WHERE’S THERE’S SMOKE…THERE’S VERY LITTLE FIRE.
By Stephen S. Johnson
INSIDE BOXING (October 29,2003) - This coming Saturday night, November 1st, the
featherweight division should have a unified champion.
Derrick “Smoke” Gainer (39-5, 24KO’s), the WBA version of the featherweight
king, takes on Juan Manuel Marquez (41-2, 32 KO’s), the IBF version of same
division.
The fight is being billed as the opportunity for “Smoke” Gainer to show that he
is the best in the featherweight division.
If you truly believe this prior statement, I have some prime swamp land in
Florida you’ll be very interested in!
“Smoke” Gainer has been ducking Juan Manuel Marquez for the better part of one
full year.
If not for the fact that this fight is on the Floyd Mayweather vs Phillip N’ Dou
undercard there would be absolutely ZERO interest in the match.
UNLESS…you’re a fan of the talented and hungry Juan Manuel Marqez.
Derrick “Smoke Gainer has been the beneficiary of many opportunities given him
by mere association with Roy Jones, Jr.
Now that the heavyweight division is forcing Jones to take his own boxing career
more seriously, Gainer has been left to have actual prizefights.
This Saturday night Derrick “Smoke” Gainer will be relinquishing his portion
featherweight title to the person that truly deserves and has earned the title
FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
Sunday morning November 2, 2003 Juan Manuel Marquez will awaken to have that
long awaited title associated with his name.
Juan Manuel Marquez will stop Derrick “Smoke” Gainer in the 9th of a scheduled
12 round featherweight championship title bout.
Juan Manuel Marquez will put out the fire that has let “Smoke” Gainer smolder in
for the last few years.