By Yannis Mihanos: They say that it’s not only winning that makes you become great but it’s who you beat and how you beat. Boxing records also not always tell the whole story, because there are many different parameters that need to be considered. Here I will first examine the weight size.
Michael Vena
Marquez beats Alvarado: What’s next for Juan Manuel?
By Yannis Mihanos: This last Saturday night, 2 brawlers Juan Manuel Marquez (56-7-1, 40 KO’s) and Marc Alvarado (34-3, 23 KO’s) gave fans all the entertainment that a boxing fan could hope for in their fight at the Forum in Inglewood, California. There were 2 stunning knockdowns (one for each fighter) and many wild hurtful punches. The end result was a 12 round unanimous decision victory for Marquez.
The 40-year-old Marquez won the fight fair and square as he was clearly the better man, and the one who inflicted the most damage. One look at the face of Alvarado after the fight told the whole story. Alvarado’s face was cut up and badly swollen. Marquez was clearly one class above warrior Alvarado.
Floyd Mayweather Jr: The fighter some people love to hate
By Yannis Mihanos: People love to hate Floyd Mayweather Jr. for some reason. He is the number 1 pound for pound in boxing for some time now, and his record still stands unspoiled at 46-0. He is the richest sportsman alive (anybody out there richer? please let me know…) and apart from boxing, he seems to have it all. Everything that an ordinary person could dream of: expensive cars, planes, spaceships (not yet but maybe soon…), latest and most expensive gadgets, luxury houses, top models, celebrity friends and much more.
Only one thing seems to be missing from his collection: The warm support from the boxing public. For that he is better known as public enemy number 1 in the minds of some angry fans. In other words, the people’s favorite enemy.
Is it a good business decision for Mayweather not to fight Pacquiao?
By Yannis Mihanos: Even though the fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao would be the richest purse in boxing history it seems that something stops it from ever happening. Many boxing fans are blaming Mayweather for the fight not happening due to the conditions he’s set up for a fight to take place between the two stars.
The talk about a potential fight has been going on for at least 5 years. Throughout this time period, each fighter has gone through many struggles and pains in and out of the ring but both fighters still remain at the top hierarchy at No.1 and No.2 in the pound-for-pound category.
Canelo is doing the right thing by fighting Lara
(Photo credit: Tom Casino/Showtime) By Yannis Mihanos: Mexico’s best new hope Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KO) is facing Cuban WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erinslandy “The American Dream” Lara (19-1-2,12 KO’s) in a catch weight fight at 155 pounds on July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Nevada.
They say the only way from going up is going down. When you have reached the top or at least coming very close to it, then it’s easy to go down. Canelo at the very young age of 23 arrived just one step from the top by fighting the number 1 pound for pound in boxing Floyd Mayweather Jr. last September.
Are Mayweather’s defensive skills diminishing?
By Yannis Mihanos: Some people feel that Manny Pacquiao has lost his killer instinct and effectiveness to finish an opponent is off, but what about Floyd Mayweather Jr’s great defensive skills and effectiveness in the ring? Are those also gone?
In Mayweather’s last fight against the aggressive puncher Marcos Maidana last Saturday night, I noticed that Floyd’s movement was much less energetic and consistent than in his past fights. Maidana was able to easily attack and push him on the ropes in round after round of the fight. Maidana threw hundreds of punches, and luckily for Floyd not all found the target. Mayweather was quite fortunate that he wasn’t dropped in the fight from the big shots that did land.
Is Floyd Mayweather Jr still playing the villain?
By Yannis Mihanos: Humility is not a virtue that Floyd Mayweather Jr will be remembered of having in boxing long after he’s gone from the sport. If Mayweather ever goes down as one of the greats in boxing, it will certainly be for other reasons and mainly statistic as far as his unbeaten record goes.
Mayweather exposed by Maidana’s aggression
By Yannis Mihanos: Last Saturday night I witnessed a different kind of fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr (46-0, 26 KO’s) having to struggle against WBA welterweight champion Marcos Maidana (35-4, 31 KO’s) in their fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. I was not very surprised by Maidana as he did what he was supposed to do, he talked the talk and walked the walk.
From round 1, Maidana did what he’s good at: Being aggressive and he stayed that way for the entire 12 rounds of the fight in hunting and hitting Mayweather with everything he had. Of course, that was not an easy task for Maidana to land his big shots against the hard to hit Mayweather.
Will the Mayweather-Maidana gloves controversy help PPV sales?
(Photo credit: Esther Lin/Showtime) By Yannis Mihanos: Very little time is left before tonight’s important welterweight unification fight between WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (45-0, 26 KO’s) and WBA welterweight champion Marcos Maidana (35-3, 31 KO’s) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pay-per-view sales are not expected to come not any near to the previous fight of Floyd’s against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez from last September. Maidana is a formidable name with a welterweight title too, but not near as popular as the previous guy Canelo Alvarez.
In a new twist this Saturday morning, it was learnt that the boxing gloves [a custom pair of Everlast MX] that Maidana had planned on using for the fight were found to have little padding around the knuckle areas of the gloves by Mayweather and Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions.
Is Floyd Mayweather Jr. a cherry picker?
By Yannis Mihanos: My definition of cherry picking in boxing is this: Someone who selects carefully his opponents with no intent to lose. The privilege of cherry picking have the so called “paper champs.” A paper champ is the one who is afraid to put everything on the line. His boxing record is supremely important. Throughout the years similar references have been used for the name of the one and only Floyd Mayweather Jr.
His boxing record remains stainless (45-0) and is the number one pound for pound. Accusations of him cherry picking opponents have been circulating the internet and to all other media for a few years now.