GIVE THESE BRITS CREDIT

Alright Doug,
Thought I'd call on a quiet weekend, you know, just before Timothy Bradley does one on Devon Alexander. I mean really, can you see another outcome than hopefully Amir Khan vs Bradley at the end of this summer? I hope it happens, so the British public can get over their racism and see Amir for the warrior he is (and I'm not Muslim). Your boy Michael Rosenthal, I hope, is a visionary in terms of Amir.

Anyway, as I said before I think Nathan Cleverly is the business. He's had a couple of tough fights at home but chin-wise and skill-wise it’s time to step up. Kell Brook takes out Mike Jones in 8 rounds and maybe beats Andre Berto, just maybe. He’s from the Prince Naseem stable so here's hoping he can go far. Perhaps I'm a little too confident for my Brit friends, but Carl Froch really deserves credit.

I know you guys aren't huge fans but it turns out neither are we… He gets no exposure on UK TV. Why? Fans should love him, he fights the best, you pick against him every fight (with good reason!!), and he still wins.

Give the man the credit. Anyway, sleep well Doug, and look at James DeGale if no-one else doesÔǪ — Craig, UK

I’ve taken more than a few looks at DeGale, Brook, Cleverly, and other British prospects/contenders who have emerged over the past two years, and I’m fairly high on every one of them. (Google or Yahoo! the name of the British fighter and my name with the word “mailbag” and you’ll be able to find my comments on each over the past 12-18 months.)

Here’s what I had to say about your boy “Chunky” in my recent article on the sport’s “advanced” prospects to watch in 2011:

JAMES DeGALE
Weight class: super middleweight
Age: 24
Record: 9-0 (7)
The skinny: British-superstar-in-the-making has less than 10 fights but already is taking part in scheduled 12-round bouts, in which his natural talent and experience from his decorated amateur career (he won gold at the 2008 Olympic Games) enabled the Londoner to defeat more-seasoned pro opposition. DeGale scored four knockouts over solid opponents in 2010, including a ninth-round stoppage of fringe contender Paul Smith on Dec. 11, which earned him the British title.
Strengths: International amateur experience, confidence, fluid switch-hitting style, exceptional athletic ability, bright personality, promoted by Frank Warren.
Weaknesses: Sometimes tries too hard to be flashy, neglects jab, leaves hands down, often attempts to avoid punches by bobbing and crouching in front of his opponents. (There’s no need for a boxer as tall and rangy as DeGale to try to imitate Pernell Whitaker’s famous defensive style.)
What’s next? A defense of his British title in the first quarter of 2011, then a bid for the European title. Domestic showdown with fellow prospect and Commonwealth champ George Groves would be huge in the UK.

Regarding Froch, I must admit that I’ve written him off in the past (I was fairly certain that Americans Jermain Taylor and Andre Dirrell would beat him on natural talent alone), but I’ve become a fan of “the Cobra” during the Super Six tournament and his entertaining appearances on Showtime’s excellent Fight Camp 360 series. I picked Mikkel Kessler to beat him, but I figured it would be a competitive fight (which it certainly was), and I didn’t count him out (as many boxing writers did) in the Arthur Abraham fight. In fact, my official prediction for that fight was a draw. Froch, of course, exceeded my expectations. That’s one of the many things I like about him. Perhaps UK television executives will come around on Froch after the Super Six is done with.

Rosenthal is a prophet concerning Khan, but I think THE RING’s No. 2-rated junior welterweight would have his hands full with either American (just as they will have their hands full with him).

RIDE THE LIGHTNING

Doug,
Didn't realize you had such fine metal-taste. Have to disagree with 'Fight Fire With Fire' as your fictional ring entrance though….”The Call Of Ktulhu” would be epic, don't you agree? — Tom G.

I was a huge Metallica fan in the 1980s. I thought ÔǪAnd Justice For All, their final LP of the decade of my adolescence, was a masterpiece. The instrumentals were usually my favorite tracks on their albums (such as “Orion” on Master of Puppets — which is more “epic” than “The Call of Ktulhu,” in my not-so-humble opinion — and “To Live is to Die” on AJFA), however, those songs were usually long compositions that started slow and gradually built to the grand metal crescendos the group was known for.

I often envision vicious infighting (with lots of body work) along the ropes between two bloodied combatants whenever I hear the “thrashy” guitar riffs of that song.

PACQUIAO-COTTO IS COMING

What's up Doug?
Throw it in Yankee Stadium, spin the impact of Emanuel Steward on Miguel Cotto, and Manny Pacquiao-Cotto II is as good as done. To me the only real hitch is whether PBF comes back this year. If he doesn't, I think this is it. I know the weight and the possibility of Antonio Margarito beating Cotto could trip up the fight, but Cotto would definitely come down to 147 for the massive payday and opportunity and I would have to think Cotto will be a comfortable favorite against Margs.

What do you think about the possibility and the fight itself? To me, it's garbage. At that point, it will be like the 4th of five fights for Pacquiao that he has been at least a 4-1 favorite. In fairness to Pacquiao, who is there to fight if he doesn't go back up in weight? I think I would be more interested to watch Cotto-Pacquiao 2 than Pacquiao-Berto. Of course, Marquez-Pacquaio III at somewhere under 140 is what I think everyone wants to see, but that isn't happening.

Anyways, keep up the good work. Always enjoy your articles and The Ring itself. — Brandon

Thanks Brandon.

So I could talk about the likelihood and merits of Pacquiao-Cotto II right now, but honestly, what’s the point? I’d rather discuss and debate the world-class even-money matchups that have already been made for 2011, such as Bradley-Alexander, Fernando Montiel-Nonito Donaire, Joseph Agbeko-Abner Mares, and Carl Froch-Glen Johnson.

TONEY-MCALLUM I

Oh, my God, a Toney-McCallum I reference!!!! That (along with Etienne-Clay Bey) is one of my all-time “forgotten” classics. I remember watching it live on TVKO, with Len Berman doing the blow-by-blow, Joe Goossen doing color, and that notorious curmudgeon Michael Katz doing the unofficial scoring. I saw Toney get the narrow win, but again, I've been a Toney fan since he decapitated Michael Nunn in the cornfields of Davenport, Iowa, so I might have been biased. I find myself going back to that fight over and over. Keep up the great work!!. — Carlos, San Juan, Puerto Rico

I haven’t watched the fight since the USA network broadcast it a few weeks after the live TVKO (later HBO PPV) took place, but I had Toney winning a close but clear unanimous decision. I was a “Lights Out” fan, but I had more respect for McCallum, and I was rooting for the under-appreciated veteran. However, while McCallum’s consistent jab allowed him to outwork the young version of Toney, I thought the still-developing champ landed the harder, more effective blows (mainly well-timed right hands) over the second half of the bout to clinch the victory. I was fine with the draw verdict because I thought McCallum deserved the benefit of the doubt. However, even a draw against “the Body Snatcher” was a victory in my mind. Those 12 rounds were Toney’s proving ground in one young fan’s opinion. From that point on — even though he often disappointed me with sub-par performances due to poor eating/training habits — I gave Toney the same amount of respect I’d given to McCallum going into that first fight.

I remember the broadcast well, and I thought Berman and Goossen did a great job. They worked well together. Katz’s occasional input wasn’t bad, but apart from disagreeing with his scorecard, the fact that he literally muttered his commentary under his breath throughout broadcast got on my nerves. But that was OK, too. Katz’s ability to get under my skin was what made him one of my favorite boxing writers dating back to the first column I ever read of his (in an early-1980s edition of THE RING, which I bet I still have somewhere).

JOAN GUZMAN

Dear Doug,
My lord, what a waste.

Since Joan Guzman’s unanimous decision win over Humberto Soto in 2007:

2008: Failed to make weight v. Nate Campbell; had a win over… Ameth Diaz!
2009: 1 fight–the BS “draw” v. Ali Funeka.
2010: Came in 9 pounds overweight for the Funeka rematch that he won; then fights Jason friggin' Davis, comes in 4.5 pounds overweight for that and tests positive for a banned substance, likely resulting in a 9-month suspension.

I really thought this guy would be a real threat to Manny Pacquiao or Juan Manuel Marquez after that Soto fight. Just goes to show that talent alone is never enough… Take care. — Patrick

Very true. Talent alone is NEVER enough to ascend to boxing’s truly elite level.

Anyway, I’m saying all of this now. Everyone is an expert boxing manager when dealing in hindsight, eh?

Doug Fischer can be contacted at [email protected]