'Young Guns' Sling It

By JE Grant

Olympic Gold Medal winner, Yuriorkis Gamboa headlined a sneak-peak HBO card showcasing potential stars in Primm, Nev. Saturday night.

Gamboa, 10-0 (9 KOs), Miami (via Cuba), 128 1/2, used obvious raw professional talent to score a one-sided 10-round unanimous decision over solid pro Darling Jimenez, 23-2-2 (14 KOs), Dominican Republic, 131. 

Gamboa’s quick hands and feet allowed him repeatedly beat Jimenez to the punch from the opening bell.  Jimenez remained in the bout throughout, however, landing left hooks and right hands with a frequency that should give Gamboa’s handlers some pause when charting out a wanted meteoric rise to a world ranking.

Jimenez, despite losing 9 of the 10 rounds, was able to clip the hands-down Gamboa in round 4, dropping him in the process. Gamboa did not seem hurt but it was clear that his own bravado led to the knockdown.

While Gamboa has clear physical gifts, his recklessness will not bode well should he meet the elite of the 130-135 pounders. 

Scoring of the bout was all for Gamboa: Judge Raul Caiz, 97-92; Patricia Jarman, 97-92; and Dalby Shirley 99-91. JEBoxing scored the bout 98-91.

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Alfredo Angulo, 13-0 (10 KOs), Mexico, 154, stopped talented Richar Gutierrez, 24-2 (14 KOs), Colombia, 152, at 2:48 of round 5 of a scheduled 10.

Angulo, a former amateur star, used a high-volume attack punctuated with thudding right hands to the body and head of Gutierrez. He also weathered a strong 4th round attack by Gutierrez and by round’s end turned the tide.

In round 5, a series of strong combinations led to a well-timed stoppage as Gutierrez stumbled around the ring clearly stunned.

JEBoxing scored the bout 40-36 Angulo for the 4 completed rounds.

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James Kirkland, 22-0 (19 KOs), Austin, Texas, 154, knocked out former Olympian Eromosele Albert, 21-2 (10 KOs), Nigeria, 152 1/2, at 1:06 of round one of the first televised bout of the evening. 

The southpaw Kirkland attacked immediately at the bell forcing Albert to exchange. Kirkland scored the 1st of 2 knockdowns in the round before a minute had passed. Albert was disoriented from the knockdown and was quickly belted to the canvas for the second and final time. 

Referee Joe Cortez stopped the bout seeing that Albert could not continue.

Requiem for a Light-Heavyweight

By JE Grant

Former heavyweight belt-wearer Chris Byrd found that at 37-years of age he couldn’t go home again --- home that is to the light-heavyweight division were he began his career in 1993.

Shaun George, 17-2-2 (8 KOs), Brooklyn, 175, found an early home for his right hand to the chin of Byrd, 40-5-1 (21 KOs), Las Vegas, 174, dropping him early in round one and pummeling him throughout their contest enroute to a 9th round stoppage win.

Byrd was flat from the opening bell. Fighting at his lightest weight since his second bout as a pro, none of his infrequent punches slowed George at any point. 

George hurt Byrd in the opener with a straight right and put him down with a quick follow-up. Despite rising quickly, it was clear Byrd was off balance and in trouble throughout the round.

Each succeeding round was merely a repeat of the first minus the knockdown. As George circled, landing sharp right hand counters, Byrd simply followed in almost a plodding way.

In the ninth, Byrd sported markings to his face --- something that was rare in his long heavyweight tenure. George sensed the opportunity to end the night and did so with strong combinations. 

A George right hand to the head caused Byrd to lose control of his back foot. He landed in an awkward manner on his left side as his left leg shot oddly to the right. It was apparent after the bout that he also injured his left shoulder in the fall.

Byrd made the count but was in no shape to continue. George pounced, raining blows as Byrd crumpled in a corner ending what is likely final moment in an otherwise remarkable boxing career. Time of the knockout was 2:45.

JEBoxing scored the bout 80-71for George through the eight rounds completed.

De La Hoya - Forbes Prediction

By JE Grant

When former multiple division champion Oscar De La Hoya steps into the ring Saturday night, his legion of fans will briefly suspend their knowledge that their 35 year-old hero is far on the downside of a career that has at times flickered with greatness.

They will be able to set aside the understanding that he has lost 3 of his last 5 bouts and one of his wins -- vs. Felix Sturm -- kinda looked like a loss too.

All this is possible because the hand-picked would-be spoiler, Steve Forbes, just does not have the guns in the arsenal to keep the bigger, stronger, faster and generally more skilled De La Hoya honest.  Forbes' respectable 33-5 record, fought mostly near the lightweight limit, is sprinkled with only 9 knockouts. While he briefly held a world title, he has never engaged the mega-talents that Oscar has faced --- and sometimes beaten.

Forbes raised his profile by participating against the journeymen of the Contender series in 2006 and advancing to the finals against bigger men. He failed to get past the limited Grady Brewer, who sported a 21-11 record.

Nonetheless, he showed competence and a professional dedication that registered with the matchmakers of Golden Boy.

The 5'10" De La Hoya will have plenty of breathing room against the much shorter Forbes (5-'7) by powering home a jab early. Forbes will attempt to move under the bigger man's attack only to find uppercuts and potent hooks to the body. At every turn De La Hoya will outspeed him, outpunch him and will ultimately throw and land so many combinations that Forbes will leave the ring with the feeling he never had a chance. And, in fact, he doesn't have a chance.

Look for a few rounds of Oscar peppering a game and physically fit Forbes before he closes the show with an overwhelming display of firepower that Forbes cannot absorb.

An early night for Golden Boy. De La Hoya by KO in 5.

Calzaghe reigns supreme over Hopkins

By JE Grant

Joe Calzaghe made his way to America for the first time in his 45-fight career and made the most of it by capturing the World Light-Heavyweight Championship from the wily Bernard Hopkins April 20 in Las Vegas.

Calzaghe, 45-0 (32 KOs), Wales, United Kingdom, 173, threw more and landed more of every type of punch, while pressuring  the 43 year old champion throughout the contest.

In the opening round, Hopkins, 48-5-1, 1NC (32 KOs), Philadelphia, 173, sought to move and tie-up the charging Calzaghe. Early in the round Hopkins caught Calzaghe with a well-timed, sharp right hand that deposited the challenger on his pants. That punch, which did not appear to hurt Calzaghe, was the only moment in the round that belonged to Hopkins but it nevertheless gave him the only 10-8 round of the bout.

Calzaghe’s slashing (or maybe even slapping) punches in round two gave him the the round and set the tone for the remainder of the fight. He chased and slapped home a series of punches all in an effort to at least touch Hopkins in all his cagey splendor.

For his part Hopkins predictably moved, clinched, delayed and occasionally threw single punches designed to steal rounds. He mounted almost no sustained offensive, rarely landed a jab and did not seem intent on doing any real damage. It was clear his main goal was to get late into the fight in the hopes an energetic Calzaghe would fade. He didn’t.

Round after round of the same ugliness continued until the final bell. From round 5 forward Calzaghe’s flow of punches increased and the frustration of Hopkins led to less and less offensive output. 

Hopkins even reached into his bag of tricks when, in the 10th round, Calzaghe landed a marginally low blow with questionable velocity or power. Referee Joe Cortez gave Hopkins took several minutes to recuperate but wisely ruled that no point would be deducted. Although only Hopkins knows for sure the severity of the pain, one must contemplate the possibility that his tank was running low and he needed the breather.

When queried about his measured offense, Hopkins offered what he thought was an insight to his skill.

"I was just pacing myself for the long haul," he told HBO’s Max Kellerman. It actually appeared that he was marshaling a dwindling reservoir of energy.

Scoring of the split vote was odd. Chuck Giampa scored it 116-111 Calzaghe, Ted Gimza had it 115-112 for Calzaghe, and Adalaide Byrd somehow tallied the bout 114-113 for Hopkins. JEBoxing agreed with Giampa at 116-111.

The win gives Calzaghe the long-awaited recognition on this side of the Atlantic that escaped him as he defended his super-middleweight belt in Europe 21 times. Many (including this writer) criticized his opponent selection along the way.

His more recent victories over the previously undefeated beltholders Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler, while eliminating any doubts as to his grit and ability, left only the need for a major win in America to firmly place him near the top of today’s pound-for-pound roster.

His win over Hopkins, however ugly it was, established Calzaghe as a premier fighter on a world stage.

Klitschko - Ibragimov Prediction

Both heavyweights are part of a club of fighters from former eastern bloc countries who remain overlooked and underrated because of the ongoing bias against their non-American origin. Make no mistake, both can fight and have amateur and professional credentials that rival their American title-holding predecessors from almost any generation. 

Of course that is an argument for another day. This fight comes down to physical differences that are too vast to ignore. Klitschko's long jab and thunderous right hand provide a combination that the southpaw Ibragimov will not be able to overcome. There is almost no difference in speed or skill. Power tilts considerably to Klitschko.

This will be evidence of the age-old adage of a good big man always beating a good little man. Klitschko is clearly the good big man. 

Klitschko by 10th round KO.

Mayweather vs. Hatton -- "Undefeated" Prediction

On its face this matchup should thrill boxing fans everywhere. Two talented, undefeated fighters who've won real world championships (as well as a few bogus belts) and two men who have convincingly defeated top fighters in doing so.

The central difference is that one of the men, Floyd Mayweather, is a mega-talent in almost every facet of the game, while his opponent, Ricky Hatton, is a clear notch below him on the ability scale. Mayweather has a proven chin, radar-like defense, and adequate power as a welterweight. Hatton is a killer at 140 but at 147 his vaunted body punching is simply above-average.

Mayweather will likely outspeed, out-maneuver, and generally out-perform Hatton in every department. No one will walk-over Hatton and he will pressure Mayweather throughout. He is willing to go all out with complete abandon and that gives him a slight chance. Very slight. Expect Mayweather to contently dominate round after round as Hatton is frustrated in his attempted bull rushes.

A truly great fighter beats a truly good fighter.

Mayweather by 12-round decision.