411 Boxing Fact or Fiction 12.28.10: Chavez & Whitaker, Haye vs. The Klitschkos, Kelly Pavlik, More
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 12.28.2010
Will Bernard Hopkins hold light heavyweight gold by the end of 2011? Could Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker have beaten Pacquiao or Mayweather in their prime? Have we seen the last of Kelly Pavlik? 411's Matt Knowles and Raymundo Dioses debate these questions and more in this week's 411 Fact or Fiction: Boxing!
Round 1: David Haye will back out of a Klitschko fight again in 2011.
Raymundo Dioses: Fiction - I am hoping that I am right in thinking that Haye will finally step up and fight in the ring instead of verbally and with mock t-shirts of the Klitschko's. Haye's alliance with promotional company Golden Boy Promotions should pressure Haye into finally stepping into the ring next year. Haye was even the one to offer up a 50/50 split this go around, one of the terms that was met with a little hesitance the last time around due to both Klitschko's thinking they were the A side to Haye's B. The main, the main, THE MAIN factor when signing a fight usually seems to be the purse split. With this already negotiated, the only major hurdle left should be the site; United States or Europe? Either destination is a guaranteed high pay day for both fighters, and hopefully all leads well into a showdown that fans have been waiting sometime for.
Matt Knowles: Fiction - Say what you will about David Haye's ego-trips at the negotiating table; this guy has unified the cruiserweight titles, won a heavyweight trinket, defended it twice, while making millions of dollars, and absorbing very little punishment in the ring. He's got under-rated boxing skills and a right hand with evil intentions, which makes for a tricky equation against any potential foe. I think he knows the business end of boxing pretty well also, and a Klitschko encounter will only be highly profitable if it takes place in the next 12 months. I expect a Summer encounter at a European soccer field to be named later, with 50,000 fanatics watching a meaningful heavyweight title fight (who knew they still existed?).
Scorecard: 1 for 1
Round 2: Neither Evander Holyfield, Jeff Lacy nor Roy Jones Jr. will retire next year.
Raymundo Dioses: Fact - All three of these former champions will continue to throw their fists for pay in 2011. Holyfield already has one, if not two if I'm not mistaken, fights scheduled for next year. Lacy recently lost a tough decision in his hometown, so that's no way that any fighter wants to go out. Jones Jr., perhaps still itching due to fellow fighters and former opponents Tarver and Hopkins fighting on, will prompt him to do the same. Sadly, neither of the three stand a chance at this point in their careers of making any significant title bids, and even if one of them did, it is highly doubtful any will ever wear another title on their waist.
Matt Knowles: Fiction - Alright, ONE of 'ems gotta hang up the gloves in 2011. For better or worse, Evander's not going anywhere, so he won't be the guy. I'm thinking Roy Jones will have 1-2 send-off bouts in Pensacola next year, followed by a renewed dedication to broadcasting as an HBO color commentator (wishful thinking: Steward is quality, but boring), so he'd be my choice to be the one who retires for good. Jeff Lacy...I mean is anyone more unpredictable than Left Hook? Your guess is as good as mine....
Scorecard: 1 for 2
Round 3: Montiel vs. Donaire will be a Fight of the Year candidate.
Raymundo Dioses: Fact - Montiel is known to bring the goods, and Donaire has quietly made his way onto boxing top ten lists. The lower weights generally throw more punches than the bigger fist throwers, which should lead to fireworks. Donaire is coming off a sensational stoppage in which he scored multiple knockdowns and entertained an electrified crowd in Anaheim, California. Meanwhile Montiel boasts double the amount of knockouts Donaire owns, (34 to 17) and has stopped seven of his last ten opponents. Add on the WBC and WBO belts and each fighter has major incentives to provide a quality win in their HBO televised fight. Much has been made that the cable network is banking the smaller divisions, and they could continue such if Donaire and Montiel put on a worthwhile show.
Matt Knowles: Fact - This fight has "Bout #1 of epic trilogy" written all over it. For years, these two guys have bounced around the lighter weight classes, picking off opponents from across the globe. Now, we finally get the two best little men in boxing in the same ring, on an appropriately-promoted HBO Boxing After Dark main event. I'm a huge Montiel fan, having seen him compete in title bouts in both Reno and Vegas, but I know he can be a willing target at times, and Nonito Donaire has been on-target with his bombs in recent bouts. Although I'm rooting for a Montiel decision W, the prediction's gotta be a late KO victory for the Filipino destroyer, but nevertheless a great fight regardless of who wins "the 1st encounter."
Scorecard: 2 for 3
And now for the championship rounds!
Round 4: Bernard Hopkins will regain a piece of the light heavyweight championship before the end of 2011.
Matt Knowles: Fact - When you look at the landscape at 175, there's more than one route that The Executioner can take to regain some gold. The obvious choice would be the Pascal rematch/winner of Pascal-Dawson rematch for the WBC strap (depending on which gets signed 1st). At this stage, I'd take Bernard to eek-out a decision against either of those two guys. The winner of the Shumenov-Brahmer WBA/WBO unification fight may want an immediate big-$ bout, and Hopkins would be a likely option. Then you've got IBF kingpin Tavoris Cloud, who had 2 solid defenses recently, and looks like he's ready to lock horns with the big names in the division. Sky's the limit for B-Hop and his 2011 options.
Raymundo Dioses: Fact - I believe being promoted by juggernaut Golden Boy Promotions, coupled with his unbelievable conditioning, even at nearing 50 years of age, should lead to a rematch with Jean Pascal or even Chad Dawson if Pascal chooses to face Dawson next and loses. Hopkins is hard to ignore, especially with his last performance in which some believe B-Hop deserved the nod in Canada. Hopkins is not anywhere near done hanging em' up and prides himself on being the modern day Archie Moore. These facts should, and probably will, lead to at least one more significant bout, if not many, for Hopkins in 2011; and beyond!
Scorecard: 3 for 4
Round 5: We've seen the last of Kelly Pavlik inside the ring.
Matt Knowles: Fiction - Boxers? Retiring?!?! ERRONEOUS on all counts! Pavlik isn't that old, and hasn't been in a ton of brutal wars; he's just not the #1 middleweight in the world anymore, which isn't a big deal, as long as his fights are entertaining to the pay-cable audience. One way or another, The Ghost will be back in a boxing ring. A fight with IBF champ Lucian Bute at 168 would be a quality scrap, as would an overseas encounter with an also-aging WBA middleweight king Felix Sturm. Kelly Pavlik will be a factor again folks; maybe not for long, but sooner than later.
Raymundo Dioses: Fiction - I believe that after Pavlik gets his stuff straight by finishing rehab, boxing will gladly embrace him with open arms. Pavlik still is promoted by heavy hitter Top Rank, has a great team around him, and has been featured on many HBO broadcasts; both PPV and Championship Boxing. Most times, it's not who you are, (we're looking at yuo, Berto) it's who you know. Pavlik and Co. will still have the connections for a Pavlik return; its up to Pavlik to resurrect his career. Although Pavlik has already waged many wars in ths ring, he is still a young 28, and will turn 29 in April 2011. Still plenty time to come back if he wishes; hell, look at how long Hopkins plans to fight.
Scorecard:
Round 6: In their primes, Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez could have beaten either Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Matt Knowles: Fact - In a fantasy-bookie scenario, I may favor Pacquiao over Chavez, and Mayweather over either of 'em. However, if we're asking if a prime Sweet Pea Whitaker "could" beat someone around his weight class, the answer will always be yes. As the best technical boxer of his (or just about any) generation of fighters, Pernell would be an odds-on favorite to earn a decision against just about any quality opponent of the past 50 years that you could name. Seriously fight freaks: throw some welterweight names out there that would be favored to beat the 1994 version of Pernell Whitaker. Bring it!!!
Raymundo Dioses: Fiction - This is probably the hardest question I've ever answered on Fact or Fiction! It could realistically go either way, with a strong case made for both. I'm going with the modern day answer, which is that Pacquiao and Mayweather both posses more overall qualities than both Whitaker and Chavez. These fights would be both tactical warfare and an exchange of fire that would delight boxing fans. However, I believe it is the latter, that being fire power, that would lead to both Chavez and Whitaker being stopped or KTFO. Don't get me wrong, neither Pacquiao or Mayweather would rout Whitaker or Chavez, but it's just easier to see Pac and May making changes mid-fight to fell both of these opponents. I could see Pacquiao knocking out either, and Mayweather out-pointing and possibly stopping both.
Chavez would defeat Mayweather in his prime. It would probably be a controversial win but a win anyways. Chavez and Pac-Man would wage epic wars that would have at least two rematches with both haveing at least one win. Whitaker would probably have toss up fights with both fighters.
Posted By: laparkinator (Guest) on December 28, 2010 at 01:48 AM
In regards to how Mayweather would fare vs Chavez and Sweet Pea, i think it would come down to fighting spirit. Mayweather doesn't have the fighting spirit that would put him in a Meldrick Taylor situation, which is the only way Chavez would have a chance to be Pretty Boy; Mayweather W12 UD. But that lack of fighing spirit, and being overly cautious would cost him against Whitaker, who was as slick as anyone ever has been, but would bring the fight to any opponent, and be able to steal rounds from Floyd based on his aggression; Whitaker W12 MD
Posted By: jojo (Guest) on December 28, 2010 at 09:20 AM
Pacquiao destroys JC Pooperstar, Lloyd Hayfeather and String Bean within 11 rounds each
PACMANIA
Posted By: Joe Mama (Guest) on December 28, 2010 at 01:24 PM
Mayweather vs. Whitaker, for a boxing purist's perspective, would've probably been the most anticipated welerterweight fight to be made between prime fighters of the last 30 years. I'd still pick Mayweather to eek out the win, but it'd be a barnburner of a fight. Mayweather vs. Chavez Jr, on the other hand, would've likely have been a lopsided victory for Mayweather, for the simple fact that Pretty Boy Floyd would be bringing beyond a full tool kit to the table, dominating JCC in every fighting aspect, outside of probably body punching.
In terms of how Pacquiao would match up, I honestly believe he'd be blown out and exposed by both fighters. Sweet Pea's technical skills would've given PacMan utter fits, and the skills that Chavez would bring to the table would make the whoppin that JMM put on Pacquiao look like an even fight.
Posted By: scipio2009 (Guest) on December 28, 2010 at 02:33 PM
i think we should all know Evander Holyfield, Jeff Lacy and Roy Jones Jr will NOT retire till they get KTFO...wait Jones already did. lol
Posted By: Loso (Guest) on December 28, 2010 at 07:34 PM
Ridiculous Raymundo on Chavez! Chavez would KO Pacquiao easily. Pacquiao would come forward which was Chavez's game. Chavez's good chin would walk through Pacs punches and eventually Chavez would KO Pac.
Posted By: Chavez vs Pac (Guest) on December 28, 2010 at 07:44 PM
Jones isnt going anywhere. What little money he can still make fighting bartenders will keep him going. The Real Deal will,to the dismay of many,keep rolling along, putting a down-payment on brain damage for his golden years. Lacy will retire. Of the 3, his name sells the least amount of tickets. I think the demand for Lacy,or lack thereof, will make his mind up for him.
Posted By: HHH (Guest) on December 31, 2010 at 04:25 PM
Chavez and Whitaker get and deserve more respect than Mayweather and Pacquaio mainly because they actually stepped inside the ring against each other. Matter of fact so do De la Hoya and Trinidad. Mayweather and Pacquaio are the Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie of boxing.
Posted By: FredHampton (Registered) on January 03, 2011 at 06:16 PM
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Raymundo Dioses: Fiction - I am hoping that I am right in thinking that Haye will finally step up and fight in the ring instead of verbally and with mock t-shirts of the Klitschko's. Haye's alliance with promotional company Golden Boy Promotions should pressure Haye into finally stepping into the ring next year. Haye was even the one to offer up a 50/50 split this go around, one of the terms that was met with a little hesitance the last time around due to both Klitschko's thinking they were the A side to Haye's B. The main, the main, THE MAIN factor when signing a fight usually seems to be the purse split. With this already negotiated, the only major hurdle left should be the site; United States or Europe? Either destination is a guaranteed high pay day for both fighters, and hopefully all leads well into a showdown that fans have been waiting sometime for. 
Raymundo Dioses: Fact - All three of these former champions will continue to throw their fists for pay in 2011. Holyfield already has one, if not two if I'm not mistaken, fights scheduled for next year. Lacy recently lost a tough decision in his hometown, so that's no way that any fighter wants to go out. Jones Jr., perhaps still itching due to fellow fighters and former opponents Tarver and Hopkins fighting on, will prompt him to do the same. Sadly, neither of the three stand a chance at this point in their careers of making any significant title bids, and even if one of them did, it is highly doubtful any will ever wear another title on their waist. 
Raymundo Dioses: Fact - Montiel is known to bring the goods, and Donaire has quietly made his way onto boxing top ten lists. The lower weights generally throw more punches than the bigger fist throwers, which should lead to fireworks. Donaire is coming off a sensational stoppage in which he scored multiple knockdowns and entertained an electrified crowd in Anaheim, California. Meanwhile Montiel boasts double the amount of knockouts Donaire owns, (34 to 17) and has stopped seven of his last ten opponents. Add on the WBC and WBO belts and each fighter has major incentives to provide a quality win in their HBO televised fight. Much has been made that the cable network is banking the smaller divisions, and they could continue such if Donaire and Montiel put on a worthwhile show. 
Matt Knowles: Fact - When you look at the landscape at 175, there's more than one route that The Executioner can take to regain some gold. The obvious choice would be the Pascal rematch/winner of Pascal-Dawson rematch for the WBC strap (depending on which gets signed 1st). At this stage, I'd take Bernard to eek-out a decision against either of those two guys. The winner of the Shumenov-Brahmer WBA/WBO unification fight may want an immediate big-$ bout, and Hopkins would be a likely option. Then you've got IBF kingpin Tavoris Cloud, who had 2 solid defenses recently, and looks like he's ready to lock horns with the big names in the division. Sky's the limit for B-Hop and his 2011 options.
Matt Knowles: Fiction - Boxers? Retiring?!?! ERRONEOUS on all counts! Pavlik isn't that old, and hasn't been in a ton of brutal wars; he's just not the #1 middleweight in the world anymore, which isn't a big deal, as long as his fights are entertaining to the pay-cable audience. One way or another, The Ghost will be back in a boxing ring. A fight with IBF champ Lucian Bute at 168 would be a quality scrap, as would an overseas encounter with an also-aging WBA middleweight king Felix Sturm. Kelly Pavlik will be a factor again folks; maybe not for long, but sooner than later.
Matt Knowles: Fact - In a fantasy-bookie scenario, I may favor Pacquiao over Chavez, and Mayweather over either of 'em. However, if we're asking if a prime Sweet Pea Whitaker "could" beat someone around his weight class, the answer will always be yes. As the best technical boxer of his (or just about any) generation of fighters, Pernell would be an odds-on favorite to earn a decision against just about any quality opponent of the past 50 years that you could name. Seriously fight freaks: throw some welterweight names out there that would be favored to beat the 1994 version of Pernell Whitaker. Bring it!!!
