![]() I know it sounds like I’m trying to make excuses for Benn, but I really believe that he wasn’t fully conscious when he was prize fighting it’s was almost as though there was “temporary insanity” during those three-minute rounds. ![]() I know he could appear to be a ruthless killer in the ring at times, but my gut always told me that he was just a fierce, hyper-emotional, all-or-nothing competitor. I know Benn was a wild, live-and-die-by-the-sword-type puncher. I would agree with keeping Benn out of the International Boxing Hall of Fame if I thought he fouled McClellan (and other fighters) with the intent to do permanent physical damage, but I don’t believe that he did. It’s hard for me to understand how someone could vote for Nigel Benn for the IBHOF after the way he destroyed Gerald McClellan’s brain with his repeated rabbit punching (one of his usual weapons anyway). Is Ali – who can be a handful if he gets into his stick-and-move rhythm – a bit of a “gimme”? Yeah, he is. He had more than his share of shootouts and grueling battles of attrition. He’s spilled enough blood for our entertainment during his 17-year career. I don’t care if hardcore fans view Cotto as a “diva.” He doesn’t deserve to go out like that. I can only envision one outcome to those middleweight contests – brutal stoppage.į_k that. I didn’t want to see him share the ring with GGG, the 160-pound version of Canelo, or Lemieux. His one-sided 12-round drubbing of gatekeeper Yoshihiro Kamegai let us know that while he still has his legs, reflexes and skillset, he lacks the power and physical strength of a modern middleweight. It’s perfectly clear to me that he’s not a real 160 pounder (despite his RING/WBC title victory over the aging, inactive and half-crippled Sergio Martinez in 2014). I’m fine with Cotto not facing a middleweight standout. In other words, the reward was not worth the risk for Lemieux, who made it clear that he’s not going to agree to any catchweights for Cotto. 16 has pretty much guaranteed that the two 160-pound champs will engage in an immediate rematch next May, and Lemieux, though a bit raw technically speaking, is still too big and dangerous (without making for a mega-event and bringing in the amount of money that a Canelo or GGG matchup would). There was also serious discussion (as you’re probably aware) of Cotto taking on the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin winner or middleweight contender David Lemieux. ![]() Spence or Matthysse would have been badass matchups.) According to Steve Kim, who sourced Golden Boy president Eric Gomez, James Kirkland and Lucas Matthysse were also offered the fight with the four-division titleholder from Puerto Rico and declined. You know who else was unavailable (or just declined the offer), according to RingTV’s senior writer Mike Coppinger? Errol Spence Jr., Mikey Garcia, Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson. The same card that hosts Hurd-Trout also includes the other two major junior middleweight beltholders – Erislandy Lara (who defends his WBA title against Terrell Gausha) and Jermell Charlo (who defends his WBC strap against Erickson Lubin), so, obviously, they weren’t available either. He’s challenging Jarrett Hurd for the IBF 154-pound title tomorrow night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn (on Showtime – don’t tell me the PBC’s quality tripleheader has flown under your radar). Well, not to be a smart ass in the face of your smart assery, but no, he wasn’t. Austin Trout wasn’t available, huh? – Ceylon
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