Articles of 2009
Las Vegas Journal: May 23, 2009
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LAS VEGAS-Another journey into the deep desert took place last weekend to cover both mixed martial arts and boxing.
On Friday we took a drive into the Top Rank gym to see who was working out, but it was pretty empty. The only fighter we saw was super quick lightweight Sharif Bogere, a native of Uganda who now fights out of Las Vegas.
Next, we took a drive to Floyd Mayweather’s gym.
We knew Mayweather was overseas but a lot of pretty good boxers train out of his gym located in the heart of town. As soon as we walked in the gym doors I spotted trainer Luis Tapia, so I immediately knew that Layla McCarter was in the house.
McCarter, for those who don’t know female pro boxing, is one of the most skilled prizefighters in the world. She has great defense and very good offense. She was busy chasing a fleet-footed male boxer around the ring named David Springer who fights as a bantamweight.
Tapia trains both McCarter and Springer. The Las Vegas trainer says a fight card featuring McCarter and Springer is being organized for early July.
The veteran boxer McCarter is seeking a match with Ann Saccarato for the WBA lightweight title. It’s a perfect match up between two fighters who like to sit in the pocket and let the rockets fly.
“I want it to be a 12 round fight at three minute rounds,” said McCarter, who has fought twice before under those conditions. Normally women fight two-minute rounds and a maximum of 10 rounds for a world title fight. “The WBA already approved it if my opponent is willing to accept it.”
McCarter likes to test the boundaries of social and political correctiveness.
A few other boxers were in the gym including another female fighter who was hitting the speed bag when we arrived.
McCarter introduced us to Melissa St. Vil, a featherweight originally from Brooklyn now transplanted to Las Vegas. Her roots are from Haiti. She has this high-pitched voice and big personality.
St. Vil told us she was going to spar with Melinda Cooper on Saturday. Ironically, we were planning to see Cooper too. A few phone calls later and everything was set to see St. Vil and Cooper spar.
Later, on Friday, we headed to the MGM Grand where the press was going to a reception sponsored by Cazadores Tequila, a high-end tequila that was making its debut into MMA sponsorship.
The reception was held at the Tabu. Immediately upon entering the large theater we were met with hostesses holding tall margaritas on a tray and some appetizers. I grabbed the margarita.
If any of you have read my previous journals you know that me and photographer Paul Hernandez are on an never-ending search for the perfect margarita. In our travels we’ve hit San Francisco, Miami, San Diego and Las Vegas of course, scouring the nightspots and drinkeries for the margarita to beat all margaritas.
So far, the best by far is El Cholo’s margaritas near downtown Los Angeles. It has both the taste and potency required by all margarita perfectionists.
After grabbing our drink we found a spot on the stage that seemed kind of empty. By the time we got there a horde of guys with video cameras and microphones bunched into the area too. They were interviewing various UFC fighters like Forrest Griffin and announcer Bruce Buffer.
It was cool. As long as I had my margarita everything was very cool.
About two margaritas later, I decided to relocate to a more passive area. While sitting down I spilled part of my very cold margarita on my pants and shirt. I knew I had passed my breaking point. No more margaritas.
I decided to walk off the margarita effects by going to the sports book. I also grabbed a corn beef sandwich that was tasty but expensive at $8.
The Dodgers were playing the Angels on the screens so we watched a little but got bored with the extra-inning tie game. Back to the hotel.
Cooper and St. Vil
On Saturday morning I grabbed a cup of Starbucks coffee and a scone before heading to a homemade gym owned by James Pena.
Pena trains Melinda Cooper, one of the most electrifying boxers anywhere. Now fighting at bantamweight, the Las Vegas female fighter has been avoided like the Swine Flu and is probably more dangerous.
Very few fighters her size pack the impact of her punches when she unloads. Combine her power with speed and you have a very explosive fighter. When she connects you know she’s connected.
Outside of the gym, Cooper is rather shy but extremely intelligent. But once you know her its difficult to imagine she’s one of the most dangerous fighters in the bantamweight division.
Pena’s gym is located in a gated community. It’s not very big but he has all the equipment needed to train Cooper, who he has raised from an amateur star to a professional world champion.
The last time I saw Cooper box was in 2005 when she captured the WIBA and IBA flyweight titles by technical knockout against Anissa Zamarron in Palm Springs. She was only 19 at the time.
Four years can change a lot in a boxer. I wanted to see Cooper again. She’s set to fight Miriam Avila on June 13 in Mexico City. Avila’s record is inaccurate as is common with a lot of Mexican fighters. They only have her fighting twice but she has more than a dozen fights. She’s supposed to be tough.
Stepping up to spar with Cooper was St. Vil, who has fought as high as 135, though she is only an inch taller than Cooper. The Haitian boxer plans to move down to 126.
I had never seen St. Vil in the ring but once the sparring began it was clear to see that she was no easy touch. Both fighters unloaded on each other with professional precision and technical prowess.
It’s too bad there wasn’t a paying crowd to see the action. Cooper and St. Vil exchanged bombs and slipped in a space that could be described as the size of two king-size beds put together. Every time they pounded each other it was evident they were not holding back much.
I was so close to them that if they missed and hit me I’m sure I would have ended on my back. Both fighters have power, big time power.
St. Vil lost her last fight by split decision to Emily Klinefelter. It must have been close because St. Vil can fight.
After a long six rounds the sparring session ended and both fighters talked and joked like nothing had happened.
We took some photos of the fighters then loaded up and headed for the MGM to cover the UFC 98 fight card.
UFC 98
The MGM casino was buzzing with people. It wasn’t as crowded as the Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton fight, but still very populated with people.
Inside the media room we ran into the regular MMA press crews and after some grub I headed out to the fights.
At first the arena was not filled but by the main event it seemed every seat was filled.
I spotted Mike Tyson, who tragically lost his four-year-old daughter to an accident soon after this event, sitting next to Rampage and BJ Penn.
Here’s a prayer to Tyson and his family.
The fights were mostly good. Of course the most awaited contest was UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans defending against Lyoto Machida of Brazil who was the big 3-1 favorite.
Machida crushed Evans and now is the champion.
Primm
Immediately after the fights I headed toward Primm, Nevada, the Stateline bordering California.
On Sunday Dimitriy Salita, the number one junior welterweight according to the WBA, was fighting Raul Munoz in a 10-round fight.
I stayed overnight at Buffalo Bills Resort and Casino.
The fight card was staged by Roy Jones Jr. and his company Square Ring. It featured both MMA and boxing in the arena that sits about 6,000 people. Sarah Fina helped put the card together and the event itself. She has a bright mind and eagerness to succeed that you can’t ignore.
While waiting for the event to occur I spotted Bill Caplan, one of the top PR guys in boxing, if not the top.
We sat at McDonald’s drinking beverages and talked about boxing and baseball, my favorite subjects and I think his favorite subjects too.
Caplan, who lives in the San Fernando Valley, came to Primm with his wife to see Salita fight. It’s not often that the New Yorker ventures to the West Coast.
The fights were quick and Salita won his fight. I hadn’t seen him fight since 2001 at Soboba Casino near my residence. He has improved in every way. One more thing, he seems to have a pretty good chin.
We’ll see who he fights for the title: Amir Khan or the current WBA champion Andriy Kotelnik.
Immediately after the fights, I headed back home to California.
No margaritas on that night.
Articles of 2009
UFC 108 Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva
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Former champion Rashad Evans meets Brazil’s venerable Thiago Silva in a non-title belt that can lead to a return match with the current champ, but first things first.
Evans (15-1-1) and Silva (14-1) meet in Ultimate Fighting Championship 108 in a light heavyweight bout on Saturday Jan. 2, at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. A win by either fighter could result in a world title bid. The fight card is being shown on pay-per-view television.
Events can change quickly in the Octagon and anybody can beat anybody in the 205-pound weight division. Just ask Silva or Evans.
Silva and Evans are both experienced and can vouch firsthand about the capriciousness of fighting in MMA and especially as a light heavyweight. On one day this man can beat that man and on another day, that man can beat this man. It can make you absolutely daffy.
Evans, 30, is the former UFC light heavyweight world champion who only defended his title on one occasion and lost by vicious knockout to current champion Lyoto Machida of Brazil. It’s the only defeat on his record.
Silva, 27, is a well-rounded MMA fighter from Sao Paolo, Brazil who is versed in jujitsu, Muy Thai and boxing. He can end a fight quickly in a choke hold just as easily as with a kick or a punch. His only loss came to who else: Machida.
Evans and Silva know a win can push open the door to a rematch with current UFC light heavyweight champion Machida.
“A win against Rashad would put me in the track against Lyoto,” said Silva, in a telephone conference call. “That's what – what I want to do.”
When Silva fought Machida the two Brazilians were both undefeated and feared in the MMA world. The fight took place in Las Vegas and with one second remaining in the first round a perfectly timed punch knocked Silva unconscious.
“I was humbled big time, man,” says Silva who fought Machida in January 2009. “I learned a lot from that fight. I think I can correct the mistakes from that fight, not overlooking anything else right now, but just I want to get the chance to fight him again.”
For Evans it was a different circumstance. The upstate New Yorker held the UFC title and was defending it after stopping then champion Forrest Griffin by knockout. Still, many felt Machida was far too technically versed. Evans was stopped brutally in the second round.
“I've made it a point to not – to not get distracted on what I want to do, because you know Thiago (Silva) is a very hungry fighter,” said Evans who has not fought since losing the title to Machida last May. “My focus is just on Thiago so much. You know I don't want to overlook him, you know, not even a little bit.”
Dana White, president of UFC, says the winner of this fight could conceivably fight Machida in the near future. Evans and especially Silva are motivated by the open window.
“I learned a lot from that fight. I think I can correct the mistakes from that fight,” says Silva. “Not overlooking anything else right now, but I just want to get the chance to fight him again.”
What a prize. The winner gets to face the man who beat him: Machida.
Articles of 2009
Ten Boxing Wishes For 2010
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As 2009 comes to a close, one reflects on what went well and what went wrong during the year in boxing. There were many highlights. Pacquiao vs. Cotto and Showtime’s Super Six tournament were part of the best that boxing had to offer. But there were some low points too therefore the industry has some work to do in order to keep generating fans. Here are some suggestions for 2010:
10. Better pay per view cards
Paying 40 to 50 bucks to watch the main event gets old real quick. Why do we have to sit through a horrible under-card to get to the main course? It’s like being fed spam appetizers before the Thanksgiving turkey. It seems that the pay per view promoters just don’t get it. Are they watching what they put on or do they only watch the “big fight” as everyone else is slowly being conditioned to do so?
9. Time to make Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight
Okay, I understand he’s the son of one of the greatest fighters that ever lived. But he’s had 42 fights against low to mid level competition and has never managed to look spectacular. It’s time to throw the 23 year old out of the nest to see if he can fly. My suggestion is a fight against Sergio Mora or maybe even Yuri Foreman. Neither of these guys can punch. They may outbox Junior but they won’t totally humiliate him.
8. No more ridiculous Pay Per View mismatches
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez should’ve never been made. It was a ridiculous fight when it was announced and it was more ridiculous when it took place. Unable to bring Manny Pacquiao to the bargaining table for a third match against Juan Manuel Marquez, someone figured that pairing up the 135 pound champion against a natural 147 pounder like Mayweather would be a great idea. The pay per view generated over a million buys but the fact that millions of people were treated to an incredibly boring mismatch is what’s truly worrisome. I can guarantee you one thing about this card. The sport of boxing lost fans once the show was over and done with. Talk about short term thinking.
7. Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola shows up for a fight in amazing shape
It was painful to see Chris Arreola take a beating from the Ukrainian giant, Vitali Klitscho. The champion certainly earned his “Dr. Ironfist” moniker as he plowed his powerful shots into the former #1 WBC heavyweight contender’s face. He reddened and bloodied the young Mexican American with an assortment of weapons and foot movement seldom seen on a six foot seven inch heavyweight. Arreola was brave and unrelenting in battle. He never stopped coming forward and took chances when he could. His work in the ring at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles wasn’t the problem. Where Arreola let himself down was outside the ring. His unwillingness to condition himself into a finely tuned athlete cost him certain immortality as the first ever heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. Arreola has the heart and skills but it was his mental fortitude that broke down. Anyone who’s followed the Riverside fighter knows that his best weight is somewhere in the 230 pound range. It certainly isn’t at the 252 pounds he registered on the scale at the Staples Center. Those fifteen to twenty extra pounds might have made all the difference in the world. Maybe he would’ve been a little quicker, maybe he could’ve sustained a faster pace in order to tire out the champion. In his most recent fight against Brian Minto, Arreola weighed in at a career high 263. It looks like “The Nightmare” isn’t willing to change for anyone. At this pace, the only nightmares he’ll be providing will be to the management of Hometown Buffets all across Riverside. Just kidding “Nightmare”!
6. More respect for the lighter weights
Real boxing fans know that the most exciting fighters in the sport are usually found toiling in weight divisions south of 154 pounds. Pacquiao, Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez, Edwin Valero, Israel Vazquez, Juan Ma Lopez, Vic Darchinyan, Rafael Marquez and countless others have been the real driving force behind this sport. It’s those great fighters that have made boxing fanatics out of casual fans. The heavyweights may get all the money and glory but it’s the little guys who make the sport shine and it’s time they received greater compensation. It’s dismaying to think that a mediocre heavyweight can make three or four times as much as the great Rafael Marquez.
5. An American Heavyweight champion
Speaking of heavyweights, two Americans tried and failed at dethroning Vitali Klitschko this year. Both Kevin Johnson and Chris Arreola did their best to wrestle the belt away from “Dr. Klitschko” but came up short since they were easily outclassed. What happened to the great American Heavyweight? Where’s our new Joe Frazier or Ali? Even a new Gerry Cooney or a Ken Norton would do at this point. I’ve got a feeling that the only way we’re going to see an American champion is if Klitschko retires. My money is on Arreola. Although undisciplined and rough outside the ring, he’s got tons (no pun intended) of natural talent. He’s without a doubt the most talented American heavyweight on the scene.
4. More ShoBox
The Showtime Cable network gave us the best boxing on TV for the price of a cable television subscription. Their ShoBox series has been a proven hit for Senior VP of Sports Programming Ken Hershman. The concept is simple yet brilliant. Match up two up and comers with great records and let’s see what happens. Sometimes the results are surprising. Many have passed the ShoBox test and went on to bigger and better things. Others have been exposed as having padded records and eventually their careers stall and take a dive.
3. More safety in Mexico so I can attend a show without a gun battle breaking out
Having lived near the Tijuana border all my life I’m dismayed at the war zone that the city has evolved into. Every day there are reports of shootings fueled by the drug war trade. Believe it or not, there was a time when Tijuana was safe and most wouldn’t have thought twice about crossing the border for some seafood and nightlife. No more. Having covered several boxing cards on Revolucion Avenue many years ago, I got a taste of just how important the sport is to Mexican fans. It’s also important to me but not that important. For now I’ll stick to covering shows at the Pechanga Casino and in the less dangerous city of L.A. I never thought I’d say that.
2. Pac Man vs. Mayweather
This is the fight everyone wants to see. Seeing how Mayweather dominated Pac Man’s arch enemy, Juan Manuel Marquez, you have to wonder if the Filipino can handle Lil’ Floyd’s speed and size. One thing is for sure, betting against Pacquiao doesn’t usually work out for me. It never has. There’s no future in it. So if the fight gets done it’s Pacquiao by TKO in ten.
1. And finally
One final wish is reserved for all the readers of TheSweetScience.com I wish you all a healthy and happy 2010. Thank you for your continued loyalty to the site. It’s very much appreciated.
Articles of 2009
A Very Special New Year's Day Column
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It has been just over four months since Nick Charles, the play-by-play announcer for Shobox: The New Generation, was diagnosed with stage IV bladder cancer and forced to take a medical hiatus from the monthly show that has aired since 2001.
Since then he has undergone grueling chemotherapy treatments that have resulted in him losing all of his hair as he forces himself to live as normal of a life as possible. Through sheer force of will, as well as the strength and support that he receives from his wonderfully loving family and his strong Christian faith, the 63-year-old Charles has managed to keep his weight up while not falling prey to the always lingering threats of depression, cynicism and negativity.
If one was unaware that he was battling such an insidious disease, you’d never know from talking on the phone to him that he has been to hell and back. He has lost none of the inspiring energy that has endeared him to members of the boxing community and legions of worldwide viewers.
“I’m doing great,” Charles said during a telephone conversation on December 30th. “I’ve been off the chemo for a month, and the doctors have told me that I’m 80 percent in remission. I’m going to see them again in three months. It may come back, but if it takes one year, or two years, or however long, I’m going to make the most of the good time.”
As physically and emotionally wrenching as the grim diagnosis and subsequent treatment has been, even for someone as perpetually positive as Charles, the longtime announcer said a lot of good things have come from it.
Having been married three times, Charles is the father of four children: Jason, 38, Melissa, 34, Charlotte, 22, and Giovanna, 3 ½.
While Charles is not big on regrets, he is the first to admit that he wasn’t always there for his older children. For many years he traveled the world as a CNN correspondent, often putting the demands of his career above all else, including those closest to him. Nowhere was the strain more evident than in his relationship with Melissa.
Having been divorced from Melissa’s mother since 1977, Charles said his relationship with that daughter has been especially “hot and cold, all of our lives.”
His illness has enabled them to forge a relationship that has been “based on a massive amount of forgiveness and understanding.”
“This has had a tremendous healing effect on both of us,” said Charles. “My illness has had a fortifying effect on a lot of things, the most important of which is my relationships with my family.”
That also includes his first wife, with whom he has had an often acrimonious relationship over the past three decades.
“It took a long time for the scab to become a scar, but we had lunch one day and it was so great to once again see the gentle, soft sides of each other,” he explained. “The whole divorce process creates a hardness that doesn’t always go away.”
Charles is also the grandfather to three children, some of whom are about the same age as his youngest daughter. He jokes that he has a “nuclear 21st century family” because of the similar ages of two generations of children. One of the hardest things for him has been the realization that he can’t always play with them in manner in which he would like.
“The hemoglobin is the fuel in your tank, so when it’s low you can’t will yourself to do things no matter how much you want to,” said Charles. “You can’t just sleep it off or work through it. I don’t want the kids to wonder why I can’t play in the backyard with them, or kick a soccer ball, or throw them in the air.”
Particularly difficult is when Giovanna reminds her father of how handsome he is, but then innocently asks him what happened to his hair, eyebrows and lashes.
“You try to keep things on a need to know basis, which is not easy when dealing with curious kids,” said Charles.
While Charles might look like the kind of guy that things have often come easy to, the reality is that his beginnings were far from auspicious. But, he says, his often challenging Chicago childhood blessed him with the steely resolve that has helped him so much during the arduous journey he is now on.
“I had it pretty rough growing up,” he explained. “I remember the lights and the heat being shut off and eating mustard sandwiches. I went to work at 13 and always had insecurities about the future. But I always expected and saw the best in people, so when I got sick, never once did I say 'Why me?”
Since taking a leave of absence from Shobox, the outpouring of support from the boxing community has warmed Charles’s heart. For a guy that is battling for his life, he actually considers himself fortunate to be surrounded by so much goodness in both his personal and professional lives.
“I always hear that boxing people are ruthless, but I couldn’t disagree more,” said Charles. “I’ve probably received about 1,000 e-mails, and people are always following in sending their best wishes. From the relatively unknown people in boxing to many of the more famous people, there has been an outpouring of true affection.”
Charles said that the Top Rank organization has been exceedingly kind and gracious. He was touched beyond description when he learned that officials in Oklahoma got special permission to have a seamstress sew “Keep Fighting Nick” onto their sleeves. He chokes up when talking about cut man Stitch Duran giving up an endorsement opportunity so he could put Charles’s name on his outfit. He never tires of hearing shout-outs from fighters on television.
Charles has always been a people person with an inordinate faith in the goodness of his fellow man. Battling this illness has only made his already strong faith in humanity even stronger.
“Adversity is a great teacher, and it really teaches you who your genuine friends are,” said Charles. “I have a lot of friends.”
He also has a remarkable wife, Cory, a CNN producer to whom he has been married for 11 years. She is the daughter of an electrician, a self-made woman who exudes all of the warmth of her native Brooklyn. She has reinforced her husband’s spiritual base by her love, optimism and strength of character.
“If I get down, she reminds me to not get too caught up,” said Charles. “I believe in eternity, and that has put me pretty much at peace.”
More than anything else, Charles wants to get himself back behind a microphone sooner rather than later, and hopefully on Shobox. He is the first to admit that viewers “don’t watch the series to see Nick Charles,” but he is proud of the fact that he was “part of the identity” of such a popular show.
“And people love comeback stories,” added Charles. “That’s the message I’m getting from the people out there.”
In boxing the word “champion” is often overused because it pertains only to winning belts and receiving worldwide recognition for being the best at your craft. The reality is that life’s real champions have other qualities, such as the innate ability to treat people well and always make them feel better about themselves, especially when the recipients of the goodwill are in no position to give them anything back.
By that standard of measure, Charles is as much, if not more of a champion than all of the boxers he has covered during the nine years that Shobox has been on the air.
I know I speak for scores of others when I say, “Happy New Year, Champ. We hope that you are the comeback story of the year in 2010.”
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