http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/players/ray_mercer/75470 Recent articles about Ray Mercer en-us Wladimir Klitschko receives a large, and to some degree unfair share of criticism from fight fans, particularly fight fans outside of Europe. The gripers say he is boring, because he fights out of a safety-first, robotic style. They also complain that his quality of opposition is subpar, and that the current generation of heavyweights is the worst ever. Comparing fighters from different eras is always difficult, but one heavyweight champion stands out as being very much like Wladimir Klitschko: Larry Holmes. The Easton Assassin was also little appreciated in his era, and while boxing has come around to appreciating his virtues and giving the man his just due in the 21st Century, you can still find unreconstructed and diehard criticism of Holmes out there. Will the day come when Klitschko gets a healthy dose of revisionism, or will he remain a questionable figure in heavyweight history? A comparison to Larry Holmes might give us the answer. Tangling With the Old Guard Credit: K2 Pro... Tue, 07 May 2013 12:43:23 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/comparing_wladimir_klitschko_to_larry_holmes_does_wlad_stack_up_to_the_easton_assassin/13567661 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/comparing_wladimir_klitschko_to_larry_holmes_does_wlad_stack_up_to_the_easton_assassin/13567661 Comparing Wladimir Klitschko to Larry Holmes: Does Wlad stack up to the Easton Assassin? http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/comparing_wladimir_klitschko_to_larry_holmes_does_wlad_stack_up_to_the_easton_assassin/13567661 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/3/f38d9f8b8e874cb55d5057caf2dd952871d7668b/mini/Sports_News_d6d2.jpg The Top 5 "Over 40" Fighters of All-Time Bernard Hopkins’ technical schooling of Tavoris Cloud, a reigning titleholder who was more than 17 years his junior, was significant.  I was among those who figured Cloud, with Father Time in his corner vs. B-Hop, would be too much for the ageless “Executioner”. However, it appears Father Time apparently has as much trouble getting to Hopkins as Cloud did. At the age of 48, he has once again set a new standard in boxing as the oldest champion ever, another impressive performance that will go down in the annals of boxing history. But does this latest historic win by Hopkins make him the greatest ‘Over 40’ boxer of all-time?  Here are my top 5 boxers over the age of 40 in history. 5. Roberto Duran (Over 40 record: 18-7-0 w/ 9ko’s) Duran was mainly a bloated version of his iconic self after he turned 40.  He fell short when facing upper-echelon fighters of the time.  He dropped two fights to Vinnie Pazienza and Hector Camacho and oneto... Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:09:13 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/top_5_boxers_over_the_age_of_40_in_history/13129099 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/top_5_boxers_over_the_age_of_40_in_history/13129099 Top 5 boxers over the age of 40 in history http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/top_5_boxers_over_the_age_of_40_in_history/13129099 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png 21 years ago this past Thursday on October 18, 1991, “Merciless” Ray Mercer savagely knocked Tommy Morrison onto Queer Street in the fifth round to successfully defend his WBO heavyweight title at the Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. … Continue reading → Sat, 20 Oct 2012 12:35:44 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/memorable_sports_moment_of_the_week_bush_league_referee_tony_perez_nearly_allows_ray_mercer_to_kill_tommy_morrison/12011341 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/memorable_sports_moment_of_the_week_bush_league_referee_tony_perez_nearly_allows_ray_mercer_to_kill_tommy_morrison/12011341 Memorable sports moment of the week – Bush league referee Tony Perez nearly allows Ray Mercer to kill Tommy Morrison http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/memorable_sports_moment_of_the_week_bush_league_referee_tony_perez_nearly_allows_ray_mercer_to_kill_tommy_morrison/12011341 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Top 5 Boxers I Just Disliked in Recent Boxing History When you’re a kid watching boxing, a lot of fighters fall quite easily into the hero/villain dynamic. As we get older and become adults, we become more fans of the sport and less of individual boxers. Sure there are fighters we like and those we might not care for, but it just takes a lot more than it did when we were kids. We’re not so quick to idolize a fighter or to cast one as a villain. It’s part of growing up. But there are some fighters who managed to evoke hate, even in adulthood. They are fighters who had to go that extra mile to get on the bad side of fans. Some of the fighters I hated as a kid actually grew on me, as I came to like them as a grown-up. Others, however, just always rubbed me the wrong way. Here are 5 fighters who I just couldn’t bring myself to like. Teddy Reid He always struck me as a jerk, but then there was one particular night that forever cast him as a villain in my eyes. In 2000, Reid faced Emilian... Fri, 19 Oct 2012 14:12:47 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/5_recent_fighters_who_i_just_had_to_hate/12005482 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/5_recent_fighters_who_i_just_had_to_hate/12005482 5 recent fighters who I just had to hate http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/5_recent_fighters_who_i_just_had_to_hate/12005482 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Top 5 Heavyweight Boxers from the 1990s The more time that passes, the more that boxing in the 1990s looks good. It gets a bad rap following one of the greatest decades, as the 80’s was a golden era for the sport. But the 90’s were better in certain areas--particularly in the heavyweight division. In the 80’s it was all about Holmes and Tyson for the most part. While it’s good for the sport to have a long-reigning supreme commander at the top, the 90’s had more parody, with the throne being contested by a group of big-name fighters who made for many memorable fights. 1. Evander Holyfield Credit: Gary Rothstein/Icon SMI In 1990, he became World Heavyweight Champion, a position he still held until late-1999. After winning the belt against Buster Douglas, he beat two still-dangerous ex-champs in George Foreman and Larry Holmes. He lost the belt to Riddick Bowe in 1992 in his first career loss, but regained it the next year in an inspirational decision win. Holyfield then had a bit o... Thu, 18 Oct 2012 23:59:44 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/5_best_heavyweights_of_the_1990s/12000940 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/5_best_heavyweights_of_the_1990s/12000940 5 best heavyweights of the 1990s http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/5_best_heavyweights_of_the_1990s/12000940 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png After 18 years, two of the great heavyweight gladiators of the 1990s are set to do it again. Almost. In Feburary 2013, Evander Holyfield will fight a four-round exhibition bout with Ray Mercer. The bout has zero impact on the heavyweight title picture, because while Holyfield stopped Brian Nielsen as recently as May 2011, Mercer has not fought since 2008. Even so, the bout should entertain nostalgic South African boxing fans, and serve as a reminder of what a truly exciting heavyweight bout really is, because Holyfield vs. Mercer I was one of the best non-title heavyweight fights of the late 20th Century. Holyfield vs. Mercer I: Career Crossroads Credit: Gary Rothstein/Icon SMI When Evander Holyfield decided to make a comeback, he did not take the easy route. Following his close Majority Decision loss to Michael Moorer in 1994, the Real Deal was diagnosed with noncompliant left ventricle, which later turned out to be a misdiagnosis due to complications from the treatment he was r... Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:50:49 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/holyfield_and_mercer_fight_nostalgia_exhibition/11451868 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/holyfield_and_mercer_fight_nostalgia_exhibition/11451868 Holyfield and Mercer fight nostalgia exhibition http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/holyfield_and_mercer_fight_nostalgia_exhibition/11451868 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/b/dba5a9277ea05f3b640cd351f4dbc78349a237c4/mini/Nikolai_Valuev_v_04fc.jpg Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. Although several credible outlets reported former UFC heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia (Pictured) had signed on to fight Daniel Cormier in Strikeforce’s final 265-pound scrap, UFC president Dana White quickly killed that chatter on Friday night. “Never a FACT unless I say it is,” White told The Underground Forums. “Long story, but yes, Tim is not with Zuffa.” According to the normally-trustworthy rumor mill, negotiations for a multi-fight deal between Sylvia and Zuffa did take place. However, for whatever reason a contract never came to fruition. Between 2002-2008, Sylvia fought 13 times for the planet’s premier mixed martial arts promotion. Nine of those scraps were of the championship variety, with him winning the crown on two separate occasions. Sylvia wasn’t brought back after getting submitted by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in an interim title fight at UFC 81. After getting put to sleep by Ray Mercer in nine seconds in June of 2009, which mark Sat, 21 Jul 2012 12:07:23 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/tim_sylvia_saga_continues/11266729 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/tim_sylvia_saga_continues/11266729 Tim Sylvia Saga Continues http://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/tim_sylvia_saga_continues/11266729 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/8/c86a6098a4586c27ee12beb24c0494ae253994e9/mini/53.jpg It's as though we can't get a solid chunk of good fights lately, and the up and down fluctuation plays hell with a fan's patience and emotions. A more consistent fight schedule would be nice. It's part of loving this game, though, and sometimes a hiatus from constant action makes the heart grow fonder. Indeed, there have been times when the the thirst for blood long since sated nudges us into viewing a bout in a more positive light than perhaps it really calls for. For instance, the one-sided (but solid) Hank Lundy vs. Dannie Williams bout from a few weeks back on Friday Night Fights wasn't bad at all. In fact, a few times the men traded and made for a very fun watch, and there was a knockdown. But it was a mostly one-sided fight, yet it still got a fair amount of attention, and still wound up making for good discussion. There will always be jubilant, adrenaline-driven peaks, and heavily depressing valleys. Just like there will always be clinching, as we&#3... Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:21:02 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/lullaby_league_the_12_hardest_swatters_of_the_last_dozen_years/10591399 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/lullaby_league_the_12_hardest_swatters_of_the_last_dozen_years/10591399 Lullaby League: The 12 Hardest Swatters Of The Last Dozen Years http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/lullaby_league_the_12_hardest_swatters_of_the_last_dozen_years/10591399 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Sugar Shane Mosley will fight Canelo Alvarez on May 5 as part of an HBO pay-per-view card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Leading up to the bout, the 40-year-old boxer is sharing weekly thoughts and training updates. Question: How do you respond to those who say your speed and power are diminished from your years at the top of the pound-for-pound list? Have you talked to or analyzed other fighters who have had success into their 40s? Mosley: "At 45, George Foreman won back the heavyweight title that he had lost roughly 20 years prior. Everyone thought (Michael) Moorer was going to take it, but he didn't. Foreman did. What about when Larry Holmes beat Ray Mercer at 42? The idea that a fighter suddenly loses skills they've had for years isn't the case at all. "My experience and skill and knowledge of who I am as a fighter are things that no one can take away from me. I have fought some of the best boxers in the world, including defeating Oscar De La Hoya and Antonio Margari Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:26:40 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/shane_mosley_age_is_making_me_better/10516028 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/shane_mosley_age_is_making_me_better/10516028 Shane Mosley: Age is making me better http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/shane_mosley_age_is_making_me_better/10516028 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/0/30e12ee0d74d8be2b2382a0e1c082c3c17c0b57d/mini/Forrest_v_Mosley_dc05.jpg That’s Bad Ass   Yes kids, Tim Sylvia wants back inside the octagon, to do whatever he does in the ring. I am not much of a fan of Tim. I have spoken with Tim on radio in the past and he is a likeable enough dude but come on folks, Tim does not need to be back in the UFC. What is a problem for UFC and MMA in general is there is only a handful of places to complete their career. Tim’s UFC history is not the greatest in the world. However he is a former UFC champion and UFC in my take could benefit from bringing him back into the sport. However most critics of Tim would be saying, what the hell does UFC need him for? Tim has launched a twitter campaign, oh god, who has not launched a twitter petition in the world of social networking. Bringing the Underground to the trend, yes he is bringing in the MMA most popular message board to the fray of this mess. My view on Tim coming back to the UFC highlights the need for some smaller, Territory like promotions in the UFC. Tim Sylvia is a former UFC champion and Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:49:23 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/tim_sylvia_wants_back_in_the_ufc/10214200 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/tim_sylvia_wants_back_in_the_ufc/10214200 Tim Sylvia wants back in the UFC http://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/tim_sylvia_wants_back_in_the_ufc/10214200 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/8/c86a6098a4586c27ee12beb24c0494ae253994e9/mini/53.jpg Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia has been taking to the internet and social media in attempt to rejoin the promotion. Sylvia has posted a couple of videos on the MMA website The Underground, as well as taking to Twitter to plead his case.   The crux of Sylvia’s argument for another run under the Zuffa umbrella hinges on his 6-1 record in his last seven fights. That number appears impressive on the surface but it’s worth noting that the biggest name (and only name really) he’s defeated during that stretch is Paul Buentello. There is also a victory over World’s Strongest Man competitor and MMA neophyte Mariusz Pudzianowski.   While his wins aren’t exactly inspiring, the one loss does stand out as a black mark. Sylvia showed up to his Titan Fighting bout with TUF 10 alumni Abe Wagner woefully overweight at 311 pounds, and was knocked out thirty-two seconds into the contest.   UFC President Dana White doesn’t seem warm to a Sylvia comeback, saying flatly “no”, when asked about... Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:19:37 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/is_tim_sylvia_ready_for_another_run_in_the_ufc/10057114 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/is_tim_sylvia_ready_for_another_run_in_the_ufc/10057114 Is Tim Sylvia ready for another run in the UFC? http://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/is_tim_sylvia_ready_for_another_run_in_the_ufc/10057114 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/8/c86a6098a4586c27ee12beb24c0494ae253994e9/mini/53.jpg Well, it didn’t take long for UFC president Dana White to crush Tim Sylvia’s (Pictured) hopes of getting back inside the Octagon. Two days after Sylvia pleaded with fans to bombard White’s Twitter to grant him another shot in the big leagues, White professed he has no interest in re-signing his former heavyweight champion. “No,” White flatly stated following last night’s press conference. “I don’t even know what Tim Sylvia’s done. The last Tim Sylvia fight I saw, he got knocked out by a boxer. What has he done since then?” After getting put to sleep by Ray Mercer in nine seconds in June of 2009, which marked his third straight mixed martial arts loss, the 35-year-old has rattled off wins in six of his last seven scraps. Unfortunately for “The Maine-iac,” they all took place in small organization that didn’t hit White’s radar. “If you look at when Tim Sylvia was in the heavyweight division, I say it all the time, it’s when we had the weakest heavyweight division in the company Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:16:06 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/dana_white_tim_sylvia_not_coming_back_to_ufc/9954343 http://network.yardbarker.com/mma/article_external/dana_white_tim_sylvia_not_coming_back_to_ufc/9954343 Dana White: Tim Sylvia Not Coming Back to UFC http://www.yardbarker.com/mma/articles/dana_white_tim_sylvia_not_coming_back_to_ufc/9954343 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/f/5/f5fd3fa9b40e82b7d898c03446e4d65b770df9a4/mini/ufc-couture-coleman-feb.jpg (Wayne Kelly, with Tony Danza)He needed no gimmick and drew no attention to himself. It was modesty, perhaps, that overshadowed his merits, as his name was oft overlooked in casual discussions of the United States’ best officials. For veteran referee Wayne Kelly, who passed away last Wednesday due to heart attack at age 63, this mattered none. Of his peers in the fight community, Kelly commanded great respect. Twenty years playing the third man inevitably saw his involvement with some major incidents, yet the grace with which he handled them elicited little -- if any -- contention. Though I missed the opportunity to meet Mr. Kelly in my five brief years covering the sport, I have always admired his work from afar. With the announcement of his name during pre-fight introductions came the reassurance that I could focus on the in-ring action, rather than the competency (or lack thereof) of the calls. With that, I will leave it to Harold Lederman and officials Benjy Est... Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:20:41 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/entertainment/article_external/wayne_kelly_1948_2012_no_gimmick_necessary/9802417 http://network.yardbarker.com/entertainment/article_external/wayne_kelly_1948_2012_no_gimmick_necessary/9802417 Wayne Kelly (1948 - 2012): No Gimmick Necessary http://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/wayne_kelly_1948_2012_no_gimmick_necessary/9802417 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Ten Greatest Heavyweights in Boxing History While one of the easiest lists to compile, with so many many hallmark names at the top, it is one of the more sticky rankings in the sport. The number one and two spots are easy enough, with an even argument on Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. After that, it is an absolute free-for-all with some of the giants from the past. This division, more than any other, requires one to ignore the head-to-head fantasy component. Let’s face it, what a heavyweight really is has changed drastically over the years. Up to 4 of the people on this top-ten might not even be a heavyweight in today’s era of 250-pound cyborgs. This division really forces one to be mindful of the fact that a fighter can only really be judged against his era. There are so many different factors and who’s to say which ones should carry more weight? One can go off any number of things, like accomplishments, won-loss record, quality of opposition, or a ton of other factors. Not to mentio... Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:44:06 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/top_10_best_heavyweight_boxers_of_all_time/9270806 http://network.yardbarker.com/boxing/article_external/top_10_best_heavyweight_boxers_of_all_time/9270806 Top 10 Best Heavyweight Boxers of All-Time http://www.yardbarker.com/boxing/articles/top_10_best_heavyweight_boxers_of_all_time/9270806 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png GSP is out again? It'll be 18 months before he steps back into the octagon. What is this boxing? Another fight added to UFC 143, Fabricio Werdum will take on everyone's favorite fat fighter Roy "Big Country" Nelson. They needed a big fight now that GSP isn't on the card. Wonder how the rest of it will fill up. Belfort and Silva have been announced as TUF Brazil coaches. I'm picking Silva in the rematch 14 years in the making. I still can't believe there was an event called UFC 17.5. Junie Browning, known for being a crazy son of a ***** on TUF, is now the subject of a city-wide manhunt in Thailand. Browning allegedly was seen beating up a woman in a bar in ******, Thailand. He even updated his status on Facebook just in case the police needed a guilty plea "Some (expletive) named Sie Menzies and about 10 of his friends started a fight with me. I guess just to test a 'UFC fighter guy' at this ****** little bar in Karon Thailand. Had a beer bottle and g Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:25:54 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/things_i_think_i_think_121411/8742142 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/things_i_think_i_think_121411/8742142 Things I Think I Think 12/14/11 http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/things_i_think_i_think_121411/8742142 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png