Boxing: Bradley vs Holt

[H2O Man]

SATURDAY - at Dusseldorf, Germany - 12 rounds, heavyweights: Alexander Povetkin (16-0, 12 KOs) vs. Jason Estrada (15-1, 3 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Montreal (Showtime) - 12 rounds, WBC super lightweight title: Timothy Bradley (23-0, 11 KOs) vs. Kendall Holt (25-2, 13 KOs); 12 rounds, super middleweights: Librado Andrade (27-2, 21 KOs) vs. Vitali Tsypko (22-2, 12 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Austin, Texas (HBO PPV) - 12 rounds, vacant WBC lightweight title: Edwin Valero (24-0, 24 KOs) vs. Antonio Pitalua (46-3, 40 KOs); 12 rounds, lightweights: Carlos Hernandez (43-7-1, 24 KOs) vs. Vicente Escobedo (19-1, 12 KOs); 10 rounds, lightweights: Jesus Chavez (44-4, 30 KOs) vs. Michael Katsidis (24-2, 20 KOs); 10 rounds, lightweights: Julio Diaz (36-4, 26 KOs) vs. Rolando Reyes (30-4-2, 19 KOs).

There are several important fights this weekend, including the heavyweight match between Povetkin and Estrada. However, the most interesting fight should be the main event on Showtime, when Timothy Bradley and Kendall Holt meet in Montreal Although Ricky Hatton is the real Jr. Welterweight Champion – and will be defending against Manny Pacquiao in next month’s superfight – both the WBC and WBO titles are at stake in this battle.

Bradley vs Holt is the type of fight that can help the sport of boxing. It is, in many ways, something of a throw-back to the great fights that were televised in the 1950s and ‘60s, that appealed to boxing buffs and generic sports fans alike. It pits the classic "boxer versus puncher" in a contest to secure the right to challenge for the championship of one of boxing’s most talented divisions.

Bradley, 25, is an outstanding boxer. He is 5’ 6" tall, with a reach of 69 inches. He is not a naturally hard puncher, yet he demonstrates that in the ring that speed is power. This was evident when he decked Junior Witter last May, on his way to an upset victory. Still, since moving up in the ranks and competing with higher quality opponents, Bradley is satisfied to rely upon his boxing skills to win decisions.

Holt, 27, has some physical advantages: he stands 5’9" and has a 74" reach. While he has good boxing skills, he also likes to go toe-to-toe with opponents. He is best known for his two wars with Ricardo Torres. The 2007 fight in Columbia ended in a highly disputed way, when Holt was stopped in the 11th round, although he was ahead on two of the three judges’ score cards. Holt reversed that loss a year later, when after being decked twice, he KOed Torres in 61 seconds of the first round.

Those who watched the second Torres fight will recall that a collision of the fighters’ heads led to Torres being strung, unconscious, on the ropes. Referee Jay Nady started the count, thinking that Torres, who was in a squatting position, would stand up. When he recognized that Torres was out cold, Nady wisely stopped the fight.

This was not the first time Holt had been in a war where both fighters were decked. In his 2005 fight with undefeated David Diaz, Holt scored a 1st round knockdown, and was decked in the 7th round, before winning by a TKO in the next round. There tend to be more knockdowns when Holt is in the ring, than in Bradley’s fights.

A good case can be made for either of these warriors winning on Saturday. Bradley needs to keep the fight in the center of the ring, and control the pace. Holt is unlikely to out-box Bradley; instead, he needs to make it a grueling fight along the ropes. The chances are that both men will be able to fight their fight part of the time. It should come down to who can impose their will on the other.

Perhaps more so than in other settings, two important factors will be the choice of the referee, and of the judges. Holt has been known to bend the rules from time to time, including in his 2004 fight with Escobar, when he lost a point for low blows. He needs to have a referee that allows him to fight on the inside, and not break them too quickly. Also, Montreal has deservedly earned a reputation for questionable decisions – including calls by referees, and judges who tend to reward the fighter the promoters favor. It would be a shame if poor officiating decided the outcome of this fight.

[H2O Man]

1. ESPN FNF (4-3)

There is an IBF junior welterweight "title eliminator" match tonight on ESPN, between Randall Bailly and Francisco Figueroa. It should be a good fight, and is in keeping with Teddy Atlas's effort to bring a higher quality of competitive matches to the Friday Night Fights. The fight is being held in Memphis.

Bailey, 34, is 38-6. He has won 34 KOs, and two of his loses were by KO. The Florida native is 5'9" tall, with a 70" reach.

Bailey is a tough fighter who had some early loses to guys who were moving up towards the top ten in the division. In January of 2003, he lost a 12 round decision to prospect DeMarcus Corley, then 27-1-1. A year later, he was decisioned in 12 by Ishe Smith, then 13-0. Later that year, he was TKOed in 6 rounds by Miguel Cotto, then 21-0.

Unwilling to adopt the journeyman/trial horse status, Bailey has gone 10-1 since the loss to Cotto. And his only loss was a disputed, 12 round split decision that went to top contender Herman Ngoudjo. Bailey has two knockout wins since then, including one over Anthony Mora (15-1), plus a decision over Corley.

Figueroa, 30, has a 20-2 record, with 13 KO victories. He has lost two decisions, both relatively early in his career. He comes from the Bronx, and is 5'6" with a 66" reach.

The majority of his fights have been against soft opposition. Even in recent matches, he has faced opponents with records like 38-24-6, and 24-14-6.

He has won a couple of regional titles, including the NYS Jr. Welterweight, and the WBC Intercontinental Mundo Hispano Jr. Welterweight title. He has also defeated a few young prospects with good records. But tonight's fight is definitely a step up in class for him.

I'm expecting a good fight, where both men are looking to go toe-to-toe. Both fighters know that a win tonight will open the door to a big opportunity later this year, probably with the winner of Saturday night's fight. The loser will take a step closer to that journeyman status, and will become one of the division's gait-keepers, that the young lions target in order to make a reputation for themselves. That gives both guys the motivation to do their best tonight.

[bulldogge]

2. What

do you think of Valero? I have read a bit about him. I may be way off base but didn't he have something similar to Joe Mesi which led to him having a tough time getting matches in the US? I can't tell if he is the next John Mugabi in regards to every fight ending in a knock out or if he is fighting unqualified competition that only pads his record and creates the illusion he is a wicked fighter.

[bulldogge]

3. sorry

to bring this up on this forum but are you watching the situation in Binghamton? I am speechless.