Richard ‘The Boxing Prophet’ Solomon’s Picks Of the Week (11/28/14)

Richard ‘The Boxing Prophet’ Solomon’s Picks Of the Week

By Richard Solomon, RCM Boxing Radio Co-Host

Richard’s love of boxing preceded his love of solid food. Doctors report he came out of his mother’s womb throwing a jab. As a child he would only ever count from 1 to 10, and his favorite superhero didn’t wear a cape- he wore leather gloves that were A Thrilla In Manila. With his uncanny ability to predict fights, his parents gave up dreams of him becoming President and set their sights higher: Boxing Prophet.

His claim to fame: telling the whole world in Feb of 1990 that James Buster Douglas was going to beat Mike Tyson. Through jeers and laughs he stuck to his prediction. Rich was an overnight sensation. A folk hero in his town. The prophet was born. His parents wept.

For every 10 fights Richard predicts – he guarantees 8 out of 10 are correct. He prides himself on not only picking the winner of the fight, but also whether it’s by decision or knockout – being so bold as to even pick the exact round.
Richard went to Adelphi University and holds a Master’s degree in Special Education. He teaches preschool children with learning disabilities and special needs. His kids are fighters and Richard genuinely appreciates and nurtures that spirit in them.

Richard started his career on Adelphi radio in a weekly sports talk show and went on to co-host other boxing radio shows during his career. He is now the RCM Boxing Radio Co-Host since April 2013.

Terence Crawford (24-0, 17KOs) vs. Ray Beltran (29-6-1, 17KOs)

To the boxing purist, Terence Crawford is a joy to watch. He is a well rounded, technically sound ideal fighter, who is showing himself to have some decent power in both hands as well. Dazzling and dominating WBO lightweight champ Ricky Burns via one sided unanimous decision in Burn’s home country of Scotland, Crawford earned his first world title in the toughest of all possible ways. His first title defense was no easy task either. Crawford battled and eventually flattened Cuban star Yuriorkis Gamboa in nine rounds. 2014 has been very special for Crawford. He went from a promising prospect to a world class player. Heck, I even thought he was the real deal back in 2013 when he beat his first “name” opponent Breidis Prescott by a wide decision. Crawford could be my pick for fighter of the year. First, he has to get by Ray Beltran.

Beltran is best known for getting “robbed” in Scotland against Ricky Burns just six months before Crawford toppled the Scottish world champ. Beltran would have to settle for a draw in a fight that I had him winning 116-112. Beltran has had an inconsistent career with many ups and downs. Aside from the Burns fiasco, he has some impressive recent wins over Hank Lundy, Ji-Hoon Kim and Arash Usmanee. Beltran is a pressure fighter who will try and break down Crawford and force him into a street fight. He has solid fundamentals and a blue collar work ethic. This is not an easy fight for Crawford. I see Crawford using his jab and some solid footwork, along with good head movement to avoid punishment while always staying in position to return fire. Love how Crawford is able to switch from orthodox to southpaw at all times. He is reaching his peak and might even move up in weight after the Beltran fight. Beltran does nothing exceptionally well. At best, I see him winning two to three rounds. Crawford should have Beltran timed and sized up perfectly by the middle of the fight. Not sure if Crawford will go for the knockout victory. Beltran is tough and will show a lot of heart, but I honestly believe Crawford wants another “statement” win. He has a great chance to clean out the 135 pound division before moving up to junior welterweight. My pick: Crawford wins by an 11th Round TKO.

Tyson Fury (22-0, 16KOs) vs. Dereck Chisora II (20-4, 13KOs)

This is a tough one to pick. Chisora is more talented and clearly in the best shape of his career. That being said, it’s a tough task to beat a fighter who holds an eight-inch height and 11-inch reach advantage. Tyson Fury is still in the process of learning how to fight tall. Make no mistake about it, Chisora is a better fighter now than when Fury beat him four years ago. Also, Chisora has power and can put more pressure on Fury due to the increased stamina he has due to the weight loss.

Fury does not have the best chin in the world. Steve Cunningham knocked him down and almost out in one of his most recent fights. Fury can also be a klutz. However, since his last fight with Chisora, Fury has an impressive record of 7-0 with six knockouts. To tell the truth, Tyson Fury is not the easiest guy to like and root for. He has a big mouth and many boxing insiders consider him to be a “joke”. Not sure where I stand on Tyson Fury just yet. But at 6’9″ with an 85-inch reach and an unblemished record, not to mention he is only 26 years old, his best days could be ahead of him. Very curious to see what kind of shape Fury is in for the fight. Part of me thinks he is an accident waiting to happen and the other part thinks he is on a collision course with Wladimir Klitschko which would be a colossal matchup.

Like I said, this is a 50-50 fight. But at the end of the day, I have to go with Fury. Chisora will dominate early and hurt Fury on more than one occasion. But eventually, he will walk right into one of Fury’s hard, powerful shots and that will be the end of Chisora. In this era of the heavyweight division, size and reach matter more than talent. Not saying I like it, but it’s just a fact. My Pick; Fury wins by an 8th Round KO.

The Boxing Prophet’s Record (35-7)

RCM’s Boxing Record (32-9)

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