Jay McIntyre

Gennady Golovkin – A Scientific Puncher

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golovkin4446788(Photo credit: Will Hart, K2 Promotions) By Jay McIntyre: Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin (also known to his fans as “Triple G”) has slowly risen to become one of the premier boxers of today. While it is true that he is not a major PPV star (as of yet), he does have all of the in-ring ingredients to make him both very marketable and very appealing to the casual and involved fans. With an impressive record of 29 wins (26 by way of knockout) and no losses on his record he has no signs of slowing down.

His three decision wins were during eight round fights, the last of which occurred in 2008 – he hasn’t gone the distance since. The only significant criticism that has been leveraged against him – which is worth noting – is the lack of elite opponents that he has encountered so far. His detractors certainly attribute this to careful planning on the part of his managers. His supporters, on the other hand, understandably believe that he is one of the most avoided boxers out there today.

Aftermath: Alvarez vs. Lara – Irresolution

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“There are no facts, only interpretations” – Friedrich Nietzsche

By Jay McIntyre: It is indeed a cruel twist of irony when two prizefighters bring a version of themselves that would frustrate anyone in their weight class (except Floyd Mayweather Jr.), stick to their game plans, stay focused, punch hard, and afterwards – once the dust has settled – find themselves leaving so many people dissatisfied.

Erislandy Lara did what everyone expected him to do – he was coy and fleet of foot. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez also fought in a manner predictably similar to every other fight of his life. Why then, were so many of us surprised by the outcome? Sure the split scorecards of 115-113 made sense and the third judge’s scorecard 117-112 made far less, but why the shock? Perhaps looking at the scoring criteria can give us some insight into the nebulous realm of viewer interpretation.

My Two Cents: Alvarez vs. Lara

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canelo92By Jay McIntyre: This article is an abbreviated one, to see the full version with illustrations and discussion please visit my blog: http://a-neutral-corner.blogspot.ca/2014/07/my-two-cents-alvarez-vs-lara.html
Follow me on Twitter: @JayMcintyre83

A fight like this just makes sense. The number one and number two fighters in the light middleweight division are fighting for what is essentially pride. There are no major world titles. There are no guarantees afterward.

There is just a powerful need for both men to determine what they are worth. This truly is a fight for the fans, because when Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Erislandy Lara step through the ropes against one another, two fighters at their peak will be trading leather.

Aftermath: Cotto vs. Martinez – A Perfect Storm

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martinez6367By Jay McIntyre: The greatness of an individual has often been attributed to that person being either in eventful circumstances or having an event-making personality. But this is an oversimplification because true greatness often requires an alignment of both.

William Shakespeare’s manipulative Roman character, Cassius, once remarked to his would-be conspirator that “the fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are men.” When looking at what fighters are capable of accomplishing in the ring, sometimes their greatest achievements arise from the perfect combination of preparation and opportunity. A fighter can only rise so high on talent and guidance alone.

My Two Cents: Froch vs Groves II

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groves44442222By Jay McIntyre: An animosity undimmed by time will flare up in the ring on Saturday May 31st at Wembley Stadium when Carl “The Cobra” Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) and “Saint” George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) lock horns for the IBF and WBA super middleweight titles a second time. Their first showdown in Manchester on November 23rd, 2013 proved to be an entertaining war, but it easily could have been a one-sided drubbing. Many questioned if George Groves belonged in the same ring as Carl Froch since the depth of talent on his resume was rather sparse.

That wasn’t the case, as Groves proved the doubters wrong and showed up in top form. He humbled the defending champion with a first round knockdown and was boxing his ears off for much of the fight. By round nine, however, The Cobra struck back and wouldn’t let up.

Cotto vs. Martinez: My Two Cents

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cotto667Writer’s Note: This article is an abbreviated one, for the full article, please visit: http://a-neutral-corner.blogspot.ca/2014/05/my-two-cents-martinez-vs-cotto.html

By Jay McIntyre: A year ago nobody would have used the names Sergio Martinez (51-2-2, 28 KO’s) and Miguel Cotto (38-4, 31 KO’s) in the same sentence, but on June 7th, 2014, they will be stepping through the ropes of the same ring in Madison Square Garden. That’s boxing. Don’t read too much into it, instead just enjoy it. It’s not often that we get to see two incredible boxers match their wits and skill against one another due to promotional rivalries and protective managers. 

Sergio Martinez, an established champion and ranked #7 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list, must defend his crown against the dangerous usurper that is Miguel Cotto. Aside from his bout against Delvin Rodriguez, Miguel Cotto has been fighting in championship fights since 2005.

My Two Cents: Mayweather vs. Maidana

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floyd333By Jay McIntyre: Writer’s Note: This is an adjusted analysis. Visit this page for the full analysis: http://a-neutral-corner.blogspot.ca/2014/04/my-two-cents-mayweather-vs-maidana.html

It was a fight that took a while to announce, but in late February Floyd “Money” Mayweather (45-0, 26 KO’s) finally declared that on May 3rd he would be fighting Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (34-3. 31 KO’s). There is often a great deal of hype surrounding the mere mention of Mayweather’s next opponent because for 45 fights, he has remained undefeated. The fans wonder: could this one be the one blemish the “0” that he has touted for so long? Boxing math would indicate that Maidana doesn’t stand much of a chance and shouldn’t even be fighting Mayweather.

Bernard Hopkins: The Old Warhorse

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hopkins4441By Jay McIntyre: Saturday April 19th marked another evening where the aging Bernard “The Alien” (formerly “The Executioner”) Hopkins (55-6-2-2, 32 KO’s) defied Father Time. It marked another notch in his belt, and gave him two more championship straps (the WBA super, and IBA titles) in his quest to unify the light-heavyweight division.

This unification bid started in March of last year when he dismantled former champion Tavoris Cloud – winning his IBF title – and it continued last night when he peeled away and added the two aforementioned pieces of the light heavyweight crown to his collection. Beibut Shumenov (14-2, 9 KO’s) did not have much to offer that Hopkins had not seen before, and herein lies the problem for most of Hopkins’ opponents: he has seen it all and he knows how to keep his rhythm going at the expense of his opponent’s.

Aftermath: Pacquiao vs. Bradley II

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pac948888By Jay McIntyre: Everyone thought that Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) would demolish Timothy Bradley (31-1-0, 13 KO’s) in June of 2012, and 82% of the respondents for HBO’s online voting system thought that it would happen again last night. Not one to let prevailing opinion discourage him, Bradley trained determinedly to prove – once and for all – that he was truly the better man.

There were question marks going into this fight, to be sure. Was Bradley the better boxer who paid for the sins of the judges with near universal scorn? Was Manny Pacquiao still dedicated to his craft and capable of taking a punch?

Pacquiao vs. Bradley II: Speculations and Predictions

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pac44444By Jay McIntyre: Why should you watch the rematch between Manny Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KO’s) and Timothy Bradley (31-0-0-1, 12 KO’s)? The short answer: why not? To elaborate, this fight becomes something of a cross-roads (as many do) for both men. When we consider the longevity and dominance of Manny Pacquiao’s career, against the flawless record of Timothy Bradley – who still appears to be surging force in the welterweight ranks – we must give ourselves a moment to reflect.

To see two men both talented in their own way, both poised to move forward with their respective careers, and when both are still quite relevant, is truly a moment to appreciate. There are awful mismatches, painful decisions, and random acts of skulduggery in the sport of boxing, but let us be thankful that tomorrow night we get to see a fight among relative equals.