40 stories on BoxingScene are published under the Don Colgan byline.
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Next January, Muhammad Ali will be 65-years-old. In this diminished era of fragmented championships, mediocre titleholders and declining public acceptance of boxing as a major port in the United States the Sweet Science is in acute need of a potent voice that will help shape public opinion. A voice that will get the man in the street thinking boxing when he turns to the sports section of his morning newspaper.
There were some boxing matches we would have loved to have seen happen, but, for whatever reason, they never happened. On this ongoing series, we take a look at what might have been. This time around -- Duran vs. Ayala, Jr.
Bernard Hopkin’s dominant, near shutout performance over Antonio Tarver in their recent IBO Light Heavyweight Championship bout should have surprised no one. Hopkins' is the modern day version of the “Old Mongoose”, Archie Moore, fully capable of executing a stellar performance and further elevating his secure position among boxing’s all time great titleholders. Those who declared his championship days over following consecutive decision defeats at the hands of young Jermain Taylor were sadder, yet infinitely wiser following Hopkins' drubbing of Tarver. The Philadelphia Champion’s twenty championship defenses placed him firmly alongside Ketchel, Robinson, Monzon and Hagler, the historical elite of the great Middleweight class. Many thought Bernard’s stunning career had reached it’s end after the two defeats by Taylor. Although both verdicts were justifiable, Hopkins came close to retaining, and regaining his championship against a young, talented and dynamic foeman in Taylor. Hopkins fought, and he lost!
I found out Floyd Patterson passed away Thursday morning. I had a feeling this day would come sooner than later. We all knew Floyd was very ill, the progression of Alzheimer’s over the past decade had slowly robbed him of many of the remembrances of his fine career, as well as many of the wonderful associations he nurtured over the 47 years he devoted to boxing, from a Simon Pure in the New York City Golden Gloves in the early 1950’s until his sad and sudden resignation as Commissioner of the New York State Athletic Commission in 1998. Floyd Patterson was much more than a sports personality or Former Heavyweight Champion. He was what is a true rarity in sports today, a wonderful and positive inspiration for the youth of this nation. He left us a beloved and much admired figure, an elder statesman for the sport he championed and loved to the last.
He has become an afterthought in the storied history of the heavyweight division. A streaking comet across the fistic scene nearly a half century ago he crept up on the heavyweight division, capturing the European Crown by halting Franco Cavicchi in 13 rounds. Thereafter he gained gradual prominence, stopping a young Henry Cooper, defeating Americans Archie McBride and Joe Erskine as well as dominating the thin class of European Heavyweights.
Return Tilt With Bryd is Golden Chance for Klitschko It was just four short months ago when the upcoming WBC Heavyweight Championship bout between defending titleholder Vitali Klitscko and challenger Hasim Rahman was generating much anticipation. Although the champion had only one successful title defense, an 8th round battering of 2nd tier contender Danny Williams, there was a growing perception that Klitschko was a late bloomer and was preparing to embark upon a respectable title run, punctuated by a knockout victory over Rahman. However, Vitali never made it to November 12 at Las Vegas. Injuries have plagued his career and torn ligaments in his right knee abruptly ended his reign, and his career. It was a career of promise unfulfilled. His courageous battle against Lennox Lewis stamped Klitschko as a champion in waiting. Although his style was cumbersome he could absorb punishment and he could punch and that alone was enough to propel him to the head of a heavyweight class that, charitably, has been found wanting since Lewis’ retirement. There was the prospect of two Klitschko titleholders, as his brother Wladimir, viewed clearly as the better fighter of the two prior to his disastrous performances against Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster, remained a flawed yet potent force within the heavyweight division. It was the younger Klitschko who first carved a niche within the top ten in the heavyweight class, winning the WBO version of the championship with a 12 round decision over Chris Byrd in December of 2000. He successfully defended the crown five times, albeit against light caliber opposition.
He burst on the scene with the mantle of greatness already upon his shoulders. He was to be the Sugar Ray Robinson of the Y2K era, a powerfully built boxer punch with dazzling ring generalship, power in both hands, a stout chin combined with an air of invincibility. From the time he burst upon the scene, capturing Olympic Gold at Barcelona in 1992, he was destined to be a champion for the ages.
In a span of less than eight weeks, the prospects for a continued heavyweight rebirth in the post Tyson-Lewis era took two brutal body blows with the abrupt retirement of Vitali Klitschko and the recent twelve round points triumph secured by the new WBA Heavyweight Champion, Nikolay Valuev over the two-time titleholder John Ruiz. If it wasn't for bad luck the heavyweight division would have no luck at all. With the ascension of Valuev, the retired Klitschko looks like Larry Holmes. Ruiz, a pretender champion on his best night, was muscled around the ring by the Russian giant, seeing an early points advantage wither away. The decision was suspect, yet the final removal of Ruiz is the one clear benefit gained from the developments of the past two months. With the exception of his success against a long past prime Holyfield, Ruiz was the worst claimant of a portion of the heavyweight championship in ring history. Bar none, Marvin Hart and Leon Pinks notwithstanding, Ruiz was so inept that he would have struggled to occupy a spot in the top twenty 1970 contenders. At least with his size coupled with the slight possibility of an improvement in his ring skills, Valuev may be able to make a successful defense or two before his inevitable defrocking.
Ron Howard's 2005 production of Cinderella Man was a stellar recreation of James J. Braddock's rise from the brutal grip of the Great Depression to the Heavyweight Championship of the world. In one short year! The film's accurate depiction of the hopelessness millions of Americans faced as families who, like the Braddock's, were reasonably comfortable in the late 1920's and on the brink of starvation two years later.
Last month, Vitali Klitschko really fooled us all. Perhaps the boxing fraternity should have seen it coming, with the previous postponents of his scheduled title defense against Hasim Rahman and his spotty ring appearances over the past several years. Yet Klitschko seemed to possess a tremendous opportunity. Although devoid of grace and pure ring skill, he was a dominant heavyweight in a mediocre era and was clearly the standout heavyweight of his era.