Boxing Break: Kelly Pavlik Extends Win-Streak - Waits for Redemption-Day

The late-great Johnny Cash sings a song about 'Redemption-Day.'

Written by Sheryl Crow, the lyrics speak of  heaven, hell, and speeding passenger trains; and also the hell-fire and damnation that goes along with everyday living—and how most of us secretly spend our days watching and waiting in futile-hope of some future redemption day.

However, there's no tougher foe, or harder battle, in my personal opinion—in or out of the ring—than the one many of us secretly wage each day involving drugs and alcohol.

And seeing as this writer is, admittedly, an alcoholic and an atheist who doesn't believe in either heaven or hell—I feel that a redemption from those types of personal-battles doesn't need to wait for 'a train leading straight to heaven's gate'..it can happen right here on this planet; a place where heaven and hell both reside.

The 30-year-old Youngstown, Ohio, prizefighter, Kelly 'The Ghost' Pavlik, may well agree. 

Pavlik—a former champion before losing his belt to Sergio Martinez—has exorcized many of his own personal demons (including his battle with alcohol) in 2010, while at the Betty Ford Clinic. 

During his career, Pavlik has amassed an outstanding middleweight-fight-record of 40 wins with only two losses—to Bernard Hopkins and Martinez...so just imagine what he could do sober.

Last night, July 7, 2012, Pavlik—who now seems well on his way toward a possible rematch-title- shot-redemption-day—extended his winning-streak to four-fights by defeating Will Rosinsky -16-1, 9KOs - at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

In addition, according to careful rumor from many boxing websites, we may now see more televised appearances from Pavlik in the near future. I hope so, as I'm a huge fan of redemption stories.

Stay tuned.

UFC Prediction: Jon Jones Vs. Dan Henderson

UFC President Dana White officially confirmed last night—via Twitter—that the man who holds the crown and seems unbeatable at 205 pounds, Champion Jon 'Bones' Jones, will indeed, be tested next by the aging, mixed-martial-arts pioneer, Dan Henderson.

The fight, Jones's first title-defense in Las Vegas, will be held on September 1, 2012, in the main event of UFC 151.

Born Jonathan Dwight Jones on July 19, 1987, this cagefighter known as ' Bones,' at just 24-years-old, is now a virtually-undefeated human-wrecking-ball.

I used the words 'virtually undefeated' for a reason. The only 'chink' in the seemingly-impenetrable-armor of the young gladiator being a 2009 disqualification loss to Matt Hamill. Other than that, Jones's rise to the UFC light-heavyweight summit has been nothing short of immaculate.

Personally speaking, as a writer who was around during that time period, I have compared Jones to a young Muhammad Ali. Especially after his demolition style victories over former title-holders such as Mauricio Shogun Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and most recently, Rashad Evans.

At  41-years-old, Henderson (29-8) deserves a ton of respect for his accomplishments over the years.

However, the once decorated-collegiate-wrestler, nowadays, is a mostly one-dimensional fighter. One who has not yet held a UFC title belt. It seems that "Hendo," although successful in recent years, has basically been a one-trick-pony of late.

A wrestler by trade, Henderson, as strange as it seems, chooses most-times to only use his highly-broadcasted, yet fully-loaded, right-hand-bomb, and nothing else.

 The old adage: 'If it ain't broke don't fix it,?' comes to mind.

Also, depending on who you ask, Henderson's previous wins, over a highly-overrated minor-league Russian Sambo-King named  Fedor Emelianenko—along with other victories, most of which took place years-ago in Japan, are nowhere near as relevant today as they were back then. 

Henderson, who has also recently admitted to steroid-usage, has last fought at UFC 139, struggling against a fighter whom Jones had little trouble with, 'Shogun' Rua.

You see where I'm headed here. Don't go out and bet the farm on the H-Bomb. As it may just become a 'dud' or an obsolete-weapon in Henderson's next war. Stay Tuned.  

 -- "A rooster crows only when it sees the light. Put him in the dark and he'll never crow. I have seen the light and I'm crowing." Muhammad Ali