Nicolay Valuev (50-1, 34 Kos, 7′ 2”) vs. David Haye (22-1, 21 Kos, 6′ 2”)
It seems that David Haye graduated with a Ph.D. in boxing thuggery because after pulling out of championship fights with both Klitschko brothers, he targeted the most susceptible of the heavyweight champion Nikolay Valuev. Despite all the boasts Haye said against the Klitschko brothers, he knew he had no chance in a monkey’s anus of beating either of the brothers. In Valuev, Haye has found a heavyweight champion who is slower and most vulnerable against his speed. Haye knows that against Valuev, he will have the biggest chance of becoming a heavyweight champion. Haye and Valuev are set to duke it out on 7 November in the Nuremberg Arena, Nuremberg, Germany.
David Haye
Haye is unproven at heavyweight but no one doubts that he was one of the most dominant cruiserweights ever. His lone fight as a heavyweight was against an old-Monte Barrett whom he knocked out in five rounds. Haye will obviously have the speed advantage against Valuev and he must use that advantage to get inside and do damage. Valuev’s head will be somewhat safe from any “haye-makers”, so Haye must work on the Valuev’s massive torso. Haye will have a hard-time scoring a knockout over the Russian giant, so scoring points inside then darting back outside should be his strategy. [read more]
Miguel Angel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) vs. Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs)
Miguel Angel Cotto vs Manny Pacquiao - Pacquiao wins by TKO - read more here
Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will fight current WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at a catchweight of 145lbs on November 14 in the MGM Grand Las Vegas for the WBO Welterweight championship.
Manny Pacquiao
Pacquiao has the most dynamic offensive attack in boxing today. His darting in-and-out confuses opponents and before they know it the “PacMan” gets in four or five combinations before the opponent can react. Undoubtedly, Pacquiao will use this strategy against Cotto because the Puerto Rican holds an advantage if Pacquiao chooses to box inside. [read more]
Sunday, October 25th features a few games but if you’re going to watch one game Sunday it should be Liverpool against Manchester United. Must-see match-up especially with a struggling Liverpool team that is long overdue for a win.
Liverpool (8th place, 15 points) against Manchester United (1st place, 22 points)
Liverpool is riding a two game losing streak in the EPL (four total including the Champions League) but a return home is just what this team needs. Injuries to Torres, Gerrard and Johnson have plagued them the past few games. Their previous lost was to Sunderland 1-0 by a deflection off a red ball thrown into the pitch. They will have no excuses against Manchester United once Torres and Johnson are inserted back to the lineup. Gerrard is still uncertain because of an injured hamstring.
Manchester United cruised at home against the Bolton Wanderers 2-1. Knight’s early own goal gave Man United the early lead and Valencia sealed the deal with a goal at the 33rd minute. Man U played without striker Wayne Rooney and he is still not sure if he can play against Liverpool.
Liverpool is due for a win and with the return of Torres and Johnson, they could do it against rival Manchester United. It’s a tough call but I’m leaning towards Liverpool especially with Rooney out and Owen looking out-of-sync last game. [read more]
NFL Regular Season
Five weeks into the 2009-2010 NFL season, five teams are undefeated and four teams are winless. The Colts, Broncos, Vikings, Saints and Giants are all finding ways to win every game they’ve played so far and all look to be well on their way to the playoffs. On the other end of the spectrum, the Titans, Chiefs, Rams and Bucs can’t find a way to win even one game so far and the only question between them seems to be who will have the first pick in the 2010 NFL draft. The season is young and there are many games to go before we reach the post-season, and as anyone who has watched the NFL knows, anything can happen. But you have to like the odds for the top teams to reach the post season. Perhaps this will even be the year we finally see the mythical Manning versus Manning SuperBowl. Based on the first five weeks of the season, there are certainly worse bets you could make. [read more]
The World Cup, the holy grail of world football. This exhilarating competition brings together the best, rather, the superb talents from every corner of the globe. Blood, sweat, and tears are a requirement; skill, intelligence and pedigree are innate. The passion that is expressed by player and supporter alike is something of dreams, an immeasurable phenomenon explained simply by what drives your reality, love for the beautiful game. We as teens experience daily what it takes to succeed in life. Success involves taking the right steps, making the correct decisions, and developing an uncompromising belief in what we are capable of. The World Cup is no different. Imagine preparing for an important aspect of your life for two years, and then have it brutally taken from your fingertips in a matter of days. This is the reality of what these players face. They play a myriad of teams over a two year period just to be a part of the grand finale, only for their aspirations to be shattered in a ninety minute game of football, can you say heartbreak! [read more]
Ok, so it is back. The lure of this competition is like no other; the Champions League is what makes or breaks you as a player. Ninety minutes of opportunity, will you grasp it, or let it slip? This competition is a war, a unique collection of the best footballing talent that Europe has to offer. Let us be honest, the Champions league has never disappointed us, year in and year out it takes our breath away. The passion that is expressed in these matches, whether from player or spectator is something special, an occurrence that is a representation of what true love for this game of football is all about.
In my experience, the playing field is leveled for these games. There are so many intricate factors that become important, that, on any given day, a team from a city that cannot full a stadium can take down the largest of European powerhouses. What is the measure of your heart; how far are you willing to go to realize your dreams? Whoever finds the answers to these questions will see that they have that little extra something, that spare trick or moment of pure genius that separates the good players from the really great ones. This makes it possible for any team, from any country to write their name in the record books and be recognized as legitimate competitors. This is the beauty of the Champions League; there is none other like it. [read more]
Life as we love it has resumed. Finally we can wake up to the irreplaceable sound of those English commentators who, as one passionate pundit put it, have an uncanny ability to calm the soul and prepare you for a beautiful game of football. The Premier League is here, all the goals, the drama, the cards, and yes, those moments that take your breath away. Every new season has its fresh controversy, its talking points and opinions, but I will stick out my head and bargain that never has there been a more intriguing plot to this Cinderella story. Which team will fit the bill, which player is willing to go that extra mile, which manager is prepared to sacrifice mind and soul to mastermind that winning formula? My very being tingles at the prospect of what awaits us, drama, oh yes, this is the beautiful game. [read more]
Wimbledon 2009 is here and there is one major change that will make this year’s tournament different from those of years past. The All England Club has finally installed a retractable roof over Centre Court in order to avoid rain delays, which will provide a pleasant change for fans of this historical event. There are a number of factors in both the men’s and the women’s brackets that will influence the outcome of this year’s Wimbledon, so let’s take a look at them. [read more]
Play beautiful, hah! Quote that to the New Zealand National Team and I assure you they won’t be as disciplined and as sportsman like as they were against their Spanish executioners. Fine, Spain versus New Zealand does not by any stretch of the imagination make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and tingle, however, it was embarrassing for me as a neutral spectator to witness such a vast gap in the talent, skill, enthusiasm, and raw capabilities of the two sides. It begs one to question the purpose and validity of such a competition that brings together, yes, the best teams from each corner of the world based on their respective competitions, but also, evidently, the better of the worst. [read more]
The NBA Finals are here and the marquee matchup all of the experts predicted did not materialize. For my part, I tried to go against the grain but not only did I pick the wrong favorite, I picked the wrong underdog as well. Predicting a winner doesn’t get any easier from here. The Lakers are favored to win the Finals with homecourt advantage, but the Magic were 2-0 against them in the regular season and have consistently shown that it’s a bad idea to bet against them in this 2009 postseason.
The Lakers have looked strong, particularly in their Game 6 shellacking of the hapless Denver Nuggets last week and as an organization they appear to be focused on redeeming themselves after losing to the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant is at the top of his game, and he averaged 34 points per game against the Orlando Magic this season. Andrew Bynum will present a key matchup defending against Dwight Howard in this series. If Bynum falters against Howard, as he did during the regular season, look for the Lakers to rely on Gasol to pick up the slack. [read more]
