Was Kermit (Cintron) Just Being A 'Frog'?

Congrats to Congress-Man(ny) Pacquiao!

A resume containing future hall-of-famer's in the likes of Barrera, Marquez, Hatton, De la Hoya, and Morales........Amazing. 7 world titles in 7 different weight divisions.....unreal. Having the ability to do something far more grand than either of those accomplishments like win a congressional seat in your homeland.....priceless! Running such a campaign didn't come without a cost, but the immeasurable level of success Pacquiao now enjoys is something money simply can't buy! Congrats to our brother in boxing and friend from the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao on a job well done.

Was Kermit (Cintron) Just Being A 'Frog'?

Last Saturday night as I watched the Williams/Cintron debacle unfold, all I can remember thinking to myself was "wow, how did boxing manage to produce yet another ugly night that failed to render any conclusive results? After tons of phone calls, emails, and text messages from other disgruntled fight fans, I skimmed across one email in particular where a fan was compelled to blame Cintron for what he termed "intentionally jumping from the ring". Never one to shoot a theory down without seeking the truth, courtesy of DVR, I went back and watched the sequence of events probably 18 to 20 times. I won't jump out on a limb in support of this theory, but after further review, there's no question Cintron pushed off on the left foot. I would love to believe that it was simply instinctive, but there's no question that Cintron's reputation for a perceived lack of heart precedes him, and in this case, it left many fight fans (now myself included) wondering if he 'found' a way out. No question he was landing the better shots, but moments after Williams landed his best of the night is when this happened, and laying down motionless for 5minutes, then saying he "wanted to continue", yet having a ringside doctor saying Cintron said the exact opposite until he realized the fight would go to the cards didn't help his case at all. I can't condemn the man, but damn......somethin' in this milk ain't clean, Gene!

Amir Khan: Big Fight, Big Mistake?
 
 Saturday night's main event between Malignaggi and Khan started as a surprise and will end as one. Malignaggi isn't a powerful fighter at all, but his skills were very good and have gotten far better under the watchful eye of new trainer Sherif Younan. This whole 'new trainer' element could be an ominous thing for Khan, as many probably the eery sequence of events leading up to recent night in the ring where his then new trainer, Jorge Rubio, suggested a man who was meant to be a stepping stone (Bredis Prescott) and watched that man change Khan's career forever. The surprising element from the very start surrounds the fact that despite the promise he shows, it's a bit difficult to envision how or why GBP and Freddie Roach felt comfortable placing Khan in the ring with a seasoned vet like Malignaggi on Mali's home turf, considering Khan's career opposition to date, to begin with. The surprising element in the end could be the fact that this feather-fisted fighter has more heart than Khan may be ready to deal with. Few prospects have the natural tools that Khan possess, but by the end of the night, somehow, I feel this could turn out to be all wrong for him.....again. Stay tuned.

 Campbell/Ortiz: 1 and Done, or Done in 1?
 
This Saturday night, Nate Campbell will hop back into the ring after a pretty lengthy time off, which happens to follow not-so-pleasant outing, albeit one he had zero control over. Prior to the awkward outing with Bradley, Campbell encountered a see-saw like emotional rollercoaster as he became the unified lightweight champ against Diaz in a career defining performance, yet lost the belts on the scales before a gutsy win over Funeka. These recent turbulent times in the career of Campbell have some wondering which Campbell will show up against Ortiz come fight night? For anyone who dare ask that question, here's a quick and painless answer......Yes, Ortiz has KO power, but the kid truly lacks heart, which is something Campbell carries by the pound! Yes, some may view it as a crossroads fight, as a lost would do everything BUT help the loser. That being said, with so much to gain and even more to lose, don't expect Campbell to be "done in 1"....but another weak and heartless effort by Ortiz could signal him going "1 and done", (as in one more lost resulting in his loss of a thriving career).
 
Mayweather/Pacquiao: Back To The Drawing Board

With the Mayweather/Mosley showdown now between us, the focus shifts yet again to Manny Pacquiao. The last time these two teams got together to sketch out the details of this showdown, fight fans were left with a picture that wasn't quite clear. 4 months and two dominating performances later suddenly, the pencils are sharp, the message is clear, and the men who need to deliver it (Bob Arum and Oscar De la Hoya) are said to be at the drawing board yet again forming a masterplan to make the fight happen. A week ago, I reported through unspecified sources that the tentative date would be November 13th at the MGM Grand and few seemed to believe it. Now that Arum has openly confirmed this possibility, I wonder if the non-believers have glanced back at that 'drawing board' identified the 'vision'?

Paul Williams: Ounce for Ounce, Is He Really Pound for Pound (Worthy)?
 
Paul Williams remains one of the most intriguing fighters in the sport. Typically, intrigue is a good thing. In this case, however, it remains unknown. Some think he's the ultimate mismatch. Others find him to be far from gifted, with an ability to use long wingspan and solid punch output to conceal a not so solid chin. Whatever the case may be, the jury remains out and last weeks fight did little to bring them in with conclusive evidence that he's as good as he says he is. In an era of the sport that remains driven by marketing hype and self-promotion, when you get beyond the words and look at the results, it's still very hard to argue with those who feel Williams could still be a few ounces short of that highly acclaimed 'pound'. Too be continued.

Freddie Roach: I Can't Go For That.....No, No.....No Can Do!

Amir Khan recently stated that after Malignaggi he wants Mayweather or Pacquiao. Roach didn't have anything to say on the Mayweather issue, but made it very clear that a fight with Pacquiao's is "not happenin'"! After admitting to wanting to "clean out the jr. welterweight division", Roach stated that when those plans are completed, MAYBE they can consider Mayweather at that point. What was never clear was whether or not they would speed that process up if Mayweather is in fact successful against Pacquiao if and when the two meet? As of now, it all remains a question mark, but the one thing we do know is that for Khan, Pacquiao is off limits....and on a personal note, I say that for Khan, that's unquestionably better for him, as Pacquiao would have no problem pulling the curtains in that affair. Sad but true.....

Pavlik Parts, Martinez Marks.....

Kelly Pavlik has officially shot down his option to face Martinez again by making his intention to move north in weight to the super-middleweight division known. Now that he has officially parted directions, Martinez is said to open, ready, and willing to face Mayweather with any test he would like. Call me crazy, but why are we in the sport even REMOTELY entertaining the possibility of a welterweight (Mayweather) and a jr. middleweight (Martinez) fighting for a middleweight title THAT NEITHER ONE CAN DEFEND? Has it come down to this level of desperation, ladies and gents? I don't get it....And I won't try anymore. With or without the Pacquiao fight, this is one showdown I could care less to see, as it does very little but add to one mans legacy, which still won't subtract from the questions that surround him.

(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, Youtube (VIVEK1251), Twitter (VIVEK747), Facebook, and Myspace).