This weeks v8

Jones/Hopkins: An Evolution Comes Full Circle

It's been 17 years in the making and many things have happened during that frame, but never-the-less, we now stand only a few days from one of the biggest fights of the year. In Bernard Hopkins we have not only a defensively gifted fighter, but also one known to open up his offense when he has what he perceives as a wounded prey standing before him. In Roy Jones jr., you have easily and arguably the most physically gifted fighter, probably in any era of the sport. Time has managed to take a certain level of greatness from these two legends, but one of them is still a P4P contender, and the other - despite losing a few of those key attributes - still has an ego that looms larger than any in the sport. May not sound like a lot, but with a level of hatred that spans nearly two decades, that's all he may need to cook up something we'll all find ourselves anxious to eat from.....yet again. No one knows how this will end up, but if it's anything like the way these two respective careers began, prepare for one helluva night of boxing. Best wishes to both men...but only one can win. The time has come gentlemen......protect yourselves at all time! As for the fans....lets get ready to rumble!!!!!!!!!!

Dirrell/Ward: Burger King or McDonalds?

Quick lesson in fast foods......The motto at Burger King is "Have it your way". The catch phrase at McDonald's is "I'm lovin' it"! If placed in a dialogue, it would make sense that they would go together, because we'd all be "lovin' it" if we could all "have it our way". Trouble is, we can't.....and this is precisely where the problems come in for Michigan native Andre Dirrell and his next opponent in the Super-6 Tournament, Oakland's Andre Ward. In the past two stages of the tournament, Andre Ward has fought in his hometown, and his promoter vowed that this won't change in stage 3. Gary Shaw (promoter of Andre Dirrell) has said in so many words, there's no way in hell he'd go for that, as every other fighter in the tournament has had to get the job done on the road at some point, so Ward should as well. Fair is fair, and as great as Ward is, he should in fact prove that he can get the job done outside of his own backyard. Mickey "D"'s has the best fries, and Burger King has the best burgers, but you can't have both of them without going to both places. Moral of my story........None of us "love it" when we can't "have it our way", but we all eventually learn to get over it, as once again.....fair is fair! These two sides may not agree, but just like the two fast food chains, they wouldn't be the great rivals they are if they did. Stop the yap and make it happen, fellas!

Haye/Ruiz Set to Role Play?

Ever since making a splash in the heavyweight division, David Haye has often spoken loud, but perhaps not as clear as many of us would like. We continue to hear the Klitschko name come from his mouth, yet we've yet to see him face one. We continue to hear conversation about how he's gonna take the division by storm, yet he's yet to really do it. In many ways, he's the best thing that could have happened to the division, but the flipside of that coin is that like the other two examples, he still has "yet to do it". This weekend, he'll face a man who tends to talk less, but 'act' more. Prior to the initial bell, Haye will be the talker, while Ruiz will continue to be known as the "quiet man". Considering that Ruiz has typically backed up is few words and Haye hasn't always done so, I really wonder how these roles will be played when it's all said and done. Call me crazy, but I have a strange feeling that the 'quiet man' may be talkin', and the big mouth may be humbled. To those that questioned Roy Jones' victory over Ruiz, a win over Haye at this older age against a young stallion will make things a bit more clear. Remember where you heard it first.

Pacquiao/Mayweather: A Matter of P.M.S.

Recently, the level of attention surrounding a possible Pacquiao/Mayweather showdown have resurfaced. When you think about the way things have gone between the two, there are a lot of ways to describe them. Some would say pretty juvenile. Others may say pretty pathetic. I'd say pretty feminine like, because it all stems around an acronym that ties these actions to the ladies. That acronym is P.M.S.! No, this isn't to say the two men bleed every 30 days. It's simply to say that a deeper look exposes the fact that the core issues here all surround a great struggle over POWER and MONEY, which combined can only equal a ridiculous SATIRE. It has all become so absurd to the point where these men both are easily more humorous than harmful to opponents and fans alike. Mayweather demanding a test to "help clean up the sport"....Pacquiao refusing a test to clean up the sport, despite being the biggest ambassador of it. None of it makes sense anymore, and somewhere between the lines is the blunt reality that this fight will never happen. I really wish these two would just man up, but when it comes to this classic case of P.M.S., perhaps there's no way to do so. Besides....Shane Mosley may have a thing or two to say about this anyway. Lets stay tuned and see.

Joan Guzman: Fat Chance for a 'Fat Man'!

Joan Guzman has become an absolute disgrace to the sport. Many jumped on Mayweather for missing a weight limit of 144lbs against Marquez, but to his defense, at least he tried. How do you support a man who shows up 9lbs (yeah, 9lbs) overweight, and has the audacity to act surprised on the scale? He has never lost a fight, but in principle alone, he remains a very defeated character, as this was as disgusting as it gets. He never stopped eating, he never started training, and never intended to play equally when he signed the contract. Very disappointing, and as far as me ever supporting him again.....there's a fat chance that I'll be watchin' this 'fat man'!

Miguel Cotto: Retire? Who Said I Would Retire?

Miguel Cotto has recently decided to do something that he probably should have done a while back. The fact that he chose to do it now makes you wonder, though, whether or not he actually plans on sticking around longer than he initially said. Only a few months ago, he stated that he was gonna be done in the sport by the end of 2010 at the very latest. Hiring Emanuel Steward, however, was not a one fight plan. It would simply make no sense. So other than those tattoos, what exactly does Cotto have up his sleeves? Could a Pacquiao rematch be in the plans? Could a Mosley rematch be in the plans? Could a Mayweather victory produce a showdown many of us would have loved to see? All valid question....soon to be answered. We don't know how the tandem will work, but for once, Cotto will have a pure fundamentalist in his corner with sound advice who won't allow him to bully them around. This could get real entertaining. Stay tuned.

Arthur Abraham: High Budget, Low Class

Last Saturday's night fight between Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell was a great fight with a horrible ending. What was most disappointing was the fact that the ending didn't have to go the way it did. Some found it as a way to question Dirrell, but clearly, the action that took place was an instinctive move that cost Abraham the fight, and could have cost his opponent his life. Seeing Dirrell crying in the ring thinking he was KO'd was a very scary feeling, medically, but knowing it didn't have to happen that way shed light on a very strong truth about the sweet science. That truth is that they call it a 'hurt game' for a reason. It was an amateur move by a professional athlete, and it's very disturbing to see a high budget show end up with such a low class move. Hopefully, for Abraham, it's a lesson learned.

Ana Julaton: Down....Not Out...Not (Even) Close!

Filipina Ana Julaton found herself on the losing end last Saturday up in Canada to the native child, Lisa Brown. It was a great rise to stardom for Ana, and contrary to what some seem to think, that rise isn't quite over, yet. After speaking to Ana and her team, it became very clear that the game plan calls for a forward motion, and the sky is the limit, because there's no question she'll have her hand raised high in it when it's all said and done. NBA Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley always said that "in every loss or setback, there's a seed of benefit equivalence". For some, that statement is too deep to uncover. For those who don't get it, keep your eyes on Julaton and watch how a loss can bring torrential gains! Down?....Yeah, maybe for a little bit....But out?.....Not even close!

(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vwallace@8countnews.com, Youtube (VIVEK1251), Twitter (VIVEK747), Facebook, and Myspace)