Mark Lyons is back with this week's edition of One More Round.  If you've been missing Mark's Top 100 Punchers Series, fear not as new instalments of the countdown are on the way.

It's been a while since my last edition of One More Round.  It was a slow first quarter for fights, but the main reason for my absence has been computer issues that I'm still having.

We had an eventful fight two weekend's ago between Dirrell and Abraham, and something else all together this past Saturday between Jones and Hopkins. Plus a few fights coming up this week, and I also want to offer some brief opinions on fights such as Pacquiao/Clottey that I didn't get a chance to write about over the first few months of the year.

There also was a stirring Intervention on A & E involving Rocky Lockridge who was one of my favorites growing up

It's been awhile, so let's get down to business...

This past weekend's action...

As you may or may not know i am a big David Haye backer. While opinions will vary on how he looked and what is left of John Ruiz, nobody has dismantled the hugging man like that.  Even the destructive knock out from tua was very abrupt. This was a comprehensive thrashing and I am firmly in David's corner against either Klitschko at this point. I hope he faces Wlad first because that appeals to me more as an action fight, but I believe he can out-box Vitali as well.

Roy Jones and Bernard Hopkins did something or other in the ring for 36 minutes, but it wasn't what I'd call boxing. I don't think these two ever could have made for an entertaining fight and we would all have been better off with the memory of one boring fight instead of two. Lets hope writhing in anguish over nothing is just an anomaly that occurred twice (see below for more details...) in the past two weeks instead of a new trend for the sport.

Erislandy Lara is a supreme talent in my view. He also is ready to face the best in his division. That wasn't a sterling performance but it was a shutout win over a rugged and experienced foe. Truth be told, he looked bored in there and I think not stepping him up at this point would be a grave error from his team. After a restricted life in Cuba, a few dollars and freedom can lead to other interests not in keeping with the kind of habits a fighter needs to maintain - and opponents that he can beat in slow motion can only add to disinterest. Lets see him in with a top 5 guy, NOW.

Looking ahead to this weekend's action...

I like the HBO card this week that has Andre Berto tangling with Carlos Quintana in what should be a really interesting contest. I think Carlos will get the best of the early rounds, as Andre finds the experienced southpaw to be a bit slicker than the kind of opponent he's used to dealing with. I'd expect Berto to begin to press Quintana at that point and I think he will land more over the second half and walk away with a tight decision or a late stoppage.

I wont pretend to know a lot about Daud Yordan, the opponent facing off against Celestino Caballero. I only saw his abbreviated fight with Robert Guerrero. While i think Caballero has become overrated and is a vulnerable fighter, he is vulnerable to pressure and inside fighting. I didn't see Yordan as that type of fighter with my brief introduction to him, so I'll hesitantly peg Celestino for a mid round stoppage.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Evander Holyfield taking on Frans Botha in a battle of 40-somethings that promises to deliver more action than a Klitschko festival. That's an indictment on the division more than an endorsement of the Real Deal's career continuing. But this is a responsible opponent and if anyone has earned my money, it's him. Can't wait to see another highlight reel Holyfield knock out.

Rocky Lockridge

Programs like Intervention are difficult to watch. It's tough seeing the pain someone's actions have put their family through.  It's far from uplifting, but reminiscing about the man's career is a different emotion. A very underrated and thrilling warrior is what Rocky was, and it's certainly thought provoking to hear that his drug abuse started with his elite level fights.

Lockridge was on the receiving end of robberies against Eusebio Pedroza & Wilfredo Gomez.  He also performed in FOTY type fights with Tony Lopez among others. Look up the fights with Lopez & Pedroza if you want to see him at his best as well as the devastating opening round knock out of Roger Mayweather.

Stay the course champ and repair your life!

Rapid Fire... quick thoughts on some early year action

Andre Dirrell fought better than I thought he could and yet he still displayed the mental resolve of a patient that needs a straight jacket.

I suppose I can't say for sure that Dirrell wasn't really hurt, but to me it looked either fabricated or the results of a panic attack. The punch did not look hard to me and if it was, why didn't he fall over with the momentum of the shot?

When a man in a vulnerable position is clocked hard, it's a matter of physics that the punch would move him. I'm not condoning Arthur Abraham's actions as the foul was on him and the loss deserved.  But I feel like Andre was having a redemptive type of performance that was sullied with a few rounds of running and what I perceived to be an acting job to bring about an early close.

Joan Guzman should be served up as James Kirkland's comeback opponent before anyone allows him to fight again. This guy just doesn't care and Ali Funeka is becoming a hard luck story worthy of a movie. Can no one fight this man at the contracted weight?

Wladimir Klitschko is still obnoxiously reluctant and brutally boring. You can toss effective in there, but i lost interest long ago

Devon Alexander is a superstar on the rise. Hopefully he gets away from Don King's one fight a year plan and with the addition of HBO's backing, a hardcore superfight between he and Timothy Bradley is built up where it belongs...as a P4P top 5 type of fight.

It is really amusing to see fans change their mind with every passing round that Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa fight. The oddest part is it's always someone getting smashed and the same people change their minds after every fight. When these two meet, it will be a war that should see both men hitting the canvas.  As far as the winner goes, I think it's a 50/50 fight.

Joshua Clottey just doesn't deserve time in the spotlight. When you drag Manny Pacquiao into a boring fight, you've accomplished something. Pac did all he could to make the fight entertaining. He is just at a level now that only high caliber fighters with the desire to win should be across from him.

Last, but certainly not least...

The return of Erik Morales made me smile. A bit faded skill wise, but still the same old El Terrible. Defiant and ready to smash in your face. I yearn to see him in with Zab Judah. Be honest, he looked better than most of you thought he would and during a packed night of boxing, he put on the best action fight. Not that there is any surprise in that. Welcome back brother!

The health of my computer permitting, I'll be back next week with another edition of One More Round.

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