Mark F. Villanueva

By Mark F. Villanueva When I travel to new places I try to embrace that feeling of literally not knowing where I am for there are days when you just wish you could just disappear. When I travel to new places especially down the beautiful countryside I find these occasional stop-overs as perfect moments for it and you step out of the bus and look around and you're not able to … [Read more...] about Youthful Juan Manuel Marquez

By Mark F. Villanueva Dateline: New York, New York, October 22, 2011 – Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. steps in with a personality strong enough to light up an arena and electrify those watching him on Television all over the world. As the crowd’s attention was focused on the Filipino fighter, at the opposite corner, stood a brave little man from Argentina as if … [Read more...] about Nonito Donaire Jr: The Flash Streaks Through The Black Hole

By Mark F. Villanueva His entrance from the tunnel was slow but steady, walking across the dimmed arena toward the center of the ring. The whole process was like a metaphor of his own transformation as a prizefighter. As if plodding from the plains of commonplace he had gradually come out and risen to successfully captivate that special attention glory universally merits. … [Read more...] about Donnie Nietes Glitters

By Mark F. Villanueva It reveals who we truly are, what we are not, and certain traits we may not have known ourselves to possess. Emotions complicate things and it ran too high when Victor Ortiz' frustrations got accumulated over his failure to execute his game plan right from the start of the fight that spurred him off his character to lunge a head butt against a cornered … [Read more...] about Mayweather vs Ortiz: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

By Mark F. Villanueva More than three decades ago my father, the late Judge Napoleon Dagani Villanueva, once told me at the sala of our old home that Boxing is a thinking man’s sport. We were watching a replay of a Muhammad Ali fight that night in our black and white TV, and he concisely explained to me the mechanics of how it was so, and the sound of it, and that idea of … [Read more...] about Boxing Giveth, Boxing Taketh Away

By Mark F. Villanueva Dateline: Las Vegas, Nevada, June 23, 2011 - English Boxer, Amir "King" Khan continues to rise from the rubble caused by his only defeat against one Breidis Prescott in Greater Manchester. Since that devastating loss back in September, 2008, Khan has crossed seas to team up with one, if not the best, boxing coach in the wold, Freddie Roach, and he's … [Read more...] about Zab Judah’s Performance: No Khan Do

By Mark F. Villanueva There are points in human behavior we cannot fully fathom. How some people find difficulty being around others, a lover's irrational jealousy, over zealousness on a subject, how other's draw inspiration from odd situations; what makes a person tick, give in, give up, or transform on certain occasions. … [Read more...] about Zab Judah’s Faith Is His Weapon

By Mark F. Villanueva The Mexican-American boxer from Oxnard, California Brandon Rios may be easily disliked by many for his brazen ways, but the first time I saw him fight it was actually his crass boxing skills that failed to leave a lasting positive impression on me. He looked just like another ordinary fighter who was always hungry to brawl and strived to catch the … [Read more...] about Brandon Rios: Mr.Excitement

By Mark F. Villanueva Back when I was small I would get up early in the morning and watch the vacant streets of where we once lived, tracing it far past my cousin's house and that huge Star Apple tree, far down to the river. Watching from our rooftop I would climb even farther up to thirty feet in our radio antenna just to know how it looks like to be on top of everything … [Read more...] about Juan Manuel Marquez The Dreamer

By Mark F. Villanueva The truth I have found always hits you hardest because it has no emotion, therefore it never hesitates in directness, precision, and is brutally unforgiving. It does not simply take chances out of passing courage or renewed light that darts valiantly in the dark. The truth is consistent and so unrelenting with all it's might. No one escapes this at … [Read more...] about Nonito Donaire Jr. The Prodigal Son Loses No Respect

By Mark F. Villanueva I can see how Victor Ortiz’ promoter, Oscar Dela Hoya is also his number one believer. They’re both Mexican Americans with talent and skill to complement their power, and Ortiz has raw power in both hands. Victor is called “Vicious” for a good reason: he has a crowd pleasing fighting style and is very aggressive, always looking to force the action in … [Read more...] about Victor Ortiz: The Young Padawan

By Mark F. Villanueva Maybe if I sprouted into life on my own I would be complete. I’d have no past reference and only the future to look forward to. Had it not been for the warm and priceless memories I would have hoped that life afforded some of us an option to being a stand alone. It’s the most common affliction among sons of great men. One is never viewed solely for who … [Read more...] about Julio Cesar Chavez Jr: The Curse Of Greatness

By Mark F. Villanueva Manny Pacquiao’s opponent come May 7th in Las Vegas, Shane Mosley is a scarred and battle tested thirty nine year old fighter, who in his last two fights lost in a lopsided match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and subsequently ended up in a draw with Sergio Mora. In these two consecutive outings the Pomona native appeared to have gassed out as early as in … [Read more...] about Insights on Pacquiao Versus Mosley