tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53292274895553223632024-03-05T01:50:38.364-08:00Ultimate Fight ClubMMA, UFC, Boxing, Wrestling, Batista MMA, Fighting equipment, fighting nutritionUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-65772340864202679712011-11-01T06:51:00.000-07:002011-11-04T06:51:00.114-07:00Katsidis fireworks could ruin Burns' night<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">On paper there’s little doubt that this Saturday night will be the toughest of Ricky Burns’ career. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Scotland</st1:country-region>’s former world featherweight champion moves up in weight – and in class – to face <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s fearsome Michael Katsidis for the WBO strap.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Katsidis is well-known to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> fight fans, having destroyed home favourite Kevin Mitchell inside three rounds at a partisan Upton Park back in May, 2010. That night Mitchell, who later claimed that significant personal problems undermined his preparation, had no answer to the trademark ferocity of Katsidis and was brutally dispatched.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Burns will enter the ring in Wembley Arena an underdog, and it’s perfectly understandable. Katsidis has been in with names such as Robert Guerrero, Juan Manuel Marquez and Joel Casamayor. Whilst unsuccessful, he tested them all with his power and all-action style.</span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><u1:p></u1:p></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The Scot is new to lightweight, and though he insists he’ll be stronger for not having the discomfort of having to boil down to an unnatural weight class, he’s not faced anyone as heavy-handed as the Australian.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But to rule Burns out altogether would be a foolish move. Critics insist he lacks the power to fend off Katsidis as he marauds forward. But he’s never relied on power. He’s a clever fighter, schooled by the canny Billy Nelson. Nelson always has his man in tip-top condition and if the fight goes into the later rounds, it will be familiar territory for Burns.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">He’s no stranger to the underdog status either. Arguably his greatest night came in September last year when he took on the reigning, and unbeaten, WBO strapholder Roman Martinez. Recovering from a disastrous first round knockdown, Burns outlasted the Puerto Rican with a display full of energy and heart to claim a unanimous decision.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">He’ll need every ounce of energy and every bit of guts if he’s to get the win on Saturday.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But don’t bet against him shocking the world again.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Ralph Welch<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">@ralphwelch</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-12431648480316732112011-10-29T00:38:00.000-07:002011-10-29T15:14:25.939-07:00A week in MMA: Mitrione and Kongo go menstrual; The incredible shrinking Country; Cerrone saddles up his... pony?<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">28 October, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Mitrione and Kongo go menstrual<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">After his unbelievable comeback against Pat Barry in what many MMA fans consider the fight of the year, Cheick Kongo need do little to hype his next appearance in the Octagon – against Matt Mitrione.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">And it’s probably a good thing, judging by the bizarre pre-fight jibes both have made this week. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Mitrione, who so impressed everyone with his dominant KO of Christian Morecraft last time out, suggested in an interview that he was going to “get Kongo pregnant”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">It was a puzzling comment, and perhaps one that Kongo ought to have ignored, but the Frenchman doesn’t duck a fight – whether it’s physical or verbal. He responded by saying that he was going to “give Mitrione his period”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">To his credit the always-unflappable interviewer, Ariel Helwani, managed to safely negotiate the choppy waters of MMA menstrual cycles and reach the safer ground of Saturday night’s co-main event at UFC 137.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">This will be Mitrione’s first appearance at the top of the card and his performance against Kongo will determine quite how far the Ultimate Fighter alumnus has progressed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">His big-punching style, coupled with Kongo’s willingness to swing for the fence should ensure a spectacular encounter.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">The incredible Shrinking Country<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">He’s been the subject of stinging criticism by no less than UFC supremo Dana White about his appearance, but <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Roy</st1:place></st1:city> “Big Country” Nelson has always maintained that his rotund physique is here to stay.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Indeed, he recently launched a passionate defence against his many detractors, stating:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">“It’s just because people are mean. I look in the mirror every day, my wife thinks I’m beautiful. Looks are in the eye of the beholder.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">However, there was a ripple of excitement this week <a href="http://www.cagetoday.com/ufc-137-skinny-roy-nelson-to-face-mirko-cro-cop/">when a seemingly trimmer Nelson was pictured next to Forrest Griffin</a>. Has Nelson secretly been dieting? Are we going to see a leaner and meaner version of the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city> slugger?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">The 35 year-old is facing probably the most important night of his career when he takes on Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic this weekend. After two defeats in succession, the MMA vultures are circling and many speculate that a loss for Nelson could lead to his removal from the UFC roster.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">His opponent is in an eerily similar situation. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">After recent losses to Brendan Schaub and Frank Mir, “Cro Cop” has admitted that it’s win or bust for him:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">“To lose three times in a row will be a disaster for me, but even if that happens, I’ll survive. I have two kids. I have to live for them. But it’ll be a disaster.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Two bruising fighters, both with a point to prove. Diet or no diet: this is a recipe for a great fight in Vegas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Don “Cowboy” Cerrone saddles up his… pony?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">There’s an old saying that goes “be careful what you wish for” and one that UFC featherweight Nam Phan may do well to heed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">After his spectacular decision victory over Leonard Garcia at UFC 136, which earned both a “Fight of the Night” bonus, Phan allegedly criticised Garcia’s coaches for making him a “one-trick pony”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://mmajunkie.com/news/25812/ufc-137s-donald-cerrone-after-one-trick-pony-i-want-nam-phan-at-145-pounds.mma">This angered Garcia’s friend and stablemate lightweight contender Don Cerrone</a>. The “Cowboy” is on a five-fight winning streak and faces Denis Siver this weekend. However, he’s already set his sights on Phan, even if it means dropping to a lower weight class.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">“Kong” aims to bounce back<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Injuries are an unfortunate reality of any pro fighter’s career. For many, the punishment of being away from the sport - and their means of paying the bills - is far more hurtful than anything they receive in combat.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">For British star Tom “Kong” Watson, the experience has been particularly painful. <a href="http://sport.uk.msn.com/blog/the-fighter-blogpost.aspx?post=21e7b8d7-0fb7-4bc4-b3b7-c26c02d71c81">In his honest and thoughtful blog</a>, Watson spoke of his frustration at being laid up with a back injury at a crucial time in his career.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Watson was <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5329227489555322363&postID=1243164848031673211" name="_GoBack"></a>on the brink of one of the biggest fights of his life against ex-UFC veteran Frank Trigg when the injury struck. He’d earned a reputation as one of the most dangerous fighters outside of Zuffa-owned organisations and was spearheading BAMMA’s rise on the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">We all wish him a speedy recovery. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial;">@ralphwelch<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-82674323759886115072011-10-23T12:34:00.000-07:002011-10-23T12:38:59.296-07:00The weekend wrap: Nonito’s non-event; Solid win for Williams; Booth passes the torch<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">24 October, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Nonito’s non-event<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Ever since Nonito Donaire’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBYD_q2g9C0">spectacular KO of Fernando Montiel</a> in February, the heavy-handed Filipino has been thrust into the limelight drawing inevitable comparisons with fellow countryman Manny Pacquiao. Indeed, many commentators see Donaire as a potential heir to the pound-for-pound throne when “Pacman” eventually hangs up his gloves.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">However, with increased profile comes increased expectation. And with a big crowd at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Madison</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Square</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Garden</st1:placetype></st1:place>, Donaire’s promoters Top Rank – who fought a <a href="http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/6806756/nonito-donaire-reconciles-top-rank-signs-new-deal">very bloody public battle with arch-rivals Golden Boy</a> for his services – were hoping their charge would add to his growing reputation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">His opponent for the bantamweight title, Omar Narvaez, was predicted to test him early on but ultimately the fans in attendance were expecting another entry on Donaire’s highlight reel of knockouts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">However, it takes two to produce a spectacle. And whereas Montiel had gone in with genuine ambition, the wily Narvaez seemed content to just survive the 12 rounds and escape with his senses intact. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">In truth, it was scrappy fare and the fans voted with their feet, streaming away in their droves before the announcement that Donaire had won the most unanimous of decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Even the best suffer nights like this. Sometimes in boxing a win is a win. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Solid win keeps Williams on track<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">If Nonito Donaire’s travails were somewhat unexpected, few were surprised by the difficulties that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Leon</st1:place></st1:country-region> “Solid” Williams encountered in Bethnal Green on Friday night.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Fan favourite Williams challenged the evergreen Rob Norton, 39, for the British Cruiserweight crown. Norton has been inactive for 20 months, partly due to injury and partly due to promoter reluctance to stage his fights.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The Stourbridge man has an unorthodox, awkward style that is highly effective but low on entertainment. TV bosses may not like it, but it has earned Norton considerable success with the judges and he went into Friday’s battle a former Commonwealth strapholder.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">However, on this occasion the officials plumped for the more muscular work rate of the challenger in a predictably cagey affair. Williams’ vociferous supporters, whose sheer noise may have swayed the judges, will hope that this heralds a new era for the domestic cruiserweight scene. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Norton’s prospects are unclear. He may with some justification, ask for a rematch. But his appeal is likely to fall on deaf ears. Whatever happens, he can justly be proud of a career that has brought him five titles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Booth passes the torch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As a rule, promoters generally receive little good press. Too often they become scapegoats for many of boxing’s ills: rotten mismatches and exploiting fighters for their own gain. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">However, it was hard to aim that criticism at Frank Maloney on Saturday night in <st1:place w:st="on">Bolton</st1:place>. The veteran promoter, who stood by Lennox Lewis in the heavyweight’s heyday, showed great compassion when he halted Jason Booth’s defence of his British super bantamweight strap versus unbeaten Scott Quigg.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Booth is a 15-year veteran of the sport, whose greatest battles have often been fought outside of the ring. His <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/boxing-booth-set-for-another-bonus-after-keeping-demons-at-bay-1889971.html">return from alcoholism and the brink of suicide to title glory</a> has been truly inspirational. But there’s a famous saying in boxing that there comes a fight when a boxer gets old overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Booth, 34, was overpowered by the relentless attacks of rising star Quigg, who seemed so much heavier and stronger than the champion. By the end of the seventh, it was clear that the champion had no chance of winning. Maloney’s concern was clear for all to see, and the decision spared Booth further punishment that he didn’t deserve.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Booth, who admitted that he lacks power at super bantamweight, will face a difficult choice over the coming weeks: retirement or a move to prolong his career at a lower weight class.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Whatever he chooses, he’ll do so with the appreciation of fight fans across the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Twitter: @ralphwelch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-36629761374389840182011-10-21T05:08:00.000-07:002011-10-21T05:08:13.105-07:00Griffin accepts reality as career enters final chapter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26xsS63PTliDf7JNnOgKlMEMRlmHyds61cf-y7MgXliDVYbST6NbhrNbAk5KYI_57j9K540UGvBiuMCvClAdpkOBuynYClh-TsJWKf5atXuuUHSgvA2_RYrCo8FiSSZE3duzhyg2c1Q/s1600/griffin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222px" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh26xsS63PTliDf7JNnOgKlMEMRlmHyds61cf-y7MgXliDVYbST6NbhrNbAk5KYI_57j9K540UGvBiuMCvClAdpkOBuynYClh-TsJWKf5atXuuUHSgvA2_RYrCo8FiSSZE3duzhyg2c1Q/s320/griffin.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He’s a former policeman, a reality TV star, a published author and a mixed martial artist of some repute. But popular UFC light-heavyweight <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Griffin">Forrest Griffin</a> is also, as he puts it, “a painful realist.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This week, in the latest instalment of his fascinating <a href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/346321/Forrest-Griffin-It-quit-being-fun-when-I-realized-I-wasnt-getting-better/">UFC 134 blog</a>, <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Griffin</city></place> did what many fighters find impossible: he accepted his own mortality. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">With the sort of brutal honesty for which he is renowned, the <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ohio</place></state> native admitted for the first time that his career is in decline: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Arial;">“It quit being fun when I realized I wasn’t getting better. I’m plateauing or almost getting worse sometimes. One of the essential elements to have in this is your perceived expectation of the future, and I’m a painful realist, so I realized that I’m not going to get better; this is it. It’s only gonna get worse from here on and you fight as much as you can, you fight until you don’t have it anymore, and then you fight a couple more times after that.”</span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The last line is particularly striking. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In the past year, fan favourites such as Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva have <a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/12/29/chuck-liddell-retires-from-mma-accepts-new-executive-position-w/">effectively been retired by UFC boss Dana White</a> after painful losing streaks. Despite their protestations to the contrary, White felt that their best days in the Octagon were long gone, fearing that their bravery would result in permanent damage.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Boxing too is littered with fighters who refuse to accept the inevitable. Some of the sport’s biggest names such as Roy Jones, Jr. and Evander Holyfield plough on despite their advancing years.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Both are mere shadows of their former selves but remain convinced that they can still reach the heights they scaled previously in their illustrious careers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Jones and Holyfield have claimed many big-name scalps, but in the battle with Old Father Time, there is only one winner. Pundits and fans accuse them of tarnishing their legacies by continuing to pursue a goal which is becoming increasingly unreachable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Forrest Griffin seems unlikely to follow their lead.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Too often a fighter will trot out well-worn clichés about a “great training camp” and being in “the best shape of their career” before a contest. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There will doubtless be some sports psychologists out there who will claim that Griffin’s brand of honesty borders on defeatism; merely playing into the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hands of his opponent on Saturday, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Rather, Griffin should be respected for having the honesty and the perspective to evaluate his abilities in the cold light of day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s the same honesty in the Octagon that has endeared him to millions of UFC fans. They appreciate the feats of a man who’s given them such notable wars with Stephan Bonnar, Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson amongst others.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Through hard work and determination, Forrest Griffin has earned his reputation as a true warrior of the sport, a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBljj6MGySw">fighter unafraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone the UFC puts in front of him</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">So if Mauricio Rua thinks that he’s given up already, then he should definitely think again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ralph Welch</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Twitter: @ralphwelch</span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-84280854653222647832011-08-08T14:20:00.000-07:002011-10-23T12:37:05.496-07:00Season’s beatings<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b><img src="http://www.boxingnews24.com/wp-content/uploads/chisora55553.jpg" /></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">August brings the traditional boxing season come to an end. Let’s look back at some of the highlights of 2010/11…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Fury-ous Five go boxing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Channel 5 brought boxing back to the masses, by televising the domestic dust-up between Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora. For those of us old enough to remember, it evoked memories of the early nineties when Eubank and Benn brought the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region> to a standstill on ITV.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Boxing has been criminally ignored by terrestrial stations since then, and it’s only thanks to the passion and expertise of Sky Sports that the sport has prospered. Fans have clamoured for terrestrial stations to invest in boxing and bring it back to the mainstream, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears - until Channel 5 took a gamble on the British heavyweight title bout, promoted by Mick Hennessy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">They were rewarded handsomely. Nearly three million viewers tuned in to see a good old-fashioned domestic dust-up and they had the highest viewing figures in their timeslot. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hennessy insists that we’ll see more of Fury, and more boxing in general, on Channel 5. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And we couldn’t be happier.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Wrath of Khan<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Amir Khan’s rise to the upper echelons of the boxing world shows no sign of abating. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The ghosts of that brutal KO at the hands of Breidis Prescott in 2008 were exorcised as Khan survived some heart-stopping moments against Marcos Maidana. The big-punching Argentine had the <st1:place w:st="on">Bolton</st1:place> man in huge trouble in a ferocious tenth round assault but Khan gritted his teeth and proved his critics wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His subsequent domination of Zab <st1:country-region w:st="on">Judah</st1:country-region> gained him further recognition from the all-important <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> market and it seems a future contest with Floyd Mayweather is a genuine possibility. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When Khan won an Olympic silver medal at the <st1:city w:st="on">Athens</st1:city> in 2004, many predicted him to become one of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s best-ever fighters. 2012 could be the year that he fulfils that destiny.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sky is the limit for Froch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He’s been one of the most cruelly under-exposed fighters of recent times, but now Carl Froch seems destined for the global recognition he richly deserves. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His streak of fights reads like a who’s who of the super-middleweight division: Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham and Glen Johnson. Froch has packed his bags and travelled the globe to take on all-comers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The <st1:place w:st="on">Nottingham</st1:place> man now faces Andre Ward in the final of the troubled Super Six tournament. After that, a huge homecoming fight in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region></st1:place> seems on the cards. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now under new management, as part of the growing Matchroom stable, and back on Sky TV, the next year promises big things for “The Cobra”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><st1:city w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hopkins</span></b></st1:city><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <st1:place w:st="on">KOs</st1:place> Old Father Time <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He’s 46 years old, one of the most enigmatic fighters of his generation, and now the he’s the oldest world champion of all time. Bernard Hopkins defeated Jean Pascal, a full eighteen years his junior, for the WBC light-heavyweight strap and solidified his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He’s the most masterful defensive technician in the game, rarely takes a clean punch and has the uncanny ability of nullifying the best weapons in his opponent’s arsenal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Next up is Chad Dawson and Hopkins, who famously promised his mother that he’d retire at 40, is showing no sign of letting up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-47930784489339411902011-07-24T06:40:00.000-07:002011-10-23T12:46:44.862-07:00Mitchell chooses the right path<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"><b><img src="http://cache.betting.betfair.com/betting/KevinMitchell.jpg" /></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">July 18, 2010<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any, and every, part of your life in an instant.” ~Anthony Robbins<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As Kevin Mitchell savours Saturday’s thrilling victory over John Murray, he would do well to reflect on two key moments that changed the course of his career, and indeed his life. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The first of these moments occurred approximately six months ago. Slumped in an East End bar, and by his own admission £100k poorer after an eight-month drinking binge, the Dagenham man was trapped in a downward spiral of depression. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His relationship with Amanda, the mother of his two children, had disintegrated and seriously upset the preparations for his world title tilt against Australian Michael Katsidis in May 2010. Mitchell kept his home turmoil secret from trainer Jimmy Tibbs until moments before the fight. Tibbs watched on powerlessly as his under-prepared charge duly suffered a brutal KO in front of his adoring West Ham public. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Humiliated and heartbroken, Mitchell joined the long list of sportsmen who sought solace in alcohol – and found none. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At that particular moment, Mitchell was confronted by his parents, estranged for many years, but united in their concern for their son. The story goes that Mitchell was dragged from the premises and given an ultimatum: give up drinking or give up on everything you’ve worked so hard for. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mitchell listened and made a choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It was the right one.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He reunited with Tibbs, the man who’d guided him so carefully to the brink of global recognition. Still upset about what had unfolded in the dressing room before the Katsidis fight, Tibbs laid out the terms for their reconciliation; all or nothing. No booze, no distractions. Total dedication. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Fast forward six months to Saturday night at <st1:place w:st="on">Liverpool</st1:place>’s Echo Arena. Mitchell once again found himself on the brink as he returned to his corner after a fifth round mauling at the hands of rival John Murray. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The unbeaten Mancunian had dragged Mitchell into a dogfight, exactly what the Londoner had hoped to avoid, and was winning. Another big round could force a stoppage. A stoppage that would launch <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Murray</st1:place></st1:city>’s career into boxing’s stratosphere and almost certainly consign Mitchell’s to the scrapheap.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Unlike his battle with alcohol, this particular moment of truth offered no time for lengthy introspection. Mitchell had less than 60 seconds to make two choices: Did he have the mental strength to recover from adversity? Was he ready to place his faith in the tutelage of Jimmy Tibbs?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The answer was emphatic.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mitchell’s trainer sent him out with a clear message; follow the gameplan. Do what you do best. Box behind the jab and out manoeuvre <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Murray</st1:place></st1:city>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A huge seventh round was swiftly followed by a ruthless start to the eighth as Murray, who’d not been hurt in his previous 31 bouts, visited the canvas for the first time in his career. And from the jaws of defeat, Mitchell snatched victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The general belief is that at sport’s highest levels, where physical prowess is all but equal amongst the top competitors, the difference between victory and defeat can be in the mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">On Saturday night, Kevin Mitchell showed the boxing world reserves of mental strength that many doubted he still possessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And we were happy to be proved wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Follow on twitter: @ralphwelch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-46335138846143010332011-07-11T14:23:00.000-07:002011-07-11T14:27:02.678-07:00Brawls, Knockouts and Controversy - Boxing returns to form<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><img height="213" src="http://theboxingtribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/brandon-rios-celebrates1.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It’s been a week of introspection in the boxing universe. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Seven days previously the two most powerful pugilists on the planet had met in the Hamburg Arena. It was a fight two years in the making. A fight that had captured the imagination of the entire world. A fight that had commanded more global headlines and column inches than any other in recent times.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If you believed the hype, and it was inescapable, this was the fight that was going to re-ignite the public’s passion for boxing’s flagship division.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ultimately this titanic battle would indeed go down in history. Not for the bravery and mastery of the combatants, but for the fragility of a little toe.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It left many fans asking the question: should we <u>ever</u> believe the hype?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Thank goodness then for Brandon Rios. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This past Saturday the WBA lightweight champion and arch-rival Urbano Antillon gave us a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID5OpAOz-u8">toe-to-toe war that will live long in the memory</a>. More importantly, it restored our faith in the pre-fight posturing that is so crucial to the sport.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In this case, the trash talk had been particularly aggressive. In several spicy press exchanges Rios alleged that Antillon had insulted his wife, and duly vowed revenge. For his part, Antillon promised to meet his foe in the centre of the ring and settle their differences the old-fashioned way. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It was a promise that boxing fans had heard seven days previously. Only this time it most definitely delivered.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The only disappointment was that the fight didn’t last longer. For eight minutes and forty-nine seconds we were treated to a battle of such frenetic, ferocious intensity that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZvr0Bl_uPs">it provoked memories of the famous Gatti –Ward trilogy</a> of the previous decade.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After a stunned Antillon was felled for a second time, the referee wisely called the contest to a close. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But unlike Haye or Klitschko, when these two men lace up their gloves again, we’ll all be watching.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Williams return impresses judges, but not the fans<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Returning from a devastating knockout is perhaps the ultimate test of any fighter. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Many pundits had questioned whether Paul “The Punisher” Williams would have the mental strength to pick up the pieces of a career that had been <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3leRDXrbrs">so violently shattered by Sergio Martinez in November 2010</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">On Saturday night, Williams (40-2) returned the Boardwalk Hall in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlantic City</st1:place></st1:city>, the scene of that Halloween nightmare and sought to exorcise the ghosts that have haunted him since.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He faced a difficult challenger in unbeaten Cuban Erislandy Lara, but one that he was expected to beat comfortably.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In truth, over twelve rounds it was hard to make any kind of case for a Williams victory. Lara landed more punches and power shots, leaving Williams bruised and battered. At the final bell, “the Punisher” was left hoping for a huge slice of fortune in a venue which had been so brutally unforgiving in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Except that on this night the gods of fortune favoured him. The officials gifted him a highly questionable decision met with disbelief in the arena, and widespread cries of highway robbery amongst boxing commentators.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The vitriol directed towards Williams from some quarters has been relentless. He’s gone from being a former champion with a point to prove to a has-been fighter who stole a decision. Even by boxing standards, it’s a remarkable fall from grace. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Given the context in which Paul Williams fought, I suggest that it’s unfair. After all, he didn’t judge the fight. He entered the ring trying desperately to resurrect his career. As his dreams of a glorious comeback seemed to slip away with each attack, he didn’t give up. He gritted his teeth and hung in there, hoping that the unlikeliest of decisions would go his way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Whatever the result, whatever our opinion of the judges, on Saturday night in Atlantic City Paul Williams epitomised the bravery and courage that makes boxers such a special breed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">For that at least, he deserves nothing but praise.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-52008667381163755102011-07-06T11:52:00.000-07:002011-07-06T12:13:47.637-07:00Steward goes back to the future to cement a legacy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><img src="http://daleyus.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/klitschko-wlad1.jpg" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Was there a bigger smile anywhere in the Hamburg Arena this Saturday than that of Wladimir Klitschko’s trainer Emanuel Steward?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Even the torrential rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of a man who proved once again that the 76-year-old boxing oracle is peerless in his chosen profession.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wladimir Klitschko had completed his transformation from an awkward, stuttering giant with a suspect chin to a dominant, all-conquering heavyweight champion of the world. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A champion moulded by the evergreen Steward, the leader of that famous production line of champions, Detroit’s Kronk Gym. Steward has allied Klitschko’s natural physical gifts with a ring nous that makes him a supremely effective heavyweight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Saturday night’s dismissal of the brash and arrogant David Haye was his finest hour in their six-year association. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">His was a smile born not just out of satisfaction, but out of absolute, total familiarity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">You see, Emanuel Steward had been here before...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">One night in Memphis</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It had been nine years since the heavyweight division had seen an event of this magnitude. On the night in question, </span><date day="8" month="6" year="2002"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">June 8 2002</span></date><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">, Steward watched on from the corner as his charge, Lennox Lewis, faced his nemesis Mike Tyson.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This was a defining moment for Lewis. Despite his dominance, he was still a target for some critics who labelled his style as one-dimensional. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There were also questions about his punch resistance. Twice during his career he’d been the victim of brutal knockouts against unfancied opponents (Oliver McCall and Hasim Rachman).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Never mind the fact that he’d gone on to avenge both defeats. Never mind that he’d beaten all the names the governing bodies had put in front of him; they were decried as a poor crop in a division that had once boasted iconic fighters such as Foreman, Ali and Holmes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">According to his remaining critics, if Lewis was ever to be mentioned in the same breath as these legends then he he’d have to do more than victories over journeymen challengers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He needed a career-defining fight. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">His victory over Evander Holyfield had earned him some long-awaited plaudits but was marred by whispers that Holyfield was already a fighter in terminal decline.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">If Lewis was to silence those remaining doubters once and for all, he needed to beat the biggest puncher - and the biggest personality - that this sparse heavyweight landscape could offer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He needed to beat Mike Tyson.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The build-up had been infamous for Tyson’s increasingly low-class attempts to rattle his normally unflappable foe. It had started badly with Tyson proclaiming of Lewis that he wanted to “eat his children”. It got worse when he then bit Lewis’s shin during an unseemly brawl in front of the world’s media.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Briton remained typically dignified throughout, refusing to react to the baiting. With the wily Steward by his side, he was supremely confident in their gameplan to dispose of his arch-rival.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He was right. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Over eight utterly one-sided rounds, Lewis picked “Iron Mike” apart. Dominating behind the jab, the champion toyed with Tyson. He avoided the challenger’s wild attacks with ease before putting him out of his misery with a trademark right hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Two things happened that night; firstly, Lewis cemented his legacy as the greatest heavyweight of his era. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Secondly, Mike Tyson’s career as a top-class heavyweight was cruelly ended. He carried on, of course, but that night in </span><city><place><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Memphis</span></place></city><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> would forever haunt him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Doesn’t it all sound so incredibly familiar?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Back to the future</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">After his domination of David Haye, Wladimir Klitschko has proved himself, alongside brother Vitali, as the best of his generation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">His style may be unpalatable to some, but his record of 55 wins is truly remarkable. Whether he will ever be recognised as one of the great heavyweights to rank alongside Lewis and the other big names is entirely questionable. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Yet there is one fact that cannot, under any circumstance, ever be disputed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Emanuel Steward is one of the finest trainers in the history of the sweet science. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">He’s proved it in the past, the present...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">...and he’ll prove it again in the future.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ralph Welch</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Twitter: @ralphwelch</span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-85881330942289498402011-06-28T07:05:00.000-07:002011-07-06T12:14:04.595-07:00Weekend Wrap: “Rocky” moments make UFC event a knockout show<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><img height="213" src="http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/3300000/Cheick-Kongo-vs-Mostapha-Al-Turk-mma-3376199-550-367.jpg" width="320" /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“It ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit – and keep moving forward.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Rocky Balboa<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Will we ever see a more dramatic 30 seconds of mixed martial arts than the conclusion of the Pat Barry/ Cheick Kongo fight this past Sunday? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With Kongo knocked down twice in quick succession and the commentators screaming “IT’S OVER”, the Frenchman was staring not just at defeat, but at the end of his UFC career. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Out of nowhere, he dragged himself back up and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpZPBPIVVok">unleashed a right hand that will go down in Octagon history</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Pat Barry was on the floor, the crowd were off their seats.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What a sport.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Brenneman goes from zero to hometown hero<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Nate Marquardt’s dramatic withdrawal from the co-main event had briefly threatened to derail the whole show.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The UFC had invested a huge amount in promoting Marquardt’s bout with rising star Rick Story and his subsequent withdrawal – for a failed medical - remains shrouded in mystery.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dana White looked as disappointed as I’ve seen him when he announced that Marquardt would “never, ever fight in the UFC again.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">However, the UFC boss channelled that disappointment into finding a replacement and ensuring that fans weren’t short-changed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Step forward Charlie Brenneman. The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Pennsylvania</st1:state></st1:place> native and mid-card fighter took the fight at a day’s notice and duly upset red-hot favourite Rick Story.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The rapturous reception he got walking to the ring was only eclipsed by the jubilation when his hand was raised.in victory.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At that moment, I didn’t think he show could get any better.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">How wrong I was.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">@ralphwelch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-56949139516945848812011-06-27T12:28:00.000-07:002011-06-27T12:41:21.689-07:00Macklin woes should act as warning to Haye<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="199" src="http://www.theuksportsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/david-haye.jpg" width="320" /> </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If David Haye wasn’t already wary of the task that awaits him in Hamburg on Saturday, then he is now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This past Saturday he saw a fellow Briton go into the German equivalent of the lion’s den, outbox a hugely popular titleholder and come away empty-handed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">That man was Matthew Macklin.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Macklin learnt the hard way that the age-old maxim about <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region> being a “home” fighter’s territory is still entirely well-deserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Over 12 rounds, Macklin out-worked WBA middleweight strapholder and home favourite Felix Sturm. Whilst the latter’s power and accuracy were always a threat, Macklin consistently landed more punches in a tireless display. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His herculean effort went unrewarded. Sturm was the recipient of the sort of controversial split decision for which Germany is renowned.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There’s no denying that it was a close fight. But one could argue that the two judges who gave the fight 116-112 to Sturm were watching an entirely different sporting contest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So what does this mean for the “Hayemaker”? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ahead of his superfight with Wladimir Klitschko, much attention has been focussed on the strength of the combatants’ chins. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Haye supporters feel that the Bermondsey man has the brute force to KO a man who has been on the canvas twelve times in his career. Others believe that Haye, himself no stranger to the canvas, has never faced anyone with Klitschko’s knockout power. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The general feeling is that we’re in for an explosive contest and that Haye’s best chance of victory will come in those early rounds. Avoiding Klitschko’s merciless right hand at all costs, he needs to take big risks to get into range and land the big shots that will poleaxe the giant Ukrainian. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Risk” is not a word one frequently associates with Haye’s trainer and mentor Adam Booth. Booth’s incredibly meticulous approach to boxing strategy has earned him the moniker “The Dark Lord” by his own fighters. His finest achievement of late came in the Groves-DeGale showdown. Thanks to Booth’s tactical mastery, the unfancied <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Groves</st1:place></st1:city> nullified his more gifted rival en route to the tightest of tight points victories.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I expect Booth’s gameplan for Klitschko to centre around David’s speed and agility, not dissimilar to the tactic that earned Haye victory over Nikolai Valuev in 2009. That night the giant Russian barely landed a single punch. Haye danced his way to the title, landing infrequent jabs to the midsection in an effective, if uninspiring, display.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yet Klitschko, schooled in recent years by legendary trainer Emanuel Steward, is no Valuev. His victims all testify that he’s quicker and more technical than they expected. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Under Steward’s guidance the crude, vulnerable style of old has been replaced by a more cautious, balletic approach. He’ll cut down the ring quickly and Haye won’t have the same wide open spaces to enjoy that he did against the cumbersome Valuev.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Even if Haye executes this gameplan perfectly, it’s likely that most rounds will be close affairs. Haye will land more frequently. But each of Klitschko’s shots will be roared on by his legion of fans, which will undoubtedly influence the officials.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">David might find himself entirely at the mercy of the ringside judges in Germany. As Matthew Macklin will testify, that is a very dangerous place to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So what will it be; power or prudence?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Right now David Haye is stuck between a rock and a hard place. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-28896730437558870882011-06-24T08:25:00.001-07:002011-06-24T08:25:29.490-07:00Rhodes should carry on despite Alvarez defeat<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS4A42JJo69EwR9MCEPrJRjqD5qqae0bGMptlG8CfE41ynJWJ0X" /></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Boxers are notorious for their stubborn refusal to call it quits. There’s always one more fight. One more shot at redemption. One more opportunity to prove to the doubters – and perhaps even to themselves – that they can still compete at the level they’ve become accustomed to.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The latest fighter having to justify his future in the sport is Ryan Rhodes. After a comprehensive defeat by Saul Alvarez in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region> on Sunday morning, the 34-year-old <st1:place w:st="on">Sheffield</st1:place> warrior has faced inevitable calls to retire. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Rhodes</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> lost every minute of every round before finally succumbing to Alvarez’s power in the twelfth. For his fans, who had approached the fight with genuine hope that <st1:place w:st="on">Rhodes</st1:place>’ experience would cause an upset, it was painful viewing. Their subsequent pleas for <st1:place w:st="on">Rhodes</st1:place> to walk away are borne out of genuine concern for his health.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But are we being too hasty to write off this extraordinary fighter?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Let’s put Sunday into some kind of perspective. Most importantly, we learnt that 20-year-old Alvarez is a special talent. This has been a year of upsets. Unbeaten prospects such as David Lemieux and James Kirkland have floundered just as TV networks looked set to give them their big push. They’ve since faced scorn that their records were padded by promoters eager to keep that most over-rated of boxing commodities; an unblemished record. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">That’s not a charge that can be aimed at Alvarez. Despite his tender years he has an astonishing 35 fights on his record already. His backers, Oscar de la Hoya’s highly influential Golden Boy Promotions, have matched him hard at the right time. His last two fights, versus Britons Matthew Hatton and Rhodes, have been a significant step up in class. Alvarez has responded magnificently. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In an age where fighters are hyped too quickly, there can be few doubts that this young Mexican has an enormous future in the sport.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">It is also worth remembering that Saturday’s defeat was <st1:place w:st="on">Rhodes</st1:place>’ first in five years. Pre-Alvarez he had produced some of the most spectacular performances of his career. He still has the skill and the experience to be a major player on both the European and domestic scene. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is not a fighter in decline. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is not an ageing fighter on the slide. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">This is a very good fighter who took on a truly exceptional one, in his own back yard, and lost. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There is no shame in that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">@ralphwelch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-19524852424227337522011-06-21T10:42:00.000-07:002011-06-21T10:42:00.588-07:00Weekend wrap: Victories for Barnett and Overeem, but fans unimpressed<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><img src="http://www.fightinginsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/josh-barnett.jpg" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Many observers saw Saturday’s Strikeforce event at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Airlines</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place> as an audition for </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Barnett"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Josh Barnett</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alistair_Overeem"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Alistair Overeem</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> to take starring roles in the MMA heavyweight ranks. Both Strikeforce fighters have been subjected to harsh criticism from fans who felt they compared unfavourably to top UFC big men such as Cain Velazquez, Junior Dos <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Santos</st1:place></st1:city> and Brock Lesnar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Saturday was a chance to prove them wrong. Unfortunately, despite both emerging victorious, neither man particularly enhanced his reputation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Overeem toils as Werdum spoils<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In fairness, Overeem wasn’t helped by a bizarre display from his opponent, Fabricio Werdum, whose histrionics did little to endear him to the arena crowd. At times the Brazilian clasped his hands in prayer in a desperate attempt to goad big-punching Overeem to the mat. Given that Overeem has built his career on powerful striking, it was an insane ploy and showed the lengths to which Werdum would go to avoid engaging with the Dutchman. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This defensive display was particularly confusing, given that when Werdum did curl his hands into a fist, he had reasonable success with his right-hand. Ultimately his lack of ambition was recognised by the judges who handed Overeem a unanimous decision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Barnett bulldozes Rogers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Barnett, whose PED (performance-enhancing drugs) controversies have been well-documented, had looked particularly focussed in the build-up to his contest with Brett Rogers. His </span><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/06/16/at-strikeforce-workouts-josh-barnett-decides-to-put-on-a-show/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">impromptu wrestling promo at an open media workout</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> brought some much-needed positive PR, becoming an overnight internet sensation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The “Baby-faced Assassin” had been widely expected to dominate the crude-but-powerful <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rogers</st1:city></st1:place>, and </span><a href="http://www.mma-core.com/videos/_Josh_Barnett_vs_Brett_Rogers_Strikeforce?vid=10020317&tid=100"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">did so in routine fashion</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">. His style of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch_wrestling"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">catch wrestling</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> was simply too much for his opponent, whose failure to mount any kind of attack prompted some very unfair booing from the crowd. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The win, by arm triangle, was solid if unspectacular. But Barnett can only beat what’s in front of him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The future<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The fact that we’ve heard so little from the UFC upper management doesn’t bode well for either fighter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Of the two, Barnett will be more satisfied. He outclassed his opponent and his entertaining promos, both before and after the fight, were a glimpse at the intelligent, creative character beneath an occasionally abrupt surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Yes, he’s had his controversies. And yes he’s made mistakes. But Josh Barnett’s comeback is gaining momentum. It will take a very talented fighter to stop him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Email: info@ultimatefightclub<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Twitter: @ralphwelch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-45771101526967621822011-06-17T09:56:00.000-07:002011-06-17T10:00:09.603-07:00UFC shows boxing how to make the big matches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Id9C0YT393sWyFctJA-9dVL032Mg3Bq-t4iHMZDGC6bstGbHxYxRcJOHUfgQOt7sTMMHYaggnUufeJoUuhwrw6Zv68jhRKr4WCyNa_O0hs91LthpXvsUGPZ-t4PFuuEq9Vt8hLfdEw/s1600/dana-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Id9C0YT393sWyFctJA-9dVL032Mg3Bq-t4iHMZDGC6bstGbHxYxRcJOHUfgQOt7sTMMHYaggnUufeJoUuhwrw6Zv68jhRKr4WCyNa_O0hs91LthpXvsUGPZ-t4PFuuEq9Vt8hLfdEw/s1600/dana-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Id9C0YT393sWyFctJA-9dVL032Mg3Bq-t4iHMZDGC6bstGbHxYxRcJOHUfgQOt7sTMMHYaggnUufeJoUuhwrw6Zv68jhRKr4WCyNa_O0hs91LthpXvsUGPZ-t4PFuuEq9Vt8hLfdEw/s1600/dana-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Id9C0YT393sWyFctJA-9dVL032Mg3Bq-t4iHMZDGC6bstGbHxYxRcJOHUfgQOt7sTMMHYaggnUufeJoUuhwrw6Zv68jhRKr4WCyNa_O0hs91LthpXvsUGPZ-t4PFuuEq9Vt8hLfdEw/s1600/dana-white.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The much-anticipated </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><st1:stockticker w:st="on">UFC</st1:stockticker></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> superfight between </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_St-Pierre">Georges St-Pierre</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Diaz">Nick Diaz</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> has been set for October.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Barely four weeks after St-Pierre strolled through a unanimous decision victory over Jake Shields, UFC supreme Dana White signed, sealed and delivered the biggest fight in welterweight history.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Typically, it was done with the minimum of fuss. No elaborate press conferences, no publicity stunts, no to and fro between the opposing camps. White, always open to engaging with his fanbase, gave a brutally simple message via his twitter account; “It’s on!!!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dana White: “The fans wanted it”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His reasoning, much like his approach, was remarkably simple; “the fans wanted it”. And that was that. The fans wanted a big fight; he gave them a big fight.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the <st1:stockticker w:st="on">UFC</st1:stockticker> if you’re the number one fighter in the world, then you fight the number two. There’s no cherry-picking an easy title defence.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If you want to be the best, then you’ve got to prove it. Or you’re out.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">White, known for his colourful use of Her Majesty’s English, has a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q8BeT77tVQ">mantra with which he greets potential fighters</a>; “In the <st1:stockticker w:st="on">UFC</st1:stockticker>, we like fighters who f*ckin’ fight. If you don’t want to fight, then go home”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s an attitude that puts boxing to shame. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In two weeks’ time, the heavyweight division in boxing will finally have the big showdown the fans have been craving: Haye vs Klitschko. The build-up has been protracted and at times descended into farce. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It started with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAUb_sn-WGQ&NR=1">Haye ambushing Wladimir on the escalators at Waterloo</a>. This was soon followed by Haye sporting the infamous t-shirt depicting him holding aloft the severed heads of the Klitschko brothers at a press conference – a stunt the Ukrainian described as “unspeakable”. And then we had Wladimir’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe-Z7QN_t6M">open challenge to Haye via Youtube</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There was a lot of talk, but still no fight. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As Haye readily admits, the fighters have spent over two years arguing over everything from purse splits to ring entrances. With such a fragile build-up, few of us will believe that the fight is actually happening until the opening bell sounds on July 2<sup>nd</sup> in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hamburg</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But even Haye vs Klitschko pales into comparison with the struggle to get the two best welterweights in the world to share a ring. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mayweather vs Pacquiao; the best fight we’ll never see<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Boxing fans have been imploring Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Floyd Mayweather to prove once and for all who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A fight between these two icons would produce hundreds of millions in gate receipts and pay-per-view buys. But even the dollar signs aren’t enough to dissuade the two camps from unnecessary posturing. The closest we came to a fight breaking out was in 2009, only for Mayweather’s camp to insinuate that <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/dec/23/manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-blood-testing">Pacquiao’s legendary conditioning may be the result of illegal substances</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The fight now seems more unlikely than ever with Mayweather now choosing to fight Victor Ortiz, amidst the ongoing rift between rival promoters and TV companies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It tells you everything you need to know about the problems in boxing today. The great contests aren’t waged in the ring with a pair of 10oz gloves. The real battles take place in the offices of TV executives and promoters, with lawyers poring over the small print.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Nobody is benefiting from it. Least of all the fans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dana White puts the UFC fans first<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The UFC may be a dictatorship. But at the helm is a man with a clear vision.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The truth is that there is no bigger fan of MMA than Dana White. He may be a billionaire, he may be one of the most powerful men in sports, but at heart he’s the same as the millions of MMA fans across the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He loves nothing more than seeing two great fighters touch gloves and go to war.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He’s committed to giving the fans the best possible spectacle every time they hand over their dollars to watch a UFC event. He will never let politics get in the way of that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">St-Pierre vs Diaz is another example of Dana White listening to the fans. It’s why the sport of MMA keeps growing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And it’s why boxing is standing still.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">info@ultimatefightclub.co.uk<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">twitter: @ralphwelch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Labels:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> St-Pierre v Diaz, UFC, Georges St-Pierre, Nick Diaz, Haye vs Klitschko, Dana White UFC,<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-22037717639720009012011-06-17T09:50:00.000-07:002011-06-17T09:53:25.441-07:00Kurt Angle in Olympics return<div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJvrnZ2NMP12D3hrEGqLnT3yrLhnp9L67EJX4L5DYO3afP-0aJsYqnZwfuSEFUNgEv9R062Vtg5GiAGXEWXOHmTxVseWWQ5cgCF41NOG40lEAgCXRIuMy27LCH5SfN8zN82OeHoo2sQ/s1600/kurtangle.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJvrnZ2NMP12D3hrEGqLnT3yrLhnp9L67EJX4L5DYO3afP-0aJsYqnZwfuSEFUNgEv9R062Vtg5GiAGXEWXOHmTxVseWWQ5cgCF41NOG40lEAgCXRIuMy27LCH5SfN8zN82OeHoo2sQ/s320/kurtangle.jpeg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In perhaps one of the most extraordinary stories of the week, Impact wrestling superstar Kurt Angle has revealed that he will be attempting to return to the Olympic wrestling scene at London 2012.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Angle told <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/3622980/Kurt-Angle-confirms-he-wants-to-compete-at-London-2012-Olympics.html">The Sun</a>: “I won an Olympic gold medal but last time I didn’t really enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“I’m wiser, I’m smarter and I won’t make the mistakes I did last time and I’m going to enjoy it”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Angle burst to fame after winning gold at the 1996 Olympics in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:city></st1:place>. His background in wrestling, similar to Brock Lesnar, made him a prime candidate to make the switch to sports entertainment. He duly signed a multi-year deal in 1998.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">However, where Angle differed from Lesnar and others who attempted the transition to sports entertainment was his remarkable charisma. He displayed a natural talent for mic work. His character in WWE played on his Olympic triumph and Angle excelled in his often comedic role as an arrogant, egocentric and cowardly heel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In his thirteen years in the business, Angle has become one of the industry’s biggest stars. Over the years he’s produced a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYwa1IrfzUg">showreel of outstanding matches</a> with the biggest names of the era: The Undertaker, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsPbE0yUxIo">Shawn Michaels</a>, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Since leaving WWE in 2006, Angle has been a mainstay of Dixie Carter’s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Nonstop_Action_Wrestling">Impact wrestling promotion</a>. He remains a standout performer. Indeed, in 2010 Angle was named “Wrestler of the decade” by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Like many of his peers in an industry which takes a relentless toll on the human body, Angle has reportedly had ongoing issues with substance abuse and injuries. It’s the consequence of a decade spending 300+ days a year on the road, performing across the world and performing when stricken with injuries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Given these circumstances, how can it possibly be realistic to expect a 43-year old, out of competition for 15 years, to qualify for the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> Olympic team?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A few years ago I had the pleasure of reading Angle’s autobiography “It’s True, It’s True”. The story behind his 1996 gold medal triumph is an inspirational tale of beating the odds. He overcame fractured vertebrae in his neck to win the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> Olympic trials, and a few months before the Games his coach and mentor David Schultz was murdered. Kurt trained on and emerged victorious in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:place></st1:city>, despite only being able to compete with the aid of painkilling injections in his neck. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Angle of that era was phenomenally driven; a fearsome competitor willing to push his body – and mind - to the very limits in order to reach his goal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If this Olympics can inspire Kurt to such devotion once again, then who can say what might happen?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Angle maintains: “I’ve been training for the past two months. I have another nine months to train until the Olympic try-outs, so I’ll be ready”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I know one thing for sure; it’s hard to bet against Kurt Angle when he picks up a pair of wrestling boots.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s true, it’s damn true.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Email: <a href="mailto:info@ultimatefightclub.co.uk">info@ultimatefightclub.co.uk</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Twitter: @ralphwelch</span></i></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-89550647546931728342011-06-07T23:36:00.001-07:002011-06-08T13:51:07.897-07:00Froch Wins, Ward awaits<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Froch wins, Ward awaits</span><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">6<sup>th</sup> June, 2011</span></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLB_aUb2lY872euakBl_ie06kORoH_GRKjM8_b0QU7-bOsvFh4m4uhB2omdjBaeEDLsekgWeMXR61HeSAjfq5q02yxrHtYX94B1mzkgUwSK6iaQLvHzwF8DOvsp5ftVqd53RWWmXmoQ/s1600/carlfrochG_228x294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLB_aUb2lY872euakBl_ie06kORoH_GRKjM8_b0QU7-bOsvFh4m4uhB2omdjBaeEDLsekgWeMXR61HeSAjfq5q02yxrHtYX94B1mzkgUwSK6iaQLvHzwF8DOvsp5ftVqd53RWWmXmoQ/s1600/carlfrochG_228x294.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As predicted, Carl “Cobra” Froch successfully defended his WBC Super Middleweight belt in the semi-final of the Super Six. We warned beforehand that Glen Johnson would be no pushover, and the veteran pushed Froch until the very end. It was an absorbing contest and a fantastic way for the Briton to re-announce himself back on Sky Sports.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Once again, Froch was indebted in part to his granite chin which absorbed several heavy right-hands from Johnson throughout. However, the <st1:place w:st="on">Nottingham</st1:place> fighter showed his class with some effective counter-punching to take a deserved victory on the scorecards.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now his focus will switch to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Ward">Andre Ward</a>, his opponent in the Super Six final. And it’s a huge test. The American, an Olympic gold medallist, has beaten all of his opponents thus far without breaking a sweat. That run included a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otljz2JMY_g">convincing victory over Mikkel Kessler</a>, who notably went on to defeat Froch in a contested decision in April 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Froch vs Ward: the gameplan<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Froch has been successful of late boxing on the back foot, slipping shots and then responding with punches in bunches. Where he struggled most in this tournament, as he openly admits, was against the speed and movement of Jermain Taylor. Unfortunately for the “Cobra”, Ward is both quicker and more elusive than his fellow American.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ward is a defensive master; hard to hit with lots of movement. On the rare occasions that he is vulnerable on the inside, he’s quick to hold and smother his opponents before their punches can do any damage. It’s an incredibly effective style, though not particularly entertaining.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Respected trainer Rob McCracken will have to devise a plan to take Froch forward, slip Ward’s razor-sharp jab and hit his opponent with quick flurries. It’s easier said than done. Ward’s barely lost a round in this tournament to date.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It will surely take the performance of Froch’s career to claim victory. But if we’ve learnt anything about him during his extraordinary career, it’s that he should never be written off.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-88948396041655145422011-06-01T10:45:00.000-07:002011-06-01T13:40:42.394-07:00The Cobra Returns<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Return of “The Cobra”</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b>May 31, 2011</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><img height="238" src="http://images.mirror.co.uk/upl/m4/dec2008/9/5/10D9950A-EF30-537F-0F1E8A0EA8060963.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 800;"></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This Saturday in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlantic City</st1:place></st1:city></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> sees the return of arguably the best entertainer in boxing today.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When I say “entertainer” I don’t mean the man with the best ring entrance, or the man with the best trash talk. I mean the man who offers the best value for money: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Carl “The Cobra” Froch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Seriously, can you even remember seeing a bad <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Froch">Carl Froch</a> fight? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">You can’t say that about the likes of Amir Khan or even pound-for-pound champ Manny Pacquiao. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Khan’s tussle with Paul McCloskey was as messy in the ring, as it was outside. Following the farcical last-minute TV switch from Sky, the <st1:place w:st="on">Bolton</st1:place> man produced six uninspiring rounds. Meanwhile, Filipino superstar Pacquiao’s <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/9475865.stm">recent bout with Shane Mosley</a> was derided by many pundits as a friendly sparring session.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">These days too many champions are criticised for their caution – either for avoiding opponents or adopting a safety-first approach when actually in the ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But neither criticism can be aimed at Froch. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">His last five fights with Jean Pascal, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1CHQPyzz4E">Jermain Taylor</a>, Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler and Arthur Abraham have all made utterly compelling viewing. It’s a huge shame that so few fans have been able to see them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">After some questionable decisions by his former promoter Mick Hennessey, Froch has been isolated on the little-known subscription channel Primetime. At a time when his career, his reputation and his earning power should have been peaking, “the Cobra” has found himself cruelly under-exposed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Froch back on Sky Sports<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Boxing fans should be delighted that Sky have realised the error of their ways and welcomed Froch back into the fold. The Froch-Sky Sports partnership will offer the <st1:place w:st="on">Nottingham</st1:place> fighter the high profile he richly deserves.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The bout with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glencoffe_Johnson">Glen “Road Warrior” Johnson</a> (51-14-2) should serve up another dose of brutality. Both have granite chins and aren’t afraid to let their punches go. Johnson may be 42, but he’s durable, battle-hardened and has been in with a host of big names.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Expect it to go the distance and expect it to be the sort of fight that takes another few months off Froch’s lifetime as a boxer. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He’s no Bernard Hopkins, who <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/13472622.stm">spectacularly became the oldest world champion in history last week</a> by defeating WBC and IBO light-heavyweight champ Jean Pascal in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Using every bit of ring nous he’s acquired over two decades in the sport, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hopkins</st1:place></st1:city>, 46, unashamedly nullifies his opponents. He takes few clean shots and in truth his fights can be pretty drab at times.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Less of a tactician and more of a gladiator, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEj5NFuD7hU&feature=related">Froch prefers to go to war</a>. He relies on his power and his extraordinary punch resistance. He takes risks. Huge risks, in fact. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But that’s what makes him so entertaining.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hopefully new promoter Eddie Hearn, master of the blossoming Matchroom stable, can get Froch the big paydays he deserves as he enters the twilight of his career. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We should enjoy him while we can. It may be some time before we see another British fighter like Carl Froch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">info@ultimatefightclub.co.uk<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">* Carl Froch v Glen Johnson can be seen on Saturday night on Sky Sports 1.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-41293877952652777472011-05-28T02:06:00.000-07:002011-06-03T09:49:52.220-07:00Batista MMA career in limbo after Strikeforce buy-out<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><o:p> </o:p></span><img height="320" src="http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/Previews/Batista-wwe-08.jpg" width="213" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Batista MMA career in limbo after Strikeforce buy-out<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">27 May, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Dave Bautista, better known as fromer WWE superstar “Batista”, has had to shelve plans to enter the cage and embark on an MMA career.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Batista, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Batista">a six-time world champion and firm fan favourite in the WWE</a>, had hoped to emulate Brock Lesnar and make a successful switch from the pro wrestling ranks to MMA.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Since leaving WWE a year ago, Batista has been publicly courted by Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. Negotiations were slow and complex.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But that didn’t stop Batista from engaging in a public slanging match with another former pro wrestler, Bobby Lashley, who has been building his own combat career (6-1) since leaving Vince McMahon’s company in 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The two were <a href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/250428/Strikeforce-hopeful-for-Lashley-Batista-on-PPV/">building up heat ahead of a potential fight</a> that would have surely generated big numbers for Strikeforce. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">A clash between Batista and Lashley, both Wrestlemania headliners, would have generated huge interest from the crossover fanbases of pro wrestling and MMA.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">However, since the UFC’s shock purchase of Strikeforce, Batista has admitted that any agreement is “dead”. The last few weeks have bought no further news and it seems that his fighting career is genuinely over before it started.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Unlike <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brock_Lesnar">Lesnar</a>, who had top drawer genuine wrestling credentials from his college days, Batista would have had to start from scratch in building an MMA skill base. At 42 years old, it would have been a mammoth task to expect him to make an impact.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">However, like many MMA fans, I’m genuinely disappointed that he won’t get the chance to even try.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">info@ultimatefightclub.co.uk<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-31534994037183411302011-05-25T14:40:00.000-07:002011-05-27T10:18:34.261-07:00Final Thoughts on Groves - DeGale<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><img src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ47HJ44UMP-79aPLbXzpdtcb4gXRTP02iT48Bq2RsbD6dsYRWG6g" /></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16pt;">Final thoughts on Groves-DeGale</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Posted 25<sup>th</sup> May, 2011<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Booth proves himself the chess master<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">After a build-up dominated by insults and heated exchanges, there was one very cool head in the O2 Arena. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Adam Booth, trainer to both George Groves and David Haye, has rightly attracted the plaudits for masterminding victory. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It was a tactical masterclass, nullifying DeGale’s strengths and convincing the occasionally erratic Groves to stick to a gameplan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With Booth in his corner, Haye may well succeed where all others have failed and finally conquer the Klitschko’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">DeGale will reach his destiny<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It would be easy to dismiss Saturday as a setback for James DeGale. But the loss of face aside, in fact the defeat may hasten his journey to a world title. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m convinced DeGale will emerge from this a better, hungrier fighter. He may have lost an unbeaten record, but in truth it’s a vastly-overrated prize in modern boxing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This experience of promoting and competing in a super-fight will steel him for the challenges that lie ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He will be eager to prove two things to the doubters hastily writing his obituary. Firstly, that he is capable of being a world champion. And secondly, that he CAN beat George Groves. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I wouldn’t bet against either.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Beware the Cobra <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One extremely interested observer on Saturday was Carl Froch. “The Cobra” returns to our TV screens in early June against grizzled veteran Glencoffe Johnson in the next instalment of the Super Six. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Once that tournament concludes, it’s no secret that Froch, one of the most entertaining fighters around, will be seeking a huge fight on home territory. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">If George Groves continues to progress, Froch may well have found his opponent. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ralph Welch<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">info@ultimatefightclub.co.uk<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-34499507436593276072011-05-23T14:02:00.000-07:002011-06-17T09:57:39.498-07:00Talking point: Diaz at a crossroads<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23 May 2011<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Talking point: Diaz at a crossroads</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz claims he is ready to ditch the Octagon and enter the professional boxing ranks. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But can fighters switch from the cage to the boxing ring that easily?<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Diaz: “There’s no more fights for me here….”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the past 15 months Strikeforce’s 170-pound champ Nick Diaz has <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dominated the division. His most recent victory, over British hopeful <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8SN39rbmTg">Paul “Semtex” Daley</a>,</span> was a real barnstormer. The two sluggers served up five minutes of brutal striking that had the arena on their feet. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKaO-0OveJc">A bloodied Diaz emerged victorious</a></span> and his most dangerous opponent had been dispatched. It’s left him with little incentive to stay with Strikeforce. Glory and bigger paydays lie in boxing and a fight with former IBF champ Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Lacy</span> is known to British fans as the man Joe Calzaghe dominated in 2006 to win the IBF super-middleweight title. Entering the ring with an unbeaten record and a puncher’s reputation, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rr-TGQAiFE">Lacy was outclassed that night</a></span>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since then the American’s career has nosedived. In 2009 he was <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48B6-bWUtvk">stopped by Roy Jones Jr</a></span>, a fortysomething fighter well past his best.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But if Diaz thinks he will be an easy ride, then he‘s wrong. Lacy may no longer be a world-class operator. But the boxing ring is his home. And whilst Diaz might be a force in the Octagon, the skills required to compete between the ropes are entirely different.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trading places is hard to do<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In recent times there have been a few occasions where MMA fighters have taken up boxing and vice versa. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They’ve almost always ended in failure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most notable was James “Lights Out” Toney’s shambolic attempt to challenge UFC legend Randy Couture in the cage at UFC 118. Toney, a legendary trash-talker, was scornful of MMA and its reliance on mat grappling. In his eyes, he’d simply knock Couture out before the fight went to the ground. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Universally, MMA commentators thought this incredibly naïve and Couture would teach the boxer a lesson.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They were proved right. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within 15 seconds,<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn3yMZZaoq8&feature=related">Couture had taken down Toney and three minutes later submitted him</a></span> via an arm triangle. It was an embarrassment and Toney was duly released from his multi-fight UFC contract.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The difference between punching in boxing and MMA<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Toney’s disregard of the striking skills in MMA is typical of many boxers. They see the upright stance and looping punches of an MMA fighter as crude. They’ve honed their own boxing skills on tight guards, crisp punches and lots of upper-body movement such as the “bob and weave”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In boxing, long, looping punches are predictable and rarely result in knockouts. Many boxers operate best “in the pocket”, nose-to-nose and able to release short, punishing punches to both head and body. <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afidDz0aM-U&feature=fvst">Ricky Hatton</a></span> was a fine exponent of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those tactics are completely redundant in MMA for one reason: takedowns. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’re that close to your opponent, then it’s all too easy for them to suddenly switch from striking to grappling and shoot for the legs. Within miliseconds you’ll find yourself on the mat, in a vulnerable position.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That’s why MMA striking must happen at a greater distance. And whilst looping punches may be less effective in boxing, where fighters wear heavy gloves, MMA fighters wear 4oz versions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This means that <u>every</u> fighter has potential knockout power. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Toney showed the danger of under-estimating what’s required to switch disciplines.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nick Diaz should heed that warning.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Money, money, money<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, the big variable in all of this is UFC supremo Dana White, whose company has just purchased Strikeforce. Notoriously unafraid to speak his mind, White has voiced his disapproval at Diaz’s latest move. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my opinion, White will dangle a carrot in front of Diaz in the shape of a bout with all-conquering UFC welterweight champ <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_St-Pierre">Georges St-Pierre</a></span>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both have big reputations. And In this business, big reputations equal big bucks. It will be too hard for Diaz to ignore.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s one thing that boxers and MMA fighters will always agree on…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Money talks. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-32025478742746189862011-05-21T03:40:00.000-07:002011-05-27T10:18:34.262-07:00RIP Randy Savage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1kyRdQMz-r_KpAeb4hmjqcH8qJYW4h1xPgGpJ9OtJFvOjP0HGl9dqwl9wcAgaq09CAlRcCLKW8TkE1SV3iNgk0ByPwYteCOoZJR2g7rREan286MJneV6sqwOUR2AJ8WCn_AtVjN3Wg/s1600/randysavage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1kyRdQMz-r_KpAeb4hmjqcH8qJYW4h1xPgGpJ9OtJFvOjP0HGl9dqwl9wcAgaq09CAlRcCLKW8TkE1SV3iNgk0ByPwYteCOoZJR2g7rREan286MJneV6sqwOUR2AJ8WCn_AtVjN3Wg/s1600/randysavage.jpg" /></a></div>Very sad news breaking that Randy Savage passed away yesterday, as a result of a car crash. A true legend, and hero to many growing up, when he was in his pomp in the WWF. RIP Macho Man Randy SavageUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-12757977044973663992011-05-19T13:14:00.000-07:002011-05-27T10:19:10.943-07:00This week at a glance<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">This week at-a-glance</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Posted: Thursday 19<sup>h</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bellew answers <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Warren</st1:place></st1:city> call for help – or does he?</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tony Bellew yesterday stepped into the breach to save Saturday’s card at the O2 Arena following </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/13440189.stm"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Juergen Braehmer’s last-minute withdrawal</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> from his title bout with Welshman Nathan Cleverly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">After the farce last month with the Amir Khan bout, the last thing Sky needed was another pay-per-view event falling through. They’ve invested a huge amount in the build-up to Groves-DeGale which shares top billing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It looked as if Frank Warren had pulled a rabbit out of the hat and gotten </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aLgXyLFD3s"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Bellew</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> to take the title fight at short notice. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But following this afternoon’s press conference, Bellew has failed to make weight. Replacing him is Polish fighter Aleksy Kuziemski.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Who’d be a promoter?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tony Bellew v Nathan Cleverly and George Groves v James DeGale can be seen on Sky Box Office on Saturday night.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Couture retires, Holyfield fights on</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">This column recently compared the fortunes of two ageing fighters, Randy Couture and Evander Holyfield. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Couture was the victim of a spectacular knock-out at the hands of the unpredictable Lyoto Machida at UFC 129. Beforehand the 47-year-old UFC Hall of Famer declared this would be his last fight. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">He’s sticking to his word. And he retires with the thanks of MMA fans worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Meanwhile in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Denmark</st1:country-region></st1:place>, </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xmmaoF7dd0&feature=related"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Holyfield’s victory over a bloated Brian Nielsen</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, who hadn’t fought for a decade, has prolonged his career further. The attendance for the fight was sparse, despite Nielsen’s great popularity in his home country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Even the fans are turning their back on Holyfield. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But he’s not listening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-91537801892206936122011-05-15T10:26:00.000-07:002011-05-27T10:19:10.944-07:00The curious case of Steven Seagal, The Karate Kid and the UFC<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It’s been an odd week in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Betting ahead of the UFC 129 matchup between Lyoto Machida and Randy Couture was cagey. It would have been foolish to bet against UFC legend Couture causing an upset, despite facing an opponent sixteen years his junior.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">After six minutes of absorbing to-and-fro, Machida made his move. In an astonishing departure from cagefighting best practice, he eschewed takedowns or striking, opting instead for the crane kick to finish his opponent. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">See the kick <u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVSGQ_FRs3k">here</a></span></u><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">That’s right. <u>The</u> crane kick. A move immortalised by <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBktYJsJq-E">Daniel LaRusso</a></span>, “The Karate Kid”, in his victory over arch-nemeses the Cobra Kai dojo.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqKmHlXoDU8&feature=related">last time we saw a crane kick</a>, Nelson Mandela was still in prison, the US and Russia were firmly embedded in a Cold War and the Ford Capri was Britain’s car of choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For someone to reproduce that kick, a full twenty-seven years later, and in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the UFC, was truly astonishing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Even more astonishing was <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/322949/Machida-explains-fight-ending-kick/">Machida’s subsequent comment</a></span> that the man who taught him this deadly move was not LaRusso, but action movie star Steven Seagal. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Steven Seagal: back from the wilderness<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Seagal’s top-flight career, much like Queens Park Rangers, has been something of a distant memory since the early nineties. He signed off from the top level of cinema after his 1993 hit ”Under Siege”, perhaps most notable for the sight of Baywatch beauty <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_WKEOySVIY">Erika Eleniak</a></span> emerging topless from a giant birthday cake. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For a generation of young men, that scene proved two things. Firstly, that the pause button was an adolescent’s best friend. Secondly, that back in the nineties, cinema was symptomatic of English football – you couldn’t get success without a big front two.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Since then the movie business has moved on, leaving Seagal has to ply his trade exclusively in the straight-to-DVD section of Blockbuster. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Titles such as “Mercenary for Justice”, “Shadow Man” and “Attack Force” all failed to trouble the scorers at the Oscars. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">After such a fall from grace, many wondered which director would be brave enough to give him another job at the top-level. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">None, as it happens.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Instead, after various flirts with reality television, Seagal, a 7<sup>th</sup> dan black belt in Aikido, has re-appeared in the world of MMA. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">And the sport is all the better for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Grudge Match<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">What follows will surely be a protracted debate about whose crane kick was the most impressive. <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/323426/Seagal-teaching-other-fighters-secret-techniques/">Seagal has been all over the MMA media</a></span>, citing his pride in his protégé, and the difficulty in performing such a kick in the Octagon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In contrast, La Russo has stayed remarkably silent. His supporters point out his kick was executed under the most extreme pressure. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Not only was he carrying an injury, and shouldering the expectations of his ageing master Mr Miyagi, but LaRusso was facing a brutal truth: Defeat meant he had absolutely no chance of sleeping with <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Shue">Elizabeth Shue</a></span>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">For me, that makes his effort the more notable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There is also the question of the resources at their disposal. Seagal’s profile has afforded him considerable wealth and the ability to train in top-class facilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I sincerely doubt that Machida’s preparation involved the waxing/ polishing of 1950s cars, and <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1gAHil89Z4">catching insects with a pair of chopsticks</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Perhaps there is a more fitting way to decide this…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">UFC 140: Seagal v LaRusso:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No Pain, no Crane”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">It can happen. It must happen.<br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-32899729476788580072011-05-02T03:09:00.000-07:002011-05-27T10:19:10.945-07:00Protect Yourself at All Times<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“Protect yourself at all times”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">In the next fortnight two legends in boxing and MMA, Evander Holyfield, 48, and Randy Couture, 47 will compete once again in their chosen arenas. One is adamant this bout will be his swansong. The other ignores the pleas of those who fear for his safety…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Couture: “I’m not crazy. I realise it’s not going to last forever”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">When <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx_TLmVWNtg&feature=related">Randy Couture</a></span> announced he was going to fight Lyoto Machida at UFC 129, it would have been tempting to dismiss the forty seven year-old’s latest bout as an attempt by another veteran fighter to regain past glories.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But to do that is to misunderstand Randy Couture.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The UFC Hall-of-Famer is remarkably circumspect about his own abilities and how he wants to leave the sport. He has in fact retired once already (in 2006). But he came back into the Octagon because he was convinced he could beat the reigning – and much younger champion – Tim Sylvia. He was right. <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sADKLv5QX1I">That night Couture proved that despite an age difference of 12 years he was still a world-class competitor.</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But time waits for no man. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Couture has learnt from the mistakes of others. He likens his situation to that of fan-favourite and former light-heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell. The “Iceman” was the undoubted star of the UFC between 2004 and 2007, knocking out a succession of opponents with his devastating hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">But then the wheels came off. He suffered four brutal knockouts at the tail end of his career. After each bout, fans pleaded with him to call it a day and not tarnish his legacy. But Liddell wanted to go out on his shield. And he did. A heavy k.o at the hands of Rich Franklin was enough for Dana White, UFC supremo and personal friend, to call time on Liddell’s career.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Couture is adamant that he will not go out the same way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He recently told ESPN "There had to be an end. So why not take control and do it on my terms? When I want to do it and not because I've been knocked out the last three times and nobody wants to see me get beat up again? I never want to have that conversation with anybody."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It’s an attitude that is refreshing in a sport where fighters so often fail to heed the warnings of their own body. But whatever the result this Saturday, Couture has nothing further to prove in the Octagon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He will be remembered for pushing his body to extraordinary limits. For being the oldest-ever UFC title holder and for being the first MMA competitor to make the crossover into pop culture.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">His legacy will take some matching.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Holyfield : “I’m gonna be the heavyweight champion of the world one last time”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Mark the date, May 7<sup>th</sup> 2011. Many fans hope it will be the last time that <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHaiTuurhUA">Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield</a></span> steps into a boxing ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But few would bet on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">His bout against fellow veteran <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Nielsen_(boxer)">Brian Nielsen</a></span>, 46, has attracted little media interest. Some boxing writers see it as an act of compassion. Their hope is that if he’s no longer afforded the spotlight, then Holyfield will lose his relentless desire to force himself back into title contention. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Holyfield seeks the fairytale end to a career that has seen him take on and beat a who’s who of heavyweight boxing; James “Buster” Douglas, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Michael Moorer, John Ruiz, Hasim Rachman all fell to “The Real Deal”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And his bouts with <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxNjFn1kTTU">Riddick Bowe</a> </span>(three) and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb_IenOmK20">Mike Tyson</a> (two) and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGzPKE0x-CI">Lennox Lewis</a> (two) produced the finest drama heavyweight boxing has seen since in the past twenty years. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If you haven’t checked them out on Youtube, then do. What you’ll see is a warrior who never took a backward step. Whose heart could never be in question. Whose mixture of speed and skill made him a match for any heavyweight in history.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Watch some his more recent bouts and they tell a different story. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Like many ageing fighters, the speed and reflexes are dwindling. He’s taking many more punches than he did in his heyday. But the warrior’s heart remains.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">His career has becomes something of a twitching corpse. Just when you think he’s gone, a victory flickers his career back to life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He’s called out both of the dominant Klitschko brothers but his cries fall on deaf ears. The younger Russian, Wladimir, recently told popular Sky boxing magazine <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ringside</i> that he would never fight Holyfield. Not out of fear. But out of compassion. He doesn’t want to further tarnish the reputation of a man he once rated so highly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Perhaps the fairytale has become a pipedream.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But still Holyfield fights on.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Couture/ Holyfield: The next chapter<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So where will we be in two weeks’ time?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The consensus amongst MMA experts is that Couture will prevail in a close-run fight over <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Machida</st1:place></st1:city>. Irrespective of the result, we hope that “The Natural” will stick to the promise he has made. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">There is no reason not to. He has invested wisely and has forged a career outside of the Octagon as a film star, reprising his role in the sequel to Sylvester Stallone’s action homage <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6RU5y2fU6s">“The Expendables”.</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For Holyfield, things are less clear. As a father to eleven children and with two costly divorces, there are fears that economics, as well as an immensely proud fighting heart, are forcing him to prolong his career. His grandiose <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Atlanta</st1:place></st1:city> mansion was seized by the banks in 2007 and he’s currently being pursued over large unpaid debts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The fight against a bloated Nielsen, who’s been out of the ring for eight years, should provide little danger. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But then the greatest danger is not his opponent, but Holyfield’s stubborn refusal to call it quits.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-15816457367756144412011-04-05T10:53:00.000-07:002011-05-27T10:19:10.945-07:00Jones offers UFC their “Tyson” moment…<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">At UFC 128, Jon “Bones” Jones became the youngest-ever UFC champion, decimating the vastly experienced champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. Is he the man to lead MMA into the mainstream?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The search for “crossover”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">They call them “crossover fans” and they’re the holy grail for any network showcasing a pay-per-view sporting event. Networks know that if they get their marketing right, the hardcore loyal support will always tune in. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">If that product then starts to attract more casual viewers, intrigued by what they’ve seen in the media, that’s when networks know they’re onto something special.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The Baddest Man on the Planet</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Arguably boxing’s most famous “crossover” moment came on November 22, 1986. A young fighter from Catskill, New York had attracted a blaze of media attention with a phenomenal winning streak, kayoing 25 of his first 27 opponents. And at the age of 20 years, 4 months and 22 days <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=berbick+vs+tyson&aq=6">he stepped into the ring to face the experienced Trevor Berbick for the WBC title.</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">His name, of course, was <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_tyson">Mike Tyson</a></span>. Within five minutes “Iron Mike” had dispatched Berbick to the canvas a with a trademark display of ferocity. In doing so, he became the youngest heavyweight champion of the world in history. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Tyson subsequently became one of the most recognisable faces on the planet. With a media profile that portrayed him as a fearless, snarling predator, he reignited interest in a heavyweight divison that had been floundering since the retirements of legends such as Ali and Foreman.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Whilst his subsequent fall from grace has become the stuff of folklore, the “Baddest Man on the Planet” is greatly missed by the boxing fraternity. The Klitschko brothers dominate a poor division characterised by slow, predictable main events. Fans and pundits alike are crying out for another night like that one in November ‘86. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But 25 years on could it be that Mixed Martial Arts, rather than boxing, is celebrating its own “Tyson” moment?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The dawn of “Bonesmania”</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">It’s fair to say that the UFC has been searching for their own poster boy to really push them into the public consciousness. In recent times PPV rates have risen, gates have sold out and main events have matched any of those offered by boxing. Yet still MMA is regarded as a niche sport.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Inspirational president <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_White">Dana White</a></span> continues to innovate to help the UFC grow. He engages passionately with fans on his <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://twitter.com/danawhite">twitter account</a></span>. In recent times he’s posted live fights on facebook. And in an attempt to attract those crossover fans, he let boxing legend James Toney compete in the Octagon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But no-one builds a brand like a champion. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">On March 19, <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.mma-core.com/videos/_Jon_Jones_vs_Mauricio_Rua?vid=10017946&tid=100">Jon “Bones” Jones became the youngest ever title-holder in UFC</a></span> history defeating the vastly-experienced Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to win the light-heavyweight strap. It was the culmination of a <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Jones_(fighter)">streak of impressive wins</a></span> that had captured the imagination of UFC fans. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jones allies his unquestionable athletic gifts (he has the longest reach in UFC history, an astounding 215cm) to a pulsating style. Like Tyson, “Bones” has cruised through the big names in the division with ease. Jones was feted Breakthrough Fighter of the Year at the World MMA Awards in 2010.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As a triumphant Jones basked in the glory of his victory, commentator Mike Goldberg stated “we are looking at the present and the future of the UFC”. He wasn’t just towing the company line. He was echoing the thoughts of many MMA fans anxious to see their sport get both the credit, and the attention, it deserves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Exciting style</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Detractors of MMA have often decried the “lay and pray” style of ground-based fighters as a barrier to acceptance by the mainstream. They argue that technical grappling is too unedifying a spectacle to the casual fan. It will never match the adrenalin rush of a toe-to-toe war that great boxing contests can produce.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">But Jones offers a counter to this. His style is both exciting and unpredictable. Against Rua he showed a dazzling array of low-kicks, side-kicks and elbows during the stand-up that had the crowd on its feet. And when the fight did go to the mat, he was both busy and brutal. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Marketability</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jones also offers sheer marketability. Aside from a remarkable nickname, he has that X factor that helps a champion become a media personality.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Days after winning the belt he won plaudits for his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvUNYQOLRS4">appearance on the Jay Leno</a> show. In a textbook piece of PR, he revealed how on the day of the fight he actually foiled a robbery. Jones dashed from a nearby park to pursue a mugger, tackling him and then waiting for police to arrive. Before anyone makes accusations of Max Clifford-esque spin doctoring, this entire story was backed up by the police and the victim. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The moment of truth</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">And now the hype builds towards Jones’ first defence of his title. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">And it’s a marketer’s dream. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Jones will defend against former best-friend and stablemate <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashad_Evans">“Suga” Rashad Evans</a></span>. Both Evans and Jones trained out of Grag Jackson’s legendary training camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Throughout their respective careers both have stood firm on the conviction that they would never fight each other, no matter what the UFC said. However, an interview that Jones gave just weeks before the Rua fight seemed to soften that stance. A crack appeared in their relationship. That crack has developed into a full-blown rift. <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/20/rashad-evans-im-done-with-greg-jacksons-gym/">Evans walked out of the Jackson camp</a> </span>amid claim and counter-claim of betrayal and disrespect. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">This is a human story that has elements of everything – friendship, betrayal, jealousy and rivalry – to capture the imagination of casual fans.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Surely the UFC will never have a better moment to capitalise on its popularity and enter the mainstream. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">When we see the viewing figures for Jones vs Evans, we’ll know if “Bonesmania” was a false dawn, or the start of something truly special.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5329227489555322363.post-9758706208253885152011-03-29T12:55:00.000-07:002011-05-27T10:18:34.264-07:00Top Ten Mike Tyson KnockoutsSelf Styled 'Baddest Man on the Planet' Mike Tyson, with his top ten knockouts from back in the day.<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JHnL7wqtQLs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0