Pacquiao vs. Mosley/ Marquez vs. Morales: Acceptance of the unacceptable

There isn’t much to get excited about in the early days of 2011; Timothy Bradley vs Devon Alexander and Fernando Montiel vs Nonito Donaire are two that spring to mind, initially. A few other fights that are 90% done deals but don’t exactly stir up much enthusiasm are Manny Pacquiao vs Shane Mosley (in May) and Juan Manuel Marquez vs Erik Morales (possibly in April).

Both fights are seen as mismatches that are driven more by politics rather than to actually please the paying fans. Let’s take a look at both fights and weigh up the positive and negative in each. After all, we as fans soon get over the initial disappointment when such fights are first announced and eventually accept what we are given. Without too many fights to look forward to (obviously this will change as the year goes on) we may as well try and make the most of what is on offer.

Pacquiao vs. Mosley

Almost everybody protested against this fight when Bob Arum first banded around Mosley’s name as a possible opponent for Manny in 2011. And for good reason. But it just goes to show how little respect fight promoters actually have for the paying fans when such protests are completely ignored and the fight gets made anyway. I don’t know anyone that endorsed this fight, certainly from a fan’s perspective. Most experts were vocal against it happening. Surely, anyone with half a brain and a good eye for boxing couldn’t see the logic in it.

Still, Bob Arum knows best and it gets signed. What’s even more disturbing is that, despite all the controversy, fans will flock in droves to see it live and pay a fortune to watch the broadcast via Pay Per View. And I will be one of the guilty parties, because as I said above; we soon get over our initial misgivings and accept what is frankly unacceptable.
OK then, onto the fight itself. Some people appear to be rationalising this match up using the classic ‘styles make fights’ adage, but what can Mosley actually bring to the table? It’s no secret that he hasn’t really earned the right to fight the P4P #1. Let’s quickly look at his two prior performances.

The showing against Mayweather was particularly frustrating to watch. Finding success with his hard right hand in round 2, Sugar Shane looked to be on his way to a massive upset and possibly handing Floyd his first defeat. But it was not to be.
For reasons unknown to me (and reasons undisclosed by Mosley in post fight interviews) he simply clammed up and refused to follow through with anything. This enabled Mayweather to regain composure and alas the total momentum of the fight. Shane danced, jigged and feinted alot but failed to actually throw anything meaningful for the remaining 10 rounds and was completely outboxed by the superb Mayweather. It was a masterclass by Money and a disaster on the part of Mosley.

In Shane’s next outing against Sergio Mora, his dire performance against an opponent who is hard to look good against anyway, resulted in the assumption that “Mosley is shot”.

A draw in a poor fight (that many had Mora winning) after the one sided loss to Mayweather was enough for people to write Sugar Shane off. But in the hard-to-figure-out world of boxing politics, this apparently was adequate to win a shot against the formidable Pac-man.

Undefeated WBC Welterweight champ Andre Berto was considered by alot of fight fans as the most legitimate opponent for Pacquiao. In all likelihood that fight would probably be one sided too. But at least there is the sense of genuine danger against a young, unbeaten lion. And it would be a more credible win for Pac-man; a great one for his latter career resume.
It’s hard to imagine Mosley having enough to beat Pacquiao. Sure, his power is still there- as witnessed when he stunned Floyd with that right hand- but will he land it effectively? Manny isn’t that hard to hit, so in the early rounds Shane may be able to stun Pacquiao. The danger of getting sparked is there for anyone ready to mix it up with Mosley. But as much as the styles of these two might go well together, does the Mosley of 2011 really have the same combat effectiveness that his style presented several years ago? Wishful thinking has many fans predicting fireworks on May 7th, but the probability of a one sided beating is pretty high. Can Pacquiao be the first to stop Mosley? Who knows? It’s just a shame that now we will have months of debate and anticipation for what is essentially an unacceptable match up.

Marquez vs. Morales

If you’d have seen these two names together several years ago it would have got a huge reception from the fans. Morales is one of the greatest Mexican warriors to lace up the gloves and Marquez is up on the same plateau with him. Both have given so much to the sport with a good number of ‘fights of the year’ (or candidates for ‘fight of the year)’ between them.

Without a doubt, two of the most exciting pugilists in the last decade of boxing and future Hall of Famers, the word legendary is entirely appropriate for both men.

But, it’s now the year 2011 and this fight is announced? It’s hard not to feel disappointed. Morales looked definitively shot in his third and final outing against Manny Pacquiao back in 2006. Giving a great, almost swan-song like performance when he first defeated Pac-man in 2005, then suffering his first knockout in the 2006 rematch, the rubber match was only going to go one way. Who can forget that utterly defeated look Morales gave to his corner when he sat on the canvas and allowed the ref to count him out?

It was the look of someone who realised they were done and just wanted to be over with it. Fast forward to 2010 and El Terrible makes a solid but unspectacular comeback. Flashes of his old brilliance were there against undeniably sub-par opposition (relative to his former greatness of course), and have paved the way for this long awaited, but poorly timed match-up.

Marquez has looked excellent recently and is still top 3 pound for pound material at the battle-worn age of 37. Which is where this fight becomes an issue. With several dangerous opponents lurking in the sidelines for Dinamita, it is seen as a cynical money making ploy to exploit the younger but more worn Morales. With still unconquered foes in the lightweight division of which he is the lineal champion, it seems we are being cheated by this mismatch. It’s hard to complain when both men have earned the right to ‘take it easy’ in the twilight years of their career. After all, when they’ve fought through as many gruelling battles as they have for our entertainment, who can deny them a big payday to fight each other at this late stage?
Wishful thinking again; some fans believe Morales will dig into the tank for one last gutsy performance and at least give a competitive fight against his fellow countryman. Most people believe though, realistically, Marquez has too much skill for the aged Morales and will outbox him to a comfortable win, maybe a late stoppage. The style match up of these two greats on paper is brilliant......about 5 or 6 years ago. Now it’s just another unacceptable fight that we will all end up exchanging views and opinions over in the lead up to it.

Both the above fights have the slim potential to be good battles. After all, anything is possible in boxing. But, the realistic facts of the match-ups will keep us grounded until fight night, where we will watch and hope for the unexpected, once again praying that our beloved sport can surprise us and justify the money we will no doubt part with en route to seeing these fights.

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English Premier League Fixtures of 4 & 5 January.

4January	Blackpool	21 : 00	Birmingham City
	Manchester United	21 : 00	Stoke City
	Fulham	21 : 00	West Bromwich Albion
5 January	Arsenal	20 : 45	Manchester City
	Wolverhampton Wa…	20 : 45	Chelsea
	Aston Villa	20 : 45	Sunderland
	Newcastle United	20 : 45	West Ham United
	Bolton Wanderers	21 : 00	Wigan Athletic
	Blackburn Rovers	21 : 00	Liverpool
	Everton	21 : 00	Tottenham Hotspur

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Small mercies

Recent history says Pakistan cricket should operate by the Chinese calendar: 2006 was the Year of Hair; 2007 the Year of Woolmer, 2008 the Year of No Test and 2009 the Year of Lahore. In that line 2010 can only be known as the Year of the Spot-Fix.

Ultimately this year was a dirty triumph for the paranoid. All the creeping growth of rumour and speculation and confusion over the last decade, relentlessly soundtracked by Sarfraz Nawaz, found release in three no-balls in August. Now every slog, wide, no-ball, dropped catch, run-out, loss, win, any and every thing will forever fall under a scanner of revitalised paranoia.

And the spot-fixing scandal didn't just deprive Pakistan of three vital players although the loss of a potential long-term captain and arguably the world's best new-ball pair cannot be oversold. It also pushed Pakistan to the very precipice of cricketing existence.

The PCB's initial reaction to the News of the World sting operation was typical of this administration: a bumbling, incoherent self-denial. Noises were made about conspiracies before outrageously incendiary accusations were hurled at England, a lone ally. It left Pakistan friendless and homeless, and at one stage - make no mistake - suspension of their membership or at least that of their chairman, was a very real outcome.

Since those critical ICC meetings in October, however, the PCB - with much steering from the ICC's reconstituted task force - has pulled itself back a little. Ijaz Butt has stopped talking publicly so much and a raft of anti-corruption and disciplinary measures have been or are being implemented. But as the flight of Zulqarnain Haider shows, calamity is never far. And other, equally grave, problems remain. After the summer's shenanigans, England can, for now, not be considered a home. The UAE remains geographically feasible but logistically and financially not so much.

That there was at least enough on the field to occasionally distract from all the troubles was some consolation. There still wasn't a Test or ODI series win - Pakistan haven't had one of the former since November 2006 and an ODI series win since November 2008 - but there were plenty of moments to reaffirm that cricket without Pakistan would be a less colourful arena.

Test wins over Australia - the first in 15 years - and England in England, a drawn series with South Africa and a semi-final run in an ICC event are fair collections in any year; in one that began with a dysfunctional whitewash, and for the duration of most of which four top players were banned and then three more were lost, it is actually remarkable.

Indeed it is frightening to think what may have been achieved had Pakistan managed to synchronise their bowling riches from the English summer with the batting growth seen later in the year in the UAE. Or if they'd had one Test captain rather than four; or one coach; or one chief selector. It has ever been thus. Most importantly, that strange, uncontrollable collective spirit was still present, evidenced in outstanding ODI comebacks against England and South Africa. After four of the worst years any side could have, there is deep comfort in that knowledge.

High point
It should've come in Sydney in the New Year, but a first Test win over Australia in 15 years was no less sweet when it arrived in Leeds in July. They nearly fluffed it of course but on the first day Pakistan's attack proved itself to be among the best in cricket. Given the regular flux of their performances, however, the result ultimately said more about Australian decline than it did about Pakistani rise.

New kid on the block
Azhar Ali's emergence at one down was as necessary as it was uplifting. Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf apart, Pakistan have lacked men to bat long and stabilise matters but in Azhar they have one. Only five times in 16 innings did he bat less than an hour, and his five fifties have all been patient affairs. His technique just about held in a tough initiation in swinging England and it bore sweet reward on flatter surfaces in the UAE. His arrival made up for the disappointment of Umar Akmal's decline, though Azhar needs a Test hundred to break through.

Fading star

Captaincy, ban, retirement, return, hero, axe - so has gone the strangest year of Mohammad Yousuf's career. At no stage has he looked out of form (and his returning fifty at The Oval was technically the best Pakistani innings on that tour), but in 18 international innings this year he crossed 50 only twice. With the emergence of younger middle-order options, the axing from the Test squad to New Zealand at 36 had a ring of finality about it.

What 2011 holds
The World Cup is the biggest challenge, and if they can continue the run in which they have reached at least the semis of the last four ICC events, it will be a win. Thereafter, a first tour to the Caribbean in six years brings with it the possibility of a drought-breaking Test and ODI series win. Worryingly there isn't much else on the calendar after that for now.

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Pakistan better suited for ODI cricket - Afridi

Pakistan's one-day captain Shahid Afridi has said Pakistan will be a surprise package in the World Cup later this year, despite the problems plaguing the team's recent campaigns, due to them being better suited to the 50-over format.

"No matter what people say and believe, I'm confident that Pakistan will do really well in the World Cup," Afridi told the News after returning from New Zealand following the three-match Twenty20 series there which his side lost 1-2. "I won't make any predictions but would make it clear that Pakistan will take their best shot for the World Cup title."

With under 50 days left for the event, Pakistan are yet to finalise their 30-man preliminary squad. Three of their key players -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir -- have been provisionally suspended following the spot-fixing controversy and their fates will be decided in Doha, later this week. There are doubts over the futures of two other players - Shoiab Malik and Kamran Akmal - who will appear before the board's integrity committee prior to the announcement of the preliminary list.

"It's certainly not an ideal situation," Afridi said of the side's controversy-ridden build-up to the World Cup. "But it's our history that we give our best under pressure."

Pakistan have performed reasonably well in their recent one-day campaigns, taking five-match series against England and South Africa to the final games. Afridi said Pakistan's one-day side was more likely to succeed than their outfits for the other formats.

"I would agree that a lot of work has to be done before we start doing well in Tests consistently," he said. "Even our Twenty20 team needs a world of improvement. But when it comes to one-day cricket, we are close to achieving an ideal combination. Most of the players in our Twenty20 team are better suited to the one-day format."

Afridi hinted he had given up on the option of opening the innings following his failures at the top in the New Zealand Twenty20s. "The idea behind my decision to open was to help give the team some fast and useful starts," he said. "But it didn't work out. Now I've decided to stick to No.6 spot both for Twenty20s and ODIs in the future."

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South Africa strike after Kallis masterclass

Jacques Kallis was the only batsman to survive the difficult phase against the second new ball and his solidity ensured South Africa reached a formidable total despite losing four wickets in quick time on the second morning at Newlands. Sreesanth had threatened to end South Africa's innings for less than 300 but he and the rest of the Indian bowlers failed to dislodge Kallis, who drew level with Ricky Ponting on 39 Test centuries and added 79 runs with the last two batsmen, prolonging India's wait to bat.

When India's openers finally began their reply, South Africa's bowlers were at them from the start even though the pitch seemed to have eased out. Dale Steyn found movement with the new ball, while his partner Morne Morkel extracted steep bounce, their extra pace hurrying India's batsmen for time. South Africa prised out two wickets and had reduced India to 45 for 2 when the players went in for tea.

The second day began in contrast to the first, with an azure sky replacing the grey of the opening day, and burst into life as soon as MS Dhoni handed the second new ball to Sreesanth when it was three overs old. He struck consecutive blows in his first over and South Africa were soon reduced to 283 for 8, after having begun play on 232 for 4. Kallis was tested too, and beaten often, but he combined tight technique with aggression and resisted India.

Having bowled Ashwell Prince through the bat-pad gap and got Mark Boucher caught behind first ball with an outswinger, Sreesanth was good enough to trouble Kallis as well with away seamers. Kallis countered, punching powerfully to the long-on boundary and whipping through midwicket when the lengths were too full. He had begun the day on 81 and those boundaries took him to 99, but he watched Dale Steyn fend a short ball from Zaheer into the slips before he had the strike again. And when he did, Kallis flicked Sreesanth to fine leg to bring up an invaluable century in trying conditions.

Morne Morkel also fell cheaply, wafting Sreesanth to Dhoni, reducing South Africa to 283 for 8. The responsibility of prolonging the innings was now Kallis' and his task got harder when an attempted pull against Sreesanth strained his side. He winced as he held his rib cage with a hand that was already bruised, and got on with the job.

Kallis had support from Paul Harris and did not feel the need to farm the strike during a 27-run partnership for the ninth wicket, which took South Africa past 300. That association ended when Ishant bounced Harris from round the wicket and the defensive fend ended in leg slip's hands. With only Lonwabo Tsotsobe remaining, Kallis took most of the strike and attacked. He pulled and off-drove Zaheer in an over which cost India ten runs, and when he edged Ishant through a one-man slip cordon for four, South Africa brought up 100 runs for the first session.

Kallis resumed after lunch by pulling a 116-kph short ball from Sreesanth to the boundary. He would often block the first few balls of an over and then slam boundaries off the last deliveries when the field came in to try and deny him singles. Consecutive square-driven fours off the last two balls of a Sreesanth over took Kallis past 150, and India's frustration grew when Sachin Tendulkar fumbled the first ball of the next to let Tsotsobe off strike. This routine played out a couple of times before Kallis chased and edged Zaheer, falling for 161. The Cape Town crowd gave its hero a rousing ovation as he walked off after a job supremely well done.

Kallis did not take the field when India began their response. He was nursing his strained side when Virender Sehwag, having driven Dale Steyn to the cover boundary the previous ball, mis-timed a drive towards extra cover, where Graeme Smith dived forward to take a low catch.

Rahul Dravid could have been dismissed on 4, when Gautam Gambhir called him for a single and sent him back, but he watched Kallis' substitute JP Duminy miss the stumps at the non-striker's end. Gambhir could have been dismissed on 10 but he watched his edge get dropped by Alviro Petersen at gully. South Africa were soon celebrating, though, for Dravid had risked a single on the dropped catch. AB de Villiers pounced on the stray ball, slid, turned quickly and threw down the stumps at the batsman's end. Dravid did not sprint, he did not run in a straight line, he did not dive and he did not wait for the third umpire's decision.

Gambhir and Tendulkar took India through to tea, with South Africa steadily taking control of the Test that will decide the series.

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England chip away on rain-hit day

The hard work of Australia's top order was beginning to unravel at the SCG as both sides sparred for the ascendency on a truncated opening day of the final Ashes Test. The hosts had slipped to 4 for 134 when further rain ended play, with Usman Khawaja falling to the final ball before the weather closed in having made 37 in a promising start to his Test career.

England couldn't quite match the intensity of their opening day in Melbourne, but chipped away once the opening partnership was broken in the final over before lunch when Phil Hughes edged to third slip. Shane Watson went for another unfulfilled innings when he nicked Tim Bresnan and Michael Clarke's first innings as Australia's 43rd Test captain continued his poor run when he cut to gully.

Clarke had been greeted by a heady mixture of boos and cheers, the former in the majority, and for a short while there was a glimpse into Australia's likely future with the captain alongside the new No. 3. Khawaja began his Test career by racing to 15 off eight balls as he rode on the emotion of the occasion before reigning himself in with some solid defence. However, with another shower moments away, he top edged a sweep against Graeme Swann which looped to square leg.

It was clear from the start that Clarke was feeling the nerves of his first real day in the top job. He watched pensively from the dressing room as Australia got off the mark and he may secretly have wished not to have needed to make a decision at the toss. Batting first is usually the way forward in Sydney, but a muggy, overcast morning and a tinge of green on the pitch meant England's quicks weren't disappointed to have first crack at a top order they have largely dominated during the series.

However, whereas they regularly found the edge in Melbourne here the ball beat the bat frequently, especially in the first hour, without getting reward. Chris Tremlett caused the most problems during a probing first spell where he troubled Watson and Hughes with extra bounce.

James Anderson also found swing to have a couple of stifled lbw shouts although he was troubled by his take-off area, almost turning his ankle with his second ball, and also gained a warning for his follow through from Billy Bowden. His first spell ended with figures of 5-0-5-0 and after 12 overs Australia had 17 runs, but the value of not losing early wickets was far greater than what the scoreboard showed.

The determination started to pay off as Hughes tucked into Bresnan's second over with consecutive boundaries then cut Swann's second ball to bring up Australia's fifty. Watson gave a good lesson in leaving on length as Tremlett's deliveries kept sailing over the stumps, but Hughes wasn't equal to the challenge when he pushed outside off and offered a simple chance to third slip.

It meant Khawaja had 40 minutes to ponder his first ball in Tests, but he calmly clipped his opening delivery from Tremlett through the leg side for two then cracked away a bristling pull next ball. He was later given another gift on leg stump which was flicked away and had the skill to play with soft hands so when he twice edged the ball it fell short of second slip.

Either side of a needless stoppage for bad light - the floodlights hadn't been turned on - Khawaja appeared to have plenty of time to play his shots, guiding Tremlett down to third man, and was confident to come onto the front foot in defence. Watson, after hitting his first boundary from his 89th ball, was also starting to find rhythm.

However, with another half-century looming Watson played forward to Bresnan and the ball shaped away a touch to find the edge and was well taken at first slip. He slammed his bat in frustration before dragging himself off the pitch.

Clarke began with a sweet cover drive first ball, but rain then forced an early tea and when play resumed he tried to cut a ball that cramped him for room and gave Anderson a catch at gully. A captain's job is much tougher when he isn't making runs and it has been Clarke's poor return in this series which has clouded his future as the long-term leader.

Mike Hussey's early scoring shots were mainly down to third man as he kept the slips interested on a surface juiced up after being covered. But it wasn't seam or swing that ended Khawaja's two-hour stay when he went to sweep the final ball of Swann's first over back. However, given the problems facing Australia, the first sight of Khawaja in a baggy green was a rare piece of promising news.

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Misbah shines but Pakistanis stumble

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who was rested for the Twenty20 series against Pakistan, picked up three wickets on the second day of the tour game against the Pakistanis, who were struggling in Whangarei despite captain Misbah-ul-Haq's unbeaten 99. New Zealand, who ended the first day on a comfortable 342 for 4, collapsed to 384 all out on the second morning. Fast bowlers Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir, who shared seven wickets between them, ran through the New Zealand middle and lower order as New Zealand lost 6 for 42.

The Pakistani innings got off to a disastrous start as Chris Martin's early burst left them reeling at 22 for 3 after seven overs. Mohammad Hafeez was the first to go, caught behind off Martin in the first over before Taufeeq Umar was dismissed similarly in Martin's next over. Younis Khan soon followed, also caught behind for 7.

At 39 for 4, when Azhar Ali was trapped lbw by Trent Boult, a familiar Pakistani batting collapse looked imminent but it was avoided through Misbah's efforts. He had a solid first Test series as captain, scoring three-half-centuries in two matches against South Africa and he continued to be in good touch. He and Asad Shafiq steadied the innings with a 52-run fourth-wicket partnership before Shafiq was dismissed by Vettori.

That brought wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal to the crease, who played positively, hitting seven boundaries in his 31-ball 35. His partnership of 57 with Misbah carried Pakistan to 148 before he was dismissed by James Franklin. Misbah also received good support from Abdur Rehman (20) and Umar Gul (24), as the Pakistani lower order showed some fight. Vettori dismissed both Rehman and Gul and Pakistan ended the day on 234 for 8, still trailing New Zealand by 150 runs with Misbah unbeaten on 99.

The first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand begins in Hamilton on January 7 and while the visitors will be pleased at how their bowlers bounced back on the second day, the indifferent form of their batting will be a worry.

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