Bernard Hopkins "Discipline" from Leigh Simons Productions on Vimeo.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Bernard Hopkins vs Jean Pascal - Ends in a Controversial draw
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Getty Images 2010-12-18 |
By Randy De La O
Sometimes fighter’s career can be defined by one fight. Put in one bad performance after a great career and that is what’s remembered. On the other hand, put in a great trilogy, for the ages, to cap off an otherwise mediocre to fair career and you get a movie made about you, as was the case with Mickey Ward. In Bernard Hopkins case, he is a future “Hall of Fame “ fighter for sure but has never been known as an all out, in your face fighter. Saturday night’s fight with Canadian Jean Pascal changed that perception for me. Hopkins laid it all on the line last night, took a lot of risks, and proved himself a warrior. It was a career defining performance.
The fight, which began at the press conference, continued in the ring. After seemingly winning the first round, Hopkins was dropped by an illegal punch behind the head, one of several Pascal would land during the fight. Referee Michael Griffin, not having the best view, ruled it a knockdown. In the third round Hopkins was again knocked down. This time it was legit. When the fourth round started Hopkins had dug himself into a hole.
Hopkins picked up the pace from the fourth round on. Going to the body, using his jab, and both physically and mentally imposing his will on Jean Pascal, whose own physical strength and will seemed to be shrinking. By the seventh round Pascal had the look of someone that had just realized the he had bitten off more than he could chew. The old man still had a lot of fight left in him. Hopkins wasn’t quite ready to give up the ghost just yet, not by a long shot. Mindful of his legacy and his place in boxing history, Hopkins at 45 years of age fought the fight of his life.
The audience, which was almost a 100% for Pascal, seemed to realize that their man was losing. Hopkins sensed victory and began to fight like a man that was confident of winning the fight, at times mugging and teasing Pascal. Pascal corner seemed desperate and from what I could hear, seemed to think there man was getting the worst of it. Pascal, despite showing fatigue did have his moments during the fight but they were few and far between.
I thought that Hopkins won every round after the third, but a couple were close and could have gone either way. Both fighters came out hard for the twelfth round and it could have gone either way. Overall, Hopkins fought the better fight, threw more punches and landed more. He was more accurate with his punches and never wavered in his plan. He had Pascal flustered and intimidated throughout the fight.
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Getty Images 2010-12-18 |
Claude Paquette scored the fight 113-113, Daniel Van de Wiele also had it even at 114-114 and Steve Morrow scored the fight 112-112. The fight, shown on Showtime Championship Boxing, took place at the Pepsi Coliseum, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Marco Antonio Barrera vs Kennedy McKinney - 1996
As long as I'm talking about the Marco Antonio Barrera vs Kennedy McKinney fight, I might as well just show you. This is the fight that made a Barrera fan out of me. He showed a lot of grit in this fight. I'll give credit to McKinney too, it takes two to make a great fight. The fight was shown on HBO and was the first telecast of "HBO After Dark". The fight took place at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California on February 3, 1996. The referee was Pat Russell, who was recently inducted into the California Hall of Fame. The fight was stopped at 2:05 of the 12rh round.
Press Conference Brawls
Watching Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal go through their little scuffle during their prefight press conference made me think of my favorite press conference fight, when Marco Antoni Barrera popped Kennedy McKinney right on the kisser for mouthing off and McKinney took it. It was too funny. Then after a tough fight Barrera kicks his ass again and stops McKinney in round 12.
In the second video Don King hosts a Top 10 Boxing Press Conference Brawls. Marco Antonio Barrera made the video along with Erik Morales. Watch how quick Morales reacts when Barrera punches him. Split second reaction. Riddick Bowe does a pretty good job on Larry Donald. I don't usually agree with Larry Merchant but he is 100% correct when he calls boxing "The Theater of the unexpected".
Bernard Hopkins vs Jean Pascal
If the press conference for Saturday night's fight between Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal is any indication, Hopkins may have just won the preflight psychological battle over Pascal. There was a brief scuffle over Pascal’s title belt in which Hopkins appeared to dominate and then in the following stare down, Pascal couldn’t or wouldn’t meet Hopkins gaze. Hopkins came off as cool and in control, while Pascal seemed flustered and intimidated. We’ll see how that plays out in the fight.
Hopkins, at 45 years of age, has been through this countless times and has a huge edge in experience, especially in the quality of opponents. But Pascal, at 28, has the advantage of youth. Hopkin’s fights can sometimes seem dull and tedious but he always has a plan and he almost always sticks with it. If Pascal goes into the fight angry it won’t take much for Hopkins to frustrate him. Hopkins knows every trick in the book and my gut feeling is that Hopkins is going to give Pascal a spanking Saturday but the fight will go the distance.
There’s no way tp honestly predict what will happen but if hard work counts for anything Hopkins should be in great shape. Hopkins has the height and reach advantage and you can bet your last dollar that he’ll use that advantage to the fullest.
If Hopkins wins, he’ll become the oldest boxer to win a prominent world title, replacing the venerable George Foreman, who recaptured the heavyweight title by knocking out Michael Moorer in 1994, twenty years after losing the title to Muhammad Ali in 1974.
I’ll be rooting for Hopkins to win this fight. If he wins it’ll be good for boxing and it’ll be good for us old guys, but win, lose or draw, you can be sure that we are seeing the end of an amazing career and one that has had it’s share of adversity. Someday he can tell his grandkids that no one ever handed him anything on a silver platter, he earned everything the hard way. Can’t fault a man like that.
Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal will fight on Satursay night at the Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Both the WBC light heavyweight title and the International Boxing Organization light heavyweight title will be at stake. The fight will be Shown on Showtime Championship Boxing.
As always, let the best man win.
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| Photo and weights courtesy of Fightnews.com |
By Dave Spencer at the scale
Photos: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
Bernard Hopkins 174.6 vs. Jean Pascal 174.10
(WBC light heavyweight championship)
Paul Malignaggi 148.8 vs. Michael Lozada 148.6
Peter Quillin 164.14 vs. Martin Desjardins 164.5
Pier Olivier Cote 138.12 vs. Cesar Soriano 138.12
Tyson Fury 268.14 vs. Zack Page 212.3
Kevin Bizier 148.10 vs. Ronnie Warrior 149.2
Daniel Jacobs 164.12 vs. Jesse Orta 164.10
Eric Martel Bahoeli 239.4 vs. Ruben Rivera 261.5
Mikael Zewski 157.3 vs. Leonardo Rojas 159.9
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Abner Mares Humbles Vic Darchinyan and Amir Kahn Beats Marco Maidana
Last night was the first time I've seen Abner Mares fight. The kid is unbelievable. In the first fight of Showtime's Bantamweight Tournament, taking place at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, Mares beat Vic Darchinyan in a absolutely thrilling battle. It was no easy task for Mares who fought through adversity from the onset, including a clash of heads that resulted in a large gash above the left eye, on the hairline, a flash knockdown in the second round, a point taken away for a low blow, and an incompetent referee that allowed Darchinyan to get away with several fouls during the fight. Several of the low blows were cause by Darchinyan who continually pulled Mares head down.
Darchinyan, ever the bully met someone who refused to be bullied. Mares took the fight to Darchinyan like a seasoned veteran and imposed his will and heart on Darchinyan, who for the first time displayed some good boxing ability. my guess is, he didn't have what it takes to stand up to Mares. Mares fought with a Chavez like determination. There have been so many great fights over the last couple of months. No one has impressed me like Abner Mares.
I can honestly say that I have never liked Vic Darchinyan. I think he is an arrogant loudmouth but you can add cry baby to the list now. I thought Pernell Whitaker was a whiner back in the day but this guy takes the cake. He blamed his loss on referee Bobby Howard, the same referee who let him get away with everything during the fight and took a point away from Mares. Darchinyan liked to boast that no Mexican could beat him, well, last night he got his ass whupped good, by a Mexican. I love it when justice is served. Mares won a split decision.
Over at HBO, at the Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas, there were two contrasting fights. In the first fight there were no surprises, as Victor Ortiz, trying hard to erase the memory of his "fight: with Marcos Maidana, took a half step back in a dismal showing against Lamont Peterson. They fought to a draw. The less said about the fight, the better.
Kahn for his part was following his game plan, using his speed and combinations but nothing would deter Maidana who was relentless in his pursuit of Kahn. In the middle rounds Maidana took control of the fight, almost stopping Kahn at one point, but Kahn, determined to prove that he had a sturdy chin fought on. Kahn had built an early lead but still it wasn't a sure bet going into the last round. I'm not 100% sure Kahn won that last round but he won their fight by unanimous decision. Both men proved their mettle last night.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sylvester Stallone Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
By Randy De La O
I have a few thoughts on Sylvester Stallone’s recent induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. You can agree or disagree.
I only met Sylvester Stallone once and it was a positive experience for me. It was a few days, almost thirty-five years ago, in January or February of 1976, during the filming of Rocky. It was Rocky that made Stallone into the superstar that he would later become. I didn't know much about him then except that he was the guy that I had seen in “The Lords of Flatbush”. Rocky has since become an iconic figure and part of American Pop Culture, like; Superman, Tarzan, Popeye, Fonzie, Phillip Marlowe or any number of characters that have popped up over the years.
With Rocky, Stallone created a character that best represents the type of fighter that I admire, an underdog, with limited skills, that gives his all in the ring and never stops trying, an honest fighter that knows no other way. For Rocky, it was all about heart. If Jimmy Stewart was “Everyman” than Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky was an “Everyman Fighter”. Most of the guys that have ever stepped into the ring were unheralded, unrecognized and under appreciated. We rooted for Rocky because he was one of us. A regular Joe, someone who just wanted a shot. When I rooted for Rocky I was rooting for myself and the chance that I never got.
I can’t say anything about Stallone’s character after the movie won an Oscar. He became big, really big. I’m sure it affected him, it had to. Still maybe over the years, just like the rest of us, he learned something about himself. I saw him again in 1987, it was at the Alberto Davila vs. Frankie Duarte rematch at the Forum (a great fight, by the way), he was a few rows away from me, sitting with Elton John. People were all around him but he seemed to be a good sport about it all and was smiling for his fans. He happened to look my way and when he did I raised my right hand and said, in my best Philly accent “Hey, Yo Rocky!” He smiled and acknowledged me. He could have ignored me.
There have been other actors that have played boxers on the big screen, most notably, Robert DeNiro as Jake LaMotta in “The Raging Bull”, Russell Crowe as James J, Braddock in “The Cinderella Man or even Hilary Swank as “The Million Dollar Baby” and Mark Walberg and Christian Bales as brothers Mickey Ward and Dick Eklund in The Fighter” which is being released this weekend, and countless others over the years and it’s not for me to say whether they also deserve an induction or not but what separates Stallone from the rest of them is that for everyone else, it was a role, and then they moved on. For Stallone, he became a life long friend to boxing, trying to find some way to promote boxing, as he did with “The Contender”. Even if you didn’t like the show you still have to admit that Stallone was there swinging away on boxing’s behalf. The continuing saga of Rocky Balboa continued to inspire young men to become boxers. He did for boxing, what Bruce Lee did for Martial Arts. He got people interested again. To be fair, the 1976 Olympic Boxing team also made some noise that year but it takes nothing away from Rocky Balboa.
I don’t know of any other non-boxer that has done more to inspire young men to become boxers, not only across the country but across the world. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard in an interview “It was Rocky, I wanted be a boxer when I saw Rocky”. (I’m paraphrasing)
My brother Dennis worked security for the movie industries years ago. For a few days he provided security for Sylvester Stallone. Dennis only had good things to say about him.
I went to the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s website to see just what he was inducted for. He was inducted as an observer, nothing more. He is not being recognized as a fighter. His is a non-participatory induction, that’s fitting, I don’t have problem with that. I don’t know what there reasoning was for selecting Stallone, they didn’t say. I would like to think that it was for the reasons that I stated.
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Sylvester Stallone and I at the old Main Street Gym in Los Angeles. Trainer Pat Ruggiero on the right. |
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Mickey Ward vs Arturo Gatti 1 Round 9
Speaking of Mickey Ward, this video is from the ninth round of his first of three fights with Arturo Gatti, on May 18, 2002 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. It was a spectacular round. Their trilogy is considered one of boxings best.
Mickey Ward won the fight by Majority decision, the last two were won by Gotti by unanimous decision. All three were wars.
The Fighter Movie Trailer
The Fighter, a movie that covers the early years of former champion boxer "Irish" Mickey Ward and his trainer and brother Dick Eklund, starring Mark Walberg and Christian Bale opens to a limited audience this Friday, December 10 and again on the 17th to a national audience. I'm looking forward to it.
IMDB.com: The fighter 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
A Night at the Fights for my Daughter and Friends
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| Meranda De La O and Oscar De La Hoya |
A few weeks ago my daughter Meranda won some tickets to the Juan Manuel Marquez vs Michael Katsidis fight on the 27th of last month, via a contest on Twitter (Marquez won by a 9th round KO). Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions gave Meranda the VIP treatment. My daughter and her gal pals as well as the husband of one of her friends were all given good seats, and my daughter got to spend some time with Oscar and attend the post fight press conference. They all had a great time. These are a few of the photos she took. My thanks to Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya for being a true gentleman with my daughter.
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| Meranda (center) and friends |
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| Oscar De La Hoya |
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| Marquez and Katsidis moments before the fight was stopped by Referee Kenny Bayless |
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| Marquez speaking at the post fight press confrence |
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| Andre Berto at the post fight conference. Berto stopped Freddy Hernandez in the 1st round |
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Chicago Blackhawks vs L.A. Kings
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Rick Farris, Brian Higgins and me
Rick and Monica Farris, Brian Higgins and my wife Jeri De La O
Chicago Blackhawks vs L.A. Kings 11.27/2010 (Blackhawks win 2-1)
Many thanks to our friend Brian Higgins of Chicago for his generosity in scoring tickets for Rick and I and our wives, last Saturday 11/27/2010. This was my first hockey game, in fact it was the first hockey game for all of us. Great seats and lots of fast paced action. I couldn't have had a better game or teams to watch, the 2010 Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks vs the home team, the L.A.Kings. I could become a fan. It might take me a while though to understand the game. Lucky for Rick and I, a couple of fights broke out on the ice. Tough dudes and a tough sport!
Brian, a Judo/ Jiu jitsu/ MMA instructor and undefeated former light heavyweight boxer, is head of security for the Chicago Blackhawks. I can tell you that there is no safer team in the NHL.
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