By Eric Thomas: According to the latest boxing news, former IBF super middleweight champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy (24-1, 17 KOs) is retiring from boxing. In an article from the Tampa Tribune, Lacy, 31, said that he’ll be getting out of boxing and retiring altogether from the sport. If this turns out to be the case, it would wipe Lacy’s upcoming bout with Jermain Taylor which is slated for November 15th. It’s unclear whether Lacy is serious about his retirement comments or is just upset over his recent narrow defeat of journeyman Epifanio Mendoza on Wednesday night.
In that fight, Lacy, after a initially a good start in the fight, was hurt badly on two occasions in the 2nd and 8th rounds, staggering badly and ended up taking Mendoza down to the canvas in the 8th with a rough tackle. It was for Lacy his third poor performance since losing to Joe Calzaghe in a one-sided 12-round unanimous decision loss in March 2006. At the time of the Calzaghe bout, Lacy was considered by many boxing fans and writers to be perhaps the best super middleweight in the world, with many of them feeling that Lacy would beat Calzaghe. However, as it turned out, Lacy was soundly beaten by Calzaghe, who swept every round and gave Lacy a tremendous beating during much of the way.
By Chris Williams: Former IBF super middleweight champion Jeff Lacy (24-1, 17 KOs) battled long and hard on Wednesday night winning a 10-round majority decision over Colombian journeyman Epifanio Mendoza (28-6-1, 24 KOs) at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, in Cabazon, California. The final judges’ scores were 96-94, 97-93 and 95-95. I had Mendoza winning the fight by one round, although I could see the fight being scored a draw, but definitely not a victory for Lacy. He did little after the 5th round, and appeared to lose the 6th though 9th rounds by a wide margin while also being badly hurt in the 2nd and 8th rounds. Given Mendoza’s lack of popularity among boxing fans, I wasn’t particularly surprised that he came out the losing end of the fight, but let’s not kid ourselves, Lacy, 31, didn’t come close to winning the fight and should consider himself very fortunate to have been given the gift decision. 
By Aaron Klein: Super middleweight Jeff Lacy (23-1, 17 KOs) returns to the ring tonight after a seven month layoff to face the powerful but slow Epifanio Mendoza (28-5, 24 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, in Cabazon, California. Lacy, 31, is still trying to get his once promising boxing career back on track after experiencing a humiliating 12-round unanimous decision loss to undefeated super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in March 2006. 
Showing only brief glimpses of his former power, super middleweight Jeff Lacy (23-1, 17 KOs) struggled badly in the process of defeating reality TV start Peter Manfredo Jr. (28-5, 13 KOs) by unanimous decision on Saturday night. It was the first fight for Lacy in a year, after having major shoulder surgery to repair a tear of his left rotator cuff which occurred in his last bout against Vitali Tsypko. If there was any question as to whether Lacy still possessed his awesome left hook it was answered early in the first few rounds, when Lacy rarely used his left hand at all, much less his left hook. The final judges’ scores were 95-94, 96-93 and 97-92, all for Lacy. 
Former International Boxing Federation Super middleweight champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy (22-1, 17 Kos) returns to action on the undercard of Ricky Hatton vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. against Peter Manfredo Jr. (28-4, 13 Kos) on December 8th, at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada. Lacy, 30, has been out of action since tearing his left rotator cuff in a bout with Vitali Tsypko on December 2, 2006. The injury to Lacy’s left shoulder involved a full thickness tear of the tendon, including a partial tear of the muscle as well. What made the injury even worse, however, is that it involves the side in which Lacy throws his left hook – his most dangerous weapon, in other words. Without his powerful left hook, Lacy becomes for all practical purposes and average fighter.