Mosley K/O’s Mayorga with one second to spare!

On September 29, 2008 by

I used my Sky+ on Saturday night/Sunday morning to record the Ricardo Mayorga v Shane Mosley fight and talk about getting a shock when all was said and done and the fight was over.

I had Mayorga up on my card going into the final round and thought Mosley had to stop him. With just 18 seconds left it looked a foregone conclusion but then bam. A sickening combination from Mosley had Mayorga down and after stumbling to his feet and when the referee said to box on he was floored again with a straight left to the chin.

He was out and the referee waved the fight off with a staggering one second left of the fight. Mayorga laid flat on his back as David Mendoza ended the fight to see what off the best endings to a fight that I’ve ever seen. Jim Watt said it best on the commentary as he exclaimed that ‘it was like the ending to Rocky VII’.

However since the fight it has come out that Mosley was ahead of two of the judges cards, one of them had him up 107-102 going into the 12th and I’m sorry but that is just preposterous. Tony Crebs was the judge in question and I just don’t see how anyone could have Mosley ahead by that far. Another judge had him up by a round which I thought was too much but having him up by five is just shocking.

I saw ESPN too had Mosley up going into the 12th and I think it has a lot to do with people liking Shane Mosley. He is a likeable guy but he just didn’t box well at all on Saturday night and had it gone to the cards and he’d won then I’d of been very suspicious.

It was one of the greatest endings to a fight that I’ve ever seen but it could’ve been very different had Mayorga survived for one more second. It would’ve turned from a fine win for Mosley to a sour tasting UD decision (Mosley won the final round 10-8 with the knock-down and that would’ve put him up too on the third and final card).

Haye opponent fails to show

On September 17, 2008 by

David Haye is desperate to make a name for himself as a heavyweight boxer. Therefore he is bound to be frustrated that his hopes of securing a top-10 ranked opponent were thwarted when JD Chapman – who is ranked ninth by the WBA – failed to show for a media launch that was scheduled to preview their fight.

Haye revealed that Chapman and his team had all the money the wanted for the fight and all their flights paid for before deciding not to turn up in England. You can see why the American boxer and his team have been deemed ‘unprofessional’ can’t you?

Despite the no-show, Haye is confident that Chapman will be in the ring with him in November and that he will take his current frustrations ‘out on him then’. Should the fight eventually go ahead, Haye will be facing a man who has won all of his 29 fights with only three going the full distance. It should be an interesting and exciting fight, should it ever go ahead.

Haye’s manager Adam Booth decided not to mince his words quite as much as the fighter himself. He said that Chapman had been the third top-10 fighter to agree terms before pulling out at the last minute. Booth has accused the fighters of ‘running away’ from Haye after Chapman allegedly said he didn’t want to come to England ‘to get knocked out’.

So what does the future hold for David Haye and who will he be fighting on 15th November? Well, they are still holding out for JD Chapman who remains there preferred opponent. After all, it does seem strange that someone with such a good record is simply running scared of someone who has competed in just one heavyweight fight. I would be happy placing a boxing bet on Chapman stepping into the ring with Haye in November. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is just holding out for a bit more money – that is boxing’s nature after all.

Whatever happens, Haye says there is no doubt that he will be fighting a top-10 fighter on November 15th. Whether that is Chapman or not, he will be hoping that it is simply a stepping stone in his quest to fight Wladimir Klitschko to become the best heavyweight boxer in the world.

Written by Thomas Rooney – A Freelance Sports Journalist

Pacquiao to move up two weight classes to fight De La Hoya

On September 11, 2008 by

So finally the Manny v Oscar match-up is set and at 147lbs. I’m glad the fight is on and I reckon we might see Manny stun Oscar and beat him despite going up two weight classes.

All I know is that I am well looking forward to this fight.

Khan down and out for the count

On September 8, 2008 by

So after all the hype, the move to PPV very early in his career, Amir Khan finally stepped into the ring against someone half-decent and got put on the floor twice in 54 seconds to suffer his first defeat in the ring as a professional.

For £14.95 you could’ve watched another over hyped Brit get knocked on his backside and yet again the nation wept. Khan though isn’t as loved as one might think. A lot of people are glad that Breidis Prescott stopped him so emphatically. He has talked himself him to be the best in the division but yet he hadn’t fought anyone with a punch and his chin was still a huge question mark.

His move to PPV pissed off more than a few who enjoyed watching him come up on terrestrial television with ITV. Heck even if the fight had been on regular Sky Sports then those who moaned might not have moaned as loud. Most people know someone with Sky Sports but having to fork out a couple of hours wages as well? That just isn’t on for most.

Getting on to the fight then Khan never settled and was caught with an absolute peach of a right left hand combination. He never really recovered and was stopped just moments later after being floored again. The fight possibly lasted too long at 54 seconds because Khan was done after the first knock-down.

The question now is what next for the man from Bolton. He is clearly not World Class as he constantly professed and has not shown in any shape or form that he can take a punch on the chin. He is now a guy with a defeat on his resume and whose best victory has come in the form of an over the hill Graham Earl.

Suddenly Khan doesn’t look like the superstar he has claimed to be. I personally find it rather amusing that Khan ditched his old coach and loses his first fight with his new one who he said would help him on his defence.

Amir Khan will comeback of that there is little doubt but the public’s confidence in him has been well and truly shaken and that isn’t something that he can win back easily.

Mayweather Snr to train Ricky Hatton?

On September 4, 2008 by

It is being reported that Floyd Mayweather Snr is being lined up to train British boxer Ricky Hatton for his fight against Paulie Malignaggi on the 22nd November. This would be considered by some a very controversial choice as Floyd Sr’s son gave Hatton the only defeat of his career so far.

The Hitman has been searching for a new coach since splitting with long term trainer Billy Graham earlier this year. Now it seems that the only thing standing in the way of him linking up with Mayweather is Osca De La Hoya. The Hatton camp is waiting for the go ahead from De La Hoya who acts as Hatton’s promoter. The Mexican is also being trained by Floyd Snr for his December bout against Manny Pacquiao.

There are many that believe Floyd Snr isn’t the right man for Hatton at this stage of his career and one of them is his former trainer Billy Graham. Presumably still bitter about being sacked from his position, Graham said that it was ‘outrageous’ that Floyd Snr was being lined up for Hatton. He went on to say that ‘he is not the trainer for Ricky Hatton’.

Despite Graham’s views, it now does seem more than likely that Hatton will make an announcement about his new trainer as soon as De La Hoya gives the deal the green light. Speaking about De La Hoya, I am finding the relationship between him and Ricky Hatton increasingly bizarre. Not only is De La Hoya the promoter for Hatton, they are fighting similar opponents and now they may even be coached by the same man. All a bit cosy isn’t it? On top of this, it is being suggested that Hatton may have to train in America with Del La Hoya for a few weeks if the deal with Floyd Snr goes ahead as planned.

One thing I would place all my boxing betting money on is the fact that Floyd Snr would back his ability to get the best out of Ricky Hatton in this latter stage of his career. This is backed up by his comments when questioned about coaching the Hitman. He said that he could train the Manchester boxer ‘blindfolded’ and that Billy Graham is one of the ‘worst trainers’ he had ever seen. Interesting comments from Floyd Snr it has to be said. I am intrigued as to how Hatton would react to his style of training.

Written by Thomas Rooney – A Freelance Sports Journalist