Boxing: Jan 25-26

[H2O Man]

FRIDAY - at Chubut, Argentina - 12 rounds,
flyweights: Omar Andres Narvaez (25-0, 16 KOs)
vs. Carlos Tamara (17-3, 13 KOs).

FRIDAY - at Cicero, Illinois (Telefutura) - 12 rounds,
flyweights: Hugo Cazares (25-4-1, 19 KOs) vs. Kermin
Guardia (37-7, 21 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Jakarta, Indonesia - 12 rounds,
WBA featherweight title: Chris John (40-0-1, 21 KOs)
vs. Roinet Caballero (22-7-1, 16 KOs).

SATURDAY - at Berlin (HBO) - 12 rounds,
heavyweights: Alexander Povetkin (14-0, 11 KOs) vs.
Eddie Chambers (30-0, 16 KOs); 12 rounds, middleweights:
Sebastian Sylvester (27-2, 13 KOs) vs. Francois Bastient
(33-5-1, 15 KOs).


The most interesting fight this week will be the Povetkin vs Chambers bout. This is the "finals" of a four man tournament. Povetkin TKOed an old and washed-up Chris Byrd, while Chambers won an uninspired decision of a young and washed-up Calvin Brock. The winner of this fight is supposed to get a shot at Klitschko.

The fight matches two capable young, medium-sized heavyweights. Povetkin is exciting for a heavyweight, because although he lacks a really big punch, he throws a lot of punches in every round. Chambers has even less power, and is a counter-puncher who attempts to enforce a slower pace. After each of his last two victories -- which were the two times he "stepped up" to fight opposition that had previously been considered potential contenders -- Chambers has attempted to excuse his performance, and promised a better showing the next time.

Chambers will have to fight on Saturday. Even if he does step it up, he is in for a difficult night. He has to be able to hurt this kid, and that means catching him moving in. Chambers does have outstanding hand speed, and his right cross could be key. But he has to commit to punching inside of Povetkin's combinations.

Neither man stands a serious chance against Klitschko, though. The fight shows the need to split the heavyweight division in two, with 230 or 235 separating the heavyweights from the super heavyweights.

[H2O Man]

1. Povetkin wins

a 12 round decision. Neither man would present a challenge for Klitschko.

[Kingofalldems]

2. Klitschko would destroy either one of them

He's just too big and powerful. Amazed at how Fast Eddie just stopped punching. But it would be hard to get off punches when you have your gloves up and close to your face the entire fight.

[H2O Man]

3. What was interesting

was that his father said, after the third round, that they knew his opponent would tire after the the next round or so. Instead, it was Eddie who seemed to have the empty tank.

Klitschko's jab would be too much for either of them. The big right would flatten them. There needs to be a super heavyweight division. And Eddie needs to be introduced to the "sit-up," which would allow him to fight at cruiserweight.

[Kingofalldems]

4. Funny--after the final bell someone in Eddie's corner yelled

to him that 'there won't be anymore f'n basketball or swimming'. Did you hear that? And yes, both fighters need to drop down to c-weight and do a whole lot of situps.

[Redbear]

5. I thought it was that he needed to do more basketball and swimming

As in "do you see now why I wanted you to do that?"

[H2O Man]

6. Years ago,

my brother-in-law was fighting Greg Sorrentino, the great Carmen Basilio's last fighter. My brother-in-law loved basketball, and he assumed that he could substitute playing ball for part of his roadwork. Basketball is a wonderful sport, but it is never a good idea to confuse it with
Swimming is goos exercise, but it should be considered secondary training for preparing to enter the ring. Ali used to "shadow box" in chin-deep water. I tried it, and understood immediately why The Champ did.

[Kingofalldems]

7. Could be--have to watch the replay

Anyway, the guy was not happy.