworked John “Scrappy Ramirez (13-1, 9 KOs) in a 12-round scrap to upset the Los Angeles based fighter. After a few close rounds Jimenez simply bullied his way inside and forced Ramirez against the ropes and unloaded his guns.

After 12 rounds two judges saw it 117-111 and 116-114 all for Jimenez.

“I’m a hard-working man from Cartago I come from nothing,” said Jimenez. “My corner told me I had to work inside.”

Charles Conwell (19-0, 14 KOs) stepped on the gas early with vicious body shots and uppercuts and blasted through the resilient Nathaniel Gallimore (22-8-1, 17 KOs) for several rounds. After a brutal fifth and sixth round the referee halted the one-side beating in favor of Conwell who was fighting for the first time under the Golden Boy banner.

Another winner was Sergiy Derevyanchenko (15-5) by decision over Vaughn Alexander (18-11-1) in a super middleweight match.

To comment on this story in the Forum CLICK HERE

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Haney and Garcia: Bipolar Opposites

Published

2 days ago

April 20, 2024

TSS Press

Haney and Garcia: Bipolar Opposites

One young man flew halfway around the world to take on a world champion in his own living room; not once, but twice. The other young man quit prior to one fight, and then again during another one.

The first guy mentioned is an obedient son of an ultra-streetwise father. The type of parent where, if he doesn’t know the answer (and more times than not he most likely does), he will know where to find it. The second guy doesn’t appear to have that quality guidance scenario going on for him, which is probably for the best, because he believes he has all the answers.

The first guy is on record as saying he wants to go down in boxing history as an all-time great. The other guy? He decided not to continue in a fight while he was still sporting an undefeated record. You may think to yourself if there was ever a time to soldier through, right?

Then yesterday, that same guy missed making weight by 3.2 pounds, and seemed to be more than fine with it, to the point where he actually appeared to be quite pleased with himself.

If you haven’t heard, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia are going to share a boxing ring in a twelve round go for God knows what will be at stake by the time they actually punch off. The fact that no one from Garcia’s team has stepped in and rescued him from these unfolding events, his own personal well-being, and/or not to mention Devin Haney is, well, troubling in and of itself.

Back in the amateur days, the record shows they split six fights. They were boys back then, so it means zero. If anything, you’d want to be the older of the two, and Ryan had over a three-month age advantage. If you’ve only been on the planet for a total of 120 months or so, every extra month could be a big enough difference in strength and development. Now as world class professionals in their prime? That’s different. Younger is always better. Devin is that guy.

Haney and Garcia fought six times for free but will fight only once as professionals. Then one of them will continue with their march for historic greatness, while the other will head back to Kamp Krazy, where he’s the current Mayor.

It’s never smart to lay 8-1, 9-1 in boxing. And if you see taking Garcia as a value bet with +500 to +600 and beyond, you don’t understand value and you evidently don’t like money.

There is, however, a wagering opportunity here.

Total Rounds: Fight doesn’t go 10.5 rounds.

Take anything over +125. It’s worth a unit on a scale of 5. Logically, there are a lot of ways to cash this ticket: legitimate victory, meltdown, catching lightning in a bottle, etc. Or simply the exiting stage left of a guy who may be already plotting his next career move.

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