Ten Fighters, Ten New Year's Resolutions
By Dave Sholler
Photo © Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, almost everyone has one. Whether they choose to share it or not is another question. As we reflect on an interesting 2006, it’s time to reveal 10 boxers’ 2007 resolutions.
James Toney: Eat or be eaten. Days away from a Jan. 6 rematch with powerful Samuel Peter, the portly Toney must eat up Peter like he does buffets. If he does he’ll put himself back in heavyweight title contention. If he doesn’t, he might as well retire.
Samuel Peter: Emerge as a true star by adding technique to the arsenal. There is no doubt that Peter has the potential to be a star. But how many times has a fighter had potential? While he has been successful thus far as a pure power puncher, Peter would open a lot of eyes on Jan. 6 if he can outbox Toney.
Floyd Mayweather: Think before you speak. There are few fighters who can talk trash AND back it up. Ask Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah and Carlos Baldomir. However, Mayweather should choose his words carefully when talking about his next opponent, Oscar De La Hoya. One left hook from “The Golden Boy” could leave Mayweather speechless for the first time on May 5.
Oscar De La Hoya: Tame the beast. De La Hoya poses a serious threat to Mayweather if he pushes the pace. Mayweather’s highly publicized game plan heading into every fight is to hit and not get hit. De La Hoya will get hit, however if he manages to cut off the ring and trap Mayweather, the results would be golden.
Winky Wright: Have “Bad Intentions.” Sometimes you do things in the previous year that you want to correct in the next. Had he fought the 12th round against middleweight champion Jermain Taylor in their bout last year, he would have out pointed the champ. Wright should look to right a wrong by petitioning for a rematch in '07. With effective counter punching and the proper utilization of his jab in a rematch, Wright could dominate Taylor, a fighter who struggles defensively.
Jermain Taylor: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Yes, he drops his hands a lot. Yes, his fights aren’t always entertaining. But for some reason it works. Wright pushed him to the edge, but he did just enough to hold onto his belts. After all, his style does cause opponents’ fits, even if it causes trainer Emanuel Steward headaches.
Manny Pacquiao: Stay levelheaded. It’s tough to find a fighter more fun to watch than this Filipino sensation. His pit bull-like fighting style comes second though to his Brad Pitt-like status in his home country. He must resist the pitfalls of his celebrity status in the Philippines. Pacman could become one of boxing’s all-time greats if he maintains his unreal work ethic.
Shannon Briggs: Keep drinking protein shakes. Briggs thoroughly dominated Sergei Liakhovich to win the WBO Heavyweight title in November and did so looking like a dreadlocked version of The Incredible Hulk. In the late rounds of the fight, Briggs could barely keep his mammoth arms elevated past his hips. He essentially clubbed Liahovich into submission. If he added any more muscle, the International Federation of Body Builders might come a calling.
Wladimir Klitschko: Think unification. There’s always one person who has a borderline outlandish New Year’s Resolution. In today’s world of boxing, personalities prevent unification. But it’s still nice to dream. If any current heavyweight champion could do it, it might just be the dominant Ukrainian.
Bernard Hopkins: Keep the gloves on the mantle. Yes, the heavyweight division is in shambles, but B-Hop already had his storybook ending by beating Antonio “Mason Dixon” Tarver last summer. Sure, he could outbox a majority of the heavyweights today, but his legacy is already cemented. Think business Bernard, as in East Coast President of Golden Boy Promotions.
Dave Sholler is a freelance columnist whose work has appeared in a variety of publications, including The Press of Atlantic City. Sholler can be heard throughout the week on ESPN 1450 AM in Atlantic City. You can reach Sholler by emailing him at shollerholla4@hotmail.com.