This Weeks V8

Mexi-NO: Mexican Fight Fans Divided On Margarito

A little over a year ago, Mexican rugged-man Antonio Margarito found himself on the bitter end of a suspension at the hands of the California State Athletic Commission after his hand-wraps were found to be illegal in the locker room moments before his showdown with Shane Mosley. Over the course of that year, fight fans have found themselves on both sides of the fence, split relative to whether or not he should be allowed to continue his boxing career. Many from his very own homeland have found (somewhere in the kindness of their heart) the kindness to support him being allowed a second chance, while others aren't so nice. One major name of Mexican heritage has been very vocal in his "disgust" at Margarito being allowed to continue fighting. That name is Oscar De La Hoya. For the Goldenboy, it all comes down to the fact that Margarito and Arum have decided to avoid the state where the decision was made, substituting it with a state that now finds itself in the midst of what is sure to be a political battle. For California, such an event is a typical 'day-in-the-life', wherein with Dallas, Texas, in the football off-season, such an epic event could be an ultimate stimulant to the local economy, making it much more difficult for those parties involved to decline the fighters request (considering Margarito's ability to help energize the already huge local Mexican base - on top of Pacquiao's grand effort). Considering this truth, Oscar's concerns seem to lean more towards Margarito being given the 'nod' more out of circumstance, rather than true eligibility. Many of us haven't agreed with Oscar on too many things, but in this case, I think the Goldenboy clearly addressed what could be viewed as a silver-lining.

Gamboa: Cuba's Weapon of Mass Destruction

Yuriorkis Gamboa looked nothing short of spectacular in his recent performance against Mtagwa. Seems that every week some scribe around the sport has made a rather shallow attempt at locating the "next" Tyson, or the "next" Pacquiao. With much of his luck coming down on him lately, few have spoken openly of the "next" Roy Jones jr., but I'll be perfectly honest in saying that in my humble observation, I can't recall a young fighter whose speed and reflexes seem to resemble his more than Gamboa. Some may call it pre-ordained, or premature, but with the proper evolution and nurturing, I think this guy is well on his way. Not just for the speed and reflexes, but on a much deeper note, there's one other aspect of his game that resemble Jones. Trouble is, it's a side that any aspiring fighter may want the least. For decades, Jones was so much more physically gifted than his opposition that we never knew what he would be like once someone did "catch" him, and after years of dominance, Antonio Tarver helped us answer that question. At this stage, we haven't seen Gamboa taste a true fist of fury. Until then, he remains a Cuban weapon of mass destruction for the simple fact that he'll remain far more than ever meets the eye, yet we'll never truly know until someone is lucky enough to "catch" him. Stay tuned.

M-m-Manny P-p-Pacquiao St-st-Stutters (About Steroid Testing)

In a recent interview with ESPN's Brian Kenny, Filipino Manny Pacquiao broke his silence about the now flat-lined Mayweather negotiations. Floyd Mayweather jr. found himself on the hot seat with Kenny a few times in the past, but in this affair it was Pacquiao who Kenny decided to 'warm up'. Pacquiao initially cited that the testing would affect his "heavy training", then later stated that he won't concede to any conditions not required by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Both statements would make for a solid argument.....or.....well.....maybe at least they would have prior to all the other statements made by his team which didn't really help the cause. For anyone walking the middle-ground on this matter, there's truly no way to accurately know what the deal is here, but what we do know is that the same team that built him up helped critics effectively tear him down by saying things on record that consistently contradicted statements made prior. (Follow this link to read the article that inspired this segment: ESPN's BRIAN KENNY PLACES PACQUIAO ON THE 'HOT SEAT)

JuanMa's Puerto Rican Power: A Strength or a Weakness?

The island of Puerto Rico probably has more talent per capita (as it relates to boxing) than any other location on the globe. That being said, the big-3 that have recently tossed their name in the hat to succeed guys like Ortiz and Camacho have truly made me begin to wonder if the mold has in fact been broken. Felix Trinidad, Miguel Cotto, and now Juan Manuel Lopez have all proven to be sound fighters, but each has - at some point in their careers - also failed to evolve, all at the hands of marginal fundamental skills, as it relates to text book fundamental boxing. Trinidad was at the top of everyone's list globally until Hopkins showed us that outside of his patented left hook, he had few other weapons in the arsenal to cover a poor defense. Miguel Cotto - who was probably the closest to a pure boxer of the trio - seemed to be evolving well, but his mechanical nature forced him to take far more beatings than should be required to achieve victory as well. Enter JuanMa, the latest comer to the group who probably has the best room for growth based on his amateur background, yet his most recent outing made him again look rather ordinary. For the second fight in a row JuanMa has looked stagnant and failed to show the level of potential that many feel he embodies. Puerto Ricans have always been known for power in the ring, but that biggest strength has proven to be a biggest weakness. Ivan Calderon has KO'd a very desperate 6 men of 33 faced, yet being the least recognized of them all, he's the only one who has truly stood the test of time.

Clottey's Corner: Joshua Gets His Guy

Ghanaian native Joshua Clottey has found a familiar face to hover his corner against the sports most entertaining fighter. One that he feels could be the X-factor in his pending showdown with Filipino Manny Pacquiao. This is the same trainer that Clottey wanted for his showdown with Cotto, yet the effort never materialized. The two were together back in '04, and in the eleventh hour and perhaps Clottey's most premiere career moment, Godwin Kotey has returned to deliver what Clottey hopes is a winning chemistry. Few of us truly know how this will turn out for Clottey, but a victory over the sports P4P king could make Kotey America's Most Wanted - (in the world of boxing).

Margarito 'Plays' For Pacquiao

Mexican Antonio Margarito has made it very clear that he feels that he can beat Pacquiao, and if promoter Bob Arum has his way, that matchup is precisely what's gonna happen. Perhaps sooner than later. In his own words, Margarito boldly stated recently that he's the "only one who can beat Pacquiao". Not too many of us find him to be the man to actually make this happen, but the fact that he has come out publicly and said it is quite the 'checkmate' necessary to piggyback off the efforts of his promoter who has all but solidified this event, providing both men are victorious come the evening of March 13th. The verdict for those fights have yet to come in, but already in the first quarter of the year, it appears we may already know what the headlining fight of the last quarter will be.


Chris John Hungry...Aims For Cuban 'Bread'

Chris John has flown under the radar for quite some time. His resume isn't the most boastful in the sport, but many remember him for being the man to school the man (Marquez) who some think was able to actually school 'the man' (Pacquiao). A little older now, John is still far from lacking in the fundamental skills department, and with no bigger name on the blotter, it appears that John has set his sights on Cuba's most talented prospect. If it goes the distance, it's hard not to see John winning, but if it's stopped early, I think there's only one of the men who would possess the ability to do so. Should be a great scrap to watch out for, but more importantly, it would probably give John his biggest payday to date - which is something this hardworking veteran has more than paid his dues to receive.

Herschel Walker: A Bad Man, Or Just Hurt One?

Herschel Walker has been long regarded as one of the best athletes on the planet, and aside from belief in himself, the chiseled body and warrior mentality he sported back in the 80's has many of us thinking he actually has a shot at stepping from the gridiron, to the couch, to the octagon.....with success! We've seen Bernard Hopkins defy the odds at age 45; we saw Holyfield get robbed against Valuev at age 47; and we saw Brett Favre lead his team about 8 yards away from the promised land before an interception prevented a game winning field goal. Herschel wants to add his name to that list of oldies-but-goodies, but the trouble is, those other men have spent their whole lives doing what they do. This will be Herschel's first shot......both literally and figuratively as Nagy - (relatively a rookie himself with a record of 1-1) - plans to add a huge name to his resume, even if it isn't one from his current sport. Few knew that Walker is an avid Tae Kwan Do expert with a 6th degree black belt in his pocket. I don't know about this fight, but if he sticks around as long as he has said he plans to in recent interviews, he'll need every ounce of that experience. I like Herschel, and I think he's a bad man! After Saturday night, I just hope that he's not a hurt one.

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