UCN Week in Review – Boom Boom is Back
Following his induction to the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame last weekend, the former WBA lightweight strap holder, and UCN friend and contributor, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini stopped by the office/studio for a lively Facebook Live version of Gloves Off with UCN’s Steve Kim. Wide ranging and hard hitting, as always, Ray let his hands (and mouth) go, to the delight of all present.
The Olympics kicked off this week in Rio without head gear for the first time in 30-years and a solid preview from Rian Scalia (The 2016 Olympic boxing power rankings). While a lot of attention was paid during the Walk of Nations to the team assembled of refuges, UCN’s eyes were firmly planted on the Iraqi delegation, where the flag bearer, boxer Waheed Abdulridha Karaawi, is the subject of an upcoming documentary on his unlikely path to these Rio Games. The documentary (current working title Hands of God, formerly Throwing Bombs in Baghdad) follows the Iraqi National Boxing Team as they attempt, during the most trying of circumstances, to make the Olympics. Waheed’s unlikely path saw him run the table in the last Olympic qualifier in Baku. Unable to compete in previous qualifiers because he was on the battlefields defending Iraq against Isis, Waheed is living proof that no dream is unattainable. He fights Tuesday in the preliminaries against Mexico’s Misael Uziel Rodriguez.
#HandsofGod, the documentary about Waheed, the soldier defending Iraq and dreaming of #Rio2016. The dream is reality pic.twitter.com/wsVPIUPWnq
— RobustoFilms (@RobustoFilms) August 5, 2016
Waheed Abdulri, the living proof there’s no dream you can’t dream. From war to #Rio2016#HandsofGod dodumentary pic.twitter.com/zXCW8BQkt3
— RobustoFilms (@RobustoFilms) August 6, 2016
Closer to home, over the course of one week, we went from one fight-of-the-year candidate (Frampton-Santa Cruz) to one worst-fight-of-the-year candidate (in Ward-Bland, er Ward-Brand), where this actually happened.
They call boxing the sweet science pic.twitter.com/AKwoA62sNP
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) August 7, 2016
See you in November, Krusher…
And with that, here is the best of the week at UCN.
Articles of the Week
Outside the ropes: Aug. 5, 2016 – Boxing Don Dinkins praising the PBC for the in-ring action, while lamenting a certain “little whiny-ass” boxer/commentator.
Ten fighters to watch during and after the Rio Olympics – Rian Scalia is quickly proving to be the most astute writers on the amateur ranks that the sport has to offer.
The Square Jungle: Frampton-Santa Cruz, Pacquiao, Crawford and the NYSAC – Carlos Acevedo, for our money, the best in the business, is back with his regular column for UCN.
Daniel “Twitch” Franco: In his own words – before knocking out Marcello Gallardo on the Ward-Brand undercard, Daniel Franco rapped with UCN’s Mike Baca.
Aftermath: On Adonis Stevenson vs. Thomas Williams Jr. – The Cruelest Sport’s Jimmy Tobin stops by for his next UCN installment on the Stevenson’s devastating left hand.
Carl Frampton: Irish eyes are smiling – Bill Tibbs reviewed Carl Frampton’s New York debut as he outpointed Leo Santa Cruz for the WBA featherweight title.
Videos of the Week
10 Count – Stevenson vs Williams (WBC 175) Recap
10 Count – Santa Cruz vs Frampton (WBA 125) Recap
10 Count – Crawford vs Postol (WBO/WBC 140)
