Result: Klitschko Stops Byrd

Wladimir Klitschko becomes the new IBF Heavyweight Champion of the

World with a 7th round TKO of Chris Byrd. Let's get this straight, I am not a big fan of Wladimir Klitschko. Anyone who makes excuses that he ran out of gas because his pores were closed (which is the claim Klitschko made when he was stopped by Brewster because his cut man put a slight amount of vaseline on his legs) is automatically precluded as being someone I will root for. Over the years, I have developed a begrudging respect for Chris Byrd. Anyone who stands up to Don King is all right in my book. Also, take a look at the guys Byrd has fought through the years: Wladimir Klitschko, Jameel McCline, Andrew Golota, Fres Oquendo, Evander Holyfied, David Tua, Maurice Harris, DaVarryl Williamson, Vitali Klitschko, Ike Ibeabuchi, Ross Purrity, Jimmy Thunder, Bert Cooper, Lionel Butler, Jeff Wooden, Phil Jackson, and Arthur Williams! WOW! Pretty amazing when you remember that he was a Silver Medalist in the Olympics as a Middleweight! The first rule in boxing is hit and don't get hit! And Chris Byrd did that with Pernell Whitakeresque style as a heavyweight. Now the flip side to all of that is he produced some of the most god awful heavyweight fights to watch in the history of boxing! I have said before that hell might be a place where you're forced to watch Chris Byrd fight John Ruiz over, and over, and over again. Chris Byrd without the title is about as marketable as ice is to Eskimos. He's nothing without a legitimate heavyweight belt. It was the only reason at all that Byrd had any fights. You couldn't hit the guy and he made so many guys look terrible. Yeah, I'm a big tough stud and I can knock out an elephant but I can't beat a former middleweight? That's exactly what most of Chri Byrd's former opponents said after they fought Byrd. I'm sure you've heard the term "Win Win situation". Well in most cases when you fought Chris Byrd, it was a "lose, lose situation." Without a title, he will fade to oblivion because none of the title challengers will fight him. As a boxing fan, I am glad that I won't be subjected to watching him fight anymore. Although, there is a part of me that is a little sad for him as well. So long Chris. Klitschko did exactly what he was supposed to do. He knocked Chris Byrd out. Despite his size, Wladimir is quick enough to hit Chris Byrd, something that most heavyweights he fought haven't been able to do. Wladimir fought "bravely" because he knew Byrd couldn't hurt him. When Klitschko fights a legitimate puncher, you will see a slightly less brave, if not scared, Klitschko. He's going to get hit, then he's going to get tired, and then he's going to get knocked out.

On the undercard, another Russian Heavyweight rising star, Alexander Povetkin defeated Friday "The 13th" Ahunanya by 8 round UD.

I am now 29-19 on my picks.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: PERNELL WHITAKER

April 21, 2006 - from HBO.com by William Detloff

Old grudges die hard. And the years have not mellowed Pernell Whitaker.

We're used to fighters softening a bit once they're away from the drama and desperation of the prize ring. Hated rivals become blood brothers, linked by their shared trips to hell and back. Champions break bread with their challengers, share war stories, and lament the softness of the generations that follow.

Retirement changes fighters, generally. Some of them go crazy from it and can't stay out of trouble. But many more are civilized by it over time, provided they fought long and well and had little left at the end. They mellow. They're still fighters, they still have it in them to want to fight, and that eats away at them. But eventually advancing age brings a kind of resigned stillness that would have seemed impossible during their fighting days.

Whitaker, who retired with a record of 40-4-1 (17), one no-contest, after losing by TKO to journeyman Carlos Bojourquez in April 2001, still carries a chip on his shoulder the size of all Virginia.

Whitaker, who retired with a record of 40-4-1 (17), one no-contest, after losing by TKO to journeyman Carlos Bojourquez in April 2001, still carries a chip on his shoulder the size of all Virginia. He had it when he was one of the two or three best fighters in the world, a period which lasted for roughly a decade. He had it when, inevitably, he started to decline. He has it now.

Ask him about Oscar De La Hoya, who fights May 6 on HBO PPV against Ricardo Mayorga and you get an answer that seems unlikely. "I haven't followed his career," Whitaker said recently. "I know he's a promoter now, or whatever. But other than that I have no knowledge of him. I haven't seen him fight in a long time."

This from a guy who knows enough about today's game to say about Floyd Mayweather, "He's good. He's got good skills, good mechanics. I respect him and I don't take anything away from him. But he ain't no Pernell Whitaker."

De La Hoya is the most popular fighter of his generation. His fights have earned him and his associates untold millions in revenue. More than any non-heavyweight since Ray Leonard, he transcended the fairly narrow confines of the fight game and broke into the mainstream. And Whitaker disavows knowing any recent detail about his career.

"..not everyone can win a gold medal. That (opportunity) only comes around once every four years. And as a fighter you only get one shot. That was the best."
-Whitaker

You wonder how that could be. Then you remember that the decision De La Hoya won over him in Las Vegas in April 1997 was fairly unpopular, insulting even to Whitaker and his camp, and the process of selective memory makes sense. Whitaker confesses no particular enmity toward De La Hoya, but often the best way to insult a man is to deny knowledge of his existence. Or at least of his success.

He gives just slightly more credit to Felix Trinidad, who decisioned him soundly in February 1999 in Madison Square Garden. At least he acknowledges him. "I fought six rounds with a broken jaw and if not for that he wouldn't have gotten out of there (on his feet)," Whitaker said. "He did it with an elbow. I see that as a victory for me because I went six rounds with a broken jaw."

A good way to describe Whitaker, then and now, is "surly." But no one said prizefighters had to be charming. You don't get extra points in the ring for congeniality. One's got nothing to do with the other. Besides that, geniuses more than anybody are under no obligation to make nice. And clearly Whitaker qualifies as a genius of the ring.

You can start with the gold medal he won in the 1984 Olympics, which Whitaker recalls as the proudest moment of his career. Even with his long reign as the lightweight champion and the alphabet titles he subsequently won at junior welterweight, welter and junior middle, it is his Olympic accomplishment that stands out.

"Anybody can win a world title," he says, and you realize more clearly than ever how easy it was for him in the ring. "But not everyone can win a gold medal. That (opportunity) only comes around once every four years. And as a fighter you only get one shot. That was the best."

"I don't think I ever walked into a ring where I was favored to win. The odds were always against me. I always made it look easy and they couldn't take it."
-Whitaker

What followed was the building of a certain hall-of-fame career that included victories over the best lightweights in the world: Greg Haugen, the great Azumah Nelson moving up, Freddie Pendleton, Anthony Jones, Harold Brazier, Jorge Paez. Soon after, Whitaker jumped to 140 and after taking a belt from Rafael Pineda, jumped up again and took Buddy McGirt's welterweight crown. That set up a superfight between he and the 88-0 Julio Cesar Chavez.

It was, for anyone who saw it, a complete victory for Whitaker against the man regarded generally as the best fighter on the planet. That the judges scored it a draw was an abomination but it wasn't the first time it had happened to Whitaker. His March 1988 decision loss to Jose Luis Ramirez in France in his first title fight was at least as bad.

Some fighters go a whole career without getting robbed at a high level the way Whitaker was twice - three times if you count the De La Hoya fight, which Whitaker does. Why did it happen to him?

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe I was just too good. I don't think I ever walked into a ring where I was favored to win. The odds were always against me. I always made it look easy and they couldn't take it. The fans know. They understand. You could always hear them grumbling and booing in the crowd."

To Whitaker the fans were the ultimate arbiters. "Controversy sells," he said. "I always let the fans make the decision. If the fans felt I won, they voiced their opinion. If I didn't get the decision but the fans thought I won, I was content with it."

Today he's content enough training fighters. He's working with pro junior welterweight Dorin Spivey, who, like Whitaker, lives in Virginia. "He just came up to me one day and asked if I would help him out. We started talking. I knew he'd been around for a while. He asked for help. I knew he was a pretty good kid, so I agreed. I'm just getting my foot in the door."

"I've done it all. There's nothing else to do. I'm content."
-Whitaker

Athletes of Whitaker's caliber rarely make great trainers. Ted Williams was a terrible batting coach. The great featherweight Willie Pep, to whom Whitaker was often compared, wasn't a great corner guy. Geniuses are never able to suffer gladly the lesser talents of the mediocre. They don't understand how it doesn't come as naturally to everyone as it did to them. Whitaker doesn't anticipate any great challenges, however.

"It's weird to be on the other side looking in," he said. "But I had good trainers. I called Ronnie Shields. He said I just have to be patient. No one's going to be Pernell Whitaker. They all want to be but they can't be. Everyone's got their own natural abilities. I don't want to teach anyone the sport. I just want to refine and improve guys.

"All I can do is tell a guy what it takes for him to win and be successful. I like teaching the science of the sport. Give him the way to win and give him a champion's mentality and teach him to pay attention to his corner. Let the trainer watch the tapes, give you the game plan and if it doesn't work out then the trainer takes full responsibility."

Whitaker says he doesn't miss being in the ring but that the fans miss seeing him in there. "I've done it all. There's nothing else to do. I'm content. But there are no eye-opening fighters out there anymore. There are no Pernell Whitakers out there today."

There have been problems in retirement. Whitaker has been jailed several times for charges relating to drug possession and driving offenses. (Many will recall his October 1997 decision win over Andrei Pestriaev in Connecticut that was changed to a no-contest when postfight tests revealed the presence of cocaine in Whitaker's bloodstream.). In 2003 he received a 27-month prison sentence for violating probation on a prior cocaine conviction. About these events and others he says only, "The judge did what he felt like he had to do and I did my time and just dealt with it. I'm out now and life is good."

Whitaker makes it clear that he is not the stereotypical penniless former fighter. Despite rumors that he has gone blown through the millions he earned as perhaps his era's best fighter (and clearly an all-time great), he says: "I'm doing excellent financially. I've got more than most. I'm stable. I don't need for anything. Anything I want I can buy. I don't want for anything. Make sure you write that." It was not a request.

Whitaker said he doesn't regret anything in his career. No bad choices, no mistakes. "I regret nothing whatsoever. My career was one to remember. I wouldn't change a thing. Nothing." We should hope the same for the rest of his retirement.

Duran packs punch as boxing promoter

By Carlos Frias

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Saturday, April 22, 2006

MIAMI — When Roberto Duran answered the phone to hear his old promoter offering him a job, naturally he had one thought:

"Work? For me? I thought he wanted me to fight again," Duran said.

He was 52 and had spent his retirement playing dominoes and billiards at local hangouts in his native Panama and drinking with his buddies.

Still, this is a man who boxed until age 50, won four world titles in four different weight classes, became the only boxer to compete in five decades and retired only after a near-fatal car accident in Argentina in October of 2001 left him unable to reenter the ring.

So when Luis De Cubas offered employment, Duran was up for the challenge. Sort of.

"I was ready to go. But I figured it must be against a corpse, because I'm in no shape to fight," Duran said.

De Cubas did want Duran back out there to sell out boxing events. Just not in the ring. And so has begun Duran's new career in boxing.

Duran, now 54, is in Miami this week promoting his third fight, working with De Cubas as part of Team Freedom Promotions which is featuring a six-bout card at Club Cinema in Pompano Beach at 7:30 tonight.

None of the bouts are as big as the fact that there now is a Manos de Piedra (Hands of Stone) fight card. Duran is little more than a public-relations vehicle, yet his name continues to carry weight within the boxing community.

"He's always had influence in this sport — always," said boxing writer and historian Hank Kaplan, who was inducted into the boxing hall of fame this year. "His reputation, his accomplishments, will live on forever. Not just in the Hispanic community.

"Gringos all over the world love that fighter," Kaplan says, nodding up to the table where Duran is sitting with fighters at his sides.

The young fighters sit nervously beside Duran as he praises their accomplishments. They smile, call him Mr. Duran. They are in the presence of an idol.

One of Team Freedom's boxers, Julio Cesar "Baby Face" Garcia, a super-lightweight, took less money to sign with Duran's group because his father was a huge Duran fan.

"What young fighter doesn't want to be the next Roberto Duran?" Kaplan said. "That's the kind of aura he has."

Duran has been an inspiration to generations of fighters. He fought with a quickness of feet and such reckless abandon that many compared the young Mike Tyson to him. Duran actually spent some time with Tyson as a youngster and again six months ago at a boxing ranch in Paso Robles, Calif.

"Mike Tyson's idol is Roberto Duran. Tyson has always said that the reason he fought was because of Roberto," De Cubas said.

And yet, most Americans associate Duran with the phrase, "No Mas." After defeating Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980, Duran was tired and in poor shape leading up to the rematch four months later. He refused to go on after the eighth round.

Duran was derided for quitting, yet he went on to fight for much, much longer. Three years later, he won the WBA junior middleweight championship after defeating Davey Moore. And in 1989, at 38, he defeated Iran Barkley for the WBC middleweight title. His last fight was in 2001.

Throughout his career, he took on all comers. He moved up and down between the weight classes, from lightweight (135 pounds) to super middleweight (168 pounds) to test himself against all manner of opponents.

"He's an incredible athlete. When he dies, they're going to have to open him up to see what he's made of," De Cubas said.

Today, Duran weighs in at 222 pounds after a recent motorcycle accident. Never one to diet unless he was in training, he used to gorge on cookies, soda and ice cream after fights. He hopes to get back down to about 180, and with this new job, he just might, as he continues to attract adoring fans.

It took him nearly half an hour to eat a small plate of paella at Fico Key West restaurant, the site of the fight's news conference. He kissed women on the cheek, posed for pictures, exchanged strong hugs and pats on the back.

"I just want the fans to respect me and see me as a good person. I don't want them to see me as an idol," said Duran, whose goal is to promote the first heavyweight fight in his native Panama.

Though many might remember him for one infamous phrase, it has not defined him.

"I think people forgave him for that," Kaplan said. "He was always such a macho guy, but that night, he wasn't. But he was so macho for the rest of his career, that it was a pardonable sin."

Povetkin vs. Ahunanya - More Important Than You Think

By Julian Kasdin (April 22, 2006) from www.doghouseboxing.com

Alexander Povetkin

Tonight most everyone tuning in to HBO will be most interested in seeing Byrd vs. Klitschko II. After all both Chris Byrd and Wladimir Klitschko are established elite heavyweights. They have better resumes than any other currently active heavies, and both have the skill to really beat anyone in the division. That being said their fight is not the most important taking place tonight. No the most important fight tonight is Alexander Povetkin, 6-0 (5), versus Friday ‘The Thirteenth’ Ahunanya, 20-4-1 (11).

Now I know by know you must be thinking that I have gone crazy, that maybe I, and not the fighters, has gone punchy. I assure you that I have not gone insane, that I am very much still inhabiting the plain of reality that is shared by hopefully all of DHB’s loyal readers. The reason why this fight is more important than the main event is because it is about the future of the heavyweight division. When I say the future I do not mean a year down the road, though if Povetkin continues to win big he might be making noise in a year, no this is the long term future of heavyweight boxing. Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist at super heavyweight, and all around amateur star is six years younger than Wladimir, and nine younger than Byrd. He is also five years younger than current American savior Calvin Brock and current top rated Russian Sultan Ibragimov.

Now most Americans do not know much about Povetkin. So I think it is right to provide a quick run down of this young man’s amateur credentials. Alexander Povetkin is probably the closest thing to a living amateur legend, with only Teofilo Stevenson and Felix Savon having credentials that surpass his. In seven years as an amateur Povetkin won sixteen major amateur tournaments, twice as many as Lennox Lewis did in nine years as an amateur and more than both Klitschko brothers combined. He would have had the opportunity to compete in the 2000 Olympics at heavyweight, but had an injury in his hand that forced him out of the competition. He was replaced by Sultan Ibragimov, five years his senior, who was robbed against Savon in the gold medal match. So there was the very real possibility that Povetkin could have captured the gold in 2000 had it not been for his injury. Povetkin also won two major kickboxing tournaments, giving him a grand total of eighteen major tournament wins before turning professional in boxing. Povetkin’s final record as an amateur was 125-20, with most of those losses coming at the very beginning of his career, and only one loss in the last four years as an amateur.

As a professional Alexander has moved quickly, he has fought six times in less than a year, and has made a point of stepping up his level of competition quickly. In his last fight Povetkin knocked out Richard Bango in two rounds. Bango, who came into the fight with a 17-1 (13) record, had only lost to Nikolay Valuev by sixth round stoppage. The fight was Valuev’s 37th. Against Bango, Povetkin showed a combination of speed power and skill. He also showed the willingness to fire back when being hit, several times taking a punch to land one. He also showed an ability to counter effectively when he dropped Bango in the second with a counter hook. Povetkin had also stopped perennial spoiler Willie Chapman, dropping him in the fifth en route to a stoppage in between rounds five and six. Against Ahunanya, Povetkin is taking a huge step up in competition. Ahunanya is a tough skilled guy; he has lost to current WBO title holder Sergei Liakhovich, Lance Whittaker, Taurus Sykes and Sultan Ibragimov. His only stoppage loss was to Whittaker, who was recently demolished by Ibragimov in seven. Ahunanya also recently had a lackluster draw with Dominick Guinn, who recently defeated Audley Harrison.

Now yes one can look at Ahunanya’s recent history and say that Povetkin is simply taking an opponent who is dropping off. That being said, aside from Sykes, Ahunanya has lost to only contenders and a title holder. As a fan of the sport I have to say that Povetkin’s willingness to step up his level of competition so quickly is very endearing. As we have seen over the years there are many fighters that like to build a large padded record, against equally soft competition, in the hopes of getting a title shot by having a zero at the end of their record. Win or lose tomorrow Povetkin’s choice of opponent is commendable.

I do not rule out that Ahunanya can win, but I am leaning towards a sixth round stoppage win for Povetkin. I think his speed, high guard, incredible physical strength; combination punching, skill and power will just be too much for Ahunanya. From the looks of it HBO will be showing Povetkin’s fight so look for it to play out like this. Povetkin is a fast starter, a busy and effective aggressor. He will probably start the fight by establishing his jab and straight early in the first part of the first round. As the round progresses look for Povetkin to gradually step up his punch output as he throws more and more combinations to both the head and body. It is here that his speed and power will really come into play, as he should be able to land multiple combinations and hard counter shots. The fight will continue to play out much like Povetkin’s fight against Chapman, as over time Alexander’s abilities will prove to be just that much better than Ahunanya’s. Look for Povetkin to also muscle Ahunanya into the ropes and into the corners, where he will fire off powerful combinations against the game Nigerian. By the time we roll around to the sixth round Ahunanya should have taken a good deal of punishment, and either Povetkin will drop him for a knockout, or the referee will step in and end the fight via technical stoppage. Povetkin knows that not only will the eyes of Europe be on him, but so will the eyes of American boxing fans. I think that will only give him greater motivation to perform to the best of his abilities, that combined with his natural competitive drive and ambition will just make him too much of a force for Ahunanya to handle. Povetkin loves competition, he did his best against other elite fighters in the amateurs, and he has made no bones about progressing as quickly as possible as a professional, hopefully his performance tonight gives us all something to look forward to.

RESULTS, PLENTY OF UPSETS

4/19 ESPN2's Wednesday Night Fights Miami, FL

Kermit Cintron vs. David Estrada, favorite Cintron, selection Cintron in a tough fight. I missed the fight! I understand from everyone I talked to that this is the early candidate for fight of the year! I'll catch the replay. Prediction: CORRECT

4/20 New York

Silence Mabuza vs. Ricardo Vargas, favorite Mabuza, selection Vargas. I love Vargas and Mabuza is coming off a TKO loss to Rafael Marquez. I'm taking Vargas because he is almost a 3 to 1 underdog and this is really a 50/50 fight. I've always liked Chapo Vargas but this may be the end of the road for him. From reports I've read, the fight wasn't close at all. Prediction: WRONG

4/20 New York

Curtis Stevens vs. Carl Daniels

Daniels is a veteran, but Stevens just beat a better fighter than Daniels by devastating KO, Jose Spearman. Favorite and selection, Stevens. Stevens dropped Daniels early, but Daniels went the distance. Prediction CORRECT

4/20 New York

Jerson Ravelo vs. Donnell Wiggins, favorite Ravelo, selection Ravelo. Ravelo is over rated, however, he is on a different level than Wiggins. Prediction CORRECT

4/20 Worley, ID

Vassily Jirov vs. Luke Munsen, favorite and selection Jirov. Jirov is not as fresh as he used to be, however, he's back at cruiserweight where he belongs. Munsen is unknown to me. Look for Jirov to take him out with a body shot. Prediction CORRECT

4/21 Belfast, Ireland

Damaen Kelly vs. Simone Maludrottu, I don't know anything about either guy but Kelly is the favorite, he's Irish, and the fight is in Ireland, I'm going with him. Maludrottu was a 3 to 1 underdog. He went to Ireland and won a Unanimous Decision! $1 bet would have returned a $3 profit. Prediction INCORRECT

4/21 Sacramento, shown on Telefutura

Rogelio Castaneda, Jr. vs. Craig Weber. This is their third fight. In the first fight, Castaneda defeated Weber by split decision for the latter's only pro loss. In the second fight, they fought to a draw. Obviously, this looks to be a close fight. I'm taking Weber because he is a 1 1/2 to 1 underdog. If you don't have Telefutura, you should look in to getting it. I think it is only available in this area with a satellite dish, which I have. Telefutura's fights are better than ESPN's in most cases. This card was shown at the same time as ESPN2's and I watched the Telefutura fights (I taped them both). Telefutura Boxing is sponsored by Ford Motor Company, Best Buy, and Miller Lite! Conversely, ESPN2's Friday Night Fights are sponsored by Just For Men Hair Color! Telefutura pays more for their shows than ESPN2 does for theirs, about $35,000 per show from Telefutura, about $20,000 from ESPN2. I just don't get it. I understand that the Latin community is a big niche boxing market and big sponosors should advertise on spanish speaking tv. Why don't those same national sponsors advertise on ESPN2, which I am presuming has far larger availability than Telefutura? As Promoter Bob Arum (who was the first to take advantage of the Latin market) has said on many occasions, "The advertisers are hypocrites. They say they don't want to be associated with boxing because boxing has a bad name. These same companies have Latin divisions and they are all over boxing when they feel they can reach an audience." Telefutura is definitely taking advantage of the situation and they are putting on terrific fights. Last night it was Craig Weber vs. Rogelio Castaneda and Vicente Escobedo vs. Daniel Jimenez. Castandeda hurt Weber on a number occasions last night and stopped him in the middle rounds. I can see why Castaneda has ten losses though, his output is non-existent at times. Weber, on the other hand, is an aggressive fighter who throws a lot of punches. That's why their first two fights with each other were so close. It looks to me that Weber is slightly past his prime, and Castaneda took advantage of this. He hurt Weber in several spots and stopped him in the middle rounds. Prediction INCORRECT

4/21 Sacramento, shown on Telefutura

Vicente Escobedo vs. Daniel Jimenez. Escobedo is 9-0 with 9KO's. Jiminez dropped his pro debut, but has reeled off 12 consecutive wins. He's also trained by Miguel Cotto's uncle, Evangelista Cotto. Jiminez is a 5 to 1 underdog but Escobedo is a former Olympian who has fought good opposition. 5 to 1 is tough to turn down, especially when I consider Jiminez a live underdog. Selection, Escobedo. In an excellent fight, Jiminez won a split decision over the former US Olympian Escobedo. I scored the fight for Escobedo by 1 point, but the fight could have gone either way. Did I mention Jiminez was a live 5 to 1 underdog? Prediction INCORRECT

4/21 Augusta, GA ESPN2

Taurus Sykes vs. Derek "The 1 Man Riot" Bryant. I predicted Sykes by lackluster decision. In a sloppy, although action packed affair, Bryant stopped Sykes in the 4th round. Bryant has legitimate power in both hands, but fights in spurts on too many occasions. This gets him in trouble and causes him to lose some close fights (see his fight with Malcolm Tann). Maybe it's a stamina issue, I don't know. But on this night, the 1 Man Riot was not to be denied and he came through with the victory. By the way, Bryant was about a 4 to 1 underdog. Prediction INCORRECT. FYI, a parlay on the underdogs Bryant, Jiminez, and Maladrottu would have returned 60 to 1. What a parlay means is that if you bet on Bryant, Jiminez, and Maladrottu the bet would have to be that all three win. If one loses, you lose the bet. If one draws, and the other two win, you win the bet, but at less of a return. To figure out parlay returns, take the odds and multiply them by each other. Bryant was a 4 to 1 underdog, Jiminez was a 5 to 1 underdog, and Maladrottu was a 3 to 1 underdog. 4 X 5 x 3 is 60, hence it would have been 60 to 1 for a profit return! Needless to say, I missed all three fights, but this is an interesting what if scenario.

Overall, I am 27 and 19 on my picks.