Boxing: Gotta Get This Off My Chest

Walter Donovan

24.03 - The funniest thing I’ve heard all week: a few reports had former WBA super middleweight champion Frankie Liles fighting in an off-TV bout on this Saturday’s Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis-Ricardo Mayorga Showtime card…against former WBC heavyweight champion Oliver McCall! Actually, Liles will be facing Etienne Whitaker in a light heavyweight bout. I thought some delusion was setting in while reading that, thinking Liles had either been bulking up since losing his title to Byron Mitchell in 1999, or shoving Twinkies and Vienna Fingers in his pie hole.

In light of IBF #1 junior lightweight Lamont Pearson’s recent upset loss to unheralded Orlando Salido, #2 David Santos is begging for a rematch with IBF junior lightweight champ Steve Forbes. Forbes battered Santos fairly easily via unanimous decision to win the USBA belt in 2000, so it’s difficult to see how the rematch will be any different. Still, I’ll take that over, say, a Dariusz Michalaczewski-Joey DeGrandis WBO title bout any day.

Kudos to James Toney for shedding over thirty pounds since his last fight, tipping the scales at 195 pounds in winning a lopsided decision over former WBO title challenger Sione Asipeli. Nevertheless, Toney looked a little slow, and his body is still puffy. His frame looked solid when he stopped Adolpho Washington a few years back, yet he weighed around the same then as he did last Friday. "Lights Out" remains a clever counter puncher, cleverly picking his shots off the ropes to batter his foes’ head and body. Surely, Toney would be in better shape if the proposed shot at IBF cruiser champ Vassily Jirov comes off, and definitely more inspired. He’ll have to be to successfully handle Jirov’s wicked body attack.

Looks like it’s time for former-IBF cruiser champ Arthur "King" Williams to consider calling it quits. He’s simply not the same fighter. It was difficult watching him get whipped by O’Neil Bell last year. At least Bell is a top contender. But now after losing a lopsided decision to someone named Kelvin "Concrete" Davis, Williams may need a new line of work. The same goes for former three-time junior welterweight champ Frankie "The Surgeon" Randall, who’s lost seven straight (five by KO), I believe. And yes, Larry Holmes, that goes for you, too, because I sure as heck don’t ache to see you in there with Butterbean.

Anyone get a glimpse of WBC super fly champ Masamori Tokuyama’s recent title defense against Kazuhiro Ryuko? Yeah, me neither. It’s a shame, because a wealth of talent exists over in the Far East. ESPN2, HBO, Showtime, and the rest of those broadcasting giants need to get over there and cover that scene…FAST! It’s bad enough hardly anyone in the U.S. knew or cared about the exploits of a legend like Khaosai Galaxy, who defended his WBA junior bantamweight title 19 times from 1984-91 in compiling an astonishing record of 49-1 (43). Those who claim to be "America’s #1 Boxing Network," or the "Heart and Soul of Boxing," need broaden their scopes and showcase some new talent to disheartened boxing fans.

I’m done. God bless all of you!

Your bud,

"Dynamite" Walter Donovan