Last week, I stated I would not watch one second of the British Open without Tiger Woods; but when I read that 53-year-old Greg Norman held the lead after three rounds, I decided to tune in for the final day….
Despite playing in awful conditions and bogeying the first three holes, the Great White Shark still held a share of the lead after 11 holes and we were were getting close to history….
Unfortunately, someone named Padraig Harrington pulled away and won the championship and denied Norman of becoming the oldest player ever to win a major….
Even though I’ve never heard of him, I’m told Harrington won the title last year….
Since the title was won with a score over par, I have to assume Tiger would have won this tournament had he been healthy. So in my mind, Harrington is the asterisk champion….
On the telecast they mentioned Harrington is Irish, so at least he has that going for him. So it’s safe to say he’ll go on a three-day bender to celebrate….
Can’t wait to get to Las Vegas this week for the Antonio Margarito-Miguel Cotto fight, which will take place at the MGM Grand on Saturday night. If I could pick two fighters in any weight class to meet, it would be these two….
Both of them come forward, both throw combinations, both are tough and both have huge hearts. On top of that, both are great fighters and arguabky the two best Welterweights in the world….
With all due respect to Floyd Mayweather, Cotto and Margarito are the best in the 147 lb. division….
Check that, Paul Williams is also in their class and has already defeated Margarito on a controversial split decision last year at the Home Depot Center….
Question: If Williams, Cotto and Margarito are all better Welterweights than the Pretty Boy, why do so many people have the Pretty Boy on top of their Pound-for-Pound lists?….
Answer: Because HBO has been spewing this line of bulls*** for years and people believe it….
For Floyd to earn the title of boxing’s best, he needs to quit ducking the best fighters in his division….
I haven’t been to Las Vegas for a big fight in a long time, so getting to sit ringside for the best fight in years is a treat….
Prediction? Tough, tough call, but I think Margarito is a little tougher and will wear Cotto down with his relentless attack….
Antonio is a wrecking machine who methodically beats you down; which, by the way, is the same description you could apply to Cotto….
Also, Cotto is the HBO house fighter; which always seems to make a difference on the judges’ scorecards….
HBO and the powers-that-be desperately want to make a Cotto-Oscar DeLaHoya fight for December, but a Margarito win would ruin everything….
Over the years, Oscar has wanted no part of the Tijuana Tornado and certainly will not take a Margarito fight if Antonio wins….
But Oscar has interest in a Cotto fight and HBO is drooling at the thought of a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico matchup on pay-per-view….
Give the Golden Boy a couple of tune-up fights and this could be the biggest pay-per-view of all time….
Problem. Cotto has an enormous mountain to climb in Margarito….
I like Antonio to win and upset the HBO applecart….
Watch the judges, though, because of the shameful history of HBO house fighters winning scandalously bad decisions….
If it’s a close fight, Margarito will probably get screwed….
