One More Round: Pacquiao/Margarito, Lopez/Marquez, Johnson/Green, Judah/Matthysse & Rigondeaux/Cordoba

Mark Lyons is back with this week's edition of One More Round.

It's been quite a while since my last column. I've had some personal stuff to attend to and let's face it... there really hasn't been much to talk about lately. That all changes this month in what has the potential to be a November to remember for boxing fans. There are big time fights every weekend and while they won't all be thrilling, it sure is nice to be excited about what's on tap after such a dull October.

I'll be taking a look at what's coming up over the next two weekends in this edition, before moving on to the final two November weekends in next week's OMR.

I'll start with my thoughts on next Saturday's Pacquiao vs Margarito PPV show, before getting to this weekend's Showtime and HBO cards.  As always, drop me an e-mail or comment if you want to debate any of this...

November 13...

Manny Pacquiao 51-3-2 (38) vs Antonio Margarito 38-6 (27)

The Stakes...

The stakes are huge anytime Manny steps between the ropes since a loss would seriously damage future negotiations with fellow fistic diva, Floyd Mayweather.  I pretty much just laugh at the attempts being made by Freddie Roach and Bob Arum to sell tickets with all the talk over Pacquiao's awful camp.  He's always in shape and ready to fight, and I'll be shocked if that's not the case again.  Manny knows what a loss would mean here.

For Margarito, the stakes are arguably even bigger.  I'm not going to get into the questions over glovegate, as Margarito has served the suspension that was handed down and there's no point in hashing that situation up again.  But you know Margarito will be aiming to do whatever he can to prove he's always been legitimate.  He'll show up in optimum condition and give everything he has.  A win will mean gold at the box office, and some of the shine restored to his once good name... a loss likely means he's off the big stage, possibly for ever.

My Prediction...

I'll just come out and say it. I thought this was a mismatch when it was announced and no amount of Top Rank propaganda will change my mind now.  Pacquiao's game is built on speed, and that strength will only be accentuated against Margarito, who will press forward and pay for it by taking an inhumane amount of punishment.

Expect to see Manny unloading at will and more screams of "Bang, bang, bang!" from Jim Lampley.   He'll also use his quick feet to stay out of range and make Margarito miss.  Rinse and repeat for as long as Tony, his corner and the referee will allow it.  I'm guessing Margarito shows what has always been his greatest asset, toughness, while Manny exploits what has always been Margarito's biggest shortcoming, speed.

Pacquiao by wide unanimous decision. Margarito might win a round or two.

Guillermo Rigondeaux 6-0 (5) vs Ricardo Cordoba 37-2-2 (23)

The Stakes...

Usually an interim WBA belt isn't a big deal, but it's notable given how few professional fights Rigondeaux has to his name.  Plus, should he win, the title will make it easier for the Cuban to draw bigger names in the near future.  For Cordoba, it's a chance to get his once promising career back on track after last year's grueling defeat at the hands of Bernard Dunne.

My Prediction...

I'm much more excited for this fight than I am for the main event. I'm 41 years old and grew up in a time when amateur boxing was a pretty big deal and regularly televised. I used to envision the Stevensons of the world fighting in the pros and I'm very interested to see how a highly experienced amateur with only a handful of pro-fights can do against top rated professional opposition.

Cordoba has some pop, but he dishes it out a bit better than he takes it. Rigondeaux really has all the tools and I'm fully expecting him to love this stage and rise to the occasion.  Rigondeaux KO3

November 6...

Juan Manuel Lopez 29-0 (26) vs Rafael Marquez 39-5 (35)

The Stakes...

Lopez' WBO Featherweight crown, p4p status and big money fights in an emerging division.

A win for Lopez would be by far the biggest of his career and would set the stage for a potential hard core super fight with Yuriorkis Gamboa. I know Arum keeps putting it off, but I truly believe this one will happen sooner rather than later.

For Marquez it's a matter of showing he is still the P4P force he has been for many years and adding another impressive notch to his already surefire Hall of Fame resume.

I should also mention that in the question of who is the greatest Mexican fighter of this generation, I feel he is much closer to Morales, Barrera & his older brother Juan Manuel than most pundits give him credit for.  A win here has him right there with those three, and puts him in great position for another big fight next year.

My Prediction...

This is the old standard of youth vs experience and I'm of the belief that Rafael's demise has been greatly exaggerated by many followers of the sport. I'm not saying he is still in his prime, but the offensive arsenal is still there with the exception of a decrease in hand speed. His jab is still one of the best in the sport and if Lopez finds himself on the end of that punch frequently, his short night will feel very long.

Lopez is as exciting a fighter as the sport has now. He too, has been the recipient of more criticism than I would send his way.  He has never been the boxer/puncher that many people wanted him to be, but he's a slugger with all kinds of heart and determination.  Marquez has taken just a bit of time to get going in the last couple fights, so the Puerto Rican's best bet is to try and jump on the older man at the opening bell and get him out of there early. This will of course open him up and give Marquez the chance to land pin-point counter-punches.

For me this fight comes down to what Marquez has left at this stage in his career. I honestly don't see an advantage for Lopez other than youth, but that may well be enough. I'm expecting JuanMa to start off fast and land big early, with Marquez getting his feet under him and firing back with picture perfect combinations. It will be nasty and violent, and I can't see it lasting too long.

If Marquez has 70% left in his tank, I think he has enough to get the job done.  They will probably both see the canvas but my money is on the old warrior being the last man standing. Marquez TKO4

Glen Johnson 50-14-2 (34) vs Allan Green 29-2 (20)

The Stakes...

I'm not going to pretend that the Super Six hasn't lost some of it's shine. But regardless of the pull outs and delays, the winner of this fight will have the opportunity to pocket some nice money and face off against two of the best 168lb fighters in the world. So there is plenty on the line.

My Prediction...

Much like the main-event on this card, this fight is all about age for me. I had the Cloud fight a draw so I have no doubt that Johnson can still compete at this level and his high volume approach and great inside game are are more than Green should be able to cope with.  But very few fighters have successfully dropped down in weight this late in their careers, so you have to wonder how that will impact the old man's performance.

I've been a long suffering backer of Green, but I don't see any reason why I should pick him.  He is tough and there is no quit in him, but he really doesn't seem to know what to do in the ring.  Throwing a few punches would of course help.  The only way I'm wrong on this one is if father time has cashed in The Road Warrior's ticket.

Johnson by shutout decision.

Zab Judah 39-6 (27) vs Lucas Matthysse 27-0 (25)

The Stakes...

It's an opportunity for both fighters to advance their standing in the sport's most stacked division where potential big fights await.  Judah probably has more to lose as defeat here might be tough to rebound from, though chances to shine on HBO don't come around everyday and Matthysse might not get another crack anytime soon.

My Prediction...

This is a tough one for me to visualize. Zab has a big speed advantage, but we've seen him fail to take advantage of that before. He looked good in his last fight, but it's hard to argue that Santa Cruz wasn't made for him. This is a younger, stronger and more determined foe he'll have to deal with. Lucas is pretty crude from the little I have seen, but his power is real and he will pressure Zab throughout.

Can Judah play the skilled matador?  That's never really been his strong suit. For all the endless talk about Judah blowing his talent, I've come to think that maybe he just isn't as gifted as everyone thought he was. His hand speed is excellent, but he doesn't have much of a jab or inside game.  His power is slightly above average, but the tougher guys tend to take his stuff without much difficulty.

This is a real tough call for me, but my guess is Zab gets the best of it early.  I think he'll land sharp left hands, while beating Matthysse to the punch and tying him up on the inside.  I have to expect Matthysse will land something big eventually and from there Judah's approach will shift into survival mode, but the late push won't quite be enough for the Argentinean.  I'll say a split decision win for Zab.

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