One More Round With Mark Lyons: Floyd Mayweather, Klitschko/Arreola, Jean Pascal, etc...

Mark Lyons is back with his weekly take on the previous weekend's boxing action, as well as a look ahead to what's coming up.

Photo © Justin McKie

Last week we saw an all time great come back from almost a 2 year absence and look as sharp as ever. We also saw a couple of gutsy warriors possibly move towards the end of their careers. This week, we have a Heavyweight title fight that has at least generated some buzz among the hardcore Boxing fans and a talented Canadian (pictured right) who continues to fly under the radar.

My take on this past weekend’s action...

I may as well call this Eat Crow Corner. In a sport when you should expect the unexpected and will be way off base consistently, you have to admit your errors and hopefully learn from them.

Marquez came in too heavy and had no business at welterweight. That was a big spoonful.

But the difference in skills was dramatic, and I'm not sure it would have been much closer if the two fighters had been the same size. I underestimated Floyd Mayweather. I assumed there would be some ring rust, and there wasn’t even a slight hint of it. For my money, that was the best fighter in the world.

As far as what's next for the winner, while Pac/Money could be the richest fight in history, I’m really hoping to see Floyd and Shane go at it before Mosley gets on anymore in years. Sugar Shane has routinely faced the best in the world, in many instances against better judgment and he deserves the shot in the spotlight.

For Marquez, I honestly don’t see what more he has to accomplish. The man is a great fighter, but I think I saw some signs of deterioration in there, although it could be more the weight and the opponent. You can’t be sure, but if he wants to carry on I suppose Katsidis is next. That would be exciting but unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. Whatever he does, he should hold his head up high. He gave it his all against one of the greatest fighters to ever walk the earth.

The under-card didn’t really meet expectations, but they were well made matches so you can’t blame Golden Boy for this one.

Chris John put on a solid performance against what has become a predictable one from Rocky Juarez. It looks like Rocky’s career will be summed up with a lot of near misses. He is one of the good guys in the sport and has talent, but he just can’t seem to put it together against the elite. I don’t think it’s a matter of effort or desire. There is an instinctual side to the sweet science, and it doesn’t come easily to Rocky. To me, it looks like he bogs himself down trying to think too much in big moments.

Michael Katsidis picked up a nice win with a workmanlike decision over Vicente Escobedo. He was the busier guy and the fight wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t a thriller either. I just get the idea that Michael will beat most, but fall short against the absolute best at 135. I have no idea what that one judge was watching scoring the fight for Escobedo by 4 points. That was a terrible score card.

In what is always welcome, Tuesday brought some high caliber fights to the middle of the week and I felt like I was a youngster, drinking beer and watching Tuesday Night Fights on USA.

Jorge Arce is as gutsy a fighter as you will see, but his days near the top appear to be numbered. It’s rare for a slugger to maintain the level he has for so long. The pounds add up and eventually fighters like Arce are at an impasse because their body has grown to a spot where they are no longer strong enough to impose their will.

Simphiwe Nongayi? Yes I had to look up the spelling. Another South African comes out of nowhere. I’ll look forward to seeing him again.

Humberto Soto is one of the most entertaining fighters in the world. That guy just brings heat early and often. The opponent wasn’t a world beater, but those two rounds were wild and explosive.

I really think Soto/Valero has the potential to be a mini Hagler/Hearns. There is no doubt that they will trade bombs immediately in the opening round and I could see them both on the deck multiple times. Make it happen Bob – even if you have to stage it outside of the United States (which given Valero’s situation might be necessary). You have a possible FOTY type trilogy staring you in the face.

Looking ahead to this week’s action...

It’s good to see some word of mouth buzz about a Heavyweight fight.

Yes, sadly that is exactly how far the division has sunk. I don’t doubt that Arreola will bring a big effort. But the fact that effort is enough to get folks semi-excited for a Heavyweight fight is another example what heavyweight boxing has become.

I just don’t think Arreola has the talent, conditioning or experience to do much more than try his best on the way to an ugly beating. Vitali has every edge in the fight and I have to take the guy with the physical advantages who I know is in condition to go all night. I expect a steady diet of jabs and right hands until Arreola has to retire in the corner or have the ref step in after 6 or 7 one sided rounds. The division is in need of new blood and maybe Cristobal will supply that one day, but it won’t be this weekend.

Jean Pascal has given us two of the best fights in recent years and yet his fights aren’t being televised by premium networks (thankfully this one is available online at GoFightLive.tv).

Pascal doesn’t do boring. This kid is talented and even shuns some of his gifts to get into a war. He’s a television friendly fighter if I ever saw one. Silvio Branco is up there in age, so I wouldn’t expect this to make it on to HBO BAD, but it would be good for a Shobox.

A fight I’ve been thinking about...

In light of discussing Shane Mosley, I figured I’d put Shane in with John Mugabi at 154.

You think some bombs would get tossed here? The Beast is bigger and a murderous puncher, Shane is faster and has a decided edge in chin and stamina. Mugabi is a rare example of a guy getting ruined in one fight. Hagler stole his prime as John took some real heavy stuff that night.

How does this one play out? I think Mugabi is able to last the distance. But after taking some inhuman bombs, Shane grinds him down and wins a UD, 7-5 or 8-4. Maybe a late KD for Mosley.

And by the way, all of the stuff about it being out of line for Shane to talk at Floyd during Kellerman’s interview? I loved it. Promoting future fights is good for the sport.

One last comment...

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to the greatest Middle Linebacker of all time, Mr. Ray Lewis and the soon to be Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens!

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Live Round by Round Blog: Katsidis vs Escobedo

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's live round by round blog coverage of the Mayweather/Marquez under-card bout between lightweights Michael Katsidis and Vicente Escobedo.

We will also be doing round by round updates of Chris John vs Rocky Juarez and the main-event between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez. Make sure to check back in with us after 9 PM EST for our comprehensive blow by blow coverage of all the action.

Michael Katsidis 25-2 (135) vs Vicente Escobedo 21-1 (134)

If you are here early, check out some our stories on tonight's main-event and next week's Vitali Klitschko vs Chris Arreola heavyweight showdown: The Case for Juan Manuel Marquez Beating Floyd Mayweather Part One & Part Two by Lee Payton Chris Arreola Has The Tools To Rise Above Expectations by Michael Nelson Has Arreola Sacrificed Enough To Beat Klitschko by Lee Payton

Refresh this page often as updates will be frequent 5:15 PM EST... Our round by round coverage will begin after first televised bout between Cornelius Locke and Orlando Cruz. I estimate around 9:45, but check back in with us a little earlier in case the opener's a quick one. 9:15... The show is underway, with Locke/Cruz currently in the 2nd round. Locke put Cruz down and had the undefeated Puerto Rican hurt late in the opening round. 9:22... Excellent action at the end of the 3rd round between Locke and Cruz. Locke hurt Cruz late, and tried to follow up only to get tagged in return. Harold has it 3-0, 30-26 for Locke. 9:25... Plenty of action between Locke and Cruz. Both fighters sitting down on their shots and pounding away, with Cruz having a little the better of it in the 4th. 9:29... Locke sent Cruz crashing to the canvas with a huge right hook, prompting referee Robert Byrd to stop the fight after Cruz got to his feet on unsteady legs. The punch landed flush, as Cruz opened himself up while throwing his own hook. 9:30... The time was 2:08 of round 5. That was a nice fight while it lasted. 9:31... Michael Katsidis vs Vicente Escobedo coming up next. I'll let you know when the fighters are heading to the ring. 9:37... Katsidis is 142 tonight, and Escobedo has re-hydrated up to 139. 9:38... Michael Buffer with the intros. This one is just a few minutes from getting underway. 9:40... We're underway. 9:43... Katsidis a little more aggressive, just opened up with a 1-2. Escobedo has just been using the jab so far. Katsidis comes forward and fires off a hard combo, which Escobedo catches on the gloves. Escobedo gets a 1-2 in there. 1:30 to go. Katsidis edging forward, while Escobedo boxing from the outside looking to counter. Katsidis with a right hand. Katsidis misses wildly with a hook. He lands a right, after Escobedo had fired off a jab. Lampley points out that Kats is already cut over his left eye. 30 seconds left in the round. Katsidis firing off a combo, and Escobedo responds with a right hand. Escobedo with a jab, and Katsidis fires back with a hard 1-2. Solid round for the Australian. 9:44... Katsidis' corner tells him to be careful about loading up with every shot. In the other corner, Escobedo is told to throw his right uppercut. 9:47... Harold has it 1-0 for Kats. Katsidis comes forward, backing Escobedo back into a corner. Kats leans in and fires off a 1-2. Escobedo tries to counter with an uppercut. Katsidis pressing forward, leaning in and looking to rip shots. A nice exchange in the middle of the ring. Escobedo not really letting his hands go enough. He's getting outworked here so far. 1:20 to go. Katsidis fires off a combo. Kats with a 1-2 that backs Escobedo up. Katsidis keeps pushing forward, letting his hands go. Escobedo looking to counter, but not opening up. Kats slips a 1-2 from Escobedo and pushes forward with a hook. Kats with a combo. Escobedo fires back. Another good round for Katsidis. 9:48... Katsidis already looks like a mess. He's got some swelling under the left eye and a cut over the eye. 9:51... Kats pressing forward. Escobedo using the jab as he retreats. Escobedo stops and fires off a 1-2. He's moving to his left as Kats follows. Kats using his jab to come forward as Escobedo backs into the ropes, before they move back into the middle of the ring. Kats with his gloves up, trying to bob and weave under Escobedo's jab. Kellerman is really raving about Katsidis. He's already compared him to Marciano tonight, and favorably to Arturo Gatti. Escobedo stops and pops a 1-2. Escobedo with another 1-2 as the round ends. 9:52... Harold has it 3-0 for Katsidis. 9:55... Harold comments that Escobedo is just not doing enough offensively to win these rounds. Kellerman comments that Katsidis style inspires emotion and makes him want to compare him to those fighters. Katsidis keeps pushing forward. Escobedo not really getting enough room to counter the way he would like. Now he comes forward, but Katsidis fires off a 3 punch combo. Lampley points out the blood streaming down from the left eye of Katsidis. Escobedo with a flurry as the round comes to a close. 9:56... Harold now has it 3-1. 9:59... Katsidis has come out aggressively here at the start of the 5th. He backs Escobedo up with a flurry. Now Katsidis taking a bit of a rest, and Steward points out that he might be a little tired from his activity so far. katsidis just landed a nice right hand as Escobedo opened up. Katsidis now presses forward and tries to flurry with Escobedo along the ropes. Escobedo lands a counter uppercut. Katsidis pushes forward and bangs Escobedo's body. Escobedo tries to flurry a bit, and lands a 1-2. 10:00... We just got a shot of Floyd in his dressing room. he's lying on a couch, looking very relaxed. 10:00... 4-1 on Harold's card. 10:03... Katsidis comems out quickly for the 6th and flurries with Esobedo's back to the ropes. Escobedo trying to get space to counter fires back and slips away from the ropes. Katsidis though presses forward and backs Escobedo right back again. Escobedo fires off a 1-2. Kats is just short with a right hand. Action now in the middle of the ring. Steward and Kellerman both like the way Escobedo is looking right now. He's looking more comfortable, but I think a lot of that has to do with Katsidis not fighting at the same intense clip he was at the start of the fight. Katsidis fires a heavy 1-2. he lands another right hand that backs Escobedo up. Escobedo backs up, tries to throw a 1-2 which is blocked. Kats presses forward with a flurry and Escobedo fires back. 10:04... Katsidis is told in his corner not to give Escobedo any room to box. 10:07... Katsidis comes out on the attack, backing Escobedo up. Esscobedo tries to stand his ground and fire back, but Katsidis is crowding him, not giving him room. Harold has it 5-1. Escobedo just landed a nice combo. Escobedo now standing his ground in the center of the ring. He sticks the jab out and throws a right. Kats now fires a hook, and then a 1-2 backs Escobedo up. Escobedo with a flurry. Escobedo with a 1-2. Escobedo standing his ground and firing, and having a good little stretch. He just landed an uppercut. Katsidis pushes forward, trying to close the gap. Not quite with the same intensity as earlier though in his attack. now he fires off a 1-2. There's the bell. 10:08... 6-1 on Harold's card. I think I might have it a little closer. 10:11... Katsidis on the attack to start the round. Kats pressing forward, throwing his hook and his right hand. Escobedo backing up over the first minute of the round. Kats on the attack. Gloves up, elbows in, looking to get close and rip. Escobedo backing up. he stops and throws a 1-2, although Katsidis immediately responds with his own right hand. Kats pushing the action. he leads with a jab and fires to the body. Escobedo trying to catch him between shots, but not standing his ground enough. Kats having a really good round. He lands a nice little uppercut in close. he digs to the body with his right hand. Lampley comments that Escobedo looks weary heading back to his corner. 10:12...Nacho Beristain asked Escobedo if he wanted to stop the fight between rounds. 7-1 on Harold's card. 10:15... Katsidis just landed low early in the 9th, prompting a brief break in the action but they are back at it. Steward says that at some point Escobedo needs to stand and fight. He really doesn't have the boxing skills to outbox Katsidis. he's not quick enough. He needs to stand his ground and rip some counters. Katsidis keeps plugging away, and lands a nice right to the body. Katsidis backs Escobedo up against the ropes and Escobedo grabs a hold of him. Katsidis fires off a combo. Escobedo with his back to the ropes as Katsidis pushes him from one side of the ring to the other. Kats digs downstairs with a hard hook. Kats pressing forward. Escobedo tries to throw back, but he's almost entirely in retreat. 10:19... Steward comments that Katsidis is punching with a lot more leverage and that Katsidis is throwing his shots while backing off. Katsidis backs Escobedo into the ropes with a flurry. Kats presses forward. Escobedo just landed a nice counter... and another, but Kats took both well. Kats pushes Escobedo into the ropes. Steward says that Escobedo needs to start gambling and trying to time Katsidis on the way in with something big. Katsidis keeps coming. he lands a jab, and flurries as Escobedo retreats. Escobedo flicking the jab as he backs away. Steward just said that Katsidis tonight would be a tough fight for any lightweight in the modern era except maybe Pernell Whitaker. I'm rolling my eyes at that nonsense. Katsidis backs Escobedo up with a flurry. 10:20... Katsidis as usual looks like a mess around the eyes. 10:24... Kats comes out as he's done the whole night and backs Escobedo up. Kats with the gloves up, plowing forward, letting his hands go. Escobedo just landed a nice counter, but Katsidis took it well. Kellerman comments that Escobedo is really focused on protecting his body right now. he tries to flurry with Katsidis pressing forward. Katsidis landing a right hand. The HBO crew is really raving about Katsidis. I'm not quite as impressed. He's still wide open for counters whenever he throws. Escobedo is just not good enough to take advantage of it. Kats keeps pushing away, constantly backing Escobedo up. 10:27... 1 more round to go. Harold has it 9-2. Katsidis comes out pushing forward. Escobedo fires back with a counter. Kats plugging away. he backs Escobedo up into the ropes with a flurry. Escobedo with a 1-2. Esco with another 1-2. Kats gets inside, and gets tied up. Kats with a combo. he backs Escobedo up into the ropes. Esco backing up. Katsidis has major swelling on the right side of his jaw. To go with his swollen eyes, he doesn't look good at all. he's winning convincingly and there's only 50 seconds to go, so it shouldn't be an issue. Kats presses forward, flurrying and backing Escobedo up. Escobedo tries to flurry with a combo, but Katsidis just fires back and backs Escobedo back again. There's the bell. 10:28... Harold had Escobedo winning the 12th. he's got it 117-111 for Katsidis. 10:30... 116-112 for Escobedo, 115-113 for Katsidis, 118-110 for Katsidis. Winner by split decision is Michael Katsidis. 10:31... 8-4 for Escobedo on 1 card. That's a bizarre scorecard. 10:32... That's it for the first two fights on the card. Let's go to Chris John vs Rocky Juarez.

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Topic of the Week: Edwin Valero

After Edwin Valero's spectacular two round destruction of Antonio Pitalua this past weekend, boxing fans naturally can't wait to see what's next for the quick handed southpaw slugger. This week, we asked our writers who they would like to see Valero in with next, and how they think he would do against the other top fighters in the 135 pound class.

1. Who would you like to see Edwin Valero fight next? "Humberto Soto. What a great clash of styles this would be. Classic combination punching vs. a southpaw with lightning in his fists. I want this fight bad, and I think it could very well happen later this year since both guys are with Arum." - Lee Payton "I think Katsidis is a good option. Another fight I would be interested in is Prescott. Two limited guys that can bang, sign me up for either." - Mark Lyons "I too would like to see Valero against Prescott. Both are raw punchers, and Prescott has enough talent to give Valero's chin a stern test." - Michael Nelson "I'd like to see him fight Juan Diaz next if Diaz was ready for another tough fight. Diaz has the ablity to at least trouble the best and would be a good gauge of whether Valero was ready for the very best, i.e. Pacquiao and Marquez. Plus it'd be a guaranteed action fight." - John Vaci "I think a fight against Katsidis, Juan Diaz or Funeka would be the best options for him. Funeka's a reasonably well known fighter in the trade and should be able to take Valero a few rounds before eventually being ground down in the mid-section of the fight. I wouldn't be surprised if Yuri Romanov were Valero's next opponent, and if it is Romanov, Valero might be on the end of a surprise defeat. I think the smooth Belarusian would be able to counter the crude Valero all night long. " - Dave Oakes "I think David Diaz would be the best choice. It would be an entertaining bout, and another spectacular performance, especially one that trumps Pacquiao's against Diaz, would start to line up things for Valero a bit more. Plus Diaz is tough enough to make it interesting." - Jeff Pryor "I think Valero's team should try and get Katsidis. That would be a guaranteed crowd pleaser, and a winnable fight." - Andrew Fruman

Valero vs Juan Manuel Marquez "I think he would give Marquez a ton of trouble before getting caught with something big on the chin. He has some technical flaws, but his speed and athleticism and the threat of his power makes those flaws harder to take advantage of. That said, Marquez TKO 9." - Lee Payton "I think Marquez would completely undress him. He couldn't miss a counter against Valero if he was blindfolded. I'm hard pressed to see that fight lasting past 5 rounds, or being at all competitive." - Mark Lyons "I doubt he's ready for an elite counter-puncher with pop like Marquez. Marquez would likely have him out of there before he even has time to make mid-fight adjustments." - Michael Nelson "At this point he's a bit too inexperienced and lacking enough technical ablity to beat Marquez." - John Vaci "I've seen no evidence as of yet to suggest that right now Valero's anything more than a limited slugger with a huge punch. I think he has to have a few learning fights before facing someone with the skills of Marquez. The only trouble is that he's a world champion and will be expected to face some of the bigger names of the division instead of honing his skills against durable but limited opponents." - Dave Oakes "Marquez eventually would pick Valero apart and KO him, but he might have to come off the floor to do it." - Jeff Pryor "I think Marquez is just too sharp, but Valero could make things interesting early." - Andrew Fruman

Valero vs Juan Diaz "Juan Diaz is capable of beating Valero, I'd just be more comfortable picking him if he had more power and moved his head more. Also, we don't really know how he handles a good left-hander. His style really is better suited to face other orthodox fighters, because of the way he sets his feet. I'll take Valero, but I think Diaz breaks his KO streak." - Lee Payton "He has a punchers chance against Diaz. You never know how Juan will respond to his first knockout. I will take the baby Bull by late TKO, but Edwin has a shot there." - Mark Lyons "His lack of an uppercut would serve as a big disadvantage against Diaz, though he certainly has a good chance of a late round KO." - Michael Nelson "I think he also beat Juan Diaz by knockout, but he'd have to earn it, provided Diaz was in the same form as he was against Marquez." - John Vaci "I'd rate his chances about 50/50 against Diaz." - Dave Oakes "Juan Diaz overwhelms him early, but Valero catches him mid-late." - Jeff Pryor "I think I'd lean ever so slightly towards Valero in a great fight." - Andrew Fruman

Valero vs Joan Guzman "It's hard to picture a Valero-Guzman fight. Maybe because I don't see it ever happening, for one reason or another. I'll say that I suspect Guzman is far more comfortable in there with conventional fighters. I don't really have much proof to offer, just a hunch, given his style. While Valero is probably not as good technically, he works hard and fast. Speed screws everything up. And while I think Guzman could catch him on the chin at any point in the fight, I don't see a KO. Joan can still hurt guys at 130-135, he just can't knock them out. Interestingly, Valero's best shot may come down the stretch. We could really see what he's made of if this fight was put together, though I don't see Arum taking the chance." - Lee Payton "Guzman would take him to school. Not sure if it's a stoppage or a decision. I can't see Valero winning a round in this one." - Mark Lyons "I'd favor Guzman to outpoint him in a competitive match." - Michael Nelson "Guzman would be a tough style match-up if he could make weight safely, but even if he did, I think Valero could eke out a victory due to his size and strength advantage." - John Vaci "He's got a better chance than he would have against Marquez, but for the same reasons, he'd be in over his head." - Dave Oakes "Guzman outboxes him over twelve." - Jeff Pryor "The most likely result is for the cagey Guzman to edge out a close decision, but I think Valero's speed and power give him a reasonable shot at winning this. Guzman's ability to make weight and be strong late would be a big factor." - Andrew Fruman

Valero vs Michael Katsidis "Katsidis has a small puncher's chance. The problem is he just takes too many shots. I can't get around that. His feet aren't great for facing a lefty, but he does kind of make up for that with athleticism, as we saw against Casamayor. I'm sure he'd make things interesting, but he's out-gunned in this one. Valero TKO in 6." - Lee Payton "Katsidis in a shoot out. I'll take Michael by KO in a fight that sees them both on the canvas." - Mark Lyons "I think he has more power and speed than Katsidis and would likely take him out early in a war." - Michael Nelson "I think he knocks out Katsidis, who's just way to hittable to surivive against Valero." - John Vaci "Both guys hit the deck, but Katsidis' face is sliced up and they stop it." - Jeff Pryor "I like Valero by KO within 5, although Katsidis would have a decent chance." - Andrew Fruman

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"Lightweight Lightning" A Hit!

By Lee Payton

Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions produced a PPV attraction that showcased a colourful cast of top lightweights, and the result was a fight card that delivered the goods.

Though some of the PPV line-up was sort of patched together in a hurry, the fighters took care of their end of the bargain with 4 conclusive finishes. The crowd at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas created a fun atmosphere for what must have been a memorable live show.

Edwin Valero is something of a mysterious southpaw prodigy to many boxing fans around the world because of a fuzzy medical issue involving a blood clot resulting from a motorcycle accident. The injury left athletic commissions in the U.S. reluctant to grant him a license to perform, so this was his first shot on the big stage in America.

This is only my second time seeing Valero in action, but he looks like he's for real.

Now 25-0 (25), the unique left-handed hitter scored a fantastic TKO victory in the 2nd round against seasoned puncher, Antonio Pitalua. A crunching right hook twisted the old veteran's head around and planted him on his back.

Brave, but with little control over his legs, Pitalua rose only to be put down twice more by an overwhelming attack that ended matters. The main event served it's purpose in a big way; Edwin Valero has arrived.

The kid has a few flaws (the most obvious being how high his chin can get during delivery), but he's very fast, and loves the KO. The lightweight division is full of intriguing match-ups that could tell us more about what he's got inside.

Is he ready for World Lightweight Champion, Juan Manuel Marquez? I'm not sure about that. However, his speed and power would surely make Marquez uncomfortable for awhile. I just think 12 rounds is a bit too long for him to go without getting caught by one of those beautiful counter shots. The champ is just too seasoned, in my view.

A fight with former champion, Juan Diaz, is a natural. Two all-action fighters who could fill the house anywhere in Texas. How would Diaz go about attacking a quick, powerful lefty who shoots almost everything down the middle? Is Valero ready for that kind of step up in class? What does he have on the defensive side? I'd love to find out, and I think we will by the end of the year.

While I'm sure this guy will be entertaining against just about anyone, I think a fight between Edwin Valero and Humberto Soto is one of the best fights in boxing. It would be a battle of offensive machines who take different paths on their way to turning the lights out. Anything could happen! Hopefully Oscar and his old pal, Bob can make that one a reality soon.

There's also a barbarian from down under...

Hometown fighter, Jesus Chavez, broke my heart yet again when he was forced to retire after 7 bruising rounds with Aussie fan favourite, Michael Katsidis. At 36, Chavez just didn't have the stuff to keep the younger, stronger man off, or meet him-head-to-head without getting hurt, so the plug was pulled.

A wildly supportive crowd tried to will their man to victory, but the snake-bitten warrior's 36 year old body just couldn't stand up to the heavy hands and suffocating style of Katsidis, who never let him catch his breath.

Chavez had some early success with the cutest moves I've ever seen from him. He gave the brute some smart angles, found success with a few right hands from the outside and turned many uppercuts beautifully from underneath.

Eventually though, superior fitness took over. Katsidis pounded away relentlessly, silencing the once delirious crowd with the thud of his powerful blows.

I'm not sure if Chavez ended it himself, but the people in his corner should have known enough to stop it. Either way, I've never been hard on a fighter who knows he is beaten. If he did quit, that's OK with me. In my opinion, there is no dishonour in surrendering to the better man.

Michael Katsidis is a tough hombre, and I look forward to seeing him again, but I just wanted to touch on some of the poor luck that has plagued Jesus Chavez's career.

His first ever title shot was against none other than Floyd Mayweather. There are something like 21 title belts per division these days and this is the number he draws...?

In his next big fight, he goes to war for 3 rounds with Mexican great, Erik Morales, only to injure his right arm so bad that he couldn't use it for the remaining 9. He literally fought El Terrible with one arm and went the distance. It was an unbelievably courageous effort.

Then he won his first title against Leavander Johnson, who died in the hospital 5 days later, as a result of the injuries he received during the bout.

No fights in 2006.

Finally, a torn up knee knocked him out in his first fight back from a year and a half on the sidelines.

Chavez is proof that boxing, and life, isn't always fair. I'd like to see him get out before something else happens.

Vincente Escobedo earned a hard-fought 10 round decision over comebacking Carlos "Famoso" Hernandez of El Salvador. It's a good win for the Olympian, who had lost his way a little bit before hooking up with Nacho Beristain. Nothing came easy on this night, but he was a clear winner, and his career now seems to be back on track.

I want to send special recognition to Hernandez for the heart and desire he displayed in taking the fight to his younger, more gifted opponent all night. The hunger he showed in that thrilling final round was something special for a fighter his age. It was a helluva way to end a respectable career.

Rolando Reyes opened the card by knocking out Julio Diaz in 5 rounds. The first 4 rounds were slow, with little in the way of clean punching. Some sharp work put "The Kidd" on queer street, and he was never able to recover.

It was reported that Diaz was just under the jr. middleweight limit on fight night. This likely had something to do with the way he reacted to every punch Reyes landed.

Here's hoping that this PPV is enough of a financial success that the brass at GBP decide to keep offering similar fight cards. It really was a lot of fun. I told some friends of mine, who follow boxing very casually, to check this one out...

The next time Valero and/or Katsidis fight, they want to know.

e-mail Lee Payton
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Topic of the Week: Lightweight Lightning

This Saturday night at 9 PM EST, Golden Boy Promotions is putting on a unique pay per view event billed as Lightweight Lightning. The card features four scraps in the 135 pound lightweight division, with the idea being that the winners will move on to face each other in the future.

Australia's Michael Katsidis pictured right, Photo © Tim Barry / timbarry.wetpaint.com

The concept is an interesting one, and we asked our writers to chime in with their opinions on the show.

**Check out Lee Payton's recap of the show: "Lightweight Lightning" A Hit!**

Lightweight Lightning Schedule

Julio Diaz vs Rolando Reyes - 10
Carlos Hernandez vs Vincente Escobedo - 10
Jesus Chavez vs Michael Katsidis - 10
Edwin Valero vs Antonio Pitalua - 12

1. Do you like the idea of it? "Yes, putting on several fights in the same division on the same card is great for building interest in future fights and comparing the fighters." - John Vaci "I love the idea of it. Some sort of legitimate way of ranking is what the sport needs. Tournaments do that. If they could have split these bouts over two Saturdays on HBO it would have been perfect." - Jeff Pryor "I think the Lightweight PPV is a great idea. As it turned out, there's a nice mix of more obscure fighters like Valero, Escobedo, and Pitalua, with guys who have been on HBO and Showtime a number of times like Chavez, Hernandez, and Katsidis. Even though the original mix with Casamayor and Barrios had more mainstays, it promises action, and it's still a solid card. It'll be interesting to see who impresses." - Michael Nelson "I love it. Boxing could use more tournaments. It would be a helluva lot easier for the average sports fan to follow the sport, that's for sure. My main gripe is these types of events tend to only involve one promoter, which limits the participation of some other top fighters." - Lee Payton "I'm a fan of the idea." - Andrew Fruman

2. Are you looking forward to any of the fights? "Seeing Edwin Valero against a solid, if not spectacular opponent should be interesting. Any fight with Michael Kastidis is typically worth watching, especially if Chavez still has some fight left in him. The other two fights aren't amazing match-ups but are fairly even on paper and should be decent." - John Vaci "Katsidis-Chavez looks to be the best bout; two fighters, fighting. Valero is always worth watching, and Pitalua should be a solid foe for him." - Jeff Pryor "I'm always interested in seeing Valero fight, although I think his opponent may be over-matched. Katsidis and Chavez makes for a fight with guaranteed action." - Michael Nelson "At first I was most looking forward to watching how Edwin Valero was going to handle the always tough Jorge Barrios, but now I just want to see some good fights. I am hoping that Jesus Chavez' body holds up against Michael Katsidis. If he's right, that could be a war." - Lee Payton "I'm looking forward to the Valero/Pitalua fight. If Chavez was a little younger, I'd be more excited for his fight with Katsidis, but I have a feeling he's not going to have enough left to really push the tough Australian." - Andrew Fruman

3. Is the show good value and are you thinking of buying it? "It's an ok deal. If the card were free I'd definitely watch it. Or if the original line-up of fighters was still intact I'd be tempted to buy it. It's so/so as a pay-per-view, but it's good by Golden Boy's standards of the past few years. I always like being able to sit back and know I've got 3-4 competitive fights to watch, which unfortunately doesn't happen often in boxing. It's a step in the right direction by Golden Boy who are maybe waking up to the fact that their cards and others need to offer a better value to fans in a bad economy." - John Vaci "At $40 you're paying $10 a piece for each fight. That's not so bad, but it hurts that Casamayor and Barrios dropped out. I'm not going to buy it. If one of these fighters where "One of my guys" I would though. As it is the card is worth about $20 for me." - Jeff Pryor "It has solid value. It's reminiscent of the Golden Boy PPV a few years back with Barrera-Juarez, Gonzales-Vasquez, and Guzman-Barrios. I doubt it'll be quite as good as that, but it should make for an entertaining night of boxing. The only reason I may not be watching is because the competing Showtime card with Holt-Bradley interests me more." - Michael Nelson "I won't be buying this one. $30 would have been perfect for the original line-up. $40 for what we're left with is just too much. It would be a great card to see live though." - Lee Payton "While I really like the concept of the event, I think the price tag has been set a little too high. For $20, I'd say it's a definite purchase, but for $40, I'm not sure." - Andrew Fruman

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The Audacity Of Imperfection

By Jeff Pryor

Being undefeated in the last year was not as enviable a position as it historically has been in the sport of boxing. For whatever reason, be it a first brush with tough competition, overconfidence or sheer karma, undefeated records were being waived off faster then a bout at Millennium Stadium.

If you had an "0" in your record at the beginning of 2008 and still have one now at the dawning of '09 you are one of the lucky few (Lucian Bute I'm looking your way). But, while losing your unblemished ledger is never an optimal situation in a sport where a single loss can devastate a career, not all losses are created equal. Here's a look at some of the more noteworthy first losses over the last year and who fares best and worst coming off that initial drawback. I've ordered the losses roughly in how damaging I feel they were, starting with the least.

Miguel Cotto: We won't no for sure until Cotto fights again just how much effect that first loss has had on him. What we do know is that status-wise, the effect has been very minimal. He is still considered a top twelve pound for pound fighter and his drawing power likely won't diminish one iota after the brutal fight of the year candidate that he and Margarito put on this past July. Mentally however, there could be residual effects from the TKO loss in which Cotto, a man accustomed to breaking wills, had his own busted in two. In the long run, being knocked flat on his back may have been better for Cotto, at least then he could say it was a great punch and leave it at that .Instead he will have to rectify within himself that he was forced to take a knee in the face of more punishment from the indomitable Margarito assault. If he can overcome that and get back to his winning ways against Michael Jennings and then even the score, a tall order, against Margarito later in the year, that first loss will be a faded blip on the radar.

Paul Williams: Getting blasted by looping overhand rights for 12 rounds against Carlos Quintana was not the best way to start out the year for Williams. Out of that loss however, something good came to the fore; Paul Williams can accept a loss like a man and move on. He didn't blame his performance on having to drain his 6'1" frame to 147lbs or cite the possibility of some nefarious poisoning scheme to which he was a victim, he just knocked Quintana cold within the first two and a half minutes of the rematch. Then laid out his next opponent inside a round, and then moved on to the Junior Middleweight division and grabbed a title. Does all that completely wipe out his listless, there-to-be-clocked-all-night performance from February of '08?....Not really, but sports fans are fickle. Boxing fans especially. And it's fair to say that Williams' star is pretty close to being back to where it was just after his career making turn against Margarito. If he can entice a showdown with Pavlik at 160lbs or Margarito late in the year, he will have solidified his position as one of the handful of fighters the sport's immediate future may rest on.

Juan Diaz: Nate Campbell out-Diazed Diaz. It must have been a sobering realization for "The Baby Bull" when it finally hit him, (probably within the first half of his inaugural losing effort), that the 36 year old fighter was outworking him. Heretofore Diaz was always pushing his opponent, delivering more than they could handle and generally dispiriting them with an avalanche of punches and energy. Campbell came in with the right plan and sapped that energy from the start, leveling shot after shot at the deceivingly soft midsection of Diaz, and crowding the kid close, making it a gritty in-fight. Like Cotto, Diaz, who is used to breaking his opponents will, was having the tables turned on him. Unlike Cotto, Diaz never broke and soldiered on to the bitter end with one eye entirely closed, his peeper garishly replaced by a nasty cut ripped across the eyelid drawn like a shutter. Like Williams, Diaz had no excuses and came back to form against Katsidis later in the year. Ironically, it is Campbell who is the forgotten man after their clash early in '08, while Diaz looks to have no lingering mental issues from the loss and should draw a packed house in his hometown when he participates in the biggest fight the division has to offer, in the first part of '09 against Juan Manuel Marquez.

Michael Katsidis: Being that his first loss was a legitimate fight of the year honors worthy candidate, he was mostly forgiven for the way he bounced off the floor after the crisp counter by Casamayor. Since then he's been in the ring with Juan Diaz. In that bout, a battle of once defeated pugilists, he again came up shy. I'm not sure any of that matters though. Katsidis is the kind of fighter that you want to see fight. He'll never be a pound for pound entrant, he may never rule a division, but when he fights... he fights. It's hard to imagine a match-up that wouldn't produce sparks with Katsidis in one of the corners. He needs a marquee win to get back in the mix, but as long as he brings it, there will be a place for him. A showdown with former belt holder David Diaz would be just the thing to propel one of the brawling bruisers back into the championship sweepstakes.

Sergio Mora: Still struggling for respect amongst hardcore boxing fans, on the heels of his upset championship win against Vernon Forrest, struggled mightily to make weight in the rematch, came in 2 pounds over and then looked like warmed up barf in the ring. Without a rematch against Forrest, which no one wants to see and "The Viper" is denying him, he may not immediately have the big fight he is looking for. As with all the other first time losers recently, winning is a cure for all. Among the exciting 154lb crop of prospects and contenders like Angulo, Kirkland (both of which have had brutal gym wars with Mora), as well as Vanes Martirosyan, John Duddy and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr there are some interesting match-ups to be had and a win against any of those names would catapult him back to the top of the division.

Kelly Pavlik: Hey, there are worse things you could do than to lose your undefeated record to ring legend, Bernard Hopkins. Still, the complete domination that the 43 year old "Executioner" foisted upon the Youngstown prize fighter raised eyebrows and called into question the validity of Pavlik's burgeoning super stardom in the sport. In fact, Pavlik may have been done a disservice by both his handlers and the boxing media in the build up to the fight where few gave Hopkins much chance, (the editor of this site and yours truly excluded, to gratuitously pat ourselves on he back) and in doing so raised highly unrealistic expectations for Pavlik. This made his eventual undoing that much more dramatic to the bewildered boxing world who had arrived at Atlantic city expecting to see the crowning of a new crossover superstar for the sport. All that said, a return to 160lbs and a dominating performance against Marco Antonio Rubio will wash much of the foul taste from the mouths of disenfranchised "Ghost" fans. Whatever may have been exposed in regards to the technical liabilities of Pavlik, no doubt his unwillingness to quit was on display too as he swung away in the 12th round as the final seconds of his undefeated career ticked away. Redemption for the blue collar fighter no doubt lies at the feet of Arthur Abraham in what would be a terrific battle between the two best 160lb fighters in the world. A win there and all is forgiven.

Amir Kahn: Few first losses were as quick, decisive and unexpected as Kahn's 1st round knock out loss to Breidis Prescott this past autumn. In 54 seconds a life was changed and a promise filled career derailed. Not just a prospect to be watched, many had tabbed the UK youngster to be a pound for pound force for years to come. As sometimes happens, little known Columbian prospects have other ideas. Kahn has already fought since, blasting out Oisin Fagan, however, little known Irish prospects rarely provide the same surprises their Columbian counterparts do. With his speed and technical abilities Kahn may yet prove to be the star once predicted, certainly in the UK he will maintain a strong following for the foreseeable future. The real questions will be answered when he is put back in with a dangerous puncher and the durability of his chin may be further tested.

Andy Lee- The future of the Middleweight division. Championship ready by the end of the year... hell... ready for Pavlik right now!! Well, as it turns out everyone got just a little ahead of themselves. Andy Lee's loss to Brian Vera on a night when ESPN's Friday Night Fights was frothing at the mouth with superlatives for the Irish import was a good reminder that everyone's the future of the sport until they lose, from the 1-0 starry eyed kid to the 16-0 darling, all it takes is one loss and you're damaged goods. Now Lee will likely have to work his way into a title shot, maybe not much, because he has Manny Steward's name to get him in the door, but it's no longer the cakewalk that it was shaping up to be. That punch that knocked Vera down in round one may have been the worst punch Lee ever threw; it gave him a false sense of confidence and invincibility. This one will be like all the rest... he must have thought. Vera wasn't like all the rest, he refused to play the part. And while cracking someone with everything you've got, again and again had always worked for Lee before, it just wasn't going to that time. Not that night. Not against that guy.

Among other first time losers Eddie Chambers, Sultan Ibragimov, Jean Pascal, Joachim Alcine, James McGirt Jr. and Aaron Williams are some of the more prominent. Each of them are fairly young and can likely work themselves back into position for bigger and better things. The key for their future success, much like those boxers listed above, will depend upon whether they learned from their losses or whether they have simply learned how to lose. Will Eddie Chambers continue to be satisfied with merely outclassing foe's, but not outworking? Will Ibragimov get more aggressive if that's what it takes? Will Jean Pascal work on defense as opposed to relying on athleticism? While the foe's that delivered the first losses to these newly imperfect fighters deserve much of the credit for their upheaval, for every name mentioned here, from the superstars to the prospects, the key to renewed success is internal. It's up to each to realize what their failings were and correct them as best they can.

One last chunk of food for thought on the undefeated woes of the newly defeated. Several notable fighters nearly (maybe should have) lost their perfect records over the course of the last year or so. Chad Dawson was pushed hard by Glen Johnson, but escaped with a hard fought victory, Joe Calzaghe survived a first round knockdown and scraped by with a lackluster split decision against Bernard Hopkins and Lucian Bute got a little help from his friends in Quebec after a hard-charging Librado Andrade had him literally holding on for dear life for much of the second half of the fight and groggily rising from the canvas as time expired. All of these fellows had a bad scare, and none of them wish to give their opponents rematches. Sometimes, in and out of the ring, you do what you've got to do to stay undefeated, such is the perceived value of that empty loss column. The fact that Dawson, Calzaghe and Bute are, along with , Arthur Abraham, Andre Berto and Ivan Calderon among the few major names left with an undefeated record in the sport says something about the level of matchmaking that's been going on over the last few years. Along with all those prize fighters listed above, just the year before we had prominent undefeated fighters like Ricky Hatton, Jermain Taylor, Mikkel Kessler, Allan Green, Edison Miranda, Tomasz Adamek and Librado Andrade. All went up against other undefeated fighters and came up a little short, but when two perfect records face off, something's got to give and it's to their credit that they took the challenge.

It would behoove the sport if everyone; from the fighters to the fans, the promoters to the networks, the trainers to the media, remember that a loss doesn't end a career, in most cases it makes the career all the more interesting. Outside of Marciano (and Floyd would like to think, himself) how many of the greatest prize fighters to ever live never lost? None. Zero. In the long run that statistical "0" is more important than the empty slot next to some undefeated flavor of the week, because it says that the greats took chances, challenged themselves and fought the best. When all is said and done, no great story can exist without a conflict within it's plot and often in life,and in boxing, it is a slight imperfection which makes things most interesting.

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