By Stephen 'Breadman' Edwards

The Daily Bread Mailbag returns with Stephen 'Breadman' Edwards discussing numerous topics, including Mike Tyson vs. George Foreman, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin, Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe, and more.

I was very excited to learn about another boxing media member doing a mailbag as it is nice to get varying opinions. I can't promise anything but I'll try to not flood your inbox with as many questions as I do Mr.Fischer over at ringTv. Lol.

I read your "daily" bread bag on boxingscene last week but haven't seen another one since. How often and where can we expect to see and get more q&a from the fans to yourself?

A few questions...

1) I heard tell of a Canello Alvarez/Julio Cesar Chavez Jr fight happening, obviously not until early next year. I think we can all agree that Chavez doesn't stand even a puncher's chance but as a fan, from a purely action fight standpoint I think you gotta like this. Do you? And how would you have seen this match-up playing out three years ago. Is the son of a Legend done?

2) I certainly think it's true that inactivity won't make heroes. In your last bag you touched on the subject of modern fighters not needing to fight three or more times a year nowadays. I look back on boxrec recently and saw that Sugar Ray Leonard (waaay before my time, born in 1980) fought 26 times in his first three years, with many early round knockouts. Then I see PBC guys like Spence Jr and "One Time" Thurman talking about how they've "earned it", how they've put in 20 years of their lives to Boxing and I'm like gimme a break man! These are fortunate sons I say. But more power to them. I don't think that Boxing suffers because of it but these young cats won't go down in the history books unless they breakaway from whatever's holding them back and start fighting more, injuries aside. Agreed?

That's all for now man.

Steve, ON, Canada

Bread’s Response: Hey buddy how are you? Stephen’s with the PH’s stand up. My mom would hit you with a left hook if you spelled it any other way.

My mailbag is called the Daily Bread but It does not come out daily. I do it sort of impromptu depending on what I have going on but I usually put two out a week. I will try my best to do more but with the training and being a full time dad it gets tough. You can find it where you found it and that’s on boxingscene.

I don’t like the Canelo vs Chavez fight. I don’t talk negative about boxers but come one bro. Chavez Jr…

I think guys like Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns had higher peaks than fighters do today. If you look at their superfight. Hearns was 22 and Leonard was 25. Both had over 30 fights. Now if we fast forward to the biggest superfight of this year which is Ward vs Kovalev. Both of those great fighters are well into their 30s and they just reached 30 fights. Something to think about.

I personally feel as though it will be extremely difficult for fighters who turned pro within the last decade to become HOF and all time greats. They don’t fight enough and when they do it’s not against enough elite level guys. If you are going to fight once or twice a year in your championship years you have to fight the best available guy more times than not. That coupled with guys getting title shots at 18-0 is going to hurt the legacies of this generation. Oh well it’s the times.

I definitely agree that the majority of fighters need to fight more. But for whatever the reasons the big wigs don’t think so. All across the board there is inactivity.

I think if the sanctioning bodies demanded that the champions defended their titles 3x within the 12 months of the date they won the title and if they required the champion to face his mandatory challenger in every other defense we would have a better boxing world. Immediately these current 40 fight career boxers would build lasting legacies.

Hi Bread,

quick note re: Holyfield and his punching power; no question Holyfield was no worse than a 7 out of 10 on the power scale. Maybe more on a given night, like the night he KO'd Riddick Bowe in their rubber match! The official result says different of course, but looking back, Holyfield landed a lightning bolt of a left hook on Bowe's chin  in the 6th, and although Big Daddy won that fight, Holy won the war in terms of their juxtaposed career trajectories from that fight on.

Bowe to this day has ever recovered from that Holy left hook in this fan's opinion.

thanks!
Gabe/P-Dale

Bread’s Response: You’re 100% correct. After the Bowe vs Holyfield trilogy, Bowe looked sluggish and was consistently hurt in fights. Holyfield went on to be viewed as a greater fighter despite losing 2 out of 3. I definitely believe the 32 rounds of hell that Holyfield gave Bowe took away the bigger, stronger and younger man’s prime. Holyfield was a terrific puncher and his power is criminally underrated.

Mr. Breadman Im a huge fan of jrocks style. What boxer in history do u think is similar to julian?

Bread’s Response: Ah let’s see. He has his own style but he if I’m pushed to answer he seems to be a mix of Donald Curry, Terry Norris and some young Bernard Hopkins. Hopefully the kid turns out to be the fighter those three were.

Breadman,

I hope all is well on your end.  Thanks for the continued knowledge in your Mailbag.  It's always a great read.

I wanted to get your thoughts on one of my all-time favorites, Mr. Mike Tyson.  I grew up idolozing Mike, so I'm admittedly a little biased on this.  However, do you think it's fair that he is historically looked at as a bully who quit when someone stood up to him in the ring?  I hear that about him a lot, and I know he had the two losses to Holyfield after his layoff, as well as the bad beating he took from Lennox in 2002. Also, we all know what happened in the Douglas fight.

However, I watched Mike go absolutely toe-to-toe with Razor Ruddock, who was looked at as the most avoided heavyweight on the planet for a stretch from 90-91, twice.  Ruddock could really crack, and in my opinion, the two fights those guys had could have ruined both of them, as the argument could be made that Mike never looked the same after, and Ruddock was clearly shot when he fought Lennox Lewis a year or two later.  Taking revisionist history out of the equation, and remembering how Ruddock was looked at when Mike signed to fight him, and then gave him an immediate rematch after the controversial stoppage in their first fight, it just doesn't strike me as a bully move. What are your thoughts on this?  The Ruddock fights seem to be forgotten about when people discuss Mike's legacy, and to me, those are two of his defining moments.

Bread’s Response: As a self admitted Mike Tyson fan this is hard for me. Mike Tyson is an enigma. He took some terrible beatings and tried to fight on like the one he took vs Buster Douglas. He fought the best available fighters in the 80’s in Tony Tucker, Michael Spinks and Larry Holmes. After tough fights he took immediate rematches vs Holyfield and Ruddock. And he took a fight where everyone thought he would lose bad vs Lennox Lewis. So he’s not a gutless bully like some make him out to be.

But there is a hurtful flipside. He avoided Big George Foreman like the plague. And besides the Frans Botha fight he never won a fight where was down on points early or didn’t get out to a blazing start. That particular fact does not sit well with me. Historically speaking you would like to see him overcome a bad start more often. There is something about the resolve of a fighter like a Rocky Marciano, Joe Frazier and Evander Holyfield that trumps Mike Tyson’s. So unfortunately history will remember him as a great fighter and great talent but he was probably overrated in the 80s when he was named in the top 25 fighters ever by Bert Sugar.

As time has gone on I think his historical ranking has dropped. I still view him as an all time great heavyweight just not on Mt. Rushmore. If you’re being fair he’s somewhere between 8-15. Closer to 8 if you forgive him for every fault. I don’t forgive him for everything but I don’t hold everything against him.

Fighters with his style usually burn in their late 20s and with his bad out of the ring habits and long layoffs the “drop” was inevitable.

Tyson was a gun for taking on Ruddock at the time. And yes it was probably his last prime performances.

Hi Breadman,

I pray all is well with you and your family. I have to give it to you and it is why I’m a huge fan of yours. Your rebuttal  was outstanding to my  Roy Jones comment. I didn’t include Nunn and Collins because I try not to get to long winded but I’m glad you included it.  I also thought  you would  brush it off and label me a hater which I am not. I try my best to be objective in everything I do in life. I admire your candor and was expecting  you to act like a Roy Jones groupie and defend everything he did but you gave a great answer and was totally honest and objective. You gave the good and the bad. You have all my respect and I pray you get an announcers gig because I would definitely  stop using the mute button when I watch fights like I do currently. I appreciate the great insight you give in the mailbags and I’m sure many other fans feel the same way. God bless you and best of luck to you and keep up the great  work.

God bless and take care,
Blood and Guts from Philly.

Bread’s Response: Thank you my friend. I learned long ago if you want respect and credibility you have to be fair and objective at all times. There are no two sides to it. 

One last thing...am I the only one that see Andre Ward frustrating Kovalev to a clear, boring decision victory?  Roy Jones made a good comment about the Kovalev-Chilemba fight that it will better prepare him for Ward.  I see Ward just being able to adapt and not let him get off.  The casual fans will complain about the lack of action, ala Floyd-Pac.  I see it going that way, obviously could be wrong.

Your fight prediction?

Phillip Small Sr

Bread’s Response: With a fight with so much at stake I could never think it was boring as I watched it….

But to answer you directly Andre Ward has a way of fighting where he takes the drama out of the fight. He has you thinking before you act. When he gets you in that mode it’s over baby. The reason why it’s over is because his mind is usually quicker than his opponent’s. But I have seen Kovalev dominate in fights that are called boring. See his fight vs Hopkins.

I am predicting a tight Ward victory. I just can’t pick against Andre Ward. But I think the early rounds are the key. If Ward can acclimate to Kovalev’s power without getting too badly hurt or dropped  then he should be able to score enough points to win the fight. In fighting a big puncher there is an acclimation period.

You wonder if the power is what they say it is.. It’s almost like jumping into a swimming pool before you’re body gets acclimated to the temperature. Historically it takes a few rounds to get acclimated or at least a few rough patches. McCallum  vs Jackson. Benn vs McClellan. Holyfield vs Tyson. Leonard vs Hearns. I can go on and on in cases where the victor had to be careful early or was buzzed before they got into their business mode. I see this fight the same way.

Kovalev has a longer reach but Ward has one of the best jabs ever and he has short arms. The reason being is his timing and feet. Kovalev has a great jab. But Ward’s jab has more variety. See the difference between Ali’s jab and Sonny Liston’s jab. I think early it will be a battle of jabs. With Ward trying to probe a way into Kovalev.

Kovalev covers lots of ground both ways so Ward’s feet will have to be quick. They will be. Kovalev is not a counter puncher. He’s an initiator and dictator. He’s usually dictating how things will go. But when he is attacked he jumps straight back. He moves so quickly out of range that the opponents don’t keep following him because their feet are not fast enough to stay close enough to see openings. If Kovalev were ever made to fight off the ropes he would be in a world of trouble. There is no where to jump back to on the ropes.

So after he jumps out of range the opponents simply catch themselves from following too much and they subconsciously reset. When you do that you play into the Krusher’s hands because he then goes back to that ramrod jab and initiates all over again. After a few rounds of this the opponents turn into bloody pulps and the fight is usually over.

I see Ward breaking that trend. I think his natural instincts will pick up on his. But the cost from getting to point A to point B won’t be cheap. Kovalev is accurate with his money shot right hand. I think Ward may have some tough moments but he will overcome them. I look for Kovalev to look as if he is disorganized because of the way he will be attacked. This perception will influence the judges and Ward will win 115-113. 

What's up Breadman,

First, I want to say you really roasted that guy on the last post.  I have a couple of topics but first want to touch on that subject.  I am true boxing fan and respect all styles and watch all fights no matter how big the event is.  I agree that Floyd is the best of this era and I have told many guys that you have to watch Floyd at 130-135 to really appreciate his ability to adapt.  However, Sugar Ray was a killer when he wanted to be and I could see anyone picking both guys. 
With all the Triple G talk, what other big fights are realistically available if the Canelo fight isn't made? 

Where does Manny go after the Vargas fight?  Keith Thurman had a post on this site and I see he mentions everyone except Spence.  I think he is smart to stay away from Spence. 

Phillip Small Sr

Bread’s Response: There are people who pick Mayweather over Leonard and I have no problem with that. But to get angry when someone picks the other way is ridiculous. Both are special fighters it just depends on your cup of tea. I usually take the guy with the higher peak if the peak was special. Benitez, Duran, Hearns and Hagler is enough for me. I don’t know if anyone in history has 4 scalps like that.

GGG may have to wait for one of the junior middleweights to move up. The fact is that no one at 160 wants to fight him. Until I see one of the known elite fighters in his weight class step up that’s the mindset I’m keeping. People got excited after Brook landed a few punches. Then reality kicked in after they found out his face was broken.

I don’t know where Manny goes. But it looks like Top Rank is running out of opponents for Manny and they don’t have anyone on the horizon except Crawford. Crawford is all wrong for Manny at this point. Freddie Roach will tell anyone in shouting distance that Danny Garcia and Adrien Broner are the fights he wants. Maybe they revisit those fights.

I just can’t take the GGG double standard. The media gives him a pass for fighting a welterweight. They would have crushed anyone else for that. They claim everyone is scared of him but he wants big money to make fights. He’s 34 years old and has no signature victories. Now for some odd reason the Danny Jacobs fight is not getting made. It’s getting old. Do you agree with Floyd Mayweather that Canelo would beat him easy? I think Canelo has a shot at the upset.

Bread’s Response: Boxing fans are some of the biggest morons I have ever come across. No matter what common sense facts you are presented with some of you guys still stand on your moronic opinion.

I stand by my views on GGG. The only fight he missed was Andre Ward and that wasn’t at middleweight. Every other fighter he and his team were in negotiations with or targeted, avoided him.  Every single one!

I disagree with Floyd that Canelo beats GGG easy. Anything can happen in a fight but I just don’t see it that way. I have always believed that Canelo is not upside down. His advantage in handspeed and GGG’s style plays into his hands. But GGG has an iron chin, he punches like a mule and the pace that he sets is much more frenetic than anything that Canelo is comfortable with.

Now you just told on yourself with one of your statements. If GGG was such easy work then why would he be the favorite over Canelo who is 50 fights deep into a very good career.

As my man Dougie Fischer has keenly pointed out. GGG victims Curtis Stevens, David Lemiuex and Willie Monroe are avoided fighters. Stevens is one of the best pure punchers in boxing. His catch-counter move is one of the best in the game. And when he’s hot, he’s hot. Just ask the undefeated Patrick Texaira.

Lemiuex seems revamped from early career setbacks. He’s also one of the top 10-20 punchers in boxing.

Willie Monroe has an awful style to look good against. He’s fast, athletic and he’s a southpaw. Top that off with the fact that he doesn’t commit to any punches he strictly tries to move and score points. The only way you look good against him is if you are a Blitzer like GGG.

GGG youtubed all 3 of those guys. None of the other top middleweights will even fight one of them. That should tell you something.

For some reason the Danny Jacobs fight is not getting made… Why do you think that is? Jacobs has said he wants a few more fights.  Every fighter is always asking for more money or more time when it comes to facing GGG. How can that be GGG’s fault that Jacobs wants tune-ups?

You guys who aren’t getting hit by him can say what you want from the sidelines about him being overrated.

GGG fought one smaller fighter who happens to be huge for welterweight and you guys go crazy with the “look he’s picking on smaller guys.” Stop it! He was trying to fight two UK middleweights and they got cold feet. Kell Brook got presented with life changing money and he took the fight. Brook’s promoter volunteered him, GGG didn’t ask for him to pick on him.

Throughout history elite smaller fighters have challenged elite bigger fighters. I can’t remember one getting the flack for doing just once like Golovkin just did especially since no one would fight him. Let me refresh your memory.

Lots of you same guys claim Ray Leonard wanted no part of Aaron Pryor. But Pryor was a lightweight who couldn’t get a title shot so he decided to move to 140. Going by your standards Leonard would have been picking on the smaller Pryor if the fight was ever made at 147. You cant please an overciritic.

Marvin Hagler’s 4 biggest fights were against Ray Leonard, John Mugabi, Tommy Hearns and Roberto Duran. All 4 started out much smaller than him.

Carlos Monzon took on the smaller Emille Griffith twice and Jose Napoles. Both were under 5’7 and welterwegiths taking on the huge Monzon.

Michael Nunn was able to functionally compete at 175lbs. In his prime at 160 he took on the career long welterweight in Marlon Starling.

Bernard Hopkin’s middleweight reign had the scalps of 3 excellent welterweights Simon Brown, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad. Then when he moved to lightheavyweight he took on miidleweights Kelly Pavlik and Winky Wright.

Terry Norris repeatedly called out Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez. He was very close to fighting Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. He had great middleweights to fight in Julian Jackson, Gerald McClellan, Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins and James Toney to fight during his prime. He never moved up from 154. Instead he took on Maurice Blocker, Meldrick Taylor and Simon Brown as some of his title defenses. Today he is still viewed and rightfully so as one of the best junior middleweights ever.

I can literally go on for days about this. All of the fighters I named were great fighters and fighting smaller men was really no big deal. Sometimes the speed of the smaller man can give you more problems than the man your size. You guys bring up Kell Brook like GGG invented something new. It’s insane that you repeat this myth.

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