SATURDAY NIGHT ON HBO

As a fellow Mexican American it is hard not to get excited about Chris Arreola. Unfortunately he probably gets torn apart by either of the Klitschko brothers. Saturday’s victory was a win over a good name but not really a good opponent. Jameel McCline looked like he was there for a paycheck.

The Paul Williams-Winky Wright fight wasn't the snoozefest I expected it to be. Good win for Williams. I would like to see him stay at 160 but the money fights are at 147. I actually think he could take Kelly Pavlik.

So does Raul Martinez have any shot against Nonito Donaire? Especially in the Philippines? Too bad he couldn't get a title shot here in the states.

Did you rewatch the tape and hear Bernard call you, Dougie? When do you take to the mic again? — Mike

I did finally watch the Lightweight Lightening broadcast and I caught when Hopkins called me “Dougie” (near the end of the broadcast). Funny stuff. I thought Hopkins did an excellent job with his commentary.

I thought Arreola looked pretty solid (in terms of his skills not his midsection, obviously). Yes, he got caught and buzzed by a left uppercut and a hook in the third round, but he showed nice head movement and counter-punching ability while stalking McCline in the first two rounds. His combinations and body shots are fun to witness, and let’s not forget that though McCline is long in the tooth, he usually doesn’t get knocked out — especially in the early rounds of a fight.

ARREOLA EXPOSED!

Just Kidding D-Fish.

I’m not going to make any ridiculous statements like “he’ll be exposed” etc., it just seemed like McCline was in there for the paycheck.

To qualify: I don’t know much about Heavyweights. I’ve been a fan for just over a decade and we haven’t had any real “greats” besides say Lewis — who I saw losing to Vitali live in a great fight. I just don’t think Cristobal could complete with either of the brothersÔǪ.do you disagree? They are so crisp, powerful, and balanced that I just think they overwhelm him. I’ve been wrong (many) times before.

Man, after watching 24/7 I just needed to see the ring work at the end: Pac is going to destroy Ricky the Hitman (who used to be referred to as “the Mad Hatter” right?). Won’t be close. Stoppage in 8 by cuts. You know Manny and Freddie, do you think Floyd Sr. is enough?

And finally: I sent an email at the beginning of the year stating that P-willy would be P4P top 10 this year. That win Saturday was impressive. The Winkster is NO joke and he beat up on my fave fighter, the Sugar Man, twice. I know there was a lot of ring rust but man was I impressed with P-willy just getting off on him. It looked like those punches had some mustard on them as well. Do you see him a top 10 guy yet? Who’s next for him? Mosley wont go NEAR that, nor will Abraham, Pavlik, or Sturm, so who’s left? Someone at 154?

Keep up the good work, compadre – love reading your columns right when they come out. — Tony, LA

Don’t be so sure that Mosley won’t fight Williams. Mosley took on Wright, Vernon Forrest and Antonio Margarito when all three of those pains in the ass were still in their primes. Mosley is a real fighter. He admits that Williams is a difficult and punishing enigma in the ring, but he hasn’t come out and said that he wouldn’t fight Williams. Anyway, I’d rather see Williams challenge the top middleweights in the world. Cameron Dunkin told me that Pavlik would fight Williams and I think that’s a tremendous fight at 160 pounds because there are plenty of reasons to pick either man. I doubt there’s enough money available to make an Abraham-Williams fight, but Dunkin said his 154-pound stud James Kirkland isn’t afraid of the Punisher (and I believe him). I think Kirkland, and fellow junior middleweight standouts Sergei Dzinziruk, Sergio Martinez, and Daniel Santos would all be willing to fight Williams and I think they each present a stern challenge for different reasons.

No matter what happens against either Klitschko, Arreola will make it interesting. He would also make a fight of the year candidate vs. David Haye.

P-WILL & FNF ROBBERY

What's up dude? First off, DeMarcus Corley got the business from the judges on Friday. Sanchez should have an ‘L’ but I will put some of the blame on DeMarcus because he's just not a good finisher. He had Miguel Cotto on queer street and let him slip away and the same thing happened with Sanchez.

Paul Williams still gets hit too much for me but this is boxing so it is what it is. He can really dole out the punishment on an opponent. Dude is like a whirling dervish with razor blades attached to it. I bet Winky regrets this choice of opponent for his return. Still, I don't think that Williams should look for Kelly Pavlik or Arthur Abraham yet. Holla back! — Fleetwood, St. Louis, Mo.

I think Williams’ southpaw stance and footwork would bother Pavlik. Not as much as Hopkins threw him off because Williams won’t be able to tie Pavlik up and outmuscle him on the inside, but P-Will’s constant movement will force the champ to constantly reset his big flat feet. Abraham-Williams would be a strange matchup of styles. I’m feelin’ the King right now. He has a way of breaking down any style. And seeing how Wright was competitive over the first half of the fight, my guess is a younger, stronger more mobile fighter with the same peek-a-boo defense and accurate punching would be able to stay competitive for 12 rounds against Williams.

But what do I know? I know that Corley should have earned that decision Friday.

THE PUNISHER

Dougie,
I was very impressed with Williams' performance tonight. I wish Floyd Mayweather had balls and fought this guy. All the sh*t Mayweather spoke about fighting Wright and he never did it. Here comes Paul Williams who says he'll fight anyone from 147-160 and he means it as he showed tonight. I'd be willing to bet that he'd even fight Margarito in Mexico with Capetillo in his corner!

Who would you favor in these matches: Williams vs.

Cotto @ 147 – personally I need to see what Cotto looks like in the Clottey fight before I make a pick, but right now I'd have to favor Williams.

Pavlik @ 160 – Williams has shown a great beard, but how will he react to this murderous puncher? Williams isn't quite the defensive wizard that Hopkins is, so I expect Pavlik to get his shots in at some point.

Taylor @ 160 or 168 – Taylor's athleticism and power gives him a shot, but I think Williams' punch output would make the difference. Taylor just doesn't like getting hit.

Hopkins @ 168 – You get to a point with fighters where its just hard to pick against them. Even in his advanced age, I'm reluctant to pick against Bhop, but Williams, like Calzaghe, is just so busy!

Dawson @ 168 – Dawson is just as busy and most likely too strong.

I won't even ask about a matchup with Floyd “No B@lls” Mayweather because we both know its just not going to happen! — Kelvin, NJ

“I'd be willing to bet that he'd even fight Margarito in Mexico with Capetillo in his corner!”

Hopkins and Dawson are too big, too strong, too fast and too mobile for Williams to get the better of. I like the naturally bigger (and more talented) men in those super middleweight matchups.

ARTIE CURRY

Dougie,
I could not have been more shocked and saddened to see on the Max-B homepage that Artie from HBO passed away. He was such a great human being. I cannot claim to be a friend of Artie's, but I met him on a few occasions and he was always very kind.

I first met Artie in December 2005 at the Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins
rematch. I was there with Harold “Shadow” Knight, and he and Artie were
friends. Artie didn't treat me as a hanger-on, just as a good guy who was a friend of Shadow's. The three of us hung out off and on the whole weekend.

The next time I saw Artie was where he really showed his colors. I drove up with a couple of friends to see Emanuel Augustus and Paulie Malignaggi on the 2/10/06 Foxwoods card. After the fight, we walked over to the post-fight party, but of course without credentials we couldn't get in.

Artie saw me at the door, remembered me from Vegas with Shadow, and got us in. That was the first live card for one of the guys I was with, and he was a huge Emanuel Augustus fan. Because Artie got us in the post-fight party, my boy got to chat alone with Augustus for about five minutes. Made him a fight fan for life…all thanks to Artie. Thereafter I would see him from time to time at Lou DiBella's Broadway Boxing cards and he was always warm and pleasant.

The last time I saw Artie I bumped into him at the IHOP in downtown LA when I was there for the Margarito-Mosley card. He looked like he was struggling a bit, but not knowing him that well I didn't ask, just said hello, that it was good to see him, and stayed out of his business. I saw him a couple more times that weekend. I never thought it would be the last time I would see him. Again, I didn't know him well, and could never consider myself to be a friend of his, but I did consider him to be mine. This is indeed a sad day.

Godspeed Artie. — Bakari Lee (Jersey City, NJ)

I didn’t know Arthur well, either, but he was always a friendly face at the fights and he was always encouraging to Steve Kim and I at the very start of the decade. Whenever he would see us, particularly in Las Vegas, he would playfully yell out “Starsky and Hutch!”

I have found memories of drinking all night with Arthur, Cassandra Henderson (remember her from the first season of ESPN2’s Tuesday Night Fights?) and Kim at Jimmy Glen’s Corner in NYC (it was before one of the middleweight tournament fights, probably Hopkins-Holmes). He made the best music selections on the bar’s famous juke box. He was a nice guy, a positive presence at all of HBO’s fights. He will be sorely missed.

ARREOLA, VALERO & ANDRADE

Hey Doug, long time no write. Bro, I'm totally with you – I'm sick of fans and media being treated to highly entertaining performances by guys like Chris Arreola, Edwin Valero, and Librado Andrade, and then totally focusing on negative BS like weight, defensive flaws, etc. It's almost like spending the night with a Playboy Playmate and then complaining about a tiny zit on her forehead the next morning. I've sat through enough boring mismatches to know when to just sit back and appreciate an entertaining fighter for who he is. Anyway, I'm loving your work at the new digs – have a great weekend,
— Wilson, Washington, DC

Thanks Wilson. I’m glad to hear from fans who don’t care to join the annoying ranks of the armchair Eddie Futches who can’t watch a damn prize fight without commenting on the technique and defensive skills of the combatants. Shut up and let ’em fight, you geeks!

I’d still tune in to watch Arreola vs. David Haye or Alex Povetkin. I’d pay good money watch Librado bang with the Froch-Taylor winner or Sakio Bika. And I guarantee that Valero vs. any top 15 lightweight contender is going to be explosive.

Dougie can be reached at [email protected]