Hop onto any of the many boxing forums on the internet and you'll notice that the American public is not very happy with Britain's top big man David Haye for a host of reasons, many of which have little to do with what he does once he's in the ring. Now, I wouldn't consider myself a fan of Haye (it's nice to have a heavyweight around with some talent and style for a change though), but here's my best shot at defending the decisions made by the fighter and his team since he arrived in the heavyweight division.

The big problem seems to be that he called out the Klitschko brothers and the fights still haven't happened. Fair enough.

All the back and forth in the press is certainly annoying, and it would be nice if the best fought the best every time out, but this is boxing, and, generally speaking, the bigger the fight, the longer it takes to put together. Remember how long it took to make Lewis-Holyfield and Lewis-Tyson? No one needs to be reminded of the current situation with Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

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Tomorrow night Randy Couture and James Toney will face-off in an MMA vs Boxing match that will be a co-feature on UFC 118.

Toney has held title belts at 160, 168, 190 and nearly grabbed one at heavyweight* during a professional boxing career spanning about 20 years. He is almost certainly headed to the Hall of Fame when he hangs 'em up for good. While Toney has never been short on guts or fighting skills, he'll go down as an underachiever because he has had to battle the scale for so many years.

Now in his 40's he looks more like someone's loud uncle than an active prize fighter. In all honesty, he shouldn't be fighting anymore. With the gut he is currently sporting and the miles he's accumulated, boxing at a high level is out of the question, so here he is trying to make a quick buck in MMA.

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Canadian Jean Pascal is the new Light Heavyweight Champion. An accidental clash of heads resulted in a fight ending cut and since the Montreal fighter was ahead on all cards after 10 rounds and change, he was awarded the belt via technical decision.

The champion used quick lateral movement not only to set up overwhelming bursts, but also to get a breather. His physical strength and explosiveness allowed him to make an impression on the crowd and judges. Whether it was the whacking sound of his right hands to the body or simply manhandling for effect, Pascal let everyone watching know that he was giving it his all.

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by Lee Payton

For more Cloud vs Johnson analysis - check out Michael Nelson's preview: Storm Brewing in St. Louis

I've been watching some of their old fights, and while I usually have a hard time picking forty somethings over fighters who are enjoying their physical prime, I think Glen Johnson has a great shot tonight against Tavoris Cloud.

Fighters not as good as Glen have laid hands on Cloud so it makes sense that a top fighter will have some success as well. I'm not sure what to make of the young guy's chin just yet. How well will he stand up when things get tough in close?

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By Lee Payton

Nearly 37 years old and the great technician is whipping them in there like he could ten years ago. Juan Diaz couldn't match the great old champion on a mental or physical level and was steadily sniped for 12 rounds. Game as always, the challenger tried just about everything in search of something he could exploit, but was kept at bay for most of the contest by sharp fists and legendary conditioning.

That he is still World Lightweight Champion is no surprise, but my eyes got wide at the speed and precision Marquez still possesses at an age when fighters his size have nearly always slowed. Perhaps he's breathing a little harder these days, but that's about the only difference I could see last night. Clean living and hard work are paying dividends for the great old warrior.

Marquez didn't have history on his side going into the fight with Diaz, as most top level feathers and lightweights are finished by this stage.  There are a few exceptions though...

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by Lee Payton

You don't like it. I don't like it. But Manny Pacquiao vs Antonio Margarito is happening. Bob Arum's chosen Margarito as he feels the bout will be perceived as more competitive than the Cotto option. Maybe so, but does Margarito have a real chance? Let's break this one down...

Margarito does have a couple advantages over Pacquiao, but will they mean anything once the bell rings?

One thing the Mexican has going for him is his size. He will dwarf Manny in there. Surely, he will also be the stronger of the two and will probably be able to deal with the hundreds of punches he's going to take, so he should be able to stick around, maximizing his opportunity.

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By now you've probably heard that Sugar Shane Mosley is fighting Sergio Mora in September, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.  The title of this event should be Why Is This Happening?

It should be said that Sergio Mora probably deserves a break.  He's had some bad luck recently in terms of securing fights, especially last year when his chance at the middleweight title fell through due to Kelly Pavlik's hand issues.  He's getting a crack at a name opponent on the downswing, and a win should lead to bigger things.

Good for him, but it's hard to see this fight providing an exciting spectacle for fans.  Mosley needs an opponent to come to him, and Mora's likely not going to oblige.  I sense a cagey 12 rounds with very few fireworks.

The entertainment value of the fight aside, what kind of matchmaking is this from Mosley's team?

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I'm debuting a new column today called Keeping Pace.  I'll be using this space to take a regular look at whatever is catching my eye in the world of boxing, both past and present.

Bob Arum...

Bob Arum is on a rampage and I can't help but love it.  I remember reading that he was on his last legs fifteen years ago from those who couldn't wait for the wear and tear of the promotional grind to finish Top Rank Inc. Yet here we are in 2010 and the 78 year old Hall of Fame promoter is still doing great business and doing it his way.

I might be enjoying it all a bit too much, but it seems to me that Arum knows his time is relatively short. If he wants to go out with both fingers in the air, I can't blame him.

Consider some of his recent successes.

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