Dougie’s Monday Mail Bag

Apr

THE WEEKEND'S FIGHTS

Hey Dougie,
Just wanted to say it was a pleasure meeting you and talking boxing with you a few weekends ago in San Jose, Calif. First off I thought you did a great job Saturday night on the Lightweight Lightning PPV. You and Barry Tompkins make a nice one-two combo.

Friday started off with a bang, nice win for Randall Bailey. Where do you see him going from here? I think with that power he is a tough out for anyone. How about Bradley-Holt? Decent scrap, I had it 7-5 for Tim Bradley, so I had it a draw. I think Kendall Holt gave away too many rounds between the third and ninth.

As for your “son”, that was the first time I had seen him fight live! That kid is a beast. He is the real deal. Where do you think he goes from here? As we discussed in San Jose, you know I like to wager on the fisticuffs. That KO loss by Julio Diaz cost me big. Lost an 8 and 9 team parlay because of the “Kidd”! Made some good coin on Bradley by decision, though.

Looking forward to next weekend with Paul Williams and Winky Wright. I'm going with “P-Will” in a tougher than expected tussle. Keep up the good work Dougie. — Alex, Fremont, Calif.

Thanks for the kind words regarding the pay-per-view broadcast. It was an honor to co-commentate beside Tompkins and Bernard Hopkins. Bailey’s cold-ass KO of Francisco Figueroa did not surprise me at all. I thought “Gato” got a gift against a shopworn Emanuel Augustus in his last fight. Bailey has matured from a KO artist with a lot of heart to a complete veteran fighter. I think he’s working very well with trainer John David Jackson and I consider him to be a very live dog versus any of the title holders. You know what? Make that “even money” with any of the top 140 pounders, and that includes champ Ricky Hatton and the beltholders.

As far as I’m concerned Bailey is on a 12-bout win streak since his KO loss to Miguel Cotto back in December of 2004, because I thought he got jobbed versus Herman Ngoudjo.

I’d love to see Bailey get a crack at Bradley or a title-elimination showdown with fellow veteran Nate Campbell.

Of course, I wouldn’t mind seeing Bradley-Holt II before Bradley-Bailey. I think Bradley, Holt and Ricardo Torres can stage a very entertaining round-robin while waiting for a shot at big name (Hatton or Pacquiao) or a start to emerge in the junior welterweight division (Victor Ortiz) that they can go for.

I wasn’t surprised that Bradley got up from that devastating first-round knockdown, I know the young man has incredible conditioning to back up his warrior’s heart, but the manner in which he did so — calm, composed, poised — was as impressive as his middle rounds rally.

I think the next step for Valero is better-known contender and an appearance on HBO, Showtime, or a higher-profile pay-per-view card.

Williams-Wright is a tough call, but I’m going to go with the younger, more active fighter. I like Williams by unanimous decision. I think he’ll simply out-hustle and out-maneuver the former 154-pound champ (who I thought deserved to win the middleweight crown when he fought Jermain Taylor).

TELL YOUR “SON” TO TUCK HIS CHIN!

What's up dude? I know that you have gotten a butt load of e-mails about your son so I figured your cousin on your mother's father's side from St. Louis should drop you a line. Next time you see him tell Edwin Valero to keep his damn chin tucked! Over all, I thought it was a good card and well worth $10 a fight. Looking forward to seeing these guys again. Maybe Valero-Katsidis and Escobedo-Reyes with the winners to fight each other.

I think that Holt blew any chance of beating Bradley once he let him survive that first round KD. He simply doesn't throw enough leather. One thing about Bradley is that he never stops punching. Good win for him and looking forward to seeing him fight guys like Nate Campbell, Lamont Peterson and Devon Alexander before going after the Hattons and Pacmans of the world. Holla back! — Fleetwood, St. Louis, MO

I saw the entire Valero crew enter the lobby of the host hotel (Sheraton) at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. I congratulated Valero, who still had the WBC belt around his chest, but I pulled Robert Alcazar aside and told him what every fan who watched the fight live was thinking, “Get the badass to tuck his chin when he punches”. Alcazar nodded. He knows. He only had about three complete weeks with Valero. Let’s see how Edwin’s form looks after a complete camp. I was going to lecture Valero about his technique but I backed off from that self-important thought. Who the heck am I? Eddie Futch Jr.? Valero was with his family and on he was on Cloud 9. Why should I piss on his parade with a list of things I thought he did wrong in the fight? That’s what message board freaks and blowhard boxing writers are for.

Valero-Katsidis is a fight I would gladly pay to watch. Escobedo-Reyes is an interesting matchup of counter-punching boxers with pop, but it could be a boring fight. Both young guns need someone to be the aggressor in order for them to let their hands go.

I agree with you, I had Bradley winning the fight by a couple of points. I’m not sure if I would pick him to beat Campbell or Peterson. I think he beats Alexander, though.

LIGHTWEIGHT DREAMS

Dougiiiiieee!
First off great job on Saturday night's telecast. It was great card, action-packed fights all around. I dare to say that the lightweight division is the deepest division in boxing. The welters might have bigger names but the talent pool is deeper at 135. Can you imagine the matchups that can be made with the four guys that won Saturday night? Rolando Reyes (who surprised me), Vicente Escobedo (who impressed me), Michael Katsidis a tough SOB that doesn’t quit and of course, your “son” who proved he can bang with the lightweights. Not to mention, Amir Khan, Juan Diaz, Urbano Antillon, Ali Funeka, Tony DeMarco, and Humberto Soto if he wants some and my pound-for-pound king JM Marquez. The possibilities are endless. The welters have more star power for sure but I'll take the lightweights. What do you think and what are your top 3 fights at lightweight? I like Valero vs Antillon, Khan vs Diaz and Marquez vs, whoever. — Eduardo, Reno, NV

The lightweight division is indeed very deep, Eduardo. When proven vets like Michael Katsidis and Ali Funeka are ranked in THE RING’s lower top 10, a seasoned young gun like Anthony Peterson barely makes the cut at No. 10, and talented up-and-comers like Tony DeMarco and Amir Khan aren’t even ranked it says something about the competitiveness of the division.

I think the highest-profile fight that could be made in the 135-pound division is Marquez-Valero. That’s a terrific fight for obvious reasons. However, I agree with Marquez’s promoter Richard Schaefer that the bout needs to be built up a little bit. Right now Marquez would be lucky to be paid $1 million for risking his neck against the hardest puncher in the division (and arguably the sport). Perhaps in a year, after Valero defends his WBC title a few times against solid challengers, that fight can be made into a real attraction where both fighters can be paid what they deserve. Saturday night was just the first step in the second phase of Valero’s professional career. He still has a lot of technical work to do in the gym (learning to tuck his chin and bending his knees a little more when he punches, stepping with his shots, not squaring up when he’s in front of his opponent, etc.) and he still needs more exposure on U.S. television. Valero’s promoter Bob Arum needs to get him a date on HBO or Showtime or whatever network will showcase the exciting two-division titleholder.

However, on paper, you can’t beat the Marquez-Valero matchup. The champ has the obvious edge in experience, technique, defense, ring generalship, and so far, his heart is more proven (although Valero’s 10-round dog fight with Vicente Mosquera in 2006 let people know that he’s not lacking in that department). Valero has the decided edge in youth, power, speed, and, I suspect, style. Although the new WBC beltholder still exposes his chin when he lets those bricks go, I’ve always believed that aggressive southpaws are able to put hands on Marquez. Southpaws with a fraction of Valero’s talent and athletic ability (Terdsak Jandaeng and Jimrex Jaca) were able to bust Marquez’s face up (although the champ put a beating on those two before knocking them out). And, of course, the reason Manny Pacquiao was able to hold Marquez to a draw and win a razor-thin decision in their two classic encounters was because he dropped him four times in their 24 rounds. I’m not saying that Valero is in Pacquiao’s class (although he’s pretty close to the version of Pacuqiao that Marquez fought in 2004), but I do believe a lefty as fast and powerful as “my son” has a good chance of putting JMM on his butt. I don’t know if he could keep the proud Mexican on the canvas but that’s what’s so intriguing about the matchup.

Other lightweight matchups I’d love to see: Valero-Soto, Soto-Antillon, Valero-Katsidis, Katsidis-Antillon, Reyes-DeMarco, Joan Guzman-Funeka, Khan-Vicente Escobedo, Peterson-Escobedo, Khan-Peterson, and Peterson-DeMarco.

FATHER AND SON REUNION

Hey Dougie,
Glad I finally found you over here at RingTV.com, and congrats on a great website! That must have been a very nice father and “son” moment for you, interviewing Edwin after the victory. 3 questions:

(1) I figured there was no way he is ready for Marquez or a P4P level fight, but now I must say, maybe I was wrong. What do you think?

(2) Would any of the P4P level fighters/managers/promoters consider coming away from all the Vegas money and into Texas for such a risky fight?

(3) Any inside scoops on any other US state that just might let this kid fight?

Thanks and keep up the great work!!!! — Chris in Toms River, NJ

That was a sweet moment in the ring right after the fight. Who would have thought six years after I first wrote about Valero that I would interview him on live U.S. television after he won his second world title?

1. Because of Marquez’s age, typical slow starts, and susceptibility to quick left hands, I give Valero a real shot at lifting the world title from the Mexican great. With his power, you can’t count him out against any top 135-pound fighter, but it’s funny. I checked out the message boards of four or five prominent boxing websites before and after Saturday’s fight and the same armchair Eddie Futches who predicted that Pitalua would cream Valero are now even more convinced that my “son” is crap. And then half of them take the B.S. a step further and state that Valero would be “exposed” (my God, how they love that word) by Marquez or Manny Pacquiao. LOL! Hey, I won’t argue with anyone who think Manny and Juan would beat Valero, but gee, last time I checked they were the No. 1 and No. 2 best fighters in the world, pound for pound. How exactly would losing to those two future hall of famers “expose” a fighter?

2. I doubt it. But solid contenders like Juan Diaz, who has a very good fan base in Houston, and Michael Katsidis, who is also popular in Texas, might consider the risk for a solid payday and to get their hands on that green belt.

3. I would say California because of Valero’s history in that state, but given his promoter Bob Arum’s beef with the CSAC after the Margarito handwrap-gate I doubt it. At the post-fight press conference Arum seemed fine with having Valero return to Texas or challenge top Mexican fighters (namely JM Marquez) in Mexico. If Arum can build Valero into a viable Pacquiao challenger in the next year I think he’ll make a real push to get my “son” cleared in Las Vegas.

HBO PPV AND SHOWTIME DELIVERED

First off congrats on you “son” … also good job with the color commentary Saturday night. The three of you did a fine job.

The PPV was well worth the $$$ … all action all night long. Valero made a huge statement. IMO there are a lot of similarities between him and Gamboa. Incredible speed and power. Katsidis imposed his will on Chavez … surprised by Chavez quitting. Great fight between Hernandez and Escobedo. Reyes looked solid in his win also.

The Showtime fights delivered also. Holt's management has to be fed up with Kendall's inactivity in the ring. If he throws punches, he wins that fight easily. Nice heart by Bradley, he will learn a lot from that win.

Nice crowd support for Andrade after getting screwed on his last visit to Montreal. Class act by Bute cheering him on also. Let's see that fight again.

I chuckled when Bernard called you Dougie. — Mike

The ‘Lightweight Lightning’ card has to be the best independent (it was HBO-distributed but Golden Boy Promotions-produced) pay-per-view show of the year, right? If I had paid to watch it I think I would have been a very satisfied customer.

Gamboa’s faster than Valero, who is much stronger and harder-punching than the former amateur star. Both guys attack with their heads up in the air like bobble-head dolls. I like Gamboa, especially at 126 pounds, but had they met at 130 pounds, I think my “son” would have decapitated the Cuban.

Katsidis got the job done against Chavez, but for four or five rounds, I thought the 36-year-old veteran was boxing beautifully. I know a lot of fans saw an even fight the whole way or had Katsidis ahead from the start, but I though Chavez ring generalship was something to behold. However, once Katsidis made the boxing match into a high-paced fight the older man couldn’t keep the pace. Chavez should considere retirement, and so should Hernandez, but I must say that the effort that “Famoso” put forth was the most courageous performance on a night of gutsy showings. For Hernandez to fight the way he does at age 38 is amazing. He’s one of the toughest fighters I’ve ever had the honor of covering, and ironically, he’s also one of the most humble and sensitive.

Holt’s style (or mentally) is indeed frustrating at times, but it also makes for unexpected turns in his fights. He might peck and poke while backpedaling for two or three rounds and then suddenly strike out of a defensive pose to KO or knockdown his opponent. You never know when he’s going to put the zap down.

Andrade might be the second most popular boxer in Montreal behind Bute. I’m looking forward to their rematch.

Hopkins called me “Dougie”? For real? I don’t remember that. You think I could have gotten away with calling him “Nard”? Nah.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ON TV

Glad to see you, Barry Tompkins and Bernard Hopkins tonight on the PPV….so does that mean that you and Bernard have worked through your differences? 🙂 I remember reading about how he could make you shudder with his glare…he would me as well, but we get along just fine. Thank God 🙂

Seriously, I've been at ringside with him a couple of times and he's serious about learning his new craft. With that attitude he's going to get better all the time, just like you are. — Lee

Thanks for the kind words, Lee. You are absolutely right about Hopkins. He is not approaching his broadcast gigs like it’s some kind of hobby that he does between fights. He’s takes the jobs very seriously and is looking to learn from each experience and improve every time out. He was excellent during the fighter interviews on Friday, very attentive and interactive during the pre-production meetings, and of course, he was professional all the way during the broadcast. He made some rookie mistakes like not looking into the camera enough during our on-camera standup segments of the broadcast, but I still make that mistake and I’ve done a few of these live pay-per-view shows. Once he gets his confidence and finds his niche during the fights (making technical observations, telling the audience what the fighters are experiencing, etc.), he’s going to the best fighter/color commentator in the business. Heck, he’s already as good as Lennox Lewis, maybe better.

Regarding how I got along with Bernard, he considered me “guilty by association” for a number of years but I always gave the man the respect he more than earned when it came to his fighting career and he knows that. He eased up on the “North Philly” stares sometime during his camp for Winky Wright. I think he even squashed his beef with Steve Kim around that time. Bernard is still a major badass but I think he’s mellowing out with age (and ever-increasing wealth). Anyway, Bernard was friendly the entire weekend (to everybody involved with the promotion and broadcast, and to the fans) and not just when the cameras were on.

WHO'S NEXT FOR VALERO?

Alright Dougie, They didn't show the Lightweight bill in Texas here in the UK, so I had to watch Valero on youtube. I'm glad the 'thing' won but didn't expect Pitalua to be blown away early like past victims did you? Valero wants the elite names like Marquez, Hatton and Pacquiao but isn't well known and brings nothing but extreme danger in those small fists to the table. Who do you think Top Rank will match him with next to build his stock? Do you not think Edwin is going to be really hard to match because of that ridiculous record and power of his? I'm also glad that Michael Katsidis won on Saturday, The Aussie warrior doesn't seem to give a s_t who's in front of him and is probably one of the only lightweights who'd relish the chance to go to war with 'your son'. — Ryan, Manchester, UK

No way did I expect Pitalua to get blasted out within four minutes. I thought the battled-tested Colombian, who looked more ripped up at the weigh-in than Valero, would at least take my “son” into the middle rounds. But kudos to Valero. He made Pitalua look “pita-full-a” and believe me that surprised a lot of know-it-all boxing writers and message board mutants who still will not give Valero credit for his talent, hard work and accomplishments. That’s OK. Pitalua is a believer. So is are the members of the Colombian slugger’s training and management team, who were very confident of a victory coming into this fight. Veteran managers/promoters, from Nacho Huizar to Ricardo Maldonado, have approached me before their fighter faced Valero to tell me how vulnerable and beatable he is. And they all have the same spooked out look on their faces after the fights. Let me tell you, it’s f__kin’ priceless.

What’s next for Valero? I don’t know. I think he’s almost ready for the world (and please, no jokes about the 1980s R&B band of the same name, who, ironically, sported the same hair style as Pitalua). I can see Arum matching Valero with undefeated Urbano Antillon (who was ringside Saturday night), David Diaz, who is ranked No. 3 by THE RING, undefeated Anthony Peterson, who is ranked No. 10 by THE RING, or 130-pound beltholder Humberto Soto — all of whom are Top Rank fighters — by the end of this year.

I’d love to see Arum work with Golden Boy Promotions and make significant lightweight bouts with Valero and Katsidis, Juan Diaz or Jorge Barrios (all of which would be wars) or Joel Casamayor (which would be an interesting crossroads/grudge match since the Cuban defector considers Edwin to be a “Communist” because of his support for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez).

Dougie can be reached at [email protected]