Fight Insight Boxing Predictions, Results and Views at FightInsight.com.

This is a very tricky fight prediction for me. Chad Dawson has the faster hands and faster feet. Being the younger and fresher fighter, I also expect him to be busier in every round.

"B-Hop" counters with superior experience in big fights, a tighter defense and an overall better boxing I.Q.

This has all the makings of a highly-competitive, but highly-tactical (code word for boring, unless you’re a boxing purist like yours truly) championship fight.

When I computed the likely outcome of this fight with my handy fight prediction tool, all signs point towards a decision victory for the venerable Hopkins. But when I adjusted the weights for hand speed and foot speed to reflect the significant gap in these areas between both fighters, Dawson came out on top, albeit narrowly.

Ultimately, Dawson will be faster, fresher and just too active for Hopkins to keep up with over the 12 rounds. This will be reminiscent of Hopkins’ narrow losses to Jermain Taylor, except that Dawson is a far superior boxer to Taylor.

Chad Dawson will defeat Bernard Hopkins via a clear-cut unanimous decision victory on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

And it doesn’t hurt that Chad has the better last name (wink).

As most of my loyal followers know, I have been following the sweet science for over 30 years. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly side of boxing. But I have also seen some stuff that belongs on an episode of Ripley’s Believe It or Not. And I am sure I just dated myself with that reference to a television show from the 1980′s, but I digress.

Weirdness comes in many shapes, sizes and colors. For my money, the five fights below deserve to be in Boxing’s Hall of the Shame. Yes, the endings were that bizarre.

5. Floyd "Money" Mayweather, Jr. vs "Vicious" Victor Ortiz. Let’s get the most recent one out of the way. We all know what happened. Mayweather toyed with Ortiz for three rounds. Ortiz got frustrated in round four and head-butted Mayweather, WWF-style. Ortiz then hit Mayweather with a series of kisses and hugs in an attempt to make amends. Referee Joe Cortez spaced out and left the fighters alone. And then "BAM," Mayweather ends the fight with "legal" sucker-punches. I’m not saying Mayweather was right for what he did to Ortiz, but to quote the rapper DMX, if "you do dirt, you get dirt."

4. Paul "the Punisher" Williams vs Kermit "the Killer" Cintron. This is another recent fight. I’ll admit, I’m relying more on my short-term memory for these first two entries on my list because my long-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be. Regardless, this is one fight that we’d all soon forget. In a seemingly even fight that appeared headed to a late decision or stoppage by either fighter, Cintron inexplicably decided to live up to his first name and leaped out of the ring like a frog after tripping on Williams’s foot. The result: a bizarre technical decision loss to Williams, after Cintron injured his neck on his spill outside of the ring.

3. Riddick Bowe vs Andrew Golota I. Most boxing fans know how this fight ended. Golota, seemingly ahead on the scorecards, simply couldn’t stop hitting the rapidly fading Bowe below the belt, and was ultimately disqualified for his "under-handed" work. But that’s only where the strangeness began. To add insult to injury, some of Bowe’s cronies entered the ring and attacked the unsuspecting Golota, and proceeded to pound on him. From that point on, the madness ensued throughout the arena, as fans of both fighters began brawling with surprisingly little security around at the "world’s most famous arena." To put it bluntly, this was one of the darker days in Madison Square Garden’s storied history.

2. Sugar Ray Leonard vs Roberto Duran II. If you follow sports, most of you have heard the Spanish phrase, "no mas," which translates to no more. The fact that Leonard befuddled and out-boxed the frustrated Duran was not weird at all. Leonard was an all-time great. But so was Duran, and that’s what makes the ending so weird. Seeing a fighter as prideful as Duran literally quit and walk away transcended weird. It was darn right jaw-dropping given his reputation.

1. Evander "Real Deal" Holyfield vs "Iron" Mike Tyson II. The year was 1997. The scene was Las Vegas, Nevada. The crime was ear-biting (twice to be exact), punishable by disqualification in boxing. In a twist on the "no mas" concept, Tyson found a way to "quit" against Holyfield in their rematch. Tyson later complained of repeated head butts by Holyfield and felt that he had to "do something" to get back for these fouls. If he truly felt he was being wronged, my suggestion would have been to get Holyfield back legally (via punches) or, worse, illegally (via retaliatory head butt or low blow). Ear-biting should not be on the menu, under any circumstances!

If Floyd "Money" Mayweather (41-0, 25 KO’s) is rusty, he may have some trouble with "Vicious" Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO’s). But if he’s on his "A-game," which I expect Money to be, the only thing
vicious about Ortiz will be the manner in which he is stopped late in the fight.

A late Mayweather stoppage victory over Ortiz is what I expect, and here’s why:

1. Mayweather has faster hands;
2. Mayweather has better defense;
3. Mayweather’s ring generalship is superior;
4. Mayweather has faced stiffer competition;
5. Ortiz is the more powerful man;
6. Mayweather’s stamina is rivaled by one man*;
7. Mayweather’s chin is sturdier;
8. Mayweather’s footwork is better;
9. Ortiz appears to be the naturally bigger man,
10. and he will also have the "location" advantage, fighting in Las Vegas in front of many Mexican and Mexican-American fans.

In case you weren’t counting, that’s eight key fight factors in Mayweather’s favor. According to my calculations, this adds up to a comprehensive Mayweather victory via technical knockout. Don’t let the pre-fight hype fool you, this fight will not be close.

I sincerely hope that Mayweather-Ortiz and the third installment of Pacquiao*-Marquez slated for November 12 are mere appetizers to boxing’s main course–Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. If it ain’t, my anger will make the Mad Rapper‘s angst seem like a mild tantrum.

It’s late. I am tired. Blame Hurricane Irene. Blame fantasy football mania.

For all of the reasons stated above, I’ll let the simple breakdown indicate who I am favoring in the upcoming heavyweight title fight between Vitali Klitschko (42-2, 39 KO’s) and Tomasz Adamek (44-1, 28 KO’s).

1. With the fight taking place in Wroclaw, Poland, it’s safe to say that Adamek will have the crowd on his side. Advantage Adamek.
2. The plodding Adamek has faster hands than the seemingly more plodding Klitschko. Slight advantage Adamek.
3. Klitschko has shown himself to control the ring behind his lengthy jab and straight right hand, no matter whom he’s fought. Advantage Klitschko.
4. Both fighters have fought top-notch competition-Adamek at light heavyweight and cruiserweight, and Klitschko at heavyweight. Even.
5. Adamek is a boxer-puncher while Klitschko is a puncher who knows how to box. Advantage Klitschko.
6. Both fighters are very well-conditioned but Adamek tends to be more active and busy in his fights. Slight advantage Adamek.
7. Klitschko has never been dropped in his long career. Adamek has. Advantage Klitschko.
8. Neither man has happy feet, so I call this category a "push." Even.
9. Klitschko is bigger, stronger and taller than most men he fights. Add Adamek to that list. Advantage Klitschko.
10. Klitschko uses his height and reach to stymie an opponent’s offense better than most fighters today. Adamek will see that in a couple of weeks. Advantage Klitschko.

Look for Vitali to continue the reign of the "Brothers Klitschko," for better (for his legacy) and for worse (for fans seeking heavyweight excitement) via a late TKO.

This article is part I of a two-part series covering the prospect of a Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao superfight.

If it’s all about the Benjamins, then this fight would have already taken place. Neither fighters stands to make more money in any single fight than if and when they fight one another. In fact, their pairing would most likely yield the biggest collective payday for two men who have ever entered the squared circle.

Manny Pacquiao is slated to fight Juan Manual Marquez in the third installation of a series that should have ended before this year. And Floyd Mayweather will be fighting the capable, but still somewhat green, Victor Ortiz next month in a fight that is taking place a few years too soon (for Ortiz). These are all nice fights but mere appetizers to a Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown.

Many think the aforementioned fights will lead to the latest installation of the Fight of the Century (Mayweather-Pacquiao). But until I see Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Boxing meet, greet and sign a contract, I ain’t holding my breath.

Before I forget what I am writing this article about, let me get back to the point, and state the five reasons why Mayweathe-Pacquiao may still not take place:

#5 Bob Arum. It seems like decades ago that 1) Bob Arum once promoted Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and touted that 2) "the Pretty Boy" would be better than Sugar Ray Leonard. Little did we know that the second part of the previous statement would eventually prove more true. Ever since their nasty split several years ago, Arum and Mayweather have had very little nice to say about each other.

#4 Al Haymon. To put it bluntly, he and Mr. Arum (above) do not like each other. At least, that’s what I have heard and read. And the last time I checked, when people don’t get along, they tend not to want to sit down to break bread.

#3 Money. No, Floyd’s other nickname will not get in the way of this fight. But the split over the purse and pay-per-view earnings will be contentious to say the least.

#2 Blood. Money and blood don’t mix. If you think the money split issue is a barrier, Mayweather’s insistence that Pacquiao submit to Olympic-style blood testing may as well be Fort Knox. It’s also complicated by a "not-so-little" defamation of character lawsuit that Pacquiao and his team have levied against Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions.

And the #1 reason why Mayweather vs Pacquiao may not take place in the foreseeable future is Ego. Basically, the egos of all parties involved is the main culprit in this unfortunate series of events.

The nation’s most popular sport (NFL) avoided a work stoppage not too long ago.

Let’s hope that Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Boxing take a hint, and not let Mayweather–Pacquiao slip away.