DONAIRE, TARVER, AND FORREST ON RARE SHOWTIME TRIPLEHEADER

By Michael Swann

Last week it was announced that Showtime Championship Boxing will present a championship tripleheader on December 1 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut. Showtime brushed off the recent misfortunes of injuries, postponements, substitutions and cancellations, dusted themselves off, and plowed ahead in an attempt to finish the year on a high note.

IBO light heavyweight belt holder Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver, 25-4 (18), will return to Showtime to face Australian Danny Green, 24-3 (22). Green, 34, is an underrated contender who can whack. His three losses have been by decision to Anthony Mundine in May 2006, and two losses to Markus Beyer, one by majority decision in May 2005, and by DQ in August 2003.

Tarver last fought this past June, squeaking out a tough majority decision victory over Elvir Muriqi. He will be 39 by fight night and is ripe to be upset. Showtime has wanted to match Tarver with WBC belt holder Chad Dawson, but Tarver has thus far resisted, for reasons that he would know best, but that you could probably surmise.

But the early thinking here is that Tarver’s best days are behind him and he won’t even get past Green.

Two-time welterweight titlist Vernon “The Viper” Forrest, 39-2 (28), is thus far the top candidate for Comeback Fighter of the Year honors on the basis of his superb performance against Carlos Baldomir to win the vacant WBC super welterweight title in July. Against the rugged Baldomir, Forrest capped off a fairy tale return with his fourth straight win after a two year layoff due to potentially career ending injuries, with two surgeries for a rotator cuff injury on his left shoulder and a surgery to remove bone fragments from his left elbow.

Forrest’s injuries dated back to 1994 and continued through his two victories over Shane Mosley and his two defeats to Ricardo Mayorga, the only man to ever defeat him. Toward the end, Vernon was receiving 10 cortisone shots in his shoulder and 10 in his elbow and it still didn’t relieve the pain.

Now 36, Forrest will face the #1 contender and mandatory challenger, 37 year old Italian Michele Piccirillo, 48-3 (30). Piccirillo decisioned Cory Spinks in April 2002 to take the vacant IBF welterweight belt vacated by Forrest when he chose to fight Shane Mosley. Then he lost it back to Spinks the following March. He too lost to Mayorga in August 2005 for the vacant WBC light middleweight title. Piccirillo has never been stopped.

A healthy Forrest is a world class fighter and cannot be taken lightly by anyone. Look for him to win by an easy, convincing decision.

Also on the card is the IBF/IBO flyweight titlist Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, 18-1 (11), making the first defense of his titles. Donaire may well be on the cusp of stardom, and he’s matched tough against former title challenger Luis Maldonado, 37-1-1 (28).

In his last bout in July, Donaire scored a one punch knockout over the previously invincible Vic Darchinyan in a likely candidate for Upset of the Year as well as Knockout of the Year. Nonito was honored with a parade in his native Philippines for the accomplishment, and now has a six year, 17 fight winning streak.

Darchinyan came back this weekend and stopped Filipino Federico Catubay, 20-14 (11), in the 12th round for the vacant IBO super flyweight title. Catubay knocked “The Raging Bull” off balance in round six before getting decked himself in rounds 7 and 11. The end came with 57 seconds remaining as Catubay absorbed tremendous punishment in the final round before the stoppage.

The fight was held in the Armenian born Darchinyan’s home of Sydney, Australia, and considering the level of competition appears to have been designed to get Vic a belt, and restore his confidence after his unexpected devastation by Donaire.

Not surprisingly, the 31 year old Darchinyan called out Donaire for a rematch after his victory. But first Donaire has to get past Maldonado, whose only loss was an eighth round TKO to Darchinyan. He also fought WBC super flyweight titlist Cristian Mijares to a draw in a title eliminator in February 2006.

Maldonado just fought on October 5, winning a hard fought unanimous decision over unheralded Sergio Espinoza in Carona California, 115-113 (twice) and 119-109. His availability for the December 1 fight was in question because he had suffered some superficial cuts in his victory and by California law was suspended for two months. However after seeing a Connecticut surgeon he was given the green light to challenge for the title.

Donaire desperately wants to win to set up high profile fights, such as Darchinyan and others. But a motivated Maldonado is no slouch. It’s a good matchup that Donaire should win in a crowd pleaser.

BUT FIRST IN NOVEMBER…

Yes, I know that there’s another fight on November 3 which we’ll address in an upcoming column. Before that however, let’s discuss the Juan Manuel Marquez-Rocky Juarez fight on Showtime Championship Boxing for the WBC super featherweight title, to be held in Tucson, Arizona.

When that fight was scheduled as a pay per view event to be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on September 15, we scoffed at its relevance. To recap briefly, the date was originally reserved for a Marquez rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera. Barrera decided to fight a rematch with Manny Pacquiao instead and Jorge Barrios was signed. When Barrios, a good fighter but hardly PPV caliber, was injured and withdrew from the fight, former title contender Juarez was plucked off the undercard to be in the main event. It was just not my idea of what a PPV event should be.

Apparently, others felt the same way. Marquez came up with an infected knuckle and the fight was postponed and relocated, with the supporting card spread out to other venues and dates. If not premeditated, it was just as well.

But I have found new interest in the fight on Showtime WCB. Rocky, 27-3 (19) is a talented boxer, and Marquez, 47-3-1 (35), may be a Hall of Fame caliber fighter, one of the best technicians in this era. But Marquez is now 34 and you wonder how long he can maintain this level of excellence.

Whether Juarez is the man to beat Marquez is questionable. A former Silver Medallist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he’s already had three title fights and has lost them all, twice to Barrera and also to Humberto Soto.

But there is a juicy sub-plot to keep this one interesting. Pacquiao and Marquez are said to be in negotiations for the much anticipated rematch of their 2004 draw and a Juarez victory would certainly derail that. Further, the winner of the Joan Guzman - Soto fight for Guzman’s WBO super featherweight title on November 17 might have greater opportunities in the Pacquiao sweepstakes.

I see Marquez the victor by unanimous decision, but I must add this: The fight went from PPV to premium cable, from the high profile MGM Grand to the Desert Diamond Casino, from Sin City to Tucson, and I think it’s safe to say that the purses were adjusted accordingly. Will Marquez take his eye off the ball and look ahead to Pacquiao?

FINALLY…

*Reliable sources have said that negotiations are ongoing for an April fight between WBC light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson and IBF belt holder Clinton Woods, most likely to be held in the UK.

* In the ShoBox main event last Friday, T.J. Wilson caught previously undefeated Travis Walker in a corner and scored a 15 second TKO when veteran referee Raul Caiz Sr. stopped the fight. I’ve reviewed the tape several times and it appears to be a premature stoppage to me. On the other hand, I’ve spoken to others whose opinion I respect that feel that it was a good stoppage. After all, no one is closer than the referee.

Still, it’s hard to believe that a man could be damaged so quickly without the aid of a Louisville Slugger. I’m in favor of protecting fighters but… 15 seconds?

Further, I guess it’s their prerogative but why would Caiz and Executive Officer Armando Garcia decline to discuss it on television?

Let me know your opinion at mswann4@aol.com.