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I hate to use a line from a Hollywood blockbuster to introduce this thought, but at least it comes, fittingly enough, from a tale of warriors. In Troy, when Achilles mounts his horse, the young boy trailing in his footsteps details the mighty warrior that Achilles must set out to fight.

“I wouldn’t want to fight him,” the boy says, in awe of the hero before him. “That is why no one will remember your name,” says Achilles. Those of us enamored with the sweet science and yet unknowing of the experiences of our modern day gladiators ask such questions of them. We wonder at their courage and sometimes even venture to question their sense as they face apparently insurmountable challenges. The years yield many brave souls that come to find their limits; amidst the slivers of glory felt by a choice few, bodies break, hearts bleed and souls are lost to the cruel game. All this, however, is not enough to quell some spirits. Some men transcend all the sacrifice and wickedness of the fight game for the chance to burn their name into its history. One such man is Erik Morales. More...

This week, we bring our dedicated fight fans on SaddoBoxing.com the world over a monster edition of the number one boxing talk show on the internet. We get the proceedings underway with a recap of Guillermo Jones' destruction of Wayne Braithwaite last Saturday night, then we bring in our own New York connection Katrina Walters for her take on some of boxing's hot topics. We also preview the weekend's action involving Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales and as a special treat, we bring you an exclusive interview with Julio Gonzalez, the man who will challenge Clinton Woods in England this Friday for the IBF light heavyweight title. More...

To describe a fighter with seven losses to his name as lucky might appear inappropriate to some, but Omar Sheika is as lucky as they come. As a mere boxing pup at the age of twenty-one with all the usual dreams of stardom and world title glory, Sheika wound up

in Sheffield, England. Then undefeated and touted to the nines as the most destructive thing on two legs since Mike Tyson burst out of the Catskills, Sheika was on a hiding to less than nothing against opponent Tony Booth. Taunts cruelly fell upon Sheika’s ears as he probed forward over eight torturous rounds, failing to put a dent in Booth. The unheralded Yorkshireman posted the unanimous decision win. Let me put this into context for you. At the time, Booth’s record read 28-44-7, and today it reads 45-84-8 with only nine knockouts scored in all; hardly a beacon of hope in the British boxing establishment. As much as Booth was a gauge for better fighters, so became Sheika in the years to come. The rest of his six losses to date include three legitimate world title shots: Joe Calzaghe (WBO), Eric Lucas (WBC), and Jeff Lacy (IBF). The quality gap from Booth to Lacy is too vast to reckon with, but nonetheless, Sheika gets another chance this weekend when he fights Markus Beyer for the WBC super middleweight championship. Here is why Sheika will not leave Germany with his first world title.

Yes, there is actually a super middleweight title fight happening this week, and SaddoBoxing felt it was fitting to give the Markus Beyer-Omar Sheika fight the big debate treatment. Read on. More...

Overall, the Tarver-Jones trilogy carries more additional significance than its modern boxing counterparts. Of course, battles such as those fought between Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward, and Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera resembled greatness in their own right, but essentially, they told the

story of two fighters happily beating ten shades out of one another. No complaints here, but as negative as my first response was to the prospect of a third Tarver-Jones fight, I now concede that a final fight befits the tone set in their previous two encounters. Of course, there should still be no illusion about the fundamental reason this fight is happening. For Tarver, financial alternatives to a third Jones fight do not exist. However, as competitive as Tarver versus any other light heavyweight might be; his unique history with Jones and the nature of the stakes involved in this fight make it a compelling event. Come October 1, we may realize the end of the Jones legend. More...

The bell signaled the end of the fight. Clinton Woods walked toward the referee and gestured like a fan seeking an autograph. The referee gave something to Woods alright: his first defeat. It was unfair but not a terrible injustice as David Starie,

a decent fighter in his own right, won the Commonwealth super middleweight title and took up whatever path Woods intended to journey down at that point. The sound of shattered dreams was one Woods would come to understand well. Perhaps the only solace for Woods in his next loss was that it came not against David Starie, but against Roy Jones Jr. himself. Little hope accompanied Woods to confront then the greatest fighter in the world, and even less returned home to Sheffield, England with him. Woods went on to oblige a cruel procession of elimination bouts, taunting him towards another world championship fight, and when one came, his hopes fell apart once more to the crowning glory of Glen Johnson. Only the most stubborn resolve, and an element of fortune, held Woods towards a last chance, and for once, it was not his, but undefeated Rico Hoye’s grasp that strained for a title and clutched thin air. Woods became champion, and in signing to fight dangerous Mexican Julio Gonzalez in his first defense, he signals the champion he intends to be. More...

Hey fight fans. Welcome to the latest edition of the "TKO Boxing Show;" the number one talk feature on the Internet where you get the latest and greatest exclusive interviews with top draw fighters and industry personalities in the world. We start off the show this week with a commentary on this past Friday's "Heavyweight Heat" card in which former WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer was "Mercilessly" knocked out by Shannon Briggs. We are also privileged to present an interview with former WBC cruiserweight champion of the world Wayne "Big Truck" Braithwaite before he makes his return to the ring next week in Cleveland against Guillermo Jones. More...

SaddoBoxing is pleased to announce another fantastic prize giveaway. ESPN is set to televise a fight card at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on October 15 featuring the stars of the first season of "The Contender" reality boxing series. The main event of the evening will be the rematch between "Contender" champion Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora and Peter Manfredo Jr. plus several more bouts including Alfonso "Superman" Gomez vs. Jeff "The Hell Raza" Fraza, Anthony Bonsante vs. Jesse Brinkley and Jonathan Reid vs. Miguel Espino. In this great opportunity exclusive to SaddoBoxing.com, you can win two tickets to this event. All you have to do is follow this link:

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Let the record reflect that this debate is only big because of the collective girth of the combatants involved. Briggs-Mercer holds little relevance in the championship picture of 2005, but it is the best that the division can manage this week. That is not to say that these two former champions will not provide an entertaining fight. If overweight and disinterested fighters past their prime dropping bombs on one another are your bag, then don’t miss it, but even if you wince at the prospect, this fight may still yield something memorable. Therefore, we here at SaddoBoxing.com consider it our charge to present the virtues of this contest. It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

Experience: Between them, Briggs and Mercer fought practically everyone in the heavyweight division. At forty-four, why Mercer is even fighting is a mystery whereas the thirty-three-year old Briggs remains as a quandary for most fans of the heavyweight division. Briggs is a classic case of wasted talent; making less of excellent chances than expected and losing out in fights many favored him to win. Both men fought Lennox Lewis; Briggs’ challenge ended in five rounds whereas Mercer forced Lewis all the way and narrowly lost a ten-round decision. Mercer holds the amateur pedigree having won heavyweight gold in 1988, but an eleven-year age differential could well overshadow his underlying ability. More...

Once again fight fans we welcome you to an edition of the "TKO Boxing show," the boxing talk show renowned throughout the boxing industry bringing you the hottest interviews and in-depth discussions on the latest boxing developments. Humberto Soto stole the show on Saturday night with his hard-fought win over Rocky Juarez, but the main event featuring Fernando Vargas and Javier Castillejo still brought up several worthy talking points. This week, Sergio Martinez and myself discuss Saturday night in Chi-Town and we look forward to the coming week's boxing action with not only "This Week in Boxing," but also one of our very own feature writers Katrina Walters drops by to discuss this week's exciting fight card coming from New York City featuring Paul Malignaggi, Sechew Powell and many more of the superstars of tomorrow currently being brought along by promoter Lou DiBella. More...

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The carnage will be awesome. Onlookers will have to peep through their fingers to gauge whether it is safe to look. Nearby, officials will wince; eyeing every nuance of the action, hoping that animosity between the two can be sufficiently contained. Public relations officers will envision frantic damage control campaigns, hoping that their fighter will survive

to continue in the sport while Don King stands back, decked out in his beloved red, white and blue, only a cigar interrupting his irrepressible grin as this wildest of spectacles rages through a series of bloody climaxes. And that’s just the press conferences. Having experienced their share of highs and lows, both Fernando Vargas and Ricardo Mayorga re-emerged with a sense of caution, wanting to shore up their vulnerabilities. Mayorga’s attentiveness to defense under Yoel Judah means that the Nicaraguan is in no mood to endure an evening the like of which he shared with Felix Trinidad. Vargas’ return as a keen student of boxing clashes with all that has made him successful, but again, a sensible move in terms of longevity having tasted some savage punishment. Yes, their newfound admiration for the sweet science is touching, but Mayorga’s has already shown signs of dissipation and Vargas will not take too long to follow suit. Between the “Ferocious” and “The Killing One,” we expect nothing less. More...

These two fighters are considered the best chances of any other heavyweights around to dethrone WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. Rahman already knows the taste of championship glory, having shocked former undisputed champion Lennox Lewis in five rounds on that infamous night in Carnival

City, South Africa, 2001. Barrett has yet to compete in a world championship fight, but few heavyweights can claim to be more deserving. Barrett saw victory disappear before his eyes when he fought former contender Joe Mesi to a ten round decision, and the New Yorker has become known as the division’s gatekeeper. Rahman has plans to return to the championship fold in a blaze of glory since rededicating himself and blasting out New Zealander Kali Meehan last year. But Barrett is quite skillful at destroying the best intentions of fighters, as shown when he inflicted the first defeat upon Jamaica’s Owen Beck earlier this year.

Whoever wins will fight Klitschko for the title, but exactly which of Rahman and Barrett will prevail is something you will just have to check in with the SaddoBoxing writer’s to find out. More...

This Saturday as part of the huge Don King pay-per-view event being held in Chicago, former welterweight titlist Ricardo Mayorga returns to the ring in a title fight against Italy’s Michele Piccirillo. When this fight happens, we will get the chance to find out two things: was Mayorga ruined by the spectacular beating

he received from Felix Trinidad, and is former IBF welterweight titlist Piccirillo for real? What we can say for sure is that Mayorga at his best is one of the toughest and most unorthodox brawlers in the game, and if Piccirillo is unprepared for that challenge, he might have to go through the hardest night of his long career to date. The winner of the fight will receive the WBC light middleweight championship of the world, and moreover, ideal placement to dictate a big money fight with the likes of former two-time light middleweight champion “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas.

If you’re looking for the inside word on this fight, look no further as the SaddoBoxing writer’s give you their pick. More...

Jose Antonio Rivera was the WBA welterweight champion of the world and looking forward to signing some lucrative fights. Not anymore, and the reason being is none other than Bronx puncher Luis Collazo. Once beaten and not intending to be so again this weekend, Collazo is the WBA champion now, albeit under the

reign of undisputed welterweight champion Zab Judah. First to challenge Collazo for championship rights is warhorse Miguel Angel Gonzalez. Years of brutal encounters against some of the world’s most talented fighters are obviously not enough for Gonzalez, he wants more. Gonzalez is not long removed from losing a decision to former welterweight champion Cory Spinks and one must assert that if he loses to the less experienced Collazo, where else is left for Gonzalez to try to recapture past glories?

The SaddoBoxing writer’s have their opinion on what will happen in Collazo’s first defense of his crown. Read on as we at SaddoBoxing continue our big fight build-up. More...

Hasim Rahman and Monte Barrett are about to offend the Klitschko code of practice: they are going to fight. While that doesn’t make sense to a middle-aged heavyweight champion only one defense into a non-existent championship legacy, it is actually what keeps the business afloat. Unlike brother Wladimir, Vitali has nobody to sue, that is until remaining active becomes a pugilistic misdemeanor. In Rahman, we have the only viable heavyweight with any claim to legitimacy, courtesy of the right hand that shocked the world before Lennox Lewis returned the favor with interest. In Barrett, we have the gatekeeper of the division, overlooked and undervalued. Both men fight for the right to face Klitschko and the chance to gain his WBC title, but in truth, neither of them stands much chance of defeating him. One of Klitschko’s only redeeming features might be the fact that he continues to stubbornly evade the lure of Don King, but in the ring, he has that little extra to separate himself from the likes of Rahman and Barrett. Even the comparably sized Lewis found Klitschko a near-impossible target in their 2003 war and was fortunate that his superior firepower maximized what little successes he enjoyed. Undersized and lacking the craft to create opportunities, neither Rahman nor Barrett harbor any of the qualities needed to trouble the giant champion.

Read on for a detailed guide of how Rahman and Barrett measure up to one another, and ultimately, to Vitali Klitschko. More...

Click for larger image © Tom Casino/Showtime

The main event of the Sycuan promoted fight card at Camp Pendleton, California featured former IBF lightweight champion Julio "Kidd" Diaz making only his second ring appearance since losing in ten rounds in a WBC championship bid to Jose Luis Castillo. Diaz was scheduled to take on Tomas Barrientes, but late replacement Russell Jones

was drafted in and was looking to upend Diaz' plans to get back into the title picture. The fight started tentatively with both fighters moving and feinting for the first thirty seconds of the round. Both fighters were well short with their jabs but Diaz looked to close the gap and bring Jones' hands down with body jabs. Suddenly, Diaz leapt in with a wide, winging left hook that landed flush on Jones' cheek. Jones looked to stay up by holding on to Diaz' waist but he was obviusly in distress as he took a knee. Jones stood up only to intentionally take a knee once more, forcing referee Raul Caiz Jr. to stop the fight in the first round.

ESPN2's Tuesday Night Fights show came from Camp Pendleton in California. Tickets were gifted to the attending marines by Sycuan Ringside Promotions in honor of them and the US troops fighting overseas. King of the four rounders Butterbean toyed with no-hoper Rick Zufall for almost three rounds before battering him

to the canvas twice in an opening crowd pleaser. The competitive action began though with an eight round lightweight contest between Ricardo Dominguez and Rafael Ortiz. This is how the action in this fight went down.

Round one: Ortiz comes out jabbing and Dominguez responds in kind. Dominguez cracks home a solid right hand. Dominguez' left hooks to the head and body look like hurtful shots. Another left to the body from Dominguez scores flush. A right-left from Dominguez sends Ortiz backwards. Ortiz slams an uppercut inside. A hook to the body and a right to the head have Ortiz reeling. Yet another left hook to the head bangs into Ortiz' skull as the round ends.

Score: Dominguez 10-9. More...

Hello again fight fans and welcome to the "TKO Boxing Show." We hope you enjoyed SaddoBoxing's coverage of the Jeff Lacy-Robin Reid title fight and hope you are ready to get started building up the coming week's action. This week, we bring you former IBF lightweight champion Julio "Kidd" Diaz as our special guest. Julio was never beaten for his title in the ring, but because of boxing politics, was forced to give it up. He did so in order to fight lightweight monster Jose Luis Castillo, and not many fighters would happily do that. In addition, we bring you a "Big Debate" on the upcoming Hasim Rahman vs. Monte Barrett fight and "This Week in Boxing," where you will find all of the fights to watch out for in the next seven days. More...

Click for larger image © Tom Casino/Showtime

For the first time since the stolen stardom of Gerald McClellan and the passing fancy of Roy Jones Jr., the American boxing contingent has a reason to care about the super middleweight division. At Robin Reid’s eternal expense, Jeff Lacy is that reason. Bludgeoned: the apt description for the job Lacy did on Reid who, before

last night, had not so much as taken a mandatory count. Being the catalyst for Reid’s five-knockdown capitulation makes Lacy an altogether more serious proposition than the eager young champion as he appeared to us beforehand. Of course, a six-round walkabout with the 17-16-2 Ramdane Serdjane was not sound preparation for a threat such as Lacy, but if you can pick holes in Reid’s recent opposition level, you cannot question his abilities. The chorus amongst British boxing fans must be, “I never thought I’d see the day,” but we have. Ominously for those fans, Lacy is willing to force Joe Calzaghe’s hand and concede home advantage for an IBF/WBO unification. Despite experience and credentials, Reid was not ready for Lacy, and honestly, looking at the last couple of years in his fighting life, nor is Calzaghe. More...

Robin Reid has one last chance to become a major world champion, and if he does so against America’s Jeff Lacy, not one person could say he did not earn it. Lacy would already be a major attraction if he was placed anywhere else than in the super middleweight division, where champions like to defend

their titles against mandatory contenders rather than risk unifications. Lacy is strong and has explosive power but he does have fundamental flaws that, while making him that much more exciting, do give Robin Reid considerable encouragement for this weekend’s main event. The true extent of Lacy’s power might well be tested against Reid, as the Briton has yet to suffer a single stoppage in his long career. Lacy may not remain as a super middleweight champion for long with the lure of huge matches against Jermain Taylor and Antonio Tarver either side of his weight class, but if Reid has his way, Lacy will be a champion for an even lesser time than anyone reckons.

The SaddoBoxing writer’s predictions are in for our return to bigtime boxing action, and the beginning of a hot August in the fight game. Read what our staff writer’s have to say on this exciting match-up. More...

In terms of championship definition, these are confusing times. It seems that anyone with a Portakabin, Internet access and a fax machine can manufacture the latest sanctioning organization. Of course, rather than recoil at such nuisances, new sanctioning bodies have become to boxing what lingering passers-by are to Jennifer Lopez: if they just hang around long enough, eventually

Click for larger image © Tom Casino/Showtime

they’ll be taken in. Further complicating matters in the super middleweight division is the apparent compulsion for its champions to win one of the “reputable” titles and disappear into boxing nothingness. Jeff Lacy entered this disorganized rabble when he won the IBF super middleweight title. A former Olympian, Lacy was fast-tracked to success and is perhaps the only champion at the weight deemed eligible to unify it. In the absence of willingness in his fellow champions, Lacy has gone about the task of defining himself and has created an aura of great power and tenacity. Much more of Lacy’s potential shall reveal itself this weekend when he fights Robin “Grim Reaper” Reid, but if successful, the offerings of the super middleweight division might not be enough to satisfy Lacy’s desire. More...