Bring on the Titans

The stars came out in full force to see the first big boxing card of the New Year. This marquee match between future hall of famers Roy Jones Jr., and Felix “Tito” Trinidad would finally quench a thirst that has been dehydrating boxing fans for years. This is a bout that has eluded fans since both fighters were in their prime back in 2003. Roy Jones would not ever sign to fight with Trinidad's promoter Don King making it impossible for these raging bulls to lock horns. Today ladies and gentlemen, is a new day. Now this is a fight that both athletes need to revive their recently dwindling careers, and fatten up their pockets.

The under card was a Heinz 57 of different weight classes and fighting styles, making up for what I thought was one of the most entertaining cards in quite some time. The evening kicked off with 140 # match between undefeated youngster Devin “Alexander the Great” Alexander, and seasoned veteran Demarcus “Chop Chop” Corley. The fight started with Alexander showing that he was going to set the pace of the fight by becoming the aggressor and never looking back. He screamed and yelled his way through counter punches and combinations that would wear down Corley through all 12 rounds.

The judges would have given Alexander a white wash of the score cards if he would not have been docked 2 points in the 12th round due to a series of inadvertent low blows. I on the other hand gave the 11th round to Corley but not by much. Alexander showed that he is a force to be reckoned with in the 140 # weight class, and seems to have the power to enable him to move up if needed. This kid showed St. Louis pride and the heart to match giving boxing promoter's reason to consider Alexander when the title shot books are opened.

During the intermission the cameras went back to HBO analyst Max Kellerman in Jones' locker room due to a glove controversy. Kellerman reported that in the contract was a clause added by the Trinidad camp that Jr. had to wear the blue Everlast gloves as apposed to his red Grant gloves. Just when I thought that Roy was upset because he had to use a thicker shaped Everlast gloves instead of the puncher-friendly Grant gloves he has used for years, he says in his interview “I was going to wear red trunks with red gloves you know that I need to look good for my people”.

It was rumored that Jr. had gone to Trinidad's hotel room to convince Tito and his father to bury the contract and allow him to wear his Grant gloves, but the Trinidad camp was not having it. Jones capped off the disagreement by telling Max “he wants to make me wear these Everlast gloves that's fine I'll just give him an Everlasting whoopin' he will never forget”. Roy was in top trash talking form, a form that has made me a serious Roy Jones Jr. fan for over a decade.

The next bout was between the Champion Roman “Made in Hell” Karmazin vs. Alex “the Technician” Bunema for the Intercontinental Super Middleweight belt. When this fight started I was one of the many who was sure that Karmazin would just walk through Bunema without struggle, but that just was not the case. Karmazin fought in his same “left hand dropped” style shades of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter leaving him vulnerable to Bunema's right hand. I had Karmazin ahead in the score cards through 9 rounds 5 rounds to 4 by a score of 85 to 86. Just when I thought we might see a draw “The Technician” turned up the heat on “Made in Hell” pinning him in the corner and commenced to having target practice scoring a very impressive knockout in round number ten, winning the title and establishing his place in the boxing ranks.

Finally we have a heavyweight scrap that is reminiscent of the class' glory days. At a time when you turn the channel when the heavyweights make their way out to the ring, a good 12 round bout is nearly extinct. Not tonight knuckleheads, we've got ourselves a good ol' fashioned slobber knocker. This fight would pit former number one contender Andrew Golota against up and comer “Merciless” Mike Mollo in a 12 round contest at the 240 lb weight class. Golota came out looking like Ivan Drago in the first 3 rounds landing almost everything, and landing it with extreme power. Mollo began to show grim determination, and supreme guts standing toe to toe while taking a beating by a man that has almost won the heavyweight title twice.

I realized I was in for a treat when Mollo answered by winning the next 3 rounds tying it up on my score card 3 to 3. At the end of the 6th round I personally thought that Golota would slow down (due to his age of 40), and Mollo would pick it up and knock him out in the next round. Toward the end of the 6th round Mollo was talking up a storm to the Polish powerhouse while tagging him at will. This seemed to be the end for Golota, but I was wrong. In the 7th round Mollo virtually ran out of gas in seconds, becoming punch drunk, as well as lost when he could not find his corner. After his scavenger hunt Mollo sat down in his corner with a totally different outlook on the fight. Although he was still determined to win the fight it was just too late for the young 3rd generation pugilist.