And while the "Real Deal's" grab for a fifth heavyweight reign didn't go as I'd hoped, it got me feeling sentimental and reflective toward a not-too- distant past when Holyfield, Lewis and Bowe were names of substance in boxing's marquee division.

Maybe it's a tangible lack of inspiration I get from the robot-like championship crop of Klitschko, Klitschko and Valuev. Maybe it's yet another post-Sunday hangover from yet another disappointing end to yet another New York Jets football season.

He's only an "old" friend in the newfangled 21st century definition of the word...seeing how we've never actually met, we've spoken just twice and the tangible structure of our relationship has been largely built on a series of cyber debates over Presidential politics, college football and Bruce Springsteen music.

But above all else, Tom and I like to "talk" boxing.

The fight was stopped at 1:11 of the 11th round. Naito knocked down Yamaguchi earlier in the round and continued to pummel his opponent before the referee stepped in.

Naito (34-2-3, 22 KOs) made his fourth defense of the title he won against Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in July 2007. He is 7-0-1 in eight bouts since his last loss -- an October 2005 setback to Wonjongkam.

It was a measure of revenge for Soto (46-7-2), who was disqualified against Lorenzo (33-5) in a June fight this year. Soto was disqualified in the fourth round of that bout for landing a blow ruled to be at the back of the head of Lorenzo, although replays showed the punch was more on the top of the head and not the back.

The WBC chose not to award Lorenzo the title due to the controversial ending of that fight.

Holyfield, 46, had not been in the ring since losing a unanimous decision to Sultan Ibragimov in October 2007, but the former four-time heavyweight champ held his own in the title bout before ultimately losing on two scorecards -- 116-112 and 115-114 -- while the third card resulted in a draw.

The 7-foot, 311-pound Valuev (50-1) has yet to face a true test in the ring and his lackluster performance against the "Real Deal" Holyfield (42-10-2) will further supplant his mediocre ascent in the rankings.

While other writers, fans and analysts seem unanimous in their righteous condemnation of Evander Holyfield's quest for the WBA heavyweight title this weekend in Zurich, I'm having a hard time finding anything other than misguided optimism he might actually pull it off.

And if nothing at all else, I think he at least warrants a chance.

One judge scored the bout 115-113 to Hopkins, but the remaining two cards read 116-112 and 117-111 in favor of Holt (25-2), who came away victorious in his first title defense.

Hopkins (28-1-1), the nephew of former middleweight champ Bernard Hopkins, agreed to face the champion on Monday after scheduled challenger Ricardo Torres fell ill and could not make the weight requirement.

The 40-year-old Toney (71-6-3) won by scores of 115-112 and 114-113, while a third judge had it in favor of Oquendo (29-4), who had a point taken away in the eighth round that may have cost him a draw.

In another bout, super middleweight Andre Ward (17-0, 12 KOs), the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, scored a third-round TKO of Esteban Camou (23-5). The fight was stopped with just 14 seconds left in the third.

The 32-year-old Klitschko (52-3, 46 KOs) won his 10th consecutive bout by flooring Rahman (45-7-2) once before referee Tony Weeks stopped the fight 44 seconds into the seventh round.

In a fight that was one-sided from the start, Klitschko retained his IBF, WBO and IBO versions of the heavyweight crown. Klitschko, who was coming off an 11th-round knockout of Tony Thompson in July, landed 178 punches to just 30 for Rahman.

Cunningham (21-2) was making the third defense of his title, but Adamek (36-1) scored knockdowns in the second, fourth and eighth rounds to earn the tough victory.

One judge had the fight scored 114-112 to Cunningham, while the other two had it for Adamek, 116-110 and 115-112.

Yes, I saw Saturday night's fight. Yes, I'm crystal clear on the result.

Yes, Manny Pacquiao whipped Oscar De La Hoya like he'd never been whipped.

Lewis, who retired in 2003 with a record of 41-2-1, including 32 knockouts, enters the hall in his first year of eligibility in the modern era category.

The43-year-old isjoined in the modern era category with American bantamweight champion Orlando Canizales and South African junior lightweight champion Brian Mitchell.

Recognized as the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, the 29-year-old Pacquiao, considered a sports hero in his native Philippines, pounded De La Hoya throughout the bout and was comfortably ahead on all three scorecards from the judges at the time of the stoppage after the eighth round.

Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs), the current WBC lightweight title, had never weighed above 135 pounds for a fight in his career, but the jump to 142 for this tussle didn't play a factor as he pounced on his opponent.

Maccarinelli was originally supposed to fight Johnathon Banks for the WBO world crusierweight title, but Banks failed his medical on Friday because of high blood pressure and Ellis was moved from his fight with Derek Chisora to face Maccarinelli.

Maccarinelli (29-2-0 22 KOs) had an easy time with Ellis (20-6-1 nine KOs) as he knocked Ellis down twice in the first round and once in the second before the referee stepped in and called the fight just 88 seconds into the second round.

Froch (24-0), fighting in his hometown of Nottingham, took the scorecards by a convincing 118-110, 117-111, 116-112 margin despite never knocking down Montreal native Pascal (21-1), who had not been in the ring since January, The belt was left vacant when undisputed champion Joe Calzaghe moved up to light heavyweight.

Or my trailer park upbringing.

Whatever the reason, I simply can't see the motivation - outside of preposterously high finances, that is - for Oscar De La Hoya to step in a ring with Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night.

Scheduled for 12 rounds, the non-title fight will be contested at the 147- pound welterweight limit with the weights of the 35-year-old "Golden Boy" De La Hoya (39-5, 30 KOs) and the 29-year-old "PacMan" Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KOs) holding special significance.

Pacquiao has never weighed above 135 pounds for a fight in his career while De La Hoya will be fighting at his lightest weight since a 2001 victory over Arturo Gatti.

Of course, something about the pressure of an upcoming fight, the specter of a determined opponent and the inherent risk of losing hard-earned championship hardware would be enough to keep anyone from a fully restful eight-hour stretch.

For Vic, though, it's a little different.

Sosa (34-5-1, 18 KOs), who was coming off a unanimous decision win over Sonny Boy Jaro in September, defended the belt successfully for a seventh straight time. He first won the crown with a win over Brian Viloria in April of 2007.

Rubillar (46-11-7) was drilled by a left hook in the seventh round and the official stop by referee Harold Laurens came with six seconds left in the seventh round.

Williams (36-1, 27 KOs) had blood flowing over his eye due to the butt in the first and it seemed to worsen in the second, but he fought back in the third. Williams took over from there and was accurate with his jab and delivered crunching body shots.

That wore down Phillips (42-11-1) and at the end of the eighth round, on advice of the ring doctor, referee Jon Shorle called a halt to the bout.

Linares (26-0, 17 KOs), coming off an eighth-round KO of Gamaliel Diaz last December, powered his way to victory with the bout stopped at the 1:08 mark of round five.

Garcia (20-6, 14 KOs) scored a fifth-round TKO of Armando Rojas in his last fight, in August.

The championship jewelry. The recognition. The financial windfall. To name just a few.

But when it comes time in a few years to look back at a successful tour through the heavyweight ranks, he's hoping for the sort of notice that transcends belts, rankings and checkbooks.

Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) hasn't fought since July 2007 when he lost a unanimous decision against Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas.

"I'm very disappointed about having to pull out of this fight on December 4, and I'd like to apologize to all my fans," said Wright. "I was feeling real sharp in camp and I was looking forward to a great performance before getting hurt. I promise that I'll be back and better than ever in 2009." The entire Wright-Munoz card, which was scheduled to take place at the Snoqualmie Casino in Snoqualmie, Washington and be televised by Versus, has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.

In the fight for the lesser-known IBO light welterweight title, Hatton (45-1) drew blood from under the left eye of Malignaggi (25-2) by landing a solid right in the second round. The "Hitman" continued to apply the pressure throughout the fight as denoted by a 99-25 connect advantage in power punches.

A left hook caught Malignaggi in the eighth round and in the 11th referee Kenny Bayless separated the fighters in the early moments.

Garay (32-3) won by counts of 118-110, 117-112 and 116-115 to keep the crown he won with a sound beating of Yuri Barashian by unanimous decision in July.

Braehmer (31-2) came into the fight ranked as the No.1 WBA contender and was coming off a ninth-round TKO victory of Karim Bennama in April.