Last night on HBO welterweight Zab Judah added yet another disgraceful end to his litany of dubiousness. After impressively standing toe to toe with powerful Ghanian Joshua Clottey for eight rounds a cut was opened over Judah’s right eye in the ninth.

How that cut manifested itself became an object of contention. Multiple replays indicated that the cut was opened by a Clottey uppercut. Nevertheless the referee judged it to be caused by a head butt. While being examined by the ref Judah appeared to get the “how many fingers do I have up?” question wrong.

I’m no doctor and I can’t attest to Judah’s vision problems but the cut didn’t appear to be particularly debilitating.

It certainly seemed that Judah thought he was ahead on the cards and when given the head-butt out he decided to quit. Post-fight Judah raised his arms as if he had won, denied that a punch caused the cut despite clear evidence to the contrary, admitted that he thought he was ahead on the cards, and crowned himself the people’s champ.

The most damning evidence for Super Judah came next when HBO announcer Max Kellerman interviewed the ringside doctor. In his recap of the situation he said that Zab told him he couldn’t see. After removing the blood the doctor judged that Zab could fight but Judah still insisted that he could not see.

The doctor didn’t outright say that Zab was lying but his tone was so incredulous that Kellerman asked him “It sounds like you don’t believe him?” We don’t believe Judah either.

Which is a shame. He is as talented an American welterweight as we’ve seen in the last fifteen years and he looked especially determined in the first eight rounds last night.

How many more chances is Zab going to get? Probably a few more even though he is only 2-4 (with one no contest) over the last three years.

The Clottey bout showed that he remains a popular draw and is still a good, if not great, fighter. It’s doubtful that he’ll be headlining a pay-per-view as he was supposed to with Shane Mosley but this won’t be his last HBO appearance.

We can’t wait to see what sort of controversial ending he can make happen next time.

Photo Source: http://www.newscom.com/

Post from: EveryJoe

Zab Judah. Controversial Ending. You Don’t Say.

Image details: Juan Manuel Lopez v Juan Brea served by picapp.com

If you stayed with the end of Showtime’s Sergio Mora victory over Vernon Forrest then you probably missed HBO’s opening bout. Heck, if you blinked you might have missed Juan Manual Lopez’ declarative first round TKO and WBO super bantamweight-grabbing win over Daniel Ponce de Leon.

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican destroyed the 27-year-old Mexican first dropping him with a straight left halfway through round one. Ponce de Leon got up but was out on feet an Lopez pounced. He stalked Ponce de Leon around the ring finally cornering him at the 50 second mark. At this point he wailed hook after hook flattening his opponent again. The Mexican was unable to gather and the ref mercifully stepped in and ended the beating.

HBO announcer Max Kellerman asserted that “a star is born.” It’s hard to argue with that statement especially after Lopez’ confident and personality-filled post-match interview. Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez now have an exciting prospective Puerto Rican dancing partner. Kellerman asked him if he’s ready for those two luminaries to which Lopez smilingly responded, “If the fight today didn’t demonstrate it, then what do I have to do?”

Post from: EveryJoe

Juan Manuel Lopez Wins With An Assertive First Round KO

Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Darling Jimenez
Before the fight has even started Max Kellerman calls Yuriorkis Gamboa a “Mike Tyson or Jack Dempsey in miniature.” With all the hullabaloo surrounding this guy we half expect him to levitate to the ring, turn water to wine, and transform Primm into Las Vegas. Can the hype be real?

Well, he’s awfully flashy. His hand speed and closing speed is astounding. He’s an unbridled ball of super-powered electricity. He’s freakishly athletic and talented. The problem is: he knows all of these things. He looks supremely bored by Jimenez. He fights with his hands down and goes wherever he wants. He has no respect for Jimenez and believes he can dodge and sidestep any punch he throws.

Gamboa is probably right. The skill chasm between these two makes the fight difficult to watch as does Gamboa’s foolish arrogance and complete lack of discipline.

Then Jimenez knocks him down! Oh my heavens! Vamos Darling! At this point Jimenez has forgotten the Mike Tyson, Roy Jones, and Jack Dempsey comparisons. Gamboa’s more like a Cuban Zab Judah. The bout is now watchable.

Amazingly, Yuriorkis still refuses to fight with his hands up. He still doesn’t believe he’s in any danger. He’s not going to get away with this cocksure attitude against a better class of fighter. Maybe he’ll even learn his lesson tonight, a lesson he’ll only understand if he loses.

Jimenez is digging in with a steady, professional, disciplined style landing where he can and trying to block Gamboa’s amazingly quick flurries. Hopefully he can sneak in another big blow.

In the seventh Gamboa throws Jimenez to the canvas twice with rudeness and classlessness. What will he do next to make me dislike him more? Is there anything he can do to make me like him?

His tenth round comes close as he begins with almost a minute and fifteen seconds worth of non-stop punching! Yuriorkis closes out the fight with the same energy and control with which he began. So it’s no surprise when he wins by a wide unanimous decision.

Nevertheless after this spotty debut in which Gamboa was simultaneously extremely hard working and very lazy it’s clear that the he’s-the-greatest-there-ever-will-be luster is gone. Gamboa was the pre-fight headliner but post-fight the broadcast’s highlights were the other two fighters: the bulldogs, Kirkland and Angulo.

Part One – HBO’s Night of the Bulldog: Ferocious Kirkland

Part Two- HBO’s Night of the Bulldog: Gutsy Angulo

Photo Source: Newscom.com

Post from: EveryJoe

HBO’s Night of the Bulldog: Flashy Gamboa

Eromosele Albert vs. James Kirkland
As the opening bell rings Max Kellerman insists that James Kirkland is a fun boxer to watch lauding his ferocity and his urgent aggression. 40 seconds later he knocks Eromosele Albert down silly. Joe Cortez lets the fight continue but Albert never recovers and is dropped for good ten seconds later at 1:06 of Round One. After the fight Kirkland says he wants to “take over the 154-pound division”. Kirkland is now 22-0 with 19 KOs seven of which have happened in the first round. Albert fell to 21-1.

Because of the fight’s abrupt end the HBO announcing team focuses on Kirkland’s trainer Ann Wolfe and her unorthodox methods which they equate to torture. Wolfe counters with “When you play with a puppy it’ll lick you in the mouth. When you come to the gym it’s bulldogs in there; you better be a bulldog or you’ll get ate alive.” The Primm Valley Resort Arena responds with spontaneous applause. It’s officially the night of the bulldog on HBO.

Photo Source: Newscom.com

Post from: EveryJoe

HBO’s Night of the Bulldog: Ferocious Kirkland