By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science
All must hail the cagiest pugilist of this, and maybe any era, after 46-year-old Bernard Hopkins schooled 28-year-old Jean Pascal in the main event at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday night. Hopkins was looking to be the oldest man to win a legitimate title, to surpass George Foreman, who was 45 when he won a crown by beating Michael Moorer in 1994, and after a bit of a slow start, he got cooking, rendered Pascal into a sad stew of uncertainty, and passed Foreman in the record books. A timely, sharp jab, and lead rights that rarely missed proved problematic for Pascal, who helped the Philly fighter out by not pressing the action, and forcing the elder man to test his stamina to the max. After 12 rounds of professorial magic on the part of Hopkins, the judges weighed in, and bless them, they didn't screw it up. They scored it 115-113, 116-112, 115-114 for the wiliest of pugilists.
Hopkins won the stat battle, going 131-409, while Pascal, who some will say was criminally weak in the volume department, was 70-377. He said afterwards he wants to go out "a winner, not punch drunk, not broke." He said yes, he did get hit with clean shots, but that he can take a nasty shot if need be. He called Pascal a "strong bull" who will come back if he doesn't get too disappointed. He said Pascal needs to take some mustard off his shots, and not go overboard in loading up. He said he'd like to fight Lucian Bute in Canada after he fights Chad Dawson. Pascal after called Hopkins a "great legend. We need a part three and the fans want to see a part three." He said Hopkins "has a lot of tricks. It was a close fight, he won the fight." he admitted he's still "green" and that his two bouts with Hopkins will bring him to the next level.
Hopkins is 192 days older than Foreman was on his special night, on the night of May 21, 2011.
Hopkins (51-5-2 entering; age 46; from Philadelphia; ex longtime middleweight champion, ex light heavyweight champion) needed extra time to make weight, and on a third attempt, he was 174 pounds, 14 ounces, on Friday, while the WBC and TSS light heavyweight champion Pascal (28-0-1 entering; age 28; from Haiti, lives in Montreal) weighed the same. Both were 186 pounds unofficially on Saturday night.
Ian John-Lewis was the ref. He made Pascal return to center ring to touch gloves with Hopkins before he'd let the bell ring to start round one. 17,560 people were in attendance at the Bell.
The two men fought in December, and battled to a draw, though Pascal knocked Hopkins down in both the first and third rounds. Hopkins outlanded the younger man, 153-86, helping bolster his case as he told the world he was robbed. Pascal got under Hopkins' skin, not something many men can boast, when during a pre-fight press conference he accused Hopkins of being a "cheater," of using PEDs ("Are you willing to take the test?"), and demanded he take a pre-fight test to insure his cleanliness.
In the first, Hopkins didn't get knocked down. Pascal ran excessively to start. Hopkins caught him with a left as he moved in to attack with a minute left, but Pascal landed a couple more meaningful blows. His trainer asked him to "make him work" after the round.
In the second, both men got fiery early. Chad Dawson, looking to meet the winner, was in the booth. He said he'd fight either man happily. Hopkins tried to make Pascal miss badly, and then counter him.
In the third, Pascal landed some clean shots, as he looked to run less, and throw more. Hopkins then looked to make his mark with 1:40 to go. He lead with his head shortly after he scored with a combo, and a sharp right. Hopkins was properly warmed up now.
In the fourth, a right hurt Hopkins at the end of the round. "They must think they got an ordinary emeffer in there," said trainer Naazim Richardson to Hopkins after.
In the fifth, Pascal started slow but landed a few clean shots after a minute. The ref warned Hopkins for using his head. He then held Pascal with his left in a headlock and whacked him with his right. Hopkins shuffled, stuck out his tongue and clowned at the end of the round. The older man acted as the aggressor in this round. Pascal's trainer Marc Ramsey asked his guy to keep closer to Hopkins after the round. The score could've been 4-1 Pascal or 3-2, Pascal, after five.
In the sixth, Hopkins ran out of his corner and bombed with a right. He told the judges that he wanted it more. The ref warned both men to break clean after two minutes. Hopkins didn't comply. He thumbed Pascal with a jab. He followed Pascal to his corner, then Pascal followed Hopkins to his. This gamesmanship, the Graterford style stuff, had to favor the vet.
In the seventh, Hopkins did a few pushups at the start of the round while Pascal was still on his stool. A right landed clean on Pascal at 1:55. Again, a right lead hit home in the last minute. I had Hopkins up 4-3 after the seventh.
In the eighth, Manny Steward said Hopkins looked better than he has in any fight since he fought Tito Trinidad. Hopkins landed nasty right, after a setup jab, at 1:32. His jab was quick and timely, and his right hand was sharp and accurate. Left hooks by Pascal excited the crowd, but he likely lost the round. I had Hopkins up 5-3, while Harold Lederman saw it 4-4.
In the ninth, Hopkins came out jabbing. A short right had Pascal's gloves touching the canvas, but it wasn't ruled a knockdown, as it looked like maybe he slipped. But on a replay, it looked like a real-deal knockdown. Hopkins may have stolen the round with a lead right late. He did in my eyes; I had it 6-3 Hopkins.
In the 10th, a lead right had Pascal's glove hitting the canvas, but again, no knockdown was called. The fight went over its alotted DVR time during the tenth.
In the 11th, Pascal got the crowd jazzed, as he was more busy than we'd seen.
In the 12th, Pascal landed a couple power shots, and Hopkins answered. But Pascal scored with a right hand, and buzzed Bernard. Hopkins moved, buying time. He bought enough to go to the cards. Lederman saw it 115-113 for Hopkins.
SPEEDBAG Manny Steward did double duty in Montreal. He worked Chad Dawson's corner in "Bad's" win over Adrian Diaconu, and then the main event with Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman.
--FYI HBO will run Wlad-Haye live, at 4:45 ET on July 2, and then re-run the bout after dark.
Source: thesweetscience.com
Sunday, 22 May 2011
"I couldn't bet on that fight"- Shane Mosley's quick take on Pacquiao-Mayweather -- Examiner
By Chris Robinson, Examiner.com
On May 7th Shane Mosley suffered what very well could have been his most humbling night as a professional when he was shut down over twelve dismal rounds by WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. Outside of a third round knockdown by Pacquiao and a tenth round knockdown by Mosley that was later viewed to be a push, the fight was void of any real drama or intrigue as Shane looked every bit his 39 years of age.
But Mosley is far from a sorrowful soul, having just deposited $5 million plus in the bank for his outing against Pacquiao, and recently made an appearance on George Lopez's Lopez Tonight to discuss his loss to Pacquiao as well as what the future may hold for him. All smiles as is often the case with him, Mosley opened up his conversation with Lopez in boring fashion by answering why some athletes shave their chest as well as his time flying a personal jet owned by his friend that he flew into Las Vegas for the fight earlier this month.
Getting to the meat and potatoes of his recent life, Mosley went in-depth on his fight with Pacquiao, specifically the third round where he suffered that aforementioned knockdown.
"When he hit me the first time I said 'Wow, this little guy hits pretty hard'," Mosley said of the Filipino star. "I went down in the third round and it seemed like a little shot and when I went down I was thinking 'Wow, he didn't really hit me hard'. But later on when the bell rang I went back to my corner, got some water, and I looked up and I asked what round it was. It was the sixth round. I lost track of three rounds."
Lopez then brought up enigmatic superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom defeated Mosley convincingly himself a year ago. Pacquiao and Mayweather have been linked together as possible opponents for a few years now and Mosley was asked to compare the two.
"Pacquiao hits harder," Shane said, giving a response that elicited some boos from the crowd. "But Mayweather's got him on the boxing skills. The thing with Pacquiao, he's a great fighter, he throws good punches and everything but its more of his punch. He doesn't throw from far back, but his punches are there. Mayweather is a good defensive fighter and it's kind of hard finding him in there."
As far as giving a prediction of an eventual meeting between the two, Mosley seemed at a loss.
"I really don't know. The reason why I say this is because I think Mayweather can outpoint him but it's a 50-50 chance that he won't get hit. If he gets hit there could be some problems. I couldn't bet on that fight. I wouldn't bet on it," an honest Mosley claimed.
Getting more serious, Mosley was asked just how much longer he intended on fighting. Shane's career has seen him win some memorable battles from 135 to 154 pounds while collecting multiple championships and facing a who's who of formidable opponents. But nothing lasts forever and Mosley seemed to hint that the end may just be around the corner.
"As I get closer, I used to look at the exit door and it was kind of blurry, now I look at the exit door and it's becoming more clear. So I may be looking towards that exit door. Maybe if there's a Margarito or a Cotto who wants to get in there and fight, maybe I'll take that fight, but other than that, I'll probably leave it alone."
Lopez almost made sure to bring up Mosley's head-turning girlfriend, Cuban model Bella Gonzalez. Lopez asked Shane just how hard it was to stay away from any intimacy with the 21-year old vixen prior to the bout and Mosley's response was candid as ever.
"I definitely have to stay away from that type of strenuous activity before the fight. But after the fight, we're good."
Source:
On May 7th Shane Mosley suffered what very well could have been his most humbling night as a professional when he was shut down over twelve dismal rounds by WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. Outside of a third round knockdown by Pacquiao and a tenth round knockdown by Mosley that was later viewed to be a push, the fight was void of any real drama or intrigue as Shane looked every bit his 39 years of age.
But Mosley is far from a sorrowful soul, having just deposited $5 million plus in the bank for his outing against Pacquiao, and recently made an appearance on George Lopez's Lopez Tonight to discuss his loss to Pacquiao as well as what the future may hold for him. All smiles as is often the case with him, Mosley opened up his conversation with Lopez in boring fashion by answering why some athletes shave their chest as well as his time flying a personal jet owned by his friend that he flew into Las Vegas for the fight earlier this month.
Getting to the meat and potatoes of his recent life, Mosley went in-depth on his fight with Pacquiao, specifically the third round where he suffered that aforementioned knockdown.
"When he hit me the first time I said 'Wow, this little guy hits pretty hard'," Mosley said of the Filipino star. "I went down in the third round and it seemed like a little shot and when I went down I was thinking 'Wow, he didn't really hit me hard'. But later on when the bell rang I went back to my corner, got some water, and I looked up and I asked what round it was. It was the sixth round. I lost track of three rounds."
Lopez then brought up enigmatic superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom defeated Mosley convincingly himself a year ago. Pacquiao and Mayweather have been linked together as possible opponents for a few years now and Mosley was asked to compare the two.
"Pacquiao hits harder," Shane said, giving a response that elicited some boos from the crowd. "But Mayweather's got him on the boxing skills. The thing with Pacquiao, he's a great fighter, he throws good punches and everything but its more of his punch. He doesn't throw from far back, but his punches are there. Mayweather is a good defensive fighter and it's kind of hard finding him in there."
As far as giving a prediction of an eventual meeting between the two, Mosley seemed at a loss.
"I really don't know. The reason why I say this is because I think Mayweather can outpoint him but it's a 50-50 chance that he won't get hit. If he gets hit there could be some problems. I couldn't bet on that fight. I wouldn't bet on it," an honest Mosley claimed.
Getting more serious, Mosley was asked just how much longer he intended on fighting. Shane's career has seen him win some memorable battles from 135 to 154 pounds while collecting multiple championships and facing a who's who of formidable opponents. But nothing lasts forever and Mosley seemed to hint that the end may just be around the corner.
"As I get closer, I used to look at the exit door and it was kind of blurry, now I look at the exit door and it's becoming more clear. So I may be looking towards that exit door. Maybe if there's a Margarito or a Cotto who wants to get in there and fight, maybe I'll take that fight, but other than that, I'll probably leave it alone."
Lopez almost made sure to bring up Mosley's head-turning girlfriend, Cuban model Bella Gonzalez. Lopez asked Shane just how hard it was to stay away from any intimacy with the 21-year old vixen prior to the bout and Mosley's response was candid as ever.
"I definitely have to stay away from that type of strenuous activity before the fight. But after the fight, we're good."
Source:
Oscar De La Hoya enters rehab -- ESPN
ESPN
Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya has checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic in California.De La Hoya went into rehab within the last few weeks, TMZ first reported Saturday. The nature of his substance abuse problem is not known.
"He is my friend and I wish him well," Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, De La Hoya's close friend, told ESPN.com at the Bell Centre Saturday night, where he was promoting the Jean Pascal-Bernard Hopkins light heavyweight championship rematch. "I'm sure that all the fans are joining me in wishing him the best."
Schaefer said De La Hoya was still in rehab, which is why he is not at one of his company's biggest fights of the year.
"After doing an honest evaluation of myself, I recognize that there are certain issues that I need to work on," De La Hoya said in a statement. "Like everyone, I have my flaws, and I do not want to be one of those people that is afraid to admit and address those flaws.
"Throughout my career and my life, I have always met all challenges head-on, and this is no different. I am confident that with the support of my family and friends, I will become a stronger, healthier person.
De La Hoya asked for privacy as he goes through the process.
De La Hoya, a former six-division titleholder, had a career record of 39-6. He retired shortly after losing by technical knockout to Manny Pacquiao in December 2008.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
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