In Defense of Joan Guzman....

[GG Marquez]

I see everybody pretty much crapping on Joan Guzman, and acting like he is not a good fighter and has never been a good fighter.

Calm down, gentlemen.!!

I would like to offer an objective defense/explanation for Joan Guzman. It was NOT a good performance, and I'm not saying it was. But the poor showing was a combination of several things:

1) Funeka is a nightmare for anyone. When Campbell was asked on a radio interview who hit him the hardest, he said it was Ali Funeka. That dude is like a cross between Diego Corrales and paul Williams. He is Diego with a good chin. A 6'1" lightweight who can throw short punches and has a high activity rate. Funeka was 152 in the ring last night. Ali Funeka ended the career of Zahir Raheem. The same Zahir Raheem who schooled Erik Morales.

2) Guzman fought a completely different fight than he is used to. He is trying to incorporate a new (fan-friendly) style....and that style may not be good for him. That is the first time I have watched a Gooz fight where he wasn't elusive at all. Gooz is best when he is moving and slick and confident.

3) There was a CLEAR headbutt last night. That rattled him a bit. He started bleeding last night and, all things considered, Joan showed toughness. But alot of guys struggle when faced with bad cuts. Right, Miguel? Right, BabyBull?

4) Gooz had been inactive. He had not faced elite competition for a long time. His mother had passed away, and he had family troubles. With that, he was professional last night, he made weight, he came to fight, and he was game.

5) The decision was bad. I had Funeka winning 7-5 or 8-4. But it was not the 10-2 robbery that many people are making it out to be.

7) Guys come back. I remember when Casamayor was killed by online posters for a bad showing against Santa Cruz. His career was being crapped on. In his next fight? Joel knocked out rising star Michael Katsidis. Calm down , guys. Perspective.

8) Guzman beat Barrios and Soto and moved up from 122 to 135 in three years. Roach and Arum were in no hurry to put Pacquiao in with him. There's a reason for that.

Thanks for listening.

[- v e t -]

he was decent... not a bad fighter, just clearly lost

[Doctor_Tenma]

What I've been trying to say is that Guzman wasn't tired against Barrios/ Soto...NEVER TIRED against those 2 and those 2 did a attack Guzman's body from start to finish. But to be out of breath against Funeka; when Funeka never attacked the body? Obvious that the broken nose had alot to do with that. I had Funeka winning 8 rounds to 4. Despite the inactivity and broken nose, Guzman showed heart and that should atleast be respected. In a rematch, I got Guzman.


Good thread GG

[ny123]

I see everybody pretty much crapping on Joan Guzman, and acting like he is not a good fighter and has never been a good fighter.

Calm down, gentlemen.!!

I would like to offer an objective defense/explanation for Joan Guzman. It was NOT a good performance, and I'm not saying it was. But the poor showing was a combination of several things:

1) Funeka is a nightmare for anyone. When Campbell was asked on a radio interview who hit him the hardest, he said it was Ali Funeka. That dude is like a cross between Diego Corrales and paul Williams. He is Diego with a good chin. A 6'1" lightweight who can throw short punches and has a high activity rate. Funeka was 152 in the ring last night. Ali Funeka ended the career of Zahir Raheem. The same Zahir Raheem who schooled Erik Morales.

2) Guzman fought a completely different fight than he is used to. He is trying to incorporate a new (fan-friendly) style....and that style may not be good for him. That is the first time I have watched a Gooz fight where he wasn't elusive at all. Gooz is best when he is moving and slick and confident.

3) There was a CLEAR headbutt last night. That rattled him a bit. He started bleeding last night and, all things considered, Joan showed toughness. But alot of guys struggle when faced with bad cuts. Right, Miguel? Right, BabyBull?

4) Gooz had been inactive. He had not faced elite competition for a long time. His mother had passed away, and he had family troubles. With that, he was professional last night, he made weight, he came to fight, and he was game.

5) The decision was bad. I had Funeka winning 7-5 or 8-4. But it was not the 10-2 robbery that many people are making it out to be.

7) Guys come back. I remember when Casamayor was killed by online posters for a bad showing against Santa Cruz. His career was being crapped on. In his next fight? Joel knocked out rising star Michael Katsidis. Calm down , guys. Perspective.

8) Guzman beat Barrios and Soto and moved up from 122 to 135 in three years. Roach and Arum were in no hurry to put Pacquiao in with him. There's a reason for that.

Thanks for listening.

good post a loss or win is always overated right after the fight because it is our last memory of the fighter and we are excited about what we just saw guzman is not a bum now he just was in with a better fighter last night. i think the reaction has a lot do with the fact that funeka was clearly robbed of a deserved victory not that its guzmans fault he fought his heart out and tried but the judges were way off

[Dambala]

I see everybody pretty much crapping on Joan Guzman, and acting like he is not a good fighter and has never been a good fighter.

Calm down, gentlemen.!!

I would like to offer an objective defense/explanation for Joan Guzman. It was NOT a good performance, and I'm not saying it was. But the poor showing was a combination of several things:

1) Funeka is a nightmare for anyone. When Campbell was asked on a radio interview who hit him the hardest, he said it was Ali Funeka. That dude is like a cross between Diego Corrales and paul Williams. He is Diego with a good chin. A 6'1" lightweight who can throw short punches and has a high activity rate. Funeka was 152 in the ring last night. Ali Funeka ended the career of Zahir Raheem. The same Zahir Raheem who schooled Erik Morales.

2) Guzman fought a completely different fight than he is used to. He is trying to incorporate a new (fan-friendly) style....and that style may not be good for him. That is the first time I have watched a Gooz fight where he wasn't elusive at all. Gooz is best when he is moving and slick and confident.

3) There was a CLEAR headbutt last night. That rattled him a bit. He started bleeding last night and, all things considered, Joan showed toughness. But alot of guys struggle when faced with bad cuts. Right, Miguel? Right, BabyBull?

4) Gooz had been inactive. He had not faced elite competition for a long time. His mother had passed away, and he had family troubles. With that, he was professional last night, he made weight, he came to fight, and he was game.

5) The decision was bad. I had Funeka winning 7-5 or 8-4. But it was not the 10-2 robbery that many people are making it out to be.

7) Guys come back. I remember when Casamayor was killed by online posters for a bad showing against Santa Cruz. His career was being crapped on. In his next fight? Joel knocked out rising star Michael Katsidis. Calm down , guys. Perspective.

8) Guzman beat Barrios and Soto and moved up from 122 to 135 in three years. Roach and Arum were in no hurry to put Pacquiao in with him. There's a reason for that.

Thanks for listening.

I agree with you, we all know it was a robbery. But I think he's still a good fighter.

[Dondi33O]

he was decent... not a bad fighter, just clearly lost

The thread starter's thread long and excuse filled while yours was truthful and to the point

[GG Marquez]

good post a loss or win is always overated right after the fight because it is our last memory of the fighter and we are excited about what we just saw guzman is not a bum now he just was in with a better fighter last night. i think the reaction has a lot do with the fact that funeka was clearly robbed of a deserved victory not that its guzmans fault he fought his heart out and tried but the judges were way off

It wasn't as bad for Funeka because he got a draw, not a loss. And it was on HBO and people saw him and he will be back. Maybe in a rematch, maybe against someone else. But you can be SURE that you will see him back on HBO at 135/140.

Kinda how Malignaggi lost to Diaz, but won in the long haul. By contrast, Maidana stopped Ortiz, but HBO won't even look in MM's direction now. Almost as if they are mad at Marcos for "ruining their star"

[Bushbaby]

I don't believe anyone is denying Guzman's skills,what bothers most fans are unless them judges were blind,or just plain ******,Guzman couldn't have won more than 4 rounds!!1 judge had it 116-112,that was the only good scorecard!!But then again golden boy probably paid the other 2 judges off,that's the only thing that makes sense,because that fight was not close,not 1 bit!!

[ny123]

It wasn't as bad for Funeka because he got a draw, not a loss. And it was on HBO and people saw him and he will be back. Maybe in a rematch, maybe against someone else. But you can be SURE that you will see him back on HBO at 135/140.

Kinda how Malignaggi lost to Diaz, but won in the long haul. By contrast, Maidana stopped Ortiz, but HBO won't even look in MM's direction now. Almost as if they are mad at Marcos for "ruining their star"

yeah it was as bad for funeka because even a draw was a horrible dec he clearly won the fight on points and clearly won the fight physically its not like he outboxed guzman and was beaten up and desreved the dec he took it to guzman and gave him a beating. this fight in my opinion was a worse dec then diaz vs malignaggi which was also bad but not as bad as this one. hbo is a company thats first priority is to make money and maidana right now is still an unknown who will take some time to build up ortiz is with golden boy and hbo is hoping he can bounce back and be one of their young stars

[GG Marquez]

I don't believe anyone is denying Guzman's skills,what bothers most fans are unless them judges were blind,or just plain ******,Guzman couldn't have won more than 4 rounds!!1 judge had it 116-112,that was the only good scorecard!!But then again golden boy probably paid the other 2 judges off,that's the only thing that makes sense,because that fight was not close,not 1 bit!!

You got the same view as Lou DiBella. I don't know if Golden Boy will put Joan back in with Funeka. But you can count on seeing both guys back on HBO.

Funeka got a draw and not a win. Sucks, yes. But not the end of the world on his record, or for his career. It's more important for a guy like Funeka to keep getting HBO dates than it is to get "a win" on his record.