Boxing Insight

2011-10-19T00:29:00.001+08:00

This blog has been moved and upgraded to become a full pledged website==>>> BoxingInsight.com which is now operational, however, still undergoing some finishing touches. I would like to thank you all for your patience and I hope that you continue to show the support you've given me since the infancy stage of this blog. Gratitude!Just to give you a glimpse of my plans for my new website, I will now have a Feature Writer who will be discussing old school techniques and interesting facts pertaining to the history of the sport of Boxing. That column will be handled by an American coach, Wilson Pitts, who's work I truly respect. In line with my focus on the values the sport of Boxing I will also be creating a special page featuring Wayne McCullough, entitled the "Pocket Rocket Stories." Welcome to the new BoxingInsight.comMark F. Villanueva

2011-10-01T21:00:00.002+08:00

This site is currently under construction and will be up soon with major changes. I'll keep you updated as soon as possible. Thank you.

Mark F. Villanueva

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Mayweather vs Ortiz: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

2011-09-19T15:42:00.001+08:00

It reveals who we truly are, what we are not, and certain traits we may not have known ourselves to possess. Emotions complicate things and it ran too high when Victor Ortiz' frustrations got accumulated over his failure to execute his game plan right from the start of the fight that spurred him off his character to lunge a head butt against a cornered opponent. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was always a step ahead and evidently quicker and too talented in their chosen craft. Victor Ortiz prides himself for being a world champion with a high knockout ratio and nothing could probably be more frustrating for such a brave young man than the realization that he had been reduced to being ordinary in the eyes of millions all over the world. I watched him apologize on television, highlighting on his imperfections. "I am not a cheater" he stated, and I personally believe him. He may have been just as surprised for his actions as we all are. That's what emotions do to people. It sweeps you in a way where at times we cannot trust our own selves completely. So why did Ortiz trust that his enemy would not hurt him?

I've seen a lot of bizarre things happen in Boxing, such as that day Mike Tyson bit a chunk off Holyfield's ear. You would not believe the tension that builds up once you get inside the ring. The moment you slip in anything can happen. We are all switched to survival mode to a certain degree. That is why the very first day you gather enough courage to lace up your boxing gloves you are told to protect yourself at all times. And this instruction is repeatedly told by a referee to each fighter at every fight. I would like to say Ortiz was being naive to approach his foe with his hands down, but no, he was stupid.

I believe I heard Joe Cortez say "fight" before it all happened, which is now a subject of heated debate. I believe I heard him say it. Regardless if he actually had said it is overridden by the fact that after he had taken a point from Ortiz for the headbutt he had motioned both fighters to fight, which they acknowledged by proceeding towards the center of the ring. They touched gloves and technically the match had resumed. Why he had to hug Floyd Jr. again at that moment, as if the kiss and a hug earlier was not enough is beyond me. As a world champion boxer he should have known that very moment was not the right time to be cute. Always keep your guard up. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was clever enough to recognize this stupidity like a shark sensing blood a mile away and hammered him with a trademark left hook and a hard right that knocked him out cold. Ugly but legit. What is legal is not always moral. It was as disrespectful as the post fight interview when Mayweather Jr. lambasted HBO's Larry Merchant with his "You don't know shit about boxing" tirade.

Controversy aside, Mayweather completely shut out Victor Ortiz with "vicious" lead rights. He kept throwing it like target practice towards a frigid Ortiz who showed insufficient head movement. As I wrote a day before the fight, Victor Ortiz is too predictable and that's how he kept timed cleanly with easy counterpunches. That was expected. He was also giving up his height by fighting small, and it's a well known fact that Floyd Jr. makes perfect fodder out of smaller fighters with his long reach. Instead of being the pressure fighter, he was the one being grilled all night as his challenger to the throne kept moving forward and beating him to the punch most of the time. He was forced to move around and box, instead of brawl, which is his specialty, by a genius boxer. Floyd Jr. had him right where he wanted him to be. To me, he had already lost that fight before he actually lost.

Commentating on the Mayweather versus Ortiz fight is a good friend of mine, Wayne McCullough together with Benny Ricardo. McCullough is a former world champion who is known for giving the Mexican legend Erik Morales the toughest fight of his career. I caught up with Wayne and asked what he thought of the controversial knockout by Mayweather:

Wayne: After Ortiz fouled Floyd, the referee should've put them in neutral corners. Mayweather threw cheap shots. Cortez should've had two points deducted and given Ortiz five minutes to recover.

Mark: He did separate both fighters on neutral corners. Did you hear the ref say "fight" ? I believe I did.

Wayne: They weren't in neutral corners, Mark, if Mayweather was able to land two shots and Ortiz was close enough to kiss him. Joe didn't even have his eyes on the fighters when Mayweather landed those shots. And I did not hear him say box. Joe was still looking at the timekeeper waiting for their instructions to restart the fight.

Bizarre things happen in boxing where fighters are understandably high strung. It's no UFO sighting but Mayweather's act was certainly not manly, although valid. And after the fight one of my friends had to say, please! no more kissing in the ring, and I said this fight literally reminds me of that movie Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang which by the way is no love story.

I end my article by going back to the first rule. Protect yourself at all times.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands
BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Published on Philboxing: http://philboxing.com/news/story-60179.html

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Mayweather Storm

2011-09-17T12:53:00.001+08:00

A day before Victor Ortiz finally enters the eye of the storm with the biggest fight of his career against Floyd Mayweather Jr. it seems that the current WBC Welterweight champion's character is taking a back seat to the former. Floyd Mayweather Jr, who is also a former holder to the title at stake, appears to be never out of stories to tell and, love him or hate him, he is doing his part of the job to sell the fight to the public much better than his counterpart, who seems to be less creative and perfunctory.

Incidentally, a boxer's personality is often seen in the way he actually fights in the squared circle. Just as one might observe about Victor Ortiz in the running HBO 24/7 series his fight approach, too, is more or less one dimensional. If the show dedicated most of its storylines on Ortiz it would probably be dreary, so when it starts to dwindle the cameras quickly shifts back to Money's team that's always up to something new.

Speaking of something new, my guess is that's going to be the most difficult subject the Mexican-American, Ortiz will have to handle during the fight. Victor Ortiz is younger and seems to be stronger, but like most young fighters out there he is all too predictable. I don't see this as a fight that relies heavily on physicality. Floyd Jr. is too smart to do that against the bigger and seemingly stronger guy, but he may go for it when the opportunity arises late in the fight. It's hard to tell. That's the beauty of it- Floyd Mayweather Jr. is too intelligent in the ring and too skilled, and he likes to shuffle his game, so it's hard to prepare for him. Before he fought Shane Mosley everyone was saying he is going to box him and move around, but that never happened. He stayed in front of him right at the very outset of the match, and even after he got rocked with Mosley's hard right hand he never tried to run off to clear his head. Floyd Mayweather Jr. talks you into doing things as if building a trap for a coming fight. And when he fights he mixes things up and confuses his opponents which eventually tires them, so Victor Ortiz should stay undeterred all night pursuing him if he wants to win this. The latter looks lame on Television. Let's hope it doesn't translate to it when he is enveloped by Mayweather's brainstorming fighting style.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

BoxingInsight.Blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Boxing Giveth, Boxing Taketh Away

2011-08-31T16:34:00.000+08:00

More than three decades ago my father, the late Judge Napoleon Dagani Villanueva, once told me at the sala of our old home that Boxing is a thinking man’s sport. We were watching a replay of a Muhammad Ali fight that night in our black and white TV, and he concisely explained to me the mechanics of how it was so, and the sound of it, and that idea of the sport conveyed to me from a unique angle got stuck up in my psyche growing up. Since then I’ve always had a special appreciation for athletes who performed in their respective sport with skill. I look at fighters now who come with brute force and it barely holds my attention. I try watching other blood sports on cable TV and it only reminds me of how much I appreciate the sport of Boxing and the science of it.

In a way, Boxing is sacred to me. When I talk about Boxing I always consider what my father would have thought, too, of the subject. Sometimes, I say to myself that Boxing is probably the truest thing that I have that I cannot deny. And when I feel disconnected to the world, which is not unusual, in fact, quite often- even from my thousands of friends and followers that I have on social media, I frequently find myself back in the sweet science like it’s a beckoning. Like wherever you travel you always have to follow your way back home. I hit the bag as hard as I can on a sweltering day and the pain of it runs from my fists through my veins and all over my body; my heart pumping and I squeeze every ounce of strength I have inside me- and the synthesis of all that makes me connected back to reality. The ache keeps me from drifting away. I’ve never felt so alive as when I work out at our makeshift gym. I find myself in the midst of hunger and thirst of heavy training, and I live life in an unparalleled manner. When I pause for thirty seconds in between an exercise I look out past the grills of our gym and everything seems to be so colorful outside under the sun and you remember never to take anything for granted anymore. Suddenly I just want to live again, but I am not scared of death. Boxing keeps saving me. Boxing is like life. Boxing is the sport of all sports.

I realize that the sport has given me the values of hard work, dedication, and discipline. Take boxing away from me and I honestly would not be able to say what that would make of me. Boxing is special. In fact, when I read about athletes like Oscar Dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Joe Calzaghe I think I see how the absence of the sport has made their lives take a detour towards drugs and alcohol addiction. Today, Dela Hoya spoke about his addiction, unfaithfulness to his wife, and his undergoing rehabilitation. See, it’s never about the money. Money is a thing regular men kill for and hold on to. I don’t think it becomes out of boredom either. It’s never about those mundane things, in my humble opinion. In fact, I think it’s quite simple. Boxing is so hard a sport that when you excel at it you know it in your heart that you are a special individual, and that is also why real fighters never quit. It takes you to a whole new level of hardship that only fighters themselves understand. The sport is a discipline that is so difficult that it imposes upon you a direction in life. You work hard to a point that you numb the pain, and you go even farther and there’s a new kind of pain and all the time you are connected to your soul. You train so hard that you get to a level that each punch you throw is like a drumbeat that awakens your spirit. Take away this discipline from these great fighters like Oscar Dela Hoya, and they are lost.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

ALEX ARIZA ANSWERS THE QUESTION

2011-08-29T10:59:00.000+08:00

Lately I have been getting a lot of questions about weight loss.

People want to know how to lose pounds quickly. Maybe they are weeks out from their wedding or just want to look good putting on a bathing suit this summer.

The question I have been getting in particular is, “Can I write out a diet focussing on weight loss with negative calorie foods.”

My answer is, “ALL Foods have calories.”

No food is actually considered a “negative calorie” food.

We can gain a negative calorie effect because certain foods in our body use more calories to digest than the calories the foods actually contain.

The way this happens is the calories in certain types of foods are much harder to breakdown and process than other types of foods. Not all foods breakdown the same once they enter your digestive system.

Basically think of it this way. Your body has to break down foods when they enter your body. In order to do this you body has to expend calories in order to digest and breakdown these foods.

This gives these foods a tremendous natural fat-burning advantage. These are the foods known as “fat burning foods.”

Here is the list of foods that I like to use to help the natural fat-burning process:

beets, berries, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, celery, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, grapefruit, lemon, onion, papaya, zucchini, spinach, pineapple, and mango.

Start putting in the good foods AND stop putting in the garbage foods.

What most people need to realize is once you get the garbage foods out of your system your body stops craving these types of foods. You know the foods I am talking about. The foods you have to get when you are driving your car and do a quick drive through at your local fast food restaurant.

To live a really healthy life you need to start with a really healthy diet.

Do you want to be part time in shape? Do you want to feel good part time? Well the answer is your diet. If you are part time with the consistency of the quality of foods you put in your body you will be part time with how good you feel.

We are all champions-

Until Next time,

Alex Ariza.

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Zab Judah's Performance: No Khan Do

2011-07-25T18:31:00.000+08:00

Dateline: Las Vegas, Nevada, June 23, 2011 - English Boxer, Amir "King" Khan continues to rise from the rubble caused by his only defeat against one Breidis Prescott in Greater Manchester. Since that devastating loss back in September, 2008, Khan has crossed seas to team up with one, if not the best, boxing coach in the wold, Freddie Roach, and he's been gaining momentum heavily along with new believers at every outing, winning every fight since their fateful team up. Khan already holds victories over popular prizefighters such as the Mexican MarcoAntonio Barrera, the outspoken Paulie Malignaggi, and power puncher Marcos Maidana. This time around he was met by a resuging powerhouse in American, Zab Judah.

Fighting Orthodox, the tall fighter from Bolton used his left methodically. He pumped it to it's full extent without overreaching it that it becomes a liability. This jab would consistently place the smaller opponent with the shorter reach at bay all throughout the match, much to his dismay. That left jab was sometimes followed by a left cross that immediately swiped defense lines across the opponent's face if it didn't land, leaving him tentative against crossing the invisible barriers that Khan had built. Judah would veer away, attempt to move forward to machinate but did so dubiously to make it an effective one, as if crossing a live minefield, and then he'd back off and move away. It was like that all night as the younger and busier Amir Khan kept following an effective game plan devised by his stern American coach, Freddie Roach. And although Zab Judah, too, to his credit, was quick and slick, it appeared as though he had nothing much to fire back in return.

Personally, I'm not so fond of fighters who allow themselves to get hit in order to hit back with a harder shot of their own, although many boxing fans find that exciting. I admire fighters who are deft and slippery operating in and out of harm's way just as the slick American, Zab Judah is known for, and who tried his best that night to emulate his mentor Pernell Whitaker. But it appeared all night as though that slick style had been overwhelmed by Khan's offensive repertoire as a dot of oil in a pale of water. Amir Khan was all over him that night and never showing signs of tiring out just like stablemate Pound For Pound No.1 Manny Pacquiao with whom he shares the same coach and a strikingly similar fight approach. Judah would successfully evade one or two rapid shots thrown at him but would never be completely shielded from the series of punches in succession. Khan was very precise with his punches. He was very aggressive but not forcible, thus maintaining his efficacy. Judah would attempt to fire back with combos of his own but his machinery was always shorthanded against his taller foe who exploited his height and reach advantage to its full extent. His face was puffed and blood trickled down his nose. Khan was practically unscathed. In a match up dubbed as "Attack And Conquer" it looked as if there was no attack in Judah, who was always forced back on the defensive.

After all the talk of "schooling" Amir Khan during the pre-fight press conference, the veteran Zab Judah was shut out completely coming into the fifth round. It's not that it appeared as if he had nothing left as a professional boxer. He remains dangerous and clever, in fact, I think he would do very well against other 140 pounders out there. He could still be a champion once more. But Amir Khan was just performing all too well that night. He continued to rise above the crowd's expectations. From that point on, most of Judah's followers must have been hoping for a one shot, one kill, sneaky punch to end it all which wasn't really that far out owing to Khan's susceptibility for eating uppercuts, and Judah's raw power. That was the atmosphere at the start of the fifth round. Most spectators now banking on a jackpot, and khan's followers known as "Khan's Army" held unto their seats, weary of a Phantom punch that might shatter their already palpable victory.

It never came. Well into the fifth round, Zab Judah grimaced in pain as he knelt on the canvas after what the video replay shown as a legal body blow right at the belt line, hit him. The more logical way to protest the knockdown call by the referee was to contest while standing up, but he let him count away kneeling with his head down against the floor.

Maybe the pain was so that it was unbearable for him to stand. Maybe it was actually the punch to his face right before he got hit in the body that really hurt him and kept his head spinning. Some argue that he just wanted out of the fight and found an excuse to do it. But whatever the case may have been at that exact moment of confusion, there was no question that Amir Khan had simply dominated him from start to end. Statistics do not lie. I'm not very good with numbers, but I know that's where the spin stops.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands
BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Zab Judah's Faith Is His Weapon

2011-07-23T17:48:00.000+08:00

There are points in human behavior we cannot fully fathom. How some people find difficulty being around others, a lover's irrational jealousy, over zealousness on a subject, how other's draw inspiration from odd situations; what makes a person tick, give in, give up, or transform on certain occasions.

American boxer, Zab Judah has left an impression on his fans with his tendency to lose focus late in his fights. His performance at times changes drastically that he's wasted having built early leads in past fights and had been beaten by considerably lesser skilled fighters. Maybe he behaves so he over thinks a less complex situation that makes him erratic, divert from a game plan, or doubt his abilities, which leads him to sort of self destruct at some point; become enraged by his temper. It could be that in those moments when he had lost it and burst out in anger, which have led to his suspension at one point, that those were products of an accumulation of desperate attempts to control his inner self. It could be many things charged up by diverse factors around a given time. After all, Boxing is a very tough sport and going up in the ring is no less a matter of survival for any prizefighter. Boxing puts you in a tough spot which could spark unusual musings for a boxer who has that inclination to over rationalize.

Whatever it was that my friend and professional boxer, Maureen Shea saw in Zab Judas' eyes when he was knocked down by Lucas Mathysse, on his way back up, is probably something only another prizefighter may fully understand. Shea "The Real Million Dollar Baby" with a fight record of 15-2-1(no contest) said "I was sitting ringside during Judah vs. Mathysse when Zab hit the canvas. I saw a look in his eyes I had not seen in a long time as he got back up." As I inquired further she said "It was determination. I loved what he said at the post fight presser... him and God had a talk when he hit the canvas. I believe that from that look on his face he made a decision in that moment and got up. As long as that and his determination drive his training, I believe in him."

I tried to get in touch with former world champion, Morris East who has been helping Zab Judah rebuild his career along with Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, and asked for his thoughts on the matter and he said "We feel as a whole that we've worked really hard for this fight and he (Judah) has a big chance of winning against Khan with a more focused and determined attitude, and we've made changes compared to his past camps for the betterment of his performance."

On the other hand, Zab Judah's opponent this coming Saturday, Amir Khan has the advantages of height and reach as well as being trained by renowned boxing trainer, Freddie Roach. He, too, is on the roll since his knockout loss to Breidis Prescot, which makes this upcoming fight with the slick Judah a compelling one.

Whatever it is that makes Zab Judah the comeback fighter that he is now we hope to see if it holds well and consistently. We believe it's his renewed faith in God that keeps him up and beating the odds, and if indeed that is what it is, then we'll have to see if the Pakistani-born and practicing muslim, Amir Khan has enough power to shake up his christian faith which supposedly holds his fight game together.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands
BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Brian Viloria Interview: I'm in the best shape of my life!

2011-07-14T11:30:00.005+08:00

We may be many things to different people at the same time, and a collective perception of us by a certain crowd could change by time's passage. But you don't just start off with a glittering amateur record by winning a number of world titles in the process, land an honorable seat at the U.S. Olympic Boxing team, win a world title as a professional boxer and defend it twenty times after, if you're not a winner. And by that I mean a winner not just in the views of many, but more importantly to yourself. No one could have achieved all that without the belief in himself as a winner.

Winning is not easy and may attest a whole lot of things to one's personhood but to be able to test a man's truest character you have to catch him when he is down. And if the low points in our lives partially bare our souls, then so much was shown that day as it turned out to be Viloria's defining moment as he reached down and dug as deep as he never had before to find the spirit to knockout the formidable Mexican, Ulises "Archie" Solis who had not lost a single fight in eleven straight matches.

It was way back on the 19th of April 2009 when Viloria would win his second world title (IBF Junior Flyweight) and I was fortunate to witness from ringside at the Araneta Coliseum how the Hawaiian-born Filipino boxer, Brian Viloria had solidified himself under the pressure of a fading career following his past losses in pivotal fights. After losing his WBC Light Flyweight world title to Omar Nino Romero and crucial back to back losses to the Mexican boxer, Edgar Sosa, although the second loss was eventually declared a no-contest due to the victor's failure to pass the post-fight drug test, Brian Viloria was thought by many to be on the brink of a downslope in his career. People started to remember him for those heartbreaking losses rather than for his triumphs, which didn't bode well for the former champion. It was on that day when he was most pressed that he shown what was arguably his best performance in his professional boxing career in front of thousands of his fans. It was a moment that would speak volumes of who the boxer Brian Viloria truly is.

Back on his throne, Brian Viloria managed to defend his title with a Unanimous Decision against Jesus Iribe before losing to Carlos Tamara back in the 23rd of January, 2010 where he was said to have passed out after the fight due to extreme exhaustion. Finding himself once again with the challenge of treading up that painstaking comeback trail, will the two time world champion boxer be able to find those qualities deep within to redeem himself and regain past glory? Or will his championship fight this coming Sunday for the WBO Flyweight title versus Julio Cesar Miranda of Mexico be his last dance in the big stage? I caught up exclusively with Brian Viloria and this is what he had to say:

Mark: Hey, Brian, thanks for taking the time to answer my queries in such short notice. I know you're busy with your upcoming fight just around the corner.

How's your training goin? I heard you've been working real hard for this fight and that you're now in the best shape ever.

Brian: I have been working long and hard for this fight. Opportunities for world championship fights don't come often, so you want to put everything you've got in training camp and more.

Mark: Has there been a major change in your transition from Robert Garcia's camp to your new team in terms of style and training regimen- etc. ?

Brian: Each trainer has different training styles. It wasn't hard for me to transition because I have worked with Mario Morales earlier in my career.

Mark: Please tell us more about the team you're with now.

Brian: Mario is a great trainer. He likes to oversee the morning runs, and knows when to crack the whip when needed. On the other hand he also knows when to taper down so his fighters don't get overworked.

Mark: You've been jumping up and down in weight in the past years, do you think you're current weight will work to your advantage in this fight?

Brian: I've started my career at 112. I went down to 108 to fight for the WBC title. 4 pounds with our size does make a lot of difference. I feel stronger and comfortable at this weight.

Mark: How do you plan on dealing with Julio Cesar Miranda come Sunday style wise, and how do you see that match up unfold?

Brian: Sticking to my game plan and working the body early. I need to use my hand speed and throw a lot of combinations with angles. I see him having trouble with my speed and the aggressiveness come Sunday.

Mark: With your superb conditioning, do you think a knock out is a high probability?

Brian: All I want to say is, if a knockout presents itself then I'll take it.

Mark: There's been rumors circling around the boxing community on your plans of retiring soon, is there any truth to this or does much of it depend on the outcome of your pending title fight? I was there when you fought Solis in Manila and I've seen for myself what you are capable of. I don't know if you remember this but I once told you that when you knocked him out in the 11th round in Rocky Balboa fashion I jumped out of my seat and screamed so hard I didn't care for anyone around me like I was celebrating my birthday (LOL). Are you in the position to declare that you're as well prepared now as that fight?

Brian: I've been boxing for a long time, but I have been feeling too good and having too much fun to retire now. I'm in the best shape of my life and I don't want to think about retiring right now.

Mark: At the age of 30 I believe you're still very, very capable of capturing a number of victories under your belt, and I really hope that's how the future will be for you.

I know you're very busy with your fight schedule this close. I really appreciate this, bro and I hope to be able to catch up with you after the win. Before we go, do you have a message to all your Filipino fans who are looking forward to witness another championship victory?

Brian: Thanks again bro for all the support. The reason I fight with passion and excitement are for supporters like you. I want to say thank you to all the fans and their collective prayers and support for me all these years. I love them all.

Mark: Once again I thank you for this opportunity, champ. I wish you the best and God bless you and your family.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands
BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Brandon Rios: Mr. Excitement

2011-07-11T12:20:00.004+08:00

The Mexican-American boxer from Oxnard, California Brandon Rios may be easily disliked by many for his brazen ways, but the first time I saw him fight it was actually his crass boxing skills that failed to leave a lasting positive impression on me. He looked just like another ordinary fighter who was always hungry to brawl and strived to catch the boxing fans' attention by talking too much outside of the ring, instead of letting his skills be the focal point of his career.

I used to feel that watching Rios fight is almost like watching a show against the light. His mistakes are glaring and for those who are on the look for fighters who box instead of just brawl, the prizefighter from Oxnard is a little too rough on all angles to appreciate. His defensive skills are just as unrefined as he is loud, but to give the 25yr. old some credit I'd have to say the kid is always so full of excitement. But then again I don't just watch boxing for the excitement and like many boxing fans out there actual skill is much more highly regarded more than anything else, and that's where he has never failed to fall short of.

On Saturday night at the Home Depot Center, Carson, California Brandon Rios came into the ring against the Mexican, Urbano Antillon with his youthful energy beaming clearly and his bold ways carrying that same electricity and excitement he has been known for. Urbano Antillon himself has been through many wars in his career with tough competition where he's had his share of success but seems to have come in that ring caught up in the psyche by all the pre-fight hype. The only way to make a limited fighter look good in a battle is by fighting his fight, and at the very outset of it, the Mexican handed it over to the tough yet ungraceful Brandon Rios by planting himself in front of him. The only way to make it tough for a brawler to perform is to coat your style with slick but Antillon maintained his position and looked to trade punches, so you could almost see the invisible cheer behind Rios' tough-guy looks. The latter looked very good all night throwing punches and counter shots but looking at how the first round ended it seemed that there was still so much hard work to be done with Antillon giving flush power punches of his own. The brutality continued in the second and further onwards until the early moments of the third when Rios, during a close encounter, hit the Mexican with a right hand that shook his head in an awkward angle and knocked him down. As if not learning from his mistakes, Antillon got up and tried to clear his head but made no drastic changes to his style. Perhaps he was too shaken up to evaluate his position in the fight, or, he might have been too weak to apply his plan, but later in that same round and almost in the same manner he had been tagged the first time, Antillon went down again. This time it was much harder, but still his persistence as a Mexican fighter kept him from staying down. He tried to keep up and stay in the fight but the moment he started to wobble, walking funny from one corner to the other the referee was left with no choice but to halt the match.

Brandon Rios showed significant improvement in his fight against Antillon. Even the Mexican legend Antonio Marco Barrera had to acknowledge that. Rios popularity is vastly emerging in the sport of boxing and his skills are getting a lot better. It was a night Urbano Antillon was simply caught up in the California heat of excitement.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands
BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Follow Mark via Twitter.com/MarkFVillanueva

Juan Manuel Marquez The Dreamer

2011-07-09T12:17:00.001+08:00

Back when I was small I would get up early in the morning and watch the vacant streets of where we once lived, tracing it far past my cousin's house and that huge Star Apple tree, far down to the river. Watching from our rooftop I would climb even farther up to thirty feet in our radio antenna just to know how it looks like to be on top of everything because when you're that high up sometimes even taller buildings from a distance seem to appear a tad below you.

One thing I truly admire about the Mexican boxer, Juan Manuel Marquez is his willingness to chase his dreams, no matter how far up he has to move in weight just to fulfill them. If I have to think of one word that would best describe his characteristics as a man behind the prizefighter, it would be a "dreamer". After his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he also had to pack up a huge weight difference it is as if its apparent effects on his poor performance have not become a deterrent to his quest for a future fight with the Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao. The way I see it, it is not as if the Mexican has not learned from his mistakes. Instead, it appears like Marquez is not going to let his mistakes prevent him from pursuing his dreams. Not only does he have to give in to the weight demands to fulfill this fight, but he'll be on a huge disadvantage with his age, which is considerably advanced in the prizefighting realm. To be where he is now, he had to keep himself sharp and by that he fought fierce competitors such as Michael Katsidis and "Baby Bull" Diaz, and even Floyd Mayweather Jr. at Welterweight just to prove to the world that he is fully equipped and up to the challenge, or whatever odds are evidently preventing him from another encounter with Pacquiao. The last time I saw Juan Manuel Marquez personally was when he came to the Philippines and challenged Pacquiao to fight him one more time, which I don't find to be the smartest of moves. I honestly do not have the slightest admiration for whiners. At that moment he took the microphone and blurted his emotions I couldn't help but run in my mind thoughts of a cry baby begging for something, and Pacquiao was just being a class act at that time smiling; not even a hint of being offended or about to get mixed up in a heated conversation.

While it is true that styles do make fights and it's become an established fact over the past encounters that "Dynamita" Marquez has the best boxing style to offset Pacquiao's in and out, unrelenting offense many believe the former won't be able to handle the highly improved Pound for Pound champion. He has upgraded his fight game arsenal in so many aspects over the years while maintaining his vaunted speed and stamina. And the power Pacquiao has at this point of his boxing career is just tremendous, so just imagine the difficulty of fighting him now. Offensive game aside, just think of how much Pacquiao's defense has improved; the lateral movements, the experience and lessons he has learned fighting and defeating a series of boxing greats at the higher divisions. It's almost like an entirely new ball game now. If Marquez had a hard time against him in the past the odds of success in trading punches with him now is so overwhelmingly against his favor, even to some extent where his safety up in the ring could be argued by some as a real issue. Many boxing pundits believe Marquez could be destroyed up there, and when you analyze it all in paper the basis for that is not too far flung at all.

The slow-starter, Juan Manuel Marquez, who is also very crafty may have shown stability in his last few fights and have raised brows of many critics for being able to hold on and still perform well at his age, but I don't think we can expect him to improve any further from this standpoint. He is more likely to be the same boxer Manny fought to a controversial win, while the latter has improved so much now. But the sport of Boxing is like life in that it is peculiar. You just cannot discount a dreamer.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Nonito Donaire Jr.: The Prodigal Son Loses No Respect

2011-07-07T19:34:00.004+08:00

The truth I have found always hits you hardest because it has no emotion, therefore it never hesitates in directness, precision, and is brutally unforgiving. It does not simply take chances out of passing courage or renewed light that darts valiantly in the dark. The truth is consistent and so unrelenting with all it's might. No one escapes this at any given day and nights can't harbor those who are tired of it with temporal refuge. It is always there as it is imposing, yet so difficult to decipher. Everybody seeks it, yet no one is too sure if what they have is that single faceted, one dimensional gem. As it is, the truth is simple and complicated altogether. That's why it should serve us well to be very prudent before we point a finger.

Over the past months, Nonito Donaire Jr. has been highlighted by many boxing fans and writers all over the world for his "dubious" judgments in various matters, but most glaringly for his act of jumping ship from his promoter Top Rank to its arch rival Golden Boy Promotions. Business aspects aside, on a personal level he too has been accused of having let his new found fame after his sensational victory over the Mexican, Fernando Montiel get inside his head. And not only that, his wife, Rachel, too has been a subject of harsh criticism in many terms, which certainly did not exclude something as minor a subject as her sense of fashion. But back to the gist of the matter at hand, after all the cards have been put on the table and both parties' reasoning have been heard out, it seems that the WBO and WBC World Bantamweight Champion, Nonito Donaire Jr. is going to be back with Bob Arum's Top Rank after all. The latter has won it's legal battle over the champion and I'm glad he respects that. I hope it all ends in a good note. But after all the hullabaloo, can we say Donaire Jr.'s name has been soiled in the face of the public for good, and that sharp Filipino conservatism may finally have a lasting scar on the highly talented prizefighter's face?

The answer to that question depends on the truth one sees. Our truth has many facets and my honesty may differ from your honesty, or, we could both be completely honest and disagree so strongly at the same time. Would you say Golden Boy Promotions has been honest in it's belief that it had the right to sign Nonito Donaire Jr. although he was in betwixt a contract stipulation? You bet. If given the chance I'm quite sure their lawyers would be more than willing to tread along the fine lines of what's legal and otherwise. But what is legal almost always runs in conflict with what is right and what a person may feel he deserves. Nonito may have been honest too in believing he was right, so for that we should give the man a break for looking over his interests. Nobody really knows the real deal apart from the real parties to the case. The truth may have many planes and my level of truth could be as true as another's from another dimension, and for that it is impossible, if not extremely difficult, to infer one's true intentions, unless one can read minds.

If this tells us anything at all, it is that Nonito Donaire Jr. is a man of action. He is just as brave on top of the ring as he is in real life, it seems. When he sees an opening, which does not come often, he goes for a kill. It's in his instincts to protect his own interests as a professional boxer, a family man, and a human being. He may have been wrong, or may have made many mistakes in the past, but the man calls it the way he sees it. He knew he'd be hit with bitter criticism but he took a shot and fought fiercely for the truth he believed in. It is better to be wrong than to not make a decision in life as long as it is based on honesty given one's circumstances at a given time. He believed he was wronged and didn't hesitate to take action. We all get criticized for the good and bad that we do anyway, do we not?

Now he knows he lost that fight at the legal front and shows his respect by coming back not just to finish the remaining months of his contract but potentially to a renewed and prolonged one. We all learn from our mistakes. That man is a natural fighter. And that is the truth.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Victor Ortiz: The Young Padawan

2011-06-19T12:26:00.006+08:00

I can see how Victor Ortiz’ promoter, Oscar Dela Hoya is also his number one believer. They’re both Mexican-Americans with talent and skill to complement their power, and Ortiz has raw power in both hands. Victor is called “Vicious” for a good reason: he has a crowd pleasing fighting style and is very aggressive, always looking to force the action in the ring; And Victor has that charm and rugged good looks that could pull that star status like a halo up above his head. In a way, they are much alike. Whether he has the elements and that broad smile to capture an even wider market, we all have to wait and see. Around two years ago when Oscar Dela Hoya cashed in on these factors and predicted him as the next golden boy of boxing things were looking good up ahead and the stars were indeed starting to align in his favor. Everything seemed to glow yonder the horizon for Ortiz’ up until he unexpectedly hit that Argentine bloc of force in the form of Marcos Maidana, who knocked him off the path to success.

But for the Mexican-American prizefighter, Victor “Vicious” Ortiz the prize of winning against Andre Berto last April 16, 2011 shoots beyond the rewards of gaining the WBC Welterweight title and settles at a higher plateau of that much sought regained respect. Every fighter is as good as his last fight, so they say, and Ortiz’ last one is a running contender to fight of the year for 2011. In fact, he was so good in that fight that he is now regarded as among the top Welterweights in the world, and that prior knockout loss he suffered against Maidana in 2009 has become a wound in the distant past which time healed nicely.

At the age of 24, the young and volatile Ortiz has switched from being a strong up-and-comer to being touted as the next big name in boxing, down to being an exposed fighter and now ranked by many boxing sites as being one of the top two Welterweights in the world. Still riding that natural high of capturing the WBC Welterweight belt, the question that looms over the new champion is, will he finally be able to overcome that instability and show to the world his championship win was not a mere stroke of good luck? Is he ripe enough to be plucked from the common and placed amongst the elite in the sport? For certainly, his next opponent, Floyd Mayweather Jr., at this point in his career doesn’t need a belt around his waist to be considered one.

Ortiz brings a lot of interest with him each time he fights not only due to his personal and professional background, but ‘cause he carries so much passion as a fighter. Almost like Oscar, he always comes forward with his arms up, looking boxy and basic. He comes in with that strong upper body figure and a decent jab, and being a lefty could pose some difficulty against Mayweather Jr. to some degree. With the conditioning he had against Andre Berto maybe he'd have enough energy to fuel the same long pressured attack De La Hoya applied against Floyd Jr. and there's a possibility that Ortiz could actually finish the job Oscar De La Hoya nearly accomplished back in 2007. If only De La Hoya had not stopped throwing those jabs at Floyd Jr. many agree how he really could have won that fight, and just maybe the energetic Ortiz could attempt to finish what he had started with youth on his side.

Whether Floyd Mayweather Jr. has chosen to fight Ortiz, being a southpaw, as a preparation for his potential fight against Pacquiao, doesn’t really matter at least for now that neither party has found any solution to that blood testing bedlam. Nobody really knows how the future of that fight is going to unfold, if it all; however,
against Victor Ortiz, the latter appears to be the young Padawan up against a master Jedi
.

Even if the younger Victor Ortiz were to fight at a much later date against an older version of Floyd Mayweather Jr., one who’s a bit past his best years, even that match up would still be a tough fight to call. Coated with slick and armed with skill, it is actually the intangible that is going to be the toughest quality to overcome when he fights the black American. Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s experience will overshadow whatever physical advantages Ortiz hopes to bring at the day of the fight. Mayweather Jr. will come in with that uncanny ability to run over the fight in his head in a way Ortiz can only dream of. He has the gift of foresight, deception as well as strong anticipation, and timing not every fighter is ensured to develop over the years. Floyd Jr. is that type of fighter who doesn’t rely as much on the physical as on the mental aspect of the game, and he is very clever at what he does. He is unpredictable and, therefore, difficult to trap but very perceptive when he decides to lunge an offensive. He’s a natural fighter. Needless to say he is equipped with so much talent and superb skill sets as well, which makes him the undefeated fighter he is now.

From supreme talent we go back to the tangibles. Victor Ortiz seems to have successfully carried his power moving up to Welterweight, which will be very crucial in his next fight. That’s what he needs to keep the pressure on Floyd Jr. altogether with endurance and stamina, but fighting flatfooted won’t help to further his cause. He needs to step up on his speed to actually apply that pressure and keep up with Mayweather Jr., who can be very flitty and stings like a bee. Two of the many things Floyd Jr. is very good at are striking that lead straight and a left hook. That same left hook that knocked down Marquez, and that check hook that made Hatton bang his head at the ring post. Whether it is accountable to his fighting style or frigid fight stance and less upper body movement, Victor Ortiz seems surely to fall prey to Mayweather’s lead right hand straight. I can see him eating those shots all night. If he took too many of those from a slow and predictable Marcos Maidana he surely will be receiving more from an elite fighter this time around. In his past fights he has been very vulnerable to counter left hooks too, which Mayweather executes to perfection. He also needs a quicker snapback whenever he throws his left straight or he’ll get beaten to the punch with counterpunches each time.

Whether we attribute it to his enthused fighting style or mere unfettered youthful aggression, I personally think Victor is too vicious that he overly commits when he fights, so when he’s at it he tends to disregard keeping the technical aspect of the fight game. He is exciting to watch ‘cause he can knock you out anytime, but the same goes with him. I just hope he won’t leave too many windows open against a straight shooter like Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

http://www.facebook.com/MarkFVillanueva.BoxingArticles

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr: The Curse Of Greatness

2011-06-11T17:04:00.000+08:00

Maybe if I sprouted into life on my own I would be complete. I’d have no past reference and only the future to look forward to. Had it not been for the warm and priceless memories I would have hoped that life afforded some of us an option to being a stand alone. It’s the most common affliction among sons of great men. One is never viewed solely for who you are and therefore you are always lacking. You always fall short if not in the eyes of many, then in your own, and one cannot help it.

Ducking his head he moved forward to dig hard punches to the body. They were loud punches that mattered in the end. Looking in prime condition and fifteen pounds heavier than his foe, Leaning in and applying constant pressure, he let his hands loose all night. He kept digging in as if in a ritual to exorcise his demons and that madness of always being incomplete; of not being good enough; of being the son of a boxing legend. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. kept coming in, again, leaning his left shoulder, looking down to hurt his opponent with thudding shots to the body that eventually slowed down the faster German World Champion, Sebastian Zbik late in the fight. Going down the full 12 round match up Chavez Jr. looked more determined than ever, operating like a heated diesel engine and hungry to win his first major world title. Sporting a haircut that looked as if he just woke up, Chavez Jr. sure did stood up to whatever combinations the German Champion threw at him. He was heavier, bigger, and benefited with a longer reach, but the plan was to go dig it to the body, and that’s what he did all throughout the fight. It would’ve benefited him greatly if he practiced more head movement and didn’t drop his hands occasionally, but with all the punches that he took to the head he was never buckled or seemingly hurt up ‘til the end. Sebastian Zbik was clearly the quicker fighter in terms of footwork and hand speed, but his power never seemed to hurt Chavez Jr. who kept moving forward undeterred. It was a close fight that could’ve been awarded to either fighter. Zbik had landed more punches, yet the Mexican threw his with efficacy and much force. He fought like he really wanted to knock out Zbik and kept pushing it in the final rounds and I think that won him the fight.

Overall, it was a pretty solid match up, a real toss up fight, yet even after winning the WBC Middleweight Championship and a professional record of 43 wins with no losses, 1 draw and 1 no contest, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. doesn’t appear to be a full fighter at least in the eyes of most boxing fans. He rallied hard in the later rounds, showing true championship form, and successfully wrested the title but that effort too does not seem to meet the demands of the fans. Had he not been the son of a boxing legend, then maybe he’d be viewed differently. Maybe he’d get the respect he deserves without the high expectations his surname precipitates. But the comparison diminishes his qualities as a fighter. In the end, it’s highly unlikely he’ll ever be good enough.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://www.facebook.com/MarkFVillanueva.BoxingArticles

2011-06-06T12:22:00.000+08:00

I'll be back with my take on Chavez Jr. vs. Zbik very soon.

Thank you.

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Insights on Pacquiao Versus Mosley

2011-05-05T12:38:00.000+08:00

Manny Pacquiao’s opponent come May 7^thin Las Vegas, Shane Mosley is a scarred and battle tested thirty nine year old fighter, who in his last two fights lost in a lopsided match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and subsequently ended up in a draw with Sergio Mora. In these two consecutive outings the Pomona native appeared to have gassed out as early as in the middle rounds of both matches. Experts are pointing towards his final decline from the height of his illustrious boxing career. In his fight against Mora in particular, Shane Mosley was seen breathing heavily from his mouth, huffing and puffing towards a boring end that dismayed many boxing fans who’ve paid their hard earned cash in a tough economy to watch a rubber match, yet were treated to much hugging and clinching instead of some real action. Yes, a good argument can be easily made that Shane Mosley is due for retirement. The records seem to lead to that direction. This coming Saturday many are betting he won’t last the distance against the seemingly perpetually-powered Pacquiao who is also ranked the best boxer in the world, and maybe they’re right about that. But this isn’t Mathematics or Statistics class and one cannot measure the human spirit, and in this case, Shane Mosley’s championship drive. For all throughout his career not only has Mosley never been knocked out, but he also holds an astounding record winning titles in three weight divisions. Let’s not forget for one second that the story that brought Shane Mosley to where he is now is the stuff of legends.

Not many professional boxers out there can boast to not having eluded their stiffest competition, but Shane Mosley has fought everyone he ought to face. He was an undefeated Lightweight Champion after taking off from being an amateur standout. He moved up in weight to defeat Oscar Dela Hoya and Fernando Vargas twice. The man simply does not back down from a challenge. He fought Antonio Margarito when he was the most feared fighter in boxing, and in doing so he knocked him out being a huge underdog. He holds a badge of having won and lost against the best in his division and is a very proud fighter. Shane Mosley has practically seen it all in his legendary career and if there’s one thing veterans have it is wisdom. That they have fought the best for long enough gives them a certain edge when the time calls for it. Mosley may perform best against particular fighting styles but he has the ring intelligence to deal with varied types of onslaught. He’s best when he counter-punches, which is how he is expected to fight against an offensive minded opponent like Pacquiao. But if the latter surprises him with a different approach we can bet our bucks that Mosley is more likely to be able to adapt to it considering his lengthy experience against different prizefighters he fought against. Experience is the greatest teacher to those who are willing to learn and Mosley seems to have been a straight A student to this day.

Shane Mosley has all the ingredients and the fire in him to cook up an upset over the heavy favorite, Manny Pacquiao. He has that one-punch power and speed as well as the ring intelligence to stay there and compete. The remaining question is, will he have the physicality, that necessary fitness to employ the game plan to take advantage of his opponent’s mistakes. At 39 years old, can he still do it? Freddie Roach still thinks so and that’s why in spite of Mosley’s recent lackluster performances, the hall of famer coach has repetitively stated that this, so far, is Pacquiao’s biggest fight. Even the Pound for Pound champion himself has trained so hard for this match up. They are preparing for a primed Shane Mosley. Great champions know what their counterparts are capable of. Great strategists never leave things to chance, so both trainer and boxer are preparing very well for Shane Mosley. They believe Mosley still has that one last fight left in him and is working hard to pull it off against the best in the world.

I have seen Mosley’s last two bouts and I still haven’t lost faith in him, but that’s probably just me. I find it most difficult to give up on people. So what if that same Mosley who beat Dela Hoya comes out on Saturday to fight? Then, we shall be in it for a real treat. Yet personally, I think Pacquiao would still win it in a very tough matchup. Manny Pacquiao fights relentlessly with so much frantic energy around him. He’ll buzz in and out, bobbing and weaving to get in and throw all kinds of shots from weird angles. He’ll use his footwork to move and find a spot to inject lethal shots, always moving and careening side to side, so it’s difficult to neutralize his offensive. It could be very frustrating. One thing any opponent needs to do to control this seemingly unstoppable force, I believe, at the very least, is to keep distance and fire efficient jabs. The distance is necessary to defend from hard body shots in case the jabs miss, and of course, you wouldn’t want to be involved in a brawl against Pacquiao. Again, snap those jabs to keep him at bay and be ready to follow up with a good combo; great counter-punching. But to be brutally honest I don’t think Mosley has that type of jab to neutralize his foe. He never had it, and mostly uses his jab for measure. He moves in a jerky rhythm while using his jab like a teaser and that’s not going to be enough, I believe. Plus Mosley drops his hands a lot. Both hands on occasions, which is deadly against a clever and speedy fighter like Manny. Mosley has always been vulnerable to quick left hooks when fighting Orthodox fighters and the left hand of Manny is vaunted. The latter’s right hand is now developed as well and could find its way to land nicely when Mosley drops his left down to the waist. So it’s going to be extremely hard to overcome Pacquiao even if a prime Mosley shows up in Las Vegas this week, but if that happens it’s going to be big since Mosley never quits and has a fortified chin. Shane Mosley will always be a great champion no matter what happens on May 7^th.

Watching Shane Mosley get beat up by the defensive-minded Floyd Mayweather Jr. I saw greatness in him. He had nothing left. He could barely throw a punch but he kept fighting on. I wish I didn’t see Mosley go through all that but looking back at that moment now I think he showed us something of great value if we just watch closely. At a time when he had nothing he still managed to give something. There’s no quit in him. And like they say to young fighters out there who desire to be champions of the future, “It’s not just about winning. It’s about not quitting.”

Shane Mosley’s story is the stuff of legends.

Mark F.Villanueva

Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through Facebook.com/MarkFVillanueva.BoxingArticles

Mark F. Villanueva Interviews The "Kid Chocolate"

2011-04-22T13:48:00.001+08:00

They say the good thing about being lost in life so that you no longer know who you are is grabbing that fresh chance to be whoever you want to be. It gives you another shot at moving on with something new to look forward to. You take a deeper look at, say, the past three or five years of your life and sometimes none of it really holds together in terms of what you have now as against what you feel you deserve, and it just puts you in a strange place. You dig up your checklist of goals and realize that most of them no longer bear much weight at all as we all change in time according to our experiences.

I look at some boxers today and you can tell so much about their personalities by the way they fight. I see Bernard Hopkins fight and I tell myself, this guy’s goals are as hard as a rock. He knows who he is, was, and what he wants to be even at this late stage of his career. He’s pretty steady. Then there’s Erik “El Terrible” Morales who at one point found himself at the crossroads of his career and caved in to retirement only to rekindle with his nature as a fighter in the next two to three years. After he fought Marcos Maidana it seems he’s found his legendary self again. There are fighters who prioritize their goals by fighting for respect and honor, but then there are those who fight almost purely for money. I’m sitting at this café in Boracay Island, The Arwana, peering out unto the pristine white sand and yonder out to the ocean on a bright day and I’m thinking I must know where I am now.

One Boxer I recognize out there who knows his spot and seems destined for a bright tomorrow as future Middleweight champion of the world is Peter Quillin aka “Kid Chocolate”. Aged twenty seven years old from Brooklyn, New York, USA, standing at 6’1 this guy is growing a good number of following for his might in both hands. He has a record of 23-0 with 17KO’s and is set to fight Jesse Brinkley on April 29^th.

Recognizing his strong potential and hoping to do my part in telling his story, I contacted the “Kid Chocolate” to share his thoughts on various matters and hope my readers appreciate what he does for the sport of Boxing.

Mark: Hello, champ, I'm calling you champ now 'cause we both know with your great potential you will be a champion sooner than most people think. Thank you for letting me shoot some questions about you.

First of all, what made you look up and decide to carry the name of the great Cuban boxer "Kid Chocolate" aside from the fact that he's a legend? My readers want to know what makes him so special to you that you decided to adopt his alias.

Kid: You hear a lot about Mohammed Ali's, Sugar Ray Leonard's, Roberto Durant's, but never have you heard about a Kid Chocolate. I'm half cuban, so a man in my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI mentioned that I have similar resemblance to the original Kid Chocolate, and being half cuban was something great to be able to let everyone know the history of the real Kid Chocolate.

Mark: I hear you've trained with the great coach Freddie Roach. He is a very popular boxing figure here in the Philippines mainly due to his partnership with Manny. Could you tell us a little bit of your experiences with him as your trainer? Could you share with us a little more of the team that's handling you now?

Kid: Freddy is in the gym all the time. He's a hardworking trainer. He studies boxing from what I've noticed of him. He's also a busy trainer, he's got Amir Kahn, and Pacquiao and a handful of other fighters including me. So he has assistant trainers who lend a helping hand with all his fighters. He has me working with Eric Brown, while Freddy oversees all of my training. I always have two point of views and always with a helping eye on me from Eric and Freddy.

Mark: You've gained a following in boxing because of your one-punch knockout power. Is this something you feel you've always had in you as a gifted fighter? or is it something you've developed just like other fighters as they train along the way? We'd love to hear how the promising Peter Quillin trains...

Kid: Going into my Pro debut, I think I always had the power, but now I learned how to set-up the power, which makes me a much more deadly fighter. As far as training, there is only one word I can use, and that's 'hard'. You work the hardest while training, so the fight is easy.

Mark: I read that you had a rough time against Dionisio Miranda, but you were able to bounce back, which is a trait common among champions. Tell us your thoughts on those tough moments.

Kid: Going through the fight with Miranda, helped me understand that I'm not invincible. I'm still like every other boxer who can get hurt out here. But I overcame diversity by biting down, digging deep and still coming out with a victory, which I don't think a lot of these other guys can do. Which you can see with a lot of recent upsets in boxing

Mark: You're fighting Jesse Brinkley on the 29th; a fighter with 41 fights in his career. How do you see this fight unfolding? Feel free to let the fans know everything about your fight.

Kid: April 29th, I'm going into Jesse's backyard and I'm gonna fight him. Beating Jesse in his own backyard will build credit on my name. Jesse is tough, he's got experience, and Jesses coming off a loss to a title holder. I'd like to see how well I do against Jesse.

Mark: I know you're busy and training hard for this fight. I would like to thank you for your time, champ, but lastly, Peter, care to fill in your predictions on Pacquiao versus Mosley?

Kid: Pacquiao, is a great fighter, Mosley has been in there with top level guys. Mosley can always be dangerous... the only thing I question is his age. Will he be able to keep up with Pacquiao's pace. I'd just like to see the fight. Good luck to both of them.

Mark: Good luck on your fight. I Hope to get more thoughts from you in the near future, after all, Peter Quillin IS the future middleweight champion of the world. Thank you and God bless, bro.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through his page at facebook.com/MarkFVillanueva.BoxingArticles

Orlando Salido: A Blue Collar King

2011-04-20T15:10:00.000+08:00

Other things could have happened at the eighth round that ended in a stoppage. Amidst that hellfire targeted at him, the defending WBO Featherweight World Champion could have used the ropes and shelled himself for a defensive cover, moved around the ring to buy him more time to clear his head, or, he could have realized in flash that it was the best time for him to pull off a Bernard Hopkins tactic by bracing his opponent off his punches to avoid further exchange. There was still a slight chance the fight could have lasted a little longer where in boxing anything can happen in such a short span of time. Looking back at that moment now it seems unlikely, but still its possibility and the lingering question of “What if?” could not be totally ruled out had the fight not been stopped prematurely. The defending champion Juan Manuel Lopez had enough time to do any of that had it dawned on him as he battled on survival mode from the corner of the ring as his challenger came in to close the fight. His punches were weak but they were there alright, and his legs were rubbery, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he came up with something clever in the heat of exchange owing to his warrior nature. After all, he was still right there returning fire. What might have occurred in a nick of an instant longer is something we will never know as the referee came in to wave the fight off to the chagrin of the hometown audience. From that point on I thought to myself, “I hope this ref has got the chin and defense to survive this maddening crowd.”

Right from the start, Juan Manuel Lopez’ punches were heavy as usual. In fact they may have been too heavy perhaps that it didn’t have that snap back needed for cover after each swing. He came in to stand and fight as he’s been known for as a knockout artist and the hometown crowd grew rabid about this. His opponent, the Mexican, Orlando Salido, who had a tricky record of 35-11-2(Draws)-1(No Contest) coming in, moved about cautiously to test his strength. Lopez’ hooks weren’t finding its target early but he kept on moving forward; like a carrier slowly gearing up for war. Salido would time incoming punches and instantly nosedive towards Lopez to land a few body shots and finds out early on that it worked. He would duck in quickly for some more and dig to the body that got him warmed up owing to its success, and distracted the Puerto Rican champion who appeared slow and heavy, yet so must have been his punches. It was this game plan that would dominate for the rest of the night.

Seconds before the end of the fifth, Salido now had momentum with his game, which style kept on disrupting Lopez’ rhythm. He was now moving forward and keeping up the pressure. The Mexican feigned going to the body by lowering his knees, and a projectile of a right uppercut rocketed high up that barely missed Lopez’ head from down under. Now being on the defensive stance leaning back, Lopez became a clear target of a subsequent left punch and a wicked swooping right hand which came hurtling from nowhere that knocked him down hard to the canvas in front of his own crowd. Apart from a ripping overhand right that worked for him all night, the Mexican contender would apply deception by attempting to move down to his opponent’s body and surging back up with a left hook that became a new found weapon. Then he would push him back again with his straight right hand and later on mix it up that left Juan Ma confused all throughout the match.

Juan Manuel Lopez was gallant in his efforts to defend his title afterwards but he was never the same since that knockdown. Some say he was not the same fighter right at the start of the first round that night. Some say it must have been his out of the ring issues that changed him, and maybe it has some sense to it, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard Orlando Salido make a single excuse of his eleven loses to his record coming into this fight being a heavy underdog. It was clear that his game plan was working perfectly and so we couldn’t take that away from him, personal matters aside.

Orlando Salido may not be the most graceful or talented of fighters out there but he comes to the ring and brings his best. He fights doggedly as a hardworking pug and does not seem content to leave matters to “What if”.

Orland Salido. We salute you!

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

BoxingInsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Support his page at www.Facebook.com/MarkFVillanueva.BoxingArticles

Show Your Support

2011-04-18T16:33:00.000+08:00

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Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Erik Morales: Gotta Love The Stubborn Mexican

2011-04-16T11:58:00.002+08:00

Breaching the depths of accepted lows one time a friend asked me how I cope, and I said “God loves a fighter. He knows how tough I am; that I always put up a fight, and that I don’t ever think of breaking as much as I’m able to.”

With a weary face he asked further “Are you stubborn enough to challenge God himself?”

“I never said that. I think of God as a matchmaker and I promise him a good fight, so he gives me many troubles. He’s a great matchmaker and I generate a good number of hits in HBO (Heaven’s Box Office) PPV.”

Walking out of the tunnel and into the arena, the Mexican legend paused to look around, hearing out the chanting crowd, and flashed a devilish grin. People around the boxing community questioned his intentions for coming back from retirement to fight and now he’s fighting at a higher division against its hardest puncher. It’s no secret many feared for his welfare, yet the boxer had dismissed this. On the other side of the ring stood the Argentine, Marcos Maidana. He looked solid and beaming with youthful energy. When the stadium played out his Mexican tune, Erik “El Terrible” Morales walked stubbornly towards the ring as if in defiance to everybody who doubted him.

Days before the fight he must have heard stories of him being killed in the ring; of being totally destroyed by the hardest puncher in his division, but he didn’t seem to care. Those who had access to him must have begged him to step back and save himself from unnecessary humiliation. He publicly stated that he was coming back to fight for honor, but it echoed around differently and there were dismaying whispers that he was fighting for money. Stepping inside the ring with his black and white robe with white trunks, only Erik Morales himself must have known for a fact that he was going to win that night.

By the end of the first round, Morales had his eye badly swollen by the hard punches of the charging Maidana. Morales had not fought for a considerable time and had not done so convincingly in his past fights yet won all of them. At the first round, he stepped in prudently to acquaint himself in the battleground and measure his opponent, but the latter’s game plan was to overrun him and he rushed in like a bull. Boxing fans started to feel sorry for the Mexican legend as they watched their fears unfold into reality. A few more minutes yonder that scary first round and his right eye was shut by Maidana’s left hooks and uppercuts during in-fights.

If Boxing was all physical, Erik Morales would’ve lost the fight at the very outset. He was gravely disadvantaged being out-muscled and old, up against a young energetic lad and his eye was shut. But Boxing is an intelligent man’s game where the bigger, stronger, more muscled gladiator does not always win. And during the third round, in a losing effort still, Morales showed some adjustments, stabbing his jab more and adapting to the pressure. At one point he pivoted to his left like a matador as the rushing, bullish Maidana came in missing wildly, throwing himself with his own weight partially in between the ropes. Morales, like all legendary fighters under duress, showed discipline and composure all throughout the fight. From the fifth round onwards he turned up the heat even more by boxing with precision, which saved him energy, unlike Maidana who was clearly busier yet less effective. Deeper into the game and Morales was now gradually schooling his opponent who was shooting blanks and hitting air, if not just arms and occasional good punches going through. He used the ropes beautifully; backing up, timing incoming shots and leaning back, feigning side to side to evade the punches to his head and body. Unlike Morales, Marcos Maidana didn't seem to have made adjustments on his own. Morales was able to sustain his fight game to the end, but the end came up with questionable results.

We all know the majority decision in favor of Marcos Maidana is now on the record books. He earned it largely for being busy. But after fighting the Argentine with only one eye, Erik Morales has now seen the light. He fought his way through feel, sheer will and superior skills. The man has been through hell and back on his own to topple the odds.

He was right to listen to his stubborn self.

Writer's note: My follow up interview with Wayne McCullough on Morales' future as a fighter is up next.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

Boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Donnie Nietes Lands At 108

2011-04-12T12:28:00.003+08:00

It was Donnie Nietes’ first fight at the 108lb division after coming up from the Minimumweight class, but it seemed as though his diminutive opponent from Mexico was the one moving up. The WBO Minimumweight World Champion was beaming with confidence in his corner, waiting for the bell to signal the fight, staring at Armando Vasquez, who made a promise not to run away from him in the ring. The whole crowd waited in anticipation, perhaps expecting Nietes to win handily in his hometown. Donnie looked real good physically. He knew he had a three inch height advantage over the 5’0 Vasquez with a significant reach advantage to go with it.

When the bell rang both fighters almost instantly exploded towards the middle of the ring, moving in to seize each other up. Nietes’ harpoon jabs immediately posed a problem for the game Mexican who deflected them with both hands up, showing decent defense. Both were moving really well into the fight, and when Vasquez made a mark with the first power punch that landed clean on Niete’s face the crowd oohed in excitement. ALA Promotions had done a splendid job for the whole event, packing in a good undercard list, and the crowd in Bacolod was thrilled to watch their very own local hero showcase his talent. After the fight, in a Videoke bar, Donnie Nietes told me personally in our semi-victory party that he had come prepared to fight a long match and that ALA Promotions conditioning coach, Pio Solon had done really well preparing him for it.

Donnie Nietes seemed to have found his new home at the 108 weight class, but the Mexican stood his ground. He came at the Filipino with speed and good combinations to the body as the latter employed his technical skills to defend himself, at times moving out, stepping back to suck him in for a counter. Donnie Nietes was cited as among the top five 105 pounders of all time by Bert Randolph Sugar and Teddy Atlas’ “The Ultimate Book of Boxing Lists” and that night I witnessed this in truth from the press row. I leaned forward intently to study his moves and witness him perform. The whole crowd was locked in to the fight. Yet before I could immerse myself completely onto Donnie Nietes’ artwork he had pushed himself forward to corner his foe and found an opening for a wicked right hook to the Mexican’s chin that abruptly ended the fight.

Donnie Nietes’ made a clear statement that night and made us all want for more.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Boxing Photography

2011-04-08T12:26:00.002+08:00

I would like to thank talented Boxing Photographer, George Jimenez from New Jersey for letting me use one of his artworks as the new face of my website. George is a photographer for Leave It In The Ring as well as a contributor to Cueros Boxing Newspaper and you may check his gallery of photos at facebook.com/GeoIMAGEZ and GeoImagez.com

Meanwhile, I'll be posting samples of his work.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Nonito Donaire Jr: A Hybrid Filipino

2011-04-05T15:22:00.001+08:00

Change is good, but most certainly not without hurt. We detest it when something or someone new disrupts established patterns we have become deeply set in, ostracize it when something different presents itself. Who knows how much each of us may have missed over the years with that approach, individually or collectively, as a people? Admit it. Acknowledge the pain. We are always defensive at what we do not know only to find out in the end that we’re no different. And that’s the biggest joke of all.

We were standing close to the section of the ramp where FHM fashion models came in for the show, and I’ve never dismissed such beauty in my life in favor of a man, but Nonito Donaire Jr., I found out that night is no ordinary man, apart from being a great boxer. The longer our conversation went the clearer it became to me that underneath that swag and American accent, the world’s no. 3 Pound For Pound boxer is just as Filipino as I am. Sure, he’s like no other Filipino boxer I’ve met. He’s articulate and outspoken, approaches you with apparent confidence; the guy is a hybrid product of a motley cultures from a foreign land, but that’s just my point. In spite all that what captivated me was how his Filipino nature transcends all these qualities.

I was late on my way to meet one of the best boxers in the world today. Walking briskly along the filled up shores of Boracay Island my mind kept racing; I was hesitant and overly conscious of how a Probinsyano like me embedded with old school values would measure up with this Fil-American in terms of level of thinking. I didn’t want that night to end up with a debate on a certain issue as my dad, the late judge of Butuan City, had brought me up to always be strong on the right. I checked the time on my phone and realized Nonito had been calling me. I thought I lost my chance to hang out with him, after all, don’t Americans move on to the next meeting when a colleague runs in late? The Filipino in Nonito made him wait up for me. I had to find my way through a large crowd at the event that night where, thankfully, the world champion himself got out of his way to pick me out from the screaming throng.

After we met up earlier that morning I still couldn’t make up my mind on my approach. He seemed so American and oceans away. I guess that’s what Bob Arum meant when he said the Filipinos don’t support Donaire, and that he’s different from Manny. I couldn’t get the words out of my mouth as we stood side by side enjoying the show. Sensing all this, “Jun Jun” brushed that barrier aside the typical Filipino way by offering beer. “Dude, you need to relax. You know what you need? I think you need beer. Do you drink beer?” The Mindanaoan in me, that no push over Gomez street boy in me quickly reached out on the offer and that’s where we took off like a kite on a clear windy day.

We talked about so many things off the record, from childhood to wherever and whenever. Minutes into the conversation I realized that he was so easy to talk with and, boy, could he talk! We both had issues with our own families in the past and I thought of how many Filipinos out there are having the same problems too. It’s a part of life, regardless of race. He acknowledged his faults as well as his strengths. Ironically, at times, I felt like Nonito was more humble than I ever was, which is largely the reason why he’s so easy to talk to once you get started. Forget about the bland interviews with all the cameras which are never easy for anyone to be natural. I’m saying this guy’s got Filipino values wrapped in American coating and all you need is to get to know him. We spoke about how he loves kids and he pledged to support a charity I’ve been working on with former world champion, Wayne McCullough (IHOW- I Helped Out Worldwide). In spite of all the hullaballoo and bad rap he’s been having lately, Nonito told me that he does not harbor hate. He never speaks ill about a fellowman and just keeps going his way the best way he knows it; that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that he respects that, but you can never please everyone, and oftentimes he ends up misunderstood.

In a night that started with us speaking in English and proceeded later with Tagalog, and ended with us laughing and conversing in Visaya, I’d say it was an eye opener experience for me. How can a man fight this good and be at the top of his game, yet remain so humble, bugs me. He left the Philippines when he was ten years old, but I feel none of that culture had diminished in him. He knows his roots. He believes in it. Apart from the swagger on the outside, the substance is still very Filipino if one just reaches out to him.

“How do you feel when you hear people out there saying you’re not a Filipino?” I inquired. “It really doesn’t matter what they say. What matters is that I know who I am and that I fight for my country and bring honor to my countrymen. I sacrifice and risk my life out there for them.” The champion said, almost without requiring a moment to think over his answer.

Top Rank founder and CEO, Bob Arum may have a factual basis in stating that Nonito is far from Manny Pacquiao in terms of the support the Filipino community has for him and that Nonito Donaire Jr. has not been a PPV star in his past fights, but, hey, it’s not like Bob Arum was doing a good job pitting him against worthy opponents. Even the Pacquiao versus Mosley matchup is having a lot of boycotts from fans who know their boxing and the revenues from Pacquiao versus Clottey wasn’t also that good. I say, put Donaire Jr. against credible opponents and we’ll see what happens. In fact, look at what happened to Montiel. After that fight even my mom, who just turned 68 years old the other day knows who Nonito Donaire Jr. is and even texted me while I was with him that night to ask for a souvenir. Earlier that day when we first met and walked along the shore we had people following Nonito just to take his picture. It probably took us a few minutes before we could take a few steps with all the fans who wanted to get close to him. Even my friends and officemates who are not really fans of the sport of boxing are now getting to know who Nonito is, just how it was back in the day when Manny was just a rising star.

With the superb talents of Nonito Donaire Jr. and his growing fame after that Montiel fight I find it hard to imagine him not rising to become a boxing great one day regardless of promoter. One time that night I asked him about his versatility as a boxer and how I find that as one of his finest abilities- being able to shift according to a particular situation when it’s called for, and he shared “I’m not ashamed to ask other boxers, even amateurs, if I think I need to learn a move they just did, which I would like to emulate, not even if I’m a champion. I'm not embarrassed to ask and I always like to learn new things. I learned from a lot of boxers too by watching them fight, like Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali etc...”

In my humble opinion, Nonito Donaire Jr. is like the Filipino version of Oscar Dela Hoya. He’s got the looks, the charm, and the wits. He carries all that with a boxer’s gait knowing he has the skills to back it up. Instead of forcing him to conform and to be what he is not I think we should recognize what makes him different and stand out.

Drop the prejudice the way Nonito drops his left hand for a reason. He is a hybrid Filipino.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

Boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Todas Contra Mexico

2011-03-29T21:11:00.005+08:00

Todas Contra Mexico (All Against Mexico) is the first all-female boxing reality show which will be held in Tuxtla, Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico. It's matches started last March 26 with a total of 16 particpants comprised of eight Mexican fighters and the other half from different parts of the globe, including American-born Filipina boxer Crystal Hoy, who sports a record of 5-4-3 (2 KO).

I'm posting this in support to a very good friend and NABF female featherweight world champion, Maureen Shea, who'll be hosting the show together with Mexican actor, Paulo Quevedo.

"Moe" with Crystal Hoy

photo credits: Global Boxing Kasia Niedzwiecka

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Mark F. Villanueva & Wayne McCullough on Erik Morales Comeback

2011-03-26T12:24:00.002+08:00

It was late and I was checking out my old boxing videos from my computer in a backpacker’s place I rented for two days. I walked back in from the terrace that fronted the sea that wasn’t visible now in the dark but the sound of it coming and breaking would give anyone a soothing moment for thought. I reviewed what Erik Morales fights I had in document and sat back and sighed, realizing how hard it was for me to set aside my awe for the fighter who had always given his all, or at least establish a plane enough for me to start writing a clean and unbiased work. See, even in defeat, I’ve always liked watching that great Mexican boxer, Erik “El Terrible” Morales do his thing in the ring- that nice, stiff jab he uses to set up a whirlwind of clean combinations; that double jab with a sneaking right uppercut; the way he is as a “thinking” fighter who moves naturally with impeccable balance, face intent; always deadly yet in a subtle and strategic way. Plus, there’s always something about fighters who battle valiantly, so that in their excruciating sacrifice for victory and the fans a bond is gradually built around the people who witness it. Great fighters have that ability to earn something beyond momentary fascination: Loyalty.

Watching him lose to Manny Pacquiao years ago gave me mixed emotions as he got roughed up and entirely outworked by an untiring opponent. I wanted Manny to win, but at the back of my head I haven’t really given up on Morales like you never would on a friend who was down as he sat up while the referee started counting away.

People say I’m a fool to hold on blindly to the notion that Erik Morales can still make a successful comeback, at least back to the elite sphere of the sport where age is a huge factor to consider. I honestly don’t know if he could still regain his agility at this point, and it’s not only due to his age, at 34, that hinders it, but more on account of his long absence from the sport and that wear and tear on his body that must take its toll some time considering he’s fought as a professional boxer since he was 16 years old. I personally don’t think he’ll make it especially against the big hitter, Marcos Maidana from Argentina, who had just given that peaking Brit, Amir Khan, hell. But as foolhardy as I am I’d like to believe that he can make it. I don’t think anyone can doubt the skills of this gallant Mexican, who is ranked no. 49 by ESPN as among the greatest fighters of all time, and who is also the last warrior to defeat the one-of-a-kind Manny Pacquiao. We all know a few great fighters who had made successful comebacks. George Foreman did it, and so did Sugar Ray Leonard. In Basketball, I can still feel the passion when Michael Jordan slammed that ball right on the face of the NBA’s best blocker at the time, Dikembe Mutombo. Can he still make a successful comeback to the top of the sport in this late stage of his career?

Luckily enough for me I had someone to turn to and set the facts straight this time; someone who not only could segregate hope from fact in this scenario, but as a fighter himself had the chance to face the great Erik Morales in a twelve round boxing match that should have been awarded fight of the year back in ‘99. Wayne McCullough is a former WBC world champion in the Bantamweight division and whom Erik Morales himself
stated, after their fight, to have given him one of the top three fights of his entire career.

Hey, champ, how are you and the fam?

First of all, i'd like to thank you for sharing your time to attend to my queries regarding Erik Morales versus Marcos Maidana. Having gone the distance against Morales yourself, I truly feel you're one of the best people in the sport of boxing I could raise these forthcoming questions to.

Just a few days ago Erik Morales said he believes he's still the best technical boxer in the world today. But we got so many talented fighters out there right now like Nonito Donaire Jr. among others,and i'd like to know, whats your personal assessment on that statement?

Wayne: I personally believe that Morales is well past his best. As a super bantamweight he was probably one of the best technical fighters. Some fighters successfully move through weight classes but this isn't the case with Morales. I've a lot of respect for him because he hit me so hard!

Mark: Who do u think is the best technical fight there out there? My personal choice is Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Wayne: Mayweather is the most technically gifted fighter out there but he's not exciting.

Mark: Also, Do you think Morales can still bring it at this late stage of his career at 34 years old?

Wayne: In his comeback fights so far he hasn't shown that he can still bring it. This fight with Maidana will either end his career or we'll see that he still has something to offer.

Mark: How old is old when it comes to boxing, because we got fighters like Bernard Hopkins raising that bar each year?

Wayne: If a fighter keeps training like myself and Hopkins and you look after your body it will look after you. But if you blow up between fights it's harder. I believe I could fight until I'm 50!

Mark: How do you like his chances against the young powerful puncher, Marcos Maidana when they fight this coming April 9th?

Wayne: Like I said this fight will either make or break his comeback. I'd like to see Morales use his technical skills to win but it'll be interesting to see what happens when he gets hit. Look at what happened in the second and third Pacquiao fights

Mark: I love watching El Terrible fight. Believe me I still watch your fight with him from time to time and it excites me as if the fight just recently happened. What part of his game do you think will give Marcos Maidana fits, if any?

Wayne: If Morales can use the skills he used against me and avoid Maidana's big shot maybe he can win.

Mark: I personally think Maidana is not in the level of Morales in the technical aspect of the fight game.He's not fast but very powerful. He still needs a lot of polishing. How do you see Morales, being a thinking fighter that he is, taking advantage of this? What weakness do you see in particular off Maidana's style?

Wayne: Maidana may not have the skills morales have but he can take punch and he can bang. Morales should try to outbox him and win the rounds. He shouldn't get into a toe to toe fight.

Mark: Lastly, champ, how'd you fight a brawler like Maidana if given the chance?

Wayne: You have to outbox a brawler. A good stiff jab and angles will have him swinging him for the fences.

Mark: Thanks, mate. I truly appreciate this and you know I enjoy chatting with you. I wish you good luck with your plans for IHOW charity and I want to let you know that we in your IHOW family will always be here to back you up. You're a good man, Wayne. We’re proud of you. Please send my regards to your loved ones back home.

About #IHOW (I HELPED OUT WORLDWIDE)- As Wayne is an accomplished Champion he see's this Charity as a chance to give back to the sports that have given him so much, and with this in mind,#IHOWs Mission is to provide an avenue of support for disadvantaged kids, veterans and those in rehabilitation, this will be done by offering lessons in Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, and with friend Brooklyn Jai, Dance and Choreography, big focus will be put on nutrition,training and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

P.S.- Mark F. Villanueva would like to thank world champion Nonito Donaire Jr. for pledging his support for our cause in #IHOW after I spoke to him personally during our meet up in Boracay island.

If you're in the Philippines and have any signed posters, memorabilia that we you would like to donate to our charity that will be auctioned to support our cause please email me at villanueva_mf@yahoo.com

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

Boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

2011-03-23T11:40:00.002+08:00

I've been real "busy" the past few days since my meet up with Nonito Donaire Jr. in Boracay island, but I'll update this site very soon.

Thank you.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Zab Judah: Keep The Faith

2011-03-12T12:21:00.002+08:00

People come and go, yet it’s not in the leaving itself that empties you, but the realization that those who used to believe in you and with whom you have drawn strength from have actually lost faith in you. That they have taken that one final step to drift away cracks you lonely like a dried up riverbed under a glaring sun, and when that happens time becomes painstakingly slow. Days become heavier and solitary nights drive you to places you’d rather not go. Instead of letting it break him, he went on to use this weight to build more strength.

Following two suspensions for his emotional outbursts in the ring, poor performances and a number of losses, American boxer, Zab Judah have seen his party disappear and watched the merriment move from one place to another. It was also a time when Manny Pacquiao was starting to move up and break barriers across weight divisions and new stars were starting to emerge. But from a point where other former world champions have given up, headed off to retirement, or broke down with vice, Zab Judah decided to dig up on the values that made him once an undisputed world champion. After his loss to Joshua Clottey, he gradually revamped his game to get back on his winning ways again. He renewed his faith in God, boosted his training, and in his personal restructuring he had slowly climbed back to the level of champions once more.

On March 5, 2011 at the Prudential Center, New Jersey, Judah rekindled himself with that championship atmosphere that had once defined his career as he was back on center stage for the IBF Light Welterweight title against South African, Kaizer Mabuza, who had retired the heavy favorite, Kendall Holt on his stool in his last bout. Amazingly, Judah looked like he never lost his winning form as he started gliding around the ring naturally while whipping stinging jabs at Mabuza. As expected, the latter went on to impose his size and reach advantage, but Judah quickly employed sleek and speed to avoid this. He was moving beautifully as a dancer moves to a rhythm and the crowd was treated to a banquet of skill and precision early on. Judah operated Kaizer Mabuza with caution until he was tagged with Mabuza’s lead straight in the third, rocked hard at the fourth and was counted against a knockdown when a looping right prompted his glove to touch the canvas. It was a critical point on how he’d respond to it since, Judah, in his past fights have this tendency to breakdown in focus as a fight wears on, but this time he got back stronger, quicker, and moved around his opponent. He dealt on that adversity with patience and never let his emotions cloud his mind, which kept playing out a strategic game plan he and his team had been working on in diligence. Since then it was apparent how he was intent on regaining on that setback. His jabs were crisp and he kept setting up the South African who was constantly applying pressure, and who had been successful with his powerful right hand. Zab Judah was obviously quicker and smarter all night. In spite of some moments of success by Mabuza, Zab Judah deftly weaved his strategy and ensnared an unknowing opponent with a quick straight as he waited with his back against the post. He stepped back to a corner as if a sniper readying his sights. He made his opponent think he was backing up when he was in reality setting up. The fact that he had been tagged at times earlier rounds gave Mabuza that tricky confidence as he continued to pressure the former champion, and then that cracking shot went through his defense that landed hard on his chin. As he recklessly stepped forward to corner the American boxer, consummated in his efforts to attack he had become reckless with his defense as he overreached his punches, and when Judah saw it, he knew it was the opening he had been working on all night and took it. He made it known to the crowd that he still had that timing and skill of which he’s been adored for years. That quick spear-like straight shot hit his opponent solid on his chin and his own forward momentum pushed him as he wobbled to the ropes, his upper body crossing, leaning out through the ropes. Mabuza looked like a soldier sniped at; sprawled on a parapet as Zab Judah moved away jubilantly.It was practically over after that as Zab Judah went on to take the IBF Light Welterweight title by 7th round TKO.

Judah showed that he was back once again for deeper reasons, and being back to the top made him appreciate all of it even more. He was not only better than his foe, but better than the boxer the crowd expected to see that most have forgotten.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

PUBLISHED
http://philboxing.com/news/story-52273.html
http://boricuaboxing.com/zab-judah-keep-the-faith/
http://www.nowboxing.com/2011/03/zab-judah-keep-the-faith/16781/

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

There's Also One Matthew Hatton

2011-03-08T13:06:00.003+08:00

Being an art of governance, in reality, politics has become one of today’s pervading ironies. Its actual practice undermines the very same order of things it’s supposed to uphold, and Matthew Hatton knew fighting Saul Alvarez for a title match was not his place. He doesn’t have the ranking to be a contender at that weight class and Alvarez, on the other hand, never fought the big names in that division to be given a title shot. It was like playing chess with the wrong pieces moving in the wrong directions.

At the end of the Junior Middleweight title bout last March 5^th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, Matthew Hatton, who has been fighting for a long time under the shadow of his brother, former world champion and British boxing star, Ricky Hatton, surprised spectators by simply making it through the fight standing. Overall, he had taken eighty eight hard shots to his body and two hundred five to the head that shook him on many occasions but he never went down even once. He had been advised not to take this fight, which was against a naturally bigger opponent in Saul Alvarez yet he took the challenge anyway and accepted his role as the sacrificial lamb to the groomed Alvarez. Hatton lost every single round of this match up, except the seventh when a point was deducted from his opponent for punching him after the referee stood in between to break them up. In the end of the twelfth round he stood up there pale against the spotlight with a bloodied nose and a slit above his eye without having lost a bit of pride even after the way he was beaten. Hard punch combinations threw him off balance and against the ropes yet he fought back courageously all night. Right at those moments when you felt he was definitely hurt and done with he just astonished everyone by instinctively firing two to three shots back, perhaps in desperation, like an animal stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Matthew Hatton should have took his brother’s advice and walked away from a fight he didn’t need, but like his older brother he wanted to believe he had it in him to be the next Pride of Hyde. His pride was there alright, but he was too small and his punches were too light for his foe to respect it. Alvarez looked frigid and never seemed to show head movement, but I feel he never had to against Hatton.

Matthew Hatton fought for every person living under the shadow of a more popular member of the family who simply wanted a tap in the back or an equal share in the spotlight, and I’m writing this now to give brave Matthew the acknowledgement he deserves.

After having fought for a long time with less recognition under the cold dark shadow of his legendary brother, Matthew Hatton finally got his chance and stood proud albeit in defeat. His courage was as red as his blood that stood out strongly against his pale skin.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

Published
http://fighthype.com/pages/content9472.html
http://thedigitalfightjournal.com/There%27s%20Also%20One%20Matthew%20Hatton%20

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Pac-Mosley Tale Of The Tape

2011-03-06T10:23:00.000+08:00

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Donaire's Back Up And Rios' Victory

2011-03-03T11:20:00.000+08:00

Sometimes I feel like Boxing is all I have, and now life is a brawler. So I sat back all alone to view it all from a distance. I took my time and watched the sun beam from a break in the clouds up ahead that spilled a golden sheath across the running river that passed through an arc bridge. Somehow it evoked a literary description of the sea glimmering like a thousand diamonds and I just stayed there silently to take in its beauty. This city has been my home when I had none and had no one to make any place a home for me.

For world champion Nonito Donaire Jr. that home rests so nicely with her equally beautiful wife, Rachel. In the midst of all the trouble in his personal life, and I do not mean to pry on the details, Nonito Donaire Jr. fights knowing he has a support system in his wife and family- Gerry and Rebecca Marcial (along with his team of professionals). It is one thing to train for a fight and another thing to know going into battle that if he had fallen against Montiel that day in Las Vegas that he had his back covered by the people who love him. Being a Filipino myself I think that did it for him. During his last bout, Nonito fought knowing that if he had lost, these same people who surround him would help him stand back up and that’s why I believe he had fought with such overwhelming confidence. They say you never fight a man who is not afraid to lose, and it seems they all did a good job building that up into Nonito’s psyche. After all, I’ve never heard him say anything against the people around him.

Prior to the fight, I do not think most of us would have truly believed that a war tested fighter like Montiel would go down in two, and in such an appalling manner. After all, Fernando Montiel has been a world champion for five straight years and is a gallant warrior. See, apart from his natural abilities, Nonito Donaire Jr. had the mental boost to complement it. Filipinos have a special outlook when it comes to family ties, that being an integral part of the culture, and I can only imagine if the whole family, including Nonito’s parents and siblings came to peace with each other- at what heights the world champion would reach with that boost considering his talent befuddles me. Yet with ancient themes as jealousy, selfishness, and greed as the common battleground it appears as if Nonito will have an easier time at an actual ring rather than outside it.

Meanwhile, a week after Nonito’s victory, I’m watching the undefeated lightweight boxer, Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios battle Miguel Acosta for the WBA title. I’ve never been impressed with Rios in the past and I admit I thought he would lose that fight to the sleek Venezuelan. Into the first four rounds of their bout, everything was going as expected with Rios losing every round, and in a perfect world that would’ve gone the same ‘til the fight ended. Acosta was a favorite to win and he should have won that fight, except Rios fought like Boxing was all he had in his life and refused to give that one thing away. He remained very hittable, but kept coming. The same things I dislike about Rios as a fighter were there, being seemingly crude in skill, unnatural in movement and lacking the suaveness, among other things, except that when the time came for him to give in, he simply refused to lose. What he lacked in skill he upped in tenacity and that was the main story of this fight. He hang on and fought like he had nothing while a bewildered Acosta kept moving away and after the fifth round it was if the defending champion was more protective of his crown than actually fighting back. He kept pressuring Acosta, who moved around the ring regularly and got cornered. Rios was hurt at times, but kept coming still. He was like a small Antonio Margarito, with whom he shares the same coach in Robert Garcia. He bullied his way into the fight and grinned whenever he got tagged; occasionally trapping his opponent against the ropes and started to “Bam Bam” as hard as he could, and resumed the stalking after his sleek opponent slipped away. It ended a beautiful fight as Miguel Acosta wilted to the pressure for the third and final time in the tenth round.

Brandon Rios tells us that sometimes it’s not just about winning. It’s about not quitting.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Mike Jones: The Big Potential

2011-02-23T21:27:00.004+08:00

In a packed stadium in Las Vegas, the Mexican gladiator Jesus Soto-Karass seemed to be the loneliest man in it. His lack of foot speed had been exposed as he attempted to chase down his opponent and tried to corner him but always ended up lagging behind. The fighter in the opposite corner, Mike Jones, was mostly out of his reach and boxed him all night in circles. When those rare opportunities came in the match where he found chances to give a beating he realized he lacked the hand speed to consolidate his game strategy, too. His body shots were easily blocked by Jones’ arms by simultaneously leaning to his left or right, and punches to the face were nicely slipped or blocked by Mike Jones’ broad shoulders. Occasionally, the lone Jesus would land a punch here or there, but were shrugged off and exchanged with beautiful counter punches put together in somewhat mechanical manner that were animated by the monstrous grunts of his young brute opponent who had now become ring savvy in their rematch. Jesus Soto-Karass kept reaching out for a fight but he was too slow and too far to force it. Desperate, he’d drop his hands and taunt, call out Jones to come forward but all that were futile attempts to light up a fire. At times when he came close to his opponent, the American, Mike Jones, who was simply too fast and smart and knew how to make his physical advantages work in his favor, would double up firing long, snappy jabs that kept him off again. But the game, Jesus, who, as many had expected of him, kept coming in all throughout the twelve round boxing match with blood in his face that kept dripping from slits around his eyes.

It’s a pity to see a brave warrior look bad knowing what they had to go through in training before they go up in a ring to fight and give their all. However, on the other side of the coin, Mr. Lumacad, the head trainer of the Philippines’ famed Elorde Gym, my boxing coach and I had a swell time watching the 5’11 Welterweight boxer from Philadelphia glide swiftly with his ring generalship. It was fun watching a boxer with such height and tremendous physique showing suaveness in movement and skill, which he seemed to execute consistently all throughout the fight. He just kept on moving and playing it smart. Instead of falling for Soto-Karass’ antics and taunting, he ducked and weaved, slipped through Soto-Karass’ punches and then moved again in circles. Jones’ has a natural reach advantage with a nice jab to go with it. “He’s just as tall and probably as big as Margarito, except he’s sweet to watch.” I said. We all agreed that Mike Jones would be a world champion soon. Maybe he needs some polishing with his game, but his potential is evident

During the first fight against Jesus Soto-Karass, Mike Jones punched himself out and lost steam. He caused his own blunder yet still won a controversial win. It was a classic immature move for any professional boxer to commit and it was close, but he won. As a consequence, he found himself in the receiving end of harsh criticism seeing how his first victory over Soto-Karass only created more doubters than believers. But instead of drowning himself in chastise he went out in this rematch like an experienced fighter should. He improvised. And going into the twelfth round of their second bout everyone had already seen how deftly he had separated himself above his opponent’s class. Instead of fighting fire with fire he used science of it by good movement, peppering Soto-karass with jabs as he circled around; He threw good combinations, used the rope and weaved like you haven’t seen a big man do so cleverly for some time that frustrated his Mexican opponent.

In the end, it’s not the bravest nor the strongest who survives in this game, but he who learns to adapt to change.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

Boxinginsight.blogspot.com

http://fighthype.com/pages/content9400.html?PHPSESSID=eb386c6785db11816f7b374ee45661be

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

It's Nonito Donaire's Time

2011-02-20T20:57:00.001+08:00

When Fernando Montiel’s rude awakening came he was laying on his back with both hands up as if in surrender, except he was actually trying to stand back up and fight. He had just been hit by a flash insight by way of a blazing left hook to the chin that caused him to crumble involuntarily to the canvas. He zigzagged toward the ropes to make a last stand to defend his reign but from far away the loud audience had already known the fight was practically over and the contender to the throne, Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr., would soon be crowned king of the WBC and WBO Bantamweight division.

Right from the outset of the fight Nonito came charging aggressively, towering over the 5’4 world champion, who proudly hails from Mexico, a country of many great warriors, and who had successfully defended his champion status for the past five years. Days before the fight an insider from Team Donaire had informed me that they suspected Montiel would come up with something different to engage the versatile Donaire and based on their subsequent evaluations of their foe they expected him to go on offense instead of his typical counter-punching style. Montiel himself made public remarks during the past few days going into the scheduled fight that he was going to surprise his opponent when they meet.

Whether Fernando Montiel truly had a surprise package in store or the entire hullabaloo was just intended to hype or mislead his opponent we will never know as the fight was succinct and ended in only a span of two rounds. Nothing new was unraveled as the defending champion came out fighting a neutralized game on account of Donaire’s solid offense. The latter’s harpoon-like jabs kept penetrating through Montiel’s odd arm posture which was as wide as it was inviting of further attacks. Donaire’s sharp jabbing was usually followed with hard body shots before stepping out or moving to the side, even rocking him with a hard left hook to the head in the first round that served as an omen of what was yet to come.

I like Fernando Montiel’s patience as a thinking fighter but he never had the time to adapt and overcome. He’s known as a very dangerous fighter with a glitzy record to back it up, yet today his opponent was just too much for him. He started slow, very patiently probing his way around and then a wicked left hook came in a flash at the second round and the fight was practically over. It was the same hook that caught him in the first round, except this time it was more destructive; a counter punch in full swing coming almost simultaneously as Nonito Donaire Jr. weaved to avoid his shot. Montiel never saw it coming. It was a perfectly timed shot; a product of hard work and repetitive execution during training, which manifests Donaire’s commitment to his game.

As I watched Montiel’s figure laying down on the canvass, an image of Ricky Hatton being knocked out by Manny Pacquiao inadvertently emerged in my mind. They looked strikingly the same to me the way they just lay there immobile, paralyzed yet willing. The Filipino Flash has made it known today that his time has come and it’s comparable to that stage of Manny’s career when he fought David Diaz after which everything else just fell beautifully into place.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands
Boxinginsight.blogspot.com

http://philboxing.com/news/story-51390.html
http://boricuaboxing.com/its-nonito-donaires-time/
http://www.nowboxing.com/2011/02/its-nonito-donaires-time/16288/

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Aging Hopkins (Hopkins Versus Pascal II)

2011-02-10T18:17:00.004+08:00

Just as when you think you’re most able and strong life has a way of surprising you by giving it from a weird angle. The blows you don’t see coming are always the hardest to deal with and that’s how I’ve learned never to become overconfident about anything. You need to keep that guard up, move away, move around, at least until after the pain becomes bearable and you regain yourself. Yes, it’s been rough since and it’s been a difficult year so far. I’m wobbled and standing on rubbery legs, but I’m circling the ring to keep the fight going.

When I think of overcoming adversity I think of a man I admire for good reason. I think of Bernard Hopkins; That Philadelphian who bounced back from a life of crime and imprisonment to become a future hall of famer boxer famous for his ten year reign as Middleweight champion of the world.

Nobody weathers the storm like Bernard Humphrey Hopkins Jr. and his fight against Canadian, Jean Pascal last Dec. 18, 2010 reminds me of his tenacious nature.

After he was knocked down at the first (albeit a very controversial one) and third round by a champion almost half his age who was fighting with more agility and speed, Hopkins stood his ground. I reckon he’s the type of person who sticks to the basics when under duress. He exhibited calmness when an ordinary man under such circumstance would have panicked. It took him time to measure the current WBC, IBO, and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight world champion but kept an uncanny cool under pressure, taking it one step at a time. Alas! Weathering a storm seemed becoming a tougher task for the now 46 year old warrior, but when he finally got his tempo going, he sure made the youthful Canadian champion dance to his tune and took care of majority of the rounds. Looking back to that fight I think it wasn’t the skillful display that charmed me watching Hopkins fight that day. It was his unwavering personality.

The fight may have been decided a majority draw and Pascal remained the champion, but Bernard Hopkins won in our hearts. In championship matches a contender has to really take the fight away from the champion and not merely edge it. I believe Hopkins won that bout and had it not been a championship fight he might have been awarded the victory.

Controversy aside, let bygones be bygones. The future for Bernard Hopkins is taking its form in a rematch with Pascal this coming May 21^st in the champion’s hometown of Quebec City Canada. It shall be a time to correct the wrong and settle the issues that surrounded the first fight. Hopkins seems determined as he ever been, but he’s also not as fast or as physically capable as he was in his youth. Those advantages go to the younger champion in Jean Pascal, yet Bernard is one of a kind. He’s like aged wine. He has qualities that seem to show stronger in time.

Many expect the rematch to be as exciting as the first bout, but let me say that with Hopkins’ boxing I.Q. he has probably figured out Pascal by now.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

http://fighthype.com/pages/content9326.html?PHPSESSID=eb0b6762775c9e8b3bca3b1666391198

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Ricardo Mayorga: Got A Light?

2011-02-09T21:27:00.004+08:00

If Nicaraguan “El Matador” Ricardo Mayorga was as good in boxing as in hyping up fights there’d be a very good chance he’d still be a world champion up to this day. Known to some as being the craziest man in the sport of boxing, he is also credited for luring Oscar Dela Hoya out from a near two year inactivity when he extended his trash-talking game beyond his opponent by making sexual comments against his wife. If only Ricardo Mayorga fought as well as he trash talked, at least he would not have been knocked out cold at the sixth round by Dela Hoya who at that time was no longer in his prime.

Smoking Ricardo Mayorga fights as recklessly as he hypes. He loves to engage with his opponent and turn a match into a brawl, and being not so methodical and also lacking technical skills as a fighter, I can say I’m not surprised he fights that way; that’s his only chance at winning his bouts. But then again, that’d also be the path to his downfall. The “El Matador” is not difficult to hit. With his game style, that comes in the territory. My question is, at age thirty seven, just how much more of it can he take?

Since coming out of retirement way back in 2003 after losing to Trinidad, Mayorga had fought only four times. Unlike fighters his age who keep themselves active in the sport, the Nicaraguan is not what you would call a well-oiled machine. In fact, there must be so much accumulated rust under the hood. His last fight was on 2008 when Shane Mosley made a buzzer-beater, last second left hook to the chin that knocked him out.

All in all, if you’re wondering what to expect from a fighter who has only four fights in record over the last seven years, my guess might well be just as good as yours.

Not much.

Meanwhile, I hear people from the boxing community calling Miguel Cotto a shot fighter after his losses to Antonio Margarito and Pound 4 Pound best, Manny Pacquiao. The Puerto Rican fighter will be defending his WBA title against Mayorga this coming March 12, 2011 in Las Vegas. If what I hear them say against Miguel Cotto are true, then should we dub this fight as the “Battle of the Shots”?

My guess is that Ricardo Mayorga will come in aggressively right from the start and try to look good. He’ll showcase his power to psych up Cotto. The longer the fight lasts, the harder it will be for the aged fighter, and therefore he has to find a way to end it early. He’ll probably be dangerous for six rounds, but then Miguel Cotto’s notorious body shots could slow him down earlier than expected. Both of them are quite hittable with the way they fight, but overall my guess is that the older Mayorga will eventually give in to the pressure.

Love him or hate him, win or lose, the smoking Mayorga is back to light up the sport.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Philboxing:http://philboxing.com/news/story-50790.html
Boricua:http://boricuaboxing.com/ricardo-mayorga-got-a-light/
NowBoxing:http://www.nowboxing.com/2011/02/ricardo-mayorga-got-a-light/15944/

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Hopkins-Pascal II

2011-02-09T14:15:00.003+08:00

I just heard the news today from Bernard Hopkins himself saying, “It is on.” – In reference to his rematch with Jean Pascal after the first fight ended in a controversial draw last Dec.18, 2010. Both camps are working on the details of the match where the venue is yet to be decided, but it’s going to happen this coming May 21st in Quebec City, Canada.

Meanwhile, Chad Dawson, who was the front-runner to challenge Jean Pascal’s WBC/IBO Light Heavyweight titles after the Hopkins fight will be co-featured facing Librado Andrade or Adrian Dianconu.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Shannon Briggs Fires The Cannon

2011-01-30T15:14:00.002+08:00

I find pain, not happiness, to be the most honest feeling in the world. It is unqualified and as true as the person at hurt, whereas the promise of true happiness which remains to be verified only lies in heaven.

After Shannon “The Cannon” Briggs fought Vitali Klitschko at Hamburg in a fight I believe should have been stopped instead of letting go the distance, the 39 year old former world champion was in such bad shape that he had to remain hospitalized in Germany for days to recuperate. Early on his defeat was already certain and the suffering he continued to take against Klitscho was pointless. In the end, he sustained an orbital fracture, torn biceps, and a broken nose wherein pictures of that fight published the ensuing day manifested just how lopsided that fight was. Looking at those prints one would feel his pain. Vitali destroyed Briggs in a fight for the WBC world championship.

After I befriended Briggs a few weeks ago I was struck by his strong personality as “The Cannon” on occasions would share his ire against the corruption that mars the world of boxing. Yet what amazed me more was how he would instantly switch to being a tender father when he spoke about his family, and how he always found time to spend special moments with his kids, such as taking them to ballparks to watch their games. I assumed all was well for the fighter from New York who had fought the toughest boxers in the sport including a win over the legendary George Foreman, but little did I know his suffering had not yet gone away, except this time he was suffering from a higher form of pain beyond the physical- one of betrayal.

Briggs is currently pursuing a case against Gregory Cohen, Shelly Finkel, and Barry Honig, and their boxing/entertainment promotional company Empire Sports & Entertainment. He is seeking damages and compensation after only being paid a measly $25k in comparison to the $715k he was promised for fighting Klitscho and claims certain documents were forged to facilitate his exit from a company that supposedly started up with him being a 50% shareholder. It was also stated in a report, as if being unpaid the right amount of money was not enough, that the accumulated hospital bill during the days of his recuperation were deducted from his take home pay. If all these are proven true, looks like Briggs’ taking not one but a combo of shots below the belt could possibly grant him millions of dollars worth of punitive damages in counter action, which is not bad if ever he decides to hang up his gloves. Now, I do not know yet for how long this Forgery case among others may drag on or what evidence/s would be laid on the table to prove foul play or otherwise, but the inadequate pay amount itself is quite blatant. From there it’s now a matter of building up a sound case to reach that conclusion.

We can only imagine how frustrating it could be for prizefighters who leave their families behind just to put their lives at stake so they could put food on the table and yet when the fight ends another fight beyond the ring begins. At some point, even a world champion caliber boxer gets tired of all the fighting and I wish Briggs gets a speedy trial so he and his family may have a well deserved peace of mind. From here on then I’m looking forward to getting updates from him on his case and hope these things do not happen to other pugs out there. Not only does it ruin our athletes’ careers and morale, but the sport as a whole.

Now that Shannon Briggs who has a fight record of 51 wins 6 losses 1 draw and 1 no contest has fired his cannon we hope it creates constructive repercussions and movements in the near future that would help shelter the welfare of boxers and their families.

Shannon Briggs said through his social media account that the Klitscho fight could possibly be his last but we’ll see. He is a fierce fighter and to his fans he will always be a champion. It’s never easy for any boxer to call it quits.

Personally, I find him to be a great individual that summons a quote in my mind from Ernest Hemingway which states, “A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.”

Forge on for the good of the sport, Champ.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands
boxinginsight.blogspot.com

[Shannon Briggs is also an actor and appeared in films such as Bad Boys 2, Transporter 2 and The Wackness.]

http://fighthype.com/pages/content9268.html

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

The Rematch: Mike Jones Versus Jesus Soto-Karass

2011-01-25T16:21:00.005+08:00

They say you never mess with a man who fights with all he’s got.

That’s exactly what 27 year old undefeated Welterweight boxer from Philadelphia, Mike Jones did when he fought in the undercard of Pacquiao versus Margarito last Nov. 13, 2010 at Texas against Jesus Sotto-Karass from Mexico. The lanky Jesus got pounced with hard punches right at the outset of the fight as the much younger and sturdy Jones displayed brilliant boxing skills and fast combinations early on that kept spectators in awe. Jesus really looked slow and seemingly doomed to be outclassed, and had the look of a fighter who had no clue on how to deal with the blitz. He just took the shots, completely dumbfounded, and barely surviving. At the second round of that fight, still unable to find a solution to neutralize Mike Jones’ offensive, the dazed Mexican continued to take more beating before finally getting knocked down.

At that very moment, in my opinion, all Jesus Soto-Karass had left was pure tenacity; that Mexican pride in him that sprouts an unwillingness to give up and to die trying. He practically had no idea on how to counter his foe, or, maybe he had his plans, but didn’t have the capacity to overcome the natural abilities of the very athletic Jones. Luckily enough, Team Jesus Soto-Karass didn’t have to spill out a magic plan under time pressure on how to neutralize their opposing corner as in a seemingly immature move by Jones he just started to launch an all-out attack against his opponent. He provided the perfect solution for his own potential demise by tiring himself out.

Jones’ monstrous grunts were followed by numerous power punches that landed all over Soto-Karass’ head and body who remained pinned against the ropes. Mike Jones went for the kill so that if you were sitting close to the ring you would have seen it clearly all over his face and in his fiery eyes. Spectators knew Soto-karass was going down and the fight was going to end, except for some reason he just kept on standing and the fight kept going. As every painful second passed, instead of waiting for the Mexican to go down he just seemed to have gradually regained tad bits of strength as the offensive of Jones went the opposite and started to wind down. The round ended with Mike Jones breathing heavily as he walked back to his corner. From then on everything seemed to turn around unexpectedly and what was supposed to be a lopsided beat down became an even fight as the American lost his speed and power; looking very beatable. Both fighters would alternately switch roles of being beat up against one corner, both swinging wildly on some occasions, barely able to maintain balance. Mike Jones practically made what should’ve been a relatively easy fight his most difficult one by pushing it too hard and running out of gas prematurely.

In the end, most fans believed Soto-Karass had done enough to win the match, but it was an extremely close fight. Mike Jones got the close call. It was a surprising turn of events with full of action that warranted a rematch.

On Feb.19 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas fight fans will get what they want as both fighters are destined to meet again.

They say you never fight a man who fights his all. But in boxing timing is almost everything. If Mike Jones reserves his energy and fights wisely the second time around I think he wins the rematch the way he was supposed to the first time… with relative ease.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

This article has been published exclusive for FightHype: http://fighthype.com/pages/content9228.html

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Life And Boxing (A look into Donaire Jr. Versus Montiel)

2011-01-23T11:01:00.006+08:00

When the time comes for you to step in you know you are in it on your own and all the people you trust for guidance are backed up behind you knowing what you must do once you get into that sacred place must be done by you and you alone. Nobody does the fighting for you. You step inside with the knowledge that one can only be as strong as the values upon which a man is built that have been gathered and molded from sacrifice. For life is a journey full of sacrifices, and the ideals you pick up along the way will be the only tools that’d get you through if you possess the knowledge and wisdom when and how to use them.

Boxing is hard work and the boxing ring, like life itself is a lonely place when it matters most. Facing one’s true challenge in his finest hour may be a metaphor to meeting one’s creator where one succeeds by his own credit. It’s quite scary if you really think of it and your performance is a testament of who you are as a man and fighter. It’s how you make it. Boxing in a strange way is a reflection life.

If Floyd Mayweather Jr. is content that his undefeated record is enough to substantiate his boxing legacy, then so be it. It’s his life. It’s his call. If some other boxer out there picks a bigger purse over a chance for a crucial fight that could truly define his career no authority in the sport is ever going to stop him, after all this is why it’s called prizefighting. The fans may judge him harshly for such a decision and call him names, but technically there would be nothing wrong with it- technically. Technically, it’s all about career investment and setting your priorities straight. But what I’m saying is we, the fans, were hoping that one would have a higher standard than just living to the minimum and just standing safely few inches behind that thin line of legality. Like the many beloved boxers way back in the sport’s colorful past one could only hope more prizefighters nowadays would come forward to step up and declare themselves as being true warriors and take that ultimate challenge for a shot at greatness. After all, isn’t greatness an eternal prize beyond monetary value? In life, rather than basking in complacency, those who truly live are those who dare live to the fullest.

Perhaps it is for this reason that Pound 4 Pound numero uno, Manny Pacquiao is so popular and loved the world over. He keeps pushing himself beyond his known limits. This guy is just pushing it to the point of being scary at times fighting foes way much bigger than himself. It keeps the fans who watch him locked on their seats or feeling like they’re standing on the edge of a cliff. His life is like a movie but it’s real. It’s surreal. While some fighters out there stand behind potshotting negotiations to the bitter end or fighting lesser fights, this guy some have called a midget among other many names is breaking barriers, backing up bigger guys and subjecting them to a beat-down. Technically, for true fans of an action sport, how can one not love that?

Another fighter that’s been calling out the big names for quite some time just to force some action going his way is Filipino boxing star, Nonito Donaire Jr. While some fighters are afraid to fight him as I’ve previously written (check:Nonito Donaire Jr- A Bad Case of Being Too Good), Nonito, on the other hand, fights like he’s got nothing to lose. But this time it appears that all that name-calling and public challenges have finally paid off as Top Rank has scheduled him to face his truest test yet, the WBO and WBC Bantamweight champion from Sinaloa, Mexico, Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel on February 19, 2011.

Montiel has fought tough opposition to get to his current spot, even ending the five year terror reign of Japanese champion Hozumi Hasegawa in Tokyo, Japan. He is also ranked number seven in the world by The Ring Magazine. But it appears that Nonito Donaire Jr. would have none of that as he prepares for this fight and have just recently declared himself fit to go.

Montiel has proven himself to be a very stable fighter over the years. In all his fights he seems to always have that strength and power to overwhelm his opponents as he continuously stalks them, throwing accurate punches, loves to fight toe to toe. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him erratic whenever he steps in the ring. I think one of the reasons why he has so much power is because he plants his feet well on the ground that aid his strong upper body structure. He does not move around very well and performs his best against fighters who slug it out. The way I see it, Montiel is someone you wouldn’t want to stand in front of and trade punches with or he’ll throw you shots that are as hard as bricks.

Whatever the game plan Coach Robert Garcia has planned for this fight I think Nonito Donaire Jr. is capable of executing it very well. One key attribute about “The Filipino Flash” as a fighter is his versatility- a quality that’s likely to be highlighted to work toward his advantage when he faces a solid gladiator like Montiel. Whether they decide to use his height and range advantage, box him from a distance or blast him from within, the multi-faceted, highly skilled Nonito Donaire should be able to quickly shift in style if needed even on very short notice. He can quickly adapt to various situations. Montiel on the other hand is rock hard but seemingly limited in spite his stable nature. In fact, one might say he is efficient at what he does, but is quite predictable. You really wouldn’t expect to see him doing something different in terms of style. The key is to understand how he attacks and familiarize his reactions, and you might as well have gotten control over the fight. Of course, dominating him is another matter. Having control over the course of a fight, however, gives you a vital edge.

One of the few things I’ve noticed about Montiel is his tendency to commit mistakes with his footwork, which might seem minimal, nevertheless one should remember that being caught with a punch while stepping in with a wrong foot could easily put a fighter off-balance and easy to knockdown. Regardless if he gets hurt or merely thrown off-balance a knockdown is still a knockdown, and Donaire could take advantage of Montiel’s errors as Hasegawa did before Montiel’s power took the best of him. At times his right foot follows through each time he throws a right uppercut or a hard straight right hand leaving him in an odd position as if he intends to shift to Southpaw stance in the middle of an exchange, leaving him flatfooted. He fights in an awkward posture, sometimes looking like a throwback fighter from the old days that stand up straight as if calling for wicked body shots, not much bend on his knees, and has a habit of not tucking his chin at times. He may be strong and powerful but you’ll notice he does not have a snap-back with his jab which leaves him open for quick counters. Meanwhile, Nonito has that cunning ability to time his opponents. He is a wonderful counter-puncher naturally blessed with superb hand speed- all these on top of his overall versatility. I haven’t seen a Filipino fighter with such beautiful form and balance as him. Apart from being relatively tall for his division, he spreads out his stance and has beautiful placement that complements a swift footwork and long reach.

It should be interesting to watch how this young talent matches up against the raw tenacity and power of Fernando Montiel. It should easily be the toughest challenge yet for both fighters in their careers.

Technically, a perfect record easily tells you’re a winner. But the glory goes to the ones with heart.

This piece is dedicated to my little brother-cousin U.S. Navy Chief Christian Jay L. Villanueva who had lived his life to the fullest, albeit quite a brief one. Born on January 23, 1981 he would have turned 30 years old today. He passed away last January 20, 2011. This is my humble way of saying I'm proud of you for being a winner. You championed our hearts. Happy birthday, bro.

[Note: This writer would like to thank Team Donaire (Through Mr. Marcial) for reaching out to extend their condolences for my late cousin. I very much appreciate your kindness in these tough times.]

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

This article has been published at the ff. sites:

BoricuaBoxing: http://boricuaboxing.com/life-and-boxing-a-look-into-donaire-jr-versus-montiel/
NowBoxing: http://www.nowboxing.com/2011/01/life-and-boxing-a-look-into-donaire-jr-versus-montiel/15402/
Philboxing: http://philboxing.com/news/story-50130.html

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

The Super Fight

2011-01-19T00:42:00.002+08:00

The combination of two undefeated boxers mixed up in the same ring is a rarity these days. It’s as if that breed of fighter that is willing to risk all- that glittering unblemished record accumulated throughout their careers in the pursuit of a higher honor is extinct or as long gone as the golden years of the sport. I personally do not think Boxing nowadays is bereft of talented athletes needed to spice up the game. As a matter of fact, the sweet science has evolved in a good many facets with the improvisations of styles and techniques over the years that are now easily shared or viewed as well as emulated throughout the world with the help of advanced electronic connectivity. It is also because of this that Boxing is no longer a sport dominated by a particular race as evidenced by the fact that for the first time in history a Filipino from the deep southern region of the Philippines sits on top of the world of Boxing.

It is when fighters evade other fighters they ought to face that barren the playing field as we know it; cherry-picking opponents, corporate politics and corruption among promoters and managers, and the like that kills it. If great fighters fought each other, as they should, I think that fact alone should spark great interest once more and put value back where it belongs: to the fight game itself regardless of world title belt. The excitement of having the best fighting the best should be enough to revamp a game in resuscitation ‘cause Boxing is a fight sport; therefore we expect collisions, not mere braggadocio. But once in a while some real good things happen to our beloved sport and these are genuine events; Things that ought to happen in a perfect world that in fact goes to fruition in the real world setting.

When you find two undefeated boxers are willing to mix it up, you might say, hey, that’s what I’m talking about, that’s what I want to watch on any given day of the week. Better yet when you find two undefeated American boxers at their respective best, both currently holding world title belts, one ranked at number nine in the world Pound 4 Pound, the other sleek and talented enough to sneak in and launch that potent shot to end it all- that, fight fans, is what we call a “Super Fight”.

It is a title that befits an event that features WBO Light Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley 26-0-1(no contest) from California versus WBC Light Welterweight Champion Devon Alexander 21-0 from Missouri. It’s a matchup we all are hungry for with two young and hungry warriors with no clear advantage by one over the other, no catch weight agreements, none of them having to go up a class or having to lose too much weight to go down a division; just two boxing stars in their respective fortes who agree that greatness is a scenic plateau beyond their perfect career records and the only way to get there is to step out of one’s comfort zone and fight the super fight.

It seems that going into the scheduled bout at Pontiac, Michigan on January 29^th that “Desert Storm” Bradley is favored by most fans to score a victory over Alexander “The Great” and based on his aggressive fighting style- that relentless pursuit for his opponent from corner to corner with seemingly unending powerful shots that eventually make his foes succumb to hard-knocks, it seems likely, indeed, at least in paper that Timothy Bradley consequently shall have done enough to break down Devon Alexander at the end of “D-day”. The fans love to watch aggressive fighters. Warriors in the ring are easily loved and admired for their passion in pushing the action, and I can’t say I’m surprised that Bradley comes in as the heavy favorite.

However, if one looks closely with trained eyes it is also not surprising to see how much error Bradley naturally commits on a regular basis due to his fight game. Devon Alexander may not seem as sturdy as the WBO champion but what he lacks in that aspect he makes up with superb technical skills and sleekness, and these are tools that if used wisely might just be enough for him to eke an upset.

I remember watching Kendall Holt versus Timothy Bradley back in 2009. Holt is a good fighter, a former world champion himself, but he was never known for his speed. Of course we all know now that Bradley won that fight, but one can never disregard how the much slower Holt was able to tag Bradley on many occasions apart from knocking him down on the first and twelfth round. Now put this picture in the case of the speedy hands of Devon Alexander- a sneaky fighter with stamina, great hand and foot speed coupled with suaveness and I think this is going to be a real intriguing fight. See, strong and powerful as his punches may be, Timothy Bradley has some real defense issues. At times he fights in rage that he leaves himself too open for counter-punches, even throws himself off balance for forcing shots at moving targets (take note of Alexander’s swift footwork) and his left hook is so wide I can almost see the clever Alexander timing it, ducking to the right and throwing a big uppercut from underneath, pulling off a mirror-image of how he knocked down Juan Urango back in March 2010. Incidentally, that right uppercut is also one of Alexander’s favorite weapons. Add in the fact that Devon Alexander has a two-inch height and reach advantage and, hey, you can actually almost feel the tide changing. But will he be seasoned enough to recognize these opportunities when they happen as quickly as you can say your own name remains to be seen. On the other hand, Bradley’s experience could also turn out to be a deciding factor. It should be a tough call to make, yet either way it goes it’s definitely going to be a rubber match to watch.

So, who wins the Super Fight?

Very simple.

The fans, baby, the fans.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

This article has been published at the ff. partner sites:

8countnews: http://8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/3223/2011-01-18.html
BoricuaBoxing: http://boricuaboxing.com/the-super-fight/
Philboxing/Pacland: http://philboxing.com/news/story-49964.html
Nowboxing: http://www.nowboxing.com/2011/01/the-super-fight/15344/

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Maureen Shea: The Million-Dollar Baby Turns Promoter

2011-01-12T11:30:00.005+08:00

Boxing is the strangest sport of all. It can take you by surprise when you least expect, pull you into its world and never let you go. That’s what happened for female boxer and NABF featherweight titleholder Maureen “Moe” Shea, 15-2 (9) aka “The Real Million Dollar Baby.” Known to some boxing fans for preparing Oscar winner Hilary Swank for her role in “Million Dollar Baby,” the Bronx-born Shea came to the sport late and made a name for herself in the ring as a tenacious fighter who has never taken no for an answer. Sometime ringside commentator, writer, full-time titleholder and president of Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, NJ, Shea is now adding yet another accomplishment to her list: the first active female boxer who is a promoter.

“I am the kind of person that if somebody tells me I can’t do something, then I go out and do it,” Shea told Maxboxing.com in a recent interview. “My father told me, ‘You cannot box. You have to work and go to school. You can’t do all three.’ I said, ‘Watch me.’ People told me I couldn’t box. I couldn’t turn pro. I said ‘OK, watch me.’ They said I can’t win a title and I said, ‘Watch me.’ That’s how I always have been. So now I am starting this promotional company and I am not just giving myself an opportunity; I am giving others an opportunity as well. These local fighters I know that want to stay active.”

Shea’s company, Pandora Promotions, is having its first card this Thursday when Alicia Ashley,15-9-1 (1), takes on Crystal Hoy, 5-3-3 (2), at the Masonic Temple in Brooklyn, New York. For Shea, this card, co-promoted with Global gym owner Mark Kolodziej’s Global Boxing Promotions is a logical step in her career. It’s also something of a gift to herself.

“My birthday is January 11” Shea told me. “I’m going to be 30 and that is a birthday gift to me. I don’t drink; I don’t party. I love to dance but my friends call me geriatric because I go to bed early. I’m a morning person. That will be my birthday gift in having that. I reflect back on my life and it’s surreal to me; a lot of things have happened. And to now be a promoter…I just went with it. I always had dreams but you never really think it is going to happen sometimes. You let life take you where it’s going to take you and this is where it’s taking me.”

Shea grew up in the Bronx a troubled teen. The daughter of a Mexican mother and an Irish father, she was kicked out of high school her junior year. It was soon after that she found boxing. But it wasn’t easy. Female boxing has always had a lot of trouble being accepted like its male counterpart and her journey proved no different.

“When I first started out in boxing, I was turned away from gyms because of my appearance,” said Shea. “I was turned away from Morris Park boxing by Jim Borzell, who later on matchmade my fights. He told me, ‘Oh, you don’t look like a fighter. I don’t think there is anything for you here.’ He was just showing me around the gym. I said, ‘OK, great. Thanks. And I left and I went to [another gym] and asked what the rates, etc. were and they said, ‘Oh, we don’t have a facility for a female.’ I said, ‘What does that mean?’ They said, ‘We don’t have a female bathroom.’ I said, ‘Listen, I don’t need a bathroom. I need a ring, a place to jump rope and a heavybag to hit.’ They said, ‘Well, we don’t work with females.’ I said, ‘I’m not looking for a trainer. I’ll train myself.’

Shea started out boxing at NYBG under Luigi Olcese, who remains on her team as her manager to this day. Eventually, she moved on to Gleason’s Gym where she trained with Hector Roca, turning pro in August 2005.

Shea explained her impetus for getting into boxing, which, as it turns out, was out of both necessity and accident.

“I got kicked out of high school in my junior year,” she explained. “I was just hanging out. I would do whatever I wanted. I was in a relationship with a guy that was six years older than me. I was 17. He became verbally abusive and then he became physically abusive. And he punched me in my face and I got eight stitches about my eyebrow. He was about 250 pounds. Later on, I learned he was doing steroids. People told me but I didn’t believe it because he would spend hours in the gym. When he would do that, I’d start going to the gym to better myself for him.

“When he hit me…it’s a whole psychological process,” she continued. “You don’t realize…people would say, ‘How can you stay with him?’ Especially me. I was a tough kid growing up. I got into fights. I didn’t let anyone disrespect me. But when I was in a relationship with him, he changed. It was like night and day. He started to verbally abuse me and then the pushing and shoving started. Then he’d verbally abuse me again. I began to deteriorate. Everything, my self-esteem was going and going. Not that I felt like I deserved it but I didn’t know how to fight back. I had no ammunition. I went to the gym to start working out thinking, ‘Well, if he is going to start working out in the gym then I’m going to spend two hours in the gym. So I did and I walked into the back of the gym and there was boxing. I was 19. The only other time I had seen boxing was when Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear. I saw that fight. I had never paid attention to boxing ever again but I knew who Mike Tyson was.”

From the moment she stepped into the boxing ring she knew this was where she belonged even if she didn’t fully understand the culture just yet.

“I just started training in the gym,” Shea said. “It was hard. I speak fluent Spanish and the trainer was Puerto Rican and so I was kind of accepted because of that. He was like, ‘You want to try?’ So I started hitting the bag, starting with the one-two-three. Unbeknownst to me, I was in there with Elvir Muriqi, David Telesco; all the fighters were in there.”

Shea explained she actually sparred with the men in the gym but at first, they didn’t take her too seriously. Soon enough, like the character Swank played, her hard work paid off and she won over her doubters.

“It was play sparring,” she said. “They’d be like, ‘Oh, look at the girl.’ I weighed about 115 pounds but I showed up every day. I was the first one to arrive and the last one to leave. I just kept doing it and I fell in love with the sport after that.”

The road for any boxer is tough but for a female in a male-dominated sport, it can be even tougher. Promoters are not exactly lining up to sign a female and so Shea never signed with a promoter, instead working her way onto fight cards through sheer will and self-promotion.

“I had to actually go to Bob Arum,Joe DeGuardia, and Lou DiBella and ask to be on their cards,” she explained. “I remember, when I talked to Bob Arum I went up to his hotel room and told him, ‘Look, here is my information, watch my fights. I’d love to be on one of your cards.’ He was like, ‘I’m not into female boxing’ and I said, “Yeah, but I’m going to tell you why [you should be].’ And I sold myself to him. I told him why because I believe I generate human interest into not just respect because of the way that I fight. Women come and they bring their kids because they respect my human interest [story], my story, where I came from and where I am now.”

Even though Shea eventually worked her way to a title this past July, she faced the same issue of getting onto a

fight card over and over. It became apparent that something had to be done. But for Shea, who has overcome so much to get where she is, it was all just part of the ride we call life. This is a woman who once was kicked out of high school but returned and earned a 4.0 to get an academic scholarship to Iona College while fighting amateur and pro and has now worked herself to this position. “Can’t” simply is not a word she acknowledges.

Now she can add promoter to her credits. For her, the transition just seemed to be a logical step.

“My team got tired of always having to ask to be on these cards because the men are the top priority,” she explained. “So we said, ‘You know what? We’re going to start our own promotional company and set a timeline as to when I will fight because they will [promote] my shows. I won’t have to wait around. I won’t have five-month layovers and inactivity. Now I have a set calendar. I can control it. I like that.”

Shea told me that it was assumed by the New York State commission that she would retire from boxing. But she insists it is quite the opposite and looks to fight again in March. She’s a fighter at heart and that is what she will always be.

“A lot of people don’t understand it’s something inside,” said Shea. “I saw some people on [the New York State] commission the other night and they said, ‘I am so happy you are in promotions now.’ They don’t realize I am still going to fight. They say, ‘But you are so pretty’ and ‘your face’ and this and that. They don’t understand that every time I went into that ring, I never thought about my face when I went in there. Or ‘Oh, my God, my eye. What if I get cut?’ You can’t think about that because if you think about that, you shouldn’t be boxing. You train to do something and you go out and do it.”

Shea is happy to give those around an opportunity to shine while looking for new ways to move both male and female boxing forward as her cards will feature both sexes.

“I’m not looking to sign fighters right now,” she explained. “I am just going to do shows and give the fighters opportunities. Let them go out there and do it. My main event is a female,Alicia Ashley. She was actually a sparring partner of mine. She inspired me. I learned from her and now I am able to give her an opportunity to fight as my main event. That’s a dream come true for me.”

Who knows where this journey will take Shea? Only time will tell in the crazy world of boxing, where dreams come true and hard work generally pays off. Shea is hopeful of the future and looks to work with others in her area to promote our sport.

“Eventually, maybe I can co-promote with these other promoters,” she hopes. “Fighters trust me. I’ve gotten tons of calls already from fighters regarding the show, asking to be put on. They can relate to me. Who are the other boxers that are promoting in New York? I’m the only female. I’m the first female boxer promoting in New York.”

For now, she can revel in another dream accomplished and a boxing first in the books.

“I never expected this,” said Shea. “I got kicked out of high school; next thing I know I have an academic scholarship. I am maintaining a 3.8 GPA, then boxing, then Million Dollar Baby and life took off and I went with it.”

The Masonic Temple is located at 317 Clermont Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.

Tickets for "Brooklyn Explosion", priced $75 and $50, can be purchased by contacting Amanda at Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, NJ at 201-348-3149. Doors open at 6:30 PM. First bout starts at 7:30.

By: Gabriel Montoya

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Manny Pacquiao Responds to Kevin Iole

2011-01-10T21:12:00.001+08:00

Manny Pacquiao's Response to Kevin Iole, after the latter called the Pacquiao versus Mosley fight "Garbage."

"It's easy for an influential writer (kevin Iole), who I believe has never experienced a real fight, or wore gloves or put wraps on his hands, to say this fight is junk and say you should boycott against it. There is never an easy fight. Every time i step into the ring, i risk my life and my future. I had to find ways to negate the advantages in size of Diaz, Dela Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey and Margarito. I have stepped up to face men easily bigger and taller than me. To say that every fighter I face in the ring does not deserve attention talks about ignorance. how can a fight be easy when I have been working my hardest efforts every single time? I am no superman. When i get hit, i pretend I did not get hurt so as to frustrate my opponent. That's part of the sacrifice! Funny, these same writers who ask for a boycott almost always cover my fights, anyway."

Source: Philboxing

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

The Pocket Rocket

2010-12-11T11:52:00.000+08:00

I'd like to congratulate my good friend and #IHOW buddy, former WBC Bantamweight world champion, Wayne McCullough for having been inducted to the WBC Legends Of Boxing Museum. We'll be working closely together soon along with some of our boxing friends on a charity movement called iHow, and I'll keep you guys posted.

Mark F. Villanueva
Philippine Islands

currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Hopkins' Quotes

2010-12-11T11:36:00.000+08:00

I'm a long time fan of the ageless executioner Bernard Hopkins. I'm re-posting some of his quotable quotes for his upcoming fight in Canada against Pascal:

“If anybody understands life they know that time somehow finds its way back to you. It’s called ‘Coming full circle.’ My first title was won on SHOWTIME. The birth of Bernard started on SHOWTIME."

“This kid is in over his head! I know he can’t swim so I’ll take him in deep waters."

“At 35, people thought I was old and then I beat Felix Trinidad. I’ve been blessed to fight so long. It says something for me to be able to stand at a podium and speak articulately.

“I’m the teacher. I’m going to take the student and give him an apple. And then, he’s going to be humble. He’s confident, but when the bell rings, that’s when I’m at my best.”

“I know how I thought and how I was when I was in my 20’s. I know that mentality. He believes he can beat me or he wouldn’t be here."

“I respect him, but I am going to beat him up. I have been a part of a lot of shenanigans so if I am talking a little nice, don’t get it twisted."

“This is one of the greatest motivations for me. To be in this position all of these years. Many people here have been to a lot of my press conferences. This one is a little different. Why? Because of the situation I am in right now. This is a chance to make another chapter of my career come to fruition.”

This fight will be held on Dec.18 at the Pepsi Coliseum in Québec City, Canada, and will be televised live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the West Coast.

Source:Boxingnews24.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Evaluating Mosley

2010-12-03T20:42:00.002+08:00

At thirty nine years of age there seems to be no indication yet that “Sugar” Shane Mosley plans to take it slow in terms of pursuing his boxing career and fighting the big fights. With an amassed record total of 54 professional bouts since 1993 it is amazing how Mosley, who used to be an undefeated lightweight champion of the world, is able to maintain that level of hunger within him up to this day. Although now, more than ever there seems to be an increasing number of skeptics that would rather witness the battle-tested warrior call it a day than to continue his career. But the future hall of famer and Pomona native isn’t just looking to fight on and match up with just about any boxer out there. He wants to fight the number one Pound for Pound fighter in the world, Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines.

I virtually caught up with Shane Mosley through his verified social media account and cut to the chase to shoot some questions, which the great champion aptly responded to. I asked him about his relationship with Golden Boy and how this could potentially affect his negotiations on landing a fight with the Pacman:

Shane Mosley: “I am not signing with Top Rank just doing business with them solo”

MFV: “I heard that GBP isn’t just about willing to let you go. If you go out of your way to negotiate with Top Rank on your own so you can fight Pacquiao, don’t you think this would lead to some legal issues against GBP?”

Shane Mosley: “It’s all good I will let y’all know how it’s going down” He went further to say “but I negotiate it and I am not signed to them for the last 2 years”

MFV: “Thank you for the candid response. Good luck and I hope you get the fights you want.”

Before he left on vacation for the Bahamas he went on to say further that the fight with Manny Pacquiao was practically a “done deal” already if Floyd Mayweather Jr. refuses to fight for whatever reason. And so far Team Mayweather has been mum on the issue. There has been no reports of any ongoing negotiations with Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, and Don King just recently denied he had any promotional contract with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

If indeed Mosley gets the upper hand over Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto, who are both vying for a shot at Pacquiao, just how much competitiveness still can we expect to see from old Shane? Is it financially sound to match a scarred 39 year old warrior against a fighter in his peak form? Against Margarito, Manny Pacquiao literally looked like he was in condition to fight for 15 rounds. We've seen enough throughout Mosley's extensive career to be convinced that he has the necessary skill, speed and power, but the question is how much of it can he sustain in a fight. All these elements seemed to be running well against Floyd Jr. for only the first two rounds and then he was practically done up ‘til the whole gamut. The fight with Mora was marred by too much clinching and less action to the disappointment of the fans. How long can he last against the best fighter out there, we can’t be certain, but based on his last two fights it seems highly unlikely that he stands a chance to even keep a fight with Pacquiao interesting.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Michael Katsidis: A True Warrior to A Fault

2010-11-26T21:22:00.009+08:00

When promising jockey Stathi Katsidis died last Oct. 19, 2010 of an undetermined cause many believed the upcoming fight between his younger brother, Michael Katsidis and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez was going to be cancelled, or at least most would have cancelled it had they been in his shoes undergoing such a tragic loss within the family. But “Mick” shows us that he can take a hit as much as he can give ‘em and publicly dedicates this fight to his brother, earning the profound respect from his peers and people around the boxing community.

There is no doubt as to what the Australian national Michael Katsidis brings to the table. As always in his boxing career he comes to fight, except this time we can expect his efforts to double after his dedication becomes fueled by his recent personal loss which does not bode well for any fighter on the opposing corner. Katsidis has turned a bad situation around, making things work his favor and that is the X-factor coming in- on how it affects his training and performance come fight time. But if there is any pugilist out there in his weight class who can handle this kind of surging pressure it is also no other than the legendary Juan Manuel Marquez, who is popularly known among fight fans for having neutralized the Pacific Storm, Pound for Pound king, Manny Pacquiao in their past fights up to the extent where many even insist he had won. So when you have an impassioned brawler in Michael Katsidis meet “Dinamita” Marquez come Nov.27, 20120 boxing fans all over the world can expect war to erupt in the ring. And if Jim Lampley will be ringside doing the commentaries on that bout expect a series of “Kabooms” coming your way.

Michael katsidis is presumed to be the stronger fighter as against Marquez and at 30 years of age he has youth working to his advantage. Juan Manuel is currently 37 years old and some boxing pundits and writers think he has lost a step based on his recent fights, especially that against Mayweather Jr., and no longer has what it takes to survive against a pressure fighter like the Australian. That may be the case, but I beg to differ. In my humble opinion I think the future hall of famer Mexican boxer will handle Katsidis another convincing loss. I think a strong Katsidis will lose to a supposedly slower Marquez.

Michael katsidis fights one way which makes him very predictable. Impassioned as he may seem, Team Marquez can be assured he will come to fight them head on when the time comes, which is just about the kind of fighter that fits perfectly into Marquez’ counter-punching style. Many argue that Marquez had lost a step against Mayweather ‘cause of his added poundage, fighting two weight classes above his division, which is right. But more importantly he fought a different fight that night being the aggressor. That is not how he has built his winning career. Marquez is a counter puncher and needs an offensive fighter to make him look good and Michael Katsidis fits that label. I believe the latter will make Marquez look very good, plus the fact that he doesn’t have much defense being preoccupied mostly on bringing on the fight, constantly moving forward.

Katsidis fought against Juan Diaz and Joel Casamayor, both of whom have lost soundly to Marquez. While some might say Casamayor hit Katsidis with a lucky punch at the tenth round to win the fight via stoppage, we should also not forget that he had floored Katsidis TWICE at the first round as well, so skills and not just luck should have played a major role too. Skills aside, Katsidis may be a durable warrior, but so is Marquez. Believe me, if he could withstand a Pacman offense, he’ll handle Katsidis well. All these factors at hand and add up the fact that Michael Katsidis is a bleeder, suffering cuts around the eyes quite easily, and with no decent defense to cover up his wounds, an accurate counter puncher like Marquez can take advantage of this and have the fight stopped, if he doesn’t have enough power to knock him out.

Without the element of surprise, Michael Katsidis is a warrior to a fault.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Boricua Boxing New:http://boricuaboxing.com/michael-katsidis-a-true-warrior-to-a-fault/

Philboxing:http://philboxing.com/news/story-47756.html

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Boxing Trivia

2010-11-20T21:19:00.000+08:00

The great Salvador Sanchez, who died when his car rear ended a chicken truck on a Mexican road going nearly 100 MPH, old sly Sal was returning to his training camp in the early morning hours after a “booty” call.

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

Two Bishops Can’t Checkmate The King

2010-11-17T12:34:00.001+08:00

Almost in the same breadth that in this modern day and age presidents can govern over nations from an aircraft thousands of feet above the air Manny Pacquiao’s job as a congressman of the province of Saranggani, Philippines does not cease the moment he steps out of his office, nor is it suspended when he travels from one place to another for business or for pleasure, or, when he trains for a fight- which only happens once or twice a year. Thanks to modern day technology we can all be practically anywhere at once, and it was even portrayed in HBO’s 24/7 coverage that even in the height of his boxing training at the Wild Card Gym in California, Manny has remained in touch with his advisers from thousands of miles away. Mr. Pacquiao is many things to different people, which is how he got referred to as the ultimate multi-tasker. To the notion that each and every one of us are individually special, Manny is like no other Manny. He just cannot sit idle and prefers to always push his limits.

He may not be from Harvard but Manny’s quite good at everything he does. It’s been all praises for Manny from the Philippine’s commander in chief, Congress believes he is doing a great job so far as a public servant, the last time I checked the constituents from Saranggani province are solid behind his back, heck, the whole country was practically shouting his name during his boxing match against Antonio Margarito. Everyone seems to agree and give him the thumbs up sign except for two bishops who were reported to have called for his retirement from the sport, calling it a conflict of interest and that it’s time for him to attend to his constituents. Was he ever disconnected from them in the first place? If Manny Pacquiao was a clerk or had a 8 hour job, that would be a different story, but no. He’s in it 24 hours a day. If it makes anyone feel better, being on-call twenty four hours makes Manny on the job even as he sleeps.

In a country where the good news are mostly overshadowed by dire issues that seem more and more insurmountable each year, Manny Pacquiao brings hope. Each time he climbs up the ring he reminds the Filipino that nothing is impossible through hard work and determination. He is a true practitioner of the values our churches preach, a man of faith and honesty and unwavering humility in the face of great power. Manny is a living example with whom the Filipino citizens can truly relate to because he is one of them and just about looks as ordinary as one Juan. Not only is he an Ambassador of boxing, but a Philippine Ambassador to the world by elevating the country and the good old Filipino values back to the spotlight.

I’m not saying Manny should continue to fight or that he should retire anytime soon. All I’m saying is that it’s nobody else’s call but Manny’s. It’s best that we know our place.

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva

MERCY IN THE RING

2010-11-15T12:43:00.001+08:00

At some point in that long, arduous and deadly twelve round stretch the fight should have been stopped but it kept rolling. I wanted to hear what Coach Robert Garcia was saying in his corner but the cameras were too far to capture his words clearly and the din of the crowd was peaking. His fighter had not won a single round even at his most conditioned outing and was now weak and two steps slower, careless in his attacks and his ripped opponent kept taking advantage of this sloppiness with tremendous counters in unexpected angles that would only increase dramatically as the fight went on. That fight should have been stopped, but Robert Garcia refused to throw the towel even when it became evident that his fighter had lost any hope of winning and his health quickly deteriorating. What was that great Mexican coach and former world boxing champion himself thinking.

Those sharp Mexican eyes were now reduced to slits and the toughness, at least in the surface was now gone and replaced with bewilderment. It was that same kind of confusion that hovers over whenever you know you’ve done all you can, laid down your best efforts and still end up a mile short from your goal. Wrap scandals aside, Margarito is a hard worker. He trains hard, hits hard and is a current record holder for most punches in a fight. He’s done all he can and still ends up destroyed. The great writer Ernest Hemingway once wrote “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” But I think Tony Margarito has reached that borderline, that spot where he is destroyed forever and still lives to suffer witnessing it.

Manny Pacquiao, now an 8-time world champion in as many weight classes, has been stellar all night at the Dallas Stadium as he pummeled his foe to victory. He’s received accolades from celebrities and his peers like rising Puerto Rican pugilist Juan Manuel Lopez and the extremely talented Pinoy boxer Nonito Donaire Jr., and one writer even referred to him as an interplanetary being just as Michael Jordan was at his prime. Well, if Manny is indeed from out of this world maybe I can talk him into abducting me ‘cause I want to be able to move like him and punch as much without being exhausted. But if he isn’t human, how can he be so humane? If there’s one thing that amazes me about Manny Pacquiao beyond anything else it’s his touch of humanity. And even with so much down the line, and all the pride and money involved in that fight last Nov.13, 2010 in Dallas against Margarito, Pacman showed mercy in the ring and I believe he carried Tony Margarito through the last rounds, or at least in the Twelfth. He had retained the condition, speed, and power to stump what was left of the Tijuana rubble yet refused not to. Instead he “carried him” ‘til the end. He could have thrown haymakers if he wanted to and knock the living daylights out of Tony; it was obvious he was very much capable still and full of energy but he merely threw smothering punches just to get it over with. When asked about this at the end of the fight he simply said “Boxing is not about killing each other.”

Antonio Margarito may have been all gory, puffed up and barely recognizable at the end but the truth is that Manny helped him save face. Manny Pacquiao afforded mercy for his foe even when his own coach, Robert Garcia could not.

Also published at:

Boricua Boxing News: http://boricuaboxing.com/mercy-in-the-ring/
Philboxing: http://philboxing.com/news/story-46959.html

Mark F. Villanueva

Philippine Islands

boxinginsight.blogspot.com

Mark currently lives in Iloilo City and can be followed through http://twitter.com/markfvillanueva