Water Cooler Talk: HBO Word Championsh​ip Boxing – October 5th Edition

This past weekend, the Home Box Office network gave us fans a couple of solid bouts on opposite sides of the world showcasing a heavyweight title fight first, followed later by a super welterweight affair featuring a returning former champion.

The telecast coverage saw HBO travel the globe as they rally to take back the boxing airwaves which its rival, Showtime, has recently dominated during the past few months.

Both main events from their own countries featured fighters in Wladimir Klitchsko and Miguel Angel Cotto who have been generally associated with HBO for the last few years therefore it was academic for them to headline their own cards.

The matches brought intrigue with them and here are some talking points to let everyone around the office know that you’re thinking what they’re thinking.

Fighting brothers Wladimir Klitchsko (61-3) and Vitali Klitchsko (45-2) have kept a dominant stand atop the heavyweight division ever since their hostile takeover roughly about a decade ago. Both giants currently hold every major title in their division and have defended their belts convincingly with almost 30 title defenses combined between them.

Vitali has racked up 12 and now younger brother Wladimir has accumulated 15 with this past weekend’s unanimous decision triumph in Russia over formerly undefeated Alexander Povetkin (26-1).

Sure, it wasn’t the prettiest fight to watch, but until someone can match the height and reach of Wladimir, stop that crushing jab and avoid his “hit and rest on you” style, those IBF, WBO and IBO belts of his might as well be welded to his waist.

Bettors took the Povetkin line and moved it very quickly, only to see their investment dwindle away round after round seeing as how the Russian was just out of his range and came up short from landing that game changer.

Throughout his title run, Vitali Klitchsko has effortlessly dispatched of solid opponents in Chris Arreola, Shannon Briggs, Tomasz Adamek, Manuel Charr and Dereck Chisora.

During his championship reign, Wladimir Kliltchsko has easily dispatched of top contenders; Samuel Peters, Sultan Ibragimov, David Haye and now Alex Povetkin.

There isn’t a style that the Klitchsko’s can’t adjust to, a threat that they can’t subdue, a skill that they lack nor a fighter left to out there to challenge their undisputed rule over the heavyweight kingdom. Therefore, when asking if anyone can beat the Klitchsko Brothers, at this point, it’s more than safe to answer with a resounding, “NO”.

Both brothers may continue fighting until they see fit to retire and when they do its going to be a sad day for boxing. First, because fans will lose two of the most dominant champions around and second, because the heavyweight division will erupt into a cluttered mess lacking any real clarity as new title holders will sprout up left and right.

Okay, maybe Delvin Rodriguez (27-7) isn’t the most accurate gauge in which to properly measure the newly fused team of trainer Freddie Roach and Miguel Angel Cotto (36-4) but for now, the union between them looks promising. Roach’s methodical approach behind the vicious body assault implemented by the former title holder took us back to the days when Cotto was known throughout the locker-rooms as a ruthless assassin in the ring. Not only that, but what was rather impressive was the way the smaller fighter walked down the taller fighter right out of the gate. The Puerto Rican superstar relentlessly pressured his taller opponent, fearlessly, almost as if in a hurry to rip away at his foe’s liver with itchy gloves that could only be soothed by landing cleanly to the body. He broke Rodriguez down from the bottom up as he personified the old saying, “kill the body and head will fall”. Those left and right hooks from Cotto throughout the first two stanzas made his Dominican adversary start to drop his hands just low enough, wary of the body attack, to find the opening upstairs. That left hook to Rodriguez’ face could not have landed any cleaner, thankfully the referee knew to stop the bout in what was quickly unraveling as a very lopsided 154-pound match.

What Are Cotto’s Options?

The 3rd round TKO victory was just what the doctor ordered for Miguel in his return to the squared circle as he makes one last run in what should be a very exciting 2014 & 2015 for Team Cotto fans. There should be no more tune-up fights, his already prestigious resume as well as massive star power grants “El Angel” Cotto some high profile PPV headlining matches. Those of course can only be opposite fellow junior middleweight stars in Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez or current title holders; Carlos Molina and Floyd “Money” Mayweather.

While a Cotto vs. Molina fight may not be the highest draw at the gate, it is easily negotiable as IBF champ, Molina, is still a rising star leaving little to no chance for bickering at the negotiation table and could see the Puerto Rican acquire another championship belt. The rivalry between Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Promotions might delay a Cotto vs. Canelo battle but that Mexico versus Puerto Rico subplot would only marinate that fight to perfection for June. A Cotto vs. Mayweather 2 can generate big numbers at the box office next September, but would Cotto want to sit around another year waiting for this fight to hopefully materialize? There is no guarantee but honestly, what other name could get him one of his biggest paydays so, time is money as right now its Money’s time. Lastly, the more likely scenario would pit Cotto vs. Martinez as there are no promotional wrinkles to iron out, both men are free of any commitments; their schedules permit it, and their fan bases would applaud it.

It’s funny to think that just a couple of years ago Sergio Martinez was calling out Manny Pacquiao. Just a few years before that, with Freddie Roach in his corner, Manny Pacquiao defeated Miguel Angel Cotto. Now with Freddie Roach in his corner, Miguel Angel Cotto may soon fight Sergio Martinez. I guess if Martinez can’t get Manny Pacquiao in the ring, he might as well settle for a fighter who fought Manny and now has Pacquiao’s head trainer in his corner?