Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, David Diaz, Jorge Solis, Oscar De La Hoya and a number of Mexican warriors has fallen into his prey. Manny Pacquiao has continued his dominance over Mexico’s finest fighters that he was the designated Mexicutioner in boxing. But Mexico has also found an ace on their sleeves in a form of a 108 pound slugger; Ulises “Archie” Solis.
Bert Batawang, Rodel Mayol and Glenn Donaire all suffered defeats on the hands of Solis although those fighters are not worldly known but all are rated. Batawang is rated no.10 and Mayol and Donaire in the top 20s. Solis is the kingpin in the light flyweight division and his most notable win would be a decision against equally talented Edgar Sosa. This April 19 Archie will once again battle out with another Filipino Brian Viloria and this time it’s on Viloria’s turf. Archie will once again dig deep on his arsenal to come up with a monumental upset against one of Philippines best. Brian who grew up in Hawaii and was part of the Sydney Olympics outpointing the Donaire brothers, Glenn and Nonito to get the coveted spot in USA boxing team has fallen into strings of bad lucks after losing his WBC belt to Omar Romero. A win with Solis will put him back on his glory days and bigger fights coming and a lost will catapult him further on the bottom standing. This would be Brian’s make or break career move and for Solis this would solidify his fitting name as The Filipino executioner or the Filicutioner and avenge the losses of his county men who suffered defeats by Manny Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao after De La Hoya has changed its course and will be fighting Ricky Hatton while Archie will have his hands full against sturdy Brian Viloria. Will Solis live up to his name? Mayol, Batawang and Donaire were close to grabbing Solis belt and there were instances that he looks very troubled but still found a way to escape with a big W at the end. Archie will be up against a hungry fighter and a former champion and this time there won’t be any crowd to cheer him up when he is in trouble. Viloria should take advantage of this but of course we cannot discredit the heart of a champion the big heart of Solis who is bigger than his 108lb. frame. There’s a big big mountain to climb and if I we’re Solis I won’t be happy being called a Filicutioner especially if I am fighting in Philippine soil with 300 millions of Filipinos watching.

Bullying 24 opponents by knockout is not an easy feat especially if you down most of your opponents on the initial round. Edwin Valero did just that and come April 4 he would test the waters in the lightweight division an unfamiliar territory for him who started campaigning as a junior lightweight. Looking at Valero’s unblemished record there isn’t any established fighter he faced and it has stained his credibility as a legit world class fighter. Emmanuel Ford (5-20-2), Edgar Mendoza (0-8-1), Tomas Zambrano (0-4-0) and Jose Hernandez (1-5-0) are not even called contenders they were just sacrificial lambs to enhance Valero’s record. Edwin whose license was suspended due to a blood clot found on his head on a motorcycle accident has fought mostly overseas. He have been making noise calling all the big names in boxing like Manny Pacquiao, Juan Marquez and even Oscar De La Hoya where he was given the chance to spar with Oscar before trading gloves with Pacquiao but does he really have the credibility and legit claim for bigger fights? I think he does have the potential to be a world class champion and I can even say that he would be one of pound per pound greats someday. But Valero would just have to step it up with a tight and narrow competition on a star studded division. Marquez would be the pound per pound kingpin in lightweight together with fallen Juan Diaz and the British sensation Amir Khan; Valero believes he belongs with the class but still he has a lot to prove. Valero can fight Rocky Juarez, Humberto Soto and Chris John to erase doubts and level the competition. Fighting a rugged and somewhat old Antonio Pituala maybe beneficial for Valero sporting a 40-3 with an 81.63% KO Antonio is no patsy for that matter. But the only problem would be Antonio is an old veteran at age 39 although this is for the WBC lightweight title I think Valero will have a smooth sailing against Pituala. But then again winning a belt could get you much closer to fighting Marquez and other champion for that matter. This was a good career decision but sad to say Valero’s stained reputation is still intact. If he fights either of the top lightweights then that’s a different story.
Will Valero meet his match? Maybe in the near future but for now let’s see how good he looks against a durable veteran in Pituala. I got an inkling feeling that he is aiming for KO no.25 but he has to be careful this time he is up against a hungry fighter and we all know how hungry lions react when provoke. Edwin Valero knows there is a lot at stake this April 4 and he is dying to show to everybody how good he is. The belt is the important thing for Valero right now… Grab the belt and everything will follow… next Juan Manuel Marquez.

Boxing as a sport is evolving with new superstars emerging and some stagnant old warriors trying to find their niche in this brutal and entertaining sport. The boxer who cried wolf has done it again making another comeback after announcing his retirement a year ago disrupting again boxing’s gradual evolution. Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have found another reason to get back to boxing partly would be to claim his pound per pound status but a huge part would be for money and prestige. Floyd is the most talented boxer of our generation but his continuing evading meaningful fights against boxing’s greats like Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito has kept his legacy on hold. With his pending comeback on the threshold of making it a reality Floyd will have to face a different and game level of opposition this time.
Manny Pacquiao- The current pound per pound king against the former pound per pound this would be the battle of the century and with both fighters putting emphasize on their speed this match could end up early. But we all have to wait since Manny has a big chip on his shoulder to carry and it just so happens that that chip is in a form of a slugger from England known as Ricky Hatton.
Ricky Hatton- If Hatton escapes a win against Manny; Floyd will surely give “The Hitman” his rightfully deserve rematch. Winning by knockout on their first matchup Floyd would be over flowing of confidence if he faces his former nemesis. He knows how to beat Hatton and I can’t see him why he can’t do it again.
Juan Manuel Marquez- the aging veteran who gave Manny a beating will be in for a much bigger and much faster Floyd. Although we can’t discount Juanma’s insurgency but I do believed Marquez is best in fighting in the lightweight division going a notch higher would be doomed for Marquez.
Shane Mosley- I thought we saw the best of Shane when he lost against Miguel Cotto but I was dead wrong when he pummeled Cotto’s tormentor Antonio Margarito. He did not only dominate the younger Margarito but he also made a big statement that Sugar Shane Mosley is still a force to reckon with. I think Floyd and Shane are a perfect match with both guys on the same weight and both guys could match speed per speed action. The long overdue ring date has been on talks for years now. If Mayweather wants to solidify his claim for greatness then he should take this fight. But I think he’s just wise enough to decline a fight which has a higher risk and low reward on his part.

It would be great to see Mayweather back on the ring again his unbeaten record speak a lot of his magnitude. The five time weight division champion will once again entertain us with his superior talent and the whole boxing world is calling him again. Mayweather is back but does he still command the respect he deserves? Well one thing I’ve learn from respect… we all have to earn it… he will have to go through hell and back if he wants to be called the best. It’s not about the record it’s all about the level of opposition. This time Mayweather should start practicing and getting his groove back on the gym because Pacquiao, Hatton, Marquez and Mosley have all the capability to hurt him and hurt him bad because they are also building a legacy a legacy in which the boxer who called wolf never had.

Dwayne Wade was ecstatic when Paul Pierce missed a contested jumpshot with just seconds left in the regulation. It was a rare sight to see Wade clapping on the bench his first missed game this season.
It was just nights ago when Wade steal the ball and shot a running trey that sealed their win in double overtime against the Chicago Bulls. It was one of Wade’s best performance with 48 points, 12 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks there was no denying he is in for an MVP season this year.
After two seasons of injuries the Miami Heat is now back for another championship run and Wade has been the key factor for Miami’s insurgency. He have worked his way all summer long and have been the go to guy or the team’s closer in the Beijing Olympics. Kobe and Lebron have established their greatness but Wade was just phenomenal and is rightly awarded MVP in Beijing. Having a rookie coach and parading two rookie starters in Chalmers and Beasley the Heat could have overachieved this season. But Wade has something to do with the little success Miami has achieved. Wade leads the NBA in scoring and second in steals they are 5-1 in overtime games and top teams fear them.
The MVP award will put a dot on Wade’s prominence but he will have to earn it with Kobe and Lebron leading the race. Wade’s name was never been given importance for the last two seasons but he have showed that he rightfully belong on Kobe and Lebron’s level.

Miami eventually lost to Boston with Wade and two Boston superstars in the bench. Miami have given Boston such a hard time that the game was decided with seconds left in Overtime. Wade will be back after his injury heals. He will be battle ready the next time he’s on the court and with his team’s fighting spirit on a high level maybe being MVP is not far fetched after all. MVP candidates will now begins with Kobe, Lebron and Wade. A tight and close race that’s for sure…

Blood is flowing profusely on Marco Antonio Barrera’s head although it was announced as an accidental headbutt but the fight was clearly owned by the rising superstar Amir Khan. Barrera was outclassed and out gunned clearly on the fight it was inevitable that sooner or later he will fall. Aging is a natural process and when we get old our skin tends to be brittle and cuts a lot our recovering process would take a much longer period of time and Barrera is not spared for that. I think we had the best of Barrera when he fought his bitter rival Erik Morales on their final epic encounter for the third time winning it by decision.
We all remember how Luisito Espinosa being made as a stepping stone for young fighters. The one time heavy weight champion Roy Jones Jr. who was battered also by an old timer Joe Calzaghe, the dehydrated Golden Boy Oscar Delahoya who suffered a TKO against Manny Pacquiao and Iron Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield who’ve got a beating from unheard and unheralded fighters. The list goes on and on. Muhammad Ali was the greatest boxer of all time but his Parkinson disease was also the product of his prolong career in boxing. Joe Calzaghe made a bold move of retiring even if he is still able and capable of afflicting his opponents. Sad but true boxing is a brutal sport and boxers tend to stay on something that they grew up and love because after boxing they will eventually have to face the harsh reality of life and Barrera and some others refuse to grow up. Believing they still can do it, they still can pull the trigger but in reality only a handful of boxers who can still pull an upset with the likes of Marques and the immortal Hopkins.
Aside from dreaming about a four weight division title there isn’t much to prove for Barrera, he is already a hall of fame fighter and a legend of his own. Fighting against a Sammy Ventura (25-19) and a Freudis Rojas (1-7-1) isn’t a proud achievement and losing and getting dominated by a legitimate superstar has proven he doesn’t have it anymore. There would be a time that we learn how to say stop and call it a day.

Barrera after the fight said he could have win if not for the cut and said he still can do it.
Maybe enough doesn’t include on Barrera’s vocabulary. I hope he resigns when he is still at one piece. Golden boy and Top rank is wise enough not to sign him for their promotions because they don’t want to see him waste his legendary name and turnout to be catastrophic in the end…. But it seems like it’s going on that direction.

After a dismal showing on his last attempt for a world championship belt, Z Gorres is eyeing another title crack this time in a much bigger division. Standing on his way would be Roberto Leyva an 8th time title challenger who fought the likes of Ivan Calderon, Daniel Reyes and Edgar Sosa. Z Gorres is known to be a great tactician but lacks the power to knock his opponents out. Campaigning in the 115lb division would have drained Gorres in his fights with Montiel and Darchinyan but at 118 his bigger and stronger on that weight. During the weigh in Gorres was a half pound over the limit while Leyva was a pound over. It only took them less an hour to shake the excess weight with the hot and humid weather outside SM mall.The fight will showcase also Indonesian Superman Muhammad Rachman against the up and coming prodigy Milan Milendo who both tip the 106lb limit.
Fight night is on Saturday at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City see you all there fight fans!

Z Gorres All pump up

ALA boys in Relax mode. Also seeing action Michael Domingo and James Bacon.

Milan Milendo and Muhammad Rachman

Losing is a painful process we all have to undergo. There are no remedies for the pain and the only way is to move on and face the music. Experience is the greatest teacher of life and going through most of your difficult moments and passing it with flying colors is not only a rewarding feeling but it also makes you a better and tested person.
Amir Khan is just 22 years old who just bounced up from his only loss in his career against Columbian Breidis Prescott last September. His bitter experience on the hands of Prescott changed his life in a different perspective. The humbling incident led him to Freddie Roach and an opportunity to practice and spar with Manny Pacquiao the world’s current pound per pound king. Everything went into place for the young Bolton fighter. Winning against Oisin Fagan is just a tiny little step for bigger and brighter fights ahead. This time there would be no patsies or safe opponents for Khan it’s time to test the waters and his biggest test would be a 35 year old warrior from Mexico who still used his moniker… the “Baby face Assassin” Marco Antonio Barrera. Marco is considered as one of boxing’s greatest legends his fights with Morales, Pacquiao, Hamed, Marquez, Pauli Ayala and Johnny Tapia are indication of his greatness and he is a tested and far more experienced boxer against Khan. He brings an impressive resume to the table with his strong determination on winning a fourth title on four different weight divisions Barrera is dead eye serious in coming off a win against Khan.
Amir who is a natural lightweight is the bigger, faster and stronger fighter between the two. His speed would be the key and with all the wars Barrera have been through it will surely take its toll. His last fight with Pacquiao has showcased a slow and old Barrera he was just fighting to survive eluding Manny’s onslaught most of the times.
But we can never question the heart of Barrera nor do we question how Hopkins bewildered Pavlik and Juan Marquez dominated a young aggressive fighter in Juan Diaz. Boxing has put itself in the reverse gear and fighters who we deemed to loose suddenly dominates the game.
Amir at a young age of 22 still has a lot of years ahead of him but in a division like the lightweight the level of competition is a notch higher. Maybe he was just a raw and overhyped fighter when he fought Presscott abandoning his defense while looking for a knockout but this time he is in for the big leagues and a Barrera fight is good for Amir. He has learned to move on since his defeat with Breidis and this time there won’t be any excuses anymore. He needs to be tested and Freddie and Amir knows that.
I would go for Amir Khan by knockout. This is what’s good about loosing because there is always a silver lining in the end. Amir has learned his lesson now it’s time to put it into practice.

A hit and run incident followed by a high speed police pursuit Quintin “Rampage” Jackson was just being true to his name. After pleading guilty he will have to face charges come 2010.
Jackson after riding a 6 game winning streak grabbing Chuck Lidell’s belt and winning a unanimous decision against Dan Henderson was humbled by Forrest Griffin on UFC 86. He went back to his winning ways against an opponent who twice beaten him way back on his Pride days. Wanderlei Silva got Knockout with Jackson’s patented move the left hook. The hook that shock Chuck Lidell, the hook that gave him an edge against Henderson but other than the power of his hooks there is nothing much to talk about on his arsenal. Jackson is getting to be predictable and sooner or later he will be exposed. His unanimous win last Saturday against Keith Jardine was great but expected. People would want to see their matchup against undefeated Rashad “Sugar” Evans if Jackson wins. Keith Jardine is a tough cookie eating Jackson’s hooks with pleasure although there are several instances that Keith had wobbly legs but he stood up and fought Jackson till the bell ended. Jackson seldom made a submission move and other than some occasional leg strikes he relies solely on his hands although this is a good thing but a well rounded opponent could give Jackson some headaches. Forrest Griffin did just that with his leg kicks although Keith was successful in confusing Jackson but he just doesn’t have the power and the athleticism of a Rashad Evans.
Jackson went face to face with Rashad after his unanimous decision win and said to the champion I want my belt back… He doesn’t care if he is a short handed fighter; he doesn’t care if he wins by knockout he just want it back… The hit and run incident doesn’t even stop him. Evans has to be ready because Jackson is on a rampage… after all his just being true to his name.

Dwight Howard is clapping his hands inviting Shaq to test his defense while Shaq was holding the ball he made a pass behind Dwight’s legs to Chris Paul and Paul return the favor with a no look pass with Shaq dunking the basketball. It was a fun atmosphere and the crowd applauded their star center. It was Shaq’s night having played his entire career as an All-star dancing with Jabbawockeez and grabbing the co-MVP award with his former teammate Kobe Bryant.

Shaquille just turned 37 this year. The ever reliable center the dominant force of the NBA is now slowly having signs of vulnerability although there are flashes of an old Shaq who bulldoze his way to the ring. He got 45 points in Toronto and averaging 17.4 points a game with 8.8 rebounds but the Suns are spending a hefty $20 million contract for an aging center who doesn’t command a double team anymore. Shaq is looking at a mirror in Dwight Howard a young and likeable center who wears the same charisma and wears the same nickname with Shaq… Superman…Dwight is now the new dominant force of the NBA the 6 foot 11 center from the Orlando Magic leads the league in Shot blocks and rebounds. At still 23 years old his life as an All-star has just begun while Shaq is slowly on his way out. Shaq has a habit of bashing his old teammates and coaches. We knew what happened with him against Penny Hardaway, the bitter exit against Kobe Bryant and coach Jackson and now his bashing against his former team’s coach Stan Van Gundy who incidentally coaches Dwight in Orlando. When Shaq was on Orlando Stan heard all the trash talk against Howard. Shaq hated Howard’s defensive presence, he hate knowing his 14 years younger and playing on the same team that drafted him. Stan Van Gundy had to make a stand and because Howard doesn’t fight back and go down to his level Stan fought Shaq with a barrage of his own.
His indispensable contract made him harder to trade and with the Sun’s strings of bad decision like trading Bell and Diaw for Richardson they might as well deal with what Shaq has left to offer. He will forever be the Big Aristotle or the Big Daddy in the NBA but he has to face the music. There is nothing to prove he has done what he had to do. 37 is just a number but in the NBA it’s a time where you think hard about your career and move on. Maybe Shaq needs to grow up before he calls it quits.

After his dunk against Dwight Howard in the All-Star game, everybody was having fun. But deep inside the big Aristotle’s head…He means business.

The rise of Manny Pacquiao isn’t an overnight affair. It took him 18 years from boxing before harvesting the fruits of his labor. With all the accolades and prestige Manny up to now is still considered top pound per pound boxer. Like any other fighter Manny has also his down moments after all his just human after all. His record speaks more about Manny being human having lost 3 fights out of his 48 wins with 2 draws. In the past Manny succumbed to body shots when he is more vulnerable. Having said that maybe one factor would be his gradual moving in weight as his body slowly developed into a full grown adult. His moving in weight from a 106 pounder to a welterweight is something beneficial to Manny but come this May this would be his true test on the bigger weight. David Diaz wasn’t much of a competition and a drained DelaHoya couldn’t pull the trigger anymore. Ricky Hatton is different there won’t be any standing still fighter or a measly punching bag Manny will be up against a fighter who constantly pressure his opponent giving no room or even a second to breath. And the Hitman’s forte would be his body shots nope we’re not talking about tequila here we’re talking about Kostya Tszyu, Luis Collazo and Paulie Malignaggi eating a great deal of body punching.
Ricky has already set his eyes on Manny’s body or shall we say the hitman has just found his target. Manny’s opponents have been targeting his weak spot but unfortunately they found themselves in a trap although there are some that hit the target but found Manny unruffled. The truth is Manny is one of the most dedicated boxer in the world today he had developed a granite chin and had constantly worked on his body. Ricky should watch how Eric Morales out smart and out worked Pacquiao not the body shots that he was eyeing for since many have tried and failed the Hitman should be wise enough to know that.
It would be a disaster if he changes his style right now but if he really wants to win he needs to fight a perfect fight pressuring Manny and picking his spots. Manny doesn’t have to worry much about their game plan since Ricky’s just in front of him baiting his trap.