Ten Best Things in Boxing in 2013

Ten Best Things in Boxing in 2013
Mark E. Ortega
January 3, 2013

 At the end of last year, I pessimistically counted down the list of ten of the worst things that happened in boxing during the calendar year. Here I take a more positive look at the sport and examine things that really worked out greatly for the sweet science.

Ten Worst Boxing Moments of 2013

Ten Worst Boxing Moments of 2013
Mark E. Ortega
December 20, 2013

Although many consider 2013 to have been a banner year for boxing, it wasn't always smooth sailing. The sport suffered from its fair share of scandal and controversy, not to mention in a few cases just some poor judgment and bad taste. Here I count down the ten worst moments the sport dealt with in 2013.

Lampley discusses Chavez-Vera, bad scoring

Lampley discusses Chavez-Vera, bad scoring
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
October 1, 2013


Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. earned a highly disputable 10-round unanimous decision over Bryan Vera on Saturday in Carson, Calif. The "victory" by scores of 96-94, 97-93 and 98-92 was seen on HBO in the U.S. and followed a circus in which Chavez Jr.’s side negotiated a new weight mid-fight week after showing up heavy.

Few were as close to the action on Saturday than HBO commentator Jim Lampley, who spoke with RingTV.com briefly about the result after the fight.

“I don't like to keep a score while calling a fight,” said Lampley shortly after wrapping up the broadcast.

“I thought (unofficial HBO judge) Steve Weisfeld's score of 96-94 was entirely justifiable. A draw wouldn't have surprised me. 98-92 is way off base. It just wasn't that kind of a fight; 97-93 doesn't seem right to me either.”

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Commentary: Chavez-Vera and the question of fighter safety

Chavez-Vera and the question of fighter safety
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 27, 2013

Mark E. Ortega

Saturday night, it is still expected that a boxing match will take place between former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and current WBO #1 middleweight contender Brian Vera.

Despite their current standings as 160 pounders, the fight was due to take place at the super middleweight limit of 168 pounds after being delayed and moved from earlier contract weights in the mid-160s.

Early in fight week, it became clear that Chavez Jr. was not going to make the contracted 168 pound limit. Though a serious infraction, promoter Bob Arum made a joke of it at Wednesday's press conference, saying it would be the first time a fight's weight wasn't decided until the fighters weighed in.

The fight has since been negotiated to a new weight of 173 pounds. Neither fighter has previously fought at the weight. Vera has fought at 168 pounds in the past, most notably during season two of The Contender. Vera was stopped in two rounds by Jaidon Codrington as part of the tournament.

Though the fight has been renegotiated and Vera has no doubt been financially compensated, there's still a concern of fighter safety at hand.

"My first concern is Brian's safety," said Vera's manager Dave Watson after Wednesday's press conference.

Watson believes that Chavez's lack of professionalism is beneficial to his own fighter.

"The best position we could be in is for him to be overlooking us," said Watson. 

"Chavez is the favorite, is already talking about fighting [Andre] Ward. Brian operates better when he is the underdog and has something to prove. This is gonna be the upset of the year."

Ronnie Shields, who trains Vera, confirmed to Boxingscene's Rick Reeno yesterday that the fight was renegotiated at 173 pounds.

When Shields spoke to RingTV after Wednesday's press conference, he expressed concern about the situation.

"It changes things a lot," said Shields. "You're talking about a kid's health. It's different fighting a guy that's supposed to be 168 pounds who could end up being 200 pounds."

It has been reported that there is no maximum weight stipulation on the day of the fight for Chavez Jr. When contacted by RingTV on Thursday afternoon, Vera's promoter Artie Pellulo wouldn't confirm.

"I can't share any of those details at the present time, you'll know at the weigh-in," Pellulo told RingTV.

If there is no maximum weight stipulation, the fight becomes even more dangerous. Vera could be outweighed by close to 30 pounds on Saturday night.

This circus surrounding the weight has a few similarities to last July's bout between Adrien Broner and Vicente Escobedo. 

Broner missed the 130 pound limit at the weigh-in and was supposed to weigh no more than ten pounds above that weight the day of the fight. He missed that target as well and the fight was in peril up until a few hours prior to the fight.

Escobedo took the fight after receiving an additional $300,000, more money than Escobedo had ever previously earned. The result was a foregone conclusion, Escobedo was mauled in an early stoppage. The emotional release from Escobedo in his post-fight interview that night showed a fighter that wasn't mentally prepared for a fight that night due to all the mess that came before it.

On Thursday afternoon, RingTV caught up with Escobedo's manager Rolando Arellano to talk about that situation last July.

When asked if he would go through with the fight if he could do it all over, Arellano said, "Absolutely."

"We got him more money than he was ever paid before and we saved face politically with all of the people involved," said Arellano. 

Since the defeat to Broner, Escobedo has fought twice in 2013. Against former title challenger Edner Cherry as well as unheralded Fernando Carcamo, Escobedo was stopped.

"Chente has been on a decline ever since but I don't think it is a direct result from the Broner fight."

Though Escobedo was paid handsomely to serve as a sacrificial lamb last Saturday, how much did it potentially cost him after the fact?

Like Vera, Broner was ranked #1 in the WBO before facing Broner. Once Broner moved up, Escobedo would have been in line to fight for the vacant title. Though there was no bigger payday available than what he got against Broner, the 130 pound division was thin at the time and Escobedo could have potentially won a belt and gotten a few defenses, extending his career. Now, it looks as though that career is nearing an end.

These are the kinds of questions Vera and his team must keep in mind as he prepares to go into the ring on Saturday. Surely, the deep pockets of Chavez Jr.'s handlers have rewarded him for the physical risks he will endure.

Vera's style of fighting has him absorb his opponent's best shots as he tries to wear them down. Trainer Shields told RingTV that they've focused on his defense and head movement for this fight, but it's hard for an old dog to learn new tricks at this stage.

Vera and his team have all said this is clearly the best camp he has ever had in preparing for a fight. One can only hope that it isn't all for nothing and that we avoid seeing a sad result on Saturday.

Commentary: Boxing is dead? Again?

Boxing is dead? Again?
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 6, 2013


Boxing fans who tuned in Thursday afternoon to ESPN’s debate show Pardon the Interruption collectively shuddered when hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon declared the sport one fight away from being dead.

It should come as no surprise, though. Whenever a big fight looms the way next Saturday’s bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez does, casual followers of the sport kick in their two cents on the state of the game.

“He’s the last headliner out there in professional boxing,” stated Wilbon about Mayweather.

“What other names do you know? You know the Klitschko name, that’s it. Who else do you know,” said Kornheiser.

“He’s the last guy out there for a sport that’s all but dead,” said Wilbon. “This is it. It’s over for boxing after this.”

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Bits & Pieces: Gonzalez's and Golden Boy's future plans

Bits & Pieces: Gonzalez's and Golden Boy's future plans
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
August 26, 2013


One of boxing's young stars was dealt his first taste of defeat on Saturday, as Abner Mares was shockingly knocked out by veteran Jhonny Gonzalez in the first round at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, Calif. The bout headlined a Showtime telecast that also featured Leo Santa Cruz add another title to his name when he beat up Victor Terrazas before stopping him in the third.

After the fight, Gonzalez and Mares appeared at the post-fight press conference and showed their class. Here are some of the details from that as well as Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer discussing a few future points for his company.

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Crawford eager to shine as late replacement

Crawford eager to shine as late replacement
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 30, 2013


LAS VEGAS--Thursday afternoon, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum compared one of the young fighters in his stable to an understudy in a big play that gets the call when the main lead calls in sick.

 

At least in those instances, the understudy knows their lines. 

 

Saturday night, Omaha, Nebraska's Terence Crawford will be ad-libbing his way through his first real test, and on major television no less, as he fights veteran gatekeeper and relentless power puncher Breidis Prescott. What's more, Crawford will be testing the waters in a foreign weight division as he'll experiment at 140 pounds. 

 

Previously, Crawford (19-0, 15 KOs) has campaigned almost exclusively as a lightweight, where he possesses a number of alphabet rankings at the moment. But when WBA 140-pound titlist pulled out of a fight with Prescott due to injury, Crawford didn't hesitate when he got the call to jump into the HBO co-feature.

 

“I feel good about the fight,” the quiet Crawford told RingTV at Thursday's press conference. “They called my phone for a reason, and this is the moment I've been waiting for.”

 

Crawford could possibly be the best kept secret in boxing—this despite being handled by the most prominent promoter in the sport. None of his nineteen wins were on national television. His most challenging opponent to date was a past-it David Rodela last June.

 

There's another fighter from the Midwest who took an equally large leap in his level of opposition, in his premium cable debut no less. Cincinnati, Ohio's Adrien Broner went from fighting the pedestrian John Revish to going ten rounds with the formidable Daniel Ponce De Leon.

 

Though Broner struggled with that assignment, he learned from the experience and hasn't looked back since. 

 

Broner was 21 at the time he fought Ponce De Leon. Though Crawford is a bit further along in age, his potential is just as unknown. The extra life experience could perhaps be of benefit to Crawford. Broner might have benefited from reaching stardom in his mid-twenties and been more equipped to handle the fame. Recent incidents indicate Broner still has some growing up to do, while Crawford is a no nonsense guy without a rap sheet.

 

Prescott (26-4, 20 KOs), of  Colombia, hasn't been easy work for anyone at 135 or 140 pounds. Given the situation Crawford has been tossed into, coming away with a clear victory would go a long ways to establishing his credibility.

 

It wasn't as though Crawford wasn't preparing for a fight. Crawford was on the card from the gate, and was projected to fight tough Robert Osiobe, a journeyman fighter who was on a nice win streak and a tough out for any young fighter. That fight would have been Crawford's stiffest test by a mile, the kind of fight that tells you whether your next move is a Prescott-type fight or a step backwards into confidence boosters.

 

A telling point regarding Crawford was the read you could get on Top Rank executives' thoughts when asked the fight.

 

Without disclosing exact words, some of the important cogs in the Top Rank machine seemed uncertain whether Crawford was ready for the test.

 

“We don't manage fighters, we offer them fights,” said one Top Rank executive memorably. “It is ultimately up to them if they are ready for it.”

 

Given how quickly Crawford agreed to jump in to fight Prescott, his team has all the confidence that he'll get the win Saturday.

 

“I answered immediately,” responded Crawford to a question of how long it took him to decide to take the fight.

 

When asked about future plans and the weight they would be discussed at, Crawford made it evident he'd like to make this a temporary appearance in the ultra-deep junior welterweight class.

 

“My main goal is to get the title at 135 first, and then move up,” said Crawford.

 

Though it is always important to look good when you get an opportunity out of left field to fight on a network like HBO, in a situation like this, it is fair to adopt the Al Davis train of thought. “Just win, baby,” the late Oakland Raiders owner used to declare famously.

 

“I think once I win, they'll want me back on,” said Crawford. “Anybody at 135 with a title can get it.”

 

It's a shame that the rift between Top Rank and rival Golden Boy Promotions exists. Who knows, perhaps a Broner-Crawford fight in Cincinnati could do big numbers in a few years. It's a fight that Crawford has already been pondering.

 

“I'm right there with him,” Crawford told RingTV's Mike Coppinger in a recent issue of RING Magazine, with Crawford being profiled as a “New Face”. “No question, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.”

 

Crawford has to pass one test first. Watching footage of Prescott obliterating Amir Khan in less than a few minutes could have an adverse effect on the psyche of an inexperienced fighter like Crawford.

 

If Crawford is weak minded, he's done a great job hiding it so far. Saturday night, it is very likely that the boxing community finds out if Crawford has a strong stomach to go along with it. Prescott battered Mike Alvarado, who fights in the main event Saturday against Brandon Rios, nearly costing him his eye. Prescott was unable to finish the job and Alvarado overcome early odds to stop his opponent late in the fight, early Friday morning.

 

Saturday night, you'll find out how much Prescott has in his relatively deep tank. You'll also likely have a firmer grasp on how deep the tank of Crawford is, whether or not he is equipped with the miles per gallon of a hybrid or a pickup truck. It's the kind of fight that HBO's Boxing After Dark used to feature on the regular.

 

It'll be hard to upstage the main event, a rematch of one of 2012's greatest bouts. Should Rios and Alvarado falter later on, it could be Crawford's performance that everyone is talking about Monday afternoon.

 

Unlike the previously compared Broner, Crawford will try and make an impression solely with his boxing skills. An impressive enough performance could allow him to skip all the self-hype that Broner took on after he had difficulty with Ponce De Leon.

A win will get Crawford back in the spotlight. An impressive win will have people wondering where he's been hiding, and when they can see more.

 

Mark Ortega is the boxing columnist for the Martinez News-Gazette and is a member of the Boxing Writers Assoc. of America and the RING Ratings Advisory Panel. He can be reached via e-mail at markeortega@gmail.com as well as followed on Twitter @MarkEOrtega.

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Bogere looks to become the latest African titleholder on Saturday

Bogere looks to become the latest African titleholder on Saturday
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 1, 2013

LAS VEGAS – On Saturday night, Sharif Bogere looks to follow in the footsteps of Ike Quartey, Joshua Clottey and Kassim Ouma – fighters who journeyed from impoverished African countries to more lucrative earnings and world titles in the United States – as he vies for his first major title in the headlining bout of Showtime Championship Boxing against Richard Abril for a vacant WBA 135-pound belt. 

Where the 24-year-old Ugandan hopes to take a different path from his predecessors comes after he wins Saturday. While all of those names won major titles and found themselves in marquee matchups, their dedication curtailed after their earnings reached a high point.

Quartey took a five-year hiatus after fighting big names like Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas and Clottey has hardly been seen since appearing in big matchups with box-office darlings Miguel Cotto and, more recently, Manny Pacquiao in 2010.

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The Sins of Adrien Broner vs. Vicente Escobedo

The Sins of Adrien Broner vs. Vicente Escobedo
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
July 23, 2012


A snapshot into how social media has changed the fight game, and the ongoing saga of the big payday versus more likely longevity.

What was previously disregarded as just another mismatch engineered by adviser Al Haymon atop an HBO televised doubleheader morphed into case studies of a number of contentious topics in the sport by the time fight night rolled up around 8 p.m. PT Saturday evening.

Among them: a canvassing of many of the seven deadly sins that find their way into boxing, as well as the way in which rapid minute-by-minute reporting has perhaps affected boxing more than any other major sport. This, all over a fight that was supposed to take place in a junior lightweight division that many regarded as one of the shallowest stateside. But the result, in which Adrien Broner scored a technical knockout over Vicente Escobedo in five rounds, wasn't the story Saturday night.

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Eloy Perez: "The Prince" vies for his crown

Eloy Perez: "The Prince" vies for his crown
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 23, 2012

Though they both share Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions as their promoter, junior lightweights Adrien Broner and Eloy Perez have taken considerably different routes to Saturday night's destination: a 12-round HBO-televised co-feature slot from St. Louis, Mo. underneath the welterweight clash between Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana.

 Broner, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been the focus of attention in the United States when it comes to the 130-pound division; his last three bouts have all been televised by HBO and he has been well-favored to win all three of those contests. Against Perez, Broner is currently a 5-to-1 favorite to defend the WBO belt he won against overmatched Argentine Vicente Rodriguez in November. Perez was actually considered to fill that slot, but his team decided to wait for a better opportunity, a smart move in hindsight.

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NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4

NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 4, 2012

Team Eloy Perez Moves Camp To SoCal In Prep For Adrien Broner 

With just three weeks to go before they make their arrival on the big stage, Team Eloy Perez has relocated their training camp to Oxnard from Oakland, Calif., according to assistant trainer Sam Garcia. The move is in preparation for his HBO debut against WBO 130-pound beltholder Adrien Broner, set for Feb 25 in St. Louis, Mo. in the co-feature to the intriguing welterweight scrap between Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana. Perez and company have been working at King's Gym in Oakland for the past few weeks with Virgil Hunter and his growing stable of fighters, including junior welterweight Mike Dallas Jr. and lightweight Stan Martyniouk. Perez will now be down in Oxnard at Robert Garcia's gym to spar with undefeated former WBA 135-pound titlist Brandon Rios as well as fellow junior lightweight Argenis Mendez.

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Team Tomlinson Talk Broner & Beyond

Team Tomlinson Talk Broner & Beyond

Mark E. Ortega

UndisputedFightMag.com

November 25, 2011

Saturday night, the vacant WBO super featherweight title left behind by Scotsman Ricky Burns will be contested between WBO #1 Adrien Broner [21-0, 17 KOs] and WBO #6 Vicente Rodriguez [34-2-1, 19 KOs] in the opening televised fight on HBO Boxing After Dark's split-site broadcast headlined by Saul Alvarez's WBC 154 pound title defense against Kermit Cintron.

Broner will be heading the portion taking place in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio at U.S. Bank Arena against the long-odds underdog Rodriguez, who hails from Argentina.