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

Published

10 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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Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing

Published

16 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Skylar-Lacy-Blocked-for-Lamar-Jackson-Before-Making-his-Mark-in-Boxing

Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.

As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.

This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.

A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”

Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.

Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.

Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)

Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.

When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.

Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).

For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.

“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.

As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.

As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”

Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.

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Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce

Published

2 days ago

January 18, 2025

David A. Avila

Mizuki-Hiruta-Dominates-in-her-U.S.-Debut-and-Trinidad-Wins-Too-at-Commerce

Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.

In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.

It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.

For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.

Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.

It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.

“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”

Trinidad Wins Too

Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.

Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.

“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”

After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.

Other Bouts

Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.

Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.

Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.

More Winners

Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Published

4 days ago

January 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.

Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.

Hopefully the worst is over.

Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.

Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.

“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.

He knows talent.

Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.

Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.

Can Trinidad reach world title status?

Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.

It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.

Mizukii Hiruta

Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.

Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Boxing and the Media

The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.

Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.

Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.

Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.

MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.

Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.

Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.

It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.

Photos credit: Lina Baker

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