BRADLEY AND MARQUEZ

In keeping with my Sunday government bullshit boycott I have decided to talk about the anticipated battle between Tim Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez. I've been watching 24/7 and Tim Bradley sounds like a man with a hell of a lot to prove, and that can actually be a bad thing. In his last fight Bradley left himself open to too much punishment. I'm not saying that Bradley is damaged goods but he proved that he can hit and he does have a tendency to throw out his plans.

Marquez is a tactician and his ability to keep calm under fire can work as a major plus in his quest to stay near the top of the pound for pound rankings. The interesting thing here is Bradley had major troubles with Pacquiao while Marquez was Pacquiao's biggest problem. Marquez may well unsettle Bradley and Bradley may well dominate Marquez.

Marquez is superbly conditioned but age and battles may be too much for him while Bradley is vulnerable and hittable. This battle is really a crossroads fight for the two men. If Bradley loses he will validate everyone that thinks he lost to Pacquiao and is damaged goods. If Mraquez loses he will likely have to retire. In the end this fight has major implications for both men but chances are that a Mayweather fight is not necessarily one of those implications.

KLITSCHKO: SAFETY FIRST, EXCITEMENT LAST

I like Wladimir Klitschko, I think he is a gentleman and his conduct outside of the ring and focus inside of it is what has allowed him to compile a 22-2 championship record along with a reign that's second only to Joe Lewis' in terms of length. Now let's look at some factors behind everyone's shunning of Klitschko as a champion. The heavyweight division has brought forth classic feuds between fighters like Holyfield and Bowe, Ali and Frazier, and so on. Today fighters in the heavyweight division show up to either get beat or get paid. Klitchko is an intelligent man that knows how to use his advantages in a manner that's safe, smart, and effective.

Klitschko is a superb athlete whose sensational physical condition along with his methodical approach are enough to beat guys into frustration. People call Klitschko a safety first, boring fighter with little regard for excitement and an inability to give fans their money's worth. First of all Klitschko was not always a methodical fighter, in fact Klitschko use to throw as many as 70 punches every round. While Klitschko was put in front of guys like Jameel Mccline it was not a problem for him to plow opposition down with his style. Klitschko was a heavily touted guy until he ran into the late Corrie Sanders and wore himself out against Lamon Brewster. From that point on Klitschko began fighting as a tall guy using his advantages and relying on a laser like jab along with occasional power shots in order to beat guys over the long run.

Fans in the US see Klitschko as a robotic fighter that just likes to maul guys until they either quit, fall over, or just survive enough to lose. The thing about Klitschko is this, he has not been put in a position where he needed to fight back. No one fighter since the once highly touted Sam Peter has made Klitschko fight or at least really attempt to hold on. In his latest fight Klitschko seemed to just act as if he were spending another day in the office. Klitschko used his height an weight to take Alexander Povetkin's legs out and toss him around like a rag doll. Klitschko won ugly but he won never the less.

Klitschko will not be appreciated for winning over guys without real focus. Klitschko is shunned because in part he has no real opposition. There are no great heavyweights coming out of the US and overseas guys play into the Klitschko game plan by fighting too upright and leaving themselves open to continuing one two shots that eventually take their toll. Until Klitschko finds someone that really tests him, he will continue to fight safe, smart, and boring. It may be a losing performance that makes Wladimir more appreciated or it may be his continued winning ways that may bring him some respect in the end. Until one of those things happens, it's livestream online broadcast that will carry Wlad until the end of his reign.

GOOD FIGHT.............BUT

I am tired of government bullshit so I have decided to go ahead and write about last night's boxing match between Miguel Cotto and Delvin Rodriguez. I thought the fight was great, from a showcase perspective. It was Cotto's way back after two back to back losses to Floyd Mayweather and Austin Trout. What was interesting was seeing what Cotto had left after not only after the two losses but also after fighting a murderer's row of punchers such as Pacquiao, Clottey, and Margarito. Common wisdom dictated that Rodriguez would likely extend Cotto because of his advantages in height and rugged nature.

Cotto dominated Rodriguez with a sustained body attack and an incredibly aggressive approach that Rodriguez was not expecting. Cotto went back to a huge left hook to the body that nearly caved the ribs of Rodriguez and a combination that nearly took Rodriguez's head off. Yes I think Cotto has something left but let's put it into perspective.

Delvin Rodriguez does not have an aggressive puncher's nature like upper echelon fighters such as Martinez and, to a lesser extent, Canelo Alvarez. I think Cotto could handle Alvarez and Martinez but he needs to be extremely aggressive and at the same time understand how to wear out and smother the attacks of fighters that will take three to land one.

One thing that Cotto may have against Martinez is the fact that Martinez may well be starting to feel the effects of age and wear and tear. Martin Murray extended Martinez and the punishment Martinez took in his first fight with Paul Williams was something else. The last round against Chavez was also taxing for the aging Martinez. Cotto looks good still and his new union with Roach provides a confidence and line that he needs. Cotto is no longer the boss of the corner and that's vital for a successful last run.

I think Cotto has a good run provided that he stays away from punchers such as Golovkin. Let's see if his last run leads him to the right roads.

REMEMBER WHEN WRITERS ACTUALLY GAVE A SHIT

I was recently watching my Miami Vice DVD set and wondering what the hell happened to good television. When I was growing up writers actually tried hard to put out a good product. Yes, in the 80's and 90's there were a lot of shows that depended heavily on stale jokes and laugh tracks, but at least they tried. Today I switch channels thinking that TV is simply the prostitute you go to for the sweet release of death.

Right now there are a handful of shows that I give a crap about and I have to pay to watch them. When you think about how many channels there are on television, and what little quality is out there, it's impossible to believe the programming is so stale and crack whore like. I don't care for housewives, whores, celebrity self destruction, or anything on the air today.

Perhaps I am becoming old but at 34 I doubt that's the case. I think that I just can't stand the prostitution of the word reality and the constant lies made to look like regular life. I don't give a shit about pseudo celebrities that lack talent, I could care less about roundtables of nonsense, and I don't give a damn about Jessica Simpson. Someone please dust of the real writers and bring back quality programming please.

WHY AM I STILL UP?

It's late and I am still up writing, I really have to question my sanity. I have a meeting in the morning and need to be sharp but I am so interested in other things at the moment. I wonder if night brings about hubris and makes people feel invincible. I am tired, I am thirsty, I know what my day will bring tomorrow but I just don't feel like letting that get to me. I am thinking of so many things and so many things I am thinking of make such little sense, even to me.

An hour ago I was thinking of what it must have been like to be David Sarnoff back when he was delivering flowers to the may mistresses of Marconi out in New York. Then I think back to previous hours and how thrilled I was with the latest installment of the HBO drama Newsroom and how cool it is that Jeff Daniels will likely have an iconic role to define his outstanding career. Here I am, it's late as fuck and I am still writing, and yet I don't know why.

This blog is such a medium for expression, often times I express raw emotion without any real attention to accuracy and I wonder how many mistakes I have made in the process of creating volume. I don't give a shit about what people think of my mistakes because this is my forum and yet I want reactions, I want to push buttons and get people talking. Yes I know what I'm saying because I read and read carefully but often times I write recklessly because I am fully invested. I look forward to numbers, ideas, reactions and I love when I have the opportunity to prove assholes wrong.

I am not really into political correctness, in fact I challenge that ridiculous and hypocritical norm which we enforce because honestly it's nothing more than fear, a blanket for the cowardly. It's late and I am opening up to perfect strangers because I am secure in my own feelings and opinions, I will agree, disagree, and stand up when it's necessary. I will attack people not for the sake of the attack but simply because I live in reality. It's late, I'm tired and open, and I will say whatever the hell I want to say.

REMEMBER THE MACHO MAN

Ever since I had use of my cognitive faculties I was a fan of boxing. Coming from Puerto Rico and being accustomed to fighters like the sensational Wilfred Benitez, the amazing Wilfredo Gomez and the champion of champions Felix Trinidad it's understandable why. With the tragic and untimely passing of Hector "El Macho" Camacho I want to focus a little and what it was that made him an unforgettable figure despite his controversial nature in and certainly outside of the ring.

Like the Macho or hate him you had to give him credit because he was a true warrior. Looking back on his carer Camacho put up incredible performances against the likes of Ray Mancini, Bazooka Limon and many others. One truly sensational display of courage was his fight against fellow Puerto Rican great Edwin "Chapo" Rosario. That night in 1986 Camacho gave Rosario a fight and while many feel Rosario won Camacho came away with the edge. If ever Camacho was defined in his 88 fight career that was the one for him.

Camacho would go on a decline as most fighters do but even in that decline he was still flashy and still a warrior. In losing against Julio Cesar Chavez, Felix Trinidad, and Oscar De La Hoya, Camacho showed he was a game fighter refusing to give up choosing instead to go out on his shield. A three division champion Camacho was the flashy anti-hero and he played his role well, maybe to well for his own good. In later fights Camacho still sought to entertain and attempted to give flashes of the skills that made him great. Camacho's last great performances came in the way of a five round beating of Ray Leonard and two decision wins against a past his prime Roberto Duran.

It's sad that Camacho died the way he died and that the controversy in his personal life will likely overshadow his greatness in the ring. I remember meeting Macho more than once at a gym I frequented years ago. Macho could still move his hands with great quickness and give anyone a severe lesson. Remember the great fighter that he was and not the troubled individual that he became. Forget the attempt at a singing career and think of his dominant performances over 41 straight wins and three world titles.

What time is it? MACHO TIME!