By Tom Donelson

On November 13th, Don King is putting on one of those King’s extravaganza. It seem that every Heavyweight whose name is not Klitschko will be fighting.  Each match is intriguing since each fighter has serious strengths and weakness. I can’t see one fight in which one fighter is so much better than the others and the only exception to this may be Holyfield –Donald since does anyone really believe that Holyfield has anything left but heart?

Here are some of my thoughts on these fights:

Holyfield-Donald- if this fight was held ten or even five years ago, Larry Donald would be given a boxing lesson of grit and heart. Holyfield would have taken Donald best and beaten him.   Donald is a boxer and against a 42-year-old Holyfield, he can box all night and win this fight. Holyfield can no longer fight for three minutes and takes break during each round.  He still believes that he is going to be the undisputed champion, but all he is going to do is get hurt. We will hear that Holyfield looked great in training and that he is sharper than he ever been. He will like sculptured and in shape but after the first round, we will see what we have seen for the past several years- an old man whose best days have long since past.  This is one of those sad moments in boxing in which a man doesn’t know when to quit.  Donald will win easily.

Rahman-Meehan- Hasim Rahman is an excellent boxer with a nice jab and beautiful right hand. Just ask Lennox Lewis, who felt the full brunt of Rahman’s right hand in their first fight.  Rahman is one of those fighters with enough talent to claim a title in this depleted Heavyweight division. There are certainly enough titles out there for Rahman to have a shot at one.

Kali Meehan big fight was the one that the judges gave to Lamon Brewster. Meehan fought well and showed some skills as well as pop.  What Kali has is heart but Rahman should win. Providing that Rahman shows up ready to fight his fight.  He has more boxing skills than Meehan but as his fight against John Ruiz showed, Rahman can be thrown out of his fight. If Rahman box and uses his jab, then this is an easy victory.  But I would not bet the house.

Byrd-McCline- Jameel McCline has to do one thing and he can come away with an upset and a piece of the Heavyweight title. He has to fight big. He is 6’7” and will have nearly 7 inches over Byrd. He has excellent boxing skills and can overwhelm Byrd, if he goes after him.  Byrd is a slick boxer and has a great chin.  Byrd is not a fighter with power and at 33; he is showing signs of losing his impressive hand speed. In many of his past fight, Byrd has moved less and fought more. When Byrd fought Holyfield and David Tua that was Byrd at his best.  Both of these fighters could never land a solid punch on the elusive Byrd.  Andrew Golota forced Byrd to fight off the rope and used his strength to neutralize Byrd speed. McCline needs to do the same thing.  I like McCline in an upset.

Ruiz-Golota- No one likes to watch a Ruiz fight.  He mugs you, he hugs you, and he batters you.  He will not look pretty but Ruiz has fought the toughest competition among heavyweights over the past four years. Ruiz has fought nothing but contenders and his resume includes victory over Holyfield, Rahman, Kirk Johnson and Fres Oquendo.  Andrew Golota is one of those fighters whose past continues to haunt him. In big moments, he froze or did something stupid. Either he ended up on his rear end in quick fashion or he would foul his way to defeat.  In the Byrd’s fight, he fought a smart fight and acquainted himself well.  Ruiz has the ability to bring most fighters down to his level and Golota needs to box and use his jab to control Ruiz, if he wants to win. Ruiz will fight on inside.  Golota is the stronger fighter but Ruiz is the master of the inside brawl.  Ruiz wins in a hug fest. 

For the winner of the Golota-Ruiz, McCline-Byrd, and Rahman-Meehan; they stay in the hunt for the undisputed heavyweight title whenever Don King allows it to happen. As for the Donald-Holyfield fight, we will have a front row seat to the last days of a great fighter career.  Watching Holyfield over the past few years is like walking a funeral parade passing by. Only the deceased still insists that he is alive.