By Jake Donovan
Photo © Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com

One night, four fights on two major networks, all ending inside the distance. One major title changes hands in a Fight of the Year candidate, two talents on the rise dominate, and a new player emerges in the lower ranks.

Now THAT is how you throw a welcome back party.

You know things are slow when a fight between an inactive, erratic bantamweight beltholder and obscure challenger has you waiting with breathless anticipation. So began our boxing weekend this past Saturday, which ended with the sport receiving a much-needed breath of fresh air.

Despite conflicting head-to-head telecasts on HBO and SHOWTIME, the stars seemed to be properly aligned last weekend. With a mere 15 minutes separating the start times between the two, SHOWTIME viewers were given just long enough to get a taste for the direction the co-feature battle between Luis Perez and Joseph Agbeko was heading.

Perez, whose stay near the top of the junior bantamweight and bantamweight divisions have been plagued by inactivity and controversy, was in desperate need of a strong televised showing. His last Showtime appearance came in May 2006, where he was on the winning end of one of the year's most controversial decisions, a split nod over Dimitri Kilirov.

If there was a single positive to come out of the bout, it was that it came opposite Oscar de la Hoya's return to the ring following a 20-month layoff. de la Hoya's six-round thrashing of Ricardo Mayorga dominated headlines, both in boxing and mainstream circles, enough to where any other bout that night became an afterthought.

Perez suffered a similar fate last weekend, his co-feature battle coming on a night where the undisputed middleweight championship took center stage on a rival network. So it was with little fanfare that he was set to face underrated but largely unknown Agbeko. It also meant that his upset 7 th round stoppage loss flew under the radar in most boxing circles due to what took place on "that other network."

While Agbeko, who emerges as a major player in a bantamweight division in desperate need of a leader, literally pounded out the biggest win of his otherwise unheralded career, highly-touted undefeated 2004 Olympian Andre Berto was busy on HBO, making a successful and emphatic transition from top prospect to budding welterweight contender.

Many believed his battle against divisional gatekeeper David Estrada to be the toughest of Berto's career. The bout lived up to expectations, particularly early when Estrada was able to go tit-for-tat with the best that Berto had to offer. Lesser prospects, such as Chris Smith a couple of years ago, found out the hard way that nobody walks through the battle-tested Mexican-American. Top welterweight players Shane Mosley and Kermit Cintron were able to get over the hump. Mosley settled on a decisive ten-round decision, while Cintron elected to walk through hell and back before stopping Estrada in the 10 th round of their brutal slugfest.

Like Mosley and Cintron, Berto also faced Estrada while in need of an impressive showing. Berto's situation was not quite as desperate as the scenarios surrounding the aforementioned; Mosley was coming off of two straight losses, while Cintron was still rebuilding following the lone loss of his career.

Berto merely needed to remind people while he is so highly regarded as a top prospect. Some of the new penny shine had been removed following the lone knockdown of his career against Cosme Rivera in a bout he otherwise dominated two months ago. But much like Roy Jones' domination of Lou del Valle in 1998, the only part anyone remembers are the few seconds the heavy betting favorite spent on the canvas.

It was mission accomplished for Berto, though not without Estrada enjoying a few final moments in the sun. Most came early in the bout, especially in the first and third rounds, the latter prompting a standing ovation from the 10,000+ on hand at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Estrada's last great stand came in the eighth, another round that drew raucous cheers from the crowd and perhaps an entry for "Round of the Year", before Berto took over for good in the ninth.

The ninth and tenth were rounds where Estrada remained just tough enough to prevent referee David Fields from calling it an evening, but also to where it prolonged the inevitable. Berto decided to pick it up in the eleventh, sending Estrada crashing to the canvas courtesy of an uppercut and straight right hand. Estrada's body language suggested an instant stoppage, but Fields surprisingly let the bout last long enough for the too-proud warrior to absorb four more unanswered shots before finally intervening.

With the win, Berto becomes mandatory challenger to two separate alphabet titles including one held by linear welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who resurfaces later this year on the tail-end of boxing's most anticipated stretch run in years, with his highly anticipated December 8 showdown with fellow unbeaten Ricky Hatton.

Very few will begin to suggest that Berto's ready for such a step up in competition, or even that he's ready for Kermit Cintron, himself scheduled for a tune-up later this year against Jesse Feliciano. That both have bouts scheduled later this year provides Berto with the necessary wiggle room to further enhance his skills, perhaps even work on defense, an item that has otherwise served as a rumor throughout his young career.

That the win came 4:37 inside the scheduled 12-round distance also provided channel surfers some wiggle room in jockeying between HBO and Showtime. The extra five or so minutes to spare, in addition to the normal filler time between co-feature and main event, left just enough time to catch at least the beginning of SHOWTIME's replacement main event, with undefeated light heavyweight Chad Dawson taking on late sub Epifanio Mendoza.

Dawson was originally scheduled to headline Showtime's FREE PREVIEW WEEKEND against fellow unbeaten Adrian Diaconu. But much like every other scheduled SHOWTIME fight in the previously marketed "September to Remember", Diaconu got bit by the injury bug, which paved the way for Mendoza to take one last crack at a potential title run.

Once upon a time, Mendoza was regarded as hard-hitting prospect killer (figuratively speaking, of course), snatching the "0" from Tokunbu Olajide and Rubin Williams, both on ESPN2, and both inside of a minute. Those wins were a long time – and 15-20 lb. – ago, with Mendoza since exposed as a limited puncher with severe stamina issues and lack of ring smarts.

His best chance at an upset here would be to fly off of his stool and test the chin of Chad Dawson, who has been down in the past and himself not above suffering an occasional in-the-ring mental lapse. So naturally, the Colombian instead elected to start off the bout boxing, treating the opening frame as a feel-'em out session. The fight might as well have been declared over right then and there, but Dawson instead elected to take a round or two before kicking things into high gear.

By the time the third round rolled around, Dawson was in complete control, with Mendoza never so much as threatening to test his opponent's chin. A dominant third paved the way for a tattooing fourth, with Mendoza offering nothing in return before referee John Schlore waved off the bout. Like Perez in the co-feature, Mendoza insisted that he was never hurt, and denied the opportunity to ride out the storm and possibly turn things around.

Whatever. While the fight proved little in the grand scheme of things, it preserved Dawson's status as one of the light heavyweight's of the future. With many of the division's top players and notable draws at 35 and older, a changing of the guard appears inevitable. Whether or not Dawson is the man to do it, remains to be seen.

What Dawson did provide was perfect timing to keep the full night of dual-network boxing action move along without missing a beat. No sooner did ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr. announce Dawson as the winner on Showtime, a quick flick of the channel caught HBO's preferred Master of Ceremonies Michael Buffer beginning to introduce the chief principles of perhaps the most anticipated fight of the year to date.

Even if the September boxing schedule remained intact, high expectations were still going to surround the middleweight title fight between top undefeated middleweights Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik. That absolutely nothing of note had preceded this weekend on American airwaves in seven weeks left little room for a letdown. With Berto-Estrada serving as a solid primer, expectations for a Fight of the Year contender became that much higher.

See you, and raise you.

Pavlik promised to box far more in the early going than has been the case in recent bouts. Surprisingly, it was Taylor, in desperate need of an impressive showing following consecutive stinkers amdist a title reign riddled in controversy, who took the fight to the heavy-handed challenger, perhaps looking to test his camp's claim that Pavlik was a hype job. Pavlik responded with blistering combinations, most of which began with a long left jab that left Taylor confused at times.

Things appeared to move along well for Pavlik in round two before losing his head a bit. A Taylor right hand early in the round drew a tongue-wagging response from Pavlik, in an attempt to suggest the champion's punches had little effect. That claim changed dramatically moments later, when another right hand (and perhaps an elbow or two) had Youngstown's latest hero in serious trouble. Taylor jumped on his wounded prey, with a barrage of punches forcing Pavlik to collapse to the canvas, only the third official knockdown of his career. Pavlik was able to beat the count, but remained on unsteady legs. Taylor attempted to finish him off, but instead punched himself out, surprisingly limited to clinching a still groggy Pavlik by rounds end.

In a showing of his remarkable resiliency and fighting heart, Pavlik came back strong in the third, surprisingly the only frame he would sweep on the three official scorecards. Even more surprising – at least to those at home watching on HBO – was that entering the seventh round, Pavlik was down by 3, 3 and 5 points on the official cards, winning only the 3 rd and 4th on two, and just the third on the scorecard of Julie Lederman, daughter of HBO's unofficial scorer Harold Lederman (himself unofficially having Pavlik enjoying a 1-point lead).

Unlike the National League pennant races, which extended into Sunday and the wild card race not being settled until Monday night, Pavlik wasn't interested in depending on what-if scenarios or anything else beyond his immediate control. Once he managed to badly stun Taylor – courtesy of a flush right, Pavlik never looked back. A left uppercut mixed in the barrage of ensuing punches had Taylor out on his feet while trapped in the corner, with a devastating left hook putting him out for good. Taylor dramatically slumped to the canvas, almost in slow motion-like fashion, as referee Steve Smoger waved off the bout without a count.

Just five rounds after being on the verge of an early and embarrassing exit from the title picture, Pavlik emerged as the new world champion of a middleweight division long in need of a historical makeover. Once the glamour division of boxing, the division had since lost its luster, due in part to Taylor's inability to reign with an iron fist, or even produce a conclusive outcome or exciting showing.

In one fell swoop, Kelly Pavlik provided both. In addition, the bout also produced bona fide contenders for Fight, Fighter (Pavlik) and Knockout of the Year honors.

The night as a whole provided a fitting end to the worst boxing drought in recent memory, and an even more appropriate start to a remarkable ten-week stretch that lies ahead.

Welcome back, oh Sweet Science!

ETC:

- SHOWTIME and HBO go head-to-head for the second straight weekend this Saturday, this time with America's #1 Fight Network competing with HBO's PPV arm. For $50, you get to watch the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas, NV (9PM ET/ 6PM PT) along with three solid, perhaps even good, preliminary bouts: Librado Andrade-Yusef Mack, Steve Luevano-Antonio Davis and Stevie Forbes-Francisco "Panchito" Bojado .

If it's not in your budget, then Showtime offers a heavyweight clash at Madison Square Garden (10PM ET/PT) between top-rated contender Samuel Peter and late sub Jameel McCline, who fills in for the injured Oleg Maskaev.

For reasons unknown, the co-feature battle between junior middleweights Daniel Santos and Jose Antonio Rivera did not make the televised cut. The decision is an odd one, especially when you consider that it follows the same theme as the HBO PPV card, in which the under card battles figure to be more competitive than the main events.

Ah whatever, it's two weeks in a row we get to watch boxing.

- With this column turned in Monday evening, a review of Floyd Mayweather Jr's second week on ABC's hit series "Dancing With the Stars" will have to wait until next week. What I can say is that I thought the three ballroom judges (Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli) were all on point with their constructive criticism of Floyd's performance, which was solid and energetic, though a bit forced. I thought the scores (6's across the board, total of 18) were a little too low, but Floyd lived to dance another day and hopefully builds on his performance, taking the judge's remarks as sound advice rather than unwarranted criticism.

Unlike most, I'm rooting for Mayweather to go as far as he can in the competition, as I don't believe it will greatly affect his performance in December against Ricky Hatton. In fact, the longer he lasts, the more he remains in the public spotlight. In his C.R.E.A.M.-influenced world (Cash Rules Everything Around Me, for those in need of an explanation), additional exposure means greater potential for increased PPV sales.

Of course, a Hatton win leaves Floyd –and those (of us) highly doubting an upset occurs – with egg on the face in the end. Though possibly, the first guaranteed rematch of 2008. Which of course means more money. And more exposure for Floyd. Oh, and for boxing.

- From the "You had to hear it for yourself to believe it" department: earlier last week during a media conference call to discuss the October 6 Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera PPV rematch, promoter/part-time-boxer Oscar de la Hoya claimed that his record-breaking May 5 waltz with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. did in fact save boxing. The bout forced the sport's best, according to Oscar, to step up and begin facing one another, that even if they didn't believe Mayweather-de la Hoya was the one that saved the sport (which it didn't), that they could now become the one to do so.

To believe that to be true, you would first have to also believe that:

-           The sport was indeed dead going into 2007

-           Anything positive, other than financial interests, came out of May 5

-           de la Hoya is the first, last and only fighter to ever take on a top fighter

-           Appearing only once per year as a part-time fighter, with little more than self-serving interests in mind, benefits the sport in any way, shape or form.  

Just when you want to start believing that the pictures can't possibly be real…

- To further support my earlier claim of regarding de la Hoya's "contributions" as self-service interests more than giving back to the sport, I present the   From the "you had to hear it for yourself to believe it" department, Part II:

"I'll have you know that Golden Boy has made more money than all the promoters combined so if that is not helping boxing then I don't know what is."

-  Golden Boy Productions media relations representative Debbie Kaplan, defending GBP's lack of fan interaction in their events, particularly the press tours for the November 10 (Miguel Cotto-Shane Mosley) and December 8 (Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton) PPV events.

- He may be way past his best sell-by date, but longtime boxing promoter Don King still has a knack for picking winners, or at least winning locations. It's already a stroke of genius to stage the October 13 Juan Diaz-Julio Diaz lightweight battle in Chicago, the hometown of fellow lightweight beltholder David Diaz. But now the bout comes potentially on the heels of pennant fever. Should the Chicago Cubs, who return to the playoffs for the first time since 2003, advance to the LCS round, their potential home games come October 12 and October 14. In other words, before and after "Dia de los Diaz".

A location has yet to be announced for the pre-fight weigh-in. Might I suggest… the front entrance outside Wrigley Field?  

- Speaking of other sports, this past weekend, on a personal level, was one of my more enjoyable sports weekends in a long time

-           The middleweight title changing hands in a Fight of the Year candidate.

-           The Yankees clinching a playoff spot for the 13th straight year, highlighted by (yet another) career year in the already incredible career of Alex Rodriguez

-           The NY (football) Giants tying the NFL record for most sacks in a game – and more importantly winning their second straight following an 0-2 start

-           The crappy Jets losing to the slightly less crappy Buffalo Bills

-           And finally, the NY Mets blowing the greatest late-season lead in baseball history, spiraling downward down the stretch and all the way out of the playoffs.  

Ah, the memories will last a lifetime. Or at least until next weekend.

- Taylor's devastating knockout loss to Pavlik wasn't all that went south for Little Rock, Arkansas. One-time light heavyweight stable mate Ray Smith lost for the second time in three bouts, suffering a fifth round stoppage against unheralded Richard Pierson earlier on the show. And things went from bad to worse for former fringe contender Terry Smith (no relation to Ray), who for the second straight month managed to decisively lose to a journeyman heavyweight. Last month, he was out-muscled by Rob Calloway. Last weekend, he was thoroughly outboxed in dropping a six-round decision to feather-fisted Robert Hawkins, who had lost five straight heading into the bout.

Perhaps all of the juice was sucked dry by the Arkansas Razorbacks football team, who pummeled unheralded North Texas, 66-7, in what proved to be the lone win of the day for anything representing Little Rock, AR, a city whose sports weekend also included the DUI arrest of former Razorback star and Dallas Cowboys backup QB Clint Stoerner.

- Not to further rub salt in the wounds… ah, what the hell. Among a panel of "experts" polled by noted Yahoo boxing scribe Kevin Iole, 10 out of 13 picked Taylor to beat Kelly Pavlik. Many of the same group also picked Edison Miranda to beat Kelly Pavlik four months ago.

In the immortal words of Leo Durocher and the then-Brooklyn Dodgers, "Wait until next year."

In related news, the majority of the Boxingscene.com staff picked Pavlik to win. Just incase you're in search of an "expert" opinion for the next major fight.

Jake Donovan's column runs ever Tuesday on boxingscene.com . In addition to his contributions as a writer, Jake is also currently licensed as a manager, promoter and judge (ABC certified), and is a member of the Tennessee Boxing Advisory Board. He may be reached for questions and comments at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com