The Greatest Prize in Sports

[Romdawg88]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

With the attitude that the IBL has had towards its heavyweight division this year, it's not clear who would next challenge for the title, regardless of what happens tonight. Much like with the Bautista-Sanchez stoush, the possibility of a Norton-Jackson rematch has been speculated on if Norton was to lose the championship. There's a number of important heavyweight contests scheduled for stage two, and the results of those will paint a picture of what is to come later in the year.

Might I suggest a certain long haired Floridan should he emerge victorious in his upcoming bout.

[kenyan_cheena]

Up next: MGM Grand, 7 June 2008

Diaz-Barea
Bautista-Sanchez
Norton-Jackson

...

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Up next: MGM Grand, 7 June 2008

Diaz-Barea
Bautista-Sanchez
Norton-Jackson

...

Have started working on the write-up. Was not quite sure how to present it, as it's such a big event, but I think it should turn out nicely. Should be posted within the next 48 hours.

[kenyan_cheena]

The New York Age

SUNDAY, 8 JUNE, 2008

NORTON AND BAUTISTA
DETHRONED AT THE MGM

Story by James Reynolds

Last night's International Boxing League fight card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas saw the reigns of two world champions come to an end, with Dominican featherweight titlist Miguel Bautista defeated by Mexico's Salvador Sanchez and San Diego's heavyweight king Ken Norton falling to the Australian Peter Jackson in the evening's main event. With both victors being medallists from the Athens Olympics, it could be regarded as a "changing of the guard". Sanchez, only 21 and a gold medallist at featherweight, became the first member of "The Class of '04" to win a professional world title and was followed soon after by 25 year-old Jackson, who claimed silver in the heavyweight division four years ago. Bautista lost his crown in a fashion identical to how he claimed it from Gilberto Vasquez back in September, by TKO due to a cut, while Jackson's victory was a bit more comprehensive. He dropped Norton twice and knocked him out in the 11th round.

A series of coincidences ran through the two title fights. Firstly, Jackson and Sanchez had both failed in their first attempts to win the IBL championship, the bouts occuring only a week apart in March '07. Sanchez lost to Vasquez by unanimous decision on the 17th while Jackson was knocked out in two rounds by Terone Haynes on the 24th. Following those victories, both Vasquez and Haynes were defeated in their very next title defenses, which were also separated by a week last September. Their conquerers, Bautista and Norton, were defending their belts for the second time last night. Only time will show if Sanchez and Jackson remain linked in this uncanny fashion, but for now it won't concern them in the slightest as, after a setback, they have reached the top of the mountain. All of the gut-busting training sessions, all of the pain and dedication and discipline, has now paid off. They are World Champions, with Jackson breaking a 71-year drought to become the first Australian world heavyweight champion since 1937.

The Bautista-Sanchez showdown promised to be action-packed and it was exactly that, and from the opening round. Sanchez came out firing, catching the champion with a series of penetrating straight lefts and a stinging left to the body before Bautista responded in the bottom half of the frame, landing a three-punch combo and then getting the better of a wild exchange. He finished the round strongly, keeping Sanchez on the outside with an accurate jab of his own. Once again, Sanchez controlled the early proceedings in the 2nd, but this time he didn't let Bautista into it and the Mexican concluded his efforts with stiff right cross and a chin-snapping uppercut. Round three was closer, but featured the incident that would eventually lead to the end of the fight. Sanchez cut Bautista on his right eyebrow, near the bridge of the nose, at the one-minute mark.

The wound did not appear to hinder Bautista as he looked confident and composed through the opening of the 4th. But Sanchez answered back with a hard right to the head and a left rip to the body, both coming in the space of twenty seconds and wrestling the momentum from Bautista's grasp. However, the Caribbean combatant did just enough to take a less eventful 5th round, which would unfortunately end up being the one and only frame all three judges awarded him. The situation started to turn dire for him in round six, as Sanchez not only dominated, but his punishing work re-opened Bautista's cut and led to the first ringside inspection of it, thirty seconds from the round's conclusion. Knowing victory was near, the younger man put his foot down and took the 7th convincingly, rattling a fading Bautista with a straight right and an uppercut during the final minute.

Things did not improve for the world champion in round eight, Sanchez connecting with a flurry of blows to rubberise Bautista's legs before stunning him with a booming right a minute from the bell. Indicating Sanchez's dominance, by this point Bautista's left eye had become framed by alarming swelling, more so than his right eye, the brave Dominican taking a frightful beating. Sanchez appeared calm and collected during the intermission, his trainer Octavio Cardenas continually preaching patience. His reassuring words came to fruition in the 9th, as the bout was halted just thirty seconds into it after a hard left hook split the gash on Bautista's right eyebrow. The blood flowing down past his nose and mouth was an alarming sight, as was the cut when ringside cameras focused in on it. It did not take long for the doctor to instruct referee Harry Ertle to stop the fight, which he did moments later.

When the realisation flooded over him, Sanchez fell to his knees and buried his face in his gloves, breaking into tears of joy, Cardenas and the corner crew swarming between the ropes to celebrate with him. At the time of the stoppage, Sanchez had landed 224 of 797 punches (28.1%), Bautista 159 of 347 (45.8%). Those numbers indicated Sanchez's superior aggression and workrate, and the fact that Bautista simply could not keep up with him or hurt him. Sanchez improved to 22-1(18) with his third consecutive victory, each of which have come inside the distance. After being paraded around the ring with the championship belt held aloft, he called it the greatest victory of his career and the moment he had been working towards since the first time he pulled on a pair of gloves. As for Bautista (30-6-1(18)), it's unclear whether he'll receive an immediate rematch. He was not especially competitive and ended the fight cut, swollen and bloodied.

Sanchez brought up the fact that Bautista had given Gilberto Vasquez a rematch after stopping him on cuts, but that was in a fight that Vasquez looked likely to be victorious in if not for the cut, which coincidentally was also on the inside of the right eyebrow. Sanchez held leads of five points on two scorecards and four points on the other entering the 9th round, and he was only becoming more dominant, so it will be interesting to see what the IBL decides. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sanchez was not especially concerned about the future and was only focused on celebrating his triumph with his corner crew, friends and management, the ring crowded for a good twenty minutes after the bout's conclusion. Salvador Sanchez certainly looks capable of maintaining a long title reign, and he even mentioned how the victory moves him one step closer to a possible "superfight" against current world lightweight champion Patricio Marquez.

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

Australian heavyweight Peter Jackson entered the ring accompanied by a huge, noisy entourage and the Men At Work song "Down Under" booming from the arena speakers. He wore a hooded robe of dark green silk with gold and white trim, ACTION JACKSON blazed across his back in gold and the Australian flag on the left breast. Once between the ropes he flipped off his hood to reveal a freshly shaved pate. His trunks were predominantly white with green and gold trim, his boots white with green and gold laces. A trio of his group carried large Australian flags, his fellow IBL competitors Les Darcy and Jeff Fenech decked out in track suits and baseball caps of an identical colour scheme to Jackson's robe. The entire group appeared confident and relaxed, seemingly just happy to finally be there. Jackson's trainer Jimmy Mills gave his charge a last minute pep talk just as Norton's team made their way to the ring.

Norton's robe was white with navy, gold and powder blue trim, the colours of his beloved San Diego Chargers. The team's running back LaDainian Tomlinson was once again a part of Norton's entourage, as he had been in Norton's wins over Andrew Golota and Terone Haynes in 2007. His trunks were solid navy with his surname stencilled on the waistband in gold-trimmed white. The world champion looked focused but a little bit uneasy and anxious, perhaps caught up by the gravity of the moment. When the two combatants were brought together by referee Malcolm Bulner for his final instructions, it was Jackson who seemed the more assured and ready. That counted for nothing when Norton dominated the 1st round, taking a page from Haynes's book and attempting to take the challenger out early. Norton connected with a couple of damaging right crosses early on before unloading a stinging body shot and a crunching uppercut in the later stages. Jackson's only highlight was an uppercut landed in retort to Norton's, which pushed back the defending champion.

Jackson started strongly in round two, catching the Californian with an uppercut and a right hand before Norton fired back with some punishing body work. The challenger responded well with some stiff jabs, but Norton closed out the round with the momentum, a left hook and a jab/right cross combo backing Jackson up. The 3rd was competitive and close until Jackson stole it with a busy final thirty seconds, a left hook and a stinging jab finding the mark. He then produced his best three minutes of the fight to that point, controlling round four thanks to an outstanding top half, where he connected with a succession of jabs and rips to the body before wobbling the champ with an uppercut. Norton rallied somewhat in the final minute, putting Jackson back on his heels with a left hook, but it was too little too late, and after four rounds the contest was even.

After receiving a wake-up call from trainer Ernie Bennett during the intermission, Norton increased his workrate in the 5th, winging lefts and rights to the body before slipping a Jackson jab and firing a straight right into his forehead. Jackson was in the middle of a tentative fight back when Norton landed a brutal right cross that snapped the Australian's chin around and put him on his backside. For a moment it appeared he would not beat the count as he was still down on his knees with it at five, but he pushed himself as it reached nine, and the fight continued. Jackson shook his head, frustrated, and stayed out of trouble as the final thirty seconds of the round ticked away, but he was clearly disappointed as he returned to his corner. As it turned out, the knockdown would prove to be the turning point of the fight, but it was Jackson who rose to the occasion. Dismissing the knockdown, he took round six convincingly, tagging Norton with a series of punishing blows, the highlight being a left to the ribs that brought a grimace of pain to Norton's face.

Jackson maintained control through the 7th, a pair of uppercuts, a straight right and a left jab/straight right salvo rocking Norton. And so as the bout arrived at its midpoint, both men were still in it but it was the challenger with the upper hand. The action slowed in round eight, but Norton looked to have done enough to secure it before Jackson caught him with a right cross and a jab to the body in the final seconds. Two judges were more impressed with Norton's work, scoring the stanza in his favour. Swelling was showing under Norton's right eye as he came out for the 9th, the champion looking weary and anxious. Jackson seemed to pick up on it and became more aggressive, peppering him with crisp jabs before rocking him with a left hook a minute into the frame. Norton wrapped him up twice during the next ninety seconds, making them mostly uneventful until a right cross floored the world champion, bringing a roar from the pro-Jackson portion of the crowd.

Norton made it to a knee at three and his feet by eight, saw out the round but was slow in returning to his corner, shoulders slumped. If things didn't already look dire, they did so in round ten, when Jackson went to work again, punishing Norton with confidence and a complete lack of respect, eager to finish him off. The brave warrior that he is, Norton managed to see off the onslaught but he was clearly a beaten man walking as he shuffled back to the red corner. As they had been doing throughout the fight, Jackson's fans chanted heartily through the intermission, turning the MGM into a football stadium as they alternated between "Action Jackson! Action Jackson!", "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!" and the chorus of Down Under, the song that had been playing when Jackson entered the arena: "I come from a land Down Under, where beer does flow and men chunder! Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder? You better run, you better take cover!"

The referee spoke to Norton's corner crew during the break, apparently letting them know that if the champion took another beating in the 11th he would be stopping the bout. Jackson took that option out of Bulner's hands thirty seconds into the round when a head snapping uppercut dropped the champion, putting him flat on his back. Norton did not move for the duration of the count and, watching from a neutral corner, Jackson started celebrating when the reality hit him as the count reached seven, pumping his right fist in the air and smiling towards his corner, his team flooding the ring moments later as Norton was counted out at the 0:42 mark. The new world champion was literally mobbed in the middle of the ring, disappearing briefly under a pile of bodies in a scene akin to an MLB World Series win. Bulner was still kneeling over Norton, whose corner crew sullenly stepped between the ropes to assist him.

Soon after, Jackson was being held aloft on the shoulders of Darcy and Mills, soaking up the adulation of the crowd, the majority of them on their feet in a standing ovation. When they brought him down, Jackson moved to Norton's corner to check on the vanquished champion and speak to his corner crew before returning to his own corner to resume the celebration with his team. In a brilliant performance, Jackson landed 310 of 625 punches (49.6%), while Norton connected with 184 of 650 (28.3%). It was only the 20th win of Jackson's career against a single defeat, making him one of the least experienced heavyweight champions in history. Meanwhile, Norton fell to 34-4-1(28) and with the bruising and swelling around his right eye, he looked as bad as he ever has at the end of any single fight in his career. He was taken from the ring at the doctor's orders before speaking to any of the gathered media, and the question must be asked: Is this the end of Ken Norton?

An excited and animated Jackson made it clear what his plans are to end 2008, laying down the challenge to the only man who has ever defeated him, former world champion Terone Haynes, who just happened to be in the crowd at ringside along with a number of other fighters and the numerous celebrities from the world of entertainment. HBO's Michael Hart raised the possibility of a Norton rematch, which Jackson dismissed as unlikely, unafraid to point out that his victory was pretty convincing. "Haynes is the man," Jackson said. "No disrespect to Kenny, but ever since I signed with the IBL, I've always believed Terone Haynes is the best heavyweight in the world, and the task of beating him, after what he did to me last year, is what I'll be striving for. I know he's got a fight coming up against Joe Jeannette, but if he gets through it, my team will be making it a priority for my first title defense to be against him. Some might call me crazy, but I see no reason to hold this championship if I'm not prepared to defend it against the very best opposition."

Decked out in a charcoal black suit, tie and fedora hat, Haynes actually made his way into the ring and congratulated Jackson and his team on the victory, shaking his hand and telling him he'll gladly challenge him for the belt later in the year. He did not mention the outcome of their first clash, showing nothing but respect for the new world champion. Many would say it's a mighty gutsy move for Jackson to come out and say he wants Haynes next. They'd have advised him to stay silent, to just sit back and see what happens during the other stage two contests. But Jackson knows what he wants, and is not afraid to say so. He's clearly more concerned about his title reign being one of quality rather than quantity, and he cannot be faulted for that. Haynes will be favoured to defeat Jeannette, so it does appear that a Jackson-Haynes rematch is almost a foregone conclusion for stage three.

Earlier on the card, in the first World Championship Conference contest of the night, Mexico's former world welterweight champion Enrique Diaz made a victorious return to the ring, dropping the Puerto Rican Carmelo Barea twice in a dominant performance. The bout was called off late in round eight with Barea taking a merciless beating. There had been constant trash talk between the two combatants leading into the fight, with Diaz taking umbrage over Barea's boasts that he would make him his eighth consecutive victim. Diaz (34-3(25)) appeared to take enjoyment from punishing Barea, landing an outstanding average of 34 punches per round on the way to his win. He dropped the Caribbean slugger with a flurry of blows two minutes into round three and then a flush right cross midway through the 8th, this second knockdown preceding the pummeling Diaz unleashed later in the frame.

Diaz came into the fight ranked at #2 in the division, while Barea (now 33-4-1(20)) was #8. After a winning streak that started 21 months ago, this was the Puerto Rican's big chance to position himself for an eventual world title challenge, but unfortunately he was never in the fight, and will likely fall a couple of places in the rankings. Diaz will now wait eagerly for the 21st of June, when his rival Emile Griffith defends the world title against Florida's James Ray in Atlantic City. It figures to be a fantastic stoush, but whether Diaz takes on the victor remains to be seen. He was thoroughly dominated by Griffith in their January clash, so it's likely that he'll have to do more than defeat Carmelo Barea to earn a fourth clash with the US Virgin Islands native. That is, if Griffith can turn back Ray's challenge, which figures to be a serious one.

[kenyan_cheena]

The Daily Telegraph

THURSDAY 12 JUNE 2008

JACKSON ARRIVES HOME
TO HERO'S WELCOME

Story by John Brown

Australia's newly-crowned world heavyweight boxing champion Peter Jackson arrived home to a hero's welcome on Wednesday afternoon. The fighter and his large entourage flew into Mascot's Sydney International Airport at 2pm to be greeted by a gathering of more than 200 family, friends and fans at the terminal, leading to an impromptu celebration that eventually had to be ended by airport security and police. Amongst Jackson's travelling group were world middleweight champion Les Darcy and #1-ranked bantamweight Jeff Fenech, and the trio signed a number of autographs before leaving the terminal. Jackson scored an 11th round knockout of the American Ken Norton on Sunday afternoon (Sydney time) in Las Vegas to claim the world championship, becoming the first Australian to do so since Michael Fogarty in 1935. In an exciting stoush, Jackson suffered a knockdown in round five but rallied to drop Norton in the 9th and then again early in round eleven.

There was a sizeable gathering of media also waiting for Jackson, who seemed somewhat overwhelmed and unprepared for it all, but also appreciative. The 25 year-old wore the large, gold-plated International Boxing League World Championship belt around his waist, over the top of his green and gold tracksuit. A quintet of limousines apparently whisked the entire entourage away to the Four Seasons Hotel in the heart of the city. Jackson stated following his win over Norton that he wants his first title defense to be against former world champion Terone Haynes, who knocked Jackson out in two rounds back in March '07. That loss is the only one of the Caribbean-born slugger's professional career, coming in what was his first bid for the world title. When asked about the possible fight while making his way through the airport, Jackson reiterated that Haynes is the man he's hoping to fight next.

It's an amazing situation that two of the nine IBL world champions are Australian, with the real chance that Fenech could join them when he challenges Carlos Zarate for the bantamweight title on the 26th of July. What makes the achievements of Darcy and Jackson so remarkable is that in the confusion of different title belts and sanctioning organisations that plagues boxing, the IBL championship at both heavyweight and middleweight is regarded as the official world championship, with the longer-established WBA and WBC belts not presently held in the same regard or esteem. Darcy is scheduled to defend his championship against Uganda's John Mugabi at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on the 28th of June, and the speculation is that if he retains the title, a double world championship extravaganza with both Jackson and Darcy defending their belts could be held at Homebush's 84,000-seat ANZ Stadium later in the year.

[kenyan_cheena]

ESPN

Boxing

Updated: June 14, 2008 1.45 PM ET

Villaflor upsets Hernandez...
...and the apple cart

By Larry Holman
ESPN.com
Archive

Filipino lightweight Ben Villaflor stretched his perfect run of victories under the IBL banner to eleven earlier today in Manila, scoring an upset unanimous decision win over Mexico's former IBF junior-lightweight champion Hector Hernandez. Villaflor was making his first defense of the IBL championship he claimed back in January with a split decision win over Hernandez's compatriot Rafael Limon. Most of the experts believed that the more experienced and supposedly more talented Hernandez would dethrone him and set up a Mexican superfight between himself and Patricio Marquez, who is currently regarded as the official world lightweight champion. But someone forgot to tell Villaflor, or at least give him a copy of the script. In the most outstanding performance of his career, the 22 year-old floored Hernandez three times on the way to a comfortable decision win: 148-134, 144-138, 145-137.

Inspired by the hometown crowd, Villaflor dropped Hernandez with a jolting uppercut midway through the opening round, sending an ecstatic roar around Rizal Coliseum. He also sent Hernandez to the canvas with a body shot at the end of the 7th and a left hook late in round eight. Villaflor dominated for long stretches of the fight while Hernandez's only shining moments came in the 2nd and 10th stanzas. When it was all over, Villaflor had landed a fantastic 517 of 1,102 punches (46.9%), which according to the IBL statistics page on their website ranks 2nd behind welterweight champion Emile Griffith (522, vs Enrique Diaz in January) for the most punches landed in an IBL bout. Hernandez connected with 255 of 1,540 punches (16.6%), those numbers indicating the mastery of Villaflor's defense. Even so, both men's faces were showing swelling at the contest's conclusion, although Hernandez's was noticeably more severe.

The loss was just the second of Hernandez's career and came almost two years to the day since his first, a similarly unexpected defeat to Japan's Hiroshi Kobayashi in his IBL debut of June '06. In between the two losses he ran off a six-fight winning streak, with former IBL champion Enrique Bolanos, Japan's Teruki Nakata and London-based Ugandan Cornelius Boza-Edwards amongst his victims. Hernandez is now 34-2-2(24). Meanwhile, Villaflor (24-1(11)) remains one of just two fighters who were amongst the original 504 that took part in the league's initial tournaments back in 2006 and is still competing with them to have a perfect record in IBL bouts. The other is current world light-heavyweight champion Celestine Amakochi, who is 8-0 under the IBL banner. Villaflor's 11-0 run includes a stint as the inaugural Inter-Continental lightweight champion, a reign he rode all the way to January's world title shot.

Amakochi's perfect run might be the more impressive one, as the last four of his eight wins have been in world title fights, although Villaflor is, and will always remain, the only fighter to have won a regional IBL title and then a world title without losing a bout. He has now set himself up for the biggest fight of his career, a clash with Patricio Marquez on November 21 where he will not only be defending the IBL belt, but also attempting to capture the status of official world lightweight champion, a status that Marquez will be defending. It is a unique situation in the sport, akin to a unification bout where both fighters have something to lose while attempting to gain what their opponent has. Marquez is the one who actually has more on the line in this instance, but the important thing that the fight will achieve is to complete the goal of every single IBL champion in the nine weight classes contested in the league being the official world champion of the division also.

Larry Holman is ESPN.com's boxing writer.

[kenyan_cheena]

Okay, we are now halfway through June, but there's still a couple of IBL world title fights and two other important WCC bouts to come before we reach its end. Once we get to the end I will be simming all of the month's International Conference bouts, but I might slip a post in between each of the fight card reviews, most likely with some more news about newly scheduled WCC bouts.

21 June: Atlantic City, NJ, USA

(FW) #3 Vicente Saldivar (Mexico) vs #5 Jose Molina (Puerto Rico)

(MW) #2 Mickey Walker (USA) vs #7 Jose Napoles (USA)

(WW) #WC Emile Griffith (USA) vs #1 James Ray (USA)
(*IBL World Championship bout*)

28 June: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

(MW) #WC Les Darcy (Australia) vs #1 John Mugabi (Uganda)
(*IBL World Championship bout*)

[Jeff1787]

I hope Napoles makes short work of Walker. I remember him when I was growing up. He was one tough dude!!

[kenyan_cheena]

Just a head's up, I'll be going the ROUND-BY-ROUND route when I review Griffith vs. Ray...

[Romdawg88]

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Just a head's up, I'll be going the ROUND-BY-ROUND route when I review Ray taking the belt from Griffith...

Fixed

Sweet, we haven't had a round by round in a while. Looking forward to it.

[kenyan_cheena]

TheSweetScience.com

SATURDAY 21 JUNE 2008

Lenny Blaylock's live blog from the
Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
*** IBL World Welterweight Championship bout ***

Blog commencement time: 21 June 2008, 8.30pm ET

Good evening, boxing fans! Welcome to all of you, from whichever corner of the world you're joining us, for our live blog of tonight's world welterweight championship showdown between Emile Griffith and James Ray. TheSweetScience.com is proud to be presenting this blog to you as part of our continuing coverage of the biggest fights in boxing, and tonight's could very well be one of the best of 2008. In his second reign as IBL world champion, Emile Griffith of the US Virgin Islands will make his first title defense against James Ray of St. Johns County, Florida. The title bid is the culmination of two years of near faultless performances for Ray, as the only loss he has suffered in IBL competition and his entire pro career was a controversial one against Japan's Shoji Ohashi in July '06 in the quarter-finals of the league's Challenger's tournament. Ray held a healthy points lead when the bout was stopped midway through the 8th and final round due to a cut on his right eyebrow.

Ohashi went on to win the Challenger's tournament but lost in his challenge to inaugural IBL champion Griffith in March '07. In the meantime, Ray ran off a streak of four wins to set up a rematch with Ohashi, which took place in August '07, and which the Florida native won by a convincing unanimous decision verdict to gain revenge and clinch a place in January's eliminator against Nigeria's Ademola Udeze. Ray was even more outstanding in that contest, where he also triumphed by a clear-cut unanimous decision. The 24 year-old Athens silver medallist brings a 19-1(11) record into tonight's stoush, which is easily the biggest moment of his young professional career to date. As a member of the "Florida Alliance" under the tutelage of Pensacola trainer Roy Jones, Ray also has a chance to become the second member of the stable to claim a world title, following on from former world heavyweight champion Terone Haynes.

Emile Griffith has been the standout welterweight under the IBL's banner. He became the league's first 147-pound world champion when the inaugural title fight in December '06 between himself and Mexico's Enrique Diaz ended in a 10th round disqualification. Diaz was leading the bout at the time, but a trio of rabbit punching violations proved to be his eventual downfall. After retaining the title against Ohashi in his first defense, Griffith showed what an outstanding talent he is when he recorded a unanimous decision victory over the IBL's then-middleweight world champion Koichi Wajima in a May '07 "superfight" which, although staged to benefit various charities, was one of the fights of the year. After a slow start, Griffith staged a remarkable rally in the bottom half of the bout to win by a narrow verdict. The win solidified Griffith's status as one of the top pound-for-pounders, not just in the IBL, but also in the entire sport.

The following August, Griffith was back to defending his world title in a rematch with Diaz. In another controversial outcome, it was Griffith who lost by disqualification on this occasion, one minute into the 15th and final round of an evenly-fought contest. Going into the last stanza, two judges had the defending champion leading by a single point while the other had it all even. With both men holding a DQ victory against each other, a rubber match was a no-brainer and it took place on January 26. On this occasion, Griffith traveled to Mexico and produced the performance of his career to take a comfortable unanimous decision win and regain the world championship. Each judge scored the bout identically, 147-138, giving Diaz just three of the fifteen rounds. The victory appears to have closed the book on the Griffith versus Diaz saga for now, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they meet again down the track.

And so this long-awaited clash, which could have easily eventuated fifteen months ago if not for a cut on Ray's eyebrow, has finally arrived. Griffith (33-2-1(23)) turned 31 in February and is in his prime, but could just find in his younger challenger one of the sternest tests of his career to date. Speaking earlier this week, he said he wouldn't have it any other way. Griffith praised Ray's efforts in rebounding from the early loss to Ohashi to run off a streak of six victories to earn his title shot. The truth of the matter is that if Ray had stumbled in any one of those six bouts, he would not be challenging for the title tonight. He clinched this matchup under the old IBL scheduling format, before the commencement of competition in the World Championship Conference, and that makes it an all the more impressive accomplishment.

As fight fans would be aware, Griffith versus Ray is not the only WCC contest on tonight's card. A quartet of Development League bouts kicked off the event during the afternoon, and a pair of high-quality WCC preliminaries were scheduled to follow, starting with the featherweight clash between 3rd-ranked Mexican Vicente Saldivar and Puerto Rico's Jose Molina, who is ranked at #5 in the division. There was also an intriguing middleweight stoush which concluded just before our blog kicked off, with New Jersey's Mickey Walker (ranked #2) stepping between the ropes against 7th-ranked former WBC welterweight titlist Jose Napoles, the Cuban-born, Miami-based slugger. Both bouts were entertaining in their own way and we've got about fifteen minutes to go until our main-eventers make their way into the arena, so I'll take that time to give you all a review of those earlier fights.

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

Coming off his January knockout loss to his arch rival and recently crowned world featherweight champion Salvador Sanchez, Vicente Saldivar was taking a big risk when he not only agreed to, but pursued a clash with multiple alphabet titlist Jose Molina, who defeated Japan's Nobuhiro Yokoyama in his February IBL debut. As it turned out, Molina was way too classy for Saldivar to handle, and the Puerto Rican was victorious by unanimous decision (117-111, 118-110, 117-111). while there were no knockdowns, Molina established his dominance early, sweeping the first five rounds on all three scorecards behind a piston-like left jab that continually frustrated the Athens gold medallist. Molina also cut Saldivar under the left eye with a booming straight right midway through the 5th, and while the wound never became serious, it simply added to Saldivar's beaten and bruised appearance at the fight's conclusion.

Saldivar has never been known for his defensive prowess, and Molina was able to tag him with alarming regularity, landing almost 65% of the punches he threw (315/489). By contrast, the Mexican was constantly thwarted in his attempts to strike a decisive blow, connecting with just 163 of 1,019 punches (16%). I do feel a deal of sympathy for Saldivar, because he was already in a difficult situation after the January loss to Sanchez, the second defeat his rival has inflicted upon him in the pro ranks. Saldivar's motivation for taking on Molina would have been the belief that Sanchez would dethrone Miguel Bautista when they clashed on June 7, which is exactly what happened. Saldivar (21-3(18)) knew he needed a big, big win over a top contender to not only retain his ranking, but convince the IBL that he was worthy of a third clash with Sanchez. All of that is out the window now and Molina (33-2-1(22)) will find himself ranked no lower than #3 come August 17 and the release of the updated WCC rankings.

I can say this with certainty because 4th-ranked Argentinian Sergio Palma takes on English #12 Charlie Beniston on the 19th of July, and nothing Palma does in that fight, against a much-lower ranked opponent to boot, is going to exceed Molina's efforts from earlier tonight. Molina's win also puts added pressure on former world champion Gilberto Vasquez, who fights Italy's Loris Stecca (ranked #8) on July 26. It's true to say that Molina could not have hoped for a better start to his IBL campaign, although we'll have to wait and see if it's enough to earn him a world title shot in stage three. Sanchez's camp appears to be leaning towards a Bautista rematch, which could almost be considered the "safer" option when compared to the alternatives of Vasquez, Molina and Palma. Sanchez is eager to see his hopes for a "superfight" with world lightweight champion Patricio Marquez become a reality, but they'll both have to be reigning champions going into the new year to be sure of that.

Like Saldivar, middleweight Mickey Walker was making his return to the ring after a stoppage loss in an eliminator at the start the year. Walker was TKO'd by Uganda's John Mugabi in five rounds, his second loss in three fights after being blitzed by Koichi Wajima in a March '07 world title challenge. With that in mind, the choice of the battle-hardened Jose Napoles as his opponent for tonight was probably not the wisest one. Napoles started his WCC campaign with a split decision win over Florida's Holman Williams, moving up one place in the rankings as a result. Against Walker, he started slow, rallied in the middle rounds and scored a big knockdown in the 11th to secure a majority decision win (115-112, 113-113, 114-112). Walker had seemingly arrested Napoles's momentum when he dropped him with a paralyzing body blow late in round nine, but Napoles somehow overcame it, made it to his feet at five, and ended the fight as the stronger combatant.

Napoles landed 323 of 798 punches (40.5%), Walker 221 of 927 (23.8%). Napoles improved his record to 31-2(25) while Walker fell to 16-3(12). While this loss was not as comprehensive as the ones against Wajima and Mugabi, the reality is that Walker is going to take a hit in the rankings, as Napoles will move above him, which probably means Walker will drop from #2 to perhaps #5 or #6, and Napoles will rise from #7 to, say, #4. Of course, other results from stage two are yet to rear their heads, so we really need to wait on those to be sure of how the rankings will look. Regardless, the momentum that Walker had following his December '06 KO of Rubin Carter in the Challenger's tournament final has now come to a dead stop. Three losses in four fights in the eighteen months since then is an alarming form line, and his trainer Jimmy Floyd needs to both go back to the drawing board and, to be perfectly blunt, select a "softer" opponent for him to end the year.

While Walker is going backwards, it can't be said with absolute certainty that Napoles has "set the world on fire" in his IBL tenure. A pair of tight victories against admittedly talented opposition is not quite as impressive as most observers were expecting from him, but I'm sure he won't be too concerned. The situation in the middleweight division as far as the title is concerned will become a bit clearer after next Saturday, when Les Darcy defends the title against John Mugabi in Sydney. But even if Darcy wins, he'll have to wait until the very end of stage two to find out who his final defense will be against. That's when former champion Koichi Wajima fights Montell Jackson, and a win there will secure the Japanese dynamo a title challenge in accordance with a promise made to him by IBL officials earlier this year. Darcy has already confirmed that he'll be moving to the 175-pound division in '09.

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

Okay, we've just been told that there's some kind of delay with either Ray or Griffith, not sure of the specifics. It's now 9pm, which was the advertised start time for tonight's main event. This is as good a time as any for me to go over the schedule for stage two of the WCC. Fight fans who have been following the situation would know that the IBL confirmed on Thursday that the schedule is now complete. The league released an updated schedule back on the 4th of June, and there were still thirty fighters at that time who had not arranged a stage two bout. Unsurprisingly, most of the fifteen fights are taking place in August, with a few in late July. There's a number of interesting matchups amongst them, such as the middleweight clash between former alphabet champions Mike McCallum and Freddie Steele and the Bowe-Ibeabuchi heavyweight stoush. In Jim Driscoll's case, he had no choice but to agree to fight Brian Mitchell, as there was no one else available.

Mexico's former two-time flyweight champion Candido Tellez has indicated that he intends to move up to bantamweight in '09, and so in order to retain his #6 flyweight ranking he's scheduled a clash with compatriot Adrian Hernandez. It's going to be the third meeting between the two following a 2004 WBO title fight that Tellez won and a September '06 IBL World Championship tournament semi-final bout, which ended as a draw. Hernandez will be looking at it as a chance to not only square the ledger, but also play havoc with Tellez's plans for 2009. A loss to Hernandez could see Tellez drop into the flyweight relegation zone, and if he's still there at the end of the 2008 season he won't be competing in the bantamweight WCC next year. So a fight that might not have been so interesting in other circumstances now has a lot riding on it.

Former light-heavyweight champion Harold Johnson is in a similar predicament to Tellez. He has stated that moving to the 200-pound division next year is something he's considered, but to do that he needs to stay out of the relegation zone. He's currently right on the edge at #9, and he'll be fighting 15th-ranked Argentinian Miguel Angel Cuello in August. It is a dangerous bout for Johnson, who is on a three-fight losing streak, as Cuello will see it as a big opportunity to make a move in the rankings and keep his hopes alive of staying in the WCC for '09. Elsewhere, welterweight contender Shoji Ohashi will be looking to build on his March win against Eric Bengtson when he steps in the ring against Meldrick Taylor. Of the five opponents Ohashi could choose from, Taylor is the most experienced and accomplished, if not the highest ranked. The Japanese fighter is hoping to arrange a clash with one of his fellow contenders to end the year.

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

With so many of the stage two fights scheduled to take place in August, there's bound to be a flow-on effect in stage three where a number of bouts will be scheduled for November. However, the situation should right itself with the bouts more evenly dispersed in stage one of 2009, following the ten week offseason. The lights have just dimmed in the arena, and HBO's pre-main event presentation has commenced on the big screen positioned on the Hall's stage, meaning the arrival of our combatants is only minutes away. I swear, I get goosebumps on my arms at this time of the evening, when the big fight has arrived. There's nothing like it in all of sports. The crowd goes crazy as the presentation comes to an end and the lights come back up for a few seconds. Here we go, folks! The lights dim once again, and a slow hip hop beat starts banging its way out of the arena speakers.

I'm not familiar with the song, but I'm sure by the crowd's reaction it signifies that James Ray and his entourage are making their way to the ring. I can't see them from my position here at ringside yet but it shouldn't be too long until they are stepping between the ropes. And here they are, led by former world heavyweight champion Terone Haynes, looking like the baddest security guard in the world in all black, with shades and a large bandana over his head like a pirate. Ray's cousin Elmer is there, of course, as is Romy Alvarez, Holman Williams and Elford Coles, and the corner crew led by trainer Roy Jones. Ray himself is in the middle of it all, and Haynes holds the top two ropes apart to allow his fellow stablemate and good friend to climb into the ring. Ray's wearing a silk robe that's predominantly black with red and white trim, the colours Jones's fighters have always worn a combination of.

The whole group is in the ring now, about a dozen in all. James Ray looks about as intense and focused as any fighter I've ever seen before a bout of this magnitude, sweat bubbling on his forehead and bald pate. He's prowling the ring like a caged tiger, impatient and eager to get started. Ray's music fades out and is replaced a few seconds later by the Bob Marley reggae classic "Get Up, Stand Up", which I have heard is one of Emile Griffith's favourite songs. The world champion is getting a hearty round of applause, as while he was born in Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands he makes his home in New York City, making this clash more or less a home game for him. And here he is with his team, all decked out in white with red trim in contrast to Ray's team. Griffith's group is half the size of Ray's, only himself and his three corner men, one of whom holds the IBL world championship belt aloft. There's a couple of others, one who appears to be his manager Bernie Betts, looking sharp in an Armani suit.

Griffith's countenance is cold and unreadable as he swaggers by Ray's corner, regarding his challenger with a resolute glare. Ray follows him with his eyes but doesn't react. He's uncharacteristically self-contained, calm and reserved. That look on his face is deadly serious. Michael Buffer now has microphone in hand and he announces that R&B legend and New Jersey native Regina Belle will be performing the Star Spangled Banner, and when she does it makes the hairs on my neck stand up. A wonderful rendition, and the lady looks resplendent in a white ankle length gown. We all know what's coming next, and the crowd becomes excited as Buffer starts his introduction with "From the world famous Boardwalk Hall of Atlantic City, New Jersey, Ladies and Gentlemen ... Let's Get Ready to Rumblllllllllllle!!!!" He's then silent for a full minute, waiting for the crowd to calm down before continuing.

Buffer states that the bout is scheduled for fifteen rounds, is sanctioned by the International Boxing League and for the "welterweight, championship ... of the world!" He introduces the judges, Harold Lederman of the United States, Manuel Gonzalez of Panama and Pat Russell of the United States, and referee Johnny Callas, before getting to the two combatants, who each receive a generous round of applause. Soon after, Callas is bringing them together in the middle of the ring for his final instructions, and the look on each man's face is something to behold. Ray is wearing black knee-length trunks with red and white tassels running up the side of each leg, JIMMY RAY stencilled in red on his waist band, while Griffith wears solid white with red trim, his surname stencilled in white on the red waist band. Callas tells both men to return to their corners, and come out fighting at the sound of the bell.

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

IBL & WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

WORLD CHAMPION: EMILE GRIFFITH (USA, 33-2-1(23))
vs
WCC RANK #1: JAMES RAY (USA, 19-1(11))

==========

ROUND 1

A wave of emotion and anticipation passes around the arena with the sound of the opening bell. Ray starts strongly, bobbing and weaving his way inside and letting his hands go, scoring with a left hook. He then fakes to the body and plants another hook flush on the chin, backing Griffith up. But the champion issues a stern retort, a crunching uppercut that snaps Ray's chin back. Ray circles, up on his toes, and as the round's midpoint passes he's flicking that lightning left jab out at Griffith. The champion unloads with another uppercut from in close and then sneaks a right cross and a stiff jab through Ray's defenses. An impressive middle minute for the champion. But Ray tees off with a flurry of lefts and rights, Griffith allowed him to step in on him and at least two of those punches landed cleanly. Griffith stays outside now, but as the round draws to a close Ray tracks him down and connects with a hard left-right salvo!

Blaylock's verdict:

A fantastic, willing opening to the contest! If that is a hint of what is to come we are in for a great night. Both men had their moments, but it was "Jimmy" Ray who had the better of the first and third minutes of the round, so he takes it.

My scorecard: Ray 10-9

**********

ROUND 2

Not a lot of action through the opening minute, with the combatants working from in close but not landing any telling blows. Griffith snuck in an uppercut and Ray connected with a short left to the body. Midway through the round and the champ splits a crisp jab through Ray's gloves and catches him square on the cheek, jolting Ray's head back. Griffith follows up with a booming straight right that has the challenger backpedalling. Griffith chases him and bounces a right cross off Ray's chin before digging a right hook into his ribs. My, I could feel that one from here! Ray is staying outside now and looks content to remain there until the bell. Griffith comes after him again, though, and lands another hard right cross, but Ray counters with an uppercut that stops the champion in his tracks and leads to a clinch, where they remain until the bell sounds.

Blaylock's verdict:

Griffith looked great in that round, taking it clearly with Ray's strong uppercut at its end not enough to change that. An excellent start from both men.

My scorecard: Griffith 10-9 (19-19 after Round 2)

**********

ROUND 3

Ray makes an outstanding start to the round, driving a left hook into Griffith's body before peppering him with a series of crisp jabs and then rocking the champion with a right cross! The challenger's fans howl their approval, and the round isn't even a minute old yet. Griffith answers well, though, planting a stiff right on Ray's nose and pounding away at his body before finishing off his rally with a left-right salvo to the head and an uppercut that snaps Ray's head back. What a response, and what a round! Griffith ties Ray up and they get a badly needed respite, but once they break Ray unloads a left hook that stuns the champion. Griffith wobbled a little bit there! Ray fires off a left-right salvo that misses, and Griffith moves inside and fires away with another big uppercut that sends the sweat flying. Ray is hurt and he ties Griffith up, Callas seperating them moments before the bell rings.

Blaylock's verdict:

My, Lord! What a fantastic round of boxing! Ray looked like he would run away with it early, but Griffith rallied and then they both landed some hard shots in the final minute. I'll have to score that one even, I think.

My scorecard: 10-10 (29-29 after Round 3)

**********

ROUND 4

Unsurprisingly, there's little action in the first minute, save for a right cross and stiff left jab from Griffith. But Ray quickly puts himself in the driver's seat with a scorching right cross and a flush uppercut that wobbles Griffith! His knee almost grazed the canvas and he's in trouble! But he ties Ray up and the moment passes, and then Griffith sneaks a short uppercut through the challenger's defenses from inside. Griffith keeps Ray at bay through the rest of the round with that stiff, piston-like jab, Ray doing little but bobbing and weaving and feinting to throw that right hand.

Blaylock's verdict:

Hmm, Griffith did more in the round but Ray landed its biggest punch, that uppercut which almost dropped the champion. Geezums, I think I'll give that one to Ray just based on the fact that he hurt Griffith without being hurt himself. The three men that count might see it differently, though.

My scorecard: Ray 10-9 (Ray 39-38 after Round 4)

**********

ROUND 5

James Ray is the busier man during the first minute, but doesn't land anything of real substance. Griffith is quick to square the ledger with an uppercut and a right cross, and then all of a sudden they're going toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring for the first time in the fight, exchanging power shots to the crowds delight, a battle of resolve and will! And Griffith looks to have gotten the better of it, and follows up with a left-right-left salvo, the second and third punches landing. Ray digs a left into Griffith's body and catches him with a right cross with about thirty seconds left. Griffith has noticeably slowed after that burst of activity in the stanza's middle third. Ray's got him trapped in a neutral corner and he wraps the challenger up, Callas having to pry them apart a few seconds later.

Blaylock's verdict:

Once again, a tough round to score, with both pugilists making a strong case for themselves. But if I'm going to be consistent, I have to give it to Griffith, as he landed the harder, more damaging shots, just as Ray did in the 4th.

My scorecard: Griffith 10-9 (48-48 after Round 5)

**********

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

ROUND 6

We enter the middle third of the fight, and I have to say I've been impressed by James Ray so far. He starts the 6th promisingly, rocking the champ with a right cross and a hard left hook to the body before the frame's a minute old. Griffith initiates a clinch and Ray's annoyed, holding his arms up and telling Callas to fix the situation. They circle each other for a little while and Griffith goes southpaw for a moment, firing a lead right at the challenger, which Ray avoids and then counters with a beautiful uppercut! My, that punch snapped Griffith's head back! The champion is staggered and Ray goes after him but can't land a clean shot, Griffith rolling with the punches before tying Ray up again. Callas seperates them and Ray unloads a left hook that crashes into Griffith's right cheek! What a round for the Florida native! Once again Griffith wraps him up, and they stay locked up until the round ends.

Blaylock's verdict:

A brilliant three minutes there for James Ray! The most dominant either fighter has been so far in the fight. Emile Griffith has a real test on his hands here.

My scorecard: Ray 10-9 (Ray 58-57 after Round 6)

**********

ROUND 7

James Ray picks up where he left off, connecting with a left jab/overhand right combo and then a perfectly timed lead right within thirty seconds of the bell. Griffith works the body effectively and then pumps that jab out at the challenger, keeping him at bay. Ray is bobbing and weaving and as the round approaches its midpoint he unloads a left hook that bounces off Griffith's temple, shaking the champion. Griffith smothers Ray with another clinch, and is warned by Callas about leading with his head. He better be careful because his only loss in the IBL to date came by DQ. Griffith sneaks a jab through Ray's defenses but misses with the straight right before Ray plugs him with another big right hand! His timing with that punch has been mostly impeccable tonight. And they're going toe-to-toe again now and Ray backs the champion up! He moves out of range now, seemingly content with his work in this round, but before it's over Griffith herds him into a neutral corner and flails away at his body, landing a couple of hard shots. The crowd applauds warmly.

Blaylock's verdict:

Another outstanding round for James Ray. The young man is in the driver's seat right now and for the first time in the fight, one of these combatants has a two-point lead on my unofficial scorecard.

My scorecard: Ray 10-9 (Ray 68-66 after Round 7)

**********

ROUND 8

The middle round of the fight has arrived, and after receiving a bit of a dressing down during the intermission Griffith comes out with renewed vigour. He plasters a left-right combo off Ray's chin, backing the challenger up, but Ray answers back by driving a left hook into Griffith's ribs. The champ connects with a right cross but once again Ray responds, sneaking an uppercut through Griffith's defenses and jolting his head back. And then Griffith connects with a right to the body! All this action and the round's only at its midpoint! Ray misses with a straight right and then moves out of range, the action slowing momentarily. The two-minute mark now, and Griffith bends to plant a jab into Ray's abdominals. Oh, another big uppercut from Ray! That brought a grimace to the champion's face! Now he glances a right cross off Griffith's jaw, and the champ fires back with a succession of jabs, although most of them miss. They're tied up now, and after Callas seperates them Ray unleashes a flurry, with one punch landing after the bell, to which Griffith unloads one of his own! And Callas has to step in and pry them apart! My, the crowd is loving this!

Blaylock's verdict:

These two warriors are producing something special here tonight! And that last round was perhaps too close to call, although Ray landed the biggest punches of it. Could be a huge round in the outcome if it goes the distance, depending on how the judges score it. Ahhh, I'll have to give it to Ray, but only just, due to those two uppercuts. That's three in a row for him now.

My scorecard: Ray 10-9 (Ray 78-75 after Round 8)

**********

ROUND 9

Oh, I looked away for a moment and Ray just landed a big left hook that staggered Griffith, just moments into the round! He wraps Ray up once again, gaining precious seconds to recover. Ray lands a right cross but there's not much on it, and Griffith goes to the body now, digging a left hook into Ray's ribs. Ray pawing with the jab, pushing one into Griffith's face. The champ not doing a whole lot in this round and that's a worry. The middle minute evaporates with nothing to show for it, but Ray winds up with an uppercut from outside that somehow connects! He scores with a left hook now and Griffith looks in bad shape! But the champ cranks up a left hook that lands, and Ray plants a straight right on his chin in retort. I can see a little bump under Griffith's left eye now. Must be all those beautiful right hands Ray has landed. Another superb round for the challenger.

Blaylock's verdict:

Are we seeing the making of a new superstar? Even if Ray does not go on to win this, I think we are. Emile Griffith looked all but unbeatable when he schooled Enrique Diaz in January, but now it appears he could be heading towards a similar defeat. James Ray has been simply brilliant during these last four rounds and Griffith is going to have to dig deep if he wants to retain his championship.

My scorecard: Ray 10-9 (Ray 88-84 after Round 9)

**********

ROUND 10

Griffith wearing a glum expression as he rises from his stool. Both men a bit cautious to start the round, exchanging some probing jabs. Oh, Griffith buries a left hook into Ray's ribs. That had to hurt! Ray fires back with a left hook of his own, but the champion buckles Ray's knees with a flurry of blows, at least three of them connecting! That's the first time since about round five that Ray's been backed up. He's looking a bit dazed right now. Griffith takes advantage, controlling the rest of the round behind crisp jabs and another left-right salvo. James Ray looks like he just wants to get back to his corner now and forget all about this round. Griffith is being cautious, but he's also making sure the judges can't possibly score this round against him, pumping that jab out into Ray's face. Even so, that bump under his left eye is getting worse.

Blaylock's verdict:

Great round from Griffith. If anything, at least he has stopped Ray's momentum for now, and given himself a chance to still get back into it. Ten rounds down, folks, and it really is anyone's fight, even though Ray is in a stronger position.

My scorecard: Griffith 10-9 (Ray 97-94 after Round 10)

**********

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

ROUND 11

We are getting to the business end of this contest now. The 11th starts slow, but Griffith lands the first big punches, a left-right salvo that pushes Ray back into the ropes. And there now appears to be swelling around Ray's right eye, so both men are showing battle wounds. Griffith works the body and moves out of range, but soon after Ray tracks him down and lands a sharp combination, worsening the swelling under the champ's left eye. Griffith responds with a right cross, and as the round passes its midpoint Ray sticks a left hook into Griffith's ribcage. The world champion keeps pushing out that jab, making things tough for Ray, but he slips inside and fires off another left-right salvo. It's an even round to this point, but Griffith is busier during the final minute, landing a right cross and three stiff jabs. That could be an important passage when all is said and done.

Blaylock's verdict:

Wow, he's not the world champion for nothing. After seemingly being out of it, Emile Griffith has fought back in these last two rounds and he's reduced the gap to just two points, at least on my scorecard. We are in for an intriguing finish.

My scorecard: Griffith 10-9 (Ray 106-104 after Round 11)

**********

ROUND 12

If this was for an alphabet title these two combatants would be touching gloves right now, but as it is we've still got four rounds to go. Roy Jones was a bit agitated during the intermission, imploring Ray to dig deep and finish strong. Griffith is using something like guerilla tactics here, moving in and unloading a flurry of shots and then moving out of harm's way. That's usually Ray's gameplan, but the Florida native has noticeably slowed down in these last couple of rounds and is having trouble getting close to the champion. Even so, it's pretty close through the top half of the frame, with the highlight being a left-right combo from Ray, amongst a handful of punches he lands. That mouse under Griffith's right eye is becoming a concern and his corner crew's gonna have to deal with it. The champion catches Ray with an uppercut as he steps in, snapping his head back as the final seconds tick away.

Blaylock's verdict:

As they say, it ain't over 'til it's over and with Ray starting to fade I would be putting my money on the champion right now. Griffith has gone fifteen rounds in his last two outings, both against Enrique Diaz, while Ray is in his first fifteen-rounder. Both fighters look like they've been in a war, although some how neither has been cut.

My scorecard: Griffith 10-9 (Ray 115-114 after Round 12)

**********

ROUND 13

And we have arrived at what they used to call "The Championship Rounds"! These next eleven minutes will show us if James Ray is ready to take that next step yet. Oh, he rips a right hook to the body and Griffith grimaces in pain! The champion backpedals and when Ray comes in he smothers him and ties him up. Griffith appears distressed from that body shot. Callas seperates them and Ray goes southpaw, but misses with a lead right and straight left. Griffith bullies his way inside and lets his hands go, catching Ray with a left to the body. They're tangled up now, and Griffith is doing some effective work on the inside, landing a couple of sneaky uppercuts. Lord, these two men look to be just about spent, but Ray pierces a right cross over the top of Griffith's left and that punch hurt the champ! His legs buckled for a second. Griffith is blinking and pawing at the swelling under his left eye, which is at an alarming stage now.

Oh, my! Ray lands an uppercut and Griffith's head snaps backwards. What a punch! It's a miracle he's still standing. Into the final minute now and Griffith is keeping his distance, but he needs to do something or else this round belongs to James Ray. OH, MY! Ray is down! Ray is down! A left-right salvo caught him perfectly and the challenger slumps to the canvas! Unbelievable! Callas is up to four with the count and Ray is on one knee but struggling. He's up at eight and looking distraught, but the round is almost over. Griffith comes in for the kill and bangs a right cross off Ray's forehead! He's wobbling, but the bell sounds and the round is done! My, oh, my! The crowd are on their feet, they're going delirious right now! James Ray returns to his corner on unsteady legs, but Callas doesn't seem to be too worried about him.

Blaylock's verdict:

That, my fiends, is why they call them The Championship Rounds! An incredible rally from Emile Griffith there! A rally that may have just won him this fight. James Ray was on his way to winning the round, and if he did, he'd have a two-point lead on my scorecard with two rounds remaining. Instead, Griffith gets the vital knockdown and now leads by one point! Incredible! For the first time in the entire fight, I have him in front.

My scorecard: Griffith 10-8 (Griffith 124-123 after Round 13)

**********

ROUND 14

Wow, it was amazing watching the contrast in the two corners during the intermission, with Roy Jones and his team working frantically to patch their man up while Griffith's trainer Charlie Jenks was calm and collected as he gave the world champion his instructions. About twenty seconds into the round they exchange a flurry of blows, with Griffith coming out marginally better. Griffith pins Ray in a corner and catches him with a left jab/straight right combo, the challenger using what is left of his foot speed to get out of trouble. Ray shoves a jab out at Griffith but the champion ducks it and lands an uppercut on the chin, sending the sweat spraying off Ray's head! Once again Ray uses his legs to avoid any more punishment, and as Griffith comes at him he fires a jab down the pipe that jolts the champion's head back. Into the final minute now and Ray dips down and works the body, stinging Griffith with a left to the ribs. Neither fighter can land a telling blow through the rest of the round, but it's Ray who appears the more spry now.

Blaylock's verdict:

Damn it, that was a close one. I cannot imagine what the judges will do with that round. Part of me is saying to score it 10-10, but another part is saying that Griffith was a bit more effective with his power punches so he gets it. That's five rounds in a row for him now on my card, following on directly from Ray winning four in a row. What a fight.

My scorecard: Griffith 10-9 (Griffith 134-132 after Round 14)

**********

ROUND 15

So according to my card, the only way Ray can win this is by either knocking out the champ or knocking him down twice. They touch gloves and nod to each other, both men looking a mess around their eyes. The crowd applauds, many of them up on their feet. Ray needs to push the pace but the opening minute is uneventful, save for a stiff left from the challenger. They trade some hard shots to the crowd's delight, and when Ray connects with a big left hook, Griffith is in trouble. He retreats, Lord his left eye is an ugly mess now. Just past the midpoint and Griffith ties his man up, Ray pushing him off and getting back to work. But his body is betraying him as he misses with a left-right swinging for the fences play, and Griffith wraps him up again. The champion is exhausted now, more so than Ray, but he's determined to stay on his feet.

Griffith throws out a couple of jabs which miss, but the follow up right cross grazes the top of Ray's head. Ray is breathing heavy, and he unloads a wild right hand that Griffith ducks, the punch almost throwing Ray off his feet. The final seconds tick away and the crowd rise as one, cheering these two remarkable warriors and their outstanding performance. Griffith and Ray embrace in the middle of the ring, and there's a ton of mutual respect and admiration there, Griffith pounding Ray on the chest and on the head affectionately. My, my, my. Can you say "Fight of the Year"? I think I can. The corner crews are in the ring now attending to their charges, and soon after comes the traditional exchange of congratulations between the two camps. Jones and Jenks hug and shake hands and speak for a good minute before moving to the opposing corner to speak to their opposing fighters. This is the type of thing I love to see at the end of a bout. Respect and sportsmanship and admiration.

Blaylock's verdict:

Well, Ray definitely won that last round, but he couldn't knock Griffith down so if my scorecard is anything like the judges, Emile Griffith will be retaining the world championship. But only just. We'll find out the verdict in a few minutes from now, as Buffer and the IBL officials have now made their way into the ring.

My scorecard: Ray 10-9 (Griffith 143-142 after Round 15)

**********

(to be concluded!)

[kenyan_cheena]

(conclusion)

The ring is filled now, with IBL officials and every member of each fighter's entourage, and management and security also. The league's president and vice-president James Molk and Michael Vincennes are in there, smiling from ear-to-ear after congratulating Griffith and Ray. There's not a bit of bad blood here, just total respect between the two camps. And now Michael Buffer looks to have been handed the official scorecards, so we are moments away from hearing the verdict. Judge Pat Russell has scored the bout 143-142 for James Ray, which brings a huge cheer from sections of the crowd. Manuel Gonzalez has scored it a 143-143 draw, and I can't say I have a complaint with either of those verdicts. Buffer pauses, clearly for dramatic effect...

Judge Harold Lederman has scored it 143 ... to 143. The result is a draw! The air goes out of the building momentarily, but soon the audience starts to applaud, realising it's probably the fairest verdict we could have had after such an amazing fight. Emile Griffith has retained the world welterweight championship and continued an amazing run of top quality fights in the IBL, where he is now 6-1-1. The two camps are congratulating each other again and neither of them seem upset about the verdict. What a remarkable performance from the younger man James Ray, to take a champion of Emile Griffith's caliber the distance and almost dethrone him. In fact, if not for that 13th round knockdown, James Ray would probably be being carried around the ring on the shoulders of Terone Haynes and Romy Alvarez right now. That is how close he came to winning this fight.

The punch totals are coming through on HBO's website. They say that Griffith landed 391 of 1,259 punches, which is a 31.1% accuracy rate, and Ray landed 326 of 854 (38.2%). Frankly, I'm a bit surprised by the difference in the punches thrown total. It did not seem that Griffith was that much more active, although he did throw a hell of a lot of left jabs tonight. The champion's record is now 33-2-2(23) while Ray's is 19-1-1(11), and I would think that even now you can bet with something close to 100% certainty that we'll be seeing a rematch come November. There's nothing to justify not having one, because James Ray came *this* close to winning the championship and he deserves another chance. Emile Griffith would already know this, even if he might be dead tired and exhausted right now.

The champion is being interviewed, already holding an icepack under his hideously swollen left eye, and from what I can hear he has called tonight's fight "the greatest challenge I've ever faced in a boxing ring", which is a huge compliment to James Ray. Griffith can't quite believe he has retained the world title, and when the question of a rematch is raised he simply says "Oh, definitely," but follows up by stating that it's the last thing on his mind right now, and it's going to stay that way for a while. He laughs and smiles and cracks a joke about being "tired to hell of these damn fifteen-rounders", which makes perfect sense as he's now fought in three of them consecutively. When James Molk comes into the interview, Griffith jokes with him about it, saying "This stuff was easier when I was defending that WBA belt three years ago in those twelve-rounders, Jimmy." Molk shakes his hand and speaks of his utter admiration for the man, and for James Ray also.

A few minutes later it's Ray who is being interviewed, and the young man is humble and somewhat lost for words. He knows he gave it his all, but he can't disguise his disappointment at coming up so narrowly short after such a gut-busting effort. His trainer Roy Jones speaks on his behalf when Ray starts getting a bit overwhelmed, the 24 year-old retreating to his corner and sitting on the stool with a towel over his head. Jones says how proud he is of the young man, that he could not have asked for more in such a huge fight, and his first world title bout at that. Jones calls Griffith a great champion and a credit to the sport of boxing, but does not hold back when he says this is only the beginning and James Ray will be back even better and more determined the next time they step in the ring against each other. The result is the latest of what have been a number of "near misses" for Jones's fighters in various situations, but it can hardly be classified as a failure.

The two camps are starting to leave the ring now, although many in the crowd are still here, probably to watch as Griffith, Ray and co. make their way back to the dressing rooms. As I ponder what we've just witnessed, I have to wonder whether the league will consider putting off any rematch between Griffith and Ray until the start of the 2009 season. When you consider that Griffith has now fought the massive total of 45 rounds in three bouts during the last ten months, asking him to defend the championship again in November seems a bit steep to me. Especially when you look at world junior-heavyweight champion Jeff Lampkin and realise he has only fought twice in the same time frame for a total of sixteen rounds, and isn't due to be back in the ring until October or November after his 2nd round kncokout of Tortsen May last month. True, it's not Lampkin's fault that Griffith's last three fights have all been fifteen rounders, but some common sense needs to be employed.

If the consensus is that the next title fight will be a rematch, then there's really no reason to hold it in November. The only reason to do so would be to stick to the league's rules of having the champion defend the belt twice in each season, but Griffith's last fight against Diaz took place on January 26 anyway, only a couple of weeks before the WCC kicked off. Surely that will be taken into account. Anyway, that's an issue which will no doubt be discussed in the coming days. For now, things are just about a wrap here at the Boardwalk Hall. It's been an amazing night of boxing, starting with our two preliminary WCC bouts, where Jose Molina defeated Vicente Saldivar in featherweight action before Jose Napoles was too good for Mickey Walker in their middleweight clash. And we could not have asked for a more action-packed, dramatic main event. It's a night those who were here will remember for a long time to come, as will I. For now, this is Lenny Blaylock for TheSweetScience.com saying good night from Atlantic City.

Blog ending time: 21 June 2008, 10.40pm ET

==========














*** phew ***

*** never again ***

*** well, maybe again, but not for a long time ***

[Romdawg88]

Damn, so close if only James could of avoid that knockdown. Oh well, Ray will get him next time. Yeah, KC you better start preparing yourself cause the round by round will be coming back in a few months for my HW title match. It's coming, get prepare.