General Boredom...

Having spent most of this week getting the sister blog formed and using it as a column for the excellent RingNews24 it's now time to just spot some boxing oddities stupidities and generally different things.

So lets start with the Yankee Stadium controversy (it's still fresh). What Mercante did was a brave and correct decision for me, about the Juanito Rubillar crap last year someone needs to be not only 100% certain it's THE RIGHT TOWEL but also that it's in the interest of the fighter. Yes Foreman was in pain but he could have refused to come out for the next round or told the referee he was unable to continue. Some have explained Mercante's actions being similar to that of “a little league coach”, what a load of crap. Mercante didn't want to stop an exciting fight that was, despite heading one way, going to be ended indecisively. We hate indecisive endings in our sport at the best of times.

Secondly, the big stories of the week.
Mayweather's rumoured 2 year retirement...funny if he does that and again walks away from major fights (Pacquiao...duh) he'll till keep some supporters. More annoyingly when he comes from this supposed sabbatical he'll be nigh on 36... Sugar Ray Leonard-”The Return”?

David Haye is to fight Fraudley Harrison...The world rejoices, finally the talk of the “Hayemaker” being a breath of fresh air is proven to be as much garbage as that of which Fraudley has been spreading. Good good as long as we know the British heavyweights only want to face each other, we can have another “merry go round” (a'la the Williams/Sprott/Skelton/Audley one of a few years back)

So what about more amusing stuff?
Well plenty (not most but plenty) will have heard of Chinese female rising star Wang Ya Nan (great name) but what about Middleweight “Viktor Dick”, he deserves to be mentioned up their with the sports personalities with the stupidest names ever. No offence Viktor but your names stupid, and I'd fancy my chances against you too if you do take this as offensive ;-)

Finally, old folk, we're all fed up of old heavyweights right? We'll sadly we hardly know half the story. Holyfield is the high profile one but what about Juan Carlos Gimenez Ferreyra?

Who? Well Ferreyra started his career in 1982, has fought Juan Roldan (1986), Roberto Duran (1987), Mauro Galvano (1992), Chris Eubank (1992), Nigel Benn (1994), Joe Calzaghe (1998), Zsolt Erdei (2002), and yet aged 49 Ferreyra beat 43 year old Nicasio Moray Martinez in a card in Paraguay. Funnily enough 41 year old Rafael Orlando Espinola continued his losing streak falling to 0-9...theres a match up made in heaven.

On the same subject I think we saw one of those good old father son tricks (although I'm not sure). Danny and David Thomas both fought on a card in Indiana last Saturday, Thomas is a normal enough name right? Well yeah fair enough. Though it's worth noting both live in Evansville and David is 27 Danny is 48, father and son? I'm guessing so. Both won by KO in the opening round as well (in case your interested)

And finally to the last age related item...and boxrecs stupid rankings. The NEW heavyweight #1 on boxrec (female) is 40 year old Gwendolyn O'Neil 15-6-1. Yes she has a winning record and beat the previous #1, though she has beaten 2 opponents in the last 2 years, their combined record 7-7 (4-3 and 3-4) having been previously KO'd in 1 by Laila Ali. Though ho did the 3-4 Veronica Blackman ever get given the Boxrec #1 ranking? Included in Blackman's record is 3 fights (2-1) with Sharon Ward and 2 fights (0-2) with Shelly Gibson. Oh Boxrec you do crack me up.

Like boxing to the Yankee Stadium, I am back

Having had things popping up recently I've not managed to update this in a while which is a shame as I've managed to reel off work all week despite having things going on. Though it's with Yankee Stadium in mind and the recent Miguel Cotto v Yuri Foreman fight that brings me to thinking about the home of the great American game, that, like boxing, you stole from us Brits. Sadly one thing we Brits can't claim is the greatest heavyweight of all time, that was Joe Louis. So what happens when you put Joe in the home of baseball? Well...

It was against Primo Canera that Louis would make his debut in the stadium, scoring a 6th round TKO. He would follow this up by beating Max Baer  in 4 rounds in what was the first fight for Baer since losing his title. Louis made the former champion pay, as he established the stadium as his own home stadium, it could well have been renamed "Bomber Stadium" after the Brown Bomber destroyed Jack Sharkey there in 1936 having suffered his first career loss at the hands of Max Schmeling.

Having won the title at Comiskey Park against James J Braddock  his first defence was at home of the Yankees where he out pointed the fine Welshman Tommy Farr before extracting revenge against Schmeling in their rematch a year after winning the title was vicious and painful for the German though others were treat  to a similar fate. Tony Galento would put Louis down before being stopped in the stadium that Louis ruled with Arturo Godoy being the last defence Louis would have there before the war.

After the War Louis was back on the hallowed turf and knocking opponents out of there, with Billy Conn lasting into the 8th round whilst Tami Mauriello put on one of the most exciting brawls with Louis even if it was short lived. Louis would score his last defence there against Jersey Joe Walcott in 1948 before losing in his comeback to Ezzard Charles and not fighting there again having run up a 9-2 record in the venue.

Like many Louis fights there their Cotto v Foreman fight was a good watch and well worth chasing down if you've not already seen it.

For those interested in Louis' fights:
The Schmeling rematch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6StIjEli_vU

The Galento fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdpZQHZlSWQ (pt 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQhaI21fS-c&feature=related (pt 2)

The Mauriello fight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUzJaokX_N8

Withe others available.