SOUND & FURY: The Strange Case of Amir Khan, Minimum Requirements for the “Bad Decision” Club, The Super Six Sinks Some More, Pavlik Eyes The Big Time Once Again, Bernard Hopkins & Selective Trash Talk

Two of the least pleasant personalities in boxing–Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.–have been given another opportunity to spout off without a whiff of class in the air.

Their press junket to publicize one of the most ludicrous matches in recent boxing history is full of the kind of nonsense boxing “journalists” love to drool over. Hopkins and Jones Jr. have always been full of delusional braggadocio, but now their classlessness is combined in a special 2-for-1 deal. One of the most interesting aspects of their “debate” sessions, however, is what is not being said.

Anyone want to bet that avoiding the fact that Jones Jr. is a recent first round KO massacre victim is the official GBP party line? If Hopkins really wanted to dig into Jones Jr., all “The Executioner” has to do is mock Jones Jr. for having been knocked out three times in the last few years or snicker at the fact that Danny Green bushwacked Jones Jr. in 122 seconds only a few months ago. But that would be devaluing the product. Instead, Hopkins mumbles on about “death certificates” and “finishing” Jones Jr. for good. Never mind the fact that Jones Jr., despite the less than loquacious lube jobs lamentable Lyle Fitzsimmons still lavishes on him occasionally, has been washed-up for years. As for talk about “death certificates?” This is coming from a fighter, Hopkins, who has scored one knockout in nearly seven years, and that against a former lightweight.

Hopefully, this reeking sideshow of cynicism will be avoided by discriminating fans. Otherwise, prepare to see more of this kind of celebrity boxing nonsense, a GBP specialty, on a regular basis.

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Well, another “robbery” occurred in boxing last Saturday when Gerry Penalosa lost a split decision to Eric Morel in Las Vegas. Usually, whenever someone is “robbed,” Compubox stats are trotted out in favor of the aggrieved party. Of course, this was impossible to do in the case of Penalosa who, according to Compubox figures, threw fewer punches, landed fewer punches, and connected at a lower percentage. Penalosa landed an average of 10 (ten!) punches per round, Morel landed a shade over 12, and there were no knockdowns or points deducted in the fight. If Penalosa won the bout, as so many have dribbled forth, then surely it could not have been by more than one or two points. Two points, of course, is one round away from a draw. How does this equation add up to a robbery? Ask the usual suspects. What a shame all fights cannot be first or second round knockouts, that way competitive bouts no longer have to exist to tax limited imaginations.

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So far this year, the only blatant robbery in a major fight has been the Beibut Shumenov-Gabriel Campillo fiasco. This injustice, however, has already been drowned out by the weekly robbery sermons that occur in boxing. As a general rule, fighters who only land 10 punches per round and connect with a measly 22% rate ought to be ineligible for consideration as Bad Decision candidates, a distinction as meaningless these days as that of champion is.

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Just how watered down is contemporary boxing? Well, consider Shumenov as an example. With only 10 professional fights under his belt, Shumenov has already fought six times for one title or another, including two “WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS,” a ratio equal to his knockout percentage. In one fight alone, Shumenov fought for four titles simultaneously. Naturally, he is also in the “Bad Decision” club, having lost by points to Campillo last year in his own hometown of Kazakhstan.

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The strange case of Amir Khan, Marcos Maidana, and Golden Boy Promotions – -where GBP has contractually obligated Maidana to avoid Khan for three fights or a calendar year, whichever comes first – - has been compared to the way Top Rank is building a potential bout between Juan Maunuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa by expert after expert. Ummm, no. Gamboa is not the number one contender to Juan Manuel Lopez, or vice versa, and is not obligated, at least theoretically, to face Lopez or be stripped of his title. Maidana, as BMX Interim Satrap, is a mandatory to Khan, whose handlers appear wary of matching him up with the crude but destructive Argentine. Maidana, in effect, has accepted one of the most comprehensive step-aside packages in boxing history. Rumors that a 401K plan and stock options in GBP are included have not yet been verified.

It is almost a sure bet that Maidana will be matched tougher than Khan over the course of the next year. While GBP talks about Khan facing 36-year old lightweight Juan Manuel Marquez and punchless Paulie Malignaggi, Maidana is scheduled to face 24-0 Victor Cayo. Of course, Khan, who signed with Golden Boy for a reported $1 million minimum per fight, will get paid many, many more simoleons than Maidana every time he steps into the ring because….because….anybody know the answer to this?

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Bernabe Concepcion, who earned a unanimous decision over Mario Santiago last week, looked like a much improved fighter since losing to Steven Luevano via DQ last summer. His next opponent, Juan Manuel Lopez, has somehow popped up as a hands-down favorite among insiders, but leaky defense, a Lopez trademark, always makes for an equalizer.

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Kelly Pavlik returns to the Big Time when he faces slick Sergio Martinez on April 17 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. After a 2009 best left forgotten, Pavlik now has a chance to silence his critics and get over the PTSD he suffered after being manhandled by Bernard Hopkins in 2008. For Martinez, it is further proof that he is one of the few real prizefighters operating today, willing to mix it up with just about anybody for a chance at big paydays and the glory that comes with them. At this point, Martinez might have a slight edge going into the bout. A shifty southpaw with more pop than perhaps given credit for, Martinez will also benefit from having a full training camp. He took his last fight, a barnburner against Paul Williams, on short notice as a substitute.

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According to Boxingtalk.com, Andre Dirrell will pull out of his scheduled Super Six bout with Arthur Abraham currently set for March 6 at Rancho Mirage, California. By now The World Boxing Classic has lost a considerable amount of its initial luster. Jermain Taylor was bought out of his Super Six obligations after being starched by Arthur Abraham, a proposed box-off between Sakio Bika and Allan Green to determine a replacement for Taylor fell through, Dirrell is a stinkout artist extraordinaire, rudimentary Carl Froch was the ungrateful recipient of a gift decision, Mikkel Kessler was undressed, and Andre Ward is a mauling headbanger. In addition, the Froch-Ward bout had to be pushed back when HBO decided it would flex its corporate muscle with counterproductive counter programming. A good fight would work wonders in bringing some buzz back to the Super Six, but when is a good fight going to break out?