Weekend review
Posted Dec. 8, 2008 at 04:56pm
By Michael Rosenthal
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A look at the best, worst and quirkiest in the world of boxing over the weekend.
BIGGEST WINNER
Manny Pacquiao: After his demolition of Oscar De La Hoya on Saturday night, he is the undisputed king of boxing. Who’s next? Ricky Hatton? Juan Manuel Marquez? Floyd Mayweather Jr.? The boxing world can’t wait to see him step into the ring again.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Freddie Roach: Roach already was considered one of the top trainers in the world. After Saturday night, his stock has soared even higher. He jumped at the opportunity to make the fight, concocted the perfect strategy, helped sell it with an endless stream of witticisms and then watched as his fighter turned in an epic performance. Genius!
BIGGEST WINNER III
Bob Arum: Pacquiao's promoter guided De La Hoya for most of his career before the fighter went out on his own. Arum built Mayweather into a star before Mayweather left him. And, now, both are out of the picture and Arum has boxing's brightest star.
BIGGEST LOSER
Oscar De La Hoya: They say fighters can grow old in an instant. Is that what happened to The Golden Boy on Saturday night? Or was it the weight loss? Or is Pacquiao just that much better? Whether it’s one or all of the above, it was a sad sight at the MGM Grand for those who saw De La Hoya at his best.
WORST UNDERCARD
De La Hoya-Pacquiao: The opponents of rising young stars Juan Manuel Lopez, Victor Ortiz and Daniel Jacobs landed a total of 16 punches and none of the three fights went past two rounds. The best undercard fight was a meaningless flyweight swing bout. How about at least one compelling fight involving proven fighters on the undercard?
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Audley Harrison: The British had big hopes for the super heavyweight gold medal winner from the 2000 Olympics but he hasn’t had much success as a pro. On Saturday, he lost a decision to inexperienced Irishman Martin Rogan. Harrison is now 4-4 in his last eight fights, having lost only to journeyman.
MOST-COMPETITIVE MAIN EVENT
Carl Froch-Jean Pascal: Froch and Pascal engaged in a wild, give-and-take brawl for the vacant WBC super middleweight title, which Joe Calzaghe gave up, in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham, England. Froch won a decision and the belt. He’d still like to fight Calzaghe.
BEST BOUNCE BACK
Amir Kahn: Kahn, coming off his stunning first-round knockout loss to Breidis Prescott in September, stopped journeyman Oisin Fagan in the second round in London. Kahn is being trained by Roach.
BEST QUOTE
Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter: “The media, the press is never wrong. You all said it was (going to be) a mismatch and it was a mismatch.” Of course, the vast majority of reporters predicated De La Hoya would win.
Michael Rosenthal can be reached at theringeditor@yahoo.com
BIGGEST WINNER
Manny Pacquiao: After his demolition of Oscar De La Hoya on Saturday night, he is the undisputed king of boxing. Who’s next? Ricky Hatton? Juan Manuel Marquez? Floyd Mayweather Jr.? The boxing world can’t wait to see him step into the ring again.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Freddie Roach: Roach already was considered one of the top trainers in the world. After Saturday night, his stock has soared even higher. He jumped at the opportunity to make the fight, concocted the perfect strategy, helped sell it with an endless stream of witticisms and then watched as his fighter turned in an epic performance. Genius!
BIGGEST WINNER III
Bob Arum: Pacquiao's promoter guided De La Hoya for most of his career before the fighter went out on his own. Arum built Mayweather into a star before Mayweather left him. And, now, both are out of the picture and Arum has boxing's brightest star.
BIGGEST LOSER
Oscar De La Hoya: They say fighters can grow old in an instant. Is that what happened to The Golden Boy on Saturday night? Or was it the weight loss? Or is Pacquiao just that much better? Whether it’s one or all of the above, it was a sad sight at the MGM Grand for those who saw De La Hoya at his best.
WORST UNDERCARD
De La Hoya-Pacquiao: The opponents of rising young stars Juan Manuel Lopez, Victor Ortiz and Daniel Jacobs landed a total of 16 punches and none of the three fights went past two rounds. The best undercard fight was a meaningless flyweight swing bout. How about at least one compelling fight involving proven fighters on the undercard?
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Audley Harrison: The British had big hopes for the super heavyweight gold medal winner from the 2000 Olympics but he hasn’t had much success as a pro. On Saturday, he lost a decision to inexperienced Irishman Martin Rogan. Harrison is now 4-4 in his last eight fights, having lost only to journeyman.
MOST-COMPETITIVE MAIN EVENT
Carl Froch-Jean Pascal: Froch and Pascal engaged in a wild, give-and-take brawl for the vacant WBC super middleweight title, which Joe Calzaghe gave up, in Froch’s hometown of Nottingham, England. Froch won a decision and the belt. He’d still like to fight Calzaghe.
BEST BOUNCE BACK
Amir Kahn: Kahn, coming off his stunning first-round knockout loss to Breidis Prescott in September, stopped journeyman Oisin Fagan in the second round in London. Kahn is being trained by Roach.
BEST QUOTE
Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter: “The media, the press is never wrong. You all said it was (going to be) a mismatch and it was a mismatch.” Of course, the vast majority of reporters predicated De La Hoya would win.
Michael Rosenthal can be reached at theringeditor@yahoo.com
