0 comments by Matthew Swain on 11/19/2021
Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas, welterweights Terence Crawford (37-0, 28 KO) and Shawn Porter (31-3, 17 KO) will meet in a 12 round bout televised on ESPN+ pay-per-view. In preparation, the intrepid TQBR crew crawled out from under their hangovers, diaper bags, and work obligations to discuss how they see […]
0 comments by Jamie Rebner on 10/12/2021
Like many boxing writers, I became a fan of the sport before I started putting pen to paper. My first voluntary exposure to boxing came in 2008 when I decided to read Evander Holyfield’s biography, Becoming Holyfield, after my local newspaper recommended it. I was blown away by The Real Deal’s remarkable achievements as an […]
Aug 21, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada; Manny Pacquiao waves to fans after losing in a world welterweight championship bout in a decision to Yordenis Ugas at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
0 comments by Matthew Swain on 9/30/2021
One of the best ever, Manny Pacquiao, retired this week. He ends his 26-year career with a record of 62-8-2. The TQBR gang examines him and his legacy. What was the first time you saw Manny Pacquiao fight, and what was your impression of him? Tim Starks: It was the Lehlo Ledwaba fight he […]
0 comments by Matthew Swain on 12/31/2019
“He’s not gettin’ up, Jim!” That’s all anyone has to say. You know what they’re talking about. In a single moment on Dec. 8, 2012, and with a single punch, Manny Pacquiao was rendered unconscious and mortal. And he was rendered so by the only man in eight years who’d managed to withstand him. The […]
0 comments by Matthew Swain on 8/26/2019
Kosei Tanaka defended his flyweight strap by an exciting stoppage again, defeating Jonathan Gonzalez. Tanaka went through several rough patches during the fight but rallied. Do you think it’s a matter of him fighting down to a level of his opponent, his own ceiling, or something else? And with talk of him moving up in […]
0 comments by Brent Hedtke on 4/6/2019
Let’s just get this out of the way right off the bat: It’s OK to cry. It’s good to cry. I’m crying right now, mostly about Verne Troyer’s death and how I never got to prove my theory that with enough duct tape and personal lubricant you could fit him inside a Pringles can. But […]
0 comments by Matthew Swain on 9/23/2017
Last Month, four of the finest fighters of their generation: Floyd Mayweather, Wladimir Klitschko, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Timothy Bradley hung up their gloves and retired. TQBR Jefe Tim Starks covered the first two here. Tardy, but resolute, I have attempted not to slip into hagiography of my favorite fighter and look afresh at one […]
LAS VEGAS, NV – AUGUST 26: Referee Robert Byrd (R) directs Floyd Mayweather Jr. to go back to his corner at the end of the fifth round of his super welterweight boxing match aginst Conor McGregor at T-Mobile Arena on August 26, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mayweather won by 10th-round TKO. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
0 comments by Tim Starks on 8/29/2017
In the course of one month, four boxers with Hall of Fame credentials that range from “unimpeachable” to “strong” have retired. Boxing being what boxing is, retirements don’t always stick. But these four — Floyd Mayweather, Wladimir Klitschko, Juan Manuel Marquez and Timothy Bradley — have a pretty solid chance of staying away from the […]
0 comments by Matthew Swain on 2/9/2017
There’s an apocryphal story about the first meeting when Bernie Ecclestone took over Formula 1. As it goes, Enzo Ferrari dragged the dwarvish Brit into his office to let him know what was what. Enzo slammed his hand on the desk and said, “THIS is the sport!” then tapped his finger under the desk and […]
LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 05: Manny Pacquiao stands in the croner during his WBO welterweight championship fight against Jessie Vargas at the Thomas & Mack Center on November 5, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
0 comments by Tim Starks on 1/1/2017
Yeah, yeah, it’s “technically” not 2016 anymore, but this serves as the year-end list, mofos. We’ve got a lot of changes since the last update a couple months back, given some un-retirements and big fights that closed out the year. As always, the main standard is quality wins, especially of recent vintage. The eyeball test […]
0 comments by Matthew Swain on 11/10/2016
There’s a reality known to anyone from a small town. It’s that your peers cannot wait for you to fail. Any step outside the well-trod path is met with raised eyebrows from those who know that this spells your doom. When you do manage to go forward and make something truly your own, those very […]
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 23: WBO junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford (L) lands a body shot on WBC champion Viktor Postol of Ukraine during their unification fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 23, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Crawford won by unanimous decision. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
0 comments by Tim Starks on 10/30/2016
It’s the kind of pastime you either hate, love to hate, or just find mildly interesting to debate: pound-for-pound updates of the best fighters in the world, regardless of weight. And boy howdy, do we ever have some movement since last time we did one one of these. We have a new man cracking the […]
SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND – MARCH 26: Kell Brook prepares to enter the arena prior to the IBF World Welterweight Championship between Kell Brook and Kevin Bizier at Sheffield Arena on March 26, 2016 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
0 comments by Tim Starks on 5/4/2016
Welcome to our first pound-for-pound list of 2016. If it seems overdue, it’s because the first couple months offered little prospect for movement. The two most recent? That’s been more productive for the best fighters in the world regardless of weight. Manny Pacquiao’s departure shakes thing up a little, and Takashi Uchiyama’s loss leaves another […]
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 09: Manny Pacquiao celebrates at the end of the 12th round of his welterweight fight against Timothy Bradley Jr. on April 9, 2016 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao won by unanimous decision. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
0 comments by Lou Catalano on 4/12/2016
The great Larry Merchant liked to remark that boxing is the “theater of the unexpected.” And for the most part, it is. Fights that look like snoozers on paper turn out to be barn-burners. Underdogs score huge upsets. Refs have bad nights. Judges have very, very bad nights. ESPN analyst Brian Kenny’s hair goes from […]
0 comments by Tim Starks on 4/8/2016
Make a checklist of the elements of a great fight, and out of context, Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley sounds terrific. Both have delivered their fair share of blistering action. They’re the two best welterweights in the world, which means when they meet they’ll crown a new, authentic champion — and give Pacquiao a chance to […]
