The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 http://espn.go.com/boxing/news/2004/0204/1727423.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Glad to see he took the pussy way out just like I expected him too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Smart move from Lennox, but bad for boxing as a whole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 So what's going to happen? Klitchsko (I don't know how to spell it) and Corrie Sanders are the top 2 contenders for that belt. Boy...does that match-up not excite me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Salacious Crumb Report post Posted February 5, 2004 So what's going to happen? Klitchsko (I don't know how to spell it) and Corrie Sanders are the top 2 contenders for that belt. Boy...does that match-up not excite me. We'll probably be stuck with all the belts being split up again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Hot Thumbtack In The Eye 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I wouldn't want to finish what I started with Vitaly either. So this will pretty much be the end of the heavyweight division for a while then right? Who else is there other than Wladimir, Sanders, or Byrd? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 They already are split up. Jones Jr. has the WBA Chris Byrd has the IBF Lewis has the WBC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FrigidSoul Report post Posted February 5, 2004 With the exception of Jones Jr. boxxing has become stale and boring Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Read my recent thread on boxing, the one with Max Kellerman in the title. IGNORE the alphabet titles. Get them completely out of your head. They mean SHIT as far as I'm concerned. Since it'll never happen, I can dream. My eight man boxing tournament...... Wladimir Vitali Tyson Jones Byrd Toney Tua Sanders Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A Happy Medium 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 You've still got Arturo Gatti. Boxing isn't that boring. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 There are a lot of exciting fighters out there...they just don't box in the heavyweight division. Actually...in March there should be a pretty good heavyweight fight between Joe Mesi and Vassily Jirov (moving up from cruiser) just because both guys will stand and throw and aren't very good at...you now...defense. That's on the undercard of Mosley/Wright on HBO...so that should be a good show. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob E Dangerously 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I didn't expect anything more from Lennox. What a fucking asshole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Read my recent thread on boxing, the one with Max Kellerman in the title. IGNORE the alphabet titles. Get them completely out of your head. They mean SHIT as far as I'm concerned. Since it'll never happen, I can dream. My eight man boxing tournament...... Wladimir Vitali Tyson Jones Byrd Toney Tua Sanders This is not Pride FC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Obviously this wouldn't be a one night tournament, if that's what you mean. You'd have fights four months apart. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Krazy Karter Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Actually...in March there should be a pretty good heavyweight fight between Joe Mesi and Vassily Jirov Mesi will win, but he has to face someone in the Top 10 in order to gain any credibility whatsoever. Vitali would kill him. I think if he gets Tyson at The Ralph this summer they could draw at least 40,000 and Mesi would have a decent chance of winning. But he's not ready for the title and probably never will be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 If he can't knock Jirov out there's no chance Mesi is going to win that fight. Jirov will be able to out point him. The only real plus for Mesi is that I don't think Jirov can knock him out...so he's got what he's got. I don't think Mesi is as bad as others. I don't think he's great...but you don't have to be great nowadays...you just have to be protected. All things considered...I'd rather he'd have fought Moorer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Krazy Karter Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Mesi admitted that in the 3 weeks prior to his last fight he didn't spar due to a freak eye injury, which is crazy. If that's true, then he should look much better this time around. I love Mesi. He's great for the sport. But you have to wonder when the train will derail. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I know exactly when the train will derail. It's one of the next two fights. If he beats Jirov...he'll lose the next one because HBO will be going for the big money fight...and Mesi will get smoked by someone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Krazy Karter Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I agree. If they rush him into a title fight this summer following a win over Jirov he'll get owned. But it would make for a good late-August PPV which would draw a huge gate in Buffalo. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Mesi's career is already a success. The guy isn't going to be heavyweight champion...but he's made a lot more money than most boxers do...let alone white heavyweights. If he can get to the third fight with HBO and he headlines a show at Ralph Wilson stadium or Dunn Tire Park...his career will have been far more successful than they could have hoped. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Krazy Karter Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Dunn Tire Park holds what, 21,000? Someone told me they got rid of the bleacher seats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I couldn't tell you. I haven't been there in some time. It really depends on who they decide to have him fight...and whether he can get by Jirov. If HBO and Showtime want to work together again, Tyson/Mesi would do big business at the Ralph...and probably on PPV as well. Clean Cut good looking white heavyweight vs. Tyson. It would draw the people that still want to see Tyson destroy somebody...and it's probably the only big name guy that Mesi would have a shot with. But...who knows about his chin? Tyson looked strong enough in the first round of his fight with Lewis that Mesi could hit the deck early. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Obviously this wouldn't be a one night tournament, if that's what you mean. You'd have fights four months apart. But what if they had a PPV special of a tourny like this? They could space it 4 months apart and it could build some interest into the boring heavyweight division. I bet majority of casual fans only know 3 that you mentioned (Klitchski, Tyson, Jones). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I still maintain that the heavyweight title can survive the retirement as long as Kitchsko wins it. He's the people's champ right now anyway. I think they'll be fine if the guy everyone thinks got robbed last time ends up with the strap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Damn skippy. Lennox went all chickenshit, which pretty much gives Vitaly the belt, since there's no way Corey Sanders is beating both of the ruskies. Klitschko would've won it the last time if he hadn't got cut (see sig). Honestly, I think 8 heavies is too many. Vitaly, Sanders, Byrd, and Tyson would be fine, as Jones isn't going to fight the big fellas (unless he's nuts). Tua's pretty much done, last I heard, and Toney's notorious for conditioning problems, so I don't think he'd be a good pick. Wlad and Vitaly have publicly stated that they will never fight one another, so there's no way Wladimir would participate, I don't think. The four I picked would be good because Tyson would murder Byrd, and he'd be up against a big white guy in the finals. Hello buyrate. A confirmed kill AND a racial affair? Hooray. I don't know this Mesi. What was his shining moment? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1234-5678 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I always considered Lewis a rather boring fighter anyway. Good riddance. He should've given Klitschko his rematch though. Either pass the torch or retire on top. Now he retires in question. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Krazy Karter Report post Posted February 5, 2004 I don't know this Mesi. What was his shining moment? He's undefeated, white, and sells out venues around the Buffalo area with ease. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Mesi is overrated. A couple of more fights in and he will be destroyed by someone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Has he beat anyone worth a shit yet? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NaturalBornThriller4:20 Report post Posted February 5, 2004 Joe Mesi is a undefeated(Beat no-namers) fighter out of Buffalo, where he is a "Big" name (Sells out the local arenas, etc) and mostly fought on ESPN. Then, he finally gets his shot on the Klitchsko / Johnson card, (Which was at Madison Square Garden and shown on HBO) he won but looked like shit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
