The Clamour That Is Mayweather Versus Berto

Andre Berto's road to Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a short substandard path. He's basically fought only once a year since 2012 yet still lost twice in the process; once against Robert Guerrero who lost against Mayweather in 2013.  Early this year he fought for an Interim WBA Welterweight title against Josesito Lopez, whose best days were down at the Lightweight Division, and won by TKO.   While Andre Berto is not an elite level fighter he has always been entertaining to watch.  You watch him with a sort of sorry for an unfulfilled promise and underdeveloped talent.  He has memorable fights against Victor Ortiz, Luis Collazo, and Soto-Karass, etc.  But even during Andre Berto's heydays as a prizefighter it is unlikely that he stood a chance against a now 38 year old Floyd Mayweather whose boxing skills prove timelessly polished.  It seems the once promising Berto is now reduced to a cheap show in favor of the best boxer in the world, except the PPV won't be cheap come September 12.

 There are other fighters out there who are more deserving of a chance to fight Mayweather this September, such as American boxer Keith Thurman who has an unblemished fight record of 26-0-1, or economy-wise, Amir Khan could bring in serious money from the U.K. market and he's been calling out to Mayweather for some time now.  I could go on with a list of names of other boxers, but none of that should matter.  The only opinion on the subject that matters is that of Floyd Mayweather's.  In fact, if you are still disappointed up to this point of the latter's formal announcement to fight Andre Berto perhaps the ultimate statement of the event has been missed.  

Mayweather fights whomever he wants to fight in his time and under his rules.  He projects his fashionable life as some sort of a contrarian statement, always dissenting, rebellious, yet extremely successful.  His contract dealings with other fighters can be as unfair as the life he once experienced in Grand Rapids, Michigan being born poor, in a troubled household, and born to drug addicted parents.  A life he overcame without proper guidance, by his own volition, and in his own terms to be the richest athlete in the world today regardless of sport.  I do not for a moment doubt the gravity of his credo in life which he chants "Hard work" and "Dedication" when he trains in his gym as hard as he had to turn his life around.  He has practically earned everything that he has today the hard way and only that one person who's been with him along the way and through the years of struggle deserves to share the credit: himself.  Yet in the same coin, a lot of other fighters, too, have fought and sacrificed so much to deserve to fight him.  

Great boxers in the past have chosen to fight lesser opponents at times.  Even Manny Pacquiao fought a human punching bag in Rios via PPV and a growing consensus says Andre Berto is Pacquiao's Algieri.  But Floyd Mayweather is not supposed to be like any boxer.  He is not Manny Pacquiao and even thinks he is better than Muhammad Ali.  He consistently says he is The Best Ever but not without repercussions. 

When one talks about greatness and preaches greatness, the people shall demand that same claimed greatness in return, and expect something greater and greater each time without forgiveness, and that is the trouble. 




Mark F. Villanueva
www.boxinginsight.blogspot.com
Twitter: @Markfvillanueva
Email: Markfvillanueva@gmail.com

Boxing Insight: Scott Quigg Versus Kiko Martinez

It nearly took three years for Kiko "La Sensacion" Martinez to get a shot to avenge his first knockout loss against Irish Carl Frampton back in Feb. 9, 2013.  Along that arduous process of redeeming himself he won the IBF Super Bantamweight title against Jonatan Romero, made two successful defenses by knocking out both opponents Jeffrey Mathebula and Hozumi Hasegawa, but the questions in his mind borne on one bad night remained.   These doubts fueled his desire to train harder as before until he finally earned a rematch in September 6, 2014 but only to end up losing once again to the same feisty Irishman.

At the Manchester Arena last July 18, 2015 the WBA Super Bantamweight champion Scott Quigg stepped inside the ring to bar the Spanish brawler's road back to redemption.  Quigg started to come in, athletic as always, and control the center only to feel the heaviness of determination of Kiko Martinez, whose swarming, brawling style of fighting had earned him a record of 32-5.  Although undefeated, Scott Quigg had earlier recognized this match up as the biggest test of his career, given Martinez' overall experience, and since Quigg had never fought outside his country.  With Martinez putting on the pressure, the Englishman was sidetracked, and kept moving clockwise around the ring.  Kiko Martinez raised his punch output and the WBA champion covered his head with both arms up.  There was constant movement and pressure pushing outward and around the rim like oil in a glass full of water.  And like water, Martinez dominated the first round.

The second round ensued with a faster paced Kiko Martinez, who was determined to trap Quigg in a corner and break his defensive science, as a swarmer ought to do.  He kept lunging in with bigger steps now in a momentum of a diesel engine, and the undefeated Quigg did not punch enough to dislodge that pressure.  He did not throw enough jabs to at least keep his foe at bay.  Martinez was catching up increasingly with growing confidence.  If it went on to the hilt in this manner he certainly looked like he could win it, and he'd be a world champion once more.  He threw a jab that was followed with a limp.  At first I thought Kiko Martinez weaved in anticipation of a counter that did not come.  It came simultaneously from underneath his left jab that landed on his chin. The sequence had a striking similarity against his first encounter with Frampton who struck him with a right hand too.  It was a right uppercut this time.  A projectile that unmasked the force that pushes all fighters to be at their very best. Quigg smothered Martinez till he started to sway and fall with his back on the floor.  The turnaround of events happened fast and so unexpectedly that as Martinez fell for the second and final time his hopes for a comeback fizzled into dredges at the very bottom of his spirit.

I hope to pen my insights on Scott Quigg versus Nonito Donaire or Guillermo Rigondeaux next.  We hope Kiko Martinez finds himself in this helical stage of his career.


Mark F. Villanueva
www.boxinginsight.blogspot.com
Email: MarkFVillanueva@Gmail.com
Twitter: @MarkFVillanueva

Invisible Collazo

After months of preparation and a steady yet losing early couple of rounds, an invisible Luis Collazo started to emerge for the first time in the third round.    He started to close the gap by cutting off the ring while his undefeated opponent, a power puncher and knockout artist, oddly enough, started to veer away to circle around the ring.  He would come up with a number of combinations but the tide kept moving forward and he had to fight as he might never had to against Collazo, who could not be accused of not having fought the best opposition during his prime.  Keith Thurman must have been glad to be fighting an older version of the fighter as he kept up a circuitous fray.

The former world champion kept pressing the action in the following round, hitting and not being bothered at all if he missed a punch or two, which showed the amount of energy he has in reserve and was willing to expend, that showed a glimpse of how hard he had trained.  Luis Collazo's tattoo covered body gleamed in the spotlight as it had when he became a champion a decade ago, saying something, roaring, wanting to be heard- as it had not been probably since he fought Ricky Hatton in 2006- a fight which in his mind he should have won.  He planted a booming counter punch with his left hand that almost cut down Keith Thurman after an industrious work to the body.

Luis Collazo is now heard and seen, and it was an ominous sight.

Keith Thurman did not fare too well since Collazo had started to lobby his case but bravely fought even in backing up.  It might not have made things easier for him knowing that he had so much to lose at this surging stage of his career.  He knows he has the advantage in youth and brute strength but suddenly Collazo's jabs started to find its target.  Thurman was no longer as invincible as the media have painted him to be.  He could also see that Collazo's sharp cuts started to swell up his right eye.

The hardest punch is one you do not see.  Luis Collazo fought by instinct, rhythm, with a limited view from his left.  He could not see from his swollen right eye and dripping blood that seeped in and disrupted his sight. Volleys from the right flank were all ghost punches now and came harder than it normally does. Keith Thurman, who prides himself for his power, now capitalized on the situation with left hooks to Collazo's head.  The latter still tried to move forward and set up traps but has become an easier target and a tad slow to react to lateral movements, especially towards his blind side.  It was all red darkness in the drowning din of the arena. Luck, if a man of faith ever believes in it, has ran out.  His punches at certain angles were prayers that were responded to with hard combinations. It was all Keith "One Time" Thurman now in a slightly rejuvenated state.

By the end of the seventh round, when asked if he wanted to end the fight, Collazo responded "I can't see..."

There were cheers and some that used to be for him had turned to boos as Keith Thurman celebrated his victory up on the ropes.  They now say the fighter who could barely see his opponent was a quitter, although he had never quit in a fight before; even if he had fought Shane Mosley for twelve rounds with an injured left hand that required surgery afterward.  He was no longer brave enough in just moments after he was actually winning it.  The fifteen year stoical veteran who has always fought as a perennial underdog, whose resilience and integrity I would not question was once again becoming imperceptible.

"You fought well my friend. Chin up. I hope you'll be okay soon." I said.

"I'm sorry about the results." replied a plaintive Luis.

"I suffered two bad cuts.  I could not see in the last round from the right eye."

I told him what many wanted to know. "People are saying you quit back there against Thurman. But I've never seen you quit before and that gives you integrity.  It is for you and no one else. You don't have to answer to that."

But Luis Collazo answered anyway, albeit indirectly " Yeah, hey! People are going to say what they want at the end of the day. It does not matter.  I know who I am and what I represent."

Life does not give favors even to good men.  It does not matter if one has done much good one gets it just the same or even worse if you are mistaken.  While a known criminal deserves a day in court, good men are ipso facto guilty until proven otherwise.

Follow Mark via Twitter @MarkFVillanueva

Vinny the Dentist, Long Island's 80-year-old boxer

Vinny Savino, a dentist from Brookville, turned to boxing to help overcome the hardships in his life. Savino, 80, has forged a bond with the young fighters at the Westbury Boxing Gym. Newsday followed Savino for nearly a year to tell his story in this in-depth video feature . (Newsday / Chris Ware, Robert Cassidy)

Click here 

P.S. Thanks to Tommy "The Razor" Rainone for sharing this story.