Is this sad, pathetic, or just plain odd?

ESPN.com : NBA veteran Kendell Gill flexes skills,
wins pro boxing debut.

The Biggest Member

Nicolay Valuev became the biggest, and most recent member of the "I knocked Clifford Etienne's dick in the dirt club" last month. I've never seen Valuev fight, but my GAWD he is huge! 6-11 may be too tall to be a boxer, but I won't agree to that until someone beats him. He's had 41 fights (and 1 'no contest'), and only 5 of his opponents had losing records, and no "losers" since 1997. He has avoided Don King like the plague, and that may be part of the reason has has been so slow to get big fights. King announced that Valuev was going to be Golota's opponent for the Rahman/Barrett undercard, but, for reasons unknown to me, that didn't pan out.

Etienne is no tomato can, but he's not a first-tier fighter, either (maybe only on the lower fringe of the second tier). Perhaps, after this win, Valuev will get an opponent of name, so we can find out just how good he is.

Like I Said, Just No Bloody Pulp

Damn. I was hoping that Gatti would at least put up a decent showing, but it sounds like Mayweather beat him like cheap tamborine, pretty much as I'd expected.

I'm glad that Mayweather admitted that all the trash-talk was "to hype the fight", as I was surprised by his vehemence. Mayweather, despite all the wife-beating allegations, generally acts like a pretty decent guy.

While it seems that "talking smack" helps sell tickets, I'd much rather see guys fight hard but treat one another with respect.

Tragic Consequences

I'm surprised that I had never heard this story. Back in 2001, a boxer named George "Khalid" Jones knocked out a guy named Beethaven "Bee" Scottland, in the 10th and final round of a light heavyweight match. Apparently, Scottland's trainer threatened to stop the fight after the 7th, the match continued with Scottland winning rounds 8 and 9, only to be battered unconscious in the 10th. He died six days later, after surgery to treat injuries to his brain sustained in the fight.

This fight led to a lot of discussion about whether or not boxing should be banned, even calls for investigation led by none other than Senator John "head case grand-stander" McCain.

Jones and Scottland's widow, Denise, became friends, and have been mutually supportive of one another in the aftermath of the tragedy. Scottland will be fighting "Fabulous (except for his boxing)Fred" Moore for the vacant (and little-valued) WSBA Light Heavyweight July 1 on ESPN2.

A Bludgeoning or a Yawn-fest?

This fight could serve to settle the jaw-flapping over Samuel "The Nigerian Nightmare" Peter being the "next big thing". I saw him pummel Martinez a short while back, and I gotta tell you, Peter can certainly punch. I've not seen Sykes fight, but his record does not impress. He did beat 'Freaky Friday' Ahunanya in a unanimous decision, but he lost to "What the Heck" Beck, and has fought no one else of note.

Both of these guys recently won 10-round unanimous decisions over a guy named Jovo Pudar. If that is any indicator, it could well be a yawn-fest, unless someone lands some haymakers.

Damn...He's Not Giving Up

Andrew "the Foul Pole" Golota is getting back into the ring. He's going to be fighting on 8-13-5 against Przemyslaw Saleta, another big Polock who'll probably be easy pickings for Golota (even though Saleta was a cruiserweight champ, and is favored by some). This'll be on the undercard of the Rahman v Barrett fight for the interim WBC heavyweight crown, and a purported bout with Vitali Klitschko. Speaking of Vitali K, the rumor is that he's going to be fighting Oleg Maskaev, a guy who once knocked out Rahman (of course, Maskaev has since been KO'ed by Corey Sanders, Lance Whittaker, and Kirk Johnson). Maybe the big V just wants a warm-up fight before fighting the Rahman/Barrett winner.

Ah, what a mess the heavyweight division is. Just the way Don King likes it.

I'll be pulling for Saleta and Barrett on 8-13 (or more accurately, against the head-case and the Muslim).

Let's do it again: Tarver evens series with Johnson

ESPN.com - BOXING

Now It's 1 and 1....Tie-breaker Soon, I'm Sure

As Heff said on his blog, Tarver should have won the first fight (I hate the idea of having judges in boxing...split decisions drive me nuts, and saps what credibility boxing has as a sport). Tarver came out and controlled the pace in the early rounds, looking very good, though Johnson took a lot of the middle rounds. Tarver won a deserved unanimous decision, but I'm sure that there will be a third match. Tarver was gracious in victory, as was Johnson in defeat.

A Big, Bad, Bloody Battle

I'm tempted to pay the PPV for this fight. Gatti is the closest thing to a "Rocky" character in the biz today. He's a tough little bastard who fights like a brawler, bleeds like a stuck pig, and never gives up. Mayweather is much like an "Apollo Creed"---amazingly skilled as a boxer and a trash-talker. From what I've seen, Mayweather is more skilled and hits harder. The tale of the tape says Mayweather has a greater reach. I'm expecting Mayweather to win, after beating Gatti to a bloody pulp. Whaddya think guys?

Finally, another win by a Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao's big brother, Bobby, won a mostly boring fight on ESPN2 last night. Starting in the sixth round, it started being a bit exciting, and there was a flurry of activity at the end, making it worth the (free) price. Now, the next time that Manny fights, I will likely pay to see it, as he is one of the most exciting fighters in years.

They said it before

People have recently been piling on with the Tyson-hating. As someone who predicted his losses to Lennox Lewis and Holyfield, I've long been of the opinion that Tyson was not "the greatest", even though he probably is one of the best power-punchers of all time, by any measure. Here's an article from 5 years ago, where a guy was saying what so many folks are saying today.

"Iron Mike" definitely terrorized a great many tomato cans in his day, but you can make the case that he never beat a "great" heavyweight in their prime. The crazy man is a legend, but I still think that Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Vitali Klitschko, Bowe, or Louis in their prime would have beaten Tyson in his prime.

What do you guys think of these potential future Tyson bouts? Ya know he needs the payday.

Tyson v Golota?
Tyson v Holyfield?
Tyson v Bowe?

all would be bilateral career resurrection attempts and pathetic, but might be worth seeing for the history involved....just not worth paying for.

Too bad Marcellus Wallace was right about boxer's not having an old-timers' league....it could be fun.

Will the Hurricane Strike Twice?

Hurricane hits Tyson

Perhaps what Tyson needs to get his career back on track is a rematch with Peter "Hurricane" McNeeley. You gotta believe that someone will try to set this one up, a chance to visit the greatest minute and a half of McNeeley's life.

Black Man Down

Poor Iron Mikey. Here he sits, just before quitting from his stool after round six.

Tyson: 'I don't have the stomach for this'

ESPN.com - BOXING - Shocker: McBride forces Tyson to submit

What the Hell ?!?!

That does it for Heff with "Iron" Mike. This SHOULD have been a washout. He just doesn't have it together.


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Mike Tyson's career may have ended in a shocker Saturday night when he quit on the stool after taking a beating in a foul-filled sixth round against unheralded Kevin McBride.
Tyson lost for the third time in his last four fights, and once again he faded badly as the rounds went on before head butting McBride in a desperate attempt to end the fight in the sixth round.
Tyson was pushed to the canvas when the round ended, his head stuck between the first and second ropes. He got up very slowly, wobbled back to his corner and sat on his stool.
When referee Joe Cortez came by to look at him, his corner told Cortez the fighter could not continue. Cortez then went over and raised McBride's hand in victory.
The 38-year-old Tyson was a huge favorite over McBride and won the early rounds. But as the fight went on, it was McBride landing the bigger punches as Tyson desperately tried to score a knockout.
Tyson was weary by the fifth round and, in the sixth round, he was penalized two points for deliberately head butting McBride and opening a cut over his left eye. The head butt came after Tyson appeared to try to break McBride's arm in a clinch like he once did against Francois Botha and after he hit him with several low blows.
In a career filled with tremendous highs and terrible lows, Tyson may have reached a new low in the loss to McBride, who came into the fight with no credentials.
"I don't have the stomach for this anymore," Tyson said. "I most likely won't fight anymore. I'm not going to disrespect the sport by losing to this caliber of fighters."
Tyson was a shell of the fighter he once was, throwing wild punches and trying to knock out McBride with each shot. But McBride took the punches and came back with some of his own and Tyson gradually began wearing down.
The sixth round was bizarre even by the standards of a fighter once banned from boxing for biting Evander Holyfield's ears.
Tyson was clearly exhausted and opened the round by throwing wild shots. He then appeared to try to break McBride's arm, drawing a protest from the Irish fighter.
"He tried to break my arm and he butted me," McBride said. "That's the rough stuff in boxing."
Tyson wasn't through. He banged his bald head against McBride, prompting Cortez to take two points from him for the foul.
"I could have gone on but I thought I was getting beat," Tyson said. "I don't think I have it anymore."
Tyson was tentative early, showing little of the aggressiveness that once made him a feared fighter. McBride stood right in front of him, but Tyson was content to land only one punch at a time, perhaps remembering how he ran out of gas in his previous fights.
"There's no rush," trainer Jeff Fenech said after the first round.
But it turned out there was a rush as Tyson faded just as he did against Danny Williams last July. That loss was blamed on torn cartilage in Tyson's leg, but it was clear even to the pro-Tyson crowd of 15,472 at the MCI Center on this night that Tyson was a shot fighter.
The 6-foot-5 McBride towered over Tyson and weighed 271 pounds to 233 for the former champion. But he had been knocked out four times by lesser fighters and wasn't expected to give Tyson much of a fight.

Is Shannon Briggs Finally Getting Serious?

Briggs won a third-round TKO over Abraham Okine last night. Briggs (42-4-1) knocked down Okine (14-1) twice in the first round and again in the third, at which point Okine's corner decided the meat was sufficiently tenderized. Okine did cut Briggs, who I'm still reluctant to think of as a contender, but Briggs had a convincing win that may well get him a big money fight in the near future. There are several fighters who could probably reap some career benefit with a victory over someone with such name recognition, even a guy known as such an underachiever.

Shannon Briggs as Lennox Lewis' Punching Bag, way back in 1998.

Briggs' last loss was in 2002 to big, strong, and slow, Jameel McCline, which I didn't see, but I have seen Briggs fight several times, including his KO loss to Lennox Lewis. I also saw his "draw" with Francois Botha, in which Briggs looked like a bum. Briggs has the tools, but hasn't shown dominance over a quality opponent. His "big win" over George "too old to bleed" Foreman wasn't even a unanimous decision. I read that he trains and promotes himself, mebbe that's part of his problem.

Yahoo! Sports - Boxing - Photo - Former heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson, right, watches his opponen...

Tyson eyes dinner. I read up a bit on McBride, and it turns out that he was knocked out by Axel Shulz and DaVarryl Williamson, as well as two other guys of whom I had never heard. Forget it, Tyson will murderize the bum.

Former heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson, right, watches his opponent, Kevin McBride, at the weigh-in Thursday, June 9, 2005, in Washington. Tyson weighed in at 233 lbs and McBride at 271 lbs. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)

Not Gonna Pay !!

Tyson/McBride - 06/11/2005 Pay-Per-View on Showtime.

As copied from BLOG O' HEFF :

It'll really have to be a slow night at the House O' Heff for me to purchase this fight. Due to possible inclimate weather screwing up any late outdoor activity, it's an option - though a small one. Common sense begs me not to buy this fight. I'll probably mind my purse-strings, and instead watch the Casamayor/Diamond & Cotto/Abdullev lightweight card on HBO Boxing After Dark. People say Tyson is washed up. I do not agree. Sure - the guy has issues out the ass, but he still has the most devastating punching power in the business in my opinion. Do I think he'll ever be Heavyweight Champion again ? Probably not, but you really can't discount a 50-5-0 record with 44 wins by knockout. I basically know NOTHING about Kevin McBride, except that he was supposed to fight Tyson twice before, and negotiations fell through both times. The ridiculous Mike Tyson/Peter McNeely fight insued years ago when the McBride & Tyson camps couldn't come to an agreement. This fight will probably be of the same calibur - HEFF'S HAYMAKER : McBride running like a bitch until he gets tagged by a explosive Tyson punch knocking him out probably before the 4th round. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it. Though with Tyson, you never really know.

P.S. The fight I really wanna see is at this point is Tyson/Ruiz. It would be a great opportunity for Tyson to aquire a belt, and I think Ruiz would get the punch to the head he truly deserves. I would pay for that one, and videotape it for the masses.

Mosely vs Estrada Rerun

After Hatton v Tszyu, I watched the rebroadcast of "Sugar" Shane Mosely's fight with David Estrada from April of this year. Estrada started off strong, but Mosely really hurt him with a liver punch near the end of round four, and took control, winning a unanimous decision in ten rounds.

Mosely came down in weight class for this fight (after Winky Wright handed him his ass twice in a row at 154lbs), and it was nice to see him do well. Mosely didn't look like his old self, but against a stalking clunker like Estrada, he did well enough to earn a convincing win. Estrada has some power, a good chin, but sloppy technique and too little speed.

Moorer v Jirov Rerun

Prior to the Hatton/Tszyu fight, I watched a re-broadcast of the Michael Moorer v Vasily Jirov fight from November of last year. Jirov was well ahead on the cards when Moorer took control in the ninth round, taking control of the tempo and then putting him down with a hard left hand. Jirov jumped up immediately, which is always stupid. If he'd taken a knee, took the eight-count, and then gotten up, he might've been able to continue. Moorer's career, which was derailed with his 1994 KO at the hands of "Old George" Forman, was resurrected with this fight, though what he'll do with this second chance remains to be seen.

Ricky Hatton....A New Limey World Champ

I didn't see, but only listened to this fight. It sounded great, though I was surprised that the champ didn't answer the bell for the 12th and final round. Tszyu is a great fighter, and probably has a few more fights in him, though he may well want to think of hanging up the gloves at his age.

Kosta was a class act in defeat, and thankfully, Hatton was a gracious victor. Perhaps if more of the big name fighters (Americans, as well as others) behaved so well, boxing would grow in both popularity and legitimacy. Of course, the death of Don King will probably do wonders for boxing in the States, as well.