In This Corner

In This Corner

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Canelo vs Angulo: Total Domination

Canelo Destroys Angulo by TKO in the 10th

 




The fight was a fairly one sided affair. Alvarez got off early and often and Angulo found little to no success early on. However, late in the fight Canelo seemed to be slowing down a bit, but Angulo still wasn't able to get to him with any consistency. Angulo had some of his best moments late in the fight, and that is when the questionable stoppage took place. Alvarez faked the over hand haymaker, but landed an unblocked uppercut right up the middle. Referee Tony Weeks jumped in to call a halt to the bout, and some would say before he should have. Angulo had finally landed some meaningful shots, but the problem was that he got it going far too late. He'd already taken a lot of hard solid punches and although he was coming on the damage had been done. I'm not saying he couldn't have done something in the final two rounds. I for one believe they would have been the better rounds for Angulo. With that being said there was no way he was going to get a decision and he never really had Canelo in trouble. 


It had been total domination for Canelo. Angulo proved he was one tough SOB. He stood there and took some punches that had knocked other fighters out. It was clear from the opening bell that one fighter was clearly better than the other. Alvarez was faster and stronger. It was also clear that Canelo is ready for the best fighters in the division. There were moments late when Angulo hit him solid, but never had him in trouble. I still thought the 10th round stoppage was too early. There would have been a better spot to stop the fight in the next two rounds. Angulo was denied the chance to finish strong in the championship rounds. There had been some three shot combos from Canelo, and it's easy to believe there would have been some more in the last two rounds. The fight was stopped on a single shot. It got through and was very hard, but it was one shot. It snapped Angulo's head back, but didn't wobble him or seem to move his legs.



Canelo didn't say who might be next for him. It was clear that coming off the loss to Mayweather that he'd improved his speed and defense. He is ready for the elite competition. I'd like to see him fight Sergio Martinez or Chavez Jr next. There is no question that Alvarez is ready for whoever he fights next. The questions surrounding his conditioning are no longer valid. He said after the fight he could have gone another ten rounds, and judging by what I saw that statement seems completely true.







 

Friday, December 27, 2013

Should Adrian Broner Join the Mayweathers?




"I'm telling him to change his trainer." - Mayweather Sr. 


Floyd Mayweather Sr. believes he could turn Adrian Broner's career around. He says within three fights he could have Broner walking Maidana down just like Floyd Jr. did Alvarez. Floyd Jr. just did take his own father back into his camp. Allegedly the change was made because Floyd's uncle Roger Mayweather is in bad health.



I think it's good that father and son have put the past behind them. The best case scenario would be Roger and Floyd Sr in his corner. It hasn't appeared to make much difference which man works his corner, as it has been a business as usual approach and plenty of success. I do think that Floyd Sr. could help Broner find his way back on track. With that being said, I also believe that Broner's current team could get him back too. Broner was never an elite fighter, and neither his current trainer or Mayweather Sr. will change that.




I'm not so sure building a fighter from the ground up means all that much. It's my opinion that you look just as good as a trainer if you maintain a steady flow of champions. Just because someone can build a fighter from scratch doesn't mean they can get them over the championship hill. I realize that Broner had already obtained some belts, but nobody really considered him a champion. Maidana was his biggest name opponent to date. His corner never really had a plan once their fighter got in trouble, and Broner had to tell them to calm down. That's not something the fighter should have to tell his trainers. Perhaps they got him this far and that's as good as they can do.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Maidana Proves Broner is No Mayweather

He said he was the next Floyd Mayweather, but...

 




Marcos Maidana jumped on Broner early and often. Adrian Broner had claimed to be the next Mayweather. He'd won several fights using a Mayweather type posture, standing straight up, gloves low, and using the shoulder roll. Maidana knew what he was going to do. He knew he'd be fighting a Mayweather knockoff, and I think he knew exactly what to do. Maidana threw his punches high knowing he'd be able to land there. Broner tries to block and deflect punches while staying stationary. Maidana found him all night. By the time Broner figured out he should move his feet it was too late. He was moving his feet for survival and not as a defense.




Maidana Beat the Imitator, but Can He Beat the Real Mayweather?

Broner who fights in the same style as Mayweather, and the Problem was solved. It's not that simple with Floyd. He does things that Broner could never do. Mayweather is faster, his moves are sharper, and most importantly he's more experienced. There were counter opportunities for Broner, but most of the shots were landing. Mayweather wouldn't have been hit by half of those punches. Adrian Broner looked similar to Mayweather, but the skill and ability are miles apart.

I do think that Maidana deserves a shot at Mayweather, and I give him a little more than a punchers chance at beating him. If he could jump on him early and land on him like he did Broner then anything could be possible. If Mayweather isn't going to fight Pacquiao, then I think he should fight Maidana.




 

Monday, October 21, 2013

Nobody Wants to See Floyd Mayweather Fight Amir Khan






Mayweather vs Khan

There are rumors that Floyd might fight Amir Khan in his next fight. There is no reason for this fight to take place. Not unless the alternative is to watch Mayweather fight Alfonso Gomez or Carlos Baldomir. I've heard people say that Khan has hand speed that is equal to Floyd's. Assuming that he actually does, and I don't think he does, that would be the only thing even remotely close. The only thing that Khan has shown is that he can't take a good punch. I truly believe Mayweather could win all 12 rounds.



What's Next For Mayweather

Floyd says he the best fighter ever. He's proved that statement to be true, but to be the best you have to beat the best. A fight with Amir Khan would not be fighting the best. Floyd needs to fight winners. He needs to fight fighters who have beaten other good fighters and have a winning streak going. He's never been super active, so when he fights it needs to be the top fighters in the weight class. I think he should fight the winner of Broner vs Maidana or the winner of Pacquiao vs Rios. 

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Former Heavyweight Champion Ken Norton has Died

 

Former heavyweight champ Ken Norton Sr. dies at 70

 

Most boxing experts consider The Black Hercules: Ken Norton as on of the top 50 boxers of all time. I agree with that and believe that if he'd had a better chin and defense he'd been one of the best fighters ever.

 


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Fight Prediction: Floyd Mayweather vs Canelo Alvarez



The Fight

When I first heard this fight was going to happen I couldn't believe it. All the experts were saying the fight wasn't going to happen. I wanted the fight to happen and said "Mayweather is ducking Canelo", but clearly that ended up not being the case. I figured that Canelo was a serious up and coming fighter, and as good as the name would look on Floyd's resume he still wouldn't take the chance.




Canelo Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KOs)

I really like the way that Canelo fights. He stalks his opponent and stays in there. His defense doesn't take him out of the combat zone. It's similar to the peek-a-boo defense used by Mike Tyson, but Canelo reminds me of the late Tommy Morrison. He proved he could box against Austin Trout, however I believe he's a better fighter when he's brawling and trying to corner his opponent. He's got knockout power in both hands.


Floyd Mayweather  (44-0, 26 KOs)

From a style standpoint Mayweather is one of the best fighter of all time. His defense is constant and he strikes from it with extreme precision. The more aggressive his opponent the easier he seems to dismantle them. The guys who try to sit back and pick him off end up having that very thing done to them. Mayweather isn't just undefeated, but he's never really been tested. Nobody has ever made him dig down and find out what kind of heart he has. When Miguel Cotto bloodied his nose; Floyd proceeded to destroy him for the remainder of the fight.


Prediction

Floyd doesn't typically start very fast. I don't think he will this time either. He'll sit back and see what Canelo intends on doing. Once he's figured out that Canelo is going to come forward he will keep moving and changing the angles while he hits him. It's highly likely that Canelo will become less aggressive and try to box after finding out that Floyd's hands are so much faster. The fight will become semi boring for a couple of rounds while Canelo tries to out box Mayweather. I think he'll quickly realize that he's not trying to out box Austin Trout, and that he'll never beat Floyd if he keeps trying to do so. That's when he'll turn it into a brawl. That opens up the only chance I see for Canelo to win. If he can catch Mayweather it will be from the middle to late rounds.

If Canelo hasn't caught him with something by the eighth round then it probably won't happen. Stamina issues have been a factor in Canelo's longer fights. Mayweather will give him the first round and maybe the second. After that he'll have figured out what Canelo intends to do, and he'll turn his strengths into weaknesses. In round four Canelo tries to box with Floyd. Hopefully Alvarez doesn't try to stay with that strategy, and I don't think he will. Mayweather will outpoint him and leave no chance for Canelo to win. The brawling will put him in Floyd's wheelhouse. Canelo has good defense, but against hand speed like Floyd's it won't be effective. He will be coming straightforward all night. Mayweather will pick him off all night while cruising to a decision victory.