By Pedro Fernandez
THE UNCERTAINTY OF BOXING UNFOLDS
Anytime you’re staring across the ring at an ex-champion in a big fight, the question going through your head is “How much does he have left?” When it comes to ex-WBA middleweight titleholder William Joppy, the answer will come tomorrow night as he tangles with the “New Kid on Da’ Block” in 2000 Olympian Bronze Medallist Jermain Taylor. This is the “Live” fight on the HBO presentation beginning at 10:45 PM ET that will also bring you the Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales III replay.
NOTHING MADE TAYLOR REALLY STAND OUT!
When I first met the now 21-0 native of Little Rock, AR, it was in December of 2000 at a coming out party in New York City. Flanked by fellow Olympians Ricardo Williams, Michael Bennett, Jose Navarro, Clarence Vinson, Brian Viloria, Taylor was the least touted so to speak. And now it is Taylor who steps out and away from the group by taking on a guy that is a real 34-3-1 (25 KO’s) in Joppy who went 10-2 in WBA title fights.
TWO LATINOS & “WRONG WAY STEVE” SNATCHED BELT!
Note the WBA, they and the honorable New York Athletic Commission, assigned Judge’s Rafael Carabano (116-113), Gonsalvo Rivera (114-112,) & “Wrong Way Steve” Weisfeld (113-112). And it was this threesome, acting like thieves in the night, they stole the WBA diadem from Joppy in front of a pro-Julio Cesar Green (See Dominican) crowd in NYC at the Garden.
JOPPY HAS BOTH PLUSES AND SOME NEGATIVES!
And while the majority of attention is bestowed upon the undefeated Taylor, one needs to point out that Joppy is no mere steppingstone. With the exception of the Green heist, in a professional career that began eleven years and nine months ago, William Joppy has only lost to Felix Trinidad and World champion Bernard Hopkins. The negatives in place here include age, as the D.C. resident is 34 years old. Throw in inactivity, as Joppy’s only posted four times since May of 2001, and a pair of those outings were the UD 12 to Hopkins one year ago, and the KO By 5 vs. Trinidad three and half calendar turns ago.
WHILE SOME FAVOR JOPPY, TIMING IS WITH TAYLOR!
As Jermain Taylor enters professional endeavor #22, the 28-year old enjoys an eight-year advantage in youth over William Joppy. But youth aside, and in order to prevail, Taylor will have to get Joppy’s attention. In other words, to prevent Joppy from walking right at Jermain, the hometown lad will have to make the ex-champion respect him. I’m not talking about jabbing, no more like making your opponent feel the heat! As for boxing, this looks like a fight as Joppy realizes that it is now or never, and thus he will throw it all out there to win. Inactivity of Joppy noted, Jermain Taylor is favored and yet he’ll still have his 160 lb. hands full tomorrow evening on HBO.
MARCO & ERIK III HAS THE FIGHT WORLD “BUZZING!”
The third tango between Marco Antonio Barrera & Erik Morales will open up the HBO telecast from Little Rock at 10:45 PM ET & PT. The fight, now six days removed, it still has the boxing world abuzz! Correspondence from around the globe has been nothing but positive for the HBO PPV presentation of November 27th. Even those who watched the fight Tuesday on Fed-Ex’d overnight tapes, they’re talking as if Barrera-Morales III was the third Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier III encounter, only this at 130 lbs.
ROCKY NEEDS TO MAKE A ESPN STATEMENT TONIGHT!
Rocky Juarez has not had a win of late that has made any featherweights lose any sleep. In fairness, the opposite maybe true! The victory in July over Zahir Raheem was more about a crummy Referee in Robert “Booby” Gonzalez, than Juarez superiority. With Gonzalez all but hitting Zahir for Rocky, this by taking points away at inopportune times, and sometimes for naught, the lifetime ban suggested by yours truly, if it were imposed on Booby, the penalty would hardly be enough as casual boxing fans watching on HBO, the “Squares” could see the Referee was shall we say, impaired!
TOOK OUT REAL GOOD SEASONED FOE IN MAY ’03!
Six fights ago against Frankie Archuleta, a KO victory in six has been the high point of the Shelly Finkel managed fighter Juarez who hails from Houston, TX. Treading water since, Rocky will need to make up some ground with an above par performance and win this evening. For to not swim nicely in the deep but shark-free water tonight against a safe foe, this would put Rocky Juarez in a pile of pugilistic doubt.
GUTY JR., LIKE HIS DAD “NO SCHMERE!”
38-6 is Guty Espadas, a former champ who was the victim of Las Vegas ineptness when in early 2001 he was on the short end of a Unanimous Decision to Erik Morales. And while he would get a rematch two years later, Guty was expectedly drilled. But the truth of the matter is that the son of ex-WBC flyweight champ Guty Espadas Sr., he was denied victory on the night in which he deserved it. Main Events Matchmaker Carl Morretti, on the outside he’s seemingly not showing concern for Rocky’s lack of recent fireworks. But what the genius is thinking on the inside? We may know about a bit more about that after tonight!
HAVING “TIVO” MEANS TWO FIGHTS AT ONCE IS COOL!
Never one for automation, HBO Godfather Larry Merchant is ecstatic about TIVO, a TV system that allows you to record two programs at once, while you watch one already recorded, stop, and watch and pause live TV, you name it, TIVO does it. I’ve had Direc TV & TIVO for four months, and it is cheaper and better than Cable! So when the HBO & Showtime boxing telecasts collide tomorrow night, I’m sitting pretty!
SHOWTIME HAS “FOUR STAR” CARD!
Anytime Jose Luis Castillo fights, the Mexicans who frequent a gym I drop by take notice. They say that the 50-6-1, (45 stops) former sparring partner of Julio Cesar Chavez, that Castillo is the working mans champion of Mexico. Across the ring at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday night on Showtime, Castillo will enter a 135 lb. title fight with a 4-2-1 mark in battles for the green belt. The two defeats came on points at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
CUBANS WILL BE ON THE EDGE OF THE COUCH!
Joel Casamayor is still a hero in his homeland of Cuba. With a 31-2, (19 KO’s), the lefthander left the isle of Fidel shortly after winning an Olympic Gold Medal in 1992. Now said to be 33, Joel has a new guy handling him in Buddy McGirt. Even with the expertise in the corner, I don’t think that Casamayor will have enough upper body strength and pop on his punches to dent the grill of Mexican. That being said, I think Castillo prevails here even though I think the southpaw stance of the Cuban will present minor difficulty.
LACY LOOKING TO ROUT OMAR SHEIKA!
When the first bell rings for the co-feature this evening on Showtime, the man with the spotlight shining squarely on him will be IBF 168 lb. guy Jeff Lacy. Across the ring will be the grisly veteran Omar Sheika. While the “Money” line is through the roof on this fight, I’m not posting a huge line here or on any of the even “Give-Me” fights of December. That being said, Lacy will be standing when this one is over. Sheika on the other hand, I can’t promise that!
HAVE YOU SEEN THE VIDEO THAT SCARE THE NETWORKS?
Let me see, my latest Video presentation previews tonight’s fights on ESPN 2, in addition to the cards being put forth by HBO and Showtime Saturday. Have you seen it? How about Bernard Hopkins “Unleashed,” or my post fight Marco Antonio Barrera-Erik Morales piece from the MGM Grand. The Don King interviews, they offer a unique look at the relationship between King and myself. All of this and more by hitting the “Ring Talk” Video link right now http://www.ringtalk.com/video.asp If you can find better Video, then you must be watching the web, you’re watching HBO!
WHERE “FAIR & BALANCED” NEWS CALLS HOME!
Now while I’ve been punting one Official around a bit of late, were he to perform admirably in his role as a third man, I would have no problem in acknowledging such. We folks, ask Oscar De La Hoya, we here at www.RingTalk.com set the standard when it comes to being “Fair & Balanced!” You see folks, as thin-skinned and ill advised as some people may be, the character witnesses I would bring into Court would make any Legal proceeding involving yours truly an incredible publicity stunt for www.RingTalk.com
HARD-HITTING & FRESH ALL WEEK AT WWW.RINGTALK.COM
In addition to articles, Videos and the like, you can catch the Sunday night edition of “Ring Talk Radio.” My guests included Joe Guzman of “Everlast,” HBO CEO Ross Greenburg, Larry Merchant, Cassius Clay, Jack Paar, Liberace, and wrestling author & icon Dave Meltzer of www.WrestlingObserver.com who has a new wrestling book “Tributes II” at www.Amazon.com You can listen to “Ring Talk Radio” by hitting the link below. Enjoy, and please tell at least ten of your friends about www.RingTalk.com
TO LISTEN TO “RING TALK” RADIO NOW!
Hit this link http://www.universaltalknetwork.com/arch_ringtalk.html
TELL TEN PEOPLE WHERE YOU’VE BEEN!
Before logging off today, I might ask that you spread the word that www.RingTalk.com to at least say, ten people! With today being December 1, that means “The Historical Boxing Month ‘December’ Of Boxing” has been formulated and updated by our “House Historian” Sin City Richey.” To view the genius’ work in its entirety, hit this link http://www.ringtalk.com/news/view_article.asp?id=93&cat=6
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is NOT your average boxing writer! A four-time San Francisco Golden Gloves champion, and formerly a Cop with the San Francisco Police Dept., few people have the unique combination of having a boxing background in addition to being a schooled Journalist. He can be reached with your comments at Pedro@RingTalk.com