Two fighters names crop up in my mind who could potentially hold a big fight between them. Yuriorkis Gamboa and Juan Manuel Lopez. Although Lopez is lined up to fight Bernabe Concepcion on  10th July 2010, I would like to think Gamboa could fit in a couple of light-challenges before a face off between the two towards the end of the year.

Gamboa has done nothing but convince me he is set to be the next big thing, with his impressive amateur record and ever improving 18-0 (15 KO's) professional record. Lopez's record is phenomenal holding 28-0 (25 KO's). Gamboa fights with heart and seems to constantly be in a shape to die for (I never knew it was possible to have abs bigger than pecs) and could even move up to lightweight in years to come as he never struggled at super-featherweight a couple of years ago.

Nothing excites me more than two fighters with perfect records and holding the ability to knock one another out battling it out to ruin the others record. Surely, you can't disagree? As far as ego's go, yeah Pacquiao and Mayweather steal the biscuit; but to see an all-central-American punch up sends shivers down my spine and reminisce of the Mexican warrior era of a young Morales, Barrera and co. 

I see a great future of these two fighters and predict to go out the way they have come in...although I am sure the same thing could have been said about many fighters in the past.

Please do expand on anything you have to say on this, I am excited to hear what all your opinions are on it!

Peace and love

Shnizz

To set the scene on the dark, notorious streets of Brooklyn where crime is a given and only the tough survive. A young kid shared a love for pigeons and thieving not knowing where he would be ten years down the line. Losing his family and doing time for the crime. After a run in with a gang, there had to be an outlet for this frustration. An old wise man took the boy under his wing, like that of a pigeon wrapping its young to protect and teach its wisdom of life. He learnt to control his temper and discipline himself through the art of fighting; but not brawling, he fought with his brain but more importantly his heart, with the wise man assisting every step of the way.

He grew the shoulders of a bear and the heart of a lion at a young age; some would say too young. Fighting his way to the top got him there. He beat the best more than convincingly, striking his left hooks like a pendulum in a clock tower. Stardom took him all the way, living the dream. Up in the clouds, no one stood tall enough to bring him down.

But to every high is a low; and to every low, there is a bottom. He hit it and lost his mentor along with his mind; lost his composure to a heartless money grabber thieving his soul like the clothes he took stole as a child.

In a redemption effort he climbed the mountain he once conquered but getting to the top is never as satisfying second time round. Tattoos covered what was once a finely tuned specimen. As the ink went up, the heart disappeared sucking that energy right away.

However, the heart is still there and will remain. What this condensed piece (which could have gone on forever) is trying to tell you is we all have a bad guy inside us, some worse than others. People take advantage of others illustrating the low life materialistic world we live in. Mike Tyson fell victim to it. Despite his downfall, we as the one's who admire the sport cannot ignore the ferocity and what could be argued the most impressive, aggressive, expressive fighting style to enter the ring. It takes a real man to admit his wrongs and accept it; the Iron Man has done just that and he deserves respect. No one can sit there and criticise and hypocritically attack the man who brought something to boxing which it vitality needed. A heavyweight brawler from the backstreet's of Brooklyn. To think this doggy wouldn't bite is the same as believing a pit bull wouldn't gnaw your nose off if you stole it's pup.

The reason I chose to call this a love story is because the romance lies between us, the spectator and the Iron Man. You may choose to hate, but the love is there. I get a great feeling inside when I see the young determination of someone beaming with natural talent, and I get a lump in my throat when I see the downfall.

via www.artparis-abudhabi.com

I forgive him, and he himself has surely paid for his sins. I, as you good people, should let his legacy fly high onwards and upwards.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mike Tyson.

Please comment and tell me why or why not it is an absolute privilege to have a man like Mike Tyson within the sport we love. I hope everyone at BadLeftHook would love to hear and share something positive of the Iron Man.

Peace & Love to you all,

Shnizz

The Beauty of it all

In a sport where pain is for pleasure and defeat can do so much as to solely crumble one’s hopes and dreams of reaching the top of the ladder, boxing has managed and continues to present us with the most exciting passion-driven sport to ever be created.

This piece has been written in a response to critics of boxing claiming it is not half the sport it used to be. A true fan can see beyond the dark entities clinging on to the sport and show nothing but admiration for those warriors who dare to step fourth and get into the ring, sometimes as a favourite, sometimes as an underdog.

The frame of mind these athletes go into in the build up to a fight fascinates me. Waking up at 4am to run the streets, and every single inch of a conscious decision they make up until bed time is circled around their fight. The art form of preserving one’s body to keep it in pristine condition to improve speed and agility has presented some of the best physiques known to man. A young Mike Tyson had the physique of a Greek God backed up by the strength of one too.

Over here in England, we see rivalry in sports such as football (soccer) between teams such as Manchester United and Chelsea, or a rugby match between England and Australia. Where does this stand compared to the build up to a fight between two men who have spent weeks in a mental prison of solitary confinement and physical torture? Nowhere. Since early days of boxing with superstars such as Dempsey and Johnson, today’s equivalents, whether we are fans or haters, fighters such as Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquaio bring something to our hearts that cannot be matched. I single handily pick out boxing from other combat sports due to the true beauty and passion which oozes from 12 rounds. MMA? No I’m sorry I can’t accept this sport to carry the same levels of passion as boxing. Watching the footwork of a boxer perfected like a dancer combined with the handy work is like watching a finely crafted piece of art.

The true irony is beauty comes from destruction. No matter how hard you hit the man, you show nothing but love and compassion for each other. That really is the beauty of it all.

I want you to tell me why you think boxing is a world apart from any others sport, or feel free to tell me why you don’t agree.

Peace and Love to you all

Shnizz x

Just one match up you would like to see at some point this year?

I think the obvious one on everyone's lips is Mayweather and Pac man, but I don't think there is any point talking about that right now....

I would quite like to see Klitschko (either) and David Haye, purely to have abit of excitement raised between the big boys, and partly to see one half of the Klitschko's get some revenge for that ridiculous T-Shirt he wore in the build up to the fight that never happened. 

Being British, another I would like to see is the local lad Amir Khan face Paulie Malignaggi because lets face it, he does still have a lot to prove. However, I do believe he is capable. From Malignaggi's impressive performance against a flabby Diaz, I think this could be an interesting match up.

Happy new year to everyone on Bad Left Hook and lets hope 2010 is the beginning of a superb decade for the sport we all love.

Peace

Dear Boxing Fans all over the world.

I am, just like the rest of you, extremely excited for the events that look to take place on the 13th March 2010 at the MGM, Las Vegas. In my eyes, the two best  pound for pounders to enter the ring for a long time. Two styles which clash: aggression vs defence, orthodox vs southpaw. Fans should be excited. This is going to be a fight which will bring the non boxing fans to ringside, purely on the huge build up and charisma that will be communicated over the next three months.

However, my purpose for writing this article is the write off of Floyd Mayweather Jr at the hands of Manny Pacquiao. I cannot understand people simply putting him down saying he has dodged fighters, he hasn't got the power Pacquiao holds etc etc....As boxing fans I am sure you will agree with me that this is a naive way of looking at the fight, remembering Floyd is defencively unbeatable. He always gives 100% into each and everyone of his opponents and his training. Some slag him off for building up the fights the way he does. Against Hatton, over here in England people began to hate Mayweather but if you ask me, his ability to build up a fight is like that of no other, and with Manny Pacquiao it will be no different.

There is no way I can decide on a winner for this, realistically I cannot see the fight ending in the early rounds. Floyd's fitness and defence will, I believe give him the ability to go the distance with Pacquiao and could retain his title as best Pound for Pounder.

I have purely written this out of frustration so please excuse where I have gone off on tangents throughout. The way Pacquiao brilliantly ended his last two fights is sure not to happen this time round, Floyd is too smart. I think you could all agree with me, know one can make a prediction on this fight until at least we see 24/7 and see how both fighters are mentally and physically preparing themselves for war. Please tell me your thoughts on what you think will happen, if you think I am wrong for not believing predictions cannot be made.

All I am saying is Floyd is an intelligent fighter, more so than Pacquiao. So those none believers should maybe start believing this fight is without a doubt the toughest of both careers.

Peace