Pacquiao-Marquez and Other Random Thoughts

Every once in awhile a few things come to my noggin that I just have to get off my chest. Not anything earth shattering or too revealing, but just a few things that have me thinking aloud to myself.

Like for instance….

Isn't this upcoming bout between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez one of the best match-ups on paper in recent memory?…. But isn't it a shame that it'll get one-tenth( if that) from the general media because it's not a heavyweight fight?…. I also think that Miguel Cotto is facing his toughest test when he takes on Lovemore Ndou, who's a late replacement for Juan Valenzuela…. He wins this one decisively, I think he's ready for the likes of WBA jr. welterweight titlist, Vivian Harris…..

One thing you gotta love about Pacquiao, he and Freddie Roach actually let fans and the media in on their workouts. Now, I'm not saying every fighter has to let the floodgates open every single day, but geez, fighters are so paranoid today, it's sickening…. Also, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy, on one hand fighters will lament the fact that they don't get the attention from the media that they deserve, but on the other hand, they close off virtually all access to them. It can't work both ways…. Oh, by the way, if Muhammad Ali could open up his training camps for his biggest fights, you're telling me some lightweight who's starved for attention can't do the same? There was a reason why Ali became perhaps the most famous human being that ever graced this planet…..

Seriously, isn't time that Wladimir Klitschko and his people just drop this whole Oliver Stone routine and move on?…. Perhaps Lamon Brewster got lucky, maybe he had a bad night, maybe April 10th was just one of those anomalies that can occur, but the steady stream of excuses has long gotten tiresome…. Also, it's an insult to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Brewster and his camp and the hotel, Mandalay Bay, where the fight took place, to even cast doubt on the outcome the way they did…. And this is just my opinion, but don't you think that much of this propaganda has been allowed to spread is because Don King was on the other side of the equation….. King, has always made an easy target( whether he deserves it or not is another question)….

I'll say it right now, yes, there's a big pay-per-view show on June 5th featuring Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins in a prelude to a September match-up, but the best fight that night will be on Showtime when Kassim Ouma and Verno Phillips rematch for the vacant IBF jr. middleweight title…. There first fight in 2001 was a barn burner, in which the younger Ouma just simply outworked the veteran Phillips….. One thing I'm interested in seeing is just what boxing fans will do that night? Will they cough up their hard earned bucks for essentially two tune-up fights or do they just watch Showtime that night?……

Ok, anyone else sick of hearing Jermain Taylor's representatives talking of facing Hopkins in 2005, when they will be facing Raul Marquez next?…. It looks to me that they are biding their time hoping Hopkins rides into the sunset before they make their move…..Marquez is a a bleeder, who's basically semi-retired in all reality and don't forget, he's really a natural jr. middleweight….. This coming off the heels of facing Alex Bunema, another blown-up '54-pounder, who was chosen only because of the uproar caused by the choice of faded welterweight Derrell Coley….. There's no doubt, Taylor is a legitimate prospect but are they really doing this kid any favors with the way they're moving him?….

Speaking of guys being protected and moved slower than a DMV worker, how 'bout Ricky Hatton? At what point do they actually face a real, world-class 140-pounder?…. His last fight was supposed to be a prelude to a showdown with the highly respected Sharmba Mitchell. Well, surprise, surprise, after all was said and done, he'll be taking on another pedestrian foe….. This is classic Frank Warren, milking one of his fighters for all it's worth…. You just hope that Showtime doesn't televise anymore of his fights from Europe until he starts putting his guy in with live opposition….. The subscribers of Showtime deserve that much…..

I'll say this again: Vitaly Klitschko may be the best heavyweight in the world, currently, but until he cleans out the division he is NOT the undisputed champion….. The fact that so many people are in a rush to crown him as such makes me appreciate Lennox Lewis that much more…. Say what you will about Lewis, but look at the guys he beat: Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, David Tua, Michael Grant, Tommy Morrison, Razor Ruddock, and Ray Mercer…. No, not all these names were great or near their prime, but coming into those fights every name I mentioned was given a serious chance to unseat him….. And oh, yeah, he beat Klitschko last year, too….. I don't want to hear that Klitschko was winning, he was on the scorecards halfway through the fight, but the fight was stopped due to a horrific cut that was caused by a punch…. That's a TKO, anyway you look at it…..

Has there been a better little technician the past 20 years than Mark 'Too Sharp' Johnson?…. Maybe Ricardo Lopez, but that's a helluva debate, isn't it?…. Mark it down, the next pound-for-pound king will be Floyd Mayweather….. Just look at the names he's beaten the last three years, not a stiff among them…… The only thing that can stop Floyd is Floyd himself….. I may be the only one who thinks this, but I think Antonio Tarver gives Roy Jones all he can handle when they fight once again on May 15th…. Yeah, Roy will be in better shape, but y'know what? Tarver is still tall, rangy, southpaw and full of confidence( which may be the most important thing)…. This will not be Montell Griffin all over again…..

Well, that's about it, my mind is now clear and uncluttered, I've said everything I need to say. But I'm glad I got that off my chest.