Week’s best fight photos and miscellanea
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is shown hitting the heavy bag on media day at the Mayweather Boxing Gym, April 24, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
Like a photo essay of someone growing up, we, as all knowing fight fans, need to see our fighters in their totality. When they’re at work and play; when their being good citizens and when they’re not; when they’re at their most charismatic and when they’re at their lowest point. Here are the top candidates for Photo of the Week. 
Nominee for comeback fight of the week
Seth Mitchell (R) is shown landing a punch to the face of Chazz Witherspoon during their NABO Heavyweight Title fight at Boardwalk Hall Arena, April 28, 2012 in Atlantic City, N. J. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
After being hit numerous, unanswered times in the first round, Mitchell was dazed and on wobbly legs. Yet somehow he managed to hold it together, get Witherspoon in the clinches and last out the round. Mitchell seemed much-improved in Round two and more aggressive in his exchanges. Then in the first half minute of round three, a left hook by Mitchell put Witherspoon on his backside. After getting up at the count of six, Mitchell pressed forward and was able to pin Witherspoon against the ropes to land some more clean shots to the head. At this point, the referee stepped in and began to give Witherspoon an eight count but soon discovered Witherspoon was in no condition to continue and called for an end to the fight. From a guy teetering on a KO loss to the guy with his arm being raised, the turn around was almost miraculous. Mitchell demonstrated that he has a lot of heart.
Nominee for worst fight of the year
Bernard Hopkins (front) and Chad Dawson (rear) lie on the canvas as referee Eddie Cotton stands over them during their WBC Light Heavyweight Title bout at the Boardwalk Hall Arena, Saturday, April 28, 2012 in Atlantic City, N.J. Hopkins' combination of clinching, tackling and head-butting made this the ugliest contested match ever. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Hopkins tactics involved almost every dirty trick in the book from grappling to tackling, from head butting to his use of elbows. Over the years, he has become the master of Dirty Tricks. Mind you, we’re not suggesting their use, but it is important that everyone be at least familiar with them especially to better defend yourself.
The following list of dirty tricks found on-line, was contributed by a gentleman who uses the handle, Diesel 67. He is from Brooklyn, New York.
1. Holding the ropes. If you get a runner along the ropes and he’s escaping, you can grab the ropes and keep him from exiting. If you fake a left hook to grab the ropes, it’s possible to hide it.
2. Lacing. Usually a punch is thrown with the laces facing you. Turning the fist exposes the laces to your opponent. If a guy’s cut, you can really open a wound by lacing it. Throw a rising left, with the referee on your opponent’s right to hide the punch with your palm facing him.
3. Head Butt. Many guys come into you with their heads coming straight in, ala Tyson vs. Hollyfield. Let his motion into you do the damage, but always hit with the top of your forehead, the soccer line between the forehead and the flat of the head. It’s the head’s hardest point. It can do a lot of damage, and hurts like hell.
4. Stepping on feet. It’s very upsetting to one’s rhythm and balance to have your foot stepped on. Runners especially hate it. When the boxer has his foot stepped, he’ll likely make a motion to the referee to complain. That’s the time when a guy like Juan Manuel Marquez will attack, especially the southpaws like Manny Pacquiao.
5. Elbows. Looping punches can be followed up with elbows. Look at the classic shot Marciano gave Jersey Joe Walcott. Marciano threw his patented looping right hand, bent his forearm slightly, and creamed Walcott full on with his elbow.
6. Shoulder shots. If the ref’s on your right, and your opponent is moving in with his head by your left cheek, you can throw your shoulder into his face.
7. Thumbs. Though today’s gloves are such that there’s little hand movement, if you can get some mobility to your thumb, you can shoot it with a jab to the eye. This is a particularly dirty tactic, since detached retinas and blindness can result.
8. Body Blocking. When an opponent comes in, you lean into him and bump his chest hard with your shoulder, sending him back, and attacking hard when he goes back.
9. Holding behind the head. If you watch Ali’s matches with Joe Frazier, he was a master at this. What you’re doing is letting the shorter opponent who keeps his head low feel your weight, over and over. In the clenches, you’re trying to make your opponent carry your weight.
10. Leg/Hip punching. A slug to the thigh or hip can to cause serious damage to a runner. It’s hard to run with a friggin charlie horse!
11. The Low Blow. Of course, the most obvious is the hard belt to the family jewels. Up from the floor, right between the legs so the cup can’t protect you. Prime example: The Andrew Golota vs. Riddick Bowe fight of July 11, 1996. Five months later, Golota did the very same thing.
Another display of poor sportsmanship
After the announcement that Chad Dawson had won Saturday night’s light heavyweight title fight, the delusional Bernard Hopkins refused to be interviewed and left the ring in a huff believing he had been jacked by the judges.
Chad Dawson (L), shown landing one of the many blows on Bernard Hopkins' head, appeared to be in complete command of this title fight for all but three rounds. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Chad Dawson poses for a photo after winning the 12 round mixed decision victory over Bernard Hopkins to win the WBC Light Heavyweight Title at the Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, N. J. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Dawson should receive much credit for surviving the constant head-butting by Hopkins which caused two nasty cuts to open over each eye. In a statement made later in the post-fight interview with Max Kellerman, Dawson stated, “I feel good. I took a lot of headbutts. He’s going into the Hall of Fame. Like I said though, he’s a dirty fighter. It’s what we worked for, we knew he was going to headbutt. He hit me with like eight headbutts. I kept my composure, but it was obvious that he was doing it on purpose.
So there you have it, Dawson’s personal accounting. Hopkins made eight concerted efforts to head butt his opponent.
Father and son bonding:
The former world Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield and his son Evander Holyfield, Jr. posed for this photo at the Grand Opening of the IWC Flagship Boutique in New York on April 25, 2012. Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
On Tuesday, April 24, 2012, Floyd Mayweather Jr. worked-out for the media at the Mayweather Boxing Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
Does this man ever work? It appears rapper Curtis Jackson has become a permanent fixture, a Floyd Mayweather Jr. groupy. Every time we see '50 Cent' he’s right there hanging with his bro. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
While the Miguel Cotto camp has been closed the majority of the time to prevent outside distractions, it appears the Floyd Mayweather Jr. camp embraces the agitations of having the media at workouts.
Some people grow old gracefully. Others just get weird.
This photo was taken April 14, 2012, as comedian Andrew Dice Clay arrived at the Grand Opening of Mike Tyson's one-man show in Las Vegas. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
