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The Art Of The Fight Prediction
By Eddie Goldman (January 18, 2003)
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NEW YORK, Jan. 17 -- OK, OK, I know I've made a few wrong predictions in recent fights. Everyone does it at one time or another. But I've learned from my mistakes: from now on, I will only predict fights that have already happened. And the further in the past that a fight took place, the more likely am I to make a prediction.
Hey, this is boxing, right? So why can't I be like almost everyone else and make up my own rules as I go along?
Since I am so swamped with all that is happening in the New York fight scene nowadays, here goes with my predictions:
Jack Dempsey KO Gene Tunney, Sept. 23, 1926 -- Dempsey is just too big, strong, and powerful for Tunney. Dempsey is the most popular athlete in America. How can he lose to a blown-up light heavyweight like Tunney, who even lost in 1922 to the middleweight Harry Greb despite a 12-pound weight advantage? Dempsey will moider him.
Sonny Liston KO Cassius Clay, Feb. 25, 1964 -- Unlike the verbose Clay, I don't know what round it will be, but it will be early. Why did they make this fight, anyway? Clay is overrated, outgunned, has little pro experience, and is awkward. He was even given a gift win against Doug Jones. No one has the power of Liston. Add the intimidation factor in, and after this fight I doubt anyone will pay any more attention to this kid whatshisname.
Muhammad Ali dec. Joe Frazier, March 8, 1971 -- It is Ali's time to return to glory, and in Madison Square Garden, where all the really big fights are held. It is almost as if it is destined that Ali will triumph. He is too fast, too smart, and too big for Frazier, who is obviously intimidated by all the attention this fight is getting, and Ali's psychological warfare.
George Foreman KO Muhammad Ali, Oct. 30, 1974 -- Ali's great career will come to a close, as Foreman will do to him what he did to Frazier, only worse. I just hope that Ali is not hurt. It will be hard to watch.
Roberto Duran KO Sugar Ray Leonard, Nov. 25, 1980 -- This is their second match. Duran won the first one by decision in Montreal just five months ago. Why should it be any different this time in New Orleans? Now "Hands of Stone" will win more decisively. The only way Leonard can win is if it is fixed. Then Ray will want to be in the ring with Duran no more.
Mike Tyson KO Buster Douglas, Feb. 11, 1990 -- I'm not even watching this fight, even though it is on HBO and not pay-per-view, because it is such a mismatch. These guys think they can put anything on TV, don't they? I give Buster Douglas less of a chance than I would, say, Robin Givens.
James Toney dec. Roy Jones, Jr., Nov. 18, 1994 -- Jones is a middleweight, and not even a big one. He is fighting at super middleweight against a banger in Toney, who is the best super middleweight in the world, and knocked out Iran Barkley to prove it. All Jones has is one of those middleweight belts, which he won against some guy named Hopkins. Phone it in.
Mike Tyson KO Evander Holyfield, Nov. 9, 1996 -- Iron Mike is back. Just ask former belt-holders Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon. Holyfield should have retired already and preserved what he has left of his health. There is no way Holyfield can run or clinch for 12 rounds and avoid that devastating power of Tyson.
And some non-boxing predictions:
Richard Nixon defeats John F. Kennedy, 1960 presidential election -- America will never elect a Catholic to be president. Nixon recovered well from the Checkers scandal. Who would ever believe that he is a crook, anyway? Kennedy doesn't have a fraction of the experience as Nixon, twice the vice-president under the popular Eisenhower.
Beatlemania will fail, 1964 -- These British guys with their unsightly long hair had one or two hits, but I'd rather hear the Four Seasons. Now that's a group that will last!
America lands on the moon, prelude to colonization, July 20, 1969 -- Mark my words, in 20 years America will open its first moon colony. Why else spend all that money and effort to land on the moon? Soon after there will be a Disneyland on the moon, a series of drive-in movie theaters, and maybe even a domed stadium for our national pastime to be played.
That's enough for now. I'll be back to make some predictions for fights that I just KNOW will be happening this year, including the rematches between Roy Jones, Jr., and Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad, and Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, and the first sanctioned fight between Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker, as well as all those major title fights at Madison Square Garden.
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E-Mail Eddie Goldman at knockoutradio@yahoo.com
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