411 Boxing Fact or Fiction 12.01.09: Guzman, Bute, Hopkins-Jones, Mayweather-Pacquiao Venue

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 12.01.2009

Will Hopkins and Jones be victorious this week? Should the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight stay in Vegas IF it happens? Is Lucian Bute the best super middleweight in the world? Find out what our own Matt Knowles and Raymundo Dioses think on this week's edition of Fact or Fiction!



Alright everyone welcome back to this week's Fact or Fiction where we take six random statements and see if our writers agree or disagree along with their particular reasons. This week we have Raymundo Dioses of Ringside with Raymundo as he takes on Matt Knowles of The Prizefight Preview

I'll be the third man in the ring and judge so let's get it on!

Round 1: You'd favor Lucian Bute over half of the Super Six participants.

Matt Knowles: FACT - Considering his performance this past Saturday night, I'd make Bute the favorite over Taylor, Kessler, Dirrell, and Froch, and possibly even-money against either Ward or Abraham. He's got the fastest hands and best combinations at 168, and his style is one that would give any opponent fits. He's Canada's version of Joe Calzaghe at this point; a rapid-fire lefty who throws punches in bunches with great technique. I was one of Bute's most vocal doubters after the 1st Andrade fight; I no longer have those doubts today. Furthermore, the winner of the Showtime tourney may, sadly, have earned the title as the #2 fighter in the division. Bute might in fact be that good.

Raymundo Dioses: FACT - Lucien Bute did look great in knocking out Librado Andrade, and shows he does have stoppage power, however the European half of the Super Six tounrnament (Froch, Abraham, and possibly still Kessler) have the same, if not more power than Bute. Bute is physically fit, however looks to be a smaller super middleweight when matches against the ‘Euro Super Six'. Its no doubt Bute would be a strong opponent for any Super Six fighter, yet I wouldn't favor him above any of them.

However, Bute would probably beat the U.S. portion of the Super Six, (Taylor, Dirrell and possibly Ward). It would be a nice dymanic to have Bute represent Canada and make it three countries in the Super Six.

Score: 1 for 1

Round 2: Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones will be victorious in their respective bouts this week.

Matt Knowles: FACT - Although B-Hop has an incredibly soft-touch in Ornelas, Jones is in much deeper water against a seasoned veteran in Danny Green. If Roy is on his A-game, he should be able to box circles around Green and win a relatively easy decision. Considering Superman Roy's last couple of performances, I expect to see him win in convincing fashion. This being said, both Roy and Bernard are a solid decade past their respective primes, and they gotta get old one of these days, so an upset (or 2) wouldn't be the craziest thing to happen this year in boxing. Still, I see each man getting through their bouts with relative ease, while advancing to the rematch that's been over a decade-and-a-half-in-the-making

Raymundo Dioses: FACT - Hopkins and Jones will be victorious in their bouts this week. Offhand, I hardly remember who Hopkins is fighting, (is it Ornelas?) but it doesn't matter. Jones will face Danny Green, who talks a big hype and all, yet both Jones and Hopkins put themselves against opponents that they cant beat, not the other way around.

Score: 2 for 2


Round 3: Having a possible Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight outside of Las Vegas doesn't make sense.

Matt Knowles: FACT - The city of Las Vegas NEEDS this match. It's no secret that "the E-word" has had a horrible effect on Sin City's bottom line, and an event like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao would give the town a much-needed financial boost. The notion of Steve Wynn building a 30,000 seat venue specifically for the bout in the Old Frontier implosion area would immediately draw interest from major corporate sponsors, since there would be no specific name to the venue, and the promoters and financial backers could start from scratch with advertising. Oh yeah, there's also the two combatants, Floyd and Manny, who draw big crowds and have international cross-over appeal that would reel-in tens of thousands of non-attending fans to the city, who could watch the bout on closed circuit TV.

Aside from these reasons, what other town would even be in the running? The brand-new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington is appealing, since it is easily the most advanced sports facility on the planet, but the Texas commission is one of the…ahem, most questionable in the sport, and nobody wants a repeat of Whitaker vs. Chavez. Madison Square Garden is always in the running, but neither fighter is exactly a household name back east. So, by necessity/default, I can't see any town takin' this fight away from Vegas.

Raymundo Dioses: FICTION - In the words of DJ Quik, this fight does make DOLLARS outside of Vegas, but doesn't make SENSE to people involved with Vegas. If held outside Vegas, the MGM and surrounding casinos would lose out on the extra business the fight would bring on that weekend. The powers that be want this fight in Vegas, yet the fight will make money anywhere else it would happen to take place, if properly promoted. Look, a 30,000 to 60,000 seat arena would most likely sell out, or come close to selling out in any major city in America for this fight. Now if Vegas comes through and builds a 30,000 outdoor venue, so be it. But this fight is SELL, SELL, SELL, anywhere you put it.

Score: 2 for 3

And now for the championship rounds!

Round 4: This weekend's Williams vs. Martinez bout will go to the scorecards.

Raymundo Dioses: FICTION - Williams and Martinez is going to be a shootout, possibly even more so than Williams/Pavlik would have, could still have, or never will be. Martinez is underrated, and has no problem with it. He has said he has plans to knock out Williams, which should anger Williams, who is frustrated that he can't get anyone in the ring against him. To anger an already frustrated guy is not the best thing to do in boxing. While ringside at Williams last fight against Winky Wright, I thought that at any time Wright could just go down, due to the massive amount of punishment has was absorbing. Wright could have just picked any other Williams good shots, and chose to go down. Of course, Wright is a warrior and would never do something like that. Yet Martinez is toying with the wrong opponent, which should leave to both of them seeking, if not finding a stoppage victory before the final bell.

Matt Knowles: FACT - As much as I agree that the fight will be a shoot-out, the combatants in this one will most likely be firing off hundreds of pellets rather than any atomic bombs. Both Williams and Martinez have great offense, but neither of them are known as home run punchers. Plus we must take into account that they both have pretty ample beards when the going gets tough. I expect 12 great rounds of action but I'd also be surprised to see more than one knockdown or so in this contest.

Score: 2 for 4


Round 5: If Yuriorkis Gamboa handles Rogers Mtagwa without hiccup in January, you'd effectively favor him over Juan Manuel Lopez.

Raymundo Dioses: FACT - I'm going against the grain here, while it's known that one only need look no farther than comparing similar opponents, Gamboa is a defined as a lightly skilled boxer, yet highly skilled fighter. Gamboa is a pure shooter, with power at 122 that could be tested at higher weights. If Gamboa beats Mtawga when they meet, it won't be a decision victory, in which he outboxes Mtawga. It will be a stoppage on a knockout or cuts. To this point in his career, Gamboa has shown he's a fighter first, boxer second. While I have no problem at all with that, especially when it leads to positive results, I don't think Gamboa, with a win over Mtawga, will become a favorite in the eventual showdown with Juan Manuel Lopez.

Matt Knowles: FACT - If you mean "handles Rogers Mtgawa" as in a dominant KO performance, then I would certainly have to favor Gamboa, strictly on the basis of having built up so much momentum. As great as Lopez has been, the Mtgawa war may have resulted in some potential lasting effects, a factor which we won't be able to evaluate at least until his title clash with Steven Lueveno. Gamboa, while prone to KD's, has a style that could potentially give Lopez all kinds of issues at center ring. Either way, this will definitely be a star-making performance for one (or both) of the fighters; it's a great style clash which will be feuled by a potentially hot crowd at MSG on a big fight weekend. Can't wait for that one!

Score: 3 for 5


Round 6: You don't want to see another world title fight take place in Canada, despite the hot crowds. (see Bute-Andrade I, Guzman-Funeka).

Raymundo Dioses: FICTION - I've got no problem with those Canadians, eh. Look, boxing is a worldwide sport, that doesn't have the calendars of the major sports (baseball, basketball, football). Boxing is year round, baby. Boxing should be the more the merrier, the more boxing in multiple continents the merrier. Boxing is unique in that aspect, having a worldwide appeal, and could be compared to soccer as a worldwide sport. There is also this thing called the Olympics that boxing is involved in. And MMA heads think boxing is going down the drain? Not a chance.

Matt Knowles: FACT - At this point, it wouldn't really be fair for any country/provence/state/city to be banished from championship boxing based on a handful of bad officiating decisions. Seriously, can you name a town which has never hosted a shady fight? And with the boxing talent in Canada, combined with the rabid sports fans, it makes good business sense to stage more & more big fights at their venues. I can envision a Jean Pascal - Chad Dawson bout doing big business, with the winner fighting Lucian Bute in another north-of-the-border event. Mix Adrian Diaconu in there somewhere, and you have a solid 18 months of great Canadian boxing cards. Eh.

Final Score: 3 for 6

Now let's hear from you guys, Fact or Fiction?