Sports
The Front Row: Best-laid plans
By Nick Prevenas, Green Valley News
SUBJECT TO CHANGE: David Lopez just can’t catch a break.
When I found out he was scheduled to face Marco Antonio Rubio in Las Vegas, I could hardly contain my excitement.
“The Destroyer” embodies everything I love about boxing, and I hoped he could take his career to another level by facing a legitimate opponent.
However, Rubio is no longer listed on the card. Instead, Lopez is scheduled to face Ryan Davis — a club-level fighter without a single significant victory to his name.
The 5-foot, 6-inch Davis has spent his entire career fighting at or below the 154-pound weight limit. Lopez owns an eight-inch height advantage and has fought as heavy as 168 pounds.
Beating Rubio might have catapulted Lopez into the middleweight title picture. Beating Davis will not.
Every relevant name in the boxing business will be in Las Vegas this weekend for the Bernard Hopkins versus Joe Calzaghe bout. Perhaps Lopez will win convincingly enough to impress the right people.
VEGAS BOUND: On the bright side, a remarkable series of coincidences means I’ll get to ask “The Destroyer” about this fight card in person.
By the time this article goes to print, I’ll be in Las Vegas, having the time of my life with friends I haven’t seen in years.
Unfortunately, I made the travel arrangements prior to finding out about Lopez’s involvement, so I won’t be able to attend the fight (which hurts me deeply).
However, I will be at the weigh-in, looking to capture as many crazy Hopkins quotes or witty Calzaghe lines as possible.
I’ve spoken to Hopkins once before, and the man is a conversation avalanche. Once he starts, it’s impossible to stop him. Insightful, thought-provoking, delusional, angry, funny, scary, incendiary — pick an adjective and it will certainly apply to Hopkins once he gets going on a rant.
As for Calzaghe, this is his first trip to the States after dominating Europe’s super middleweights for the better part of a decade.
I’m on record as saying Calzaghe is the most underappreciated athlete of his generation, and I couldn’t be more excited to get his thoughts about what this fight means within the scope of what has been a remarkable career.
Tomorrow’s fight should be a fascinating contrast of styles. While it is never a good idea to pick against Hopkins, I expect Calzaghe’s unorthodox methods and tireless work rate to earn him a tight unanimous decision.
nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747
When I found out he was scheduled to face Marco Antonio Rubio in Las Vegas, I could hardly contain my excitement.
“The Destroyer” embodies everything I love about boxing, and I hoped he could take his career to another level by facing a legitimate opponent.
However, Rubio is no longer listed on the card. Instead, Lopez is scheduled to face Ryan Davis — a club-level fighter without a single significant victory to his name.
The 5-foot, 6-inch Davis has spent his entire career fighting at or below the 154-pound weight limit. Lopez owns an eight-inch height advantage and has fought as heavy as 168 pounds.
Beating Rubio might have catapulted Lopez into the middleweight title picture. Beating Davis will not.
Every relevant name in the boxing business will be in Las Vegas this weekend for the Bernard Hopkins versus Joe Calzaghe bout. Perhaps Lopez will win convincingly enough to impress the right people.
VEGAS BOUND: On the bright side, a remarkable series of coincidences means I’ll get to ask “The Destroyer” about this fight card in person.
By the time this article goes to print, I’ll be in Las Vegas, having the time of my life with friends I haven’t seen in years.
Unfortunately, I made the travel arrangements prior to finding out about Lopez’s involvement, so I won’t be able to attend the fight (which hurts me deeply).
However, I will be at the weigh-in, looking to capture as many crazy Hopkins quotes or witty Calzaghe lines as possible.
I’ve spoken to Hopkins once before, and the man is a conversation avalanche. Once he starts, it’s impossible to stop him. Insightful, thought-provoking, delusional, angry, funny, scary, incendiary — pick an adjective and it will certainly apply to Hopkins once he gets going on a rant.
As for Calzaghe, this is his first trip to the States after dominating Europe’s super middleweights for the better part of a decade.
I’m on record as saying Calzaghe is the most underappreciated athlete of his generation, and I couldn’t be more excited to get his thoughts about what this fight means within the scope of what has been a remarkable career.
Tomorrow’s fight should be a fascinating contrast of styles. While it is never a good idea to pick against Hopkins, I expect Calzaghe’s unorthodox methods and tireless work rate to earn him a tight unanimous decision.
nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747
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