Where Were You?
Due to the importance of “the fight” for the annuals of the sport and the build up of the past several years it will be one of those “where were you moments” when recalling your exact location when the Mayweather Pacquiao announcement was made. Mayweather Pacquiao, May 2, MGM Grand Las Vegas. The journey was long but we will now finally see arguably the two best fighters of their generation square off.
Agreed, this fight should ideally have been made years ago but it wasn’t so get over it. This is boxing and if history has taught us anything it’s that things don’t always happen as they should. The alternative would have been that the fight was never made and then what, listen to decades of debate? No thanks, this is good for the sport and for the legacy of both fighters. You still have the top P4P fighter in the game facing a top three P4P fighter.
Standing-8 was in Las Vegas.
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Gennady Golovkin (32-0 29 KO) was relentless in his 11th Round TKO defeat of Martin Murray (29-2-1 12 KO) in Monte Carlo on Saturday night. GGG bloodied and bruised Murray while dropping him three times in route to the stoppage at 2:10 of the eleventh.
From the opening bell, Golovkin did what he does best, attack, attack, attack. Golovkin cut off the ring and swarmed Murray. Using precise, accurate, and economical punches, Golovkin systematically broke Murray down throughout the fight by landing hooks to the body (some of which dropped Martin), and combinations to the head which included a few timely uppercuts.
Murray is one tough dude with a hell of a beard. He was game throughout the fight, and won a few rounds while having plenty of moments throughout the fight. Murray was able to land overhand rights on Golovkin and work his body but could not do so with any type of consistency due to Golovkin’s constant pressure.Murray landed some very sharp hard punches on Golovkin but simply could not hurt him.
It’s hard to find a negative after such a dominating performance but Golovkin’s defense was a bit porous. Going forward it may pose a problem against a heavy-handed opponent or a boxer/puncher.
Nonetheless, Golovkin looked amazing and upped his consecutive knockout streak to 19.
Boxcino- Time for the Bigs
The Boxcino heavyweight quarterfinals got underway this past Friday night, here is a recap of the tournament openers=
Donovan Dennis 11-1 (9 KO) vs. Steve Vukosa 10-1 (4KO)
Dennis knocked Vukosa down in the third and although Vukosa was able to make it to the bell, he was stopped in the fourth. Dennis dominated all aspects of the fight prior to the stoppage.
Dennis, the Davenport, Iowa native is probably the best pure boxer of the bunch with the quickest hands however he will need to tighten his defense up a bit as he has shown that he can be hit.
Said Dennis, “I took what I could get. I was patient. I was disappointed they stopped it. I had more to show. I’m just looking to get better.”
Dennis will now face the 6’7 Romanian Razvan Cojanu in the semi-finals because…….
Razvan Cojanu 13-1 (7 KO) vs. Ed Fountain 10-1 (4 KO)
Cojanu had his hands full against the undersized and less experienced Fountain. So much in fact that their fight was called a draw after six rounds causing the two combatants to have to fight a seventh and deciding round. Fountain had a chance here but was fatigued which allowed Cojanu to lean on him and do enough to win the round and as a result, the fight.
Cojanu said afterward, “I couldn’t see anything. I was fighting with one eye. Buddy (McGirt) told me to jab and it worked”
Countered Fountain, ” I fought hard, The ref didn’t help. I’ll see Cojanu again after the tournament.”
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Andrey Fedosov 26-3 ( 21 KO ) vs. Nate Heaven 9-2 (7 KO)
Fedosov was dominating in his first round destruction of Heaven. Fedosov dropped Heaven with a left hook and although Heaven was able to get to his feet, he was hit by another left hook and stopped.
“Everything went to plan. Shorten the distance and use my power. That’s what happened.” Said Fedosov
Fedosov is undersized but his opponents should beware, Fedosov could be the sleeper in the tournament.
Fedosov will now face Lenroy Thomas because….
Jason Estrada 20-5 (6 KO) vs. Lenroy Thomas 18-3 (9 KO)
Estrada and Thomas fought a pretty close fight, so close that they had to go to a seventh round tie breaker. Thomas did enough in the deciding round to take the victory but it really shouldn’t have come to that as he had controlled the fight with his height and reach and exposed Estrada as the last-minute replacement that he was.
Back To The Future
Al Haymon continued his old school approach inking PBC with CBS. (See article below)
Remember The Alamo
Canelo Alvarez had threatened to challenge Mayweather’s May 2 date but since “the fight” was made, he moved his fight against James Kirkland a week later to May 9 from the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Standing-8 