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!

e-mail Mark Lyons Read more!

British Scene Weekend Recap: Daws Defeats Morrison To Regain Title

Dave Oakes recaps this past weekend's British light-welterweight title fight between Lenny Daws and Barry Morrison.

Photo © Justin McKie

Lenny Daws (pictured right) captured the vacant British light-welterweight title on Friday night after gaining revenge over Barry Morrison at the York Hall, Bethnal Green. Morrison, the only fighter to have defeated Daws, was stopped in the tenth round after a bruising battle eventually took its toll on the hardened Scotsman.

Daws made an uncharacteristically fast start to the fight, pushing Morrison back with stiff jabs before flailing away with hooks. Morrison responded with hooks of his own but it was the higher work rate of the Londoner that secured the first round.

The frantic pace continued in the second round, though it was Morrison who was bossing the round this time. Both fighters were happy to take a punch to land one, with Daws walking onto a beautifully timed uppercut before retaliating with a classy straight right later in the round.

The pattern of the fight had been set in the first two rounds, with the next four rounds being close, hard fought and difficult to score. Neither man was prepared to surrender ground or slow the pace down, every time one landed a solid punch, the other would land something just as impressive in return.

I had the fight scored even going into the seventh round but felt that Daws was looking the physically stronger fighter. The seventh was another close round but it seemed to me that Morrison was starting to tire late in the session.

Daws won the eighth round comfortably and was starting to push Morrison back with ease. Again, it was noticeable late in the round that Morrison was starting to wilt under Daws’ relentless pressure. At one point Morrison dropped to his knees, even though the referee didn’t issue a count, it was a clear indication as to how tired Morrison was.

Morrison tried to buy himself time in the ninth by spitting his gum shield out twice but it was to no avail as Daws kept upping the pace. Despite the fact Morrison made a valiant effort late in the round, it was Daws who clearly took the round.

The end came midway through the tenth when the tiring Morrison was caught with a three punch combination that sent him sinking to the canvas. His head looked clear but he was visibly exhausted and he elected to stay down on one knee whilst the referee counted him out.

Daws now moves to 20-1 and will be looking to have a more successful reign this time than he had the first time he held the title.

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The Boxing Bulletin Pick'em Game: Week 4

The Boxing Bulletin's Pick'em game is back for week 4.

If you played last week, scroll down to the bottom for the standings. If you missed the opening three weeks, that's not a problem, as you can join right in this week.

Our game is a combination of picking the winners straight-up and beating the odds. If you're ready to match your prognostication skills against other boxing fans, then let's get started...

How to play:

The game is strictly for fun, and entry is free. The deadline to enter this week is Thursday night at 11 PM EST. We'll have the results tabulated and posted with Monday's Week 4 game sheet (please check this post's comments for early results, as we'll try getting them up there by Sunday).

Pick The Winners

This part's easy - 2 points for each correct answer.

Beat The Odds

This is where it gets a little more involved, as you will be risking points to gain points. You will also have the option of choosing 1 fight to risk double points and 1 fight to risk triple points (you cannot choose the same fight to risk double and triple fights on).

Standings

We will keep standings for the full year, although each game will only last for 1 month. At the end of the month standings will be reset and a new game will begin.

We've got a few details below on the fights in play this week, but if you're ready to get started, here's the Week 4 game sheet.

September 25

Matthew Macklin vs Amin Asikainen - 12 rounds - Vacant European middleweight title - Velodrome, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom (Sky)

Originally scheduled to face Darren Barker for the British title, Macklin jumped at the chance when the European title opportunity came his way. He'll be heading in as the prohibitive favorite over Asikainen, as the former European champ has been stopped twice in the past two years.

Jean Pascal vs Silvio Branco - 12 rounds - WBC light-heavyweight title - Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (GoFightLive.tv)

Due to a series of cancellations, the 43 year old Branco missed out on a shot at former title holder Adrian Diaconu, but now gets his chance against Pascal. The speedy Pascal looked very sharp in toppling the aforementioned Diaconu and most expect the Italian to pose few difficulties for the hometown fighter.

September 26

Bernard Dunne vs Poonsawat Kratingdaengym - 12 rounds - WBA super-bantamweight title - The O2, Dublin, Ireland (RTE.ie)

After stopping Ricardo Cordoba in a FOTY candidate, Dunne's jumping right back into the fire against the tough Poonsawat. Given the styles of the two fighters, this could be another classic for Irish fans.

Vitali Klitschko vs Cris Arreola - 12 rounds - WBC heavyweight title - Staples Center, Los Angels, California, United States (HBO)

The big question is will Arreola show up in the type of shape needed to give Vitali a real go? If he does, this could be the big Ukranian's toughest fight since his loss to Lennox Lewis over 6 years ago.

David Diaz vs Jesus Chavez - 10 rounds - lightweight - UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, United States (GoFightLive.tv)

Both of these all action lightweights are coming off tough outings. Diaz was crushed by Manny Pacquiao last year, while Chavez took his lumps against Michael Katsidis back in April. Does either man have much left? We'll find out on Saturday in what should be a real battle.

Ready to play? Here's the Week 4 game sheet.


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The Mayweather vs Marquez Big Screen Experience

Last night's HBO PPV show played live at movie theaters across the United States, and Jeff Pryor was one of the many boxing fans that witnessed the larger than life action on the big screen.

Mayweather's gleaming smile 20 feet wide. Marquez's cup of urine, ten feet tall. The fever dream of a punch drunk fisticuffs fanatic? Not if you were at one of 170 or so theaters on fight night.

Sometimes harkening back to an earlier era can seem entirely new... even innovative. This past Saturday night for "Number one, Numero Uno", the Mayweather-Marquez mash up, Golden Boy Promotions went old school with a twist and brought a live boxing event back to the cineplex just as it used to be in the days before cable, satellite, pay per view and internet streaming.

Before these modern accouterments of boxing viewing, there was a period of time in postwar Hollywood where an invention emblazoned "Theater Television" came about as a secondary source of income for boxing promoters. In this case filmed events were presented at a later date within the theaters, bringing a whole new audience that otherwise may not have had the opportunity to see the spectacle. Later, these re-broadcasts would go live...

On March 28th 1958, Sugar Ray Robinson's second bout with Carmen Basilio was screened at 174 theaters in 140 cities, with 364,876 attendees bringing in over 1.4 million dollars in revenue. This was by most reports the first live closed-circuit boxing broadcast. The new revenue stream was a portent of things to come for boxing promotion.

As things evolved and widespread live broadcasts became easier to deliver, Patterson-Liston's first go around in 1962 was a record setter which drew over 563,000 spectators to the screens and netted 4.5 million dollars. Most notably Ali and Frazier's "Fight of the Century" was a closed circuit smash where it has been estimated that more than 300 million watched the bout.

During this period in the fifties, sixties and seventies the chief idea of closed circuit was largely to expand the available "gate audience" by setting up satellite locations, whether it be theaters, arenas, or even community halls in which to sell more tickets. Fans enjoyed the atmosphere, bigger screens and feeling like they were a part of the event.

Actor Burt Lancaster remarked that the crowd was so into the Bonavena-Ali Closed-circuit broadcast he attended that some of the fans were yelling at the screen "Shut up, Howard. Let us watch the fight!" Towards the always loquacious Howard Cossell's commentary.

Promotors, who originally charged $5-$10 per seat for closed circuit broadcasts, slowly ratcheted up the price to $25 and higher by the eighties. At $30 a pop, the prices caused one fan, Johnny Carlstom, who was among the 2000 who attended the infamous "No Mas" bout at the closed circuit location of Harrah's casino in Reno, to exclaim "I'll tell you one thing. I'm never going to pay to see a fight again." Would that you hadn't Johnny... would that you hadn't.

As the economics of the sport shifted, and the networks, ABC, NBC and CBS started getting priced out of bigger fights, closed circuit became a necessity as opposed to a luxury for promoters. By the end of the eighties, with the boxing fan base tapering off, closed circuit locations gave way to closed circuit in your living room... pay per view, at even more exorbitant prices.

Flash forward to September 19th, 2009. Boxing's return to movie theaters.

With the HD Pay Per View broadcast of the Mayweather-Marquez card clocking in at $60, a new, less expensive, alternative was a welcome sight. The ticket I bought to watch bludgeoning on the big screen was $12.50, though reportedly tickets were $15 elsewhere.

The broadcast started at 7:30pm, with the half hour PPV hype show and continued with the entire HBO broadcast to credits.

The city I watched from has a population of about 60,000. I'd wager one citizen for every thousand showed up. For the mathematically challenged, of which I am one, that's about sixty people who sat in the cinema for four and a half hours to watch the men fight.

The crowd came to life at times with Locke and Cruz exchanging in the opener, with Katsidis' peppering Escobedo on the ropes, when Juarez summed up his entire career by falling short in the explosive, but frustrating waning seconds of his rematch with Chris John, and in moments when Marquez clipped Mayweather clean or Mayweather blitzed Juan with flashy salvos.

In short, it was a good crowd, with a little cheering, a little clapping, a little cat calling; and overall an enthusiastic atmosphere and a great way to watch a fight.

My only previous "Closed-Circuit" experience was earlier this year in February at Madison Square Garden, when after Miguel Cotto's bout with Michael Jennings they screened Kelly Pavlik's fight against Marco Antonio Rubio on the jumbo-tron for those of us in attendance.

Like that experience, this one gave me a nostalgic flash point for what it might have been like to watch one of those classic bouts of the seventies with a roomful of other boxing mavens; removed from the location, but somehow still a part of the spectacle together.

Really, the only problem I had, was that the projector of the theater I was at was lacking it's blue gun. Broadcast signals are made up of blue, green and red image feeds. Without the blue, for instance, the image looks overly red and muted. Chris John's trunks were Gatti's favorite color, blue? Not for us. They were a pale teal green.

For me that's a major issue, but I doubt it bothered most. Aside from isolated instances like that, the technology infrastructure across the United States these days likely means that doing a large scale event broadcast like this went off relatively flawlessly.

Depending on what deal Golden Boy worked out with the third party theater distribution company they used to get the fight to theaters, one would think this was a profitable venture for them and hopefully enough so that others will follow suit and offer major boxing events in theaters on a regular basis.

The bottom line is that seeing Marquez and Mayweather, larger than life playing before us on the big screen was pretty great. The price was right, and I wouldn't hesitate to forego my living room, for the cinema again should another big fight get the hollywood treatment.

To re-coin an old phrase; A good fight seen bigger, beats a good fight seen smaller.

It could be a winning strategy for boxing in the coming years.

e-mail Jeff Pryor Read more!

Round by Round Updates: Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's live round by round blog coverage of Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez.

We will also be doing round by round updates of Michael Katsidis vs Vicente Escobedo and the rematch between Chris John and Rocky Juarez. Make sure to check back in after 9 PM EST for our comprehensive blow by blow coverage of all the action.

Floyd Mayweather (146) 39-0 vs Juan Manuel Marquez 50-4-1 (142)

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 Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez Predictions 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 5:45 PM... We'll start doing updates immediately after the John vs Juarez bout concludes. We estimate that should be around 11:15-11:30, but you might want to check back in with us earlier to make sure. 11:19... John/Juarez is in round 11. 11:32... The under-card part of the show is over. The main-event is coming up soon. 11:34... Before the fighters head in, we've got the national anthems. 11:39... Marquez is making his way towards the ring. 11:40... As far as fight night weights go, I believe earlier in the broadcast, it was mentioned that Marquez put on 6 pounds. Floyd has curiously refused to weigh-in again. 11:42... Marquez is in the ring. 11:43... Mayweather is starting to make his way in. 11:45... Floyd is in the ring bouncing up and down. 11:46... Michael Buffer with the intros. 11:47... Tony Weeks is the third man. 11:49... The intros are done. The fighters are getting their final instructions from Weeks in the middle of the ring. We are moments from starting. 11:52... Round 1 is underway. Marquez with a jab that his short. Action in the middle fo the ring. Floyd iwth a jab. Marquez short to the body with a jb. Floyd with his left hand low, leaning backwards. Marquez tries to shoot a double jab, but is short with both. Floyd is short with a counter hook. Marquez is short with a hook. Floyd slipping another couple of jabs. Floyd edging forward. he jabs to the body. he lands a lead left hook, and slips away. Marquez is short with a right and misses a follow up hook. Marquez is struggling to get close enough. Floyd jabs to the body, but is short. Marquez with a left hook that brings a cheer from the crowd. 30 seconds elft. Marquez short with a 1-2. Floyd with a lead hook that lands. Floyd jabs to the body. Marquez tries to jab his way in and then has a hook blocked. Marquez misses a hook. There's the bell. 11:54... 1-0 to Floyd on Harold's card. 11:57... Action in the middle of the ring. Marquez short with a jab and follow up hook. Floyd misses with a hook. Marquez short with a hook. Marquez tries to jab his way in and then shoots a right that Floyd ducks. Marquez with a right hand that lands over the top. Floyd grins. Floyd with a left hook that lands. Floyd with a big left hook that sends Marquez down hard. he's up quickly and ready to go. 1:20 to go in the round. Marquez standing his ground. Floyd with a hook that lands. Marquez looks like he has his legs here. Floyd jabs to the body. Floyd not over anxious here, not trying to press after the knockdown. he jabs to the body. Marquez standing his ground, and fires a right hand. 20 seconds to go in the round. Floyd jumps in and lands a hook. Marquez slow to counter. Marquez edging forward to close the round. There's the bell. 12:00... Marquez misses with a hook, and misses a follow up right. Marquez tries to attack, but Floyd easily alludes the jab/right. Floyd looking very comfy. Marquez with a 1-2 that is blocked. Floyd fires a right hand that misses. Floyd jumps in with a hook that lands. Floyd with a jab. Floyd's speed is really showing here. he's beating Marquez to the punch. Floyd jabs to the body. Marquez edging forward and eats a jab. Tactical round here. Neither man really committing. Now Marquez tries to come forward and Floyd catches him. Marquez fires a right hand that lands. Floyd with a jab. Marquez comes forward, but is short. Marquez is short with a right hand. 12:02... Beristain telling Marquez that he needs to throw combinations in there, not just one punch at a time. Harold has it 3-0. 12:05... Mayweather jabs to the body. Mayweather jumps in with a hook and slips away. marquez trying to edge forward, but is short with a right hand over the top. Mayweather sticks a jab in there. mayweather again catches Marquez with a jab. Marquez tries to fire a right hand in close. Floyd now edging forward a little bit. Marquez throws a 1-2, but is short. Marquez lands a nice right hand that lands and Floyd smiles. Steward comments that Floyd is rolling nice with shots whenever Marquez does land. Floyd with a jab. Another jab. Marquez misses with a right hand. "When you're bigger and faster, that's a real tough combination to overcome." - Steward 12:09... Floyd up 4-0 (plus the kd) on Harold's card. Floyd jabbing to the body, and then moving away from Marquez's return fire. Floyd just looks too quick in there. Floyd jumps in and misses. Floyd with a jab. Marquez edges forward, but Floyd quickly slips away. Marquez is short with a right hand. Marquez a little more aggressive here, but not able to catch Floyd. Floyd jabbing to the body. Floyd is short with a right hand. Marquez edging forward now, and Floyd is circling. Floyd looking to counter. Marquez fires a 1-2, but misses and Floyd slips away. Floyd with a clean left hook catching Marquez as he comes in. Again Floyd catches Marquez with a hook on the way in. Marquez chases Floyd, letting his hands go, but unable to land. 12:13... Marquez fires a 1-2 to open the round but is short. Marquez trying to jab his way in. Floyd just misses with a right hand, and Marquez fired a counter right back but misses. marquez with a 1-2, but Floyd blocks both shots. marquez fires a combo and lands a hook. Floyd responds with his own hook. Floyd lands a right hand lead. Floyd slips a jab. Floyd is looking a little cocky now. he's got his hands down, he's standing right in front of Marquez, tempting Marquez to open up. Floyd with a jab. Marquez comes forward and fires a combo to the body. Floyd now edges forward and Marquez backs into a corner. Floyd misses with a hook, but catches Marquez with a hard right hand. Floyd lands again just before the round ends. 12:17... A shut-out on Harold's card after 6. Marquez is short with a hook. Floyd with a jab. Marquez misses with a right. Marquez fires to the body, but is short. Floyd looking very comfortable here. Floyd lands a hook. Marquez fires off a combo, one shot might have got through. Marquez catches Floyd on the way in there with a nice shot. Floyd though comes right back with the jab. Floyd with a right hand. Floyd with a jab. Marquez backs Floyd into the corner and fired off several shots, one may have landed, and Floyd then waved him on. Now the action moves back to the middle of the ring. Floyd with a right hand. Marquez marching forward though, and trying to respond. Floyd with a little counter. Marquez tries to flurry. there's the bell. Marquez showed some real urgency that round and had perhaps his best moments, but still looked out of his depth. 12:21... Marquez comes forward and fires a right hand to the body. Marquez comes forward with a 1-2 but is short. Floyd jumps in with a hook. Floyd with a jab. Floyd with another jab. Marquez short with a right. Marquez with a hook that is blocked. Action in the middle of the ring. Floyd now edges forward. Marquez tries to jab, but is short. Marquez with a right hand that is blocked. Floyd with a jab to the body. Now Floyd edging forward and Marquez backs into the ropes, only to fire back with a right hand to the body. Marquez trying to flurry, but Floyd looking very comfortable defensively. Floyd jabs to the body, but is short. Floyd is short with a right hand. Floyd with a jab. Floyd with a right hand. marquez comes forward and banags the body, but Floyd's got those elbows tucked. He motions Marquez on, and Marquez again fires to the body. There's the bell. 12:24... Floyd comes forward to start the round and lands a right. 8-0 on Harold's card. Floyd with a jab. Floyd edges forward, and sticks another jab home. Floyd jabs to the body. Marquez jabs tot he body. Floyd with a jab. Marquez with a jab, and fires a right hand. Floyd with a jab. Floyd lands a left hook. Floyd jabs to the body. Floyd just too quick here. Floyd sticking the jab home. Floyd sticking the jab in. Floyd now is the one coming forward. he lands another jab. Marquez tries to fire back with a right hand. Marquez fires another right hand, but it's blocked. Floyd with a jab. Marquez fires a jab into Floyd's guard and is short to the body. Floyd lands a nice combination that lands. Marquez fires back though. Floyd jabs to the body. Floyd ducks under Marquez's return fire. Floyd with a jab. There's the bell. 12:28... 9-0 on Harold's card. Marquez gamely comes forward and fires a 1-2. Floyd comes forward and lands a hard right hand. He's edging forward and now Marquez is backing up. Floyd with a combo that lands. Marquez fires a jab back. Floyd with a jab. Floyd jumps in with a hook that just misses. Floyd with another jab. Floyd is just sticking that jab home. Marquez fires a 1-2 that misses. Marquez lands a right hand. Floyd now lands a jab. marquez fires back. Floyd with a hard right hand that lands flush, but Marquez takes it well. Marquez is game as it gets. He's losing badly, but doing all he can to try and make a fight. He's just not quick enough to cope with Floyd. Marquez tries to flurry, but Floyd blocks and slips. There's the bell. 12:32... Marquez fires off a series of hooks and right, but I don't think one of them landed. Floyd jabs to the body. Floyd now comes forward and backs Marquez up, but can't capitalize and Marquez moves off the ropes. Floyd with a combo that lands. Floyd with a jab. Marquez misses with a hook. Floyd with a jab. Floyd with another jab. And another. Floyd with another jab. Floyd follows up with a hard right hand. Marquez gamely fires back, but can't find Floyd. Marquez standing in and throws a combo, but Floyd blocks it and then attacks back. Floyd with a jab, and fires a right hand to the body. Floyd with a hard left hook. Floyd backing Marquez up. Marquez fires back though. Marquez is short to the body with a right. Floyd with a jab. Marquez presses forward to end the round. 12:33... Last round coming up. The last was a dominant one. Only question now is will Floyd go for the finish here. 12:37... Floyd with a jab. Marquez fires off a hook that is blocked. Floyd with a jab. Floyd with a flush hook that lands as Marquez was coming in. Floyd with a jab. Marquez fires to the body. Floyd with a combo that lands. Floyd blocks a right. Marquez is short with a hook. Floyd with a 1-2. 1:30 to go. Floyd with a jab. Floyd with a right hand. Marquez fires back, but is short. 1:00 to go. Floyd sticks the jab home. Marquez comes forward, as Floyd backs up into the ropes. Marquez can't find him though. Floyd now moves back into the middle of the ring. 30 seconds to go. Floyd with a right hand. Marquez fires back. Floyd with another right hand. 10 seconds to go. That's going to be it. Marquez comes forward as the bell rings, but can't find Floyd. 12:39... Michael Buffer with the scores... 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108 all for Floyd Mayweather. 12:40... A masterful performance by Floyd. He had the jab working to perfection and was dominant from start to finish. 12:42... Kellerman is with Floyd. "I can get better." Floyd. "He's tough. He's tough as nails." Kellerman is asking Floyd about the weight situation and Floyd is clear that he's not intersted in talking about it. "I just want to talk about my performance." 12:44... Kellerman asks about the possibility of a Mosley fight. Shane's up in the ring and he tells Floyd that he wants to get it on. Floyd says he'll let his people talk about that. Shane's not happy and a war of words ensues. Floyd's not pleased about having his interview invaded by Sugar Shane. Kellerman begins to ask Floyd another question and Floyd tells Max that, "You've done enough talking, I want to talk now." With that, Max ends the interview and sends it back to Steward and Lampley. 12:47... Marquez is joining the HBO crew to say a few words. 12:49... Marquez says that he did his best but the difference was the size. Marquez feels if he could have had a few more fights at the weight, he would have been able to do better. 12:50... That's it for our coverage of tonight's show. I hope you enjoyed it, and make sure to check back in next week for our live blog coverage of Vitali Klitschko vs Chris Arreola.

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Live Round by Round Blog: John vs Juarez

Welcome to The Boxing Bulletin's live round by round blog coverage of the Mayweather/Marquez under-card bout between featherweights Chris John and Rocky Juarez.

We will also be doing round by round updates of Michael Katsids vs Vicente Escobedo 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.

Chris John 42-0-2 (126) vs Rocky Juarez 28-4-1 (126)

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 5:30 PM EST... Coverage will start immediately after the Michael Katsidis vs Vicente Escobedo bout ends. As the televised portion of show starts at 9:00, and this will be the 3rd bout, we estimate it should get underway around 10:30. 10:34... The Katsidis/Escobedo fight has finished. This one should be getting underway soon. 10:36... John has re-hydrated up to 135 tonight, while Juarez is up to 134. 10:37... Rocky Juarez is sporting a mohawk. 10:39... Joe Cortez with the final instructions. We're ready to go here. 10:42... John working the jab early. Rocky trying to close the gap and fire his hook. Rocky tryng to jab his way in. John fires a 1-2, with the right hand going to the body. John with a jab. Steward comments on how John very rarely goes straight back, that he's always using angles. Rocky tries to jab his way in and hook to the body. John looking very comfy defensively though when Rocky attacks. John with a jab and a slashing right hand. John with a jab, and then slips away. John with a right hand. they clinch. Juarez edging forward, and John fires a 1-2 through the guard. Rocky moving forward, John slipping away to his right. John with an uppercut that gets through. Rocky gets inside and then gets tied up and Cortez tells them to break. Rocky jabs his way in and gets tied up again. John has Rocky's arm hooked on the inside. There's the bell. 10:46... Lampley is yapping away about compubox numbers. Harold has it 1-0 for John. Lampley's compubox chatter was about Rocky not landing anything in the opening round. John with a combo, and follows up tot he body. Rocky with a right hand. Rocky trying to jab his way in there, but John slipping away to his right. John with a right hand. Now John ties Rocky up in close. Cortez tells John to stop holding. John with a jab, and a right to the body. John again hooks Rocky's arm in close. John digs a hard right hand to the body. John with a jab, and follows up with another right hand downstairs. 1:00 to go. Rocky with a hook to the body. John ties him up. John's done a fair bit of holding so far in the early going. John sticking the jab in there. Rocky just short with a right hand. John again has Rocky tied up in close. John with a 1-2. Rocky jabs his way in. John wit a decent right hand. Some action in close right before the bell goes to end round 2. 10:50... 2-0 for John on Harold's card (and I assume all 3 judges). Rocky trying to jab his way in. When he does get inside, John just ties him up. John with a jab, and is short with a right hand. John with a couple of slashing shots on the inside. John hanging around on the inside a little bit more this round. Now he gets back on the move, and slips to his right. John with a jab. John with a right. John with another jab. Rocky getting outworked here. John sticking the jab and then firing his right hand. John with a 1-2. 1:00 to go in round 3. Rocky misses with a hook. John misses with a right hand and then holds. John with a jab. John with a couple more jabs and slips away. John just walked into a hard right hand... it connected, but not quite flush. John handled it well though. 10:51... Rocky is being urged to throw his punches in combination by his corner. 10:54... Harold gave Rocky the 3rd. "He landed a heck of a right hand over the top late in the round." He did, although I don't think it was enough to overcome the rest of the round. Rocky fires the hook, and then gets tied up. Steward comments that he's not very impressed with John tonight and he'd be a little worried if he was in his corner. John sticking the jab and follows up with an uppecut. Action in the middle of the rign there. John with a nice 1-2. rocky now edges forward, but John slips away and then ties Rocky up. John with a flurry. Rocky bangs the body with a left and a right. John ties Rocky up. John with a 1-2 that's blocked. Rocky a little slow to respond and John's long gone when he throws his hook. A nice exchange, with John firing a right and Rocky responding with his own. John with a flurry. 10:58... 3-1 on Harold's card for John. John with a right hand, and there's an early clinch here in the 5th. John with a jab, and a right hand that is blocked. Rocky edging forward, but John jabs and moves away. Rocky digs with a hook to the body. 2:00 to go. Steward has changed his tune and now sounds more impressed with John's work. Rocky comes forward and digs a hook to the body. John ties Rocky up. Cortez is telling him to let Rocky go. perhaps a warning might make him think twice about all this holding. John with a right hand Rocky responds with his own. John with a 1-2. Roky with a jab. John with a right. Rocky pressing forward and gets tied up. John digs to the body. John again hooks Rocky's arm. John flicking out the jab and lands a right hand. There's the bell. 11:02... Round 6 is underway. 5-1 on Harold's card. Rocky pressing forward, and misses with a right. John on the move to his right. Now he stops and throws a 1-2. Lampley just mentioned that Mayweather is not allowing HBO to weigh him tonight. Rocky edging forward, trying to get inside, while John is moving from left to right. John with a jab and then ties Rocky up. Rocky following, as John moves away to his right. John stops and throws a 1-2 into the gloves. John with a couple of slashing shots on the inside and they clinch. John with a 1-2. Rocky tries to bang the body, while John grabs a hold of him. There's the bell. 11:06... Rocky coming forward, John moving to his right, and now to his left. Rocky trying to jab his way forward. John with a jab and a right hand. John circling to his right. He stops and throws and then moves again. Rocky follows, but when he gets close enough, John flurries and moves again. rocky really needs to set his feet to throw and even when he gets close enough, John is often beating him to the punch. John with a right hand. Harold has it 5-1 for John. John has Juarez' tied up again on the inside. Rocky keeps pushing forward, but not at all effectively. Now John stops and lands a right hand. John with a 1-2. John with a flurry. John with a right hand. Rocky with a chopping right hand. John with another flurry and then grabs Rocky and Cortez tells him to stop holding. There's the bell. 11:10... 6-1 on Harold's card. I'd say it might be 7-0. John jabbing in the middle of the ring and then moving away to his right. Then he stops and throws when Rocky gets close. John with a 1-2. John misses with a right and then misses with a follow up left. Then he ties Rocky up. John with a 1-2. John again ties Rocky up. John with a hook. John jabbing and moving. Rocky digs a hook to the body. John flurrying and Rocky bangs another shot to the body. Rocky following, getting close, only for John to flurry and move. Now John ties up Rocky. A decent exchange in the middle of the ring, where Rocky landed a hook. 11:14... John starts the round off letting his hands go. He's mixing his shots up nicely, making sure to not forget about working the body. Rocky following, but just not able to land anything big. John with a 1-2. John looking very comfortable here, firing 1-2's. Now he ties Rocky up. Rocky gets back to following, not with much success though. John with a flurry. This one is starting to get a little dull. 11:15... Harold has it 8-1 for John after 9. 11:18... John flicking the jab home and then tying up Rocky. Meanwhile Lampley and the crew are chatting about Mayweather/Marquez. John with a 1-2 and then holds. John with a right hand to the body. John with a right. Rocky looks like if he had another 20 rounds, he still wouldn't catch John with a fight changing punch. there's another clinch. Rocky witha jab. John with a jab and a right downstairs. John flicking the jab out, and then holds Rocky. Cortez telling him to let Rocky go. how about a warning Joe? That might help a litle more than endlessly telling John not to hold. Rocky with a hook. John with a flurry and then grabs Rocky again. Rocky misses with a hook. There's the bell. 11:22... 9-1 on Harold's card. John with a 1-2. John with a flurry. John's getting a little sloppy with his shots and he's sometimes hanging around a little bit on the inside. John with a flurry. Rocky with a little hook. John holds again. John with some shots on the inside. Rocky fires back. John with a 1-2 and then holds. John flurrying, and Rocky responds with a decent right hand, and John grabs him again. John looking a little tired here. not that the HBO crew are noticing, as they are rambling on about Mayweather/Marquez. Max now mentions that Juarez is landing some decent shots upstairs. John with a 1-2 and then holds. Lampley comments that John is looking a little weary. They both just stepped on each other's feet and Juarez stumbled a bit. There's the bell. 11:27... John's left eye doesn't look good. It's swollen quie badly. 9-2 on Harold's card. Rocky has 3 mins to do something big. John with a 1-2. Rocky with a jab. John comes forward, throws a jab and then misses over the top with a right hand. John with a flurry. 2:00 to go. John with a 1-2. John with a jab. John flurries. Rocky not showing any real urgency here... probably tired as well. John ties him up. 1:30. John now on the move. he stops and flurries and grabs Rocky. John again holds on. 1:00 to go. John with a flurry and then again ties Rocky up. Both fighters looking tired here. John again holding. Rocky lands a big left hook! That hurt John. John was wobbled! But John throws back and ties Rocky up and walks Rocky back. Rocky now lands a hard right hand. Rocky just doens't have the energy though. John is hurt, but throwing back. Rocky trying to land one more big shot, but he's going to run out of time. That's it. The bell seemed to go 2 or 3 seconds before the HBO clock ran out. 11:28... It was a left hook on the inside that hurt John. If Rocky lands that shot 30 seconds earlier, perhaps he's got enough time to make it pay off. Harold has it 9-3. 11:29... Michael Buffer with the scores... 114-113, 119-109 and 117-111 all for Chris John. 11:30... 114-113? Was there a 2 point round in there? Interesting. I think the 9-3 card was closest to reality. 11:31... Alright, now let's get to the main-event between Mayweather and Marquez.

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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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Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez Predictions

With the big fight a little over 24 hours away, it's time for The Boxing Bulletin writers to chime in with some predictions. Keep in mind that these were made before today's weigh-in.

Make sure to check back in with us tomorrow night for our live round by round blog coverage of the entire card.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez

While Marquez' intelligence and combination punching will keep it competitive, I got Floyd by decision, 8-4 or 7-5 in rounds. His foot speed and reach advantages will allow him to stink it out when the going gets tough. - Michael Nelson

There are so many X factors that it will be fascinating to see the questions answered as the rounds unspool. This in mind, you could draw up all sorts of entirely plausible scenarios, but... I think Juan is going to be very determined here and I think his timing and relentless combos are going to surprise Floyd. My guess is Mayweather's speed embarrasses Marquez in some flashy moments, particularly early as Floyd will come out more aggressive than usual I believe, but I think the sports supreme adjustment maker, does what he does best, and Marquez takes advantage of a slightly older now, slightly rusty, slightly overconfident, slightly more conservative Mayweather as the fight goes on. If Marquez could take Pacquiao's speed, I think he can handle Mayweather's, and with his more consistent output and immaculate counter punching, he pulls the upset. I think on occasion he tags Mayweather cleaner than almost anyone ever has and, dare I say it... maybe even rattles "Money". I'm going to go with Marquez by decision in a more entertaining fight than might be expected thanks to Marquez putting it on the line and making the fight. It'll probably be close enough so that Floyd claims robbery. - Jeff Pryor

I agree with Michael. I think Floyd's speed and reach edge will be the key. Marquez will just have a real tough time getting into range, without getting tagged first, and Floyd's not going to be stick around to get banged in return. I think the rounds will be tactical and close, but clear for Floyd. I see 116-112, 117-111 type scores, with no argument from anyone who the rightful winner is at the end. - Andrew Fruman

I've wrestled with this fight for months now and trying to pin down a winner has proved near impossible. I'm exhausted, so I'm just going to call it a 6-6 draw at the end of 12. I have no idea who is going to get the decision, but it should be a very close fight. Floyd has never fought anyone as good as Marquez, nor has he ever proven to be the better man. I'm not sure anyone has their way with a patiently aggressive counter puncher who throws effortless combinations with power. The pot shots Mayweather loves so much will be timed eventually by a great fighter and adjuster. If pressed to pick a winner, I'd take Marquez close because I think he has the mental edge (smarter man, nothing to lose, more secure, perhaps hungrier...) going into the fight. If pressed to pick who will get the decision, I'd take Mayweather close, because he seems to get love from the judges even if he seems to get the benefit of the doubt when nothing is happening. - Lee Payton

As long as Marquez keeps the pressure on Mayweather by cutting off the ring and throwing in combination, he’ll have a good shot. And I’m giving him more than most. I just don’t see Floyd dominating JMM by running and pot-shotting. This isn’t Ricky Hatton or an old De la Hoya. It will be Mayweather’s toughest fight since Jose Luis Castillo, but this time a Mexican will be awarded the decision. Marquez, in the upset, 115-113. - Joseph R. Holzer

I see the fight similarly to Andy and Michael, I believe Marquez will put in a good performance but I just can’t see him being able to match Mayweather’s foot speed or natural ability. I also think Mayweather’s size advantage will play a major part in the fight; I’ve got serious doubts as to how effective Marquez will be with the additional weight. I think Mayweather will box too cautiously to get the stoppage but will be a clear winner around the 116-112 mark. - Dave Oakes

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British Scene: Lenny Daws vs Barry Morrison Preview

Dave Oakes previews tomorrow night's Sky main-event between Lenny Daws and Barry Morrison.

Photo © Justin McKie

Barry Morrison takes on old foe Lenny Daws (pictured) this Friday when the two face off in a rematch for the vacant British light-welterweight title at the York Hall, Bethnal Green.

Morrison comes in at late notice after Ajose Olusegun chose to vacate the title last week rather than face Daws. Olusegun is now due to fight Romanian Ionut Dan Ion next month in a world title eliminator. His withdrawal has opened the door for Morrison to reclaim the title he lost to Colin Lynes just over two years ago.

Morrison became champion by beating Daws in what remains the only blip on Daws’ record. Their original meeting was an enthralling slugfest that could’ve gone either way, the judges favoured Morrison by split decision but a lot of ringsiders and viewers, myself included, had Daws winning.

Daws has struggled to find his form since losing the title to Morrison and will be hoping that a victory on Friday night will kick-start his career. Morrison has also struggled since their first meeting, losing to David Barnes as well as the aforementioned defeat to Colin Lynes.

It’s also worth noting that Morrison has been fairly inactive of late, having fought only once since his defeat to Barnes in July of last year. Daws has fought three times in that period, albeit against fairly limited opposition. It remains to be seen whether or not the lack of preparation and ring sharpness will influence Morrison’s performance but it doesn’t seem to be the ideal preparation for what will be the biggest fight of his career to date.

I can see this fight being very similar to their first, both fighters will be prepared to stand toe to toe and it could come down to fitness rather than finesse. Daws and Morrison are predictable in their style; they come forward, throw punches non-stop and try to grind their opponents down, they’re never going to box and move but they do what they do extremely well.

I believe the fight will be close early on but I expect Daws’ better preparation and fitness to help him win most of the late rounds. I think Daws will reclaim the title on the scorecards in what should be another entertaining fight for the fans.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs Juan Manuel Marquez Preview

By Lee Payton

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Saturday night's HBO PPV main-event between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez is only 72 hours away, and while the match-up may not have captured the imagination of the average sports fan, just about every hard core boxing fan I've spoken to is pumped for it. For me, this is as good as it gets and I can't wait to see how these two ring marvels play off of each other.

I've broken down the preview down into 10 questions surrounding the match-up. Let's get to it...

1. What effect will Mayweather's retirement have on his performance?

This is the most obvious question heading into the fight. In the past we've seen top fighters have trouble finding their old form after a year or more out of the ring, but I think Floyd is a special case because he is obviously a gifted athlete, a boxing natural and a very hard worker. This is no couch potato. He's not a big drinker or smoker, and just seems to be a hyperactive person. If there is any surface rust maybe it might show in his defensive timing, but it should come together once he's lathered up. I don't think it's as big a deal for him as it would be for other fighters.

2. What does the weight mean for both fighters?
Mayweather should be able to make the weight with ease. When he was active, he was one of a very tiny group of fighters who don't dehydrate to make an unnatural number. Welterweight was no sweat, so you have to assume that making 144 will be easy as well. He'll probably skip breakfast on the day of the weigh-in and that's about it.

Marquez is a bigger mystery. My thinking on this subject is a bit unconventional so bare with me. I actually think he'll be fine at 144, as long as he hasn't overdone it, pumping iron, trying to bulk up artificially. From what I have seen and read, they did it the right way- eating right, but upping the calorie intake and doing some resistance exercises for strength.

When achieving the best results of his career, JMM has been 140 lbs in the ring, so another 4 lbs isn't huge. Being able to eat like a normal person who doesn't have to make weight should make him stronger in a natural way, and it's not enough of a gain to seriously mess with his quickness. Not having to dry out will be a welcome change for his 36 year old body.

People say that the move up to welter will be too much for Marquez, and I would agree... if he was fighting Mosley, Clottey, Cotto, Berto... all of whom have come into the ring as middleweights. He's not fighting a guy that size though. No one knows for sure yet, but I'd bet that the difference in weight will be around 5 lbs once they step into the ring. That's not insurmountable.

3. Is Marquez the best fighter Floyd have ever fought?

Yes. There is no doubt about that. I'll take it a step further...

I would confidently pick Marquez to beat anyone Mayweather has bested at 140 or 147.

4. What role will the crowd play?

You don't hear a lot about this, but it could be a meaningful variable in the fight. In this case you have two patient fighters who are extremely comfortable working at a 40 punch per round pace. In close, slowish rounds the pro-Marquez crowd may just make enough noise that the judges have a hard time taking it away from the Mexican warrior. Especially if it looks like he is the one trying to land the harder punches. It wouldn't be the first time this has happened in a big fight. JMM's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, knows all about it.

5. Who holds the mental edge?

Call me crazy, and I'm sure many will think that this stuff means nothing inside the ropes, but I think Marquez has the advantage here.

Let me start off with a question? Can you picture Juan Manuel Marquez crying at a press conference because people were being mean to him?

Exactly. If you don't know why I posed that question, it's because Floyd did just that when the writers were less than impressed with how he handled Carlos Baldomir in 2006.

Personally, I don't have any doubt who the more secure man is. Marquez doesn't have to surround himself with other men to pump his ego. He doesn't have to buy flashy crap to feel validated. And he's never been afraid to take on any challenge.

As for the boxing stuff, Mayweather has a habit of retiring after just about every fight. There must be something about boxing that he doesn't like. I think he fears losing more than anything in the world. Losing his O would turn his world upside down and he knows that the danger grows each time out. There's a lot of baggage there when compared to Marquez who has officially lost, but probably feels like he's undefeated. He has nothing to lose. The pressure is all on Floyd.

Speaking of pressure...

There are rumors that his finances aren't in fantastic order, which is why he's come back in the first place. Apparently the IRS is looking for their cut of his next payday. That pesky investigation involving his ride and bullets fired is also probably lingering somewhere in the back of his mind if he did play a part in the whole thing.

If you want to talk strictly about ring IQ, JMM compares favourably there as well. We know for a fact how he handles adversity and extreme pressure. We can't say the same about his opponent, can we?

6. Is Marquez too old?

It seems like we have been waiting for the 36 yeard old fighter to act his age for awhile now, doesn't it? As far back as the Chris John fight fans have been saying that his legs are going and he's lost his speed, and yet he's somehow managed to go on this impressive late run. Those fans have a bit of a point though. He's not as fresh as he once was. There's no denying that. However, he might be a better fighter now than he was when he was supposed to be enjoying his prime because of his vast experience and grit. I'm sure that in his mind, old JMM beats the crap out of young JMM. This is his biggest moment. He'll be 100%

7. Why are the odds so heavily in Mayweather's favor?

Because he is seen by many as a much larger man. It's not the case, but officially he's 12 lbs bigger, and that can mean a lot in boxing. Another reason is that no one has ever seen Floyd lose. Many people don't believe something is possible until they see it with their own eyes. Well, I saw him lose the first Castillo fight, but apparently it has to be on paper for it to mean anything. They've also never seen him in a war. Marquez appears to be the more vulnerable fighter because he sticks his nose in there, but also because he's fought better fighters. That skews things. When did Mayweather prove he was a better fighter than Marquez though?

8. Will it end in a KO or a decision?

This is an easy one for me. I think this fight is a lock to go 12 rounds. I'm not saying they can't and/or won't hurt each other, but finishing the job is quite another matter. Neither man has been stopped before, and it says here that if JMM can stand up to Manny Pacquiao's offense for 24 rounds, he can handle Floyd's for 12.

9. Is the PPV worth buying?

Absolutely. The main event sells itself, and for once there is a very solid undercard. It's a high quality night of boxing from top to bottom. If you don't want to throw down the cash, get some buddies together. There should be something for everyone.

10. What is the single most significant advantage each fighter carries into the ring?

For Mayweather, it's defense. He's a master of "don't get hit". Marquez had better be ready to whiff way more than usual.

For Marquez it's his natural combination counter punching. You just don't see guys counter in 3's and 4's like he does. It's hard to prepare for a patiently aggressive power counterpuncher who isn't looking for the single shot.


That's my best effort at providing answers for some of the questions surrounding this very intriguing fight. Tune in this Saturday night to see how it all plays out, and if you can't watch live, make sure to check out our round by round blog which will include coverage of the under-card bouts as well.

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One More Round With Mark Lyons: Mayweather-Marquez, Chavez Jr, Montiel/Valdez, etc...

With his Top 40 at 40 countdown complete, The Boxing Bulletin's Mark Lyons turns his attention to the current boxing scene with a new weekly column.

Photos © Ray Kasprowicz

Welcome to the first edition of my new weekly recap/preview blog style column. Please feel free to email me with any disagreements regarding my recaps, predictions, etc. I’m all about slicing up a topic with a fellow boxing fan.

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

A lot of fights last weekend and here are some brief notes on the ones that I saw. I can’t say I bothered to flip on Showtime, but the results were far from surprising.

The ref in the Montiel/Valdez fight was despicable. I don’t even know where to begin... a do over on the knockdown in the second and then a TD on a cut that was never ruled the result of a butt. Weight is over dramatized in the sport today, but Montiel may just be too diminutive for bantamweight. Mijares is another that just doesn’t seem like he can cut it at 118, though I’ve yet to see his fight.

Chavez, Jr (pictured) has picked up a lot of disdain up to this point in his career. I will say this, the kid comes to fight and has engaged in some exciting scraps. This latest effort is a sign that they need to step it up a level. That complaint has been issued for some time, but when he was going to war with the guys in front of him, he was being matched up appropriately. He does put his punches together well. I’m not saying the kid is a future champion, but he is fun to watch.

Calderon/Mayol was almost intolerable to sit through. I like Ivan and have never expected him to be the type of fighter that is in wars. However, he seems to be having difficulty pulling the trigger on counters now. While his defense is still top notch, the signs of age are showing on what was an already limited offense. That being said, I didn’t see the controversial decision I am reading from a lot of people. I’m still waiting for him to get hit.

Tyson Fury is the weakest heavyweight prospect I’ve ever seen. Tye Fields, minus the power. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Looking Ahead to Mayweather vs Marquez...

I’ve been anticipating this fight for months now. First off, props to Golden Boy for giving us two undercard fights to look forward to. I know it should be the rule, not the exception, but they have delivered a great card here. Forgive me for not caring that the Judah fight is canceled.

There is no doubt in my mind that Katsidis/Escobedo will be explosive. I’m going to take the Aussie by tight decision, but with all kinds of trepidation. In fact, all predictions on this card are difficult to formulate. That’s what makes it such a special event in my opinion. I have to figure that Rocky Juarez will do just enough not to win. He is one of the coolest guys in the sport and I’ll be pulling for him, but I expect Chris John to box better this time and secure a decision.

On to the main course, I can’t tell you how interested I am in this fight. First off, the weight means nothing to me. Five to seven lbs vs a two year layoff is an even trade. I have to admit to not watching 24/7, so you wont hear anything about that here. I think Mayweather’s timing has to be affected by the layoff, at least early on. This will enable Marquez to get off to a faster start than he usually does.

That’s where the drama begins. While critics of Floyd run wild, I don’t think anyone can question how much that “0” means to him. If he gets overly aggressive, Juan will counter him to death. These guys are both facing a fighter with gifts that they have never faced before. Money’s defense is spectacular, but can he fend off a 4 punch combination thrown with anger, speed and absolute precision? I can’t wait to find out. The 3rd and 4th shots of the combo are where I expect JMM to do his damage and it’s hard to shoulder roll shots coming from every conceivable angle. On the flip side, Floyd is as accurate as they come and his lead right hand can off set what Marquez is trying to accomplish.

The fight will be tactical, but in a fascinating way. Marquez will ensure enough action to keep everyone interested. I imagine several swings in momentum and by the stretch both guys will be on about plan D. You’re talking about two of the smartest fighters to ever lace them up and the adjustments they both make will be subtle and brilliant. I’m expecting a very tight distance fight between two all time greats. That being the case, give me Marquez at +300 all day long.

A fight I’d love to see...

Each week I'll throw a different mythical match-up out there with my opinion of how the it might have played out. I'll start this week with Jersey Joe Walcott vs Archie Moore.

No idea why this never took place, but it should have, 4 or 5 times. 2 of the smartest fighters ever to lace 'em up, but neither shied away from a war. I have a sneaking suspicion that this fight would have a few tactical rounds and then would turn into a war. Both had power, guts and a chin that could be found. I think the ebb and flow would be fantastic, both guys see the deck and in the end Walcott escapes by the narrowest of decisions. Either guy taking it by any possible result wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

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The Boxing Bulletin Pick'em Game: Week 3

The Boxing Bulletin's Pick'em game is back for week 3.

If you played last week, scroll down to the bottom for the standings. If you missed the opening two weeks, that's not a problem, as you can join right in this week.

Our game is a combination of picking the winners straight-up and beating the odds. If you're ready to match your prognostication skills against other boxing fans, then let's get started...

How to play:

The game is strictly for fun, and entry is free. The deadline to enter this week is Thursday night at 11 PM EST. We'll have the results tabulated and posted with Monday's Week 4 game sheet (please check this post's comments for early results, as we'll try getting them up there by Sunday).

Pick The Winners

This part's easy - 2 points for each correct answer.

Beat The Odds

This is where it gets a little more involved, as you will be risking points to gain points. You will also have the option of choosing 1 fight to risk double points and 1 fight to risk triple points. We have made a slight redesign to this week's game sheet to simplify the process for selecting doubles and triples.

Standings

We will keep standings for the full year, although each game will only last for 1 month. At the end of the month standings will be reset and a new game will begin.

We've got a few details below on the fights in play this week, but if you're ready to get started, here's the Week 3 game sheet.

This Week's Line-up - clicking on the fighter's name will open up their boxrec page September 18 York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, United Kingdom (Television - Sky) Barry Morrison (17-3) vs Lenny Daws (19-1-1) - 12 rounds - vacant British light-welterweight title While Morrison won the previous meeting between these two British 140 pound fighters - handing Daws his only career defeat - he's coming into Friday's contest on relatively short notice, having signed on last week to replace vacating champ Ajose Olusegun. September 19 Jahnsportforum, Neubrandenburg, Germany Sebastian Sylvester (31-3) vs Giovanni Lorenzo (27-1) - 12 rounds - vacant IBF middleweight title Sylvester came up well short in his previous bid for a major belt against Felix Sturm last November, but will be facing a far less polished opponent this time in Lorenzo. The Dominican born New York based fighter is coming off a spectacular KO win over Dionisio Miranda, but looked lost against an ancient Raul Marquez in his only other bout against decent opposition. MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada (Television: HBO PPV) Floyd Mayweather (39-0) vs Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1) - 12 rounds Chris John (42-0-2) vs Rocky Juarez (28-4-1) - 12 rounds - WBA super-featherweight title Michael Katsidis (25-2) vs Vicente Escobedo (21-1) - 12 rounds - interim WBO lightweight title While Floyd will enter as a solid favorite, our editor Lee Payton believes Marquez has a real shot. Before you make your selection, check out Lee's two part story... The Case for Marquez Beating Mayweather Part One & Part Two. The John/Juarez rematch was originally supposed to happen on June 27, only for John to pull out a week before the scheduled date with an illness. The Indonesian junior-featherweight has had health issues in the past, so let's hope he's 100% and ready to go this time. Here's Michael Nelson's preview for the originally scheduled rematch: Chris John vs Rocky Juarez II Preview Katsidis has already been in a few tough scraps, and has proven himself to be capable of hanging with world class opposition. Escobedo's relatively untested, but packs a punch. Should be a fun 135 pound brawl. If you're ready to play, click here for the week 3 game sheet.

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