Watchdog Answers on Mayweather, Holyfield, De La Hoya, Margarito vs Williams and More
 Watchdog By Steve Hudgins (July 14, 2007) Doghouse Boxing
This week the Watchdog takes on Tonight's Welterweight Triple Header, Mayweather, Holyfield and so much more!
I agree when you say that fans overpay for the BS PPV events and that we deserve better...sometimes we almost have no choice...I happen to love boxing and I hate to miss a fight...you say if we all stop paying the prices will go down and we will see better fights and I wonder if that is the case...I mean I need boxing as much as I need gas...and no matter what the price is I will still pay for it...kind of the same way I feel about boxing. Does anyone else out there feel the same way? – George, NJ
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: HBO, Showtime, ESPN2, Telefutura and the occasional decent PPV. There’s enough out there for everyone to get their fix without contributing to these garbage PPV’s with half-hearted matchmaking.
Hey Watchdog, what are your thoughts on the July 14 card? I think the best fight is going to be Gatti v Gomez. I just like both brawling styles. Maybe (hopefully) the winner could fight Hatton....that would be a great fight for the fans. I just don't know too much about Paul Williams. I’ve only seen his fight with Sharmba Mitchell, which doesn't prove much. I really want to see Kermit Cintron and Paul Williams get it on, because they are both young and hungry with big punches. What are your thoughts on that matchup? – Ralph, San Marcos, TX
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: I love the card! There’s something I like about each fight. Matthyse is a bomber who will attack Cintron, and it will be interesting to see how Kermit handles that kind of pressure. Williams really has looked good against inferior opposition. I have a feeling his fight with Margarito will turn into a brawl. As for Gatti/Gomez, Gatti is always fun in a war, and I expect Gomez to present Gatti with plenty of opportunities to bang. If Gomez allows it, it’s possible that Gatti just picks him apart from the outside and wins a white-wash decision. Hopefully Gomez will bring more to the table than that. Kermit vs Williams? Well, first things first. After the 14th, there will be a plethora of welterweight matchups we’ll be discussing.
It’s being said that Cotto/Judah did 1,000,000 buys. If so, there will be a rematch and maybe more PPV buys for that rematch. Is Roy Jones finished or not? –Anonymous
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: Whoever gave you your information was WAY off. Bob Arum said they needed 150,000 buys to break even and they did a little over 200,000 buys. Bottom line: Cotto vs Judah was NOT very profitable. Based on the overall card, it should not have been. And have you seen Roy Jones’ last four fights? Yes, he’s finished.
You seemed to be one of the few that that understands that Floyd is not in demand. People don't watch to see Floyd fight, they watch to see him possibly get knocked out. He's like a smaller Winky, defensive fighters. If he is waiting on Oscar then he should retire as he just wants another payday against a past his prime, part-time fighter who fights once a year. He is about 3 to 4 fights away from being great and that does not include repeats. If he fights Shane, Cotto and 2 of any of the listed (Clottey, Forrest, Winky, Pavlik), I will give him some props but for now…..whatever Floyd and his disciples! – Bobby – Atlanta GA
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: He’s not a big draw. But his victory over De La Hoya will get his name out there a bit more. He’s far better than Winky, in my opinion, but he’s just not a marquee name and rather than just fight all the best fighters out there, he makes a lot of excuses as to why he won’t. Looks like he’ll be fighting Hatton this fall though, and that’s a fight that should happen. Hopefully it gets signed.
The hate you have for Floyd Mayweather is unparallel….You absolutely give no credit whatsoever to this guy’s accomplishments or skills. Instead of giving Floyd credit for beating Oscar (a guy that chooses all his fights based on him feeling he can win and getting all the advantages)…you want to keep saying he ran all night. So listen partner…you can hate Floyd all you want but he will go down in history as one of the best to ever lace them up. And I don’t want to hear anything about what Leonard or any or those other has-beens would have done because we will never know. That was the past…this is the present. – Marvin
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: Doesn’t sound like you read my columns often at all. I’ve given Floyd a lot of credit for everything he accomplished at 135 and below. It’s just a shame that he decided to take the easy road after he moved up in weight. I also never said he ran all night vs DLH. Oscar was the one who blew that fight. He throws the jab, he wins easy. Simple as that. I and many others thought De La Hoya did enough to win anyway. And Floyd would never even get in the ring with the likes of Leonard, Duran, Hearns or Hagler, let alone beat them! Floyd is about excuses, not about being a great fighter. Certainly not about being an all time great. Thanks for the amusing comments though.
I’m anxiously anticipating the July 14th Welterweight tripleheader. However, I gotta tell you, something tells me two of these three bouts will result in upsets. I have a suspicion that Paul Williams will sweep practically every round against Antonio Margarito if not win by late round stoppage. I think Margarito is preparing for The Punisher to fight him on the inside but my suspicion is that Williams will use all of his 82” reach to sting Margarito at the end of his jab. In fact, I wouldn’t necessarily count Williams out should he choose to fight a few rounds on the inside against Margarito. I predict a mild upset here with Williams winning 119-109. As for Gatti-Gomez, I like what I’ve seen from Gomez in his past few fights and Gatti has regressed to his old brawling self except this time, he no longer has the stamina or chin he once had. If Baldomir who doesn’t even punch hard, managed to knock him out, it says here that Gomez stops Gatti on cuts or swelling within 8 rounds! As for Cinrton-Mattyesse, an upset is not out of the question but I’m going with Cintron in 5! – Martin
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: There are a lot of people who are picking Williams to win. I’m not one of them. I strongly disagree with you on your Gatti/Gomez comments. For one thing, I really don’t think Gomez is in Gatti’s league. I also don’t think Gatti is back to his slugging ways. I think he would prefer to out box his opponents at this stage of his career, if at all possible. Baldomir is much bigger and stronger than Gomez. In all honesty, I’m just hoping that Gomez is game enough to keep this fight somewhat entertaining, rather than a one-sided drubbing. I have a feeling he’ll be able to do so for a little while, but I would be shocked if Gatti lost or even had much trouble against Gomez.
The Williams/Magarito matchup will be a shocker! Williams will ko Margarito. And this will set off a series of unexpected events in the welter division: Cotto will grant Judah a rematch, Williams and Margarito will rematch, sugar Shane will fight Cintron and Clottey will once again be left out in the cold! Thanks watchdog. – Rolan from Jackson, Mississippi.
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: As is evident with reader’s responses thus far, a lot of people are predicting a Williams’s victory. Cotto/Judah II will not happen. The first one got way too one sided and the PPV just didn’t sell well. It won’t happen and there is no need for it. And I’m not so sure Clottey is being left out in the cold. He had a shot at the #1 contender Margarito and then had a high profile fight against Corrales. If he just keeps active, and keeps winning, he’ll be in the mix.
What’s your take on Margarito vs Williams. Who do you think will win ? I got Margarito by KO in the 9th. – Erik, CA
THE WATCHDOG’S RESPONSE: I’m with you. Margarito by KO in about 8 or 9. I think Williams will have his chances though as he throws a lot of punches and Margarito does get hit. Williams, however, gets hit a lot too. It should be a war that doesn’t go the distance.
THE WATCH DOG’S NOTES
There was a bit of a buzz about Holyfield’s victory over Savarese. Some people are starting to believe in old man Holyfield again. Hey, for 44 years old, he’s looking pretty good, and unlike 95 percent of the heavyweights today, Holyfield actually trains and comes into the ring IN SHAPE! What a concept!
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