Boxing Highlights

Jacobs looked like a very promising prospect in May last year when he won an 8 round decision against Michael Walker, and ever since that fight I was certain the guy would rise up to be a worthy challenger in the middleweight division in the few years to come. I was not wrong with that prediction. Following the Walker fight Jacobs won several fights against dubious opponents (which is the case when an up and coming fighter tries to pave his wave into the top ranks of a division), two of them by TKO. So, when I turned on my television to watch the HBO boxing special yesterday night, and saw Jacobs in the undercard I knew the guy had done stuff in the past year worthy of being placed back in the undercard of the Marquez vs Diaz 2 fight. Also, when I saw his opponent - the languid looking Dmitry Pirog, the 30 year old Russian with a pro career spanning 5 years, and who also had not taken part in the Olympics (sometimes boxers not selected in an Olympic squad are cataloged as fighters without much prospect in the pro sense), I thought he would be cannon fodder for the much hyped Jacobs. This time though, I was wrong in that prediction.

Pirog turned out to be a tricky opponent, elusive, unorthodox and not at all associated with the one dimensional European style that much Russians and Eastern European fighters tend to adopt. He put pressure on Jacobs from the opening bell, showing incredible head and waist movement but still showing bits and pieces of a pressuring and plodding European style - coming forward at all times, imposing his own pace, and making Jacobs fight on the ropes. Was this really happening? I thought after the first two rounds that Jacobs would adjust to Pirog’s unpredictable style and rounds later dispatch his opponent easily. This however, never came. Pirog kept plodding and confusing Jacobs, coming from all angles until in round 5 a beautiful right hand caught Jacobs on the ropes and flattened him on the canvas. Jacobs kept his head down and tried to rise up before the mandatory 8 count, but the referee did not allow him to get up, stopping the fight in the process. Pirog wins the vacant WBO middleweight title and Jacobs collects his first loss in a three year career. But as we all know, this stuff happens to the best boxers sometimes.

Here is the knockout punch:

Check out some of the best action from the Abraham vs Dirrell fight:

If you guys want to see the best action from last to last weekend’s fight between Pacquiao and Clottey, check out the following highlights:

Check out the sounds from the corner:

And also the interviews after the bell:

Everyone thought Johnson had a chance to capture another major title and make a name for himself once again after he fought Chad Dawson for the first time. After that fight, he bagged a couple of victories against Norwood and Judah, and just when everyone thought he would topple the reigning WBC light heavyweight champ in their second fight, they met and he showed his true age.

After that fight last November, I thought Johnson was pretty much finished, but seems like the train keeps rolling for the aged Johnson. Johnson met Yusaf Mack on Friday February 5, 2010 for an IBF Light Heavyweight title eliminator fight. These were some of the highlights in case you’re interested:

Highlight reel from last Saturday’s fight courtesy of Showtime: