Looking Back at 2007

An interesting look back at boxing in 2007

Jones decisions Trinidad

Though not a great fight, it was a pretty good fight, considering that both of these guys are past their prime. There was no other way this fight could go and it was a foregone conclusion from the minute they signed the contract. It was a better fight than I thought it would be. Still, it's hard to tell yet what it all means. Did Jones really look that good or was it because he was fighting a smaller, rusty, over the hill former champion fighting at a weight that he had never fought at before. It will be interesting to see. I would rather see Jones fight Bernard Hopkins in a rematch that Hopkins, and just about everyone else, has been clamoring for, than Joe Calzahge, at least for now. Considering their respective ages, it makes more sense. That would be an interesting fight. For Trinidad, his best bet for a big payday would be to give fight fans the fight they have been begging for since his controversial win over Oscar De La Hoya, a rematch with Oscar.

The first three rounds were fairly close but Jones started to assume control in the fourth round and from the sixth round it became evident that Jones was the faster, stronger, bigger and technically superior fighter. Jones knocked down Trinidad in the seventh and tenth rounds, but was unable to knock him out. Still as always, Trinidad was a game fighter and did his best to work Jones' body but he was unable to hurt Jones. Jones punches were lightning fast and Trinidad had no answer for them. Jones was also the more accurate puncher. Jones won a twelve round unanimous decision and it was a well deserved win for Jones. My only problem with Jones last night was his uncharacteristic clownish behavior. It wasn't necessary.

Roy Jones Jr. vs Felix Trinidad

The upcoming fight this Saturday night, between Roy Jones Jr. and Felix Trinidad has to be the most meaningless fight in recent years. No matter who wins, they both lose if they continue to fight and face serious (and younger) fighters. Some have compared Trinidad to Sugar Ray Leonard when he came out of retirement to take the middleweight title from Marvin Hagler in 1987. Nothing could be further from the truth. Leonard was at the top of his game when he retired in the early eighties, whereas Trinidad was not. Since recieving a gift decision over Oscar De La Hoya in 1999, Trinidad has fought a total of eight times. Losing two of those fights; one to Bernard Hopkins by 12th round KO, and the other, a UD loss to Winky Wright. In his prime Trinidad was great but it has been a while.

With Jones the situation is worse. It has been a really long time since he has looked remotely like the fighter he once was. He has been stopped by both Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson. He seems to have developed a glass jaw in the last few years.

I don't see this fight as being worthy of Pay Per View, but that is my opinion. I also don't see this as a "Long awaited fight", simply because when both were in their prime they were in two separate weight classes with at least a twenty five pound weight difference. I don't think there was ever any serious expectation of both men fighting each other in their prime.

Stranger things have happened but this is a fight that Trinidad just can't win. At a 170 pounds he won't have the punch he once did as a welterweight, and Jones, while a mere semblance of his old self, still has mobility, and mobility has always been the key to beating Trinidad. On top of that Jones is the naturally bigger man, and is used to fighting the bigger guys. I think Jones has enough left to eke out a 12 round decision in a mediocre fight on Saturday night.

Sergio Mora vs Rito Ruvacalba

Last Friday's fight at the Morongo Casino in Cabazon, California between Sergio Mora, of "Contender" fame, and Rito Ruvacalba was a bit of a disappointment. Mora seems to be regressing and seems satisfied with resting on his laurels as a "Contenders" Champion.

I don't understand referee Ray Corona's decision to stop the fight in the sixth round. Ruvacalba was still fighting back, and in the last exchange he had only taken one solid punch, the rest either missed or landed on Ruvacalba's gloves. Mora looked sloppy, especially when lunging and leading with the left hook. He struggled more than he should have considering he was fighting someone with eight losses on his record. Mora clearly was the better fighter and he started to come on a bit but Ruvacalba more than held his own. Mora showed good sense backing out of his fight with Jermaine Taylor and if he's smart, he'll stay away from Kelly Pavlik, at least for the time being.