GOOD
Sometimes a fighter puts it all together. He or she devises a clever game plan and executes it perfectly, allowing him or her to dominate a good opponent and take a significant step up the food chain.
That’s what Jamal James did against Thomas Dulorme on Saturday in Los Angeles.
I’ll stop short of saying that James was brilliant because I’m not sure a victory over Dulorme could demonstrate that but the Minnesotan fought about as well as he possibly could in his unanimous-decision victory.
James (27-1, 12 KOs) did everything well. He kept Dulorme at a safe distance with his long left jab and hard, accurate rights. And when the aggressive Dulorme managed to get closer than an arm’s length, he was met by the same stinging power shots.
Outside, inside, it was all James. Dulorme landed only 15 percent of his punches, according to CompuBox. That means James was as good defensively as he was on offense.
By mid-fight, it was obvious that the frustrated Puerto Rican had no idea how to solve the puzzle that James presented. He never did.
Judge Alejandro Rochin must’ve been watching a different fight but at least he had right man winning. He scored 115-113. The other judges had it 116-112 and 117-111, for James. I had it 118-110, 10 rounds to 2.
Can James hang with the top 147-pounders?
The only criticism I can come up with centers on James’ power, or lack thereof. His knockout percentage suggests he’s a so-so puncher at best and he never hurt Dulmore, at least not significantly. That could work against him if he faces an opponent more dynamic than Dulorme.
That said, James’ obvious ability, his focus and his determination make him a threat to anyone at welterweight. That includes Errol Spence Jr., Terence Crawford and on the down the imposing list. Of course, we’ll see.
BAD
James earned the WBA “interim” title with his victory over Dulorme, which in theory puts him in position to face the sanctioning body’s champion, Manny Pacquiao.
Sadly for him, it’s not likely to happen.
Pacquiao at this stage of game wants big-name opponents who will drive up pay-per-view numbers, well-known fighters like Keith Thurman and Mikey Garcia, who could be the Filipino icon’s next foe.
James made a strong statement with his victory over Dulorme but he doesn’t have name recognition that would move the needle like several other 147-pounders.
The good news for James is that the division is ridiculously deep, meaning it’s a good bet he’ll take part in a lucrative, high-profile fight sometime in the near future.
Unbeaten young star Vergil Ortiz Jr. is the WBA’s “gold” titleholder, whatever that is. James would be a legitimate opponent for him, although the fact they fight for rival outlets probably precludes that fight from happening.
Other possibilities: Garcia, Thurman, Shawn Porter, Danny Garcia, Yordenis Ugas and even Amir Khan.
Bring it on. James, 32 and at the peak of his abilities, is ready.
“Obviously, I would like to get a shot at Manny Pacquiao, he’s got the WBA super title,” James said immediately after the fight Saturday. “But I know he’s such a big name, so it really doesn’t matter. I want any of the big name welterweights, we can really put on a good show.”
WORSE
News item: The Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. exhibition has been pushed back to Nov. 28.
That means that we’ll have another two months of chatter about a meaningless event, aside from the money it is supposed to generate for charity. It’s a sparring session, a workout, nothing more.
We know the names Tyson and Jones because of what they accomplished in the past, the distant past. Those fighters, the ones who dazzled us in different ways when they were in the primes, are gone.
Today, Tyson is 54, Jones 51. They’re reasonably fit and retain some of the muscle memory of their youth but they can’t fight at a high level. Anyone expecting that on Nov. 28 is going to be disappointed.
The “fight” was postponed in part because Tyson and Co. wanted more time to maximize profits. And I presume it will do well in terms of pay-per-view numbers. The curiosity factor is significant.
I wonder whether those who plunk down the $49.99 to see it will have buyer’s remove by the middle of the first round, when it will be obvious that these are geezers, not athletes.
And, of course, it will be worse if the unthinkable happens. If one or both of them gets caught up in the moment and tries to hurt the other, an ostensibly playful event could turn into a disaster.
I have nothing against charitable events. Tyson’s heart seems to be in the right place. I’m just looking forward to it being over with.
[lawrence-related id=12695,12603]