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December 17th, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Photo courtesy of Chris Farina/Top Rank Look, I don’t know why people climb Mount Everest. I’m perfectly happy on the ground. It’s easier to enjoy a pulse there, I’ve found. Besides, how many coyotes have you seen near or at the top of huge, skyscraping mountains? It’s probably around the same number of Mexicans you’ll find floating around in the Pacific Ocean (Thank you, Paul Rodriguez, for dissecting the “El Nino” phenomenon).
But those who have actually survived the treacherous journey to the top, and planted whatever flag they happened to have on hand, have described the view from their destination as nothing short of miraculous; a spiritual experience for many. For that matter, if it wasn’t so damn cold up there, why would you even want to leave?
Kelly Pavlik has the best of both worlds. As the Undisputed Middleweight Champion, Pavlik has made it to the top of the 160-pound mountain and stayed there; although residency has been sketchy at best and couldn’t be more dangerous. At the same time, Pavlik is at base camp; peering through shielded eyes, squinting to get a bead on the peak but, for the time being, is rather safe.
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December 13th, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Photo courtesy of Associated Press Big-network boxing came back to Chicago (The UIC Pavilion, in specific) in an equally big way as former IBF junior welterweight titleholder Paul Malignaggi, 27-3 (5), came to the Windy City for the very first time to exact his revenge on ex-triple alphabet titlist Juan Diaz, 35-3 (17). In what I considered, in my most recent Fight Hype article, a classic chemical reaction between two fighters that bears a natural rivalry, Malignaggi-Diaz II didn’t disappoint as both participants came ready to undo each other.
Malignaggi opened up the fight by boxing and taking immediate control. Diaz attempted to make his own jab work but Malignaggi was simply better with his own and quicker, to boot.
Diaz began to apply his trademark pressure but Malignaggi would prove elusive and frustrating. Diaz couldn’t manage to get “The Magic Man” to fight his fight and that allowed Malignaggi to sneak in the occasional uppercut or mix it up a little before jetting away from the danger zone. It was a boxing lesson in the making.
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December 12th, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Photo courtesy of Chris Bernacchi, Hoganphotos.com/Golden Boy Promotions This isn’t the first time Juan Diaz has come to Chicago. In 2007, “The Baby Bull”, then the WBA lightweight titlist, came to the Windy to challenge then-IBF lightweight titleholder Julio Diaz. The younger Diaz secured a ninth-round TKO win and the IBF belt en route to developing a solid lightweight resume.
Thanks to veteran Nate Campbell, that all came to a crashing halt when “The Galaxxy Warrior” beat Diaz into a lumpy mess over 12 rounds in March of 2008. Suddenly, the Houston native had some serious re-evaluating ahead of him. Diaz has already amassed a successful seven defenses of the WBA strap he won from Lakva Sim back in July of 2004 in the rear view and was one step closer to making his pre-law bones in college. When you’ve already gotten so much accomplished with nothing but brass rings to grab ahead of you, who needs this sport?
Diaz did. And he not only stuck around, but bounced back from the Campbell loss with a split decision victory over Australian Michael Katsidis in September 2008 before running headfirst into current THE RING magazine World Lightweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez almost six months later. To most observers, Diaz was winning the fight when Marquez came on strong and dispatched the younger Houstonian in nine.
Once again, Diaz, 35-2 (17), found himself without a real sense of where his place was in the lightweight division. The once bright luster of a well fought for “0” was fading as many fans wondered if Diaz was, just as well, fading before his prime.
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December 2nd, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Photo courtesy of Brian Dowling/Hogan Photos Last year, at age 59, one-time 80’s heartthrob Rick Springfield released, in my opinion, the best album in his catalog, “Venus in Overdrive.” Of the many catchy tunes on the slab, Bernard Hopkins would be hard-pressed to not use “Time Stand Still” as a ring walk song.
Nah. Scratch that. Hopkins’s doesn’t need it.
The song, actually a desperate plea for time to cease its flow, seems an afterthought in context to the former Undisputed Middleweight/THE RING magazine World Light Heavyweight Champion’s accomplishments. After all, if you remember HBO commentator Larry Merchant’s commentary during Hopkins’ dismantling of Felix Trinidad back in 2001, you’ll easily bullet-point Merchant’s frequent nudging of Hopkins’ age (then 36). Back then, it seemed to be a big deal. Now with Roy Jones Jr., Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson competing at 40, 41 and 40, respectively, no one really seems to give a rat’s ass about the anomaly that is Hopkins’ age.
We’re used to him.
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November 26th, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Photo courtesy of Mike Baluk Of the 18 fights in Francisco Rodriguez’ career, all but one were fought in his adopted home of Chicago, Illinois. The exception, Rodriguez’ final battle, was fought at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia on November 22. It would be a tragic anomaly to an all too short career and a life that barely enjoyed its dawn.
It was the first 12-rounder for Rodriguez, 25, who faced North Philly native Teon Kennedy, 23, for the USBA junior featherweight title. It was to be the beginning of a journey in championship contention borne from the hard work every young fighter promises to dedicate life and blood to.
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November 21st, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Photo courtesy of Associated Press One thing Andre Ward has in his corner…or should one say at least 15,000 things (fans, that is)…is the hometown advantage.
Tonight, Ward, 20-0 (13), faces the toughest test in his almost five-year career when he faces WBA super middleweight titlist Mikkel Kessler in the final match of the Super Six World Boxing Classic’s first round.
Unlike the first two fights of the tournament (from Oakland, California, broadcast on Showtime, 10 PM ET/PT, 9 PM central), Kessler-Ward is an American outing; seemingly favoring Ward. Of course, it stands to reason that Kessler, 42-1 (32), is coming to Oakland to take any and all doubt and decision away from the three judges scoring the fight, California’s Steve Morrow, Sweden’s Mikael Hook and South Africa’s Stanley Christodoulou.
Some say, when engaging a fighter on his own turf (typically European turf), that you need a knockout to get a draw. In Kessler’s case, perhaps not. Then again, this isn’t your typical “stranger in a strange land” scenario that many jaded American fans are used to.
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November 16th, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Photo courtesy of AFP This writer seriously thought current THE RING World Junior Welterweight Champion/newly crowned WBO welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao would fail to defeat Miguel Cotto on Saturday night. This writer was very wrong.
It’s not like most of us writers who lay down a prediction are just pulling it out of a hat or playing a favorite. We tend to agonize over the more difficult potential outcomes, doing our best to come up with something educated to share with our readers.
And, as I laugh at my own misfortune in the prediction department, I find that the fighter is get wrong the most is Pacquiao, 50-3-2 (38). Damn, from here on out, I just need to take the easy route and just pick “Pac.”
Just picking a fighter just to pick him, even as a jest, is somewhat an injustice to his opponent. But in Pacquiao’s case, he makes it too damn hard to not, outright, pick him as a winner. Should the opportunity to finally face Floyd Mayweather Jr. emerge, believe you me, I’m picking Manny. And, unlike a few other boxing writers, I’m not doing it just to ingratiate myself to the Filipino community.
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November 15th, 2009 | by Rea Frey
Another momentous night in boxing kicked off Saturday, November 14, as two welterweights battled to the near finish for what proved to be an exciting night in boxing. From the opening rounds, Cotto’s measured, heavier punches found their home on Pacquiao’s chin. He tested Cotto’s power; he surpassed it. Fight fans sat straighter in their seats. Perhaps this would not be such a blowout. A few knockdowns and a few rounds later, the tides shifted, as Pacquiao did what he does best and found open angles, firing looping, devastating shots that Cotto could not see.
Cotto, the consummate warrior, never gave up, though near the later rounds, his corner wanted to throw in the towel. Cotto’s eyes, bloodied and swollen, were that of a defeated man. But, he did not give up. Ref Kenny Bayless stopped the fight in the 12th, however, as PacMan’s continuous onslought continued.
What have we learned? Pacquiao has a ridiculous chin. He can take punches from a legitimate welterweight, one who has only one questionable loss to this resume. He can trade, he can punish, and he can most certainly prepare himself for the megafight that inevitably lies ahead. Pacquiao summed it up in his post fight interview with Larry Merchant, when he said, “You didn’t show Cotto any mercy.”
Pacquiao shrugged his shoulders and laughed. “I know,” he said.
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November 11th, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
To all the MMA/UFC enthusiasts, mainstream sports reporters and Sports Illustrated writers who think boxing is dying or dead, I scoff loudly at your ramblings.
Scoff, scoff!
The basis for my open rebuke can be summed up in four words: Miguel Cotto-Manny Pacquiao.
This Saturday, the two biggest stars in the Top Rank stable go fist-to-fist for Cotto’s WBO welterweight title (from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, broadcast on HBO Pay-Per-View, 9 PM ET/6 PM PT/8 PM Central) in one of the most anticipated, hotly debated bouts of 2009. The downside? Ted DiBiase’s second-hand “Million-Dollar Championship” (or, as the WBC calls it, the “Diamond Championship”) will also be on the line as the fight will be waged at a catchweight.
I’ll say this (and it’ll smart a little): I’m willing to pay more respect to the WBO title before I even begin to consider extolling the virtues of the WBC’s classless pawn shop offering. But enough negativity.
The fact that Cotto vs. Pacquiao has actually come to fruition is a true testament to both fighters’ will to not just dominate their (in Pacquiao’s case, an at-the-moment) division, but to give their fans what they want. To be fair, as the promoter of both men, Top Rank has been a big part of that. Some fighters want to be part of the big welterweight picture (WBA titleholder Shane Mosley) and others couldn’t care less about anything other than a manufactured legacy (Floyd Mayweather Jr.). Other welters relatively fly under the radar (former IBF titlist Joshua Clottey) or haven’t quite made the grade of heavy demand (WBC titlist Andre Berto).
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November 7th, 2009 | by Coyote Duran, Sr. Editor
 Chicago’s UIC Pavilion was the setting for another great night of action as Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions rolled out the red carpet for undefeated local fan favorite Donovan George, 18-0-1 (16), in what started out as a tough test against Jason “Notorious” Naugler, 18-11-1 (11), of Nova Scotia.
The bout was scheduled for ten rounds but George was determined to make it a short, easy night. Initially, Naugler was just as determined to thwart George’s plans from the opening bell.
Though certainly not a capacity crowd, George’s return to the Windy City inspired a raucous reception suited for a packed house. To the strains of Gap Band’s “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” George entered the ring donning a helmet similar to one worn by Michael Katsidis; in celebration of his own Greek heritage. George would discover he’d have to be every bit the warrior his fans hoped for.
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