Joe Louis in today’s heavyweight picture? —mr. magoo, www.eastsideboxing.com/forum (249 replies)  •  [Poll] Am I the only guy here that thinks Cotto isn’t getting past Margarito?! —reedickyaluss, www.boxingscene.com/forums (70 replies)  •  Can Alfonso Gomez beat Cotto on April 12th? —dougeedoug, http://boards.hbo.com (331 replies)

(Photo by Gjon Mili//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images) 

“WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” — A BOXING WRITER’S DEFENSE  In my short tenure as a self-proclaimed boxing writer, I’ve received dozens of comments over time to the effect of: “What do you know about boxing? You’re an idiot,” and, “You’ve got no right to criticize fighters because you don’t know what it’s like to be a fighter.” I got them a month ago from Vladimir Klitschko’s fans. More recently, I got them from Manny Pacquiao’s fans, who have turned out to like me OK in the end. • I’m not especially sensitive to such remarks. I rarely curl up into fetal position or cry and hug my legs or whatever when I hear them. But it happens often enough that I feel compelled to answer in-depth. —Tim Starks, mvn.com

A Troublesome Prediction: “I Would Never Lose To A White Boy”  In a press conference hyping the April showdown between Hopkins and Wales bred Joe Calzaghe, Ole’ Bernard said that he would never lose to a “white boy”. He stated further to print it, shout it, announce it; he would never lose to a “white boy”. Never mind the fact that Calzaghe is in his mid-30’s, he still gets called a boy. Ask yourself, if someone calls you a “boy” what would your reaction be? —By J.P. Sutherland, blacksportsonline.com

(Klitschko photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images) 

>> UNDEFEATED BOXING CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, AND DAUGHTER OF BOXING LEGEND MUHAMMED ALI, HAS QUIT THE SPORT. As Faiza Elmasry tells us, Ali has become a TV show host and health correspondent, hoping to combat juvenile obesity and inspire her adult viewers to stay fit and healthy. —(Faiza Elmasry, www.voanews.com)

>> (PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD)— Lightweight Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.) officially qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games with a masterful third round stoppage of Juan Nicolas Cuellar of Argentina at the Americas Qualifier on Monday in Port of Spain, Trinidad. —(Source, www.usaboxing.org • Follow Sadam’s road to gold in the boxing documentary, “Brooklyn to Beijing.”

>> Ricky Hatton has sold 50,000 tickets for his homecoming bout in just two days. • And there are only 5,000 tickets left for his May 24 fight at the City of Manchester Stadium against Mexican Juan Lazcano. —(Source, www.lep.co.uk)

(Ali photo by Giuliano Bekor)

>> PACQUIAO-MARQUEZ: ANOTHER CLOSE CALL  LAS VEGAS— The moment the fight ended, both fighters raised their arms in victory. Within seconds, corner men lifted each into the air in celebration. • Both men were right. So were both corners. All deserved the assumption of victory. —Bill Dwyre, www.latimes.com

(Chris Cozzone/AFP/Getty Images)

Episode 2: For the Undercard’s sophomore broadcast, we treat you to a double dip of local boys making good in the latest Gotham Boxing show at the Roseland: Dimitriy Salita and Jorge Teron. —Chris Isenberg, nomas-nyc.com

Episode 1: Kid Chocolate

ROUND1MAG.COM is seeking a knowledgeable, passionate and fresh voice for positive weekly commentary on ‘the sweet science’. If you eat, sleep and breath boxing (and can write), I want to hear from you. All interested, please inquire via email to round1@nyc.rr.com and include “BOXING BLOGGER” as your subject. In the email please give a URL or example of your previous writings. Thanks—Lamar Clark/Publisher

>> HAYE HAS EYES ON BOXING’S BIGGEST PRIZE LONDON, England—In the jubilant minutes following his unification of the world cruiserweight division, David Haye saved his sharpest comments and wittiest prose for his interview with American television. —Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports

>> CANCUN, Mexico— When Samuel Peter stepped on to the polished marble in his upscale hotel’s lobby late Saturday night, he looked more like a vacationing millionaire than the heavyweight champion of the world. —The Canadian Press, canadianpress.google.com

>> CANCUN, Mexico — The fox turned the gun on the hunter. The funnel cloud finally ran into a building it couldn’t pick up and toss around like a toy. • After climbing to the top of the lightweight division, Houstonian Juan Diaz suffered the first loss of his pro career and was dethroned as champion by Nate Campbell on Saturday night. —Fran Blinebury, www.chron.com

(Haye Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images; Campbell/Diaz/Peter photo by LUIS ACOSTA: AFP/GETTY IMAGES) 

>> Check out the ‘Fight Party’ pics from DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing (3/5/08.) Enjoy!

(Photos by Christy Cappillino and Kito)

>> HAYE V MACCA V SLEEP DEPRIVATION  That rarest of sporting events is coming… • A genuine top-class domestic boxing match-up. A true Battle of Britain to rival or eclipse Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank’s dust-ups of the early 1990s, fights that made them household names. • I can hardly wait for the David Haye v Enzo Maccarinelli slugfest and am looking forward to providing the live round-by-round (if there is more than one!) coverage on the BBC Sport website. • But there is something niggling at me and I don’t think I’m alone. In fact, I know I’m not… —Alex Trickett/BBC Sport, www.bbc.co.uk

>> Things will become more clearer in the heavyweight division on Saturday night when Samuel Peter and Oleg Maskaev square of, in all of places, Cancun. —Chris Iorfida, www.cbc.ca

>> PARKINSON’S PATIENTS TAKE UP BOXING TO FIGHT DISEASE “It is just completely inspirational to be around these people,” said Follmar, a former North American Boxing Council champion who retired from boxing three … —Barbara Pinto, www.abcnews.go.com