http://yardcraphome.com/ the art of Gentlemen for a couple hundred years. .]]> en Tue, 21 May 2013 09:53:49 GMT vBulletin 60 http://yardcraphome.com/images/misc/rss.png http://yardcraphome.com/ http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1280-“Money”-Mayweather&goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 03:36:31 GMT Floyd “Money” Mayweather will defend his welterweight world title Saturday night against Robert Guerrero in Las Vegas, and regardless of the... Floyd “Money” Mayweather will defend his welterweight world title Saturday night against Robert Guerrero in Las Vegas, and regardless of the outcome, Mayweather is going to be paid handsomely. After the fight, Mayweather will be paid a guaranteed sum of $32 million, tying a record for a single-fight payout he set against Miguel Cotto a year ago. In addition to the $32 million, Mayweather’s contract mandates that he will take 90% of the profits from the fight, meaning his total take will likely exceed well over $50 million. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1280-“Money”-Mayweather http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1279-Klitschko&goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 03:28:44 GMT IBO/IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (60-3, 51 KOs) beat Francesco Pianeta (28-1-1, 15 KOs) knocking him down three times and... IBO/IBF/WBO/IBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (60-3, 51 KOs) beat Francesco Pianeta (28-1-1, 15 KOs) knocking him down three times and stopping him in the 6th round. The end of the fight came from a left-right-left combination from Wladimir that sent the 6’5″ Pianeta down on the canvas on all fours.

With this win, Wladimir gets his 60th win and he will now facing WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin in the summer in a fight where Wladimir will make his biggest payday of his career. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1279-Klitschko http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1253-Round-by-Round-with-AO&goto=newpost Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:08:22 GMT Watching a Fight w/an old guy

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez VS Austin Trout

Turning the sound off now so the experts don't influence observations of the fight. Teddy Atlas is not here (always turn him down) so just having fun.

Canelo VS Trout
First off, all realize that Canelo is the future $$ maker for many. Him loosing is not an option at this point.



Round one:
Canelo looks soft. I am sure he is strong, but looks like the good life is taking a tole. Still young guys can often travel into later rounds on youth. Trout looks good. Canelo is generally the bigger, more powerful, but things look even here.

Round three:
Trout is doing most of the fighting. Canelo is like a bear trap. He is using his left as a keep-a-way pole and hitting hard with the right which is not landing well. Can he catch Trout?
Now it is looking like Trout on points.

Round four:
Both are now stalking. Neither is boxing, both are trying to cause damage with one blow. Both are looking like amateurs.

Round six:
No real reason for it, but Trout has lost confidence. Canelo is best when things get tough. Trout wins this round, but Canelo is still ready to hit. I don't see this going to the judges where Trout has the best chance.

Round seven:
Trout goes down at the beginning, no damage.

Round eight:
Canelo is tired, swinging wildly. He has taken a lot of punches to the torso, is not hurt, but the fight is swinging to Trout. It is hard to see how Canelo would win this on points. Boxing is about $$ so it could happen.

Round ten;
Trout is still working harder. Canelo is still throwing the hard right, but it is mostly not landing. Neither fighter is hurt. Hard to see this going to Canola, but this is Texas where strange things happen. In my opinion, at this point, Canelo needs a knock out. That is his game, but he has not been able to corner Trout or hit him squarely enough to cause a problem.
TV experts just posted scores 95-95 95-94 96-95 --> Canelo I guess they are watching a different fight.

Round eleven:
Canelo takes it easy with power punches. He is still strong, but has not been able to catch Trout like he has past opponents. Both are very tired, but to be expected as few things are as draining as boxing. Neither feels he will loose. Neither can coast the last round.

Round twelve:
Canelo is now much stronger than Trout, throwing much better shots.

11.jpg

104.jpg

With honest (does that exit in boxing?) Olympic judges, this could go to Trout. Clearly Canelo won the overall fight if not the early rounds. My prediction is Canelo wins. If it is a landslide, it is $$ talking, not the fighters. I prefer not to judge rounds but a fight as one event. I would give this to Canelo.

Judges:
115-112 116-111 118-109

Canelo wins. LOOK AT THAT ONE PROFESSIONAL JUDGE - was he was just watching the envelope he was handed prior to the fight?

I don't see either of these guys on the GREAT level of Welterweights. On the other hand, the GREAT is Mayweather who is old and not practicing the craft.


Web opinions:

---Austin Trout wants a rematch with Canelo,feels the fight was closer that the scores had it
---In a badly scored fight, WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 KO’s) beat WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout (26-1, 14 KO’s) by a 12 round decision

my favorite:
-----The best way to score a boxing match would probably be to have each fighter begin the event by punching all three judges

I don't see how you could say Trout won. On the other hand, all knew he had to win by knock out and he is not a knock out puncher. This was a set up for Canelo - Mayweather nothing less or more. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1253-Round-by-Round-with-AO http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1138-Cloud-vs-Hopkins&goto=newpost Mon, 11 Mar 2013 21:51:31 GMT This was a GREAT fight. Cloud was a young lion with all the tools, all the muscle and yet tripped up. I was once a fan of Bernard Hopkins. I... This was a GREAT fight.
Cloud was a young lion with all the tools, all the muscle and yet tripped up.
I was once a fan of Bernard Hopkins. I still am a fan of him as a boxer, just not as a man because he is a racist SOB:hopelessness:. On the other hand, he has no respect for his fellow man regardless of color, so WTF? He has an ego that would be hard to carry unless one were not mentally ill. He would make an excellent YC member.

To his defense, he was a kid who came from nothing and persevered. He went to prison as a kid and came out tough, not bowed. His style over the years and his mouth have made him less than a fan favorite. No boxer in history has whined and cried as much as B-Hop:emmersed:. He still does it as that is who he is. He has been screaming "I get no respect" for years even as all proclaimed him a great boxer and gave him millions of dollars.

His legacy is that he was not a great puncher, but used brains and a great work ethic to win. In my opinion, he is better now compared to his present peers than at at 20, 30, 40. He will never please average fans, but actually writes the rule book as to winning. His ego is incredible, BUT he has never needed to stroke it by pleasing casual fans with knock outs. His goal is to win, and few have done it as successfully. I admire that about him.

Fighting as an older guy (now 48) he never enters the ring out of shape. In my observations I put him and Evander on a pedestal as to that as to other sports figures. His diet and exercise regime would make a Berkley left wing nut quiver:hororr:. He might be the best public example of what a healthy life style can mean.

I still don't like the guy, but I was pulling for him. He is surely the best fighter right now on TV. The K brothers have a similiar out look and similar brains as to it all, but they are not as mobile, and while not their fault, don't have the challengers Bernard faces. Cloud is a nightmare for anyone. Bernard don't mind scarey tough guys, just slick or smart ones. He will never fight Ward unless the $$ gets silly.

In his prime you could say he was not up to a prime Roy Jones or James Toney, but if that is all you got, you have nothing. Who was?? Ha Ha. Maybe Bernard Hopkins is just now in his prime? Wisdom from experience and still a great body just made him a World Champion. He has an incredible ego, but leaves it at the table when the bell rings to start the fight. He don't give a shit what fans think about him during the fight, just after.

This was in no way Foreman - Moorer, but it was not way down the line. Big George won with power as does Cloud. Bernard finds other ways to win. Real fans understand and salivate for these type GREAT fights. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?1138-Cloud-vs-Hopkins http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?948-You-don-t-quot-play-quot-boxing&goto=newpost Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:32:51 GMT Bob Arum is a promoter who will turn 81 this week. I have been fascinated by his wife for years. It is hard for me to watch the fights as I keep... Bob Arum is a promoter who will turn 81 this week. I have been fascinated by his wife for years. It is hard for me to watch the fights as I keep looking for her:playful:. Generally they sit together around the 3rd row. This week he told this story below to SI.
It shows what I have often said, sports are different. To excel at one takes talent and years of relentless work. Even a great decathlete or triathlon champ pales in any of the individual sports.

This article reminded me of my time boxing a pro. He was a student at Clemson (John from Spartanburg) without a sparing partner, and I was - a friend:tyrannosaurus:. The deal was I would hit him, and he would not hit me back. Of course from time to time, he did, and I always had a swollen ear or a black eye. He was probably the worst pro fighter in America, and still, I would get winded just trying to hit him. It was near impossible. I learned a lot about boxing, and learned I would never be one:sorrow:.

Back to the story which I have altered to fit====>:

Jimmy Brown retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher. Jimmy Brown decided he wanted to fight then-heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.

Brown is one of the greatest players in NFL history and is regarded by many as the finest athlete of the 20th century. In addition to being a dominant NFL player, Brown is also arguably the best lacrosse player who ever lived.

He also had a legendary reputation for his toughness.

Brown had retired from the Cleveland Browns after the 1965 season, while Arum began promoting in 1966. Ali was the heavyweight champion and entering his prime, while Brown was becoming an actor. Arum felt indebted to Brown, so he decided to see if he could convince Ali of the merits of the idea.

"So I went to talk to Ali," Arum recalls. "He says, 'Jim wants to do what? Bring him here.' So I took him to Hyde Park in London, where Ali used to run. Ali said, 'Jimmy, here's what we're going to do: You hit me as hard as you can.' So Brown starts swinging and swinging, and he can't hit him. He's swinging wildly and not even coming close. This goes on for, like, 30 seconds. Then Ali hits him with this quick one-two to his face. Jimmy just stops and says, 'OK, I get the point.'"

Brown was far superior to Ali as an athlete and probably could have beaten him at any game they might have played. In boxing, though, not even the great Jim Brown was in Ali's class. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?948-You-don-t-quot-play-quot-boxing http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?874-Emanuel-Steward-TEN-BELLS&goto=newpost Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:58:09 GMT .............Attachment 922 (http://yardcraphome.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=922) Boxing has so few good people in it that loosing one of the... .............Emanuel_Steward_Manny_L_VD_Boxing.jpg

Boxing has so few good people in it that loosing one of the best is hard to deal with.

He was a class act, not just in boxing, but in life. I found him to be entertaining and educational as a commentator, easily my favorite.

As a trainer, well his record speaks for itself. If you look at his main pupils, they also went about it all with class. There is just no one like him out there.
He probably helped more kids than everyone else currently in boxing combined.

You don't have to have been a boxer to train someone to box. In this case, he had an impressive record as a boxer.
He compiled a record of 94 wins and 3 losses as an amateur boxer, including winning the 1963 national Golden Gloves tournament in the bantamweight division. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?874-Emanuel-Steward-TEN-BELLS http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?815-Boxing-is-about&goto=newpost Tue, 09 Oct 2012 02:35:45 GMT "It's all about marketing and bringing in the money." -- S

That is what all pro sports is about. I am naive enough to believe there is a little more fun there as humans are what we are and most want to win.

After a couple bottles of excellent beer, an early thread is still is in the back of my mind. :panda:

I don't know much about boxing. I tried it in the Boy Scouts, college and the Army. All times I found it too hard and too painful. I am a better spectator, and have many years of experience at that. I have a speed bag and a heavy bag mounted in my bar, but they never hit me back. I am a fan, have some knowledge beyond the hype if just due to being an avid watcher for 50 years.

Boxing is a tough sport. It is not about some guy who is really big or can hit really hard. Often it is about a guy who can do that and has also trained for years.
Boxing is divided into weight classes (too many as I see it).
Trying to pit a boxer from one era against one in a different one or even a different weight class is a fool's game, but a lot of fun.

The thing most GREAT boxers have in common is that they are well trained and can actually box. It takes years to learn that. Most start at an early age like in all PRO sports. Rarely does someone show up at a late age and have success. Really good athletes from the NFL and NBA try it due to the $$, but it never works as they have been training since teenagers in a different sport. Take Micheal Jordan, very big, very athletic, not a fool -- chose golf and baseball as his other sports.

Boxing at a championship level is a sport. In the days of Al Capone matches were fixed by using the "dive". Now they line them up by matching styles. "A" can beat "B" who can beat "C", but "C" can beat "A". It is sorta like when you pay Wofford College to come play at Clemson. They are excellent, but just show up here for the $$$ which will fund their entire season as they go 11-1.

My favorite fighters are a mixed bag. Some for skill, some for heart. Most times my favorites have both. All boxers loose as do all in sports.

Who is the best often takes back stage to me as to who do/did I enjoy. Some that come to mind are:

Floyd Patterson
Marvin Haigler
Mickey Ward
Roy Jones
Evander Holyfield
Julio César Chávez
Roberto Duran ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?815-Boxing-is-about http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?795-Money-Mayweather-at-a-Strip-Club&goto=newpost Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:24:24 GMT Here is a photo of Floyd Mayweather last week throwing away money in an Atlanta strip club. As strange as it is, I have no problem with that. The... Here is a photo of Floyd Mayweather last week throwing away money in an Atlanta strip club.

As strange as it is, I have no problem with that. The guys earns his money and should be able to spend what is left after taxes any damn way he chooses.

Reports say he entered with his "bag" (Floyd travels with a $$ bag and a guy to carry it) and gave up about $50K to the girls.

Go Floyd !!!

obama-stimulus-spending.jpg



Opps?? Sorry, posted the wrong photo. That photo is Obama throwing "our" money away. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?795-Money-Mayweather-at-a-Strip-Club http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?753-Ricky-Hitman-Hatton&goto=newpost Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:10:26 GMT The father of former boxing champion Ricky 'Hitman' Hatton was arrested for attacking his son the day before he announced his comeback, police have said.

Sources claim Hatton, 33, had to protect himself after his dad Ray, 61, attacked him during a heated row in the car park outside his Manchester gym.

Police were called during the row and Hatton senior was arrested
article-2203656-15066083000005DC-695_468x306.jpg ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?753-Ricky-Hitman-Hatton http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?746-Klitschko-Brothers&goto=newpost Wed, 12 Sep 2012 22:38:54 GMT There is a good show on HBO right now about the Klitschko Brothers. I think it is "must watch" TV for boxing fans.

Th K Brothers get a lot of flack. I don't agree, never have. People claim the division is weak, but again, I don't agree. :surprise: The $$$ have never been near this level and some fighters experts disregard would have been a real force against smaller guys like Ali, Tyson, Louis, etc.

The Klitschko's just seem like less because they are a new type fighter who took the throne. Most of the critics who slam them do it because they mostly fight out of Germany and American experts are left out of the mix.

The K Brothers went a different way with their boxing. They see it as a sport, not tuff man crap. :disillusionment: Never do they speak bad about an opponent, rant and rave about killing him or WTF. :afro: They are the "Gentlemen" the sport needs more of to keep it from being like wrestling or MMA. :highly_amused:

They are also very big. Bigger guys come and go, but none so far with the dedication and understanding of the sport these brothers have amassed. Unlike many, they never enter the ring in less than top shape. That must be extra hard when you have a few million in the bank. Most fighters get a few dollars, stop training, and get fat. Even guys like Ali did not stay in shape. You would think a few million and a chance at many millions would be motivation, but that is not the case for most. Of the heavyweights, only Evander and Chris Byrd come to mind.
vitali-klitschko.jpg
wladimir-klitschko.jpg

They are smart and BIG. Here is one with maybe the best American.
200909241845675001985-pf.standard.jpg

Here is one with his girl friend at the time, Hayden Panettiere -
Hayden-Panettiere.jpg

These are big guys (not fat guys) who take the sport of boxing very seriously.
Boxing is really tough, and these guys have had their ups and downs. They keep getting up because they are real champions. :eagerness:

Their Pop was a Soviet military officer and they moved often. They were poor, not like American poor, but often really poor. Their Pop insured they always chose the high road as they were not poor when it came to parents.
When they had nothing, Don King heard about them, brought them to his house in America and offered them a lot of cash on the table to sign a contract. Vitali said they could see this was not an honest man and they went home.

It was a good choice as they have now made millions. Both have a Doctorate and a solid base. The biggest fight that could have been made for years is one K against the other K. The money they could make for this is off the table as their Mom will not allow them to fight each other even in fun. They are not even sparing partners, but each is dedicated to each other. When one brother shows up to fight, in the corner is the other brother. The Vitali fight last week was stopped due to a cut and it looked like things might get out of hand (in Russia). Quickly you can see a giant (the other brother) enter the ring to defend his brother.
klitschko-bros.jpg
Taking on one of these guys is tough, two is a non-starter.


Fun Facts:

Vitali (my favorite) is known for his powerful punches and durable chin. With a 87.23% knockout percentage rate, he holds the second best knockout-to-fight ratio of any champion in heavyweight boxing history, after Rocky Marciano's 87.76%.
He has never been knocked down in any professional boxing bout, and in the two bouts stopped by injury, he was ahead on all cards.
On the HBO tape I learned a fun fact Leopard will like as he belives real figters are MMA. Vitali was first the Urkraine and later the USSR kick boxing champ. It gained him a trip to the USA, and he was amazed at how the Soviets were brain washing kids during the Cold War. In 1996 he turned professional and compiled a record of 34–1 with 22 knockouts. He was a world champion six times (professional and amateur).
His favorite fighter is Max Schmeling.
Record --> 45 Wins (41 knockouts, 4 decisions), 2 Losses both stopped by injury and he was ahead on the score card.

Wladimir is 6 years younger and was allowed into the gym because his older bother was showing promise.
He had an amateur record of 134–6 and won Gold in the Atlanta Olympics.
Wladimir is a passionate golfer and chess player.
On 29 March 2012, during a charitable auction in Kiev, Ukraine, Wladimir auctioned off his 1996 Olympic gold medal to a buyer who bid $1 million dollars. Klitschko said he would use the money to help the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children. After the sale, the buyer immediately returned the medal out of respect for Wladimir.
58 Wins (51 knockouts, 6 decisions), 3 Losses --> 2 avenged by his brother and 1 by him.

These guys are boxing at its best in every way.
Critics (paid scribes) write about them to draw readers. These boys have fought e v e r y o n e and ducked no one, unlike most of the past champs. They excell in and out of the ring. If they are not the best in my lifetime, I can't think who is. I can't even think of a close second.

Post some thoughts, lets have fun and debate something fun as opposed to real life. Sports is about entertainment, and I am entertained by these guys.

If you don't get HBO, could mail you this DVD. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?746-Klitschko-Brothers http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?734-Evander-Holyfield&goto=newpost Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:27:04 GMT Evander Holyfield has fought well past his prime. People give him a hard time for that, but not me. The guy needs money, and he likes to fight. He... Evander Holyfield has fought well past his prime. People give him a hard time for that, but not me. The guy needs money, and he likes to fight. He comes to win.
If in sports, only guys in their prime who can win should compete, it would leave out a lot of fun. Right away we could cull the 124 College Football teams to 20. Guys like Waldo and FastLeopard should have given up foot racing long ago and at at 35, I never should have started.
When George Foreman hit 40, he should have stayed as the preacher in that small church.

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield was invited to speak to the CLEMSON football team Friday night. Several of the Clemson players have given Holyfield’s talk rave reviews. Maybe his talk was the straw that broke Auburn's back.
holyfield.jpg

Wearing an orange Clemson hat, he was asked what his speech was about.
“I just shared my experiences with them about winning and making adjustments. Life is about adjustments,” Holyfield said.


Most people today don't know about EH. New fans just have experience with an old guy who still fights.
I was around in his prime when you did not have to pay a bundle to see the top fights on TV. and Evander Holyfield was the REAL DEAL. I suppose he still is. He is 49. He has fought on past his prime, but if you look at the results, he fought tough guys during that period and still his results are quite impressive. Even in his last 3 fights he is 2 wins and a draw.

I have been a big fan of his since 1988 when he beat Dwight Braxton who was a tough SOB. It went 12 rounds to a split decision, but that guy was a tough guy who was also not a real heavyweight.
EH was not made physically to be a heavyweight. That has been true of many who did exceptional things at that class anyway as that is where the money was. The days of the small heavy weights like EH, Tyson, Spinks, Patterson, Louis, etc might be over. I think we now need a new classification as "all" over 200 is not realistic now.

Anyway, Evander ranks in my book as a top ten of all time.

Evander made himself into a heavyweight, and a damn good one. He is one of the very few who always entered the ring in top shape and always came to win. He fought for money, but he never took a fight just for money that he thought he might not win.
His record as to who he fought is impressive. Even against REAL heavyweights, he was up to the challenge. The only normal size Heavy he lost to was Michael Moorer. He later avenged that.

His record is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evander_Holyfield ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?734-Evander-Holyfield http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?674-How-I-see-it&goto=newpost Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:18:14 GMT There have been really good matches on ESPN lately. You have to suffer with Teddy Atlas ( I turn the sound way down) but some good matches. I... There have been really good matches on ESPN lately. You have to suffer with Teddy Atlas ( I turn the sound way down) but some good matches.

I think the last ten years of boxing have been crap, but maybe I just have more experience as a spectator.
I don't mean the guys in the ring. Some do use drugs, but that is a hundred year old fact of sports. The cheating now is not paying a guy to take a dive, but experts making the proper matches for their meal ticket. I am not against that as the pool room fighter takes the deal to make some $$. If we pay to watch it, that is our problem. It is not good for boxing.

As long as there are judges picked by assholes, they will be influenced to cheat. That is the biggest crime in boxing and shows up every month. The plus side is now the decisions are questioned on the spot by ESPN, HBO and Showtime commentators with more credibility. Unfortunately that changes nothing as the governing bodies do not have the power to do crap about it. The win stays a win and the loss stays a loss. How sad is that?

Boxing like all pro sports is about money, not just betting money as in the Capone days. HBO and others try to bring along and make stars out of guys they have a contract with, and the commentators help as that is the butter on their bread. TV money now rules and the Mafia money is too little to notice.
Boxing is what it is.

A few get famous enough to call their own shots, but not many, and certainly not any on the way up trying to just get a fair chance.

I hate it, I love it.
It is what it is.

Like I said, there was some good matches just this month. I don't see Boxing getting a control factor like in many pro sports (NFL,NBA,MLB). Senator John McCain made some noise, but it was just that - noise. All see a need to clean it up as that would increase profit. It would decrease profit for those now in control and making the pay offs to the right people stay in control. ]]> BOXING AgentOrange http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.php?674-How-I-see-it