ESPN Boxing

On Saturday night in Munich, a game Dereck Chisora fought bravely against Vitali Klitschko.

Fact.

In fact, "brave" is the tag journalists so often use to describe the litany of outmatched, outpunched fighters who fail miserably in the Herculean task of even troubling a member of the dominant heavyweight Klitschko family.

Chisora was different. He was outclassed, sure, but he also marched relentlessly forward in the heat of a lost battle to emerge as one of the few fighters not to be rendered unconscious by a leatherbound Klitschko fist.

Still, to look at Saturday's fight in this vacuum and through such a narrow lens would be ignoring the fact that Chisora, alongside former heavyweight champion David Haye, are currently ranked in the upper echelons of moronic, classless fools who soil the good but increasingly tarnished name of boxing -- a sport that provides them with a lifestyle few could ever hope to enjoy.

During Friday's weigh-in, Chisora slapped Klitschko. Yes, you read that correctly: Dereck Chisora slapped Vitali Klitschko. The same Vitali Klitschko who, along with his brother, Wladimir, are two of the nicest, gentlemanly, philanthropic ambassadors a sport could wish for. The slap was an act of desperation from a man who knew he would lose like all the others. It was a slap, both literal and figurative, to the same Klitschko who gave Chisora his highest payday.

And what did Vitali Klitschko do?

Nothing. Class act.

Then, when both fighters had entered the ring on Saturday, Chisora decided to spit water in the face of Vitali's brother. In the confines of the hostile, jeer-filled partisan cauldron in Munich, Wladimir could be expected to retaliate. What did he do?

Nothing. Class act.

Then came the cherry on this most delicious of trifles. At the postfight news conference, Chisora, goaded by Haye, a fellow Brit, started a brawl in the middle of the media room. Haye, holding a bottle in his hand, threw the first punch, after Chisora had left his seat to confront him. A scuffle ensued that involved Haye throwing a photographer's tripod. Haye's manager and trainer, Adam Booth, emerged with blood trickling down his face, while Haye brawled with Chisora's trainer, to boot.

It was then that Chisora crossed the line of being a mere madcap "British eccentric." He left that tag as a dot on the horizon when, in front of hundreds of people, he threatened to track down Haye and shoot and burn him.

Class act.

Boxers aren't known for their intellect, often unfairly so. Beneath its widely preconceived brutish image, the pugilistic fraternity is awash with sharp, insightful and colorful characters more welcoming at times than any other sporting family.

But boxing is also a sport that owes its entire existence to a controlled and regulated form of violence that is more susceptible than most to the antics of rancid bad eggs like Chisora and Haye. They spoil what is otherwise a consistently good batch.

Haye is adamant in his desire for a fight with Vitali Klitschko. Of course he is: It's the biggest payday available to him in his weight class. But this is the same David Haye who spent two years goading Wladimir into a fight, including wearing T-shirts depicting Haye in the pose of a conqueror holding the decapitated heads of the Ukrainian heavyweight siblings. On fight night, Haye lost in embarrassing fashion, laying blame on a broken toe. His stock depreciated to a laughable level.

Meanwhile, his pride may hurt, but his wallet doesn't. And after Saturday's debacle, neither Haye nor Chisora deserves a fight with either of the Klitschkos. At this point, a Chisora-Haye fight would generate huge interest in their homeland. But their homeland is where they should remain -- far away from the global platform on which they so consistently sully the sport that rewards them so highly.

It's acts like these that make people believe such behavior is part and parcel of boxing. This is not true. It's part and parcel of degenerates like Haye and Chisora, not the sport with which they are unfortunately and inextricably linked.

It's fair to say that most fight fans would prefer for boxing to have more of an MMA mentality and for the powers that be, who include promoters and managers, would make a concerted effort to make pick-'em matches more regularly than they do.

Too often, there is a hesitation on the part of the promoter, the manager and even the fighter to sign on for a pick-'em fight, a bout in which there is no clear favorite. Much or most of this has to do with the worship of the zero, the emphasis placed on being undefeated. The same mentality doesn't curse the MMA world.

On tomorrow's edition of "Friday Night Fights," in the main event at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, circumstances have conspired to allow us to enjoy a pick-'em fight between two prospects, Mike Dallas Jr. and Miguel Gonzalez. I try to employ a practice of positive reinforcement when I wear the hat of the fight writer, so let me offer my thanks and congratulations to all associated with making this welterweight match. Let us hope such pairings become less rare as we look forward.

Dallas (17-2-1, 7 KOs) has two losses on his record, and that could help explain why he's involved in such a bout at this juncture. The 25-year-old Bakersfield, Calif., resident is backed by Goossen/Tutor Promotions and has a flashy manager (Jackie Kallen) and now a marquee trainer in Virgil Hunter, the 2011 Boxing Writers Association of America trainer of the year for his work with Andre Ward, the BWAA fighter of the year for 2011. So some might be surprised that he's in tough against 26-year-old Miguel Gonzalez (20-2, 15 KOs), a Clevelander who is nicknamed "Silky Smooth" and was just signed to a promotional deal with Banner. We're all too accustomed to prospects being coddled for too long.

Dallas told ESPN.com that he appreciates what the losses have done for him. He actually disputes the last one, a 10-round majority decision to Mauricio Herrera on FNF last June. And in fact, many, if not most, who saw the bout thought Dallas did enough to win. In his previous fight, he was stopped by Josesito Lopez, then 28-3, but believes that the ref shouldn't have pulled the plug.

"With the losses, I picked up lot of experience," Dallas said. "I learned from my mistakes. If I was 20-0, I would not really have learned anything."

As for applying that knowledge, we could see an improved Dallas against Gonzalez, because this is his second fight with Hunter. For the past month, he has been living in Oakland, Calif., and training with Hunter, who brought Ward from pipsqueak to pound-for-pounder.

"I've learned a lot," Dallas said. "I see things differently. Everything came together, and people will be surprised at what they see -- inside, especially inside, and outside. I'm more balanced."

You have to like Dallas' resolve. The kid isn't in a "woe is me" state, isn't decrying the B.S. politics of the sport. He's saying all the things you want to hear from a guy coming off back-to-back losses. "The hype goes away when you lose the undefeated record," he said. "You see a lot of people turn their back on you; it's just part of the sport. I just stay focused. I didn't get down; it made me hungrier, made me work harder."

Gonzalez basically says the right things about his losses as well. They came against less-heralded boxers, in his fifth and eighth pro bouts. The 2008 U.S. Olympic alternate, who holds wins in the amateurs over Gary Russell Jr. (2007), Diego Magdaleno (2008) and Jerry Belmontes (2007), told ESPN.com it didn't help that he took the fights on ultra-short notice. But Gonzalez came back to beat the first man he lost to, Eric Ricker, and said he'd love a rematch with the second conqueror, Angelo Santana.

He agreed that we don't see two prospects of his and Dallas' caliber paired often enough. But he doesn't seem to regard Dallas as being in the same league that he's in. Gonzalez, a slick southpaw, likened himself to a Pernell Whitaker type, who will catch your shots and quickly counter you. He also said he can turn it up a notch, show a different look and go Tyson on you, breaking down both sides of the body.

"If I'm not the favorite this time, I'm sure to be the favorite next time around," said Gonzalez, who got his nickname with his impressive slap-boxing skills on Detroit Avenue, the west side of Cleveland. "I plan on making it an early night, coming straight forward, getting him out of there as early as possible and enjoying the rest of my Friday night. I got family and friends coming out."

It doesn't sound like Gonzalez will be cowed by the site of Hunter across the ring, not while his dad, Sonny Gonzalez, works his corner. "Virgil is not fighting, Dallas is fighting," he said. "I respect Virgil; him and Andre are like me and dad. Ward and Virgil got the relationship I got with my trainer."

But Gonzalez emphasizes that it's the fighters' skill, not the trainers' rep, that will speak loudest Friday: "The best man will win that night."

Gonzalez sounds quite certain that he will be that best man. "If you ask me, I still haven't lost. When all is said and done, I want to be a legend in this game." And don't forget: He wants to finish things early so he can have some nice wind-down time with his family and friends.

Me, I'm leaning toward Dallas in this tussle. Gonzalez hasn't fought the level of competition as a pro that Dallas has, and he is taking a considerable leap, from 135 pounds in August, to 147.

This one is a little late in posting, but we'd be remiss not to acknowledge the passing of Goody Petronelli, who, most famously, managed and trained former middleweight champ Marvin Hagler. Bert Sugar offers a memory in the clip, but for more on Petronelli, Hagler and their relationship, check out this archived piece.

His original foe for "Friday Night Fights" backed out Monday, the replacement foe backed out Tuesday, and the replacement's replacement finally was cemented on Wednesday afternoon, two days before Demetrius Andrade was to glove up at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. But if the Rhode Island-based junior middleweight was experiencing undue stress or annoyance, he didn't sound like it in a Wednesday night phone call with ESPN.com.

Andrade, the 23-year-old southpaw and 2008 U.S. Olympian, betrayed only the tiniest hint of dissatisfaction when he admitted he would have liked it if original opponent Derek "Pooh" Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs) hadn't pulled himself from the fight on Monday, citing a high fever.

"Was Ennis really sick?" Andrade asked rhetorically. "There were times before my fights I had a fever. A doctor's note would've been nice. He could've waited til Tuesday or Wednesday to see if he felt better. But I was gonna beat his a-- regardless."

Andrade (15-0, 10 KOs), who last fought in September, beating Saul Duran via stoppage in the third round, took issue with the chatter of Philadelphia's Ennis, which surfaced on GFL.TV three weeks ago. "I'm just looking at this as another fight," Ennis said. "But as soon as I beat him, I'm right back on top."

Said Andrade: "Pooh was smack-talking, saying he'd use me as a springboard. I'm frustrated it fell through."

Terrance Cauthen (36-7, 9 KOs) was the fill-in -- for a hot minute, anyway -- but after verbally agreeing to the Andrade scrap, the 35-year-old from Trenton, N.J., failed to sign a contract. The reason for his early Wednesday swerve became apparent Wednesday night, when it was leaked that he will fight Thomas Dulorme on "ShoBox" on Feb. 17. Or maybe not: Aris Ambriz was announced as Dulorme's foe on Thursday afternoon. (Very fluid, this business biz; Ron Katz, the matchmaker for the FNF show, would get the fattest check of anyone working the show at Mohegan, if this world were nothing but fair.)

So Angel "Toro" Hernandez, a 36-year-old Chicagoan, will fill the slot against Andrade -- or so we must assume for the time being. The Mexican-born hitter has a 30-10 record and has lost his past three, against Peter Manfredo Jr. (TKO10), Osumanu Adama (UD12) and Joey Hernandez (DQ8) in March. Event promoter Joe DeGuardia insists Hernandez will not be a steamroller special for Andrade.

"We're very fortunate to find a solid veteran like Angel Hernandez as a late replacement," DeGuardia said. "He's been in with some of the best and beaten the likes of Juan Carlos Candelo, Frankie Randall, James McGirt, Larry Marks and Antwun Echols. We expect him to be a solid test for Demetrius."

Andrade is transferring some of his Ennis ire, it seems, to Hernandez. "I feel dissed he took the fight," he said. "Money talks. He took the fight on too short notice. I have to show him he shouldn't have taken it."

Andrade said he watched a bit of video on the late sub and sounds chill about the musical chairs situation, even though he was hustling early Wednesday to bone up on tactics versus a lefty (Cauthen).

"Is there a preferred style I like to fight?" he said. "I've seen them all, I can handle them all."

He seems to have escaped the Patriots Funk, the malaise felt by so many in the New England area after the New York Giants stunned Patriot Nation in the Super Bowl.

"I'm going to go in there, showcase my talent, do what we've been working on. The light's on me, I'm going to shine," Andrade said. "The Patriots didn't do, but I'm gonna do it."

"Friday Night Fights" host Bernardo Osuna discusses Manny Pacquiao's high-risk low-reward fight with Timothy Bradley Jr., set for June 9 in Las Vegas, plus more top bouts in the months ahead.

SAN ANTONIO -- On Saturday, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. returned to the scene of his legendary father's first professional blemish -- an infamous draw to Pernell Whitaker at the Alamodome more than 18 years earlier. He was there perhaps to defend his family name, but also a middleweight title belt in seemingly his first strenuous test, against deserving contender Marco Antonio Rubio. Joining them on the card was Nonito Donaire, a former multidivision champion aiming for another belt in his first bout at junior featherweight, something of a grudge match against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. Here's what we learned from one night in San Antonio:

1. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is a real fighter ...

Not for the first time in recent bouts, Chavez showed that when the chips are down and he has to suck it up, dig in and fight, he can do just that. Rubio was advertised as potentially his toughest foe yet, and so he proved, refusing to give any quarter even as Chavez walked him down and dug into his body with hard hooks. In fact, Rubio was landing what appeared to be the higher percentage of punches as Chavez loaded up for big combinations. But Chavez kept coming, and the final two rounds had the crowd on its feet as the two men exchanged hellacious blows, each looking to provide a definitive conclusion to the contest.

2. ... But he probably isn't a real good one

At the same time, Rubio isn't exactly a top-drawer talent. Yes, he stopped David Lemieux, but in hindsight, Lemieux was likely overrated. Rubio was flattened inside a round by Kofi Jantuah and was brutalized by Kelly Pavlik in the only fight in which Pavlik has looked half-decent in years. He showed little, if any, originality in his attack, yet Chavez was unable to nullify it. Similarly, two fights ago, Chavez went tooth-and-nail with an opponent (Sebastian Zbik) whom HBO once dubbed too poor to broadcast in a middleweight title fight.

Chavez has shown some genuine signs of improvement since connecting with trainer Freddie Roach. But there are also signs that the improvement may be plateauing. Of course, adding 20 pounds after the weigh-in couldn't have helped; if Chavez is to develop into anything more than an entertaining battler, he needs to dedicate himself a lot more to his gym work and road work, and stay away from bars during training camp. That may not be enough -- what you see may simply be what you get -- but it won't hurt.

3. Nonito Donaire has become dominant and disappointing

A year ago, Donaire blasted out Fernando Montiel in the knockout of the year, and there appeared to be no ceiling to his potential. But his two outings since then, although clear victories, have been underwhelming. In both cases there were extenuating circumstances: Omar Narvaez didn't try to fight, while Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. at times also seemed content to hide behind a tight defense, at least until Donaire apparently broke his left hand. But, notwithstanding the fact that Donaire was a clear, and mostly one-handed, winner over a good young opponent (even though one judge, maintaining the tradition of criminally bad Alamodome scorecards, somehow contrived to score the contest for Vazquez), the victory felt unsatisfying.

Part of the problem is that "The Filipino Flash" showed signs on Saturday of regressing into a home run hitter, looking to please the crowd with spectacular bombs thrown from all angles. That's all well and good, but when faced with a patient foe such as Vazquez, some basic jabbing and hooking might have served Donaire well, and perhaps helped to break his opponent down.

There's no need to panic: The train hasn't left Donaire's station. But it's warming up, and some disgruntled fans likely are starting to climb aboard. A trip back to basics would serve Donaire well if he is to reclaim and consolidate his place alongside Andre Ward as the best under-30 boxer in the world.

4. Vanes Martirosyan needs to step it up

Martirosyan is an engaging guy and a genuine talent, but in his 32nd professional contest, he needs to be facing opposition far more demanding than the utterly outmatched Troy Lowry, whom he beat up for three rounds on Saturday's undercard. Martirosyan is good at calling out opponents (after dispatching Lowry, he mentioned Mexico's Saul Alvarez), but whether because of him, his management or his promoter, he hasn't followed that up with much in the way of actual, credible tests in the ring. It's time for him to be matched in a meaningful contest against a real opponent, if only to see exactly what he can bring to the table.

5. HBO Boxing is off to a better start in 2012 than 2011

HBO's kickoff bout last year seemed, on paper, a solid one: a clash between undefeated junior welterweight titlists Timothy Bradley Jr. and Devon Alexander. But the fight was a stinker, and the venue -- the cavernous Pontiac Silverdome -- was even worse, and not even close to being filled. By contrast, although Saturday night's fights might not have had the same theoretical significance, they were far more entertaining. Meanwhile, the Alamodome was smartly configured for 15,000 people -- and close to that many showed up, providing an enthusiastic crowd that roared at seemingly every punch. All told, it was a far more positive start to the year.

We know that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. won't be fighting each other in the first half of 2012. And we know who Mayweather will be fighting instead on May 5: Miguel Cotto.

So that leaves one part of the spring-season super-duper-star equation left to be revealed, and that's PacMan's June 9 opponent.

Initially, the list of options included four names: Cotto, Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley Jr. and Lamont Peterson. Then Mayweather's name was added. Then it was scratched out. Then Cotto crossed himself off.

That leaves three. All indications coming out of every corner of the boxing world suggest that it will be officially announced next week that Bradley will get the assignment.

Nothing against Bradley, an excellent fighter by any measure, but it's time to say what not enough people seem to be saying: This fight should have gone to Marquez. In every conceivable way, he's a better opponent for Pacquiao than Bradley. In fact, as he's proven repeatedly, he's a better opponent for Pacquiao than anyone not named Floyd Mayweather.

In terms of entertainment value, every Pacquiao-Marquez bout is a fight of the year candidate. Every Bradley bout is a technical draw candidate.

From a business perspective, Marquez is the fourth-most bankable name in boxing (behind Pacquiao, Mayweather and Cotto) and his third fight with Pacquiao last November generated an estimated 1.4 million pay-per-view buys. Bradley doesn't have a fan base, meaning a Pac-Bradley pay-per-view will draw however many buys the Filipino legend can draw with just his name and face on the poster.

With regard to who deserves the fight more, the majority of fans believe Marquez deserved the victory over Pacquiao last time out -- in a fight nearly everyone expected PacMan to win by knockout, by the way. Bradley is the top-rated junior welterweight in the world, but his lone fight in the past 12 months, against a used-up Joel Casamayor, hardly qualifies him for a shot at the people's champ.

Looking at what's best for the fans, for fairness and for the folks counting the receipts, it's Marquez over Bradley all day long. So why was Marquez never given serious consideration for a fourth fight with Pacquiao in June? Why was Cotto the frontrunner initially, and why is it Bradley now?

The only explanation that makes sense is that Marquez fought a little too well for his good in November. Say what you will about Bob Arum and his team at Top Rank, but there are no dummies working in that Las Vegas office. Goal No. 1 is to not let Pacquiao lose (except maybe against Mayweather, when Manny is a fight or two away from retirement). And with Marquez, the third fight illustrated that at any weight and on any date, JMM gives Pacquiao fits.

Again, there's nothing wrong with a Pacquiao-Bradley fight. The man known as "Desert Storm" is a top-10 pound-for-pounder and a credible foe.

But he's no Marquez. Not in terms of name value, not in terms of in-ring excitement and not in terms of what's best for the sport.

I guess the Mexican master was never getting a fourth fight against Pacquiao, no matter what transpired last November.

If Marquez had gotten bowled over, as many predicted, it would have provided a conclusive end to their trilogy.

Instead, we got an ending inconclusive enough to ensure that another chapter won't be written.

There was a time when Edison Miranda was on short lists of young guns to watch. Circa 2006, he was 25-0 going into his fight with Howard Eastman, a former Euro middleweight champion -- and beyond that gleaming record, he had a helluva backstory.

Miranda, who gloves up against Isaac Chilemba in the main event of this week's "Friday Night Fights" at Texas Station, grew up in Colombia. His mom neglected him, so he went to live with other family and friends. He tracked her down, but she kicked him to the curb again, and by age 9, he was living on the streets. He barbecued roadkill some nights to keep his belly full. By age 12 he was working a construction job, by 14 he was a cattle butcher. This is the sort of story you hope has a happy ending.

Fast forward to today. The man whose knockout pop might make us forget Earnie Shavers and rival Julian Jackson, one commentator had gushed, is now 31 -- but seems older. Losing big fights will tend to make fans view you as a faded talent before it's decent to deem you such. His backstory no longer gets rehashed so often as it did back then, before losses to Arthur Abraham (in 2006 and 2008), Kelly Pavlik (in 2007, in his first true step-up fight) and Andre Ward (in 2009).

Miranda's last big-fight opportunity came on April 17, 2010, and sad to say, true to form, he lost. Champion Lucian Bute stopped Miranda in Round 3 of their super middleweight title fight. He is 2-1 since then, with the loss coming in the form of a disqualification, for low blows, against Yordanis Despaigne on "Friday Night Fights" in July. The young gun, now 35-6, so fawned over just five years ago, has officially been relegated to the status of tester of prospects. Chilemba, who has fought unbeatens in four of his past six matches, spoke to ESPN.com about the fight, and how he aimed to handle Miranda in their light heavyweight showdown.

"I do believe I'm the favorite going into the fight," he said. "I'm younger, I'm young and hungry. We've been working on Miranda's weaknesses. We see a lot of them."

Miranda, Chilemba said, is a fast starter but peters out. He relies too much on his power, so he can be outboxed. Thus, Chilemba has been drilling on speed and, especially, movement to get the W.

I wanted to ask Miranda about this new role of his, but wasn't able to make connection with him and his crew, even after he answered a text from me. That surprised me, because back in the day, Miranda was one of the very best trash-talkers in the game. Before he met Ward -- he lost a 12-round decision -- Miranda said, "Andre Ward was a great amateur fighter. But this is the big leagues. Andre, I hope your skills include a graceful way to hit the canvas, because that is what your fans are going to see."

And he talked a great game going into his first stiff test, a 2006 title crack against Abraham, the IBF middleweight champ. "He is scared," Miranda said of the champ. He lost that one (also a UD12), and yet talked like a victor in their 2008 rematch. "Abraham was talking like a little girl," he said during a prefight news conference. "He was talking like a little girl. He knows I destroyed him." It was Abraham who did the destroying again, scoring a TKO4 win in Florida.

Before the Bute fight, Miranda showed a different, softer side: "I saw the first fight between Bute and [Librado] Andrade," Miranda said. "[Bute] won my heart. Bute deserves a lot of blessing. I come to fight. I come to win. I have nothing against Bute."

Was this a coming of age? Had he willfully ditched the big-talking act, embraced humility and a get-it-done-in-the-ring mentality? The jury was out for deliberation. It came back with a guilty verdict following his performance in last year's Despaigne fight.

Miranda dropped his hands and let Despaigne get in free shots at one point. Then, in Round 5, he clanged the 8-1 Despaigne in the groin with a left and ref Vic Drakulich, citing precedent, DQ'd Miranda. Did Miranda act chastened, show a penitent side? Nope. He roared back with chatter that, although somewhat entertaining, makes you wonder if he will ever get to a place of full control, where his emotions don't lead him astray.

"I tapped Despaigne on the belt line and he fell down like he'd been shot," Miranda said. "He's not a fighter, he's an actor and he was looking for a way out because he didn't like the way the story was going to end. He got hit low a couple more times and cried on command and the fight was over. So for that performance, I am awarding him Best Actress in a Dramatic Role. He's the new 'Million Dollar Baby.' ... He was out of gas. I let him punch me because it was like pillow-fighting a girl."

Miranda is still young-ish. He still has the sort of name that makes him quite attractive for managers looking to add a name to their guy's résumé. So it's not like he'll necessarily have to hustle hard for gigs if he loses to the 24-year-old Chilemba (18-1-1 with 9 KOs; sole loss in his ninth pro fight). But the part of us that roots for the hard-luck types to find that pot of gold, that hopes anyone who had to cook roadkill to keep from starving deserves to wallow in some physical and emotional riches, tends to think that it's now unlikely the Colombian will find it.

But that is conjecture. What is certain is that Miranda is in interesting fights. He is a bomber, and his tendency toward chippiness can add an element of drama to his fights. My guarantee: Chilemba-Miranda will be an interesting main event.

Since he first stepped foot into the ring as a professional prizefighter, looking for all the world as though he were just 12 years old, his every step has inevitably been compared to his father's -- not only because they share name, but because that father was also one of the greatest boxers of all time, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and perhaps the most celebrated pugilist in Mexico's long fistic history.

On Saturday night, the linkages will be stronger than ever; but whereas Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. may at times have wished that comparisons of his career with his father's had to this point been more favorable, he will certainly be hoping to exit San Antonio's Alamodome with more positive reviews than did his father 18 years and change ago.

Chavez Jr. will face Marco Antonio Rubio on HBO in a defense of a middleweight belt that many believe rightfully belongs to Sergio Martinez, who was stripped of the title as a result of the kind of political chicanery and machinations that have granted boxing permanent residency in the Red Light District of sports. But it is also, perhaps more accurately, a measuring stick by which fans can judge the progress of a young contender who, much maligned in his earlier career, is showing signs of developing an all-round game that will meet potentially its toughest test yet in the form of veteran Marco Antonio Rubio.

On Sept. 10, 1993, Chavez Sr. walked into the ring in the very same arena, in front of 56,959 paying fans, placing his 87-0 record on the line against Pernell Whitaker, who had suffered a larcenous loss to Jose Luis Ramirez in his first tilt at a world title five years earlier but was otherwise undefeated in 33 contests. The two men were meeting for the welterweight championship of the world -- which Whitaker had snatched from Buddy McGirt in his previous fight -- but also for more than that: recognition as the best fighter in the world, pound for pound.

(A brief aside: The notion of two welterweights actually deciding who is the best fighter in the world by meeting in the ring might, to today's generation of boxing fans, seem an absurdity, a fiction so improbable as to be without any kind of credibility. Time was, however, when such things happened. But that's another story ...)

Chavez, the betting favorite, began aggressively, looking to bury his patented left hook to Whitaker's liver, as the champion wheeled away and popped his pursuer with a retreating right jab from a southpaw stance. Beginning in the third, Whitaker threw that jab with greater authority, combining it with the footwork and slippery defense for which he was renowned, befuddling Chavez and taking away seemingly every aspect of his game, beating him with punches from inside and outside. From Round 4 onward, it was, to ringside observers, largely a shutout -- a masters class culminating in what was surely a nine rounds-to-three or, at worst, eight rounds-to-four victory.

Except that it wasn't.

One judge scored the fight for Whitaker, 115-113. The other two saw it dead-even, 115-115 -- a result that even many in the pro-Chavez crowd, who had become progressively quieter as their man had been given a boxing lesson, booed.

The New York Times dubbed the result "an oddity of a decision even for this most confusing of sports."

"I went to talk to one of the judges afterward, but I tripped over his seeing-eye dog," Bert Sugar quipped.

"Whitaker put on one of the most dazzling ring performances in recent years," wrote Sports Illustrated, "yet, within minutes, two of the three judges reduced this magnificent show to a mockery."

SI's cover featured a picture of Whitaker landing a right hand on Chavez's jaw, accompanied by a one-word headline: 'Robbed!' (Hey, on the plus side, boxing was on the cover of Sports Illustrated! Yes, kids, sometimes that happened, too.)

Three fights later, Chavez suffered his first official loss, when he was dropped and outpointed by Frankie Randall, and things were never really the same after that. He beat up the likes of Ken Sigurani, Verdell Smith and Marty Jakubowski, but he lost comprehensively to Oscar De La Hoya (twice), Kostya Tszyu (in a fight that never should have been made) and even Willy Wise and Grover Wiley.

Junior avenged the last of those defeats, in a way, splattering the man -- in three one-sided rounds in 2007 -- who had ended Senior's career. And although a clean and clear win on Saturday won't exactly atone for the flimflam that spared his old man from defeat that long-ago September night, it will enable him to boast one accomplishment that eluded his more celebrated father: to walk out of the Alamadome, with his hands in the air and head held high, to the sound of his fans celebrating a Chavez victory.

Ruslan Provodnikov is a "fan-friendly" fighter, a guy who charges forward, likes to bang, takes a few while trying to dish out a few more than the other guy. But he'd like to change that perception. He has been working at the famed Wild Card in Hollywood with Freddie Roach on moving more, working smarter (not harder) and being less of a "fan-friendly" fighter.

I hope his mission to change styles fails.

OK, I'm kidding. Mostly.

For his career longevity, for his long-term health, becoming more of a boxer as opposed to a puncher-banger benefits the just-turned-28-year-old Russian. But selfishly speaking, I'd prefer we see the "old" Provodnikov on display against fellow junior welterweight David Torres in the main event of this week's edition of "Friday Night Fights," which takes place at the Northern Quest Casino in Airway Heights, Wash. (ESPN2/ESPN3 at 9 p.m. ET).

I suspect, actually, that we will see both sets of elements from the five-year pro, some of the concentration on defense, using the ring more, as well as the aggressive-attacker mode. Reason being because Torres, a Mexican-born Washington resident, basically knows only one direction in the ring: forward. This fight should be a good style clash, featuring two aggressive sorts looking to break the will of the other man.

Speaking by phone Wednesday, Provodnikov (20-1, 13 KOs; the loss coming to Mauricio Herrera last Jaunary) said Roach is now with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., readying the fighter for a Feb. 4 title defense against Marco Antonio Rubio, so Eric Brown of Wild Card will be in the Russian's corner instead. Provodnikov was with Buddy McGirt in his previous fight and with Roach for a grand total of about three weeks leading up to FNF. So as a work in progress, as an athlete trying to tweak his skill set, he hasn't had as much repetition as needed to fully ingrain new habits. I expect he'll prevail nevertheless, as Torres (1-2-2 in his past five) appears to perhaps be an "old" 33.

Provodnikov, through interpreter/manager Vadim Kornilov, offered a scouting report on Torres (21-2-2, 13 KOs): "He fights a typical Mexican style. I like to fight the fighters who fight in that style, who come to fight, and not run around the ring. It creates exciting fights. This will be two boxers that come together to make an exciting fight."

So is Torres on the downside, nearing the end of the line? "You never know," Provodnikov said. "You don't know how he prepared for recent fights. On 'Friday Night Fights,' it's a big chance for these guys. I expect him to be 200 percent ready. Those losses and draws don't mean anything."

Torres, for his part, attributes his tough stretch to his working through personal issues. A difficult breakup with his ex hung over his head, but he said in a phoner that his head is screwed on tight now.

"I'm in good shape, mentally and physically," he said. "I'm well prepared for this fight and cannot wait to get into the ring with him." Torres, too, has been working on moving laterally more, trying to stick and move instead of wading in, guns always blazing.

So is this a must win situation for Torres?

"Hopefully this goes our way," he said. "We will talk after this fight [if he loses]."

Provodnikov is coming off a disputed decision win Dec. 5 against "Chop Chop" Corley, which looks a bit better after the 37-year-old Corley handed 18-0 Gabriel Bracero his first loss last week. Torres hasn't fought in 11 months. I expect Provodnikov to be the sharper athlete and to win by stoppage in or around Round 6.

• Speedbag Ji-Hoon Kim will be making his fourth appearance on FNF, and this time he really needs a win. The 25-year-old South Korean lightweight, who turned pro in 2004 with zero amateur experience, lost back-to-back fights, against Miguel Vazquez (UD12) and Lenny Zappavigna (TKO1), before getting a W in his most recent bout (SD10) against 3-0 Dong Hyuk-Kim a year ago.

Ji-Hoon had surgery on a detached retina in May 2011, and confessed in a phoner, through interpreter/manager Paul Lee, that he got down after the Lenny Z loss. "That's natural," he said. "But I never gave up."

In fact, the day after the defeat, having traveled back from Australia to South Korea, Ji-Hoon went to the gym.

He accentuated the positive in our session, but Lee allows that the stakes are quite high going into Friday's clash with 20-2-1 Yakubu Amidu, a Ghanian who is managed by actor Vince Vaughn. "This time, we really cannot lose. Ji-Hoon cannot lose this time. It could be the last one."

ESPN's Bernardo Osuna recently caught up with Andre Berto, who is in preparations to take on Victor Ortiz in a rematch of their first meeting last April, a 2011 fight of the year candidate. Berto discussed his anemia, Ortiz's pressure and the possibility of questionable tactics in their Feb. 11 bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Check it out.

Teddy Atlas is gainfully employed by ESPN to be its analyst for "Friday Night Fights." And while the FNF season runs, the Staten Island-based trainer makes sure he sticks close to home so he can call fights for the Worldwide Leader. Atlas is pretty darned sure that he communicated this to his client, WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin. Atlas has been training the Russian for 2½ years and has helped mold him to the point that he fought Ruslan Chagaev in August for a vacant belt and won it. So he thought he had a decent line of communication with the 32-year-old boxer. Not anymore.

Atlas won't train Povetkin for his next bout, which will take place Feb. 25 against cruiserweight Marco Huck in Germany. Atlas is miffed that Povetkin won't come to the U.S. to train so that Atlas can continue his work for ESPN. Atlas maintains that the terms of the training arrangement are explicitly worded in a contract. "Our agreement from the beginning has been that I would go to Russia to train Sasha [Povetkin] when 'Friday Night Fights' was off season, and he would come to the United States to train when I was committed to being here for my ESPN duties," Atlas said. "That was what we both agreed to, and both sides know it. I have an obligation to ESPN that I have to fulfill, and I intend to fulfill it. Povetkin has an obligation, too, but I'm being told he doesn't want to come to the U.S. I had expected him to live up to his obligation and am very disappointed in Sasha."

Povetkin's manager, Vlad Hrunov, was quoted five days ago on the subject of Atlas and Povetkin and where the fighter will train.

"It is Teddy Atlas' opinion and Teddy Atlas' choice -- we are awaiting him in Russia," Hrunov told BoxRec.com. "We have a possibility to make an agreement because we are ready to pay a concession because he lose the ESPN money. He knows very well this possibility, but he wants to make [the] decision that he wants."

It looks like a standoff. Stay tuned to see if anyone blinks. I'm guessing Atlas won't. He's not the blinking type. What about you, readers?

Happy 70th birthday to "The Greatest of All Time," Muhammad Ali.

Seventy.

Let's be honest: A lot of us didn't think he'd make this milestone.

To see the once-vibrant vessel of joyful animation increasingly impacted by Parkinson's disease, which he was diagnosed with in 1984, one had to wonder how much longer the world would get to enjoy the sight of a living, breathing Ali.

His daughter Rasheda, though, didn't fall prey to worry. One of four children born to Ali's second wife, Belinda, Rasheda chatted with NYFightBlog on Tuesday morning. The Las Vegas resident was amped up, pumped to see the other Ali kids and to see all the grandchildren gathered together tonight in California. Nine kids and 11 grandkids will gather around Muhammad Ali and bask in his warmth this evening.

Rasheda talked about her father's stamp on this world, what makes him legitimately the greatest of all time, what it was like to share such a figure with the world and how his condition hasn't dampened his ability to inspire.

"He contracted Parkinson's in the early '80s," said Rasheda, who has authored a book about the condition, "I'll Hold Your Hand So You Won't Fall: A Child's Guide to Parkinson's Disease." "To be 70, in the late stages and moving around, I'm incredibly impressed with his attitude. He never feels sorry for himself. He always taught us that nothing bothers him. He's never complained, never said, 'Why me?' That's made us stronger, how he reacts. He's very healthy, takes all his medications, his wife (Yolanda) is a great caregiver. His being here has a lot to do with family and his great mental attitude."

Rasheda said that no one is sure why her dad has Parkinson's, a neurodegenerative condition suffered by 6.5 million people the world over, including 1.5 million in North America. The boxing could have triggered a predisposition, she said. But she, like all of us, hope that progress is made in research so the condition can be cured.

"I hope in my dad's lifetime he'll be cured of the condition," she said. "I have to be positive. That gives me hope. I can't let go of hope."

Growing up in New Jersey, Rasheda didn't see as much of Ali as she would have liked. Ali and mom Belinda officially divorced in 1976, so she saw him a lot when school was out. But Rasheda said that she got it pretty early on how beloved her dad was.

"It was a lot harder to share him when I was younger," she said. "I wanted to be around him, wanted to be a big part of his life. But I knew at an early age I had to share him with the world. There were frustrations, but I knew he was giving so much to so many millions of others."

That Ali is no saint has been well documented. Our media's preference for burrowing into every nook and cranny of public figures' private lives has contributed to a dearth of role models, as only those who can control message with psychotic intensity can maintain an aura of impossible goodness. (I personally write off the private failings of public figures, such as Ali's tendency toward flagrant womanizing in the '70s, especially; unless of course the private failings are those of moralizers and scolds, especially politicians or religious leaders, and then I denounce them for rampant hypocrisy.) But Rasheda is able to accept all facets of her father's personality.

"He was and is a loveable man!" she said. "The ladies love him, everyone loves him. He's very charming."

Yes, Ali has been a man of contradictions. He championed some of the more divisive racial theories of the Nation of Islam before moving towards more moderate strains of Islam. But I see him as one of the dwindling remaining figures who stood tall on principles of love and faith and non-violence, to the extent they were willing to perish for those principles. The world is so sorely lacking in such giants, like Martin Luther King Jr., and Muhammad Ali, to name two. I asked Rasheda if she thought I was overstating the import of Ali, lumping him in with MLK.

"He's one of the last," she agreed. "My dad is still here, and I'm grateful he's able to give more. My dad taught us kids, and the world, to believe in ourselves. He showed us values -- and we will take that with us -- like respect, conviction of faith, love of charity. He taught us through example. He's shown us love, and if the world had more of that, it would be a better place."

Amen to that.

Happy birthday, champ.

Bob Arum left the Phillippines on Saturday after a final meeting with Manny Pacquiao and advisor Michael Koncz.

Koncz told ESPN New York that he and Pacquiao will talk over the proposed fighters that Arum presented to them for a June bout. So, when will we know who gets the Pacquiao lotto ticket, the date to dance with the Congressman?

"Manny and I want to talk over a few things, so maybe we'll release who Manny is fighting next by the end of next week," Koncz said.

And is Floyd Mayweather Jr. still on the short list for that next fight, which would have to unfold before his June 1 report date to serve a jail term for a domestic assault on his ex-girlfriend?

"No comment," said Koncz.

Look out, Bob Arum. Hold onto your hair, Don King. Hey, Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya, there's a new gal in town, and she's looking to carve out some space in the boxing promotion world.

Maybe you've heard of her. Judging by the prolonged session of flashes that popped at McFadden's in New York City on Thursday afternoon, there seems to be a high level of interest in Snooki, aka Nicole Polizzi, a diminutive diva of reality TV and a budding empire builder. Yes, Snooki is adding "boxing promoter" to a résumé that got cooking two years ago, when "Jersey Shore" debuted on MTV, and a portion of the nation intrigued by the goings-on of carefree party people from New Jersey and regions thereabouts went gaga over their cavalcade of hot-tub hookups, barroom dustups and fascination with tanning booths.

The Marlboro, N.Y., native admitted that she isn't all that well-versed in the particulars of the sweet science, as she brought up the "Rocky" series when asked about her level of knowledge and fondness for the sport. But this hardened heart belonging to a fightwriting cynic melted a tiny touch when Snooki told the assembled media gaggle that she was diving into the boxing scene because it's an activity she can share with her dad, Andy.

Snooki is named as the "owner" of Team Snooki Boxing, which is comprised of her, her dad, Brian Burke and Mike Pascale of Final Round Promotions (a Poughkeepsie outfit) and a stable of fighters currently limited to the Hyland brothers, Patrick, Eddie and Paul.

The brothers will all rumble in the Team Snooki debut, which will unfold on Jan. 28 at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. The show will stream on Behindthering.com for $9.95.

The last time I'd seen a paparazzi orgy like the one at McFadden's, I swear, came when Mike Tyson was being arraigned back in 1991. If some of the lame-o heavyweights we see sleepwalking their way through fights these days showed half the intensity the photogs did in trying to get the money shot of Snooki, the whole business would be in much better shape.

The reality spitfire, who has put out two books, has a line of apparel in stores, and has almost 4 million Twitter followers, told the media that she is excited to be delving into the sweet science and that she will be taking up boxing for fitness.

She participated in gymnastics as a kid, and then competitive cheerleading, and also did work for Vince McMahon's WWE, so she sees boxing as a logical next step.

No, she will not train for an in-ring debut, even through she has thrown hands once or twice on the show.

"I'm not messing up this pretty face," she said. "Helping out my dad is No. 1. Me and my dad are like best friends; I'm a daddy's girl."

Andy Polizzi told the media why he's looking forward to the project, which as of now stands at four proposed shows, which will run in A.C., and perhaps Vegas and N.Y.C. as well.

"This is something daddy and daughter can share together," he said. "I'm proud of the woman she has become."

Andy said he wants to see this thing through, to the point that the Hylands win world titles. Patrick Hyland, 28, now trained by ex-super featherweight Tracy Harris Patterson, owns a 24-0 record, with 11 KOs. He will face 33-year-old Mexican vet Emmanuel Lucero (26-8, loser of two straight) at Resorts. Paul Hyland, age 27 (20-2 record, with 6 KOs), and 16-1 Eddie, who is 30, will meet opponents to be named.

I admit, I was impressed with Snooki's fighting spirit. She said she has a Google alert set up, and embraces attempted takedowns by bloggers and such.

"I think negative stuff is better, because that's when people are trying to hurt you're feeling, which means they really, really care enough to do a whole negative story about you. I like that."

May her fighters exhibit the same aggressive attitude when they are catching more than they're pitching.