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 Jones, Hopkins and Ali Birthdays
By David A. Avila (January 17, 2003)
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If you were a boxing trainer or manager and wanted to find a world champion prizefighter, try looking toward the stars. Those funky astrology charts could be the key to discovering a world champion, especially those boxers with birthdays falling between Jan. 10 and Feb. 12th.
Need proof? Here's why:
Felix Trinidad (41-1, 34 KOs) was born on Jan. 10. The fighter known as "Tito" is considered one of the greatest of all Puerto Rican fighters and one of the best knockout punchers in recent times. He captured the welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight titles in his career.
This past Wednesday, Jan. 15, was undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins' birthday. Hopkins (41-2-1, 30 KOs) has been champion since 1995 when he defeated Segundo Mercado. That's approaching a decade of terrorizing the 160-pound division.
Yesterday, Jan. 16th, is undisputed light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. birthday. No wonder Hopkins and Jones dislike each other so much. Jones (47-1, 38 KOs) has been a champion since 1993 when he beat Hopkins for the middleweight title. Jones also captured the super middleweight title before moving up to light heavyweight and dominating that weight divisions too. There must be something brewing in this week. But that's not the best of it.
Then comes the mother of all birthdays today, on Jan. 17, which might truly be the day of champions. It's a day top heavy with champion fighters including Muhammad Ali, Buddy McGirt, Marco Antonio Barrera and my wife Jeannie Coston-Avila. Now that's a quartet of terror. Just for those taking notes, my wife Jeannie and Barrera were born on the same day and year. I'm not saying what year.
Virgil Hill's birthday falls tomorrow, on Jan. 18th. The ageless wonder is still pounding away as a cruiserweight at 38. Hill (47-4, 23 KOs) recently won the WBA title a year ago but lost it against a French guy named Jean-Marc Mormeck.
In the month of February, there are two outstanding champions who may be fighting each other pretty soon. Feb. 4 is Oscar De La Hoya's birthday who has won world titles as a junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight. Now arriving at 30, De La Hoya (35-2, 28 KOs) has begun promoting boxing and seems to have the golden touch.
Feb. 12 is Vernon Forrest's birthday. The undefeated welterweight is looking to become an undisputed world champion like Jones, Hopkins and Kostya Tszyu. The Georgia fighter had to wait a long time for his moment but still remains undefeated after more than 10 years as a pro.
So if you're desperately seeking a champion, think about those dates. Or if you're planning to have a child, and you feel Astrology may be the key to greatness, think about holding off until March or early April to conceive. Even if it's late April you could find yourself with a fighter like Floyd Mayweather Jr. who was born on Feb. 24.
Not too shabby.
Special Prayers
California judge and referee Larry Rozadilla passed away this weekend after battling cancer. He was very respected in the boxing world and will be missed for his professionalism and friendliness. Rozadilla was one of the judges for the title fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Julio Gonzalez in 2001.
Last Sunday former middleweight champion Paul Pender, who took the title from the great Sugar Ray Robinson and successfully defended it in a rematch, died at age 72 in Massachusetts. He also fought Carmen Basilio and Gene Fullmer.
Big Fights in the Future
Julio Gonzalez will face Glencofe Johnson in a light heavyweight bout at the Crowne Plaza in the Commerce Casino on Fri. Jan. 24th. Gonzalez is ranked number seven by Ring magazine Johnson is ranked 11 by the IBF.
In a showdown of welterweight champions, WBC title-holder Vernon Forrest will face WBA king Ricardo Mayorga at the Pechanga Resort and Casino on Jan 25th. The fight is sold out but will be shown on HBO.
On Feb. 1, in Las Vegas, David Santos and El Salvador's Carlos "Famoso" Hernandez will fight for the IBF featherweight title at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. The co-feature will be Manuel Medina and Juan Manuel Marquez in a battle of Mexicans to see who will fight for the featherweight crown. On the same card Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto faces his toughest test when he faces former champion Cesar Bazan.
The following week on Feb. 8th, Sugar Shane Mosley moves up to the junior middleweight ranks and will meet former champion Raul Marquez at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
Also in Las Vegas, on Feb. 15th, WBA bantamweight title-holder Tim Austin will defend against Rafael Marquez who became the first to defeat Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson. The fight will be held at Caesars Palace.
Fights on television
Tonight - Telefutura, 9 p.m., Wilfredo Negron (20-7) vs. Saul Duran (31-7-3).
Sat. - Showtime, 10 p.m., Kostya Tszyu (29-1-1) vs. Jesse James Leija (43-5-2) for IBF, WBA and WBC junior welterweight
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