Doghouse Boxing Mailbag Addition Presented By Daniel ‘The Boxing Guru’ Poland

Doghouse Boxing Presents Daniel 'The Boxing Guru' Poland's Mailbag Addition

By Daniel Poland, Doghouse Boxing (July 29, 2009)

Hello boxing fans and welcome to another addition of my new mailbag, this week I answer questions regarding the tragedy of Vernon Forrest, this weekends Junior Welterweight double header, Felix Trinidad vs Antonio Margarito and much more...

To be apart of next weeks mailbag email all your questions to Checkhookboxing1@hotmail.co.uk

Enjoy

Hi Daniel

Thanks for giving me your thoughts on Alexis Arguello and Arturo Gatti in last weeks mailbag, as you know the boxing world is once again in mourning after the murder of Vernon Forrest this past weekend. For me this really hurts as Forrest was an active fighter on the elite level who would have probably fought Sergio Martinez later this year and now he has been taken from us. Like last week can you tell me what your greatest memory of Vernon Forrest is?
Adam

Hi Adam
Like everyone I was in shock when I heard the news of this tragedy, it really is sad news and my condolences go out the Forrest family. Its been a bad month for boxing fans with the deaths of all these warriors, but like you said in Forrest's case it does sting a little more as we where expecting some big fights from Forrest later this year with the likes of Martinez, I just wish I could have been there to tell Forrest to put his gun down and get back in his car, then maybe he'd still be with us. He was a very good fighter and if I had to pick out what my greatest memory of him it would be the night he took the undefeated record and the Welterweight title away from Shane Mosley. Forrest came in as an underdog but that all changed when he had Mosley down and hurt in the second round. Forrest would go on to easily outpoint Mosley and once again in a rematch. That was Vernon's finest hour and it’s a shame he couldn’t build on that, he could have been so much more. He will not go down as an all time great, but he will always be remembered, maybe more so for what he did outside of the ring in helping young children who could not look after themselves. R.I.P champ, never forgotten.

Hey Daniel
How do you see this weekend’s Junior Welterweight double header going? Timothy Bradley vs Nate Campbell, Devon Alexander vs Junior Witter.

Christopher

Hi Christopher
Thanks for the email, i am looking forward to a big night of boxing this Saturday, two championship fights in the same division on the same night, it doesn’t get much better. For the vacant WBC title we have Junior Witter trying to reclaim the title against undefeated and untested Devon Alexander, its youth and speed against experience. Witter holds the experience and he's going to have to use it, this is Alexander's first big step up and Witter is going to have to make a statement early on to let him know he is now in the big league’s, but how much does Witter have left, he was outworked by a faster and hungry youngster in Tim Bradley and that’s exactly what you have in Alexander, its a tough fight to call, but i am going with youth and speed by a close decision (Alexander UD)

Then in the main event WBO champion Timothy Bradley defends the title against former undisputed Lightweight champion Nate Campbell. Bradley has home advantage, which could play key if the fight goes to the scorecards in a close fight. To alot of people this is a pick em fight, but as soon as the fight was signed i immediately picked Bradley to take this by UD, he's young, fast and he is naturally the bigger man, this is Campbell’s first fight at 140 and he's picked the number one guy in the division outside of Pacquiao. I think the early stages will be close, possibly with Bradley taking a trip to the canvas but going into the later rounds, I think he will outwork his older foe, outwork him like he did Kendall Holt. I see in the score range of 116-111.

Daniel

What is your take on the David Haye and Klitschko brothers situation?, Do you believe Haye has ducked out of both fights and see's Valuev as an easy way to win the world title?

Do you think Haye will ever meet the Klitschko's and if so how will both fights play out?

Sharkey

Hi Sharkey
I am a firm believer that we will one day see Haye battle it out with the Klitchsko's, obviously the question is when?, I cant give you an answer on that, but if I was David Haye I wouldn’t want to sign to fight them, if what I have heard is true, K2 promotions are trying to lock Haye into a contract where he would have to fight rematches with both brothers if he won, basically he would be signing his soul away to K2 for his next four or five fights. Haye will have to fight the whole Klitschko family before he gets out of the contract LOL. By fighting Valuev, if Haye wins he will have more to negotiate with and wont be tied to K2. Yes it is an easier way to win a title but it is an easier way to arrange a fight with either Klitschko.

Haye is not ducking anybody, it sounds to me the Klitschko brothers aren’t confident enough that they would beat him, that’s why they are being unreasonable in negotiations.

Am sure many will disagree with me on this topic. Thanks for your question

Who would you pick in a fight between prime Felix Trinidad and Antonio Margarito?

Rjoey24

Hi Rjoey24, thanks for the email, I don’t even have to think about this, a prime Felix Trinidad would destroy Antonio Margarito. Trinidad was very powerful at Welterweight and if an old Shane Mosley could knock out Margarito then a prime Trinidad could with ease. I couldn’t see the fight going into the later rounds, I believe the Margarito corner would save their man in the sixth or seventh round after taking a beating throughout. Send In more of your fantasy fights.

Hi Daniel

What are the best options for Kelly Pavlik now that Arthur Abraham has jumped ship to the Super Middleweight division?

Stephen James

Hi Stephen

Thanks for the question, i have to say i am done with Kelly Pavlik, i used to be a big fan, i thought he was exciting and a potential superstar but since his beating from Bernard Hopkins he's changed, its like he's got a chip on his shoulder. First from trying to come up with excuses why he lost to Hopkins, (you got beat Kelly because Hopkins is a superior fighter to you) then failing to secure a fight with his biggest rival in the Middleweight division Arthur Abraham and now criticising the super six tournament. He's just bitter, he missed the chance to fight Abraham, and now Abraham has moved up to be apart of this amazing tournament, which Pavlik weren’t invited to be apart of. Pavlik has said that the six fighters taking part are ruining there careers, my question to Kelly Pavlik is how?, they are taking part in something that will be remembered in boxing history, whereas you are left now twiddling your thumbs wondering what has happened to your own career.

The Middleweight division is possibly the worst in the sport at this moment in time, only worthy challengers are Felix Sturm and possibly Paul Williams who can fight at three weight classes. I surely hope a Pavlik-Williams fight comes to light and Pavlik receives another one-sided beating. Am sorry i just don’t like the guy anymore.

Yo Daniel

Great Mailbag last week. Here is a question that will get your mind racing, what five fights have to happen in the sport of boxing today and why?

PeterManfredoFan

Hey PeterManfredoFan

Thanks for the email and what a great question, there are lots of fights that need to happen so I am finding it hard to pick five but I’ll give it a go.

1) Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao:

This is a must happen, if we really want to know who the pound for pound champion is, then these two must fight, it’s the biggest fight in the sport of boxing today and in my opinion one of the biggest fights in boxing history, you can quote me on that

2) Wladimir Klitschko vs Vitali Klitschko

Yes I know mother Klitschko does not want to see her two sons compete in the ring, so its unlikely this fight will ever happen, but it has too. These two are the best Heavyweights in the world who hold world titles, if the world is going to see an undisputed Heavyweight champion these two must collide, they need to forget what mummy says, especially when there’s a lot of money involved.

3) Juan Manuel Lopez vs Celestine Caballero

A unification match in the Super Bantamweight division is needed between these two, Lopez has been blasting out all opposition that has come before him, but how would he deal with the tall, lanky Caballero, this would be a stern test for Lopez and it would be a fight that would show us if Lopez is the real deal or not, this is a must, make it happen.

4) Bernard Hopkins vs Chad Dawson

I still manage to find people questioning Chad Dawson's ability as a pound for pounder, he has strong wins over Adamek, Tarver and Johnson and as he prepares for a rematch with Johnson, people are talking at the prospect of a future fight with 'The Executioner'. I really do believe this fight has to happen, as two things could happen, Dawson will win and take claim to the pound for pound list or Hopkins will win and once again defeat an undefeated potential superstar and add to his legacy. It would be interesting to see which of these outcomes would surface.

5) Kelly Pavlik vs Paul Williams

A few weeks ago I would have been saying Pavlik vs Abraham, but I am no longer interested now, as Pavlik has missed his chance. But in my eyes he has greater challenge that could soon be presented to him in Paul Williams. It would be the biggest fight in the Middleweight division and a fight both fighters need to claim they are the best.

Thank you again for all your questions, see you next week for more mailbag.

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Doghouseboxing wants you to send in your questions to feature writer Daniel Poland in our new weekly mailbag addition. You may ask what ever is on your mind and you will most definitely be given an answer, send all your questions to Checkhookboxing1@hotmail.co.uk.