Hello fight fans!!!

After another prolonged absence (thank you for the e-mails, phone calls and snail mail, I am fine and hope all is well with you and yours, and I apologize for not getting back to some of you), I return to the scene where I started writing this column 10 years ago.

Wow, has it really been that long? Yes.

During that time, we've seen the good, bad and ugly. I have seen many writers come and go, just like anything else, I suppose. Web sites crop up and then come down. The internet scene is a bit different now then it was 10 years ago. I would say the top three are still there. Well, maybe two: Fightnews.com and Maxboxing.com.

I suppose you can throw in Boxingtalk.com and Ringtalk.com, as well. Internet forums are going strong (though I've retired from them, let's just say for "personal reasons" and leave it at that). Boxing is not dead, though this summer is going to be slow.

The MMA is not for me. Sorry, as odd as this may sound, it is just too barbaric for this writer. Give me a good boxing match anytime.

Speaking of which, too bad the Floyd Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez fight is "off". I think it was due to bad ticket sales, so much for Money-May, May-Money saying he was the "cash" cow. That is laughable. Oscar De La Hoya is one. Mike Tyson was one. I was surprised to see Floyd lose his cool when talking to BK (Brian Kenny), who've I've always liked.

Perhaps more disappointing was the way BK was maybe antagonizing Floyd. The aforementioned fight was a farce though. I see no way the tough JMM beats Floyd. Better it was scrapped, though instead of getting Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao, we get Pacquiao-Miguel Angel Cotto. Not a bad match up but not the match up I believe most fans wanted to see, hardcore or not.

Wladimir Klitschko is going strong, though I fell asleep in his last title fight against Ruslan Chagaev. Just dreadful. But that's the way Wlad fights now. Protects his chin, he like Lennox Lewis, has been "reborn" with the help of trainer and TV man, Manny Stewart.
Unfortunately for most fight fan's, this equates to boring. A "safety" first style, if you will. I, however, enjoy the sweet science. "Hit and not be hit."

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good scrap, but fighters who lead with their face, don't appeal to me. Arturo Gatti, Mickey Ward come to mind. I understand trying to "please" the fans, but where are the fans when those fighters are damaged goods?

It broke my heart to see the Quarry brothers destroyed due to their wills and chins. They were just too game for their own good. While most will say, "that's boxing," I would disagree. If you have the skills of a Roy Jones Jr., or Floyd or the great Sweet Pea Whitaker why not use them?

The Joshua Clottey-Cotto fight was well, just how I thought it would play out. A close decision goes to Cotto. And that's what happened. I bet Joshua at +300 at the Rio (good value IMO) and knew if he didn't knock him out, he would not get the nod. Started off strong, but the knockdown in the first round was a bad sign. Also, whenever the reading of the decision takes five minutes, its not a good sign either. I thought, while it was no robbery, that a 116-11 Cotto scorecard was a bit much.

Money on it or not. Clottey came forward the whole fight (only at times staying on the ropes) to make a fight. It seems Miguel was on his back foot and bike the last six rounds or so. Reminded me a bit of Oscar when he fought Trinidad. Some judges like a fighter that stalks, and Cotto was hitting mostly gloves and forearms. Clottey didn't close the show. If he would have been a bit more busier, he might have pulled it out. Or should I say if he had a bit more power, Ala Manny PacMan. He was tagging Cotto with the uppercuts and right hands.

Again, I still think it was a good bet, a live dog, just didn't get to the finish line. I don't think Cotto sees the final bell against Pacquiao. I will probably bet the knockout prop.

Champs Flurries: Well, as you know, I'm a bit of a sports bettor.

After going 4-0 (UNC to win the national title, Denver Nuggets over the Dallas Mavs, PacMan over Ricky Hatton, and, finally, the LA Lakers over the Nuggets in the championship), I made a mistake. Instead of taking the Lakers over the Orlando Magic in the finals, I bet the Detroit Redwings at home in Game 7, and then Clottey. So I was 4-2.

Not bad, but not great. I would probably not have bet the two losses, had I bet the Lakers and been a perfect 5-0. I did bounce back and bet Tiger to NOT win the U.S. Open. So I stand at 5-2.

Mayweather was my next bet, but since that is off, I will have to find something else to bet on. In full disclosure, I did bet DLH vs. Pac and the Philadelphia Phillies to beat the LA Dodgers in the NLCS, but that was last year and they do cancel each other out.

Betting is a tough game, I admire those that can grind out a winning record. I am covering the WSOP (World Series of Poker) in Vegas, so I know all about "bad bets." Poker is another passion of mine, though I'm a player that plays poker, not a Poker Player, for whatever that's worth. Getting a bit better, but I still have a long way to go.

Well that's it fight fans! Keep your hands up and keep punching for the stars!!!