Fraudley lives up to his name, while Pac man’s brilliance is becoming a bit TOO brilliant!

Saturday November the 13th marked a dark day in the legacy of boxing’s heavyweight Championship of the world. In a fight that was marketed, hyped and promoted to its absolute brink.

It had the entire nation talking about the possible outcome and rubbing their hands with eager anticipation. The story behind the genuine hate between the fighters and the fact that they both could be world champions in talking, had the most cynical of person expecting a lively, exciting, toe to toe, grudge match encounter.

Unfortunately, the talk (well on Fraudley’s part) was just that, TALK! For him that’s where the fight began and ended, to be honest even I was taken in by the whole euphoria of it all.

Although I did predict an early stoppage for Haye, like everyone else I did expect it to be a bit more of a battle, at least early on. But when the fight started it confirmed every thing I thought when the fight was announced BEFORE all the hyped big talk.

How and why did Fraudley get a shot at the World Heavyweight belt?

Fraudley had done nothing to prove or show he deserved a shot at the title. He had no real world pedigree, and in his last fight he lost around 10 out of 12 rounds to Michael Sprott.

An average English heavyweight until he pulled off a lucky left hook with about 30 seconds of the fight to go. As much as I rate and respect Haye, he has a lot to answer for, or rather his management and promotional team do.

My guess is they all knew this would happen, as Haye kept saying he knew Fraudley better then he knew himself, knew he would destroy Fraudley and probably used it as an easy pay day before he goes after the Klitschko’s.

So when he kept calling him delusional he certainly knew what he was talking about and should have just ended it in round one.

In my eyes the so called 1 million pound purse Fraudley is expected to get should be considerably reduced, or even stopped.

At the end of the day he is in the fight business, not the talk business, if he wanted to talk and fake fighting he should have been a WWE wrestler.

Everyone expected to see a fight when they paid their money to go the MEN Manchester Arena, and so did all the poor soles that paid for the fight on PPV.

Will they be getting their money back? So the cost of all that should be taken from Fraudley’s purse, and if it went over then he should be made to pay for it.

He then should do us all a favour and retire, then never show his face again. To be honest he has been retired since he won that Olympic gold medal really.

To soften to blow so to speak, or to ease the pain and restore a bit of boxing respectability.

In the early hours of Sunday November the 14th. Manny Pacquiao a former flyweight, pummelled Antonio Margarito an established welterweight for 12 rounds to a convincing victory to claim his eighth title.

The vacant WBO Super Welterweight belt. Even though it was a thrilling encounter full of excitement, as a seasoned, long standing boxing fan, for some reason it seemed to leave a sour taste in my mouth.

Not because I had to watch Fraudley live up to his name a few hours earlier, or the fact that I am a big Floyd Mayweather fan.

First and foremost, Margarito was embroiled in controversy before his bout with Shane Mosley in January 2009, when Mosley’s trainer Naazem Richardson detected Margarito had a unusual pasty substance while his hands were being wrapped.

Richardson refused to allow this to continue and ordered Margarito’s hands to be wrapped again, the substance was seized and later, following the bout with Mosley where he was stopped in the 9th round, it was investigated by the Californian state athletic commission.

It was then found to be an illegal substance similar in nature to plaster of paris. Later it was said that the same red stains detected were also on Margarito’s hands when he fought and beat Cotto in July 08.

A result that had me shocked at the time, as Cotto is a supreme boxer, and his face was a state at the hands of Margarito after the fight.

So this is the guy that Manny Pacquiao decides to fight in a multi million pound match.

Even though he was a good stone and a half heavier than Manny. With his undoubted popularity this fight was guaranteeing Margarito, even though he is holding a belt, a sizable multi million pound wage packet.

Win, lose or draw, someone who is a proven cheat. Maybe Pacquiao wanted to get him back for cheating and really make him pay. If that was the case judging by Margarito’s face after the fight Pacquiao certainly completed his misson.

Talking about the fight itself, Pacquiao looked super human and in the end destroyed Margarito, sending him directly to hospital with a fractured orbital bone. A person that in essence was a full 2 weights above him.

The only other fight now out there for Pacquiao is a mega fight with Floyd Mayweather…..that’s if Mayweather wants it that is. Previous negotiation have broken down with both camps claiming spoil tactics about the other.

A lot of talk/issues hinges behind an alleged drug/blood test requested by Mayweather’s camp that reports say Pacquiao’s camp refused then accepted but with conditions.

This suggests that Floyd is some what sceptical and wants to make sure without a doubt there is no foul play when/if they do actually meet. Fair enough in my book, even though Pacquiao’s camp claims Mayweather is actually ducking a fight and never actually entered into any negotiations.

When you look at Manny’s career although it’s a great one, it does pose some reservations as to the unusual and heroic climb through the weights.

As a flyweight Manny was a good, quick but one dimensional left hand happy brawler. Winning the WBO title but got stopped twice in that weight class.

Pacquiao moved to bantamweight, lightfeather, featherweight and super featherweight from 2001 – 2008 establishing himself by winning numerous titles and defending them.

This was outstanding but still a reasonable feat for a top class boxer which is what Pacquiao was proving to be.

During these years he contested some great bouts, but I also witnessed him getting rocked in his draw with Marquez, tagged and stumbled in his victory against Barrera and hurt in his points loss to Erik Morales.

Following some real tight and close fought contest’s, he then went on to easily defeat Morales in a rematch, and then Barrera in another convincing rematch. He then defeated Marquez in a controversial split decision win.

This is when it starts to get a lil spooky, in the last 2 years, this former flyweight has moved up a further 4 weights from lightweight to light middleweight.

Fighting real credible boxers such as David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey and Margarito, and walking through them all. How is it that when he was in the lighter weights he was having some real tough bouts and getting hurt quite often.

Now he has moved up to the heavier weights with stronger fighters, he is walking through real top class opponents and never seems to get hurt anymore?

Is he really that good now? is he that one in a trillion fighter that actually has gotten better, stronger and more invincible against heavier and better fighters, in a way he never was with lighter and not as good fighters?

Has the combination of Freddie Roach’s training and Pacquiao’s experience, elevated him to the level of being an all time great? In doing so achieving something that I feel will never be done again in boxing?

I have been watching boxing for a very long time now, and although you cannot deny Manny Pacquiao’s undoubted talent over the years.

Human logic will at least force you to question, be sceptical and wonder….Is he really just a never to be seen again freak of boxing nature, or is there more to this/him than meets the eye?

The only UK fighter worth talking about at the moment is Khan. He’s only 24 yrs of age and he is showing real class. I hope he gets a fight either against Mayweather or Pacquiao in the Summer 2012 as I’m sure by then, he will become a real contender.