Lucas Matthysse Stops Lamont Peterson

Photo by Tom Casino for SHOWTIME

by Gautham Nagesh

Not every tale can have a Hollywood ending. Lamont Peterson found that out the hard way on Saturday night, losing by knockout in the third round to Lucas Matthysse in Atlantic City on Showtime.

Opening Bell: Manny Pacquiao vs Brandon Rios Set For Nov. 24

by Gautham Nagesh

That video above of an old man busting loose at a Wizards game is exactly how most boxing fans feel after finding out that Manny Pacquiao will return from his two-loss winning stream against all-action warrior Brandon Rios in Macau on November 24th.

HBO Pay Per View will broadcast the fight in the U.S., while promoter Top Rank is reportedly teaming up with Major League Baseball Advance Media to make the fight available via Internet stream to fans in China at a much lower cost. If it works, this is the kind of visionary move that has kept Top Rank boss Bob Arum on top of the fight game for the past 30 years. Asian fans can’t get enough of Pacquiao, and they could be the key to him staying lucrative far beyond his days on top.

Local Boxers Chase Their Dreams In Queens

by Sarah Deming

JAMAICA, N.Y.—Fight fans in the outer boroughs have a lot to be thankful for. The Barclays Center has brought pugilistic prestige to Brooklyn, 2012 U.S. Olympian Marcus Browne is putting Staten Island on the map, and Queens is now home to some of the best local cards around, thanks to the mighty triumvirate of New Legend, Old World, and W.O.N. Promotions.

Saturday’s main event at the Resorts World Casino here featured undefeated super bantamweight Juan Dominguez (13-0, 9 KOs) of Brooklyn, who scored a powerful third-round stoppage of Manuel Herrera of Columbia. Dominguez simply overwhelmed Herrera, punching to the body with bad intentions.

Floyd Mayweather Makes It Look Easy Against Robert Guerrero

Photo by Tom Casino for Showtime

by Gautham Nagesh

Welterweight Floyd “Money” Mayweather cemented his status as boxing’s pound-for-pound king by picking apart Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero on Showtime Pay Per View in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Floyd looked supremely comfortable against the overmatched Guerrero, who becomes the 44th notch on Mayweather’s unblemished record. Mayweather was landing his straight right hand from the outset, and made Guerrero look foolish at points. Guerrero’s heart and effort can’t be questioned, but he was simply not on the same level as the superlative Mayweather, who somehow impressed despite being the heavy favorite.

Opening Bell: Zab Judah Stands Tall In Defeat

by Gautham Nagesh

Apologies for the sparse posting this week, dear readers. Congress was kind enough to leave town the week before the first big Pay Per View boxing card of the year, and we were anticipating a full week of coverage. Unfortunately, the news cycle didn’t comply, so I’ve been forced to spend my week writing about Internet sales tax legislation, the new FCC chairman, and other similarly mundane matters.

However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t start this column by looking back to last week’s card in Brooklyn, which Sarah Deming covered on our behalf. As Sarah notes, I was less than kind to Zab my preview, and we’ve taken our share of shots at him since his dismal showing against Amir Khan almost two years ago. But the truth is I like Zab a lot, as a person and as a fighter. Like many fight fans, I have always thought he had the tools to become one of the greats. That he fell a little short of those goals is a disappointment, but shouldn’t erase what he has achieved in the ring.

Regardless of what else has happened, Zab is a champion. He proved it by standing up to Danny Garcia’s assault for the full 12 rounds, especially after he was badly hurt in the 6th round. As to what kept Judah standing, we can only agree with little Reuben and ascribe it to fighting in front of his people in Brooklyn.

Preview: Floyd Mayweather vs Robert Guerrero

Photos by Tom Casino for Showtime

by Gautham Nagesh

Genius rarely takes an appealing form. But make no mistake, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a boxing genius, on par with any fighter that has laced up a pair of gloves.

History is littered with countless examples of great men whose personal failings were whitewashed in light of their achievements. Boxing is no different; Sonny Liston was a violent criminal before becoming heavyweight champion, Don King a convicted murderer long before his first promotion. Boxing has been run by crooks and criminals, thieves and low-rent thugs. Many of them are still around. It’s hardly a place for the pious or self-righteous.

Robert Guerrero is both of those things; central casting couldn’t have produced a better champion for the throngs of Floyd-haters than “The Ghost.” His arrest for gun possession not withstanding, Guerrero is the perfect fighter to play the hero to Floyd’s heel. Guerrero’s main backstory is his devotion to his wife, a cancer survivor. He spends every interview praising God and playing the humble Mexican-American fighter, while Floyd shamelessly preens and flaunts his wealth.

But the beauty of boxing is that once the bell sounds, nothing matters but what happens inside the ropes. And no one in the world is more comfortable in the boxing ring than Floyd Mayweather. He remains a superb stylist, a fluid and elegant counterpuncher of the first order with a preternatural talent for avoiding punches. Guerrero, on the other hand, is a dirty fighter, and one that has never scored a knockout above lightweight. His only hope is to hurt Mayweather with something other than a fist and hope the referee doesn’t notice.

Brooklyn Boxing: Danny Garcia & Peter Quillin Win, Zab Judah Stands Tall In Defeat

Fight photos by Tom Casino for Showtime

by Sarah Deming

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—On my way into the Barclays Center on Saturday night, I ran into Stiff Jab favorite Lamont Roach Jr., enjoying a strawberry frappuccino with a beautiful woman who turned out to be his mother. The amateur champ was picking top-ranked junior welterweight Danny Garcia by decision in the main event over Zab Judah, but Mom disagreed.

Lamont Roach Jr. and mother, other photos by Sarah Deming for Stiff Jab

“I think Zab came to fight,” she said. “I’m old school.”

So am I. D.C. has the Gary Russells, but here in Brooklyn we have the nine fighting Judah brothers and their magisterial parents. Even in Zab’s most thuggish incarnation, he’s always had a good word for those coming up.

Doc Octagon Speaks: On Eyepokes

by Dr. Octagon, J.D.

People have been discussing what to do about accidental eyepokes in mixed martial arts for some time now. There is no way to fix the gloves so that eyepokes are impossible without fucking up the grappling game. There are two problems with the eyepoke: First, the refs almost never see them. Second, there is absolutely no detriment to the poker.

With regard to the first issue, they need to start letting the fighters signal when there’s been an eyepoke in order to stop the action. The way things are now, if the ref doesn’t see it and one guy reacts like he’s clearly been poked in the eye, the ref does nothing. Then the pokee has to hope that the other guy doesn’t fucking murder him while he can’t see. That happened more than once tonight at UFC 159.

Sometimes the ref even refuses to stop the action. It’s not the ref’s fault a lot of the time that they don’t see this shit. If you’re not in slow motion at the exact right camera angle, you just see two guys throwing hands. They need to let the fighters call time, and if the replay shows no eyepoke, they can penalize them a point or something. The current system isn’t working.

UFC 159 Recap: Jon Jones Stops Chael Sonnen in Newark

by Dr. Octagon, J.D.

Strange night of fights. Here’s what went down:

Jon Jones, as expected, mauled Chael Sonnen in the first round. Jones managed to horrifically break his toe in the process; he looked like he was going to barf after the fight. If Chael was able to hang on another thirty seconds, he would have been the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

Alan Belcher did not seem to want any part of Michael Bisping, and just hung out outside without putting up much offense while getting picked apart. The fight was ended early on a vicious eyepoke from Bisping to Belcher’s surgically repaired eye. Bisping won on the scorecards.

Roy Nelson demolished Cheick Kongo with an overhand right in the first round, as expected.

I know I keep saying it, but the fights went according to script. Vinny Magalhaes was unable to get the fight to the ground, instead getting picked apart by Phil Davis’ halfway-decent striking.

Pat Healy and Jim Miller fought for the title of best lightweight in the UFC with a ginger beard and a shaved head. Healy looked like a beast and was able to submit Miller in the third. Miller refused to tap and ended up unconscious.

For those of you keeping score at home, that was two fights that ended due to eyepokes and two fights with brutal injuries to the small digits. Jones was lucky that the fight ended when it did, because there’s no fucking way a doctor would have let him start the second with his toe perpendicular.

Ovince St. Preux vs Gian Villante

by Dr. Octagon, J.D.

Lot off fighters sponsored by Salesforce.com tonight. I fucking hate Salesforce. Ovince St. Preaux vs Gian Villante up next, live updates after the jump:

Brian Caraway vs Johnny Bedford

by Dr. Octagon, J.D.

Hopefully Miesha Tate doesn’t tell her husband Brian Caraway that he’s winning the fight against Johnny Bedford while he’s losing, like she did last time when he failed to push the action and lost a decision. Live updates after the jump:

UFC 159: Facebook Prelims Recap

by Dr. Octagon, J.D.

Steve Siler won a pretty clear unanimous 29-28 decision against Kurt Holobaugh, who made quite a puddle of blood in the octagon during the first round.

Cody McKenzie was all over Leonard Garcia in the first two rounds, and pretty much had a hold on Garcia’s neck the whole time. Garcia threw his trademark wild haymakers in the third round, but was too tired and arguably outstruck by McKenzie.

If Leonard Garcia isn’t cut from the UFC after this fight, I’ll be shocked. This matchup seemed tailor-made for him. McKenzie won the decision by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28. I gave all three rounds to Cody.

Tyson Fury Exposed Before Stopping Steve Cunningham

Photo by Rich Graessle for Main Events

by Sarah Deming

NEW YORK, N.Y.—Beware of British imports. Whether it’s an undefeated heavyweight or a jar of Marmite, if it comes across the Atlantic, it usually stinks. The latest suspect offering is Tyson Fury, a 6’9”, 254-pound heavyweight with the oily demeanor of a used car salesman.

Fury’s first American test came Saturday afternoon against Steve “USS” Cunningham here at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. On paper this seemed like a safe bet for the Brit, who went in with a six-inch and 45-pound advantage over Cunningham, a slick Philadelphian that saw his prime at cruiserweight. I prayed Cunningham would prove me wrong, as I had developed a powerful loathing for Fury at the pre-fight press conference.

Why does Fury behave so obnoxiously? Naazim Richardson, Cunningham’s legendary trainer, said Fury trash talks less for his opponent’s benefit than to convince himself of his own legitimacy.

“Sometimes you whistle through the cemetery,” said the boxing sage.

Last year, Naazim received a call from the Fury camp about training their fighter, but refused. He said, apropos of the skill disparity between the two: “Anyone can move like a boxer. But if you have to stop to throw a punch, you’re not a boxer.”

Canelo vs Austin Trout Marred By Open Scoring

Photos by Tom Casino for SHOWTIME

by Gautham Nagesh

On Saturday night, unbeaten junior middleweights Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Austin Trout fought for 12 close, thrilling rounds in San Antonio. Two young lions in their prime came together to unify their belts and determine the division’s top contender to challenge Floyd Mayweather. The fight started slowly, but steadily built toward what should have been a nail-biting conclusion in the championship rounds.

Instead, the open scoring format rendered the final third of the fight meaningless. It also showed that Hall of Fame referee Stanley Christodoulous has no business judging prize fights. Christodoulou scored the first eight rounds for Canelo, a mystifying scorecard that proves he had no interest in accurately scoring what happened inside the ring. The South African referee and WBA official is blind, senile, or corrupt, any of which should disqualify him from judging another professional fight.

Sadly, the inexcusable scorecard aside, this fight should have birthed a new superstar at a moment when boxing desperately needs on. Canelo and Trout both showed tremendous class, fighting with the skill and strategy that befits a truly world-class bout. The unanimous decision for Canelo was probably the appropriate result, especially after he floored Trout with a one-two combination in the 7th round. But Trout deserved far more respect than he got from both Christodoulou and Oren Shellenberger, who scored it 116-111 for Canelo. Rey Danseco was closer to reality with his card of 115-112.

Benson Henderson vs Gilbert Melendez

by Dr. Octagon, J.D.

Round 1: Leg kick from Gilbert Melendez. Leg kick from Benson Henderson. Gilbert lands a right. Henderson lands a left on a Melendez leg kick. Gilbert catches a kick, pops Benson in the face and climbs into Benson’s guard. Benson is sitting up against the fence.

Henderson stands up and takes a knee to the face. Henderson throws a punch that goes over Gilbert’s curly head. Gilbert catches another kick and goes for a flying knee, but the champ grabs him and pushes him against the fence. Benson working the knees from the clinch. Melendez gets separation and lands a punch on the break.

Head kick from Benson blocked. Head kick from Benson misses. Henderson with a leg kick. Leg kick from Gilbert. Leg kick from Melendez. Body kick by Benson, Gilbert catches it and throws him down. Leg kick from Benson is checked. Benson comes in and Gilbert lands. Gilbert catches a kick and lands another right as the round ends.

10-9 Gilbert Melendez.

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