Notes from last night's huge fight

[albsur2006]

1. Did anybody notice the absolutely brilliant job that HBO did on that broadcast last night? The brand new look with video overlays, the awesome new video to start the show, the new overlay design, the introductions of both fighters accompanied with a little video before they walk out, I was impressed by the production that HBO put together. Quite honestly, they're production was so good last night IMO that they should get some type of award for it. I'm extremely pleased with the direction that HBO is taking with boxing, it looks like they are recharging their batteries and ushering in a new era.

2. I was also impressed with the presence of mind that HBO had to show James Kirkland and Victor Ortiz in the crowd last night and talk about them being big prospects. This type of huge fight on regular HBO will get good ratings and I'm glad those guys got a little profile during the telecast. I feel like in the past HBO would have wasted that opportunity.

3. I'm not really sure what's going on with the whole "Margacheato" controversy and how much of it has been proven true at this point but I didn't really think Lampley should have discredited his win over Cotto on the air. I'm glad Manny Steward stepped in and said something.

4. "Sugar" Shane Mosley IMO is one of the best fighters of this generation if he wasn't already. This guy takes on the biggest and baddest men on the block without thinking twice. He's a gamer and true fighter. Last night, showed the difference between a good fighter and a special fighter. Shane is a special fighter. I felt bad for the guy because he's going through all this shit in his personal life and he even got booed by his "home" crowd. I feel like the crowd should have paid him a lot more respect. This guy is one of the true class acts in boxing.

5. Oh shit, Tony Margarito got KTFO!!! OH SHIT!!!

6. Mayweather vs Mosley is the fight that needs to happen now. There is absolutely no reason why the fight can't happen now. There's maybe enough money in it to entice Mayweather to come out of retirement and I think it should happen. These guys have been posturing to fight each other for four years now and I think this is the perfect time to get it on. The winner would then be in line to fight the winner of Pacquiao/Hatton or Cotto if he beats Tony in the rematch.

7. Oh yeah, is just me, or is Nazim Richardson one of the most interesting cornermen to listen to in recent history? I noticed it a while back but in recent fights like Hopkins-Pavlik and now Margo-Mosley, he has some really interesting dialogue in the corner. I remember in Pavlik-Hopkins I started laughing when he told B-Hop "nobody's ever jabbed with this joker (Pavlik) and they (HBO) already made him a star." He's an interesting corner guy to listen to.

[No Contest]

On number 3...Lampley may just be a puppet but he's always the one bringing up the drama. How would he like it every telecast someone brings up his domestic violence chare against his wife....."Mr Perfect" Jim Lampley.
Number 7, yeah he's colorful, I liked when he told Bernard against Pavlik "this kid will take a beating thats how he learned coming up." I took that as just keep doing what your doing he will keep coming to you, and he did. Then he said something like "you gotta swim without getting too wet" to Shane. Meaning you gotta get off inside and get out of harms way. Shane did it by throwing combos then tieing up inside.

[amat]

Naazim is awesome, I'm glad he got his day. He is better then most really one of the better American trainers and like DC said it's no coincidence that all his sons can fight too, he knew exactly how to beat both Margarito and Pavlik.

But then like has been said, Shane has balls and that's something that's hard to actually have he stood right up to Margarito and when Margarito offered back and when Margarito kept moving forward through Shane's right hands Shane didn't back down and any time the crowd got into it, Shane was right back. Shane has a swagger like few have ever had imo. Truly awesome fighter, there isn't another Shane through the pipes for a while same could be said for Hopkins. Not for the same reasons though.

[amat]

Also I also really liked the highlight videos, I made note of it before the RBR I wrote. I really really liked it, it really built the drama because those slow motion replays can make Paulie Malignaggi look badasss, they might be able to. Probably not but maybe if they just focus on the movement of his tassles or something, those slow motion replays are badass. I was shocked because Buffer said Margarito and then it cut right to a replay, reminded me of the WWE.

Actually if we could turn boxing into WWE before MMA does that would be great. OK Ill stop there. But yes it was a nice touch, agreed. Good post albsur I havent seen you here in a while.

[SweetPea]

albsur, great post... as always.

Agree on most of the points.

One random note regarding Mosley getting booed....

I was at Cotto-Mosley at MSG, and one thing I was proud of.... Mosley was booed at the beginning of his ringwalk and during the Buffer introduction because it was a huge Cotto crowd, but when he actually stepped up into the ring and waved his gloves to each side of the crowd, the crowd cheered him. It was like they were saying, "We're rooting for Cotto, but we recognize you're a great fighter." It was nice to see. Not sure if the Staples crowd did anything similar.

[HattonTheHammer]

Awesome spectacle was the MSG completely packed out and looking stunning.

Shame we didnt get an undercard fight or two and why they felt the need to bring up the whole mosley drug thing is silly.

But apart from that it was a brilliant show and lampley is still just about the best sports commentator out there.

and best of all - mosley whooped margarito all over the arena