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Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Tommy Morrison Talks MMA Debut, Boxing vs MMA, and Plans to Call Out Chuck Liddell
Yes, I’m talking about former heavyweight boxing champion, former co-star of Rocky V, and former contractor of HIV Tommy Morrison. What’s he doing opening his mouth?
We have to go back and remember Chuck Liddell’s original comment towards Morrison during his infamous interview with Good Morning Texas where Liddell was out of it after taking medicine. When asked who he would want to fight, Liddell responded with Morrison, obviously as a joke. Well it seems that Tommy boy isn’t taking it that way…
Similar to his boxing counterparts in the form of Kermit Cintron, Floyd Mayweather Jr, as well as HBO announcer Jim Lampley, Morrison has gone ahead and defended his sport against those who compete in MMA. He’s also expressed his interest in fighting Liddell and has even said that he plans to call him out at the UFC 71 press conference, which is scheduled for tomorrow by the way.
Let’s break down Morrison’s comments…
Morrison stated that he will be making his MMA debut on June 9th in Arizona against John Stover. The fight will use modified MMA rules where neither fighter is permitted to take the fight nor continue it on the ground. He also talked about his future plans which include a victory over Stover, another boxing match under the Top Rank banner, and then a “mega PPV fight against Liddell in Japan"…
“This guy’s like 350 pounds, so no, I’m not going to the ground. I saw a tape of him the other day, and he’s a big son of a bitch but he’s awkward and slow. But I’m just doing it to help Peter McKinn out, pick up a little money, and sharpen my skills. Then, 20 days later I’ll be back on a Top Rank card at the same place. This is a one time thing. I’m making money and sharpening my skills and it could possibly lead to a mega pay per view fight with Chuck Liddell in Japan down the line. I’ll go over there, make about ten million bucks, slap him out in three rounds…easiest ten million dollars you can make in your life.”
First off, I hope that Morrison is aware that he’s making himself look bad by having the rules modified in order to save himself. Morrison also better hope that the fight doesn’t turn out to be a complete war on the feet or else he won’t be fighting 20 days later like he expects.
Why would you want to fight Liddell over in Japan Tommy? There’s no reason to go over there when it’s obvious you would make the most money right here in the US. Are you afraid of testing positive since a fight against Liddell would most likely be held in Las Vegas or California, not Texas where testing is so lenient.
Here’s my favorite part of Morrison’s rant. According to Morrison’s logic, Butterbean is destroying everyone in the UFC:
“The thing people don’t understand is these UFC guys, if they’re going against another UFC guy, they’re probably pretty good, but a skilled boxer…Butterbean is putting guys in the f*cking hospital. And Butterbean in the boxing world is below mediocre, but in UFC he’s mowing through guys like a knife through hot butter. And (Ray) Mercer is making the transition, Mayweather’s talked about it, and I’m going to do it. Once fighters (boxers) start planting these f*ckers, that sport will go down the tubes in six months. You wait. It’s gonna happen, and we’re going to cash in on it before it happens and ride the waves and expose them.”
First off Tommy, it doesn’t pay to be ignorant. If you are going to try and intelligently discuss a topic, you should try and do a little research on it before running your mouth. Eric Esch has never fought in the UFC and most likely never will because of the 265 lb limit in the organization’s heavyweight division. Go check Butterbean’s record and fight card. He’s 10-3 but go ahead and look at who he’s fought. All of his losses have come against decent fighters. All of his wins with the exception of James Thompson and Cabbage Correira have come against former pro wrestlers, 400 pounders, and cans.
But the best part of this whole thing is Morrison’s plan to attend the UFC 71 pre-event press conference and call out Liddell. The press conference is actually scheduled to be held tomorrow so it should be interesting to hear about what happens.
“I’ll go back and forth between boxing and mixed martial arts if I have to, there’s possibly a lot of money to be made there. Maybe build something up with Chuck Liddell, I’m going to show up at his press conference in Vegas and I’m going to pop off to him and get some sh*t going.”
Two things are going to happen - Morrison isn’t even going to be allowed to attend the conference or he will be let in and then laughed at once he tries to start something with Liddell. Now I would continue with this rant but I’m afraid that Morrison is going to pay me a visit at my house for saying bad things about him. Hysterical…
As for this whole boxing vs MMA thing, here’s the deal. If you take a boxer and have him fight under MMA rules, he will most likely lose. If you take a mixed martial artist and put him in a ring with a pro boxer, he will most likely lose. It’s as simple as that…
Cross-posted on our sister site - MMA on Tap
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Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Ibragimov Disgusted With Fellow Heavyweights
Number one WBO heavyweight contender Sultan Ibragimov, disappointed at seeing his long-awaited title shot against Shannon Briggs postponed due to the champion’s illness, minced no words when it came to the topic of the Brooklyn-born Briggs and the rest of the heavyweight division.
“It seems that everything having to do with Briggs is attached to an excuse,” said Ibragimov. “I don’t understand why he just can’t get in the ring and fight. We all get aches and pains and little sicknesses when we’re preparing for a fight, but the real fighters fight through them. Unfortunately, it seems there aren’t any real fighters left.”
High-profile heavyweights Ray Mercer, Dominick Guinn, Taurus Sykes, and Lou Savarese, among others, were all offered substantial paydays to battle the unbeaten Ibragimov on March 10th, but they refuse to get in the ring with the top contender in the game today.
“I’m disgusted, but at the same time I’m not surprised that these so-called fighters won’t fight me,” said Ibragimov. “They’re all like Briggs – no heart.”
The bout between Briggs and Ibragimov will be rescheduled.
“The weather will be nicer so Briggs may show up to defend his title,” said Ibragimov. “Unless he gets a sunstroke and has to pull out again.”
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Saturday, January 27, 2007
EEC - January 27, 2007
Saturday! Saturday! Saaaturday! Saturday! Saturday! I’m such a loser…
News, Notes, and Rumors:
- Former WBC Heavyweight Champion Hasim Rahman is supposedly very close to completing a deal that will have him fighting Sinan Samil Sam in May in an odd location, Turkey…
“We’re in serious negotiations and expect to complete them by next week some time,” Rahman’s manager Steve Nelson said Friday. “We are pretty close to finalizing the deal.”
We reported that Rahman was going to fight Ray Mercer last week but Rahman pulled out of the fight, stating he still has some pre-existing injuries that need to heal up before he steps back into the ring.
“It had nothing to do with money. It had to do with the fact that [Rahman] had some problems and we’re not going to take the fight unless he’s 100 percent,” Nelson said.
- The Rahman-Mercer fight was scheduled to be televised on Versus and now the network is desperately searching for another main event fight to take it’s place. If anyone is interested please get in contact with them…
- One more note on the Rahman-Sam fight: Joe Mesi will be featured on the undercard, taking on George Linberger in a 10 round affair…
- According to the Times Online, Calvin Brock has dropped trainer Tommy Yankello and hired Pernell Whitaker to be his new one…
- Want tickets for Manfredo-Calzaghe? Better act fast…
Tickets for the April 7 Joe Calzaghe/Peter Manfredo Jr. super middleweight title fight (HBO) are going like hotcakes. Promoter Frank Warren announced today that with nine weeks still to go until the opening bell of this transcontinental clash, over 20,000 tickets have already been sold.
Some Good Reads:
Boxing Scene: Jorge “Travieso” Arce: Atop Boxing’s Evil Empire
SI: Heavy deadweight
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Saturday, January 20, 2007
EEC - January 20, 2007
Vlad Klitschko and Ray Austin are going to clash on March 10th. Is this fight the beginning of the next wave of heavyweight bout signings? We will find out next week…
News, Notes, and Rumors:
- Is Junior Witter going to stop talking? Honestly, he hasn’t stopped once this week. I normally would go ahead and post away with the gossip but it’s different with Witter. See it’s just like he’s come out of nowhere, trying to steal the spotlight from the other three big fights this weekend.
He’s not even on the same level as the names he is throwing out there and the best thing about this - He has a fight tomorrow night. With his mind elsewhere I hope Witter loses and then cries like a little girl, serves him right for going Hollywood and not focusing on his opponent…
- Joe Frazier’s left hook is still just as fast, I promise…
Smokin’ Joe is still quick with a counterpunch.
Asked if he had any birthday wishes for Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier came right back.
“Whose birthday?” he said.
Never mind that Frazier was appearing at Madison Square Garden to help promote a documentary about the 50 greatest moments in Madison Square Garden history and that his first fight with Ali on March 8, 1971, was listed among the top five.
After good-naturedly pointing out that he also deserved birthday greetings for having turned 63 last Friday, Frazier wished Ali, “Happy birthday.”
- It’s offical: Manny Pacquiao will face Injin Chi of South Korea on April 28…
- Reports are saying that the price for the De La Hoya-Mayweather PPV on May 5th may be as much as $54.95.
- Anyone wondering what Hasim Rahman is up to? Here’s the latest…
Former two-time heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman (41-6-2, 33 KOs) will fight once-formidable contender Ray Mercer (34-6-1, 25 KOs) on Feb. 22 (Versus) at Mountaineer Race Track in West Virginia in his first fight since losing his belt via 12th-round knockout to Oleg Maskaev in August. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Rahman was going to fight Mercer rather than go to Germany in March for a proposed bout with former title challenger Luan Krasniqi. Arum said the fight in Germany might be made for late spring if Rahman beats Mercer, who hasn’t fought since Shannon Briggs knocked him out in the seventh round in August 2005.
Some Good Reads:
TSS: Is Boxing More Dangerous Than Football?
FOX Sports: Hatton’s Vegas tango with Urango
MaxBoxing: Compubox Analysis - Hatton vs Urango
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