Chad Dawson vs Glen Johnson II Preview

Michael Nelson previews tonight's HBO main event between Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson.

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Despite giving Chad Dawson the sternest test of his career a year and a half ago, losing a decision he deserved to win in the eyes of many, Glen Johnson will enter the ring as more than a 3 to 1 underdog. It's a role the hard Jamaican born pugilist has become accustomed to.

The reasons Bad Chad is a heavy favorite are largely the same reasons he was heavily favored in their first fight. Glen is 13 years Dawson's senior at 40 years old, an age where most boxers are either retired or long past the point of diminishing returns, while Chad is in his physical prime at 27. Being able to compete with the world's best at 40+ is an extraordinary feat that most pundits and fans have a difficult time comprehending. It's the same reason Bernard Hopkins has entered his last four bouts as an underdog.

Beyond father time, Dawson owns most of the physical advantages. He uses dazzling hand speed to land eye-catching combinations, ripping both the body and head in explosive fashion. And while he doesn't have highlight reel knockout power, he has more than enough pop to get anyone's respect. His flashy style tends to score more points with the judges than the Road Warrior's workman-like efforts.

Finally, there's the prevalent assumption that Dawson learned from the rough outing Johnson gave him and became a better fighter while Glen has long hit a ceiling and fought as well as he possibly could last year.

The script has been set for HBO to annoint a new player in the pantheon of potential stars. But Glen Johnson has never been a man to simply play his role and disappear into the night.

The grizzled veteran's ability to exceed expectations and overcome the perceived advantages his opponents have makes him a special in his own right. He has the kind of toughness that comes around a few times a generation - in 16 years, he has scarcely if ever been cut, dropped, or hurt - to go along with an insatiable will to give the man in front of him more hurt than he can handle. He's impossible to discourage.

Dawson's a phenomenal talent, but he's far from perfect, and Johnson's strengths illuminate the chinks in the young man's armor. Glen is a steady grinder, consistent in his punch output and tedious pressure, while Chad throws punches in spurts. When Dawson's hands aren't moving and keeping Johnson's guard busy, Glen is chopping away at his body and sneaking damaging right hands.

The 27 year old's less-than-granite chin is another chink that Johnson took advantage of in their first encounter. Chad's heart and conditioning, combined with Johnson's tendency to let his wounded prey limp away in many of his biggest fights, allowed the South Carolina native to survive a few very shaky moments. But the visible effect of the elder's thudding punches bagged rounds that may have otherwise went to the flashier fighter. I suspect similar moments will arise in the rematch as Dawson begins to find it difficult to escape the old man's unrelenting pressure.

Moreover, while it may be true that Johnson fought at his peak that night, it's also true that Dawson may had done the same. It should be noted that the southpaw's performance in his rematch against Tarver six months ago sailed well below the expectations many had for him, particularly those who thought he would improve on his first Tarver beating and overwhelm the 40 year old to score an eventual stoppage.

Instead, they saw the same uneven, if not efficient, performance from the first meeting - spectacular in some spots, uninspiring in others. The two fights were near mirror images of each other.

If no improvements are made against Glen, Chad can very well see the first L etched onto his record. It would be unwise to expect the judges to hand in the same dubious scorecards that were filled out last April.

The odds make perfect sense on the surface. Look closer and you'll see a man who has carved out a modest, but inspiring legacy from defying such odds. Mr. Dawson shouldn't expect anything less than hell tonight.

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Andre Dirrell Ready To Show He Belongs With The Heavy Hitters

Michael Nelson takes a look at Andre Dirrell's chances of pulling the upset in tomorrow night's Showtime Super Six Opener.

Along with Jermain Taylor vs Arthur Abraham, the Froch vs Dirrelll bout will be shown in the UK live on PPV. Click here for more info.

Having been fed largely overmatched opposition thus far in his career, Andre 'The Matrix' Dirrell is taking the largest leap of the six combatants in Showtime's groundbreaking tournament. The 27 year old from Flint, Michigan will be immediately thrown into the lion's den, travelling to Nottingham to take on rugged WBC champion Carl Froch.

Is he ready for the big cats?

His skeptics present a legitimate case. The 6'2 switch hitter has relied on his athleticism and speed to handle guys he generally towers over. He makes several mistakes - pulling straight back, leaving his hands low, and leaping in with single shots - that could cost him dearly against a skilled opponent his size. Such technical deficiencies mixed with a chin that seems less than granite means he has a smaller margin of error than Froch, and can be a recipe for disaster tomorrow night.

In fact, Froch backers need only to look at Andre's 7th fight, a tough scrap against tall journeyman Alfonso Rocha, for evidence of what their man might do. After telegraphing a left hand out of the southpaw stance, Dirrell got caught with a well-timed counter right that immediately lifted him off his feet. He was fortunate that it happened at the very end of the third round because he was in pretty bad shape.

To his credit, he shook off the cobwebs in between rounds and resumed controlling the fight to win a lopsided decision.

Then there was his infamous bout against fellow prospect Curtis Stevens in June 2007. In his sole HBO appearance, Dirrell used his superior foot speed to get in an occasional potshot against a plodding Stevens and gain the favor of the judges. It was one of the worst fights of the decade - perhaps the worst shown on HBO. Pundits and fans dubbed the name Andre Gazelle and wrote him off as more suspect than prospect.

So why does he have a good chance of going to Nottingham and upsetting the more experienced hometown fighter?

To put it simply, he learned from his awful 2007 performance and developed into a dangerous puncher. He found redemption last year by crushing Anthony Hanshaw - who went the distance with Roy Jones - on ShoBox inside of five rounds, taking him apart with powerful counters off the ropes. He split Mike Paschall's forehead wide open with a single punch in his following fight, before turning Victor Oganov's face into a bloody mask with a violent series of uppercuts last November.

Froch's vast defensive liabilities were exposed in his winning efforts against Jean Pascal and Jermain Taylor, and it says here that Dirrell punches harder than both. Most will agree Carl should have some trouble catching up with Andre's speed, at least in the early going. But perhaps more importantly, he'll be catching damaging blows from The Matrix while chasing him down. It's a mistake to assume the tough Englishman can easily walk through the firepower coming back at him and Dirrell's heavy hands tend to draw blood from his opponents. Moreover, you can expect the former Olympian to be far more aggressive than Taylor was if he shakes Froch up with one of his counters.

Another question mark is how well Froch will handle a talented southpaw. Although the left hook from the orthodox stance is Dirrell's most effective punch, if the switch hitter finds success as a lefty, he may stick with it and potshot his way to victory.

I see this as the most intriguing fight out of the first stage of the tournament. Both men have ability to hurt each other. Both men have enough flaws to make it fun. And both men have O's on their record they want to preserve.

Whatever happens, it should be the third consecutive drama in the saga of Carl Froch, and the first peer into the character and heart of young Andre Dirrell.

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Battle at the O2: Bernard Dunne vs. Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym Preview

Michael Nelson previews Saturday's super-bantamweight clash between Ireland's Bernard Dunne and Thailand's Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym.

The bout will be streamed live worldwide on RTE.ie with the broadcast starting at 9:30 PM GMT / 4:30 EST / 1:30 PST.

While most believe that Juan Manuel Marquez' thrilling knockout over Juan Diaz in February is the runaway fight of the year thus far, there are many, including me, who see Bernard Dunne's war against Ricardo Cordoba the following month as perhaps even more scintillating. Dunne came back from being nearly knocked out in the 5th round to brutally stop the favored Panamanian in the 11th.

Don't be surprised if you see a similar level of action and drama when Dunne meets Thailand's Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym this Saturday.

Kratingdaenggym (somehow I think the commentators are just going to call him 'the Thai guy') is a relentless pressure fighter that cuts off the ring well. His battles with Somsak Sithchatchawal and Ricardo Cordoba were gems, with the 28 year old getting inside on his significantly taller opponents and ripping a variety of shots to the body and head. It's unlikely that Poonsawat has been in too many dull fights.

At 5'3 1/2, he'll be at a significant height disadvantage against the 5'8 champion from Ireland. Cordoba used his height and reach to almost defeat Kratingdaenggym in 2005 by constantly punching and turning for long stretches of the bout, reminiscent of the game plan Robert Guerrero executed against Malcolm Klassen last month. While it's not Dunne's style to enact the same strategy, he'll look to use his jab and straight right hand to keep the little bulldog at bay. When Poonsawat does make his way inside, Dunne has a strong left hook waiting for him, the same left hook that fell Cordoba on multiple occasions.

Another obstacle for the Thailand native to overcome is geography. The fight will take place in Dublin, Ireland, Bernard's hometown, which will mark only the second time in 40 fights Poonsawat has fought outside of Thailand. The only other time, a 2006 bout against Wladimir Sidorenko in Germany, resulted in his lone loss.

Still, Dunne has weaknesses that the smaller man can exploit. The 29 year old boasts a tremendous heart but his whiskers are iffy. His career got temporarily derailed when Kiko Martinez knocked him out in one round two years ago. And of course, Ricardo Cordoba badly hurt him a number of times during their war in March. Kratingdaenggym won't be mistaken as a knockout artist, but he does have a stern punch, and he has the stamina to keep his hands busy for 12 rounds. Barring Dunne scoring an early KO (and Poonsawat has a sturdy chin), he'll have to endure a good deal of punishment, particularly to the body as the challenger will have no qualms with slamming right hands into his sternum if Dunne decides to fight tall.

There's action guaranteed for however long it lasts. The big heavyweight fight in Los Angeles on the same night will get more attention, but this should serve as the tasty appetizer that may be better than the main dish.

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News & Notes: Ward and Kessler Scrimmages, Latin Fury 11, and Juan Manuel Marquez

Michael Nelson gives his thoughts on tonight's Showtime and Latin Fury cards.

In what will likely be the biggest mismatch on either Showtime or HBO this year, Andre Ward is looking to stay sharp before the Super Six tournament against Shelby Pudwill. Ward is anywhere from a -8,000 to a -20,000 betting favorite in the sportsbooks. Meaning, depending on where you bet, you would only win $500 if you placed $100,000 on Andre.

I realize it's a tuneup, but this is pushing it. Pudwill was a first round knockout victim in his only step up to anything resembling a world class opponent - John Duddy three years ago.

Mikkel Kessler is in decidedly tougher in the first half of the Shobox doubleheader when he faces Venezuelan Gusmyr Perdomo. Like Pudwill, Perdomo will enter the ring as the prohibitive underdog and his record doesn't exactly scream upset, but at least he's hung tough with a few decent fighters. There may actually be a moment or two of competitive action.

This is scraping the barrel as far as televised boxing. But since it's a warmup to a groundbreaking tournament, all is forgiven. If nothing else, it'll be interesting to hear Antonio Tarver as a commentator again after doing an excellent job in July.

Latin Fury...

Last month's Pinoy Power card wasn't particularly good, and I'm not sure if tonight's Latin Fury 11 program will be much better. Admittedly, I don't pay much attention to the minimumweight division, and Donnie Nietes against Manuel Vargas is by far the most evenly matched fight of the night on paper. It's followed by Fernando Montiel against Alejandro Valdrez, who may be a bit tougher than rising Japanese star Hozumi Hasegawa made him look. Tough enough to upset Montiel? Probably not.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr shares the main event with Portland's Jason LeHoullier. Most don't give LeHoullier much of a chance, but you can say the same about the prefight perceptions of Carlos Molina, Matt Vanda, and Luciano Leonel Cuello, and they gave the young man all he could handle. Another controversial decision and another rematch in a future Latin Fury wouldn't be surprising.

Juan Manuel Who?

The arguments on how next weekend's big Pay-Per-View bout will pan out have turned into pissing contests. Self-proclaimed boxing fan Dana White says he doesn't know who Floyd Mayweather's opponent is and Bob Arum says Floyd is only exciting when he's "shooting up cars".

It's all a bit too much to swallow.

I agree with Lee Payton. Despite the size difference, Marquez is a serious opponent, and anyone expecting a mockery is in for a shock. I think we have a good fight on our hands.

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Tavoris Cloud Brings the Thunder, Juan Urango Brings the Pain

Michael Nelson gives his thoughts on last night's FNF show.

Tavoris Cloud and Juan Urango delivered career performances against game opposition last night in a very solid Friday Night Fights doubleheader. Cloud captured his first world title at 27 years old while Urango retained his IBF strap in the gripping main event.

Cloud's opponent didn't come from the UK to lay down. The grizzled Clinton Woods fought the Tallahassee, Florida native on even terms through the early going, which included a second round that had Woods snapping off a variety of hard uppercuts and straight right hands. It looked like the beginnings of a long night for young Tavoris.

But Cloud found a groove in the middle rounds, being more selective with his punches while landing sharp counters against his taller foe. His James Toneyesque shoulder-roll-right-hand was especially effective in snapping Clinton's head back. Once he began digging in with beautiful triple left hooks - one to the head, one to the midsection, and another one up top as Woods would pull back - he started doing damage. A series of hooks left Woods in serious trouble in the ninth round.

The heart and resiliency he displayed in his trilogy against Glen Johnson though was still evident at 37 years old. Woods refused to go down as Cloud rained blows on him, and came back to hold his own during the championship rounds. Surprisingly, all three scorecards at the end read 116-112, which meant the judges in Cloud's hometown gave Woods most, if not all, of the close rounds. After last week, it was nice to be reminded that hometown bias isn't a guarantee in boxing.

What is guaranteed is action whenever Tavoris steps inside the ring. A showdown with Glen Johnson would be breathtaking. Fights with Jean Pascal or Chad Dawson wouldn't be short of thrills either. Let's just hope he's more active as a titlist than he was as a contender.

Juan Urango had his own set of problems as a belt holder in the main event, getting put on his back for the first time in his career.

The fight went as expected through five rounds. The brute southpaw stalked Randall Bailey and tore into his body while mixing in clubbing right hooks and left hands. Randall tried to maintain distance, paw with his jab, and drop in the occasional right hand.

The script was flipped in the sixth. One of those right hands deposited Urango on the canvas, and for a moment it looked as if he wasn't going to get up. Using the same recovery skills he showed when Nasser Athumani badly staggered him two years ago, he managed to beat the count and make it out of the round without further issue. But he was now sporting a nasty cut and lump under his right eye.

Juan went back to work immediately. He continued chopping Bailey down, taking his older opponent's legs piece by piece with every thudding body punch landed. In the ninth round, Bailey's legs were completely gone as a left hand took him off his feet. He struggled up at the count of nine and suffered a sustained beating until trainer John David Jackson rightly called an end to the proceedings in the 11th.

Urango's flaws are what they are; he has cement feet, and even after seven years of fighters tying him up on the inside, he still refuses to work inside a clinch. He may always struggle against a quick, durable opponent. But match him correctly, and blood and drama will not be far behind.

A dry FNF season ended with a monsoon thanks to all four combatants. Hopefully, it sets the pace for the remainder of 2009.

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Tavoris Cloud vs Clinton Woods Preview

Michael Nelson previews tonight's FNF light-heavyweight clash between Tavoris Cloud and Clinton Woods.

Tavoris Cloud took the Light Heavyweight scene by storm last August when he demolished Julio Gonzales in an IBF title eliminator. But instead of staying busy, he chose to sit on his position as Chad Dawson's mandatory as Dawson fought Tarver twice, and then dropped the belt to rematch nemesis Glen Johnson. The winner of tonight's bout will be rewarded with the vacant strap.

Needless to say, Cloud is looking to be more Cumulonimbus than calm against rugged Englishman Clinton Woods. Having grown up in desolate conditions, Tavoris fights as if he's been famished all his life. He's unlikely to take this opportunity lightly.

Clinton isn't either. This will be his final chance at regaining a stronghold in the division. The last time Woods was seen on American television, he allowed Antonio Tarver to camp in the middle of the ring and move his hands without consequence. If the 37 year old doesn't show more Grizzly against Cloud, it may be a short night in Hollywood, Florida.

Woods will hold a four inch height advantage over Cloud, but his fight is not one of maintaining distance. Expect Teddy Atlas' dialog throughout the bout to revolve around the real estate battle and how Woods is losing it. He's not comfortable moving for long stretches of a bout. Being one of the bigger and stronger men at Light Heavyweight though, he generally accustoms himself well in close.

How well he expects to do banging with the explosive 27 year old Floridian is a question that might not take long to answer. Cloud in many ways is reminiscent of Andre Berto, except he loves to fight on the inside rather than clinch. He loads up on powerful right hands and lead left hooks while mixing in violent uppercuts to keep a ducking opponent honest. And when he remembers to go to the body, he's cruelly effective. A normally sturdy Gonzales winced every time Cloud landed a hook underneath the rib cage.

As evident in his trilogy with Glen Johnson, Clinton is worryingly open for a right hand, Cloud's bread-and-butter. Johnson chopped him down with straight rights to the point where he was nearly out on his feet in the 9th round of their rubber match. To Woods' credit, he survived and won a split decision.

But that was on his home turf in the UK when he was three years younger. Now fighting on Cloud's stomping grounds, the odds are against him. If he gets slammed with as many right hands tonight as he did against Johnson, it's unlikely he sees the final bell, much less win a decision. He'll have to rely on his experience, stamina, and guile to blunt Cloud's charges and outwork his untested opponent.

While most indicators point to it being the younger man's time to shine, the steely veteran can't be counted out. He has defied the critics more than once in his 15 year career. The Friday Night Fights finale shouldn't disappoint.

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Chris Arreola Has The Tools To Rise Above Expectations

Michael Nelson takes a look at Chris Arreola's chances of toppling Vitali Klitschko in next month's heavyweight showdown.

Photos © Ray Kasprowicz

The critics of the upcoming Arreola-Klitschko bout are many. The consensus of the hardcore boxing fan base seems to be that Chris will get blown out in the early rounds, or gas midway through the bout and get blown out then. Either way, the contest won't be very competitive, they say.

Much of the venom spewed comes from resentment towards the notion of yet another fighter allowed to walk down an HBO crafted red carpet without paying dues. That this particular fighter balloons between showcases and doesn't show up to the ring in optimal shape is insult to injury. Meanwhile, HBO ignores whole divisions full of dedicated men who live the boxing lifestyle 24/7, not just when convenient (when's the last time they aired a bout between Cruiserweights?). If it doesn't seem fair, it's because it isn't.

The reason for HBO's push is clear though: Arreola is the rare Mexican-American heavyweight. Any measure of success he has at the championship level is huge. And if he becomes the man to uproot the Klitschko brothers' hold on the division, we're talking about one of the biggest boxing stories in recent memory. The reawakening of the heavies would be Adderal to the casual fan's attention span.

The question remains, does he have a real shot at defeating Vitali Klitschko? Or is this the '09 redux of Michael Grant vs. Lennox Lewis? The lack of tough fights on Arreola's resume makes it hard to come up with a definitive answer, but I'd argue that Chris has better tools than anyone the Ukranian has fought since Lewis in 2002.

Most discredit Arreola's chances because of how his weight has skyrocketed within the past year and some change. Undoubtedly, he should be in better shape, and he'll need to have more discipline between training camps to remain near the top of the division for long. But his current condition doesn't necessarily doom him against Vitali for a couple of reasons. One, he's shown himself to be well-conditioned in his longer fights - going seven rounds twice and eight rounds once - maintaining a work rate that's closer to the average middleweight than the average heavyweight. While it's true that the last time he's gone more than four rounds was two years and 10-20 pounds ago (depending on how much he weighs on September 26), it's a mistake to assume that he'll be out of gas by the middle of the fight when he hasn't had stamina issues in the past.

Secondly, he will have worked with strength and conditioning specialist Darryl Hudson for over two months come fight night. Having a proven track record with Shane Mosley, Chad Dawson, Winky Wright, and others, if anyone can get Arreola into championship level condition, it's Hudson.

He should have the best camp of his career. What happens in rounds nine, ten, and beyond still remains a mystery, but Arreola's pressure and work rate suggests he has the ability to set a pace that can take Klitschko out of his comfort zone... at least for two-thirds of the bout.

The man Chris is trying to yank the title from has been dominant since his TKO loss to Lennox Lewis six years ago. But the 37 year old Klitschko has also been injury prone and inactive. Moreover, the opponents he has dominated are a who's who of fat fighters with careers plagued by stamina issues, coming in grossly overweight for their title shot. Kirk Johnson showed up nearly 20 pounds above his career high weight and summarily got harpooned; Corrie Sanders, Danny Williams, Sam Peter, and Juan Gomez came in at or near their career highs, were on E by the 7th round, and got beaten into submission shortly after. I'd honestly be shocked if Arreola isn't in much better shape than all of those guys.

Lennox Lewis was at his career high weight as well when he gave Klitschko his second loss. His first loss came at the hands of Chris Byrd, one of the few talented opponents Vitali has faced that managed to come in shape. While Klitschko fans will argue that both losses resulted from injuries, it's no fluke that they came against men athletic enough to push him.

Nevertheless, the odds are no doubt against 28 year old from Riverside, CA. Ironfist has the better footwork and defense. He has the quicker, straighter punches. He has a painful jab. And his whiskers appear to be sturdier. At first glance, the gulf in technical acumen appears insurmountable, but peer beyond the surface and you'll see Arreola's advantages; a far better inside game, body attack, and variance of shots that start to level the playing field. Add in Vitali's age and friable frame, and the sweet scent of a brewing upset might float into your nostrils.

Fact is, Arreola has a potent mix of attributes that Mexican fighters are known to possess: combination punching, body punching, and a nefarious left hook along with a healthy dose of heart and balls. Barring an early knockout, Vitali will have to deal with several rounds of the rare big man who throws more than one or two punches at a time. He'll have to deal with a man pounding him to the ribs, arms, and shoulders whenever his chin can't be reached.

The aging champ faces something he hasn't seen in several years. Far from the sideshow many bill it as, this is a real fight with real ramifications. Understandably, low expectations are born out of cynicism of groomed careers and manufactured saviors. Just prepare to be shocked next month if you choose to keep them low.

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Robert Guerrero vs Malcolm Klassen Preview

Michael Nelson previews Saturday night's super-featherweight match-up between Robert Guerrero and Malcolm Klassen.

Robert Guerrero will be the definitive favorite Saturday night. He has the impressive KO record (his last 16 wins have been by knockout), the significant size advantage, and most importantly, the name recognition.

Check out our live blog coverage of this event: Guerrero vs Klassen

But recently, South African fighters have shown that name recognition and glossy records mean little to them. Ali Funeka burst onto the scene by destroying Zahir Raheem and nearly upsetting Nate Campbell. And most believe that heavy underdog Jeffrey Mathebula deserved the nod against Celestino Caballero in April, five months after Moruti Mthalane made Nonito Donaire look ordinary until a cut inside of his eyelid forced the ring doctor to halt the fight.

The perpetual underdog role may be partially due to the memory of Mzonke Fana's embarrassing 2005 performance against Barrera, ghosts that linger whenever a relatively unknown South African fighter steps up to the big stage. Whatever the case, these guys will continue to exceed expectations as long as fight fans overlook them because of their anonymity outside of their home country.

It would be a mistake to overlook Malcom Klassen. The baby face 28 year old from Toekomsrus, Gauteng, South Africa is a punishing fighter with busy hands. In his surprise victory over Cassius Baloyi, Klassen thrashed his older opponent with a harrowing body attack until Baloyi finally crumbled under a cascade of punches.

The inside work between Guerrero and Klassen will be fun to watch. The tall southpaw is a rough customer in close and has one of the better body attacks in the game. Quite a few opponents have been brought to a knee from his digging left hands to the solar plex. But Klassen won't shy away from the combat; look for him to run off combinations to the midsection and mix in uppercuts and left hooks up top. As long as the fight is waged in the trenches, the smaller man with the busier hands may have the advantage.

Being three inches taller, Guerrero's advantages will lie on the outside. The Ghost has displayed refined boxing skills as of late, particularly in his victory over Spend Abazi, and in the quick dismantling of Martin Honorio. He'll have his opportunities to pick Malcolm off with counters; Klassen's jab is busy, but not stiff enough to deter Guerrero from shooting left hands over the top or timing uppercuts underneath.

Klassen's torrid pace will keep Guerrero from getting too comfortable though. Through the first 6-8 rounds, the man is a tornado. The amount of punches thrown behind a solid guard would give anyone fits. Down the stretch though, he tends to settle into more of a brisk breeze, electing to counter punch off the ropes instead of push the fight. He outworked Mzonke through the majority of their 2007 clash, only to falter late and lose a split decision (I scored it a draw when I recently watched video of it). He showed similar stamina issues in his decisive win over Gary St. Claire.

Malcolm's busy starts and shaky endurance in the late rounds births a quandary in picking a winner here. Guerrero has shown that he can be frustrated and outworked by relentless opponents in the past. Gamiel Diaz gave the 26 year old Californian his first loss (later avenged) by staying in his chest and keeping his hands moving. Likewise, Orlando Salido moved Guerrero around the ring and peppered him with shots to win a wide decision (later overtuned due to Salido failing a steroid test). While it's true that Robert has improved since these setbacks, it's also true that Klassen will probably be the best opponent he's faced in his professional career.

How many rounds will Guerrero win in the first two-thirds of the bout if the aggressive South African keeps his head buried in his chest? And can Klassen withstand a late Guerrero surge if he begins to wilt in the championship rounds? It has the makings of a rugged battle of attrition, one that may favor the slightly more battle-tested Klassen. If Klassen's tough enough to take Guerrero's heavier artillery, which I suspect he will be, I favor him to win a close decision.

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Check out our preview of Juan Diaz vs Paul Malignaggi by Carlos Acevedo. Read more!

News & Notes: Roy Jones Reps Captain Hook, Nonito Donaire Reps Pinoy Power, and Chris Arreola Reps Free Willy

Michael Nelson takes a look at this Saturday night's PPV action featuring Nonito Donaire (pictured) and Roy Jones Jr. fighting on separate shows, while also offering a couple thoughts on big Chris Arreola.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

I'm not sure what to make of Roy dressing up as Peter Pan characters to promote fights. He can't use the usual 'my kids thought it would be fun' excuse, seeing how his kids are teenagers who probably wouldn't be seen in that outfit at a Halloween party.

Maybe he lost a bet of some sort. Or maybe Oscar De La Hoya was right in urging Roy to hang up the gloves. If not the gloves, at least the wig.

Regardless, Jones is the heavy favorite Saturday. He wants to show Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy who has the better hook (hence the silly pirate outfit), and judging from Lacy's last three fights, I don't think he'll have an issue proving his point. Neither fighter possesses the same hook they used to devastate opponents with in their prime. Difference is, Roy's hook has downgraded from all-time great to good, while Jeff's hook has gone from good to mediocre.

Lacy can hang his hat on the fact that Roy will undoubtedly spend a lot of time on the ropes. He may be able to loop his shots around Roy's guard and mix in some crushing uppercuts through the middle. If he lands something big that puts Roy out, I wouldn't be shocked at all. But the more likely scenario in my mind is Jones' quicker, straighter shots consistently finding their mark in between Lacy's wide punches. I'm not confident he has the killer instinct to knock Lacy out, but I'm sure Roy will daze his slower opponent more than once.

It's an OK scrap and I don't mind Roy continuing to fight if it's against this caliber of foe. But I'm about as interested in it as I was in the 2003 Peter Pan remake.

On the undercard, I think Verquan Kimbrough's a live dog against Jason Litzau, who's essentially moving up from featherweight to lightweight.

Pinoy Power

While I'll be skipping on the Captain Hook Pay-Per-View, I do have some interest in the competing Pinoy Power card. Nonito Donaire, going up against the tough, but limited Rafael Concepcion, is one of my favorite fighters. I suspect the fight will be one-sided, but entertaining as long as it lasts. As I write this, rumor is that Rafael is is trying to shed four pounds within a few hours, so it may not last very long. Should he win, hopefully Nonito makes up the momentum he's lost and fights a top tier opponent next.

The co-headlining bout between Steven Luevano and Bernabe Concepcion is an interesting one. The 21 year old Concepcion is a strong fighter and pretty vicious body puncher. His feet and hands may look like they're moving in bullet time compared to the speedy southpaw from Los Angeles though. Concepcion certainly has a puncher's chance, but Luevano showed how tough he is to finish in his war against Mario Santiago. I favor Steven to win a decision.

Free Willy

Fans on the web have had a good laugh at Chris Arreola's expense this week when a blurry cell phone picture of him at the Bradley-Campbell card on August 1st made its way around the message boards and blogs. Whether the picture was misleading or not, Arreola looked like Bam Bam Bigelow.

No problem. Reportedly, Chris found the pic hilarious himself.

Call me crazy, but I think Arreola is a live dog against Vitali Klitschko. A 6'4 heavyweight with power that consistently throws in combination is extremely rare. He'll be pounding a 38 year old, injury prone man to the rib cage, elbows, shoulders, etc. as long as he's standing upright. Mix in an underrated left hook and an uppercut on the inside, and we might have an upset in the making.

Yes, I know, the weight. I'm not foolish enough to think Arreola's eating and drinking habits will make for a long stay at the mountain top. But I like his chances of getting there if he enters the ring at or a few pounds near his target of 245.

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Alfredo Angulo vs Gabriel Rosado Preview

Michael Nelson previews tomorrow's Friday Night Fights main event between junior-middleweights Alfredo Angulo and Gabriel Rosado.

It didn't take long for the riders to flee, but it never does. In their place were the calls of "exposed" echoing around the empty halls of Alfredo Angulo's bandwagon.

Angulo had just lost a competitive decision to Kermit Cintron. Those who said he was a lumbering slugger with little skill reveled in glory. After all, their flys were open ready to urinate on Angulo's skill level and potential well before May 30th. And naturally, when a prospect falls short in a fight they're expected to win, the naysayers' voices will resonate louder than the voices of those who remain supporters.

Although I'm generally not an advocate of excuses - when a fighter looks bad, 95% of the time it's a direct result of what his opponent is doing - I feel there's a legitimate question as to whether Alfredo was 100% that night. He only gained four pounds between the weigh-in and the ring entrance, a sharp decline from the usual 10 pounds he gains. Moreover, Boxing After Dark commentator Bob Papa noted that Angulo came into the fighter's meeting the day before looking sickly and drained. The anecdote seems to corroborate Angulo and promoter Gary Shaw's steadfast story that he had a stomach virus in the days leading up to the bout.

But a larger point is, when did it become a crime to lose to a contender in your 14th professional fight? Kermit Cintron fought his most disciplined fight to date, jabbing and moving on the outside while becoming an octopus on the inside. I suspect Margarito would've had a bit more trouble with him if Cintron fought with the same mentality a year and a half ago.

Nevertheless, Angulo begins his road to redemption against tough spoiler Gabriel Rosado Friday night. The 6' Philladelphian upset James Moore and Kasim Ouma, and gave the promising Dominican prospect Fernando Guerrero a scare by dropping him in the 3rd round of their fight. Guerrero got up to win a unanimous decision.

Angulo will look to be spectacular to wash away the bitter taste of the Cintron defeat. Becoming the first man to stop Rosado will go a long way towards reestablishing some of the tread he lost. Expect him to work his way inside and focus on slamming left hooks and right hands into Rosado's lanky midsection as Gabriel tries to build on the blueprint Cintron drew up in May. If Rosado pulls off another upset, Angulo's ascension towards being an HBO attraction will be derailed and a reclamation project that may take years would undoubtedly follow.

Props go to ESPN 2 - the drama of whether Angulo can rebuke the 'exposed' label along with the action that it promises to bring should make for the third solid Friday Night Fights headliner in a row.

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A Truncated Storm in the Desert

Michael Nelson gives his thoughts on last night's Showtime junior-welterweight doubleheader.

In a controversial TKO victory due to Nate Campbell's damaged left eye, Timothy Bradley kept his WBO belt and his undefeated record. Referee David Mendoza ruled that the cut above Campbell's eye resulted from a punch, but replays clearly show that Bradley's head was the culprit.

While the fight ended far too soon to definitively say that Bradley would have went on to win, for three rounds Bradley looked like the quicker, stronger, and craftier fighter. He used a persistent jab to go along with head movement on the outside, and surprisingly, more than held his own on the inside. Shooting combinations to Nate's midsection and largely keeping his elbow tucked around his own body, he landed more shots to the rib cage than the 37 year old veteran did, even though Campbell was thought to be the better body puncher.

Most tab Timothy's conditioning and determination as his best traits. But Saturday night was further proof that his more subtle versatility, preparation, and ring IQ are just as important in making him an elite talent. Those expecting the same aggressive Bradley that showed up against Kendall Holt instead saw the busy counter puncher that Edner Cherry had to deal with. Bradley is notorious for studying tapes, and the homework paid off as he whipped right hands and left hooks around Nate's elbows on the inside, counteracting Nate's shoulder roll defense.

With that said, Campbell had enough moments to make a legitimate case that he could still win a rematch. In the third round, he landed a few vicious shots to Timothy's sternum, the type that could easily change a fight if too many of them found a home. The question remains as to how fresh Bradley would be after several rounds of the punishing blows Nate was starting to slip in between Bradley's showy combinations.

Certainly, the TKO should be changed into a no decision, and I have a feeling it will be. Bradley seems more than willing to fight a rematch - saying in the postfight interview that Campbell was too slow and heavy-footed to bother him - but Lamont Peterson is his WBO mandatory and he may be forced to fight him instead. Regardless, Nate deserves an eventual return match. Unfortunately for him, he's not getting any younger.

There's a lot of buzz among fight fans about whether Campbell should have continued to fight and how significant the cut was. Campbell's a proven warrior, so the notion that he quit because he was in over his head should be put to bed until we have more information on the nature of his injury. He took a hard headbutt directly on his eye and he didn't mention anything about blood from the cut bothering him, only that he was seeing spots. As he was walking back to the corner at the end of the third, he looked into the ring lights with each eye, checking his vision before he declared that he couldn't see. I feel we should give the man the benefit of the doubt.

Hopefully we'll get a clear resolution to this saga, ideally by rematch. Until then, Bradley was impressive enough in three rounds to confirm his place as a top 10-15 pound-for-pound talent. And while it's unlikely he'll get ahold of a Manny Pacquiao or a Floyd Mayweather anytime soon, he has enough young talent around him - Lamont Peterson, Marcos Maidana, Devon Alexander, among others - to continue to build a resume that can catapult him into mainstream recognition.

On the undercard, Junior Witter called it quits after the 8th round against Devon Alexander, later claiming he had an elbow injury that he could no longer fight with. I suspect many fans were just happy to see an end to a sloppy fight with incessant clinching and only fleeting moments of clean contact.

While Witter had occasional success counter punching, Alexander, working behind a sharp jab, was in control for the majority of the rounds. Given Witter's penchant to fade in the late rounds, a comeback was unlikely.

Was Devon spectacular? Not exactly, but he was impressive in his own way. He showed he can handle a difficult, awkward style. He showed he was responsible defensively. And he showed that he had some rocks in his gloves by hurting Witter, who had never been previously stopped, on multiple occasions.

Alexander The Great clashing with the Desert Storm down the road seems inevitable.

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Junior Witter vs Devon Alexander Preview

Michael Nelson previews this Saturday night's junior-welterweight showdown between Junior Witter and Devon Alexander.

Photo © Justin McKie

Junior Witter has been here before. The crafty southpaw from Sheffield, England took on an undefeated, young prospect by the name of Timothy Bradley last year. Bradley was the underdog, as Witter represented the type of leap in competition that an untested fighter usually falls short in.

Bradley defied the odds by going to Nottingham and snatching Witter's WBC belt. On Saturday, Witter looks to regain his belt - which Bradley vacated earlier this year - against another relatively untested, undefeated fighter. This time, Junior's the underdog; nearly 2 to 1.

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The dominance his opponent, St. Louis native Devon Alexander, has flashed during his path to a title shot is one of the reasons why the former champ isn't the betting favorite. Alexander has scarcely lost a round in his career. And he delivered a more consistent and even performance against DeMarcus Corley than Witter did, though it can be argued that Witter fought a younger and hungrier version of Corley. Their fights against Demarcus highlighted the contrast in styles - Witter was playful, often looking bored as he waited for Corley to give him counter opportunities; Devon was completely professional, always working out of a tight guard behind a persistent jab.

Nevertheless, besides the shopworn Corley, Alexander's competition has been completely nondescript. His last fight was against journeyman Jesus Rodriguez, who was a mild step up from Christopher Fernandez and Sun-Haeng Lee, a fighter with a 9-3-1 record. It makes you wonder what exactly he did to deserve a title shot. That is, until you remember his promoter's Don King.

But earned or not, Alexander has been looking forward to his title opportunity since his teenage years spent admiring fellow St. Louisan Cory Spinks.

"We would bring Devon to the title fights, and when Cory became world champion, Devon would walk out with the belt," said Kevin Cunningham, longtime trainer for Spinks and Alexander, in an interview with STLtoday.com.

It helped keep Devon motivated for a day Cunningham knew was coming. His volume punching, combined with a sharp jab and a deep reservoir of energy, looks to be the ingredients that could give Witter fits. Witter faded noticeably in his bouts with Lovemore Ndou, Andriy Kotelnik, and Bradley; a dip in energy against Devon's steady stream of punches can lead to him getting outworked down the final stretch.

What Witter can hang his hat on is that a high workrate equals a high number of openings for a counter. The accomplished sharpshooter will have plenty of spots to display his advantages in speed and power, especially to the midsection, an area that Alexander often leaves exposed while keeping his high guard. The durability of the 22 year old prospect is a question mark that will undoubtedly be answered by the withering uppercuts and slashing right hooks Witter throws from unorthodox angles. If Devon's ability to take a shot is anything less than world class, he won't be seeing 12 rounds.

At 35 years old, Witter is getting up there in age. This may be his last opportunity to gain a stronghold in the division. The victor is a natural candidate for a fight against the winner of the card's main event between Timothy Bradley and Nate Campbell.

But standing in his way is a student who understands that history tends to repeat itself. If Witter wants to avoid another crushing defeat, he'll have to use his guile and power to teach the young man a lesson. Otherwise, he risks being relegated to a stepping stone for aspiring champions.

Make sure to check back in with us on Saturday night for our live blog coverage of this event

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Timothy Bradley vs Nate Campbell Preview

Michael Nelson previews the upcoming Timothy Bradley vs Nate Campbell junior-welterweight clash.

Photo © Justin McKie

Timothy Bradley (pictured landing a booming right hand to the chin of Junior Witter) had his sights on unifying all the major titles in the Jr. Welterweight division. WBC shenanigans have since soured him, and a man well familiar with the cynical politics of the boxing game tried to warn him a year ago.

"Timothy oughta be the maddest guy in the world," Nate Campbell said in a Leave It in the Ring podcast with Bradley three weeks ago. "Me and Timothy met after he got my main event when that boy Guzman wouldn't fight me... Timothy had the same WBC belt that Manny Pacquiao had. I remember Timothy said 'well, this is the big belt, this is the one everbody's after'. I looked at you Timothy and told you right in your face 'look here man, they're all the same when it's all said and done. You're gonna find out, they're all full of doo doo'. They were gonna stick it in him eventually."

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Stick it in him they did. Prior to his WBC and WBO unification bout with Kendall Holt in April, the WBC announced that the winner would have to quickly relinquish one of the belts, making Bradley's goal of unifying every title a seemingly impossible one. Timothy chose to reject the mandatory fight with Devon Alexander - a promising, but untested Don King fighter - and drop the WBC strap in search for more significant bouts and paydays.

With the ambitious schedule he's been on, it's hard to doubt the undefeated Palm Springs native when he says he only wants to fight the best opponents. In addition to Holt, Bradley has defeated Miguel Vazquez (who soundly outboxed Breidis Prescott last weekend), Junior Witter, and Edner Cherry within the last two years. Now he's facing a tenacious veteran that he admittedly looked up to, a man who held three of the Lightweight titles before struggles to make weight forced him to move up a division.

A man who believes being undefeated is overrated and prides himself in proving it.

Nate Campbell's title winning effort against Juan Diaz in March 2008 was one of the more memorable upsets in recent years. Juan was 33-0, having just mowed down fellow titlists Acelino Freitas and Julio Diaz. The 37 year old Campbell was seen as more grass to be shredded.

But young Diaz quickly found out how unrelenting that foliage was. Campbell painted the 23 year old with right hands and left hooks to the midsection until Diaz' sides were shades of red and purple. Further, rough inside work mixed with pinpoint counter punching resulted in a nasty gash over Diaz' already swollen left eye. Throughout the second half of the bout, Diaz, now with compromised vision and a battered rib cage, got thrashed by a reinvigorated fighter who had finally gotten his title shot after years of faux eliminators and empty promises. Campbell took Diaz' belts and earned his long sought-after recognition as an elite pugilist.

His time at the mountain top, however, was a frustrating one. His efforts to goad Joel Casamayor into a rematch of their closely contested 2003 bout went unanswered. Then after finally locking down a bout with Joan Guzman last September, the fight was scrapped when Guzman couldn't make weight and decided against performing because of health issues. Ironically, Campbell himself would fail to make weight in his following encounter against the freakishly tall Ali Funeka. Stripped of his belts, he went on to battle through heavy fatigue in the middle rounds to gut out a close decision, fatigue that he claims resulted from a total of nine hours in the sauna the previous day.

Campbell can't afford to spend too much time struggling to make weight before August 1st, as fatigue would likely result in a loss against the energetic Bradley. Timothy fights the championship rounds as vivaciously as he does the beginning rounds, bouncing in and out with combinations and alertly countering lazily thrown punches from a weary opponent.

Unless age is finally catching up to him though, Campbell's stamina issues with Funeka was an aberration. He showed boundless energy in breaking down Diaz. And he is known for his relentless bell-to-bell beatings, including the frightening one in 2007 that overwhelmed Ricky Quiles. Teddy Atlas was heard screaming at referee Jorge Alonso to stop the fight during a 12th round that was hard to watch.

The bludgeonings revolve around his cruel dedication towards punishing his opponent's body. Launching uppercuts into the sternum and mixing in left hooks to the sweet spot, Campbell has hurt nearly all of his opponents with body shots. Sometimes they recover. Many times they don't. Bradley's going to have to deal with a body attack he hasn't come close to dealing with before.

Bradley's no slouch when it comes to body punching himself. It was his primary mode of attack against the length of Kendall Holt. But Campbell has the decided edge on the inside; it's where he's most comfortable, and even inside of a clinch, he's constantly hitting his opponent with his free hand and bumping him with his shoulder.

Timothy will have to do his most effective work on the outside. Although some think he doesn't have much more than a high work rate, his ring IQ may be his greatest strength. You rarely, if ever, see him get handled in all three minutes of a round because he makes adjustments on the fly. That awareness, combined with head movement and a constant, pesky jab, makes him a difficult man to corral. One moment, he's on his back foot looking to slip a jab and counter with a left hook to the liver; the next, he's pushing forward with jabs to the gut, looking to land an overhand right.

Nate's an astute counter puncher that loves to shoot right hands over his opponent's stick. But he's right hand happy from the outside, rarely throwing a lead left hook or a hook off a jab. The slippery Bradley is one of the best in the game at rolling away and underneath rights. He's far more susceptible to getting touched with his opponent's left hand - either being clipped with a left hook or knocked back by a stiff jab. Holt, a significantly bigger man than Nate, flashed a heavy, well-timed jab and a sharp counter hook that gave Bradley fits. While Campbell has a busy up-jab and a solid left hook thrown on the inside, Bradley won't have to worry about Nate's left hand as much.

What he will have to worry about is Nate matching his work rate, something that Holt didn't come close to doing. How Bradley will react to a skilled fighter who isn't easily discouraged is yet to be seen. Although the Desert Storm has been 12 rounds three times before, Nate can take the young man to unfamiliar waters and attempt to drown him if he sustains a punishing body attack, even if he loses rounds in the process.

It promises to be explosive, no matter who comes out on top. Both men have been jaded by high-jinks born from sanctioning bodies attempting to squeeze every last drop out of the cash cows while discarding those on the peripheral of stardom. The only option for the ignored is to continue to face the best possible fighters until they can no longer be denied. Ultimately, when hungry fighters seek recognition and respect, boxing fans are well fed. The collision course on August 1st was naturally set.

Somebody's getting wrecked. Hopefully the impact resonates beyond just the hardcore fanbase.

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Slimmed-down Eddie Chambers Dominates In Germany

Michael Nelson gives his thoughts on Eddie Chambers' performance yesterday in his impressive victory over Alexander Dimitrenko.

"Fast" Eddie Chambers proved the naysayers wrong Saturday, thrashing the favored Alexander Dimitrenko. One of those naysayers being me.

He said he'd snatch the WBO title eliminator by winning so convincingly he couldn't be denied victory, even in Dimitrenko's backyard. Judge Paul Thomas tried his best to deny him anyway with an incomprehensible 113-113 card (more on him later), but his two colleagues made certain that justice prevailed with scorecards of 116-111 and 117-109. I was a non-believer, having heard Eddie say the same before, just to look hesitant and lackluster against Calvin Brock, Alexander Povetkin, and Sam Peter.

An indication that he wasn't selling wolf tickets this time was when he weighed in at 208 and 1/4th pounds Friday, the second lowest of his nearly nine year career. He didn't exactly have a six-pack, but he was clearly more defined in his chest, back, and shoulders. The man came to put some hurt on his much larger foe.

The first four rounds were competitive, though largely controlled by the Pennsylvania native. Dimitrenko found it difficult to hit his 6'1" inch target, as Chambers did a good job slipping jabs and ducking under right hands. And every time Dimitrenko left his left hand out as a measuring tool, Chambers didn't just slap it away, he nailed it with a left hook. Fast Eddie was showing wrinkles to his game that seemed to frustrate the 26 year old giant.

In round five, the beating began; Chambers would move Dimitrenko around with stiff jabs and counter right hands, and strafe him with him left hooks and uppercuts when he got him along the ropes. Compounding Dimitrenko's issues was the punishment he received whenever Chambers directed his attention towards the midsection. He turned his back to Chambers and doubled over in pain in the 7th while complaining about a kidney punch as Referee Genaro Rodriguez gave him a standing eight count. Alexander would react badly to a body shot at least two other times in the remainder of the fight.

Eddie punctuated the most impressive win of his career by knocking Dimitrenko down with a beautiful left hook in the 10th, and rocking him several times in the final stanza.

To be sure, while Chambers noticeably increased his punch output, he wasn't exactly '92 Holyfield in there. He had a hurt, gassed man in front of him throughout the second half of the bout and didn't apply enough pressure to stop him. He still lacks a certain blood lust. But he threw his hands enough to be dominant, and if he continues fighting at that pace against opponents more dangerous than Alexander Dimetrenko, he'll be a tough man to handle for anyone.

Indeed, something is in the air. 2009 has been a comeback year for talented fighters who have refused to let their hands go in the past. In the last four months, we've seen Brian Viloria, Rocky Juarez, and now Eddie Chambers give inspiring efforts against opponents who were sizable favorites over them. Each man has recently been through a rebuilding process with a new, highly acclaimed trainer. In Eddie's case, Rob Murray Sr., who trained Steve Little and Will Taylor, took over after the Povetkin fight to smooth some of Eddie's technical deficiencies.

It appears to have paid off. Now he's in line for a shot at Wladimir Klitschko. If he comes in similar shape, he may make it an interesting fight. He'd undoubtedly have to apply more even pressure, and learn how to work harder inside of the clinch against someone who would drape his arms over him as soon as he got close.

But for now the slimmed-down Chambers has introduced himself as a major player in the division. A David amongst Goliaths, he may be the best heavyweight America has.

113-113?

Judge Paul Thomas managed to score Saturday's fight 113-113. Think about that. He found seven rounds to give to Dimitrenko.

I've seen incompetence, and this is stretching beyond incompetence. To score seven rounds for Dimitrenko would mean to give at least two of Chambers' dominant rounds to the German in addition to the competitive ones. There weren't seven rounds anywhere near close enough to even feign legitimacy for a 113-113 scorecard.

Thomas, a man from the United Kingdom, seems to have become favored by the German promotion company Universum. This year, he's judged bouts involving Firat Arslan, Denis Boytsov, Ruslan Chagaev, and Andriy Kotelnik.

Make your own conclusions.

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Eddie Chambers vs Alexander Dimitrenko Preview

Michael Nelson previews tomorrow's heavyweight match-up between Eddie Chambers and Alexander Dimitrenko.

"Fast" Eddie Chambers is well aware that it will take more than speed to win the WBO Heavyweight title eliminator in Hamburg, Germany against Alexander Dimitrenko.

“I have to step on the gas the entire night and (force him to) fight at a pace he isn’t used to.”

Awesome - if he maintains a high punch output, not only will we have a good fight on our hands Saturday, but the talented Chambers may be able to present himself as a legitimate threat to the Klitschkos. Problem is, we've heard this before. He has said something similar prior to every one of his significant fights since, well, people started noticing he didn't punch as much as he should. Notably, he got outworked in Berlin by Alexander Povetkin after promising to throw more punches than he did against Calvin Brock, and looked timid against an out-of-shape Sam Peter for long stretches of their March 27 bout after insisting that the Povetkin performance was an anomaly.

It's clear that it's not an anomaly. It's how he generally fights, which doesn't bode well for winning a decision in the backyard of a relatively active, athletic opponent six inches taller than him.

Along with a strong work rate for a heavyweight, Dimitrenko has a few stones in his hands. He's stopped seven of his last eight foes; taking out Luan Krasniqi with a body shot in the third round in his last bout, blowing out Malcolm Tann three rounds earlier than the aggressive Chris Arreola (who was 20 pounds lighter than he's recently been), and being the only man to stop Timo Hoffman.

The 26 year old German is also a determined body puncher; a dynamic that's refreshing to see from a European fighter with the physical dimensions of Wladimir and Vitali, who fight as if shots below the chest are illegal punches. Similarly refreshing, he has an active inside game that revolves around uppercuts instead of automatic clinching and draping around a shorter opponents' neck.

Even so, while Alexander is the stronger, busier puncher, Eddie is much quicker, has the better jab, and is harder to hit with flush punches. But Chambers will have to pump his jab energetically and shoot his right hand more than a few times a round. Diminitrenko often moves around the ring, so control of the center of the ring can be maintained by the shorter man with a stiff jab to the chest and face and a right hand established more as a consistent threat than a rare nuisance.

If Chambers steps out of character a bit, he'll give himself a good chance to win the title eliminator and set up his dream fight against Wladimir. If not, he'll see flashbacks of his last visit to Germany, and fans will see more excuses and broken promises from a skilled but underachieving heavyweight.

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Maidana Forces Himself Into Forefront With Scintillating Upset

Micheal Nelson gives his thoughts on Marcos Rene Maidana's stirring come from behind upset win over Victor Ortiz.

Marcos Rene Maidana wore a discouraged look on his face, having just suffered his third knockdown within two rounds. His young opponent threw quicker, shorter punches to go along with jolting power Maidana had not yet encountered in his career.

He continued to fight on, looking to land the same right hand that deposited Victor Ortiz on the canvas in the opening round. But the speed and technique deficit became increasingly apparent in rounds three and four and the momentum was firmly in Ortiz' corner.

Still, the hard-hitting Argentinian confidently came forward. He had been here before, having engaged in a gut check four months earlier in Germany against WBA titlist Andriy Kotelnik. It went into the books as a split decision loss, but most who viewed the fight had a healthy respect for the grit Maidana displayed in the championship rounds as he tore into Kotelnik in hopes of taking the verdict out of the hands of the judges.

The 22 year old Victor Ortiz, while looking phenomenal in making short work of most of his victims, had never gone through anything close to that in a professional prize fight.

So perhaps it shouldn't have been a shock when Ortiz came away from a violent exchange in the middle of round 5 a changed man. While Maidana was becoming more comfortable with the young man's power, Ortiz was beginning to unravel. He had a gash over his eye from one of Maidana's slashing right hands. He got hammered with two more big right hands as the round ended and walked back to his corner on unsteady legs.

When his trainer threatened to stop the fight, Victor was silent. His fighting spirit had been broken by his aggressive opponent. He came out for the sixth, but Maidana ended the proceedings quickly as Ortiz crumpled under an onslaught of right hands. In conjunction with the fight doctor, he decided he had enough.

Having now been in two of the top ten fights of 2009, Maidana's future is promising. He makes for an excellent bout with any of the best that 140 has to offer. The winner of the July 18th matchup between Andriy Kotelnik and Amir Khan could be a natural fight to make... given that a Kotelnik win sets up an appealing rematch. I have my doubts that Khan's trainer Freddie Roach is ready to throw the explosive, but iffy-whiskered Brit into the lion's den.

A fight with fellow South American bangers Juan Urango or Ricardo Torres would be a treat as well. The jr. welterweight division has developed into a vibrant mix of young personalities within the last year, and with his scintillating victory over a highly touted knockout artist in a headlining HBO bout, Maidana has pushed himself out of obscurity and near the forefront.

Meanwhile, the way Victor Ortiz ended the fight and the subsequent comments made in his interview with Max Kellerman ("I'm young but I don't think I deserve to be getting beat up like this") can't be encouraging to fans hoping for an ascent to stardom for the Golden Boy Promotions (and by default, HBO) prodigy. But he's young and talented enough to bounce back. There's a good chance that the loss can make him a better, tougher fighter.

His time may still come. For now, Maidana has the spotlight. There's little doubt that he'll use it to make boxing a little brighter.

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Victor Ortiz vs Marcos Rene Maidana Preview

Yesterday, Michael Nelson previewed the main event of the June 27th HBO double-header (John vs Juarez II Preview). Today, he takes a look at the opening bout between Victor Ortiz and Marcos Rene Maidana.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

Victor Ortiz is an undefeated 22 year old knockout artist that HBO is looking to push. He's coming off a surprisingly easy victory over the normally tough Mike Arnaoutis - blowing him out in two - following dominant knockout wins over the likes of Emmanuel Clottey, Jeffrey Resto, and Carlos Maussa. Next Saturday night, he'll be facing an Argentinian fighter who has never been on American television and is coming off a loss.

Make sure to check out The Boxing Bulletin's live blog coverage of this event

Smells like another Boxing After Dark showcase for a young talent, right?

Not so fast. Marcos Rene Maidana is no "opponent". A young man himself, the 25 year old has knocked out 24 of his 25 victims. While those victims aren't exactly a who's who at light welterweight, some of them are hard nosed journeymen that he dispatched much easier than other players in the division. Arturo Morua beat Cosme Rivera, Carlos Maussa and Emmanuel Augustus, and went the distance with Ricardo Torres a year before he fought Maidana. Maidana destroyed him within three rounds. Manuel Garcia beat Maussa and controversially lost to Juan Lazcano before suffering a lopsided defeat to Timothy Bradley. Maidana took him out in eight.

His only blemish is the split decision loss to Andriy Kotelnik in February. The WBA World light welterweight title match was a hotly contested bout that could have gone either way. But as opposed to Kotelnik's bout with Junior Witter - in which Kotelnik swept the last several rounds and looked as if he could easily go 15 - he had to use every bit of grit and heart inside him to survive his encounter against Marcos. At the end, Kotelnik had a disfigured face featuring a badly swollen jaw, a twisted, bloodied nose, and a knot under his right eye.

In other words, we have two explosive, young bangers who are capable of ending a fight at any moment. Remember the pre-fight hype amongst the boxing faithful over James Kirkland against Joel Julio? This looks to be an even better matchup.

Yes, hindsight is 20/20. Kirkland-Julio failed to produce many thrills, as James proved too strong for Julio, whose game plan was to awkwardly leap around the ring like a gimpy gazelle. But the free-swinging Maidana is unlikely to take many backward steps and will provide plenty of counter opportunities for Ortiz, who like Kirkland, is a strong, aggressive southpaw. And while he's more patient than James, he lets his hands go in combination and will swarm when the smell of blood is in the air. There will be violence in spades. In all likelihood, there will be a knockout.

Given that both men are only into their fifth year as a professional boxer (and neither have exactly been on the fast track), both are bringing something into the ring that the other has never seen before. Ortiz has never faced a slugger with the power and durability of Maidana. Nor has he faced Maidana's crave to fillet a rib cage with slashing right hands and sharp left hooks. Meanwhile, Maidana has never faced a fighter with the power of Ortiz, or a southpaw nearly as talented as Ortiz.

The Kotelnik fight alone gives Maidana the definitive experience edge. Facing a tough, technically proficient titlist, Maidana opened the bout strong before getting soundly outboxed during the middle portion of the fight. As the waters began getting deep, he answered an examination that Ortiz hasn't been close to being challenged with by sucking it up and furiously rallying in the championship rounds. He showed enough stamina, heart, and bullheaded determination four months ago to be sure that he's not going to be intimidated by Ortiz at any point in their fight. He's coming to put the young lion to sleep and he'll walk through hell to do it.

Another learning experience Maidana can take from Kotelnik is how to deal with a fighter that has a tight guard. Ortiz' defense isn't dissimilar to Kotelnik's, keeping his hands near his cheeks at all times and exploding out of his shell with compact combinations. Maidana nailed Kotelnik with a number of uppercuts; he'll look to penetrate Victor's guard the same way while mixing in wide shots around the gloves and elbows.

Nevertheless, Victor has the clear edge in technique. His straighter punches should allow him to effectively counter the Argentinian and win most of the exchanges. Ortiz has shown solid footwork in the past as well; expect him to move around the ring in spots to lure Maidana into traps. He'll try to land powerful lead lefts inside of Maidana's looping right hands.

How many flush left hands and right hooks can Maidana take to the chin? And how will young Ortiz react if Maidana is still in his face after several rounds, ripping shots into his midsection and launching uppercuts between his guard? These type of questions don't make for a showcase, they make for vintage Boxing After Dark chaos.

I for one can't wait to find out the answers.

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Chris John vs Rocky Juarez II Preview

Michael Nelson previews the June 27th featherweight rematch between Indonesia's Chris John and Houston's Rocky Juarez.

Photo © Tim Barry / timbarry.wetpaint.com

February 28th was one of the more memorable nights of boxing in recent years.

Preceding the leading fight of the year candidate between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz, Rocky Juarez and Chris John fought a heated, closely contested bout that featured wild swings in momentum. After a tense first couple of rounds, John took control before a battered Juarez came roaring back with a late round rally. Both men were commended for their testicular fortitude and tenacity.

But despite fighting to a draw, Chris John will come into the ring as the definitive betting favorite June 27th.

There's some sense to it. For starters, while the draw verdict was more than reasonable, you can just as easily make the case that John won seven or eight rounds if you were to give him the close ones. You can't make such a case the other way around. The middle rounds were dominant ones for the well-schooled Indonesian.

Secondly, it's well known that Chris John was fighting a flu virus in the days leading up to the bout. How close he was to full strength on fight night is unknown, and you have to wonder if he would have faltered down the final stretch if the tail end of his training camp was a healthy one. Without the illness, would John had continued his mid-round success?

Moreover, Juarez' eyes have become increasingly susceptible to swelling and laceration as he enters the 8th year of his professional career. Chris left him with a badly swollen and cut left eye along with a bruised right eye; it's fair to assume that Rocky's going to have to deal with compromised vision at some point again next Saturday. Issues such as double vision is an impediment that Rocky says was fixed through surgery following his loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2007. But I suspect damage around the eyes will continue to be an obstacle for the remainder of Juarez' career.

For the same reasons the draw was a sensible verdict (despite the misleading CompuBox numbers) though, Rocky has a great chance at snatching his elusive first world title in the rematch. He's a far more resolute puncher than John. And while John is largely a head-hunter, Juarez works the body well; he landed quite a few left hooks to the liver that made Chris back up and take a deep breath. Problem is, there were too many times when John was allowed to reset himself and take the play away from Juarez with two or three eye catching blows in between or around Juarez's guard. Rocky had his best success when punching in combination, particularly following the left hook to the body with either a right hand or another left hook up top. Concentrating on putting the exclamation mark on a damaging body blow with something hard to the chin may eventually get him the stoppage he needs to ensure victory over his flashier opponent.

Don't be surprised if Chris John took note of Barrera's uneventful rematch against Juarez in September of 2006. Barrera learned his lesson from the violent first encounter by making sure to grab and spin, or simply clinch, every time the shorter man got inside. John did this to great effect in spots four months ago, but to the chagrin of trainer Craig Christian, there were times he labored inside and let Rocky go to work. Expect a more concerted effort in using his advantages in height, reach, and foot speed to keep Rocky on the outside and limit the inside battles as much as possible.

Whatever the case, Juarez knows that his future as a prizefighter will be cloudy if he suffers a loss. This may be his last chance at his day in the sun. We should see Rocky follow up his most determined effort to date with another gutsy performance. Likewise, Chris John should be applauded for returning to the states to stamp his claim on the division. He could have easily taken the safer, and perhaps more profitable, route by defending his title against non-descript opponents in his home country. The man's a true fighter. He'll be coming to Los Angeles to win and win convincingly.

Here's hoping for another spectacular night.

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Breaking It Down: Hopkins vs Trinidad Revisited

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's new feature series, Breaking It Down.

In this first edition, Michael Nelson revisits the 2001 middleweight title contest between Bernard Hopkins and Felix Trinidad, and takes a look at just how the masterful Hopkins made it look so easy.

My friend looked at me with a skeptical eye when I said that Bernard Hopkins was going to knock Oscar De La Hoya out. "You always pick against De La Hoya," he noted.

Can't say the man didn't have a point. I had been tabbing De La Hoya to lose in nearly all of his major fights since 1997.

After trying to convince him that I was picking Hopkins more because of his tactical brilliance than my personal biases, he asked me for evidence.

I went to the Hopkins DVD set I had accrued a few years prior. There were a number of fights I could have pulled out - the fourth round destruction of the quicker, but smaller Joe Lipsy. The relentless pounding of Glen Johnson. The revenge exacted on Robert Allen after a lackluster no contest (Bernard's 'Montel Griffin II' moment). The cunning performance against KO artist Antwun Echols.

But anything other than Hopkins' masterpiece against Felix Trinidad on September 29, 2001 wouldn't have sufficed. For one, Hopkins was the underdog against a known commodity, future hall of famer, and consensus top three pound-for-pounder. He was forced to be on his 'A' game.

Two, it was a rare fight where the ring intelligence displayed was so stunning, it was apparent to those who don't watch boxing on a regular basis. Far from just running around and pot-shotting, Hopkins would outmaneuver Tito from the outside and pick him apart with jabs one minute, then outmaneuver him on the inside and pick him apart with uppercuts the next.

Let's take a look at some of the nuances that helped make my friend see the light.

:58, Round 2 - Hopkins makes his presence felt for the first time in the fight. He lands a hard counter jab, circles Trinidad without moving out of range, and lands two more hard jabs within 6 seconds. In contrast to the skittish dance around the ring Oscar presented Tito with, there's little wasted movement. At the five second mark, Hopkins lands a strong right hand that definitively gives him the round.

2:45, Round 4 - Hopkins comes out moving forward in an aggressive stance. As a consequence, he eats a counter left hand that snaps his head back, perhaps Trinidad's best punch of the fight. Hopkins decides to step back and lure Tito into traps, rolling his shoulders and landing a few of his own counter punches.

2:25, Round 5 - Naazim Richardson is calling for the 36 year old to take "the young boy to school". Bernard promptly abides. Hopkins' feints are getting Trinidad all out of sorts this round; Tito gets stuck with a jab, then bites on a feint and gets cracked with a clubbing right hand.

1:03, Round 6 - With his back to the corner, Hopkins persuades Trinidad into delivering a left hook by throwing a left uppercut and giving the impression he was open to a counter. He blocks the hook and counters with a right cross. It's not a hard punch, but old man Hops notes that Tito took the bait.

:46, Round 7 - Hopkins does a move that he's done in previous fights when he feints with a right hand and catches Trinidad out of position with a hard blow to the ear. He drops another right as soon as Trinidad regains position and slides to the side. It's a sequence that requires footwork and balance not many fighters possess.

:12, Round 8 - George Foreman, while clearly biased towards Trinidad for most of the night, makes a good observation: "All night, Trinidad has been trying to lay on Hopkins' left hand, and Hopkins seems to get his left hand out of the trap and hold Trinidad. If he's able to just lay on Hopkins' left hand once, he's gonna get him with the overhand right." Catching opponents coming out of a clinch had been one of Tito's bread-and-butter moves throughout his career. Hopkins neutralized it by pinning Tito's arms and stepping out of range before Tito could respond with a right hand. The times Trinidad did manage to lay on Bernard's left hand, Hopkins made sure to duck down and get his left up quickly enough to at least partially block the overhand right.

Whether inside, mid-range, or outside, Trinidad had much difficulty making solid contact on Bernard.

2:16, Round 10 - Hopkins revisits the maneuver he pulled in the 6th round by baiting Trinidad with a left uppercut, blocking the counter left hook, and dropping a right cross. He still doesn't throw it with full force, but it lands solidly enough to elicit a reaction from the crowd.

2:03, Round 12 - Hopkins baits Trinidad with another left uppercut, and once again, Tito bites. This time he puts all his weight into the cross and deposits him on the canvas. Felix struggles up at the count of 9, but his father saves him from further punishment. Just as Hopkins predicted.

The old professor would go on to have a few more great performances as an underdog in his career, and he may have one or two more inside of him yet. But whenever I'm asked about the purest example of the sweet science I can think of, the Trinidad fight will not be far from my grasp.

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Berto vs Urango & Angulo vs Cintron Previews

Next Saturday, quick handed Andre Berto will be putting his undefeated mark on the line against junior welterweight strap holder Juan Urango, while up and coming junior-middleweight bruiser Alredo Angulo takes on big hitting Kermit Cintron.

Michael Nelson has the preview of the HBO double-header.

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Andre Berto's path to his WBC title was paved with scrupulous care. In 2009, starting with a fight of the year candidate against Luis Collazo in January, the paving had become rocky and the navigation system had long indicated that he was on his own.

He has reached uncharted territory; the section of a promising fighter's career where true champions emerge. He is now facing world class opposition that know his weaknesses and have the talent to exploit them.

Still, the physically gifted Berto will enter the ring May 30th as more than a 3-1 favorite over the hard-nosed Juan Urango.

It's easy to see why. Stepping up to the Welterweight division, Urango won't enjoy the same size and strength advantages he had over most of his opponents at 140 pounds. And while his sturdy punch has produced some spectacular knockouts, it hasn't resulted in stoppages over the best fighters he has faced. The most accomplished opponent in his career, Ricky Hatton, earned a lopsided decision over him. In fact, three other southpaws - Eamonn Magee, Luis Collazo, and of course Manny Pacquiao - had far better success in the ring against the British star.

But there's a devastating aspect to Urango's game that makes those odds a bit misleading. It's why Ricky Hatton felt threatened enough to invoke the punch-and-grab spirit of John Ruiz for much of the second half of their bout, and it's why Herman Ngoudjo (who was also favored over him) took several deep, pained breaths during their encounter earlier this year.

Juan Urango is a crushing body puncher. And, well, Berto isn't fond of receiving body punches.

Andre looked worn in the late rounds against Collazo, a side product of Collazo's dedicated body work throughout. He had to dig deep to gut out the last round in an effort that won him a host of converts. Moreover, while the final stretch against Cosme Rivera a year and a half earlier was kinder to Berto, he spent the closing minute of the fight with his arms at his waist, smarting from a left hook to the liver. A series of uppercuts landing solidly against Rivera's bloodied mask made sure his discomfort went unnoticed by many observers. But make no mistake, he was hurt.

Urango's a far more resolute body puncher than either of those men. You have to wonder how Berto's going to fare in rounds six, seven, and eight if Urango's still in his face slamming right hooks into his rib cage.

Juan will likely have to eat a healthy diet of uppercuts to get a taste of Berto's ribs though. Andre shoots punches from underneath quickly and violently, jolting an opponent that gets too comfortable on the inside. How Urango fares in the early rounds against those uppercuts and the significant hand and foot speed disadvantage he'll find himself with may tell the story of the fight. Barring an early KO or knockdowns, he'll have to drop rounds in the first half of the fight against his more explosive foe. Fatigue and body punishment should start to slow Berto in the middle rounds, and Urango will have his best opportunity to snatch a hold of the fight thereafter.

Regardless, Berto will no doubt have his fill of tough southpaws after May 30th.

On the undercard, rugged KO artist Alfredo Angulo - who sports a dog collar into the ring - appears to have an easier assignment. His opponent Kermit Cintron lacks the durability and the unwavering focus of a Juan Urango, having been blown out twice by Antonio Margarito (who many have deemed to be a smaller, more accomplished version of Angulo) and essentially knocked out by southpaw cutie Sergio Gabriel Martinez in his last outing. The beneficiary of a very charitable count, Cintron came away from the latter with a disputed draw.

Meanwhile, Angulo is much like Urango; slow, but strong, with staunch punching power and a tenacious body attack. His last 11 opponents have folded under the duress of his pressure within the distance.

Cintron can hang his hat on the fact that he's no slouch when it comes to punching power himself. Boasting a 90% KO ratio, Kermit had an explosive right hand as a Welterweight. Whether he carries enough of that that power to Jr. Middleweight to stop a bull like Angulo is questionable, but he'll have his opportunities to make his right hand felt.

Otherwise, you don't have to wear a dog collar to sniff out a early to mid-rounds knockout victory for Alfredo.

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