Ring Tones

One reader's wish list for possible 2012 El Paso fights

A few weeks ago, El Paso Times read Lou Carrejo expressed skepticism at the prospect of the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch landing in El Paso if it were to be moved from New York.

In an email titled, "There is no Santa Claus" Carrejo wrote: "Matthew, what are you doing exciting the masses here by suggesting (El Paso) may be the site for the Dec. 3 fight between Cotto and Margarito?  You and I both know this ain't gonna happen!"

Granted, the chances of that fight taking place in El Paso were slim. Still, Big Lou called it. It stayed in New York.

A few weeks later, Carrejo was equally unconvinced that El Paso would land the proposed Jan. 21 Showtime card featuring Paul Williams and Chris Arreola - even as promoter Goossen-Tutor matchmaker Tom Brown said he was "90 percent sure" the card would happen at the Don Haskins Center.

In an email titled "End of Days," Lou wrote: "Matthew, Matthew, Matthew....what am I gonna do with you?  Here you go again, exciting the masses (in El Paso) by announcing the 90 percent possibility of a major boxing card being held here in January.  Yeah right, and the world will end on December 21, 2012.

"All I ask is that you spell my name right when you write your next column indicating that I told you so. "

I wrote Carrejo back, explaining to him, yes - this one will happen. It's a done deal. It's not the longshot that Cotto-Margarito was. Blah, blah, blah.

As it turns out, Sweet Lou was on the money. Again.

The proposed date of the Williams/Arreola card moved, from Jan. 21 to Feb. 18. And since El Paso has no venue available on Feb. 18, the show will go elsewhere.

He has refused to lend me his crystal ball.

Anyway, here is Carrejo's list of the top five fights he'd like to see in El Paso in 2012.

1.  David Rodriguez, 36-0 (34 KO's) vs. Tyson Fury, 17-0 (12 KO's): These pair of unbeaten, power-punching heavyweights would draw a crowd and probably a television date. El Paso connection: Rodriguez, who grew up in El Paso and considers it home.

2.  Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., 44-0-1 (31 KO's) vs. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, 39-0 (29 KO's): Since Chavez Jr. is the WBC middleweight champ and Canelo is the WBC junior middleweight champ, Lou would like to see this showdown of Mexican stars at a catchweight of 157. El Paso connection: a pair of famous, undefeated Mexican world champions that would sell out the Sun Bowl.

3.  Lamont Peterson, 30-1-1 (15 KO's) vs.  Danny Garcia, 22-0 (14 KO's): Peterson just won the WBA and IBF junior welterweight titles from Amir Khan. El Paso connection: Garcia, one of boxing's rising young stars.

4.  Abner Mares, 23-0-1 (13 KO's) vs. Jorge Arce, 59-6-2 (45 KO's): Mares just made his first defense of the IBF and WBC bantamweight titles against rival Joseph Agbeko. Mexican veteran Arce is 7-0-1 in his last eight fights, including wining the vacant WBO bantamweight title from Angky Angkota. El Paso connection: Classic crossroads fight pittingMexican youth vs. Mexican experience.

5.  Victor Ortiz,  29-3-2 (22 KO's) vs. Amir Khan, 26-2 (18 KO's): Ortiz just lost the WBC welterweight title to Floyd Mayweather; Khan just lost the WBA/IBF junior welterweight title to Peterson. El Paso connection: Both fighters are exciting, popular and have strong followings. Ortiz would draw the Mexican crowd.

There you have it. Not a bad wish list.

Thanks for reading Lou.

 

 

New York decision on Cotto-Margarito expected Tuesday; El Paso still in running if fight moves

The fate of the Dec. 3 Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito rematch - and whether the anticipated fight moves to another city such as El Paso - should be known sometime late Tuesday.

A New York State Athletic Commission hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Tuesday to determine whether Margarito's surgically-repaired right eye meets commission standards for obtaining a license to box in New York.

Margarito was examined by a opthalmologist appointed by the commission on Monday, and those findings will be revealed to the commission on Tuesday. If the commission decides that Margarito's eye - injured in his Nov. 13, 2010 fight with Manny Pacquiao - is not healthy enough for combat, promoter Top Rank will have to act fast to move the show elsewhere.

El Paso is one of two other cities that would be considered for the fight if it moves. The others are Southhaven, Miss., and Denver.

Texas fight coordinator Lester Bedford said of all the venues available, the Don Haskins Center is the best.

"The number one goal for Top Rank is keeping the fight in New York," he said. "It's already sold out, and to move it will cost a few million dollars. It belongs in New York. But, if it leaves, it could belong to El Paso in a hurry."

Bedford has been responsible for most of the big fights that have happened in El Paso over the past 20 years, including the 1998 Oscar De La Hoya-Patrick Charpentier fight that drew more than 45,000 people to the Sun Bowl.

Post fight buzz is that Marquez was robbed

With a few exceptions, many media at ringside had Juan Manuel Marquez a clear winner over Manny Pacquiao Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Some had "Dinamita" as much as four points better than Pacqiuao, who often seemed baffled by Marquez superb boxing skills.

The crowd erupted in disgust after the majority decision for Pacqiuao was announced, hurling beer bottles onto press row and booing lustily. It was clear who they thought won, though they were in Marquez's corner from the get go. 

Afterward, promoter Bob Arum was talking Pacquiao-Marquez 4, and not necessarily Pacquiao-Mayweather. Regardless, Mayweather is now licking his chops at the prospect of fighting Pacquiao, who appeared powerless against angles and movement.

Marquez, after earning a draw in 2004 and losing by split decision in 2008, obviously deserves a fourth fight. In boxing, though, that doesn't mean much. 

 

 

Pacquiao wins majority decision over Marquez

Manny Pacquiao won a very unpopular 12-round decision over Juan Manuel Marquez by scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 114-114.

Celebrities enjoy big pre-fight buildup

The prefight building for the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez rubber match was thunderous, with the Mexican challenger drawing a clear home field advantage. 

The crowd continually chanted "Mexico!" and the Mexican National Anthem was sung by seemingly everyone in the house. When Pacquiao entered the ring, he was escored by the lead singer of the group Survivor, who sang "Eye of the Tiger."

Among the celebrities attending the fight: Jeremy Piven, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr and Jr, Amir Khan, Erik Morales, Ron Artest, Roy Jones Jr., Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Magic Johnson.

Bradley punishes Casamayor, stops him in 9th round

As it turned out, Joel Casamayor talked a better game than he produced.

Casamayor, of Miami, offered little resistence to WBO junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of Palm Springs, Calif., quitting at the end of the eighth round. Bradley had dropped Casamayor earlier with a series of body shots and after a consultation with the challenger's cornermen, referee Vic Drakulich stopped the fight at the 2:59 mark.

Bradley, who engaged in a heated verbal altercation with Casamayor on Thursday, waved his hand in disgust when Casamayor quit.

It was Bradley's first fight since January, when he beat Devon Alexander in a junior welterweight unification fight. He improves to 28-0 (12 KO's).

Hopefully, this is the end of the road for Casamayor, 38-6-1 (22 KO's), who gave a feeble effort.

 

Alvarado remains undefeated with last-round KO of Prescott on Pacquiao-Marquez 3 undercard

Denver's Mike Alvarado got the crowd ready for the main event Saturday, coming from behind to stop Colombia's Breidis Prescott in the 12th and final round of a battle for the IBF Latino Junior Lightweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Behind on all three scorecards and cut in the middle rounds, Alvarado turned up the heat in the 12th, dropping Prescott with a vicious right-left uppercut. Prescott got up, and wobbled around the ring as Alvarado pursued. Referee Jay Nady, known for early stoppages, seemingly did it again - intervening at the 1:53 mark.

Nady's signature early stoppage was a 2001 fight between Kostya Tszyu and Zab Judah, which led to a post-fight melee. 

Crowd favorite Alvarado improved to 32-0 (23 KO's) and made a name for himself before an international television audience. He showed heart and determination in fighting through a nasty cut sustained in the fourth round.

Best known for his 2008 knockout vicory over Amir Khan, Prescott was seemingly in control of a close fight. He fell to  24-4 (19 KO's).

Tyson to ring bell in Frazier's memory

One former heavyweight champion will honor the memory of another former heavyweight champion Saturday in Las Vegas.

Mike Tyson (champion from 1986-90) will ceremoniously toll the 10-count for Joe Frazier (champion from 1970-73) on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez rubber match at the MGM Grand. 

Frazier died Nov. 7 in Philadelphia from liver cancer. 

Mexico's Burgos upsets Cruz on Pacquiao-Marquez 3 undercard

Junior lightweight Juan Carlos Burgos of Tijuana upset previously undefeated Puerto Rican Luis Cruz Saturday on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, winnng a majority 10-round decision.

Burgos, 28-1 (19 knockouts) owed much of his big victory to a fast start, hurting Cruz, 19-1 (15 KO's), with a left hook in the first round and pressing the action through the first three rounds. Cruz found a rhythm in the middle rounds, but Burgos continued to land the bigger blows down the stretch.

Burgos won by scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 95-95.

 

 

Pacquiao-Marquez 3 is latest in notable boxing trilogies

The Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight is the latest in a long line of boxing trilogies. Here are a few of the most notable in recent years.

 

*Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier: This one holds special meaning in the wake of Frazier's recent death from liver cancer. The pair engaged in what is considered the biggest fight of all time on March 8, 1971, a meeting known simply as "The Fight." Frazier knocked Ali down in the 15th round to solidify a unanimous decision win at Madison Square Garden in New York. The pair fought two more times, with Ali getting revenge in a 1974 rematch also in the Garden (unanimous decision) and winning by 14th round TKO in the most famous of their fights, the "Thrilla in Manila" in Manila, Philippines on Oct. 1, 1975.

*Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward: These two sluggers met three times in 13 months. The first, and probably the best, happened on May 18, 2002 in Uncasville, CT. The two warriors engaged in a furious brawl, punctuated by a 9th round for the ages. Ward dropped Gatti with his signature left hook to the liver that seemingly put Gatti away for good. But "Thunder" arose on wobbly legs and proceeded to come back and hurt Ward. Ultimately, Ward won an upset 10 round decision. The pair fought the second (Nov. 23, 2002) and third (June 7, 2003) fights in Atlantic City, with Gatti taking both by decision. The third, like the first, was voted "Fight of the Year."

*Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales: These two great Hall of Fame Mexican warriors first met on Feb. 19, 2000 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Morales was a heavy favorite and the defending champion. Barrera, however, seemed to get the edge in a thrilling, savage war. A 12th-round knockdown seemed to wrap it up for Barrera, but Morales got the nod by split decision. Barrera got revenge in the Las Vegas rematch on June 22, 2002, boxing more carefully and winning, by controversial 12-round decision. The pair produced another violent chapter in their Las Vegas grudge match on Nov. 27, 2004, with Barrera winning another close 12-round decision. 

*Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield: This trilogy will always be remembered for the 10th round of their first fight, Nov. 13, 1992 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Bowe dropped Holyfield after a series of devastating blows, but the "Real Deal" somehow came back to wobble Bowe down the stretch. Eventually, Bowe took the title by 12-round decision. Holyfield upset Bowe in the Nov. 6, 1993 rematch at Caesars Palace, a fight known as much for "Fan Man" - a mysterious paraglider who crashed into the ring mid-fight - as the wild melee that erupted when the fight ended. Two years later, on Nov. 4, 1995, Bowe knocked out his rival in the eighth round after being dropped by a weakened Holyfield.

*Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran: This one had a little bit of everything. The first fight, on June 20, 1980 in Montreal, Canada, Leonard eschewed his speed and boxing skill and opted to rumble with Duran, who was an all-time great lightweight attempting to win the welterweight title. In a great fight, Duran edged Leonard via 15-round unanimous decision in a fight that lived up to its "Brawl in Montreal" nickname. Five months later, Nov. 25, 1980, Leonard wisely boxed Duran, and mocked, teased and taunted him - causing the legendary "Hands of Stone" to utter the infamous "no mas" and quit in the 8th round. The pair would not meet again for another nine years, Dec. 7, 1989, as super middleweights. In a fight that was billed "Uno Mas," neither fighter resembeled their prime selves and Leonard won an easy decision in a disappointing fight.