Ricky, Roy, and Robberies

by Howie Reed

A big favorite of the Lord of the Square Ring is Boxing Hall of Fame’s Joe Kozumi. Joe writes, eats and sleeps boxing in his native Japan. He also isn’t afraid to let people know what he thinks. Recently in figthnews.com he reported that formerly world rated Japan-based Mexican Kenbun Martinez Torres, son of a former world champ, was arrested for robbing a female taxi driver of $60.00. His father is ex-WBC light-fly champ German Torres. Kozumi also laid a little advice on dad. “German, scold your bad son!” 

A DONDE’ HATTON

Where and what “Goethe” Ricky Hatton? Good question. His last two loses have proved that those that questioned his ability against the top’s of the division were right. A match against De La Hoya was a possibility but that went down the drain when De La Hoya waved ‘adios’. Maybe a final fight in Manchester. One named mentioned is Australian lightweight Michael Katsidis (25-2). Katsidis only two L’s came against Joel Casamayor and a split decision loss to Juan Diaz. Katsidis was born in the land of “Shrimp on the Barbie’s” but like all smart Aussie’s, lives in Pattaya. Where the living is good.

U MISSED NOTHING

Just to set the record straight, you did not miss the report of Roy Jones Jr. (53-5) scoring a TKO win over Omar Sheika (27-8) in March. The Square Rings position on Jones is that he was a great talent who wasted it and now should go away. That written, it was reported that on August 22 he will face Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy, not a rematch with Clinton Woods, as had been rumored. Lacy looked lousy in losing to Jermain Taylor and even worse winning majority decision against Otis Griffin who has now lost 4 of his last 5. Please spare us.

SCOTT LEDOUX

He was never a heavyweight champion but Scott LeDoux came out of Andover, Minnesota to build a 33-12 record fighting the best in the division between 1974 and 1983. LeDoux never ducked anyone. Fighting but losing to Frank Bruno twice, Gerrie Goetzee, the late Greg Page, Larry Holmes, Mike Weaver, Ron Lyle, Duane Bobick twice and George Foreman. His best efforts were probably a draw against Ken Norton and Leon Spinks. When he retired form the ring Ledoux became a referee and also a TV boxing analysis. He’s now in the biggest battle of his life as he takes on

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease,"

MARK THE CALENDAR

On June 13^th (the 14^th in Land of Smiles) Miguel Cotto (33-1) will take on Joshua Clottey (35-2) as he defends the WBO welterweight tile he won from an over matched Michael Jennings (34-1) last August. By now there’s been way too much written about Cotto’s loss to disgraced Antonio Margarito. Cotto’s got to be the favorite here even though Clottey holds the IBF title he won from Zab Judah. Clottey had a helping of Margarito losing over 12 on a “lopsided’ UD. Clottey does have his moments but probably not enough to derail Cotto.

RESULTS AROUND THE WORLD

Lazio, Italy

WBC Cruiserweight champion Giacobbe Fragomeni (26-1) successfully defended his title against a more experienced Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (41-2). Well not actually defended the title but did escape with a draw that presented some suspicious scoring. The champ took the score from one judge 114-113 but the challenger got the nod 116-112 for another while one had it 114 all. Good argument could be made for a “rob job” for Wlodarczyk as he dropped the champ twice in the 9^th round which should have produced a 10-7 round. On the second knockdown Wlodarczyk hit Fragomeni while he was down. Referee Ian John Lewis didn’t deduct a point or DQ Wlodarczyk, which he could have done, but did give the champ extra time to recover with no count. Must be a new rule.

At The Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
U.S. Olympic gold medalists in boxing are as rare as ‘hen’s teeth”. In 2004 Andre Ward was it. He’s now a pro with a record now of 19-0. He got that 19^th win with a gutsy performance against world class Edison Miranda which was a step up for Ward. Consider that Miranda had 3 loses coming in. Three loses but good ones to quality boxers. Those were to King Arthur Abraham twice and Kelly Pavlik once. Ward fought through a first round head butt that for a time streamed blood. Cut man “Stitch” stopped the bleeding and Ward went on to victory in 12. After the fight a “brown substances” was found on Miranda’s hand wraps which were confiscated. Good win but this wasn’t the Miranda of old. Ward still a prospect.

At Arena Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico
As predicted in these spaces Toshiaki Nishioka (34-4-3) had not trouble defending his WBC Super bantam crown against Jhonny Gonzalez (40-6). Gonzales decked the champ with a solid right late in the opening stanza. That set the 12,253 cerveza fueled fans into frenzy. Not much happened in round 2 but early in the 3rd Nishioka landed a straight left that turned out Gonzales lights and his ability to stand up. As he struggled to get up to beat the 10 count Referee Kenny Bayless said “No mas” or something equally as appropriate.

At The International Exhibition Hall, Shanghai, China…..NOPE

Just days before Daisuke Naito (35-2-3) was set to defend his WBC Flyweight belt against Xiong Zhong (12-2-1) the fight was moved to Tokyo. Why? “The local promoter’s failure to properly reserve the arena.” Yes that would be a problem. Just days before another bout had been cancelled in Indonesia. Boxing writer Jeff Pamungkas wrote, “I have no idea why.” Gotta love honesty. The fight itself was close with the champ getting the close UD (114-111,114-110 and 113-111 from Thai judge Sricharoen) win. Consider the fact that the 34 year old Naito had to rely on his early lead after kissing canvas in the sixth. When a 34-2 International champion struggles with a boxer with only 15 fights he’s on the downward side of the hill. No wonder Naito’s ducking Thailand’s Pongsaklek Wongjongkam. Cousin Bruce McTavish was the guy in the ring during the action in shirt and tie.

At The Entertainment Center, Brisbane, Australia
Anthony Mundine (36-3) in the buildup to maybe a rematch with Danny Green got more than he wanted against Daniel Geale now 21-1. When the final bell sounded on a middle of the ring 12 rounder Mundine had a 116-113,114-113, 113-115 split decision and the IBO (I Be Ordinary) middleweight title. Geale with over 160 amateur fights came with a lot of back class and showed it.

BIG THINGS THAT GO BOOM… SOMETIMES

Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist Odliander Solis built his 13-0 record fighting guys named Chauncey and Chad. TSR saw him on January 9 when he was unimpressive in beating an undefeated and equally unimpressive Kevin Burnett with a TKO in 8. Solis has pulled out of a May 22nd fight with Fres Oquendo . Playing like a Ruskie heavyweight Solis “got hurt in training”. Oquendo claimed that he was the “Cuban Assassin” and Solis the “Cuban Coward”. Oquendo’s claim must come because he once beat Cuban Elieser Castillo but then so did some guy named Kendrick. I once saw Oquendo knock Clifford “The Black Rhino” Etienne down 9 times on the way to a 8 round TKO. Where’s Etienne now? Doing life in a Louisiana state prison.

JEEVES TIME

Your Lordship pal Benny “I Keek a Touchdown” Ricardo dropped you a communiqué in regard to a light heavyweight boxer named Beibut Shumenov who’s 8-0 as a light heavyweight. To date he’s beat 2 former world champions in Byron Mitchell and Montel Griffin. He’s out of Kazakhstan but is fighting out of Las Vegas.” Also your Lordship the best light heavy around Chad Dawson has returned his IBF Belt because he won’t fight somebody no one ever heard of and the TV folks have said, “Thank you but no.”

“The light heavy division is the Bermuda Triangle of boxing. Boxer’s go into that division then disappear from view. It’s usually made up of “almost heavyweights” that can’t hit or middleweight too lazy to train. Although David Haye came out of that division and he’s giving the Brothers Klitschko fits. On June 20 he’s going to open a can of “whip ***” on Wlad. Dawson may be the shining star of the division. But thanks for the heads up. How about a post column lager, a cigar and some good music because…..