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CORRALES-CASAMAYOR III THE CENTERPIECE OF FOURTEEN AMAZING DAYS OF BOXING!
02 October, 2006 by Cliff Rold
BEST RUN OF 2006 BEGINS FRIDAY!
Alexandria, VA-For U.S. fans, it will be a battle for the World lightweight title; for fans in Europe, it will be their favorite super middleweight in action; in Panama, it will be the upstart titlist rising in weight to face one of the games best. Whatever the various global pockets of fans regard as THEIR main event, there is no denying that this Wednesday begins a remarkable two-week, three continent, six country run of fistic action. If you’re a fight fan, this is your reward for all the crappy HBO set-up shows recently…all the Pay-Per-View mismatches...all the days where the best resist fighting the best. If you have Internet access, it’s also a time when you get on your knees and thank God for YouTube because some great fights ain’t playing live in the States. There are two real World titles on the line; eleven alphabet belts; two bouts between #1 and #2 contenders…the perks go on and on. Do I seem excited?
THE CALENDAR OF "AWESOME" IS SET!
Our fistic journey begins with the semi-finals of Showtime’s super middleweight ‘contender’ (lower case c) tournament and ends with 108 lb. Japanese sensation, one who may be the biggest regional star in the world,trying to avenge his most recent (disputed) win. The calendar breaks down as:
October 4 (WBA 122-lb. Title- NO U.S. TV - Korat, Thailand)
Somsak Sithchatchawal (46-1-1, 37 KO’S, Ring #1) vs. Celestino Caballero (24-2, 17 KO’S, Ring #2)
October 6 (Shobox IBO Super Middleweight Tournament - Santa Ynez, CA)
Jean Paul Mendy (22-0, 12 KO’S) vs. Henry Buchanan (14-0, 11 KO’S)
Anthony Hanshaw (20-0, 13 KO’S) vs. LaFarrell Bunteng (16-1-1, 16 KO’S)
October 7 (World Lightweight & IBF Flyweight Titles - Showtime - Las Vegas, NV)
Diego Corrales (40-3, 33 KO’S) vs. Joel Casamayor (33-3-1, 21 KO’S, Ring #2) III
Vic Darchinyan (26-0, 21 KO’S, Ring #3) vs. Glenn Donaire (16-2-1, 9 KO’S)
October 7 (WBC Light Heavyweight and WBA Heavyweight Titles - HBO - Chicago, Il)
Tomasz Adamek (30-0, 21 KO’S, Ring #6) vs. Paul Briggs (25-2, 18 KO’S, Ring #8) II
Nicolay Valuev (44-0, 32 KO’S, Ring #9) vs. Monte Barrett (31-4, 17 KO’S)
October 14 (World 168 lb. Title & WBA/WBC 168 lb. Unification - HBO - England/Denmark)
Joe Calzaghe (41-0, 31 KO’S) vs. Sakio Bika (20-1-2, 13 KO’S)
Mikkel Kessler (37-0, 28 KO’S, Ring #1) vs. Markus Beyer (34-2-1, 13 KO’S, Ring #2)
October 14 (WBA Flyweight Title - No U.S. TV and probably the best fight of the bunch - Panama)
Lorenzo Parra (27-0, 17 KO’S, Ring #2) vs. Roberto Vasquez (22-1, 17 KO’S)
October 18 (WBA 108 lb. Title - No U.S. TV - Tokyo, Japan)
Koki Kameda (12-0, 10 KO’S, Ring #4) vs. Juan Landaeta (20-4-1, 16 KO’S)
TELL THE BOXING HATERS TO KISS YOUR ARSE!
Is this really 14 days and eleven fights that all rate on the must see scale? You bet. For every one of your friends and neighbors who hate on Boxing or say that’s it’s dead, this is the two week stretch you’ve been waiting for. Here are some numbers that make the case even stronger:
*Kessler-Beyer will be fought in front of over 42,000 ticket buyers in Denmark
*Kameda-Lanadaeta II should surpass the 50 million viewers of their first fight
*Adamek-Briggs II is a rematch of a fight of the year candidate in 2005.
And those are just bonus points because readers of this column won’t need any debate points for why Casamayor-Corrales III is outstanding fare. The only bad fight on paper, Valuev-Barrett, at least has a seven foot heavyweight; don’t see that everyday. For all those who write me wondering where the positive energy is…this is it. Get ready for fourteen days of heaven on the eyes…and hell in the ring. I’ll be back at mid-week with predictions for the first seven days.
02 October, 2006 by Cliff Rold
BEST RUN OF 2006 BEGINS FRIDAY!
Alexandria, VA-For U.S. fans, it will be a battle for the World lightweight title; for fans in Europe, it will be their favorite super middleweight in action; in Panama, it will be the upstart titlist rising in weight to face one of the games best. Whatever the various global pockets of fans regard as THEIR main event, there is no denying that this Wednesday begins a remarkable two-week, three continent, six country run of fistic action. If you’re a fight fan, this is your reward for all the crappy HBO set-up shows recently…all the Pay-Per-View mismatches...all the days where the best resist fighting the best. If you have Internet access, it’s also a time when you get on your knees and thank God for YouTube because some great fights ain’t playing live in the States. There are two real World titles on the line; eleven alphabet belts; two bouts between #1 and #2 contenders…the perks go on and on. Do I seem excited?
THE CALENDAR OF "AWESOME" IS SET!
Our fistic journey begins with the semi-finals of Showtime’s super middleweight ‘contender’ (lower case c) tournament and ends with 108 lb. Japanese sensation, one who may be the biggest regional star in the world,trying to avenge his most recent (disputed) win. The calendar breaks down as:
October 4 (WBA 122-lb. Title- NO U.S. TV - Korat, Thailand)
Somsak Sithchatchawal (46-1-1, 37 KO’S, Ring #1) vs. Celestino Caballero (24-2, 17 KO’S, Ring #2)
October 6 (Shobox IBO Super Middleweight Tournament - Santa Ynez, CA)
Jean Paul Mendy (22-0, 12 KO’S) vs. Henry Buchanan (14-0, 11 KO’S)
Anthony Hanshaw (20-0, 13 KO’S) vs. LaFarrell Bunteng (16-1-1, 16 KO’S)
October 7 (World Lightweight & IBF Flyweight Titles - Showtime - Las Vegas, NV)
Diego Corrales (40-3, 33 KO’S) vs. Joel Casamayor (33-3-1, 21 KO’S, Ring #2) III
Vic Darchinyan (26-0, 21 KO’S, Ring #3) vs. Glenn Donaire (16-2-1, 9 KO’S)
October 7 (WBC Light Heavyweight and WBA Heavyweight Titles - HBO - Chicago, Il)
Tomasz Adamek (30-0, 21 KO’S, Ring #6) vs. Paul Briggs (25-2, 18 KO’S, Ring #8) II
Nicolay Valuev (44-0, 32 KO’S, Ring #9) vs. Monte Barrett (31-4, 17 KO’S)
October 14 (World 168 lb. Title & WBA/WBC 168 lb. Unification - HBO - England/Denmark)
Joe Calzaghe (41-0, 31 KO’S) vs. Sakio Bika (20-1-2, 13 KO’S)
Mikkel Kessler (37-0, 28 KO’S, Ring #1) vs. Markus Beyer (34-2-1, 13 KO’S, Ring #2)
October 14 (WBA Flyweight Title - No U.S. TV and probably the best fight of the bunch - Panama)
Lorenzo Parra (27-0, 17 KO’S, Ring #2) vs. Roberto Vasquez (22-1, 17 KO’S)
October 18 (WBA 108 lb. Title - No U.S. TV - Tokyo, Japan)
Koki Kameda (12-0, 10 KO’S, Ring #4) vs. Juan Landaeta (20-4-1, 16 KO’S)
TELL THE BOXING HATERS TO KISS YOUR ARSE!
Is this really 14 days and eleven fights that all rate on the must see scale? You bet. For every one of your friends and neighbors who hate on Boxing or say that’s it’s dead, this is the two week stretch you’ve been waiting for. Here are some numbers that make the case even stronger:
*Kessler-Beyer will be fought in front of over 42,000 ticket buyers in Denmark
*Kameda-Lanadaeta II should surpass the 50 million viewers of their first fight
*Adamek-Briggs II is a rematch of a fight of the year candidate in 2005.
And those are just bonus points because readers of this column won’t need any debate points for why Casamayor-Corrales III is outstanding fare. The only bad fight on paper, Valuev-Barrett, at least has a seven foot heavyweight; don’t see that everyday. For all those who write me wondering where the positive energy is…this is it. Get ready for fourteen days of heaven on the eyes…and hell in the ring. I’ll be back at mid-week with predictions for the first seven days.
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