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Morilla’s Spit Bucket – Melian Takes the Plunge, Forgotten Heavys and More

Published

3 years ago

November 8, 2017

The Spit Bucket is your weekly source of random thoughts, opinions and comments about the Manly Art, compiled by TSS boxing writer Diego Morilla. Make your suggestions and comments and dare to give us your own short commentary on this week’s boxing issues by sending us an email at diegomorillabox@hotmail.com .

Melian Jumps Right in the Deep End of the Pool

There is usually very little to report when a former amateur star makes the jump into the waters of professionalism. And then there is the news of Alberto Melian’s debut.

Melian, a two-time Olympian (Rio 2016 and London 2012) and member of Argentina’s Condors in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) of AIBA, announced that he will be making his pro debut on December 16^th in his native Argentina against none other than his countryman Diego Ricardo Santillan, an experienced former Argentine and South American champ who challenged Shinsuke Yamanaka for a world title and who has a 23-2 (15 KO) mark as a pro.

The news caused some uproar among the Argentine boxing inflatable garden slide cognoscenti, and Melian’s new manager Sampson Lewkowicz was heavily criticized for this unusual move. But in an exclusive call with our sister site Zona de Boxeo, the 27-year-old Melian was quick to point out that the entire thing was his idea.

“I told Sampson that I wanted to fight the best because I want to fight for a world title as soon as possible, and for that I want to fight the best fighters in Argentina and then travel abroad,” said Melian. “I even asked him to start with a six-rounder but he said it would be complicated.”

Melián has a few encouraging victories in his long amateur and semi-pro career at the WSB to back up his claims, including a win over Olympic champ Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba in the amateurs and France’s Khedafi Djelkhir in the WSB. But a pro debut against such an experienced fighter is definitely unheard of.

And the way in which the fight was negotiated was even more incredible.

“They started looking for opponents and no one wanted to fight me,” said Melian, “and then they told me Santillan took the fight but that he will be making more money than me, and that we were fighting at eight rounds. I immediately said yes, I loved the fight,” said Melian, in another display of an ambition that clearly transcends his monetary needs. – Diego M. Morilla

Haitian Yoga Gone Wrong?

The picture has already gone viral, and even though it is wrong to make lumber out of a fallen tree, it is there for everyone to see and, apparently, to poke fun at. We’re talking about Bermane Stiverne’s twisted resting posture after being knocked down by Deontay Wilder for the third and final time in their heavyweight world title fight last Saturday. His retracted feet, his eyes lost in the horizon, his head resting on the bottom rope and his entire body language suggest that Stiverne was simply demolished and pummeled into submission, but it was in fact just the product of a quick lens being clicked at the right moment, since Stiverne recovered relatively quickly after ending in that uncomfortable position due to an awkward episode of wrestling that included his opponent and referee Arthur Mercante Jr. What happened to “finding a soft spot to land” when you know you’re about to be knocked out? – Diego M. Morilla

Gamboa Gets One Last Shot in Contender Territory

It is always great to hear that former world champs in disgrace are getting a fresh start after a rough ride. But for former featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (27-2, 17 KO), not every chance is a good chance.

In his next bout, Gamboa will be facing Jason Sosa (20-2-4, 15 KO) in what is being mentioned as “one last chance” to jumpstart his career, even though he is a former unified titlist with a huge resume both as an amateur and as a pro. But that’s what you get when you change managers, promoters and weight classes with gusto during what should have been the most focused, profitable and rewarding part of your career, also known as your “prime.” Gamboa squandered it during a long spat of ill-advised managerial moves, and even though his losses were not devastating or discouraging and came against legitimate champions, it is also true that, in spite of all this, he is now one defeat away from becoming a fringe contender, or worse.

That defeat could come in his upcoming 10-rounder at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in the opener of the Kovalev-Shabrankskyy show on HBO, where, to add insult to injury, Gamboa will be replacing the man who beat him, Robinson Castellanos, who pulled out of this fight due to an injury.

Will he continue fighting after an eventual defeat? Most certainly, yes. But definitely not in televised HBO fights. Time to put up or scale back on your monthly expense sheet. Forever .– Diego M. Morilla

Forgotten heavyweights

All the talk lately in boxing has been about the inevitable showdown between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, a fight unlikely to transpire any time soon. Other heavyweights, other than perhaps Joseph Parker and Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, have been knocked completely off the radar screen, or so it seems. And that includes two fighters who formerly held a version of the world heavyweight title.

No one is talking about Alexander Povetkin whose upcoming fight in Russia with Christian Hammer on Dec. 15 has been lost in the shuffle. The WBO has sanctioned the bout as a title eliminator with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger for their champion Joseph Parker.

A 2004 Olympic gold medalist, Povetkin won the WBA “regular” world heavyweight title in 2011 with a UD over Ruslan Chagaev and successfully defended the belt four times before being shorn of it by Wladimir Klitschko. That fight was terribly one-sided but Povetkin lasted distance and it remains the only blemish on his 32-1 record.

Years from now, however, it’s likely that Povetkin won’t be remembered as a former heavyweight titlist, but as a serial juicer. Bouts with Deontay Wilder and Bermane Stiverne were cancelled on short notice when Povetkin failed drug tests. He remains suspended by the WBC until April of next year, but the other organizations still list him in their rankings.

Remember Lucas Browne? On May 5of last year, the former MMA fighter with the bodybuilder physique from New South Wales ventured into Grozny, Chechnya, Russia, and became the first Australian to win a piece of the world heavyweight title, wresting the WBA diadem from the aforementioned Chagaev. And he did it the hard way, coming off the mat to stop Chagaev in the 10th frame. Through the nine completed rounds, Browne trailed by 6, 6, and 7 points on the scorecards.

What followed was a series of events that put Browne in the same box with Povetkin, scarred with the label of a serial juicer. He returned to the ring quietly in June of this year to fight a 40-year-old no-hoper from Missouri who had lost his nine previous fights. His second round knockout advanced his record to 25-0. There’s talk that he too is in line to fight Joseph Parker.

Browne and Povetkin are getting long in the tooth, as is Luis “King Kong” Ortiz, another who can’t seem to stay off the juice. Interestingly, all three were born within a five-and-a-half month span in 1979. – Arne K. Lang

Jose Carlos Ramirez Fights For a Cause That Hits Home

Eddie Hearn’s show at Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum is attracting more buzz, but the Top Rank show at the Save Mart Center in Fresno will almost certainly play to a larger crowd. The magnet is Jose Carlos Ramirez who opposes fellow unbeaten Mike Reed in the featured bout. Both fighters are stepping up in class. The winner moves on to fight for the vacant WBC 140-pound world title.

Ramirez, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, trained by Freddie Roach, is a big fish in California’s Central Valley, America’s breadbasket. His last two appearances at the Save Mart Center drew crowds of 13,000-plus.

The son of migrant farm workers, Ramirez endeared himself to his neighbors when he became a vocal advocate for the California Latino Water Coalition, a grass roots organization that fights for more equitable water rights for the area’s farmers. The years 2013-2016 were the driest four-year period in California on record. The historic drought led to the implementation of Draconian water use restrictions statewide that impacted everyone but slammed the area’s growers especially hard. A portion of the proceeds from Saturday’s Top Rank show will go to CLWC.

In the co-feature, two-time Olympian Artur Beterbiev (11-0, 11 KOs) meets Germany’s Enrico Koelling 23-1 (6 KOs) for the vacant IBF light heavyweight title. This looks like an easy test for Beterbiev, notwithstanding the IBF imprimatur as a world title fight. ESPN and ESPN Deportes will televise at 10:30 PM ET/PT and the fights will be streamed on the ESPN App.

If Jose Carlos Ramirez keeps winning, perhaps the city of Fresno will erect a statue of him. If so, he would be the second prizefighter to receive this honor and I’ll bet you can’t guess the first. (Spoiler alert: it’s Raffaele Giordano, aka Young Corbett III. In 1985, an 8-foot tall bronze statue of Giordano in a boxing pose was planted on M Street near the entrance to Selleck Arena in the Convention Center district.) – Arne K. Lang

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The BWAA Shames Veteran Referee Laurence Cole and Two Nebraska Judges

Published

3 years ago

August 2, 2018

Arne K. Lang

In an unprecedented development, the Boxing Writers Association of America has started a “watch list” to lift the curtain on ring officials who have “screwed up.” Veteran Texas referee Laurence Cole and Nebraska judges Mike Contreras and Jeff Sinnett have the unwelcome distinction of being the first “honorees.”

“Boxing is a sport where judges and referees are rarely held accountable for poor performances that unfairly change the course of a fighter’s career and, in some instances, endanger lives,” says the BWAA in a preamble to the new feature. Hence the watch list, which is designed to “call attention to ‘egregious’ errors in scoring by judges and unacceptable conduct by referees.”

Contreras and Sinnett, residents of Omaha, were singled out for their scorecards in the match between lightweights Thomas Mattice and Zhora Hamazaryan, an eight round contest staged at the WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa on July 20. They both scored the fight 76-75 for Mattice, enabling the Ohio fighter to keep his undefeated record intact via a split decision.

Although Mattice vs. Hamazaryan was a supporting bout, it aired live on ShoBox. Analyst Steve Farhood, who was been with ShoBox since the inception of the series in 2001, called it one of the worst decisions he had ever seen. Lead announcer Barry Tompkins went further, calling it the worst decision he has seen in his 40 years of covering the sport.

Laurence Cole (pictured alongside his father) was singled out for his behavior as the third man in the ring for the fight between Regis Prograis and Juan Jose Velasco at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on July 14. The bout was televised live on ESPN.

In his rationale for calling out Cole, BWAA prexy Joseph Santoliquito leaned heavily on Thomas Hauser’s critique of Cole’s performance in The Sweet Science. “Velasco fought courageously and as well as he could,” noted Hauser. “But at the end of round seven he was a thoroughly beaten fighter.”

His chief second bullied him into coming out for another round. Forty-five seconds into round eight, after being knocked down for a third time, Velasco spit out his mouthpiece and indicated to Cole that he was finished. But Cole insisted that the match continue and then, after another knockdown that he ruled a slip, let it continue for another 35 seconds before Velasco’s corner mercifully threw in the towel.

Controversy has dogged Laurence Cole for well over a decade.

Cole was the third man in the ring for the Nov. 25, 2006 bout in Hildalgo, Texas, between Juan Manuel Marquez and Jimrex Jaca. In the fifth round, Marquez sustained a cut on his forehead from an accidental head butt. In round eight, another accidental head butt widened and deepened the gash. As Marquez was being examined by the ring doctor, Cole informed Marquez that he was ahead on the scorecards, volunteering this information while holding his hand over his HBO wireless mike. The inference was that Marquez was free to quit right then without tarnishing his record. (Marquez elected to continue and stopped Jaca in the next round.)

This was improper. For this indiscretion, Cole was prohibited from working a significant fight in Texas for the next six months.

More recently, Cole worked the 2014 fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and Orlando Salido at the San Antonio Alamodome. During the fight, Salido made a mockery of the Queensberry rules for which he received no point deductions and only one warning. Cole’s performance, said Matt McGrain, was “astonishingly bad,” an opinion echoed by many other boxing writers. And one could site numerous other incidents where Cole’s performance came under scrutiny.

Laurence Cole is the son of Richard “Dickie” Cole. The elder Cole, now 87 years old, served 21 years as head of the Texas Department of Combat Sports Regulation before stepping down on April 30, 2014. At various times during his tenure, Dickie Cole held high executive posts with the World Boxing Council and North American Boxing Federation. He was the first and only inductee into the inaugural class of the Texas Boxing Hall of Fame, an organization founded by El Paso promoter Lester Bedford in 2015.

From an administrative standpoint, boxing in Texas during the reign of Dickie Cole was frequently described in terms befitting a banana republic. Whenever there was a big fight in the Lone Star State, his son was the favorite to draw the coveted refereeing assignment.

Boxing is a sideline for Laurence Cole who runs an independent insurance agency in Dallas. By law in Texas (and in most other states), a boxing promoter must purchase insurance to cover medical costs in the event that one or more of the fighters on his show is seriously injured. Cole’s agency is purportedly in the top two nationally in writing these policies. Make of that what you will.

Complaints of ineptitude, says the WBAA, will be evaluated by a “rotating committee of select BWAA members and respected boxing experts.” In subsequent years, says the press release, the watch list will be published quarterly in the months of April, August, and December (must be the new math).

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Popo vs. “La Hiena”: Blast From the Past – Episode Two

Published

3 years ago

July 30, 2018

Ted Sares

When WBA/WBO super featherweight champion Acelino “Popo” Freitas met Jorge Rodrigo “Il Hiena” Barrios in Miami on August 8, 2003, there was more on the line than just the titles. This was a roughhousing 39-1-1 Argentinian fighting an equally tough 33-0 Brazilian. The crowd was divided between Brazilian fans and those from Argentina. To them this was a Mega-Fight; this was BIG.

When Acelino Freitas turned professional in 1995, he streaked from the gate with 29 straight KOs, one of the longest knockout win streaks in boxing history. He was fan-friendly and idolized in Brazil. Barrios turned professional in 1996 and went 14-0 before a DQ loss after which he went 25-0-1 with 1 no decision.

The Fight

The wild swinging “Hyena” literally turned into one as he attacked from the beginning and did not let up until the last second of the eleventh round. Barrios wanted to turn the fight into a street fight and was reasonably successful with that strategy. It became a case of brawler vs. boxer/puncher and when the brawler caught the more athletic Popo—who could slip and duck skillfully—and decked him with a straight left in the eighth, the title suddenly was up for grabs.

The Brazilian fans urged their hero on but to no avail as Barrios rendered a pure beat down on Popo during virtually the entirety of the 11th round—one of the most exciting in boxing history. Freitas went down early from a straight right. He was hurt, and at this point it looked like it might be over. Barrios was like a madman pounding Popo with a variety of wild shots, but with exactly one half of one second to go before the bell ending the round, Freitas caught La Hiena with a monster right hand that caused the Hyena to do the South American version of the chicken dance before he went down with his face horribly bloodied. When he got up, he had no idea where he was but his corner worked furiously to get him ready for the final round. All he had to do was hang in there and the title would change hands on points.

The anonymous architect of “In Boxing We Trust,” a web site that went dormant in 2010, wrote this description:

“Near the end of round 11, about a milli-second before the bell rang, Freitas landed a ROCK HARD right hand shot flush on Barrios’ chin. Barrios stood dazed for a moment, frozen in time, and then down he went, WOW WOW WOW!!!! Barrios got up at the count of 4, he didn’t know where he was as he looked around towards the crowd like a kid separated from his family at a theme park, but Barrios turned to the ref at the count of 8 and signaled that he was okay, SAVED BY THE BELL. It was panic time in the Barrios corner, as the blood continued to flow like lava, and he was bleeding from his ear (due to a ruptured ear drum). In the beginning of round 12, Freitas was able to score an early knockdown, and as Barrios stood up on wobbly legs and Freitas went straight at him and with a couple more shots, Barrios was clearly in bad shape and badly discombobulated and the fight was stopped. Freitas had won a TKO victory in round 12, amazing!!!!”

Later, Freitas tarnished his image with a “No Mas” against Diego Corrales, but he had gone down three times and knew there was no way out. He went on to claim the WBO world lightweight title with a split decision over Zahir Raheem, but that fight was a snoozefest and he lost the title in his first defense against Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz.

Freitas looked out of shape coming in to the Diaz fight and that proved to be the case as he was so gassed at the end of the eighth round that he quit on his stool. This was yet another shocker, but others (including Kostya Tszyu, Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya and even Ali) had done so and the criticism this time seemed disproportionate.

Popo had grown old. It happens. Yet, against Barrios, he had proven without a doubt that he possessed the heart of a warrior.

The Brazilian boxing hero retired in 2007, but came back in 2012 and schooled and KOd the cocky Michael “The Brazilian Rocky” Oliveira. He won another fight in 2015 and though by now he was visibly paunchy, he still managed to go 10 rounds to beat Gabriel Martinez in 2017 with occasional flashes of his old explosive volleys. These later wins, though against lower level opposition, somewhat softened the memories of the Corrales and Diaz fights, both of which this writer attended at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut. They would be his only defeats in 43 pro bouts.

Like Manny Pacquiao, Freitas had a difficult childhood but was determined to make a better life for himself and his family. And, like Manny, he did and he also pursued a career in politics. Whether he makes it into the Hall will depend on how much a ‘No Mas’ can count against one, but he warrants serious consideration when he becomes eligible.

As for the Hyena, on April 8, 2005, he won the WBO junior lightweight title with a fourth round stoppage of undefeated but overweight Mike Anchondo. In January 2010 he was involved in a hit and run accident in which a 20-year-old pregnant woman was killed. On April 4, 2012 Barrios was declared guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to four years in prison. He served 27 months and never fought again, retiring with a record of 50-4-1.

Ted Sares is one of the oldest active full power lifters in the world. A member of Ring 10, and Ring 4’s Boxing Hall of Fame, he was recently cited by Hannibal Boxing as one of three “Must-Read” boxing writers.

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The Avila Perspective Chapter 6: Munguia, Cruiserweights and Pacman

Published

3 years ago

July 18, 2018

David A. Avila

Adjoining states in the west host a number of boxing cards including a world title contest that features a newcomer who, before knocking out a world champion, was erroneously categorized by a Nevada official as unworthy of a title challenge.

Welcome to the world of Mexico’s Jaime Munguia (29-0, 25 KOs) the WBO super welterweight world titlist who meets England’s Liam Smith (26-1-1, 14 KOs) at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 21. HBO will televise

Back in April when middleweight titan Gennady “GGG” Golovkin was seeking an opponent to replace Saul “Canelo” Alvarez who was facing suspension for performance enhancement drug use, it was the 21-year-old from Tijuana who volunteered his services for a May 5^th date in Las Vegas.

Bob Bennett, the Executive Director for Nevada State Athletic Commission, denied allowing Munguia an opportunity to fight Golovkin for the middleweight titles. Bennett claimed that the slender Mexican fighter had not proven worthy of contesting for the championship though the tall Mexican wielded an undefeated record of 28 wins with 24 coming by knockout.

To be fair, Bennett has seen many fighters in the past with undefeated records who were not up to challenges, especially against the likes of Golovkin. But on the other hand, how can an official involved in prizefighting deny any fighter the right to make a million dollar payday if both parties are willing?

That is the bigger question.

Munguia stopped by Los Angeles to meet with the media last week and spoke about Bennett and his upcoming first world title defense. He admitted to being in the middle of a whirlwind that is spinning beyond his expectations. But he likes it.

“I’ve never won any kind of award before in my life,” said Munguia at the Westside Boxing Club in the western portion of Los Angeles. “I’ve always wanted to be a world champion since I was old enough to fight.”

When asked how he felt about Nevada’s denying him an attempt to fight Golovkin, a wide grin appeared on the Mexican youngster.

“I would like to thank him,” said Munguia about Bennett’s refusal to allow him to fight Golovkin. “Everything happens for a reason.”

That reason is clear now.

Two months ago Munguia put on a frightening display of raw power in knocking down then WBO super welterweight titlist Sadam Ali numerous times in front of New York fans. It reminded me of George Foreman’s obliteration of Joe Frazier back in the 1970s. World champions are not supposed get battered like that but when someone packs that kind of power those can be the terrifying results.

Still beaming over his newfound recognition, Munguia has grand plans for his future including challenging all of the other champions in his weight category and the next weight division.

“I want to be a great champion,” said Munguia. “I want to make history.”

The first step toward history begins on Saturday when he faces former world champion Smith who was dethroned by another Mexican named Canelo.

Cruiserweight championship

It’s not getting a large amount of attention in my neighborhood but this unification clash between WBA and IBF cruiserweight titlist Murat Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs) and WBC and WBO cruiserweight titlist Oleksandr Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs) has historic ramifications tagged all over it.

The first time I ever saw Russia’s 24-year-old Gassiev was three years ago when he made his American debut at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello. It’s a small venue near East L.A. and the fight was attended by numerous boxing celebrities such as James “Lights Out” Toney, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. One entire section was filled by Russian supporters and Gassiev did not disappoint in winning by stoppage that night. His opponent hung on for dear life.

Ukraine’s Usyk, 31, made his American debut in late 2016 on a Golden Boy Promotions card that staged boxing great Bernard Hopkins’ final prizefight. That night the cruiserweight southpaw Usyk bored audiences with his slap happy style until lowering the boom on South Africa’s Thabiso Mchunu in round nine at the Inglewood Forum. The sudden result stunned the audience.

Now it’s Gassiev versus Usyk and four world titles are at stake. The unification fight takes place in Moscow, Russia and will be streamed via Klowd TV at 12 p.m. PT/ 3 p.m. ET.

Seldom are cruiserweight matchups as enticing to watch as this one.

Another Look

A couple of significant fights took place last weekend, but Manny Pacquiao’s knockout win over Lucas Matthysse for the WBO welterweight world title heads the list.

Neither fighter looked good in their fight in Malaysia but when Pacquiao floored Matthysse several times during the fight, it raised some red flags.

The last time Pacquiao knocked out a welterweight was in 2009 against Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas. Since then he had not stopped an opponent. What changed?

In this age of PEDs there was no mention of testing for the Pacquiao/Matthysse fight. For the curiosity of the media and the fans, someone should come forward with proof of testing. Otherwise any future fights for the Philippine great will not be forthcoming.

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