Tyson’s power, Manny’s hand speed, Floyd’s defense, Duran’s ability to adapt, Wladimir Klitschko has that jab, Julio Cesar Chavez had the chin of a horse. This is not about who is best, like most boxing discussions. This is about what is best. What is the best weapon for a boxer to do great?

While having the jawbone of an ass, is a great quality for a fighter, sometimes it can get you whipped like that same ass. Some of the great journeymen had stellar chins, but less than stellar records against the elite. That CHIN allows a fighter to take more chances, sit down on more punches and improves almost all his attributes.

But really it’s like having a few stiff drinks while on the prowl. It’s going to make everything about your catch better, but ain’t going to turn her into Megan Fox.

Walk through the doors of almost any gym in the world, and the trainer will tell you, it all starts from the JAB. If you’ve got a stiff jab that gets back as quickly as it shoots out, your in. Everything works behind that jab. It opens up your opponents while at the same time shutting them down, it avails all your options, frustrates your target and wears them.

But, as much as trainers would like people to believe, they don’t climb over each other to get to a great jab. What makes a trainer slobber is a slobberknocker or a speed demon.

DEFENSE is often the difference in fights and fighters. One man has it, the other lacks it. One man is an artful dodger the other dodges the art by a lack of commitment to it. Most of those fights turn out the same. But defense doesn’t bring the fans in. And rarely brings the belts in.

Yes there is Floyd and a few, but would you rather fight someone you can’t hit, or someone you can’t afford to let hit you, or you can’t stop from hitting you? While really, one thing alone will rarely win a fight, defense alone never does.

And for every champ that wins with defense there is one that wins with relatively none. Like Wladimir Klitschko, his only defense is that jab and some awkward holding. It is often mentioned that a fighter has under appreciated defense. Have you ever heard a fighter having under appreciated power?

Hand SPEED makes opponents look bad. It causes shutouts and wins a lot of fights. It simply dominates. But speed does tend to slow as punches are exchanged, rounds increase and fights increase. There is not much difference between speed and boxing’s best attribute(to be so boldly named later). The line is thin. It is only a slight advantage, but power or defense does not age nor dissipate with rounds or fights.

Since the working premise is already that an elite fighter does everything well, a possibility could be the ABILITY TO ADAPT. To move from peppering an opponent to sitting down on punches, from jabbing to defense, depending on what the moment or fight is calling for.

The ability to adapt may be the most rare of the assets mentioned, but does not make it the best. Too many have been too great without that quality. A great jab doesn’t need to be turned off for any other option.

That leaves POWER. The first thing a fighter has and the last thing to leave him. It changes exchanges, fights and fight plans. Enough power makes your opponent more cautious which helps your defense. Regardless of what every opposing trainer begs for in the corner (keep jabbing!), heavy hands can keep an opponent’s lead hand back. It limits their willingness to throw combinations which limits an advantage of speed. And power doesn’t tire or limit itself if a fighter changes a strategy mid fight.

The power of power wins. It is very close between power and speed. It is difficult to put any one asset in front of the other, but if a big left hook is being held to your head, which one is best?

Will Martinez want to constantly move to his right away from Kelly’s right? Better believe it. He’ll plan on leaning right like a Fox newscast. But fighters scrap game plans after a round or two, or moment or two as often as Peyton Manning scraps a play at the line of scrimmage, but with far less effectiveness.

Bernard is Bernard because he has shown in so many fights that he is disciplined enough to stick to the most regimented game plan. Hence the leather mask and ensemble he wears to the ring. (You can go two ways with that one, he likes being “disciplined” or excellent at execution). And what makes him Bernard “F’N” Hopkins to so many, is his ability to make the slightest or grandest change subtlety or demonstratively if the game plan is off.

Yet, the most important part of that stunning upset was not that Bernard wouldn’t stand in front of him. It was that when he did, he backed Kelly up like Pavlik was in the French Military. And he did it all night.

You can count the number of times on one-hand that Kelly was even able to set that front foot down. But that was at 170 against a guy who’s gone as high as light heavy. More than speed, Pavlik got muscled in that tussle.

It’s obvious that at sometime at ring side or tape front, a conversation must have happened amongst Bernard’s camp asking, has anybody backed this jackhammer up? Does this kid know how to fight backing up? At 170 plus, Bernard can back him up. We get him there, and Bernard will just gobble him. And he did.

Going forward Kelly is one of very top fighters in the world. Going backwards Kelly won’t hold his belt, but at 160, who is going to back him up? Martinez, who is coming up from 154? Not a chance. Kelly’s going to be moving forward like, well, like a Kelly Pavlik fighting at middleweight.

Will Martinez’s movement give Kelly trouble? He gave Paul Williams a heap of trouble, but it was not due to his movement. When perpetual motion would have most likely been a high priority for team Martinez, he was very easy to find all night, willingly and effectively exchanging.

Was their game plan to use movement? Only the camp knows for sure, but it would have seemed to make sense. Was Martinez just unable to follow the strategy?

If Martinez is as easy to find for Kelly, the fight won’t go past 6 or 7. Pavlik is a bigger puncher with a better chin than Williams. Paul sometimes backs straight up with his chin up and eyes down instead of sliding off to the side with his chin down and eyes up. The only time Kelly’s ever left his chin up and out, was to taunt Jermain Taylor and he got dealt and knelt for it, so it’s unlikely to happen again.

This is going to be an exciting fight. Martinez is very good and could be the top Jr. Middleweight out there. But it is just as likely that a few Jr. Middles would beat him. Martinez battled Kermit Citron to a very active draw, but ultimately did not leave with the W. And Citron is not in the same class as Pavlik (weight or talent).

Can Martinez move? Sure. Will he or will he be able to? It’s doubtful. Pavlik is more likely to put such pressure on Martinez that he runs him right out of the ring. The fight will end early in the seventh with Martinez going out swinging, but Pavlik going home still unbeaten at middleweight.

Diversity is good for sport! Diversity would have been better when there were too few black or Latino athletes. Diversity would be better now in some sports where there are few whites. Diversity is almost universally accepted as a positive for any organization.

For the last 10 years or so, Major League Baseball sponsors clinics and leagues throughout inner cities to try to boost the number of African Americans that make it to the big leagues. This is a grasp at diversity due to the minuscule number of African Americans in the Majors. But of course nobody expects an organization to sponsor suburban clinics for white athletes in boxing. Therefore white American kids have had about the same access to boxing as a Don King fighter has had to his dividends.

Just a few weeks ago HBO ran a piece about an up-and-coming fighter from a poor, violent and crumbling neighborhood. The kind of neighborhoods where boxing gyms still exist. The young man has stood tall outside the ring, ignoring the temptations from those too timid to tussle inside. The young man should be commended. It is not an easy task and takes great courage. It was a nice story and well wishes to the young fighter, but at the risk of sounding too callous…I’ve heard it many times before.

Wouldn’t the better, more interesting story be the middle class kid with the solid grades forgoing a chance at college for a chance a championship? Where are these American kids, white or black? How come these kids don’t make it all the way to your TV?

The theory of why there are so few African American professional baseball players, is their lack of access to the sport. To offset this perception, clinics and leagues are brought to the inner cities (of course American suburbs are jam packed with Americans of every race including a large black middle class) and baseball is being viewed as making an effort to give African Americans more access.

For many years preceding and during the 10 years baseball has been specifically reaching out to black Americans, it has been at least as difficult for American whites trying to find a boxing gym than for American blacks trying to find a baseball league.

And as stated, there is no way the WBO is going to start setting up gyms in middle class neighborhoods. Blacks don’t make the majors because of their lack of access. Whites have very little access to boxing, so whites aren’t going to win belts. So, the likelihood fans would ever see a reemergence of whites in boxing has been as likely as seeing the reemergence of championship fights Saturday afternoon on ABC.

What there was in middle class areas were Karate or Tae Kwon Do schools as prevalent as pizza parlors. Almost every little middle class kid has a Karate outfit hanging next to his soccer uniform in the back of his closet. They tried out their only access to a combat sport, and most petered out and went on to other things.

But thanks to the the UFC and Pride, in the last 5 years MMA gyms have been sprouting up in middle class areas as frequently as Subway sandwich shops. These gyms offer all the staples of MMA, BJJ, boxing, kickboxing. Patrons can take classes in one or all. A house wife can do the kickboxing Monday thru Friday while her son trains in BJJ. A father and son can take boxing classes together. It is a chance for a middleclasser to get bit by the boxing bug whereas before he had better odds of getting bit by a bed bug.

In just one section of north east Atlanta there are 3 MMA gyms within 20 minutes of each other. Each gym is consistently packed. Each gym’s clientele is as diverse as a pizzeria customers in the same area, but doesn’t smell nearly as good.

Now for a little math…there has been a solid 5 years of these gyms being super popular, now add another 5 years of thousands of 10 or 12 year-olds entering the gym wanting to be like Chuck Lidell, but falling in love with the ring and gloves, and it becomes the emergence of the middle class in boxing. Middle class whites, blacks, Asians and all. The year is 2015. How is that for a long term prediction?

How important is this to boxing? Well, Larry Bird took some heat a few years back when he said the NBA needed more great white players. He said white fans want to see some white players. It would be good for the league. That is not racist. That is common sense.

It is the same reason Walmart sells baby dolls with blond hair or dark hair or white skin or dark skin or different shaped eyes. People instinctively relate to those more like themselves. It does not mean we can’t and don’t appreciate those different from us or enjoy the differences between us. But it is the same reason local fighters get billed at local venues and their fans come out in droves. He’s from New Jersey too! He’s just like us!

The vast majority of boxing’s white blockbusters are European. These Europeans are great, and along with other fighters from outside the US make boxing global. But for boxing to leap back into the mainstream in the US, it needs more white American boxers.

The irony is, there will be plenty in the next half dozen years beginning at the latest 2015. And it is going to come from a place which many pit as boxing’s biggest competition. A sport that many are saying will kill off boxing. But really it’s going to give boxing the lift it needs to create a more diverse group of boxers and bring in more fans. Thank you MMA.

 If you just look at the picture(the fight) for a few moments, all the shapes and colors seem perfectly clear, a great match-up in styles for Dirrell. Abraham stays in a high-armed shell, absorbing most shots with his forearms, allowing scoring to his midsection. While in the shell, he often does not do enough to win rounds, and Dirrell is adept at stealing rounds.

Abraham seems contented to try and catch his opponents on their way in or on their way out with one or two stiff (very, very stiff) punches a round. Double A becomes more active when his opponents slow down, becomes courageous due to their ability to hit to what amounts to a constantly forward moving heavy bag, or lands a few of those stiff punches.

Dirrell is too young to slow down. He clearly showed that he could run for days against Froch. While that lack of aggression cost him the Froch fight, it will serve him right against Abraham. King Arthur will not be as busy as Froch attempted to be, so Dirrell’s unwillingness to stand won’t necessarily cost him rounds, especially early.

Dirrell is very fast and Abraham is not. Apologies to Big Jim Lampley, but Dirrell is going to be able to get in quickly and bang, bang, bang, then shift and get out. No damage done to either fighter, but Dirrell’s points will mount.

The Bigger American has showed that he is willing to try to win on points without becoming overly aggressive. He didn’t put himself in harms way against Froch, so why would he against Abraham? It is easy to picture Dirrell not wanting to take any chances even against a heavy bag in the gym, let alone the hardest puncher in the tournament.

Experts and observers from all over have been seeing a clear picture of shapes and colors and haven’t looked any further. Why should they? After only a quick look the reasons for a Dirrell win are as numerous as those little shapes in the picture. It is plain and easy to see. Styles make fights, and Dirrell has nearly the perfect style to shut Abraham down. On paper it seems to be a big mismatch. But like those wacky art prints from the 80′s sometimes the paper isn’t always what it first seems.

Now really stare at this. What else is hidden on that paper? You see it? Look deep and a different picture begins to appear. Is that a ship? Is that water???

Dirrell has never fought someone like Abraham. Nobody has. It is like playing football against a triple option offense. Who do you bring in to give you that same look? How can you get use to it? You can’t. Yet the triple option team has vast experience playing against a team like yours.

Almost every fight Abraham has had has been against somebody faster and slicker. It must be why he has adopted the shell defense. He will be fighting the same fight he has fought every fight he has ever had. He has a world of practice. Dirrell has none.

Dirrell will go in with a game plan, but really, he will have to make it up as he goes. Are the judges scoring my punches? Are they landing? Is Abraham getting credit for defense by blocking my shots? Is he setting me up? Did that hurt him? Abraham becomes a mystery wrapped in hairy forearms.

While Dirrell seems in great shape, he gave rounds away against Froch because he had never been 12 before. He finished strong, and regretted taking those middle rounds off. Afterwards he felt he could have gone strong the whole way. But can he?

The mismanagement of the Froch fights shows that he is still exploring what his body can do. He undershot it last fight. There is just as good a chance that he over shoots it against Abraham. And a fighter better have his legs and wits going into the last couple against Abraham because the undefeated brawler sure will.

Dirrell’s quick in-and-out movement is very effective. He rolls out as fluidly as almost anyone in boxing. He uses that quickness to get in-and-out and score without having to stay there and put himself at risk. It is one of Dirrell’s most effective tools, maybe his most.

But against Abraham it plays into the hard punching Armenian’s best weapon. Abraham is a master at catching his opponent coming in. While he is tucked in his shell, it may look like he is surviving, but he’s actually studying. His chin may be down and his guard closed tight, but his eyes are up and wide open. More than looking for an opening, he is studying tendencies. The more times a fighter jumps in, the more times Abraham has to catch him.

The Super Six leader certainly brings the power. If he needs to take some chances, he can. He has an iron jaw, but most of the iron is carried in those fist. He can open up and eat a few to land one, and that one can end the fight, or shake Dirrell enough that the next round he wants, is the third round of the Super Six tournament, not another with Abraham.

No question that Dirrell is a very confident young fighter, but his lost to Froch will do more to cause a crisis of confident than a knockout loss would have. After a knockout, hey I got careless and got caught. It is tangible.

His controversial lost is almost ambiguous. I know I could have done more, but is it my style in general. Do I need to overhaul who I am as a fighter to take a belt from a champion. Do I have to change what I’ve been all my boxing career? And change into what?

This is all new to Dirrell. A pro loss, a controversial loss, an open attack on his style. How does all this effect his focus and determination versus Abraham. In sports, indecision and uncertainty hurt training and performance. It is more likely he is worse for the wear after losing to Froch.

Now… how does that picture look? Do you see it yet? The pirate ship, the water below, a parrot just above the sail? Abraham by TKO in the 8th?  Pretty neat huh?

Remember those out of focus pictures that were so hot in the late 80′s? The ones that looked like a random design of shapes and colors. Then if you stared long enough while looking deep into the picture a pirate ship or cityscape or unicorn in a meadow suddenly appeared. That is what the Arthur Abraham vs Andre Dirrell fight seems like. Give it a chance…

 If you just look at the picture(the fight) for a few moments, all the shapes and colors seem perfectly clear, a great match-up in styles for Dirrell. Abraham stays in a high-armed shell, absorbing most shots with his forearms, allowing scoring to his midsection. While in the shell, he often does not do enough to win rounds, and Dirrell is adept at stealing rounds.

Abraham seems contented to try and catch his opponents on their way in or on their way out with one or two stiff (very, very stiff) punches a round. Double A becomes more active when his opponents slow down, becomes courageous due to their ability to hit to what amounts to a constantly forward moving heavy bag, or lands a few of those stiff punches.

Dirrell is too young to slow down. He clearly showed that he could run for days against Froch. While that lack of aggression cost him the Froch fight, it will serve him right against Abraham. King Arthur will not be as busy as Froch attempted to be, so Dirrell’s unwillingness to stand won’t necessarily cost him rounds, especially early.

Dirrell is very fast and Abraham is not. Apologies to Big Jim Lampley, but Dirrell is going to be able to get in quickly and bang, bang, bang, then shift and get out. No damage done to either fighter, but Dirrell’s points will mount.

The Bigger American has showed that he is willing to try to win on points without becoming overly aggressive. He didn’t put himself in harms way against Froch, so why would he against Abraham? It is easy to picture Dirrell not wanting to take any chances even against a heavy bag in the gym, let alone the hardest puncher in the tournament.

Experts and observers from all over have been seeing a clear picture of shapes and colors and haven’t looked any further. Why should they? After only a quick look the reasons for a Dirrell win are as numerous as those little shapes in the picture. It is plain and easy to see. Styles make fights, and Dirrell has nearly the perfect style to shut Abraham down. On paper it seems to be a big mismatch. But like those wacky art prints from the 80′s sometimes the paper isn’t always what it first seems.

Now really stare at this. What else is hidden on that paper? You see it? Look deep and a different picture begins to appear. Is that a ship? Is that water???

Dirrell has never fought someone like Abraham. Nobody has. It is like playing football against a triple option offense. Who do you bring in to give you that same look? How can you get use to it? You can’t. Yet the triple option team has vast experience playing against a team like yours.

Almost every fight Abraham has had has been against somebody faster and slicker. It must be why he has adopted the shell defense. He will be fighting the same fight he has fought every fight he has ever had. He has a world of practice. Dirrell has none.

Dirrell will go in with a game plan, but really, he will have to make it up as he goes. Are the judges scoring my punches? Are they landing? Is Abraham getting credit for defense by blocking my shots? Is he setting me up? Did that hurt him? Abraham becomes a mystery wrapped in hairy forearms.

While Dirrell seems in great shape, he gave rounds away against Froch because he had never been 12 before. He finished strong, and regretted taking those middle rounds off. Afterwards he felt he could have gone strong the whole way. But can he?

The mismanagement of the Froch fights shows that he is still exploring what his body can do. He undershot it last fight. There is just as good a chance that he over shoots it against Abraham. And a fighter better have his legs and wits going into the last couple against Abraham because the undefeated brawler sure will.

Dirrell’s quick in-and-out movement is very effective. He rolls out as fluidly as almost anyone in boxing. He uses that quickness to get in-and-out and score without having to stay there and put himself at risk. It is one of Dirrell’s most effective tools, maybe his most.

But against Abraham it plays into the hard punching Armenian’s best weapon. Abraham is a master at catching his opponent coming in. While he is tucked in his shell, it may look like he is surviving, but he’s actually studying. His chin may be down and his guard closed tight, but his eyes are up and wide open. More than looking for an opening, he is studying tendencies. The more times a fighter jumps in, the more times Abraham has to catch him.

The Super Six leader certainly brings the power. If he needs to take some chances, he can. He has an iron jaw, but most of the iron is carried in those fist. He can open up and eat a few to land one, and that one can end the fight, or shake Dirrell enough that the next round he wants, is the third round of the Super Six tournament, not another with Abraham.

No question that Dirrell is a very confident young fighter, but his lost to Froch will do more to cause a crisis of confident than a knockout loss would have. After a knockout, hey I got careless and got caught. It is tangible.

His controversial lost is almost ambiguous. I know I could have done more, but is it my style in general. Do I need to overhaul who I am as a fighter to take a belt from a champion. Do I have to change what I’ve been all my boxing career? And change into what?

This is all new to Dirrell. A pro loss, a controversial loss, an open attack on his style. How does all this effect his focus and determination versus Abraham. In sports, indecision and uncertainty hurt training and performance. It is more likely he is worse for the wear after losing to Froch.

Now… how does that picture look? Do you see it yet? The pirate ship, the water below, a parrot just above the sail? Abraham by TKO in the 8th?  Pretty neat huh?

Where is that same outrage or senate hearings for men involved in sport’s noblest endeavor?

When a pitcher on steroids is pitching against a batter on steroids, where is the victim?  As opposed to when a boxer enters the ring for hand-to-hand combat in a lab-created suite of armor from his feet to his neck and has added 20 pounds of torque to his punches. 

The victims in boxing are not only obvious but immediate.  The opponent’s health, the opponent’s career, the opponent’s love for the sport.  Any one of these, at least deserves equal outrage as a homerun record.  Evander Holyfield and his numerous pharmacists has ended more careers than over-drinking at a company Christmas party.  And nobody, nobody seems to care.

Look at the list of names who have never been the same after fighting Holyfield.  The men whose body or mind, or body and mind was exhausted after experiencing the kind of pace, punishment and pressure that only the greatest specimens could endure, once.

And no, Holyfield didn’t just catch these fighters right before their expiration date.  Their respective ages don’t support that perspective, and neither does the picture Holyfield’s career has painted.

The first case study took place in 1987.  Steroids were not a major part of the mainstream vernacular, but it was a major part of sports.  Early that year, Brian Bosworth, college football’s best linebacker, on one of the best teams, was suspended for a game for steroid use.  It was rampant in and around football.  So, it is logical that steroids would have also made it into boxing by that time. 

Later that same year, a fighter who was considered fast, but lacked the size and power for a top-shelf cruiserweight had his biggest fight.  At the time, he was thought to be more suitable to the Olympic style of boxing, but had done enough to earn a shot at Dwight Braxton (Dwight Muhammad Qawi).  Holyfield took Qawi and his Hall of Fame resume over the edge of human limits in Ring Magazine’s Best Cruiserweight Bout of the 80′s. 

It was basically the end of Qawi.  He did not have any significant wins after being brought to such a brutal place for 15 rounds.  A place human beings just aren’t designed to withstand, but the human spirit can take an unwilling body amazing places, once. 
At this point Holyfield has the best shoulders in sports.  Maybe the best body in boxing.  In hindsight Holyfield’s steroid involvement at this time seems at least probable. 

In 1989 that undersized, light-hitting cruiserweight moved up to heavyweight and drug a game Michael Dokes, who was considered an extremely talented fighter, into a fight that the Ring Magazine labeled the Best Heavyweight fight of the 80′s.  Dokes was never considered much after that. 

Dokes was the bigger man and no joke.  That to some Dokes is now considered a punchline, illustrates how much was taken out of him during that Holyfield war.  All Dokes’ talent and potential never surfaced again. 
By this time, there is no question Holyfield has the must muscular body in boxing, by far.  In hindsight… steroids now at least very probable.

In 1992 against a giant and fast, heavy-handed Riddick Bowe, Holyfield was able to absorb and dish out in equal parts Ring Magazine’s Round of the Year.  Bowe carried one punch knockout power and landed that one punch to Holyfield at least every other round.

At the time, Bowe had HOF tools and great stamina for a man his size.  He was put through two more epics with Holyfield where he won 1 more of the battles, but lost the war.  It was the last decent win Bowe ever had.  His career ended that night.  The too small for cruiserweight, went power-for-power with one of the most powerful heavyweights of the time. 
By now Evander had the best body in all of sports.  He looked more like a comic book superhero than a well-trained athlete.  In hindsight…come on.

Mike Tyson lost his undefeated record against Buster Douglas, but he lost his reputation and heart against Holyfield.  Evander roughed up the most feared man in boxing.  Mike was over after those fights.  He didn’t have any big wins after absorbing Holyfield’s motor. 

Mike’s spirit got left at the feet of Evander Holyfield.  Tyson got overwhelmed and could never replace what he lost versus Holyfield. 
By now Evander has the best body in the history of boxing and no one has a better one in all of sports.  In hindsight…hindsight was not even needed by this time.

Holyfield’s growth coincided with the growth of steroids.  As mentioned, he was considered a fast, but light-punching light heavyweight and the same at cruiserweight.  His move was taken lightly because he didn’t carry a punch at the lighter classes.  But somewhere he found power at heavy. 

His rebirth coincided with the birth of HGH.  While being examined for the heart condition that stalled his career in 1994, it was determined the abnormality was consistant with that of a chronic HGH user. 

Yes, this has all been conjecture.  But it would also be unreasonable to connect all the dots and not come up with the same clear picture.  Sure each dot could be attacked and lessened by raising similar situations, but as a whole, there is just too much circumstantial evidence for a reasonable person not to believe Holyfield used performance enhancing drugs and it costed men their careers.

Now the paper trail: 

He was linked to a pharmacy service in Alabama that was under investigation for supplying steroids and HGH.  No, there was not a patient named Evander Holyfield, but there was one named, Evan Fields, who had the same birthdate as Evander. 

Luckily for Evander the address associated with account was also different: 794 Evander, Fairfield, Ga. 30213.  And 794 Evander Holyfield Highway Fairburn, GA 30213 is the address listed for Holyfield memorabilia.  So, to clear up any confusions investigators called the phone listed on the account, and Evander answered…oops.

Then Holyfield was also linked to a different pharmacy in Orlando, FL that is under investigation for…you guessed it, supplying steriods and HGH to professional athletes.

There is no question that Evander Holyfield has abused performance enhancing drugs while abusing opponents.  He extended his career and paychecks at the expense of another man’s career.  He became a career ender. 

Maybe it was due to the amount of punishment Holyfield was able to absorb and dish out that sapped his opponents’ physical ability to fight again.  Or maybe a man who has gotten into the best shape of his career, trained as hard as possible, fights the fight of his life against a smaller man and can’t hurt him, and knows he couldn’t have given one ounce more, just can’t mentally bring himself to get up for a fight again.

The question is not if, but where and why.  Not where did he shoot up, not why did he cheat.  That’s irrelevant.  It’s where is the outrage, and why don’t people seem to care?  This is not about some numbers in a book nobody looks at, this is about the lives of men.  The seediest and darkest part of the Holyfield story may not even be the careers he took.  It may be the reasons that lie behind America’s apathy.

Kessler is the better and bigger puncher. He also has the better and busier jab. Kessler is going to need to keep that jab in Froch’s fache all night. If he does, it should open up the opportunity to land a few big right hands.

If Kessler can come down the middle consistently against Froch which he might, he can do some damage. But some damage is not enough against Froch. Kessler is going to need to take any opportunity to put Froch out by throwing caution to the wind because it’s no secret which way that same wind will be blowing if Kessler doesn’t get this win.

The problem for Kessler is Froch is the better athlete, and plainly just likes the fight more. The good news for Kessler is that he will get the decision in a close fight against Froch. While those around the Super Six certainly love the emergence of a new breakout star or two, they don’t want to lose a proven draw and early favorite like Kessler to irrelevance.

No one would question Kessler’s effort against Ward, and supporters are quick to chalk it up to an off night, but Kessler seemed to go quietly into that bad night. There was definitely frustration showing in Kessler, but there also seemed to be some acceptance. Which reinforced the acquiescence that seemed apparent against Calzaghe. His game plan did not come together and he was out of options.

Froch goes nowhere quietly. His game plan did not come together against Dirrell, and he reached into his bag of tricks and emptied it, dirty or clean. He even swung the bag itself a few times. He showed to all those that watched that night that he was tougher than Dirrell and was willing to do anything to win. Dirrell was better that night, but Froch refused to lose.

It was like a pitcher who doesn’t have his fastball, but scuffles around and battles and picks up a win. Or the basketball player whose outside shot is missing, but keeps going to the basket. Kessler on the other hand was like the pitcher or baller who just doesn’t have it that night and stops shooting or compliantly hands the ball over in a pitching change.

A lot of what happened to Kessler versus Ward was surprising to many. Ward’s speed and elusiveness was expected and a necessity for him to have a chance. But when the fight was brought to close quarters, Ward dominated. Ward brought it to the body better, he out in-fighted Kessler.

So, one kind of fighter (slick and fast) gave Kessler more than he could handle twice. (Calzaghe,Ward) The good news for Kessler is Froch is neither slick nor fast. The bad news is…Froch is as tough as finding a good job. If Kessler could not effectively exchange with a fiery Ward, what will he do against a fire-eater like Froch?

Kessler better come out with the fight of his life to keep this match-up close enough to go his way. That jab better land early and always. His right must be as straight as Froch’s nose is crocked. If both of these things don’t happen, this fight won’t be close. Froch is just too tough, and Kessler just doesn’t seem tough enough. Too accepting of losing, too willing wilt, too much sweet, not enough sour.

Froch is going to win the exchanges when their shoes and ears are close. On the outside where Kessler has the advantage, Froch is going to swing big. Kessler doesn’t counter and just throwing the big ones seems to keep Mikkel from punching.

Froch wins this one is a split decision that shouldn’t be that close. Kessler is a good boxer with a good chin and heavy hands. Froch is a tough man unwilling to lose and will sell out to get there.

It is easy to imagine Kessler as friends with everybody he’s ever been in the ring against. He’s respected and admired. Parents surely encourage their children to look up to him.

Conversely, Froch is most likely hated by every one but his family. He’s feared and secretly condemned by his peers. Parents pull their children to the other side of the street when they see Froch coming. By the seventh round Kessler is going to wish someone would have done the same for him.

Will Martinez want to constantly move to his right away from Kelly’s right? Better believe it. He’ll plan on leaning right like a Fox newscast. But fighters scrap game plans after a round or two or moment or two as often as Peyton Manning scraps a play at the line of scrimmage, but with far less effectiveness.

Bernard is Bernard because he has shown in so many fights that he is disciplined enough to stick to the most regimented game plan. Hence the leather mask and ensemble he use to wear to the ring. (You can go two ways with that one, being “disciplined” or the execution). And what makes him Bernard “F’n” Hopkins to so many is his ability to make the slightest or grandest change subtlety or demonstratively if the game plan is off.

Yet, the most important part of that stunning upset was not that Bernard wouldn’t stand in front of him. It was that when he did he backed Kelly up like Pavlik was in the French Military. And he did it all night. You can count the number of times on one hand that Kelly was even able to set that front foot down. But that was at 170 against a guy who’s gone as high as light heavy. More than speed, Pavlik got muscled in that tussle.

It’s obvious that at sometime at ring side or tape front, a conversation must have happened amongst Bernard’s camp asking, has anybody backed this jackhammer up? Does this kid know how to fight backing up? At 170 plus, Bernard can back him up. We get him there, and Bernard will just gobble him. And he did.

Going forward Kelly is one of very top fighters in the world. Going backwards Kelly won’t hold his belt, but at 160, who is going to back him up? Martinez, who is coming up from 154? Not a chance. Kelly’s going to be moving forward like, well like a Kelly Pavlik fighting at middleweight.

Will his movement give Kelly trouble? He gave Paul Williams a heap of trouble, but it was not due to his movement. When perpetual motion would have most likely been a high priority for team Martinez, he was very easy to find all night, willingly and effectively exchanging. Was their game plan to use movement? Only the camp knows for sure, but it would have seemed to make sense. Was Martinez just unable to follow the strategy?

If Martinez is as easy to find for Kelly, the fight won’t go past 6 or 7. Pavlik is a bigger puncher with a better chin than Williams. Paul sometimes backs straight up with his chin up and eyes down instead of sliding off to the side with his chin down and eyes up. The only time Kelly’s ever left his chin up and out, was to taunt Jermain Taylor and he got dealt and knelt for it, so it’s unlikely to happen again.

This is going to be an exciting fight. Martinez is very good and could be the top Jr. Middleweight out there. But it is just as likely that a few Jr. Middles would beat him.  Martinez battled Kermit Citron to a very active draw, but ultimately did not leave with the W.  And Citron is not in the same class as Pavlik (weight or talent).

Can Martinez move? Sure. Will he or will he be able to? It’s doubtful. Pavlik is more likely to put such pressure on Martinez that he runs him right out of the ring. The fight will end early in the seventh with Martinez going out swinging, but Pavlik going home still unbeaten at middleweight.

But here’s some Weird Science… The early 80′s certainly fall into the category of a golden age. And there are many similarities to then and now. Both eras are topped by heavyweight champions that don’t garner much attention or praise. Larry Holmes then, and Klitschko now, are both viewed more by what they aren’t than what they are, and what they’re opponents haven’t been instead of what they have. It is clear that the heavies didn’t rule then, and they aren’t ruling now.

Is there just not enough star power today to fill the gloves of the legendary leading men of the early 80′s? The burgeoning 80′s were ruled by the a fab four who made their fame in and around the welterweight division. Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns and Mavin Hagler certainly supplied some Big Chills and are now considered Untouchables.

But what if it was possible to remake those Fast Times today? The casting call would go out to Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquio, Paul Williams and Shane Mosley. What are the major differences? Is there something these stars lack that the royal four didn’t? Why are the guys from the 80′s considered Raging Bulls and today’s formidable four considered Odinary People?. How close could they come to fitting the bill?

“Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather as the original pretty boy, Sugar Ray Leonard. Both men are known to be huge draws with charisma to spare. Floyd talks faster and brasher, but Leonard was what was called back then “well spoken.” Equally great talkers in their own way, blessed with fast smiles and faster hands. Neither was ever known for their toughness and their manliness is often questioned by fans and opponents.

Sugar Ray and Money stand as big time money makers for their time. Both men known to be fast and quick movers inside the ring, and excellent boxers with an eye towards opportunities outside the ring. Sugar had some of his biggest, and biggest grossing fights after his initial retirement. Floyd has the same opportunity after his early retirement in 2008/09. They are the biggest name of their bunch.

Manny Pacquio as Roberto Duran. Both come from incredibly poor environments that make American ghettos seem like The Hills. Duran and Pacman started out as very rough diamonds with relentless styles. Manny initially trained in Muay Thai. Duran was initially void of any specialized training. Both turned pro at 16, and each man ran through weight classes like Holyfield through baby mammas, starting at lightweight and willing to top out where the fight was. Both men earned their victories as huge punchers with great chins.

Paulie Williams as Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns. Nobody could believe that Tommy could fit into a welterweight’s robe. He was 6’1 with a 78 inch reach. He was always willing to fight anyone. And was a tough fight to take for everyone. Easily and willingly moved up to light heavy. Williams is 6’1 with a 82 inch reach. Nobody can believe that he fits into a welterweight’s trunks. He chases fighters in many divisions, willing to fight anyone and a tough fight for anyone to take. Could even one day see him at light heavy.

Shane Mosely as Marvelous Marvin Hagler. While Hagler was the dominating force of his time, Shane is not quite there. Hagler dominated the middleweight division and was champion for seven years. Shane did hold a belt at middle. And totaling all his championships, he’s been a belt holder for almost six. They also are both African American fighters, who have often been over shadowed by contemporaries. Forgive a little artistic license with this one.

The current quartet should all be headlining shows in multiplexes all over the world. Instead, some are relatively confined to art houses and dollar theaters. This macho cuatro has big names, some even in mainstream America. They have the styles to make some epic, all-time clashes. Why is it so different now?

The Oscars and Viewers Choice goes to the 80′s Smack Pack for one Shining reason.
They fought each other a total of 9 times. Dozens and dozens and dozens of rounds spent together.

The modern version of the unfocused four fought a total of zero times. Zero and zeros and zeros of rounds spent together.

Good movies in Hollywood make your name. Blockbusters make your fame. In boxing, winning belts makes your name. Inside the pound-for-pound list makes your fame.

To today’s fractioned four, do you want to be famous? Well, do ya?

Buster Douglas-48, ate his way to 450 pounds. In 1994 he fell into a diabetic coma. He has since lost 200 pounds. He is still married to his first wife and has 3 sons. He took home 7 million for the Holyfield fight. Lives on a 58-acre ranch. It is being foreclosed upon for lack of payment, but Douglas claims he still has millions, but much of it is tied up in a 14 million townhouse/retail development deal. He’s confident he won’t lose the ranch.

Roberto Duran- is almost 60. He has released a salsa CD. In 2000, he was almost killed in a car crash in Argentina while promoting that CD. Life-saving surgery was needed. Duran claims he would still be boxing and could beat Mayweather if his lungs were not wrecked from the car wreck. His daughter Irichelle and son Roberto Duran Jr. both boxed professionally. Duran was a part of DRL Promotions which at one time had 30 boxers, including Joel Casamayor. DRL has seemingly disappeared since 2007. Duran now considers Sugar Ray Leonard a close friend.

Gerry Cooney-Married with 3 children, none are boxers. Started F.I.S.T. (Fighters’ Initiative for Support and Training). He closed the organization several years ago do to lack of time and money, but currently is looking to restart it. He was also involved in the first boxer’s union, but most of his time is spent making the rounds as a celebrity golfer. He and Larry Holmes are now close friends.

Marvelous Marvin Hagler-which is his legal name, sells everything from his own cologne to clothing on his website. Has done some fairly successful movies in Italy. Has also been a British boxing commentator. Splits his time between Italy and New Hampshire.

Tom Zbikowski-(Played safety and kick returner for Notre Dame, fought on the undercard of Miguel Cotto-Paulie Malignaggi in 2006)
Now plays special teams and safety for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Owns a training center called Pure Speed Sports Clinic. Has one fight left on the 3 fight deal he signed with Bob Arum’s Top Rank.

Ebo Elder-(from the 2nd Season of The Contender)retired from boxing in 1997 to focus on what he believes the Lord has called him to do. The calling has become the Ebotribe ministry. The non-profit organization is heavily involved in youth conventions and men’s conferences. Elder remarried his wife and together have several kids.

Riddick Bowe-entered the Marines, but refused to wake up in the mornings. He quit after two weeks. Went to jail for kidnapping and assault. He briefly restarted his boxing career and is still willing to fight. Bowe is broke, over 300 pounds and 41 years old. He is still married to his first wife, and they have 1 daughter together. Bowe can often be found at flea markets and swap meets in the New York area hawking his autograph and pictures.

Meldrick Taylor-still lives in Philadelphia. He is 43 and works as a personal trainer. He has undeniably slurred speech, but it has not discouraged him from giving interviews which he eagerly does. He is also a brain damage awareness supporter. Taylor claims Don King still owes him 2 million, and has feared King has put out a contract on his life. Meldrick has released a tell-all book titled, 2 Seconds to Glory.

Michael Nunn-his real trouble started around 1993. After some gun and drug possession charges, he earned a harassment warrant. Police found him at his sister’s house, hiding in her dryer. Things only go worse, much worse. In 2004 he was sentenced to 24 YEARS for trying to purchase a 1 kilogram of cocaine. Not 24 months. 24 years! He is doing his time in Leavenworth, United States Penitentiary. Currently he is looking at being released in 2024.

If you have any info to add to any of these fighters, or have an interesting where are they now for somebody else, lets see it. Or if there is somebody you are wondering about, put that down also.

On Nunn…
This started off as a fun where are they now. After learning about Michael Nunn’s sentence, it has become more than that. He is doing 24 YEARS for trying to buy a street value of $24,000 worth of cocaine. Drugs are bad. People who sell drugs need to be punished. Nobody wants that stuff around their neighborhood. And anything else that doesn’t need to be said about drug dealing, but come on.

24 years is disportionately server. Please check back to this blog in the comments section to find out who to call or email if you want your voice heard on this ridiculous sentence. Or if you think the sentence is just, lets hear that also.

Other bookmark type moments in a lifetime come without warning…Magic is HIV positive…Leon Spinks beats Ali…Buster Douglas darn near knocks Tyson’s head from his shoulders.

Millions of Dads told millions of sons about Ali’s loss. ESPN told millions that Magic was HIV positive. Tyson was already beaten and probably enjoying several Japanese girls simultaneously as a few of us watched the pre-taped fight completely unaware.

Mike’s fights were big deals to nearly every sports fan around the planet. Normally great lengths would taken to watch a Tyson fight. An exhaustive search for somebody who had HBO would take place the week of the fight. Then his or her house would be strategically descended upon. Close circuit TV or Pay-per-views were not a fiscal possibility unless somebody was willing to order it without their parent’s knowledge, and deal with the consequences when the bill came.

But for the fight against somebody almost nobody had heard of, no effort was made. Every expert agreed Douglas had no shot, and it was a farce that the fight would even take place. Just a quick knockout and money grab. A night of driving around and underage drinking took its place for that Saturday night.

Slowly the 120 ounces of malt liquor, turned into 80 ounces. That 80 very quickly turned into 40, and that 40 ounces became nothing more than an object to shoot at a dumpster.

Soon stomachs filled with sloshing malt liquor began to call for some company. After searching for all known of-agers willing to contribute to our delinquency and finding none, food became the next best choice.

The normally crowded restaurant was only sprinkled with patrons. The mysterious bar-side of the establishment was separated by swinging doors near the bathrooms. The other side of the doors were strictly prohibited to those under 21 and enforced by loud, crocked-nosed Greeks. But that night, the usual ruckus that spilled out into the dining side was noticeably absent.

Expecting nothing better than being cussed at in Greek, the question was barely audible…”uh, seems pretty quiet over there. Mind if we go over and watch the Tyson fight while we eat?”
The answer was only a slight jerk of his thumb. Was it “go on over” or “get out for even asking”?

Nothing to be gained by asking for clarification, so moments later we were sitting in the bar, only a few feet away from a square TV perched in the corner. It must have raised some eyebrows to see two 17-year-olds sitting on the same side of a booth.

Watching the fight unfold it became clear that Douglas was beginning to pull even, and even pull ahead. To two 17 year old novices, it was just a matter of time before Mike crushed him. We didn’t notice the weary legs. Never took a look at his undermanned, under trained, unbelievably bad cornermen.

As the food disappeared the rounds for Douglas began to accumulate. It was still just a matter of time, before we got kicked out and Mike landed the big one. The tension mounted as to which would happen first. Only years later was it realized that nobody in that bar paid us any attention, and even with the growing drama flashing on the TV, nobody was paying it any attention either.

Then it happened. Mike landed that uppercut that could have knocked out a polar bear. Looking back it might have been the last great punch Mike ever threw. And it was for not. Douglas got back up and resumed the beating. Then in the 10th Mike was put down by his own iron jaw and the perfect execution of Douglas.

If Mike would have went down like most heavyweights would have, after the uppercut and following flurry, he would not have suffered that monster left that ended his reign of terror. He could have got up to finished the fight without that left. And with some Don King scoring, won the fight. Then who knows what would have happened, but instead everybody does know what happened. But those of us who lucked into watching it on that Saturday night, feel a part of it.

Some athletic bookmarks that stand out are Leon Spinks beating Ali, US beating Russians in hockey, Magic and HIV and Buster beating Mike. That night was the beginning of the end of Iron Mike. For a couple of high school kids it wasn’t the last evening spent in a bar. But it’s one we’ll never forget.

What are your boxing bookmarks?  What is the story behind your greatest boxing memory?