Hopkins-Mayweather At 160 A Potential Disaster For Both

Published

11 years ago

October 28, 2013

One of them is a certified all-time great and holds the record for middleweight title defenses and at age 48, two months shy of 49, is the oldest fighter in history to hold a legitimate world title. The other is currently the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in boxing and has won a legitimate world title in five different weight divisions who just happens to be undefeated after fighting professionally for 17 years. Together they’ve won a combined 45 world title bouts. Yes, I’m talking about IBF light heavyweight title holder Bernard Hopkins 54-6-2 (32) and pound-for-pound king welterweight Floyd Mayweather 46-0 (26).

Recently, there’s been talk of the two of them meeting in a catch-weight bout and most likely that speculation will soon begin to escalate. Hopkins (pictured above, in Tom Casino-Showtime photo) is without a doubt the shrewdest fighter in boxing history outside of the ring and is self managed. He came from the penitentiary, wasn’t an Olympian, didn’t have any big money or corporate sponsors backing him and even lost his pro debut. Yet he’s been managing himself for a decade and knows where every penny comes from when it comes to making and promoting a fight. You could say unlike Mayweather, Hopkins is more of a small government guy who travels light who doesn’t bring or carry anything that isn’t needed. In addition to that he’s a strategic professor in the ring. He understands exactly what he can and cannot do and changes his style according to who the fighter is in front of him, and he doesn’t need many rounds to size his opponent up and figure out what they can’t do, then he forces them to do it over and over again. There’s never been another boxer/fighter like him in or out of the ring, ever.

Mayweather is also one of the best fighter/managers ever. Where he differs from Hopkins is, Floyd was an Olympian and was brought along and looked after on the way up and even into his tenure as a title-holder and champ. Floyd is like Muhammad Ali in that he’s not hip to where all the money comes from or how it’s divvied up, but understands there’s a lot of it and he’s the draw and must get the lion’s share of it. Mayweather is more of a big government guy who travels with an entourage and is his own entity to a degree. In the ring Mayweather is basically the same fighter stylistically every time out. He more or less forces his opponents to address what he does instead of the opposite. Floyd does what he does and the onus is on his opponent to make him do what he doesn’t want to, something that we’ve seldom seen done by any fighter who he’s fought. Listening to Hopkins and Mayweather negotiate a possible bout between them would be more fascinating to hear then watching them or anyone else actually fight. Unfortunately, Hopkins-Mayweather or Mayweather-Hopkins will probably never become a reality, because it makes no sense and is too risky and a potential disaster for both fighters. The negotiations could very well be the high point of the whole project if by chance it were to be realized.

In Mayweather’s last fight he wasn’t even breathing hard at the end of the bout after dominating Saul Alvarez for 12 rounds, the fighter who was perceived to be the biggest threat to him weighing between 147/154. This past weekend Hopkins dominated the IBF’s number one light heavyweight contender, Karo Murat, and he wasn’t breathing hard either after 12 spirited rounds. Everyone knows that Mayweather is only interested in partaking in big fights and Hopkins reiterated the same sentiment after beating Murat. Hopkins also implied that he thinks his next big fight will be fought at a weight south of the light heavyweight limit of 175. He’s publicly said he’d be willing to go down to 160, a weight he hasn’t fought at in almost nine years, to meet Mayweather in a super-fight. Mayweather has never fought above junior middleweight and has barely weighed over 150 and change for any of his 46 bouts.

Let’s assume Mayweather would agree to meet Hopkins in a 160 pound catch-weight bout, which I doubt, but in boxing you never know. Does anyone believe Hopkins would resemble the same fighter who fought Murat or Tavoris Cloud in his last two bouts? I don’t. I think he’d look more like Sugar Ray Leonard versus Terry Norris, a shell of the fighter he once was. At 160 Bernard would be an empty package. Could he make 168? Absolutely. Then again Hopkins can’t even dent any of his opponents weighing 175 because there’s not much left of his punch. He was taking free shots at Murat all night and I never got the sense that Murat was particularly bothered by anything. He was a little bewildered at times but that was it. At 160 Hopkins would resemble “Cotton Hands” more than “The Alien” and it wouldn’t take Floyd long to realize that. It’s doubtful that Bernard could get down close to 160 and remain a noteworthy fighter against a quick and accurate fighter like Mayweather. And if Hopkins lost to Mayweather he’d never live down that he lost to a fighter who turned pro as a junior lightweight despite his advanced age.

If you’re Mayweather, do you really want to chance that Hopkins might turn back the clock for one night and become the fighter who took apart Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya at 160? Floyd couldn’t do a thing with that Hopkins. And if there is a boxer alive walking the planet today who could not only solve Mayweather’s style but also get inside his head, it’s Hopkins. Floyd would have no advantage over Hopkins in ring sense and would be facing the one fighter in the sport who posses an even higher boxing IQ than he does. Bernard would also be one of the few fighters Mayweather has ever faced who held a size and strength advantage over him (if there’s anything left of him at 160) who would actually know how to use it. On top of that, Hopkins is the only boxer in the world who keeps himself in shape as good or better than Mayweather does when he’s not fighting.

What if Mayweather did beat 49/50 year old Hopkins at 160? I doubt it would do all that much for his legacy weighed against the risk if he lost. Then again who knows, the public and even gullible boxing people might be taken in by a Mayweather victory. I think there’s a chance that people wouldn’t understand that the 160 pound guy getting into the ring with Floyd that night (a guy who’d be nearly 50 by the time the fight took place) had no resemblance to the real Bernard Hopkins. Hopkins would be so weak at the weight there’s probably four or five other active fighters who’d beat Hopkins at the same weight. He’s even said that he would need months to get that low. How much left as a fighter would he have after draining down so low? And what if Hopkins was able to out-muscle Mayweather and smack him around a little bit, which isn’t a major leap? Does Mayweather want to be remembered for losing to the oldest title holder in history who was fighting 15 pounds below his optimal weight? I think not.

What happens to Floyd if he loses? His reputation could never recover. He couldn’t even argue that he was fighting a guy thirty pounds heavier than he was, since he would have been the one who forced Hopkins down to 160.

Hopkins fighting Mayweather at any catch-weight limit is a joke and makes no sense for either fighter. But I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if boxing fans spent their money to see it. With the right promotion they’d buy Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis versus either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

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Frank Lotierzo

Avila Perspective, Chap. 289: East LA, Claressa Shields and More

Published

1 day ago

July 25, 2024

David A. Avila

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 289: East LA, Claressa Shields and More

East Los Angeles has long been a haven for some of the best fighters around if you can keep them out of trouble. For every Oscar De La Hoya or Seniesa Estrada there are thousands derailed by crime, drugs or drinking.

Boxing has always been a favorite sport of East L.A. Every family has an uncle or two who boxes.

On Friday, 360 Promotions’ Omar Trinidad (15-0-1) fights Viktor Slavinskyi (15-2-1) in the main event at Commerce Casino, in Commerce, CA. UFC Fight Pass will stream the fight card.

The City of Commerce used to be part of East L.A. until 1960 when it incorporated. It’s still considered to be part of East Los Angeles, but informally.

Plenty of fighters come out of East L.A. but few make it all the way like De La Hoya and Estrada. Will Trinidad be the one?

The first world champion from East L.A. or “East Los” as some call it, was Solly Garcia Smith back in the late 1800s. Others were Richie Lemos, Art Frias and Joey Olivo. There is also 1984 Olympic gold medalist Paul Gonzalez.

Once again 360 Promotions brings its popular brand of fights to the area. On this fight card includes two female bouts. One features Roxy Verduzco (1-0) the former amateur star fighting Colleen Davis (3-1-1) in a featherweight fight.

All that action takes place on Friday.

Elite Boxing

The next day, also in East L.A., Elite Boxing stages another boxing card at Salesian High School located at 960 S. Soto Street in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles.

Elite Boxing has promoted several successful boxing cards at the Catholic high school grounds. The area is saturated by many of the best eateries in Los Angeles. Don’t take my word for it. Check it out yourself and grab some of that delicious food.

Boxing has long been a favorite sport of anyone who lives in East L.A. It’s a fight town equal to Philadelphia, Brooklyn or Detroit. There’s something different about the area. For more than 100 years some of the best fighters continue to come out of its boxing gyms. Some will be performing on these club shows.

For tickets or information go to www.eliteboxingusa.com

Claressa Shields in Detroit

Speaking of fight towns, pound-for-pound best Claressa Shields who won two Olympic Gold Medals in boxing, moves up another weight division to tackle the WBC heavyweight world champion Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse on Saturday, July 27, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

DAZN will stream the heavy-duty fight card.

Shields (14-0) cleaned out the super welterweight, middleweight and super middleweight divisions and now wants to add the big girls to her conquests. She will be facing Canada’s Lepage-Joanisse (7-1) who holds the WBC belt.

The last time Shields gloved up was more than a year ago when she fought Maricela Cornejo. Don’t blame Shields. She loves to fight. She loves to win. The last time Shields lost a fight was in the amateurs and that was three presidential administrations ago.

Shields doesn’t lose.

I wonder if Las Vegas even takes bets on her fights?

The only fight she may have been an underdog was against Savannah Marshall who was the last opponent to defeat her. And that was in 2012 in China. When they met as pros two years ago, Shields avenged her loss with a blistering attack.

Don’t get Shields mad.

Perhaps her toughest foe as a pro was in her pro debut when she clashed with Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Las Vegas. It was four rounds of fists and fury as the two pounded each other on the undercard of Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev in November 2016.

That was a ferocious debut for both female pugilists.

Assisting Shields on this fight card will be several intriguing male bouts. One guy you should pay special attention is Tito Mercado (15-0, 14 KOs) a super lightweight prospect from Pomona, California.

Many excellent fighters have come out of Pomona including Sugar Shane Mosley, Shane Mosley Jr., Alberto Davila and Richie Sandoval who just passed away this week.

Sandoval was best known for his 15-round war with Philadelphia’s Jeff Chandler for the bantamweight world title in 1984. Read the story by Arne K. Lang on this link: https://tss.ib.tv/boxing/featured-boxing-articles-boxing-news-videos-rankings-and-results/81467-former-world-bantamweight-champion-richie-sandoval-passes-away-at-age-63 .

Fights to Watch

Fri. UFC Fight Pass 7 p.m. Omar Trinidad (15-0-1) vs Viktor Slavinskyi (15-2-1).

Sat. ESPN+ 12:30 p.m. Joe Joyce (16-2) vs Derek Chisora (34-13).

Sat. DAZN 3 p.m. Claressa Shields (14-0) vs Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse (7-1), Michel Rivera (25-1) vs Hugo Roldan (22-2-1); Tito Mercado (15-0) vs Hector Sarmiento (21-2).

Omar Trinidad photo by Lina Baker

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Arne’s Almanac: Jake Paul and Women’s Boxing, a Curmudgeon’s Take

Published

3 days ago

July 24, 2024

Arne K. Lang

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Jake Paul can fight more than a little. The view from here is that he would make it interesting against any fringe contender in the cruiserweight division. However, Jake’s boxing acumen pales when paired against his skill as a flim-flam artist.

Jake brought a 9-1 record into last weekend’s bout with Mike Perry. As noted by boxing writer Paul Magno, Jake’s previous opponents consisted of “a You Tuber, a retired NBA star, five retired MMA stars, a part-time boxer/reality TV star, and two undersized and inactive fall-guy boxers.”

Mike Perry, a 32-year-old Floridian, was undefeated (6-0, 3 KOs) as a bare-knuckle boxer after forging a 14-8 record in UFC bouts. In pre-fight blurbs, Perry was billed as the baddest bare knuckle boxer of all time, but against Jake Paul he proved to have very unrefined skills as a conventional boxer which Team Paul undoubtedly knew all along. Perry lasted into the eighth round in a one-sided fight that could have been stopped a lot sooner.

Jake Paul is both a boxer and a promoter. As a promoter, he handles Amanda Serrano, one of the greatest female boxers in history. That makes him the person most responsible (because the buck stops with him) for the wretched mismatch in last Saturday’s co-feature, the bout between Serrano and Stevie Morgan.

Morgan, who took up boxing two years ago at age 33, brought a 14-1 record. Nicknamed the Sledgehammer, she had won 13 of her 14 wins by knockout, eight in the opening round. However, although she resides in Florida, all but one of those 13 knockouts happened in Colombia.

“We found that in Colombia there were just more opportunities for women’s boxing than in the United States,” she told a prominent boxing writer whose name we won’t mention.

The truth is that, for some folks, Colombia is the boxing equivalent of a feeder lot for livestock, a place where a boxer can go to fatten their record. The opportunities there were no greater than in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1995. It was there that Peter McNeeley prepped for his match with Mike Tyson with a 6-second knockout of professional punching bag Frankie Hines. (Six seconds? So it would be written although no one seems to have been there to witness it.)

Serrano vs Morgan was understood to be a stay-busy fight for Amanda whose rematch with Katie Taylor was postponed until November. Stevie Morgan, to her credit, answered the bell for the second round whereas others in her situation would have remained on the stool and invented an injury to rationalize it. Thirty-eight seconds later it was all over and Ms. Morgan was free to go home and use her sledgehammer to do some light dusting.

The Paul-Perry and Serrano-Morgan fights played out in a sold-out arena in Tampa before an estimated 17,000. Those without a DAZN subscription paid $64.95 for the livestream. Paul’s next promotion, where he will touch gloves with 58-year-old Mike Tyson (unless Iron Mike pulls a Joe Biden and pulls out; a capital idea) with Serrano-Taylor II the semi-main, will almost certainly rake in more money than any other boxing promotion this year.

Asked his opinion of so-called crossover boxing by a reporter for a college newspaper, the venerable boxing promoter Bob Arum said, “It’s not my bag but folks who don’t like it shouldn’t get too worked up over it because no one is stealing from anybody.” True enough, but for some of us, the phenomenon is distressing.

—

The next big women’s fight happens Saturday in Detroit where Claressa Shields seeks a world title in a third weight class against WBC heavyweight belt-holder Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse.

A two-time Olympic gold medalist, undefeated in 14 fights as a pro, Shields is very good, arguably the best female boxer of her generation which makes her, arguably, the best female boxer of all time. But turning away Lepage-Joanisse (7-1, 2 KOs) won’t elevate her stature in our eyes.

Purportedly 17-4 as an amateur, the Canadian won her title in her second crack at it. Back in August of 2017, she challenged Cancun’s Alejandra Jimenez in Cancun and was stopped in the third round. Entering the bout, Lepage-Joanisse was 3-0 as a pro and had never fought a match slated for more than four rounds.

Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse

True, on the women’s side, the heavyweight bracket is a very small pod. A sanctioning body has to make concessions to harness a sanctioning fee. Nonetheless, how absurd that a woman who had answered the bell for only 11 rounds would be deemed qualified to compete for a world title. (FYI: Alejandra Jimenez was purportedly born a man. She left the sport with a 12-0-1 record after her win over Franchon Crews Dazurn was changed to a no-contest when she tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol.)

Following her defeat to Jimenez, Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse, now 29 years old, was out of action for six-and-a-half years. When she returned, she was still a heavyweight, but a much slender heavyweight. She carried 231 pounds for Jimenez. In her most recent bout where she captured the vacant WBC title with a split decision over Argentina’s Abril Argentina Vidal, she clocked in at 173 ¼. (On the distaff side, there’s no uniformity among the various sanctioning bodies as to what constitutes a heavyweight.)

Claressa Shields doesn’t need Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse to reinforce her credentials as a future Hall of Famer. She made the cut a long time ago.

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Former World Bantamweight Champion Richie Sandoval Passes Away at Age 63

Published

4 days ago

July 22, 2024

Arne K. Lang

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Richie Sandoval, who won the WBA and lineal bantamweight title in one of the biggest upsets of the 1980s and then, not quite two years later, suffered near-fatal injuries in a title defense, has passed away at the age of 63.

News circulated fast in the Las Vegas boxing community on Monday, July 22, the grapevine actuated by a tweet from Hall of Fame matchmaker Bruce Trampler: “Boxing and the Top Rank family lost one of our own last night in the passing of former WBA bantamweight champion Richie Sandoval. It hurts personally and professionally to know that Richie is gone at age 63. RIP campeon.”

Details are vague but the cause of death was apparently a sudden heart attack that Sandoval experienced while visiting the Southern California home of his son of the same name.

Richie Sandoval put the LA County community of Pomona, California, on the boxing map before Shane Mosley came along and gave the town a more frequently-cited mention in the sports section of the papers. He came from a fighting family. An older brother, Albert “Superfly” Sandoval, became a big draw at LA’s fabled Olympic Auditorium while building a 35-2-1 record that included a failed bid to capture Lupe Pintor’s world bantamweight title.

Richie was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic boxing team that was stranded when U.S. President Jimmy Carter (and many other world leaders) boycotted the event as a protest against Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan.

As a pro, Sandoval’s signature win was a 15^th-round stoppage of Jeff Chandler. They fought on April 7, 1984 in Atlantic City. Chandler was making the tenth defense of his world bantamweight title.

Despite being a heavy underdog, Sandoval dominated the fight, winning almost every round until the referee stepped in and waived it off. Chandler, who was 33-1-2 heading in and had avenged his lone defeat, never fought again.

Sandoval made two successful defenses before risking his title against Gaby Canizales on the undercard of Hagler-Mugabi in the outdoor stadium at Caesars Palace. In round seven, Sandoval, who had a hellish time making the weight, was knocked down three times and suffered a seizure as he collapsed from the third knockdown. Stretchered out of the ring, he was rushed to the hospital where doctors reduced the swelling in his brain and beat the odds to save his life. This would be Richie’s lone defeat. He finished his pro career with a record of 29-1 (17 KOs).

Bob Arum cushioned some of the pain by giving Richie a $25,000 bonus and offering him a lifetime job at Top Rank which Richie accepted. And let the record show that Arum was good to his word.

A more elaborate portrait of Richie Sandoval was published in these pages in 2017. You can check it out HERE. May he rest in peace.

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