Minneapolis / St. Paul Music Blog

Lewis vs. Tyson. Frazier vs. Ali. Marciano vs. Louis.

These are the great heavyweight bouts of the modern era. And now another is ready to enter those hallowed halls-- James vs. Knowles.

After James fired the first shot, declaring that Knowles would "get her ass whipped" for her performance of "At Last" at Obama's inauguration ball, publicists are clamoring to get the two heavyweight champs in the ring together. Where should you put your money when fight night rolls around? Gimme Noise breaks it down.

James and Knowles at the pre-fight weigh-in.

First, there are their fighting styles. Knowles is a finesse fighter, James a power fighter. And while Knowles' training as a dancer give her an edge in agility, the experienced James outweighs the slender Knowles by two or three classes. That's a power gap that Knowles will have to acknowledge in the opening rounds, as James can be expected to go for an early knockout.

Knowles' age may at first seem an advantage (at just 27, she is at her physical peak as a fighter). But, being the underpowered fighter on the card, her inexperience is a grave liability, and Knowles can be expected to try and outbox James, keeping her at a distance with jabs. It's a formula that won't succeed against the more fearsome, experienced James. James' age and weight advantage will give her the ability to absorb Knowles' jabs long enough to take the fight inside, where she will be able to dominate the comparatively frail Knowles with body blows.

Expect a James win by technical knockout in the 4th round. Vegas odds are currently stable at 3:1 James, but you can expect those numbers to rise in James' favor as fight night approaches. The wise would place their bets now and play the waiting game.