If you are ever looking for a figure in the sport of boxing who will give you a combination of straightforwardness, humor and insight, legendary boxing scribe Bert Sugar will surely satisfy your needs. Now residing in New York, Sugar is known well without the sport because of his knowledge of the boxing’s rich history and the quick wit and passion for which he still delivers his thoughts.
Despite 2010 being relatively modest in terms of meaningful fights and overall excitement for the first three quarters of the year, it should be noted that there are some tremendous matchups on the horizon that are worth a look. I reached out to Sugar to get his thoughts on what lies ahead for the rest of the year as well as his take on some storylines outside of the sport, such as the legal trouble facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and whether or not we will ever see him in the ring again.Continue reading to see what Sugar had to say about Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao’s bout with Antonio Margarito, Bernard Hopkins’ challenge of Jean Pascal, Amir Khan’s chances towards stardom, a potential Timothy Bradley-Devon Alexander clash and much more…
Last month’s Shane Mosley-Sergio Mora bout…
“He couldn’t fight and Mora wouldn’t fight. It was a two-fall proposition. One couldn’t get off and the other wouldn’t let him. It was just a dreadful fight and the decision was even worse. Mosley won but the judges must have fallen asleep. I know I did. Somebody in the row in front of me told me to stop snoring because I was keeping him awake.”
Mosley’s future…
“I don’t think he’s a pay per view fighter anymore. I do think that at 38, going on 39, he’s come to the end of his career. How he propels is, which he can, will have to be at a lower level.”
Floyd’s situation…
“He’s been called Floyd ‘Maynever’. He may never fight again. He didn’t seem to want to fight Pacquiao and he may never fight again depending on the charges. I cant’ comment on [his legal issues], I’m not a psychiatrist. But he does seem to have problems.”
Margarito’s chances against Pacquiao…
“I don’t know about him. He’s been out a year. He was knocked out by Mosley in his last fight. I don’t know if he has found a new life or a new relationship. I think he’s damaged merchandise both in the eyes of the boxing fans and maybe in his own eyes.”
Amir Khan’s pursuit of greatness…
“Khan seems to be talented when he doesn’t get hit. But when he got hit he got knocked out in half a minute I think. He’s a talented fighter. I think it’s a good test for Khan and if he doesn’t get hit he’s the goods. But he might be this generation’s version of Floyd Patterson. Tap him on the jaw and he goes tap tap on the canvas.”
Timothy Bradley vs. Devon Alexander…
“It’s intriguing. Both of them have great potential. It’s up to one of them to show it in this fight. I don’t know who has an edge. It’s hard to say. I’ve seen them fight in alternating currencies. Between good and great, I just don’t know what I am going to see in this fight.”
Bernard Hopkins’ chances against Jean Pascal...
“Hopkins has surprised us more times than Freddy from Elm Street. He keeps popping up and surfacing in fights that nobody thought he would ever win. Kelly Pavlik, De La Hoya, and on and on. Who knows what Hopkins can do or when the sand will go to the bottom of his hour glass.”
Thoughts on Pascal’s victory over Chad Dawson…
“I was impressed but I was less than impressed with Chad Dawson. He didn’t seem to want to fight.”
Respecting Juan Manuel Marquez…
“Marquez always finds a way. He’s a warrior. He keeps coming back. Yes, he didn’t look good against Mayweather but he was giving up fifteen, sixteen pounds. With Marquez it’s almost as if he can resurface. He’s playing out his career extremely well. I have a book coming out called ‘The Ultimate Book of Boxing Lists’ with Teddy Atlas, and he is rated one half of the greatest brother combination and he keeps that combination going.”
Andre Berto’s path…
“It might be interesting to note that he is on the undercard. If Berto had followed his career path he would be on the main event. I don’t know. Berto is extremely talented, I just don’t understand why he hasn’t gone further.”
End of the line for Rafael Marquez?
“I’m a big fan of his. What he did in his fights with Vazquez, those were thrilling fights. Each of the Marquez brothers gives you a thrilling fight each time out. I hesitate to say he has reached the end of the line, as witnessed by Bernard Hopkins coming back and back and back and back. And others who keep coming back. I just don’t know where the end of the line is anymore. I think they keep erasing the line in the sand and taking it further.”
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at Trimond@aol.com
Source: examiner.com
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