HBO honcho keen on making megafight

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

LAS VEGAS -- Ross Greenburg is the most influential man in American boxing because, as president of HBO Sports, he wields the biggest checkbook in the business.

He makes the final decision as to which fighters get on No. 1 boxing network HBO, which bouts the network spends tens of millions of dollars on each year and which fights the network backs with its HBO PPV arm.

And he has been instrumental in the careers of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., both of whom became superstars with years of heavy backing from HBO.

Greenburg doesn't do a lot of talking, so when he speaks, it's worth a listen. On the topic of a potential mega-fight between pound-for-pound Nos. 1 and 2, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Greenburg has a strong opinion.

"It has to happen," Greenburg said in an interview with ESPN.com following Pacquiao's history-making 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which HBO will replay on Saturday (10 p.m. ET/PT). "I will not let it die. It's got to happen. I've been thinking about it for three or four months as this fight began to materialize. The sport needs it. Not because the sport is in desperate straits, but because it's a Super Bowl staring you in the face. Too many people in this country are too excited about it."

Indeed the proposed showdown has garnered worldwide interest. Mayweather, the former pound-for-pound king and five-division champion who came out of retirement in September to dominate Juan Manuel Marquez, generated more than 1 million domestic pay-per-view buys for that fight. Pacquiao, whose victory against Cotto gave him a title in a record seventh division from flyweight to welterweight, is expected to generate far more than 1 million buys for the Cotto fight; numbers are expected to be released this week.

It will mark the first time since 1999, when Felix Trinidad outpointed Oscar De La Hoya in a welterweight unification fight and Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield fought to a highly controversial draw for the undisputed heavyweight championship, that two bouts in the same year will exceed 1 million pay-per-view buys.

Money, public and media demand and legacy are the reasons the fight will ultimately be made, Greenburg said.

"The fight will get made because Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao want the fight to get done," he said. "Two fighters look in the mirror and try to establish themselves as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world."

Greenburg, who has been with HBO for 31 years and worked his way from a producer at age 24 to senior vice president and executive producer in 1994 to president of the division in 2000, has been up close for numerous high-stakes negotiations for many of the biggest fights in boxing history.

With the possible Pacquiao-Mayweather fight staring the sport in the face, he views it as big a fight as any he has seen.

"It's rare when you have the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world both in their prime in the same weight class," Greenburg said. "And when that happens you seize the opportunity. I've lived through [Sugar Ray] Leonard-[Marvelous Marvin] Hagler, Leonard-[Thomas] Hearns. That's exactly where we were in 1981 [with Leonard-Hearns I], and the fight had to get made. The public demanded it and the fighters demanded it. And so there's no gray area. As far as the split, why hassle? Just do what [Muhammad] Ali and [Joe] Frazier did in 1971 -- split it in half. I'll go on record. What's a percentage point here or there to satisfy somebody's ego?"

Assuming the fight eventually happens, Greenburg sees Pacquiao-Mayweather breaking the records set by the 2007 showdown between Mayweather and De La Hoya. That fight generated records for pay-per-view buys (2.44 million), pay-per-view revenue ($137 million), total gross ($165 million) and live gate ($18,419,200).

"I don't see any way it doesn't," Greenburg said about record-breaking potential of Pacquiao-Mayweather. "I don't know what the final number will be but I know if we're going to do this fight, we have to do it out of the box and we have to treat it as a Super Bowl. We have to put all of our energy into every angle of the promotion and the production and the site and treat it as a true Super Bowl, and that means generating a lot more money than we ever have generated."

Greenburg mentioned the possibility of adding a fifth episode -- instead of the usual four -- to the run of the Emmy Award-winning series "24/7" following the buildup to the fight.

"Everything about this fight is bigger than other fights," he said.

Although Pacquiao and Mayweather are not under multi-fight contracts to HBO, Greenburg said that if the super-fight does happen it will definitely be an HBO PPV bout.

"It's an HBO PPV fight, I guarantee you that," Greenburg said. "There are contractual agreements that tie the fight to us."

Greenburg will be paying close attention to the fight negotiations as Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who has been handling Mayweather's business in recent fights, are expected to open discussions shortly.

Greenburg is confident that the fight will be made for the first part of 2010.

So what could hold it back?

"Nothing. I really mean that," he said. "I think it's a fairly easy fight to make. The money is too great, the importance is too high and the fighters themselves are fierce competitors and this will define them.

"This will define them as fighters. This will define them."

Dan Rafael is the boxing writer for ESPN.com.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

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Source: espn.go.com

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Ricky Hatton is finished at world level, says Frank Warren

By David Anderson, mirror.co.uk

Frank Warren has ridiculed talk of a Ricky Hatton return, saying he would be a "gift fight" for Amir Khan.

Hatton has been lined up to face Juan Manuel Marquez next summer, but his former promoter Warren claims he is finished at world level.

Warren said: "If he can make lightwelterweight, I can make flyweight. Have you seen the size of him? If he could get down, I tell you, that fight would be a gift fight for Amir."

Khan, who defends his WBA lightwelterweight crown against Dmitry Salita at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena on December 5, welcomed his old friend's possible return.

He said: "He should make a comeback.

You don't want to walk away with a defeat. People want a fight between me and Ricky, but we'll see."

Source: mirror.co.uk

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Boxing scribes react to Floyd Mayweather’s interview

By Marshall N. B., Boxing News World

Pound-for pound king pretender Floyd Mayweather spewed interesting notes in an exclusive interview with Sky Sport’s Adam Smith just hours after the scintillating victory of his rival Manny Pacquiao over tough Miguel Cotto.

While Pacquiao’s camp has remained relatively silent on this issue, some boxing scribes, however, have got plenty of things to say. Check this out.

Ali Sakoor (411mania.com)

Mayweather is scared, because he's already making up excuses to avoid the fight, such as Manny getting KO'd as a teenager and 20 year old. How many of you know that a young Bernard Hopkins lost to some guy named Clinton Mitchell? Do you care? I didn't think so. Marvin Hagler had early career losses to Willie Monroe and Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts. Who gives a crap. Any fool can see that Manny in no way resembles the unpolished, weight drained, young man from over 30 pounds and ten years ago. There's also no shame in Manny losing a decision to future hall-of-famer Erik Morales at a much lower weight; particularly after knockout victories in two rematches.

Manny did much better against Oscar and Hatton than Floyd did. He was also able to knock JMM to the deck 4 times in two fights, despite having outgrown 130. Floyd could only muster a second round flash knockdown, of a slow and chubby JMM, in their welterweight mismatch. Floyd won't be able to hurt Manny, but Manny would hit Floyd harder, and more often than he has ever been cracked in his entire career. I can see Floyd avoiding this fight, because he's scared to have an L on his record. He's too stupid and arrogant to understand that most every great fighter has more than one loss, and that doesn't diminish from greatness. What fades perceptions of greatness, is the failure to challenge one's self against the very best.

Frank Lotierzo (The Sweet Science)

Floyd Mayweather's seven paragraph statement released late Monday night borders on being hysterical and a bad joke at the same time.

This is typical scripted Mayweather. He knows now more than ever before that his only role in a potential fight with Pacquiao is to don the black hat and incite boxing fans and play the bad guy. That's Floyd's best suit and it's obvious that Pacquiao's showing versus Cotto has infuriated him and made him envious.

As Mayweather watched Pacquiao-Cotto Saturday night he had one thought going through his mind and it wasn't "I could never beat Pacquiao." No, it was more on the line that as sure as he was that he'd beat Cotto, he knows he never could've taken him apart as decisively as Pacquiao did. Not once in ten fights even if he dragged Cotto down to 144. And that's obviously eating at him based on his ridiculous press release.

Inside Mayweather is frustrated that as great as he looked versus Juan Manuel Marquez in September, Pacquiao's showing versus Cotto makes his seem like a six week old ghost. It seems no matter what Mayweather says or does he's upstaged by Pacquiao's showing in the ring versus an opponent he had more trouble with, or just so happened not to get in the ring with.

Chris Iorfida (CBA)

And finally, Mayweather Jr. is flapping his gums. Floyd said in a statement a couple days after Pacquiao-Cotto that Manny would be "easy work".

He also demonstrated his propensity for preposterousness on a couple of fronts. First, he engaged in a long-winded criticism on how Manny has never explicitly said he wants to fight Mayweather, a useless bit of semantics. Second, he said the Pacquiao fight was a no-win proposition because the Filipino is the smaller man and has already been beaten three times.

Such is the world that Mayweather inhabits, where an unbeaten mark rules above all else, even if the path to it has only periodically involved fighting the toughest foes. By Mayweather's logic, we should have stopped paying attention to Bernard Hopkins after 1994, as he was an exposed fighter with two losses on his ledger.

Steve Kim (SecondsOut.com)

Perhaps Mayweather is forgetting some of his own comments he made at his post-fight presser after he downed Marquez, or some of his contradictory answers he gave to ’RA the Rugged Man’ or the fact that Pacquiao has really never called anyone out.

Scott Heritage (Examiner.com)

If Floyd insists on waging a war of words against every prospective opponent, and he does, then he will find Pacquiao frustratingly mute. All the while Manny can sit back and let his own popularity grow as Floyd infuriates himself and finds less and less people on his side the more he talks.

SC (Bad Left Hook)

Mayweather sounds like a child being forced to do something because punishment will be forthcoming should he not. "Fine, mom, I'll take out the trash, but then you're just going to say, 'Hey, clean your bedroom!' When am I gonna get a break around here?!"

And for the Alliance of Boxing Fans Who Need to Protect Floyd Mayweather, let's just get it all out of the way first: I'm a hater, I only want to see him lose, I'll be so happy if he loses, I'm a hater, I'm a hater, I'm a hater. We've heard it all before.

Boxing fans have spent 15 solid years or so bitching about boxing not being what it used to be. Record-protecting stars like Mayweather are a big reason that's the case. So which is it? Does Floyd have nothing left to prove and should we all accept his mediocre opponent selection because he's so talented and rich and the rest of us must be jealous, or do you want to see the biggest and most important fight in at least two decades?

Mayweather's act is tired. He has to take this fight. If he wins -- and as I've said already, I think these are the only two fighters that can beat each other -- then heap the praise. I know I will. What Mayweather and some of his quick-to-defend fans fail to accept is that we all want to cherish Floyd in his active career, or at least I think most of us do. He's an amazing athlete and like Pacquiao, does things no one else in boxing can do. They've got different skill sets, and both of them are the peak of those skills. But Pacquiao has gone out and taken challenge after challenge after challenge, and has fought his way into the hearts and minds of not just his home country, but boxing fans all over the world. Pacquiao has helped boxing grow, a throwback who came from nowhere to become one of the biggest stars in sports. Mayweather is also a huge star, but he has been protecting his "0" like a mama bear for years now.

There's nothing about Mayweather in the ring I dislike. I think he's a joy to watch perform. He's so talented. But against who anymore? You know why Floyd thinks he always hears, "Well you should have won, so what's next?" Because since the Castillo rematch in 2002, every fight he's taken has been a no-brainer, except maybe Oscar since he moved up so high in weight. Mayweather-Judah was going to be a really interesting fight, until Judah crumbled three months beforehand against Carlos Baldomir of all the damn people.

There has been no one on his record that people thought could really beat him. You might say, "Well, that's because he's so good," and yes, he is so good, but that's not the whole reason. A big part of it has been the fact that he took on the likes of Henry Bruseles and Arturo Gatti, Sharmba Mitchell and the deadly slow Baldomir. There were better challenges out there. They didn't happen. And it wasn't just one thing that didn't happen, it has been several. There's a pattern. What's the constant? It's Floyd.

Glenn Wilson (Examiner.com)

First, this is what fighters do. Especially Mayweather. He believes that nobody really wants to fight him, even though he has a history of avoiding fighters that have called him out.

Second, he is criticizing Pacquiao for something that he himself has been guilty of. Floyd, as do most fighters, refuses to call out fighters immediately after a fight. His most common response to these type of questions is that him and his team will sit down and discuss which fight is best. That is his prerogative, and he should grant the same opportunity to Pacquiao.

Finally, he has to remember that he is dealing with Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao is a breath of fresh air, not just to boxing, but to sports in general. He is a 1950's, 3 minute a round fighter with humility. Unlike a lot of today's fighters, Manny would rather fight, not tell people how great he is.

Remember the old saying Floyd, it is like the pot calling the kettle black.

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Ringside With Raymundo 11.19.09: One More Mountain to Climb

By Raymundo Dioses, 411mania.com

They say that mere words can move mountains. In boxer Manny Pacquiao's case, small fists can rock the stars of the welterweight division.

This past weekend, Pacquiao demolished his third welterweight opponent, this being Miguel Cotto, the first true welterweight he has faced since his ascent into the higher ranks at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in front of more than 16,000 fans.

In Cotto, (34-2, 27KO) Pacquiao faced the toughest opponent in his fourteen year career, as Pacquiao sent a weight depleted Oscar De La Hoya into retirement last December and steam rolled through light-welterweight Ricky Hatton in May of this year. Cotto was the first true, in prime 147 pound fighter Pacquiao has faced, and the Pac Man passed with flying colors with two knockdowns en route to a decisive 12th round stoppage for the WBO title this past weekend.

What Manny Pacquiao has accomplished in the past 17 months in the sport of boxing has been nothing short of spectacular.

The Philippine born Pacquiao has boldly stepped up in weight class, from fighting his first career bout at the weight of 106, to last weekends fight, where he weight in at 144, winning titles in seven weight classes, the Pac Man has provided history before our eyes.

What looms next is what the media is penning as the match made in heaven, a fight that comes along every once in a generation, a battle between the top two boxers in the world, Manny Pacquiao v. Floyd Mayweather.

The fight is expected to top all financial records, purse, pay per views, ticket sales, and could become the most viewed boxing night in the sports history around the globe.

Heading into the Cotto fight, many believed that the match would set up a dream fight against Mayweather, and now here it is, a match to be made and written endlessly about until the fight is signed with the signatures of Mayweather and Pacquiao.

The fight would provide the same ascent for the sport as Pacquiao has received, a much needed global attention that could propel boxing into the national sports limelight, if not for a few months, at least one magic night where two of the sports best glove up against each other.

Pacquiao, (50-3, 38KO) threw the first punch already, saying before the Cotto fight that a Mayweather fight probably won't happen.

"I don't think it's going to happen," Pacquiao said. "I'm sure he doesn't want to fight."

"Boxing for him is like a business," Pacquiao said. "He doesn't care about the people around him watching. He doesn't care if the fight is boring, as long as the fight is finished and he gets (plenty of) money. … I want people to be happy. You have a big responsibility as a boxer."

Truer words have never been spoken while speaking of Mayweather, who repeatedly refers to the picking of his opponents as ‘business decisions', and in a recent radio interview with rapper RA ‘Da Rugged Man' stated that his legacy as a fighter "don't pay the bills". "Legacy don't pay the bills," is verbatim from FMJ.

Mayweather responded this week to Pacquiao's first punch.

He said during an interview he did leading up to his fight that he didn't think I wanted to fight him and that boxing for me was just a business and I wasn't interested in a good fight. But again, he never said during that interview that he would fight me. Why is he talking about what I won't do instead of what he wants to do? Plain and simple, it's because he knows he can't beat me under any circumstances," said Mayweather.
Mayweather wants Pacquiao to personally ask him for the fight, however that won't be the final issue of the fight being made.

"Tell Manny Pacquiao to be his own man and stop letting everyone, including his loudmouth trainer, talk for him. I am my own boss, speak for myself and tell it like it is. If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight me, all he has to do is step up to the plate and say it himself."

The ultimate issue at hand in making Pacquiao v. Mayweather will be money. The purse split will be on the mind of both fighters, as Pacquiao himself has also engaged in purse wars with DLH and Hatton. Both fighters, both promotional companies, will make big assertions as to who should receive the larger slice of the pie based on pay per view sales, as Floyd Mayweather pulled in a million for his comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao registered _ buys for his fight with Cotto. (Writers note, as of deadline, the official pay per view numbers have not been released for Pacquaio v. Cotto.)

Promoter Bob Arum, who promoted Mayweather early in his career, has an open distaste for Mayweather and Co., yet will look to Golden Boy's CEO Richard Schaeffer as a mediator in making the fight made. Floyd Mayweather has let GBP take the lead in promoting in his past three fights, and will be doing the same if a match against Pacquiao is made, pitting the two rival companies directly against each other. Arum is currently holding off on negotiations until the Cotto v. Pacquiao pay per view numbers come out to use as a negotiating tool.

Simply put though, there is simply too much money on the table for both parties for this fight to not be made.
In speaking of Schaefer, Arum had this to say recently, alongside still fueling his discontent for Mayweather and working with him in a business sense.

"Once he's authorized (Schaefer), things will proceed. I'm not going to play Mayweather's games, though. I'm not going to let my fighter play Mayweather's games. If Mayweather wants to fight Pacquiao and make a lot of money, he can do so. But God love him, no one is forcing him to fight and if he wants to play games or he doesn't want the fight, he can do what he wants."

"The only reason I want this Mayweather fight is because the public wants it so badly," Arum said. "Boxing is on a real, real roll right now and I don't want to do anything to get it off that. But if that doesn't matter to him, OK, it doesn't matter to him. I have no problem.

"But I would feel I cheated the sport I've worked in for so long if I stood in the way of this fight happening. Because of that, I'll do everything in my power to try to make it happen. Do I really want this happening, though? Other than that, the answer is no."

This match up will be the biggest between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, which may help to be a deciding factor in making the fight possible. Both companies like to be viewed as the premier promotion in boxing, and a win by their employees would provide bragging rights in 2010.

Boxing will have to wait several months to find out if the fight will happen, yet one thing is sure: Pacquaio v. Mayweather will be one of the biggest fights ever.

The fight will also serve as one last mountain Pacquaio is to climb before he will be thought of as one of the best boxers to ever lace up a pair of gloves.

Notes on Mayweather v. Pacquiao

This fight should take place in a stadium as opposed to the usual casino. Promoter Bob Arum has proposed stadiums from Texas, to New York, to New Orleans. It doesn't matter which one he picks, just pick one! To get 50 to 60 thousand people to watch the biggest fight in boxing in decades would be the best thing to do.

Last point from this writer: no matter what you read in the weeks to come, don't expect a quick signing of this fight. Pacquiao will most likely take a month vacation, so the fight can't be physically signed until at least 2010. Until then, everything will just be hearsay and Floyd Mayweather's weekly rants.

THROUGH MY EYES

Yes, trainer Joe Santiago should have stopped the fight sooner than the 12th round after seeing Miguel Cotto had no chance at winning the fight. I guess that's where the ‘rookie trainer' card can be pulled out. I wrote recently that referees need to better protect boxers, well the same goes for their trainers… Z Gorres is in a more stable condition this week, which is a good sign. Too many boxers have died this year due to injuries, not to mention the tragedies of Arturo Gatti and Vernon Forrest. 2009 has not been kind in that sense in the sport of boxing… Mosley v. Berto to open up 2010! It should provide an awesome opening to what could be a terrific year for the sport, which could also see the biggest fight in the past thirty years if Pac v. Money is made… Kelly Pavlik fighting one week later than the cancelled Williams bout? Well, I guess Williams and Co. were tired of being dicked around with cancellations. If Pavlik/Williams can happen in 2010, man, what a year it would be for the sport… Kessler v. Ward this weekend. Yes, yes, yes, I picked Cotto this last weekend. But I'm moving forward, and I'm going with Ward.

Source: 411mania.com

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Fight Lover's Forum 11.19.09: Manny is an All-Time Great... Maybe the Greatest

By Ali Shakoor, 411mania.com

We are witnessing GREATNESS. I can't wrap my mind around seven titles in seven different divisions. Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world, and among the top ten of all-time. If he beats Floyd Mayweather Jr--a topic I'll get to later--I may just call him the greatest pound for pound fighter ever. In boxing, I know we seem to have our untouchables in this argument like Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Henry Armstrong, but Manny belongs in the conversation.

It's a little embarrassing(I'm not sure why), but I think I may be able to make the case that Manny Pacquiao is currently the greatest pound-for-pound fighter ever. I'm not ready to make the case yet, but it's on my mind. As of now, I'll just call him among the ten greatest ever, although in my heart, I'm thinking top five at the least. I'm too much of a wuss to commit right now. Who is this guy that has me all smitten, confused and laudatory?

He's the guy that has me choking on my size 11.5 sneakers right now. Yes, I predicted Cotto to win this fight via an 11th round stoppage. I was so wrong. In fact, the fight unfolded in a manner exactly the opposite of what I was expecting. I thought Cotto would taste Manny's power early, shake it off, and then wear him down over the second half of the fight. It happend in reverse.

What I absolutely did not see coming, was Manny's iron chin. Cotto tagged Manny with some very solid jabs, hooks, and uppercuts. Manny shook it off, and just kept freaking coming. He knocked Cotto down in the third round, but Cotto was more off balance than hurt. In the action packed fourth round, where Cotto showed a great deal of heart, and appeared to be winning, Manny clocked him with a devastating left hook.. Cotto's face and eyes looked defeated. Although Cotto put forth an effort in subsequent rounds, he just couldn't turn things around.

Through my drunken excitement and disbelief, I continuously shouted, "Manny can hurt, Cotto, b-b-but, Cotto c-c-can't hurt Manny." I know, not very articulate, but that was the fight in a nutshell. I'll never "bet" against Manny again while he's in his prime. While combining skill with aggression and blinding speed, he's the most entertaining fighter I've ever seen. He's more aggressively offensive than Hopkins, Jones Jr. and Mayweather. He has better defensive skills than Trinidad, De La Hoya and Hagler. He's fought better competition than Vitali or Calzaghe. He's more dominant over a longer period of time than Leonard and Tyson. What I'm saying is, not only do I think Manny Pacquiao is the most exciting fighter of his era, I think he's the most exciting fighter of the last 3 or 4 eras; which is my era range as a boxing fan and viewer. There's no flaws in his game right now.

A few images from this past Saturday night reveal Manny's dual persona, and what makes him such a great fighter, and mesmerizing sports figure. First, it was his walk to the ring. He looked so relaxed and overjoyed with happiness. As opposed to walking to the ring to face his toughest opponent, for the roughest fight of his life, you'd think he was about to accept some type of "Man of the Year" award or something. He was so smiley and hand-shaky. I couldn't believe the calm. Pacquao is a different type of cat. Unbelievable.

Then there's this other side of Pacquiao--the intense, focused, warrior. When he went to the ropes to let Cotto tee off, we could just imagine Freddie Roach going insane in the corner. But Manny knew what he was doing. As he stated after the fight, Manny wanted to "test Cotto's power". Yep, the naturally smaller Manny wanted to feel just how much Cotto had to work with in the power department. Cotto is known as a heavy puncher, so when Manny shook off the best of his blows, he created a real psychological advantage for himself. "Manny can hurt, Cotto, b-b-but, Cotto c-c-can't hurt Manny."

This other side of Manny has the essence of the pure fighter. For all of his platitudes and respect outside of the ring, Manny is a true cold-blooded, badass warrior inside the ropes. He likes to fight--intelligently--,but fight nonetheless. He continuously stalked Cotto, and when Cotto occasionally got in full retreat mode to buy himself some time to recuperate, Manny stopped on a couple of occasions and just glared at him. He had no desire to follow Miguel around. He wanted to fight. It was like he was channeling Clubber Lang, "Come on, I got a LOTTA MO". The dual personality of Manny as the humble, respectful, guy outside the ring, in contrast with the aggressive, brutal, assassin inside the ring, creates the perfect fighter to root for. We are so lucky.

What's Next?

Manny could go back to 140, but nobody there could compete with him. Timothy Bradley would be scrappy before getting knocked out inside of 8 rounds. At 147, there is the winner of Berto v. Mosley. The "green" Berto would get eaten alive by Manny. Mosley would have a puncher's chance against Manny, but really, can the guy who couldn't drop Cotto, drop Manny? I doubt it. Plus, as great as Mosley is, I don't see him outworking Manny at the age of 38. Nobody can mess with Manny right now in the 140's. A rubbermatch with Juan Manuel Marquez(JMM) is a possibility, but Manny should only take it, if it's in the low 140's. Manny has proven to have gotten much stronger ever since leaving 130, and I'm certain that's why he struggled so much with JMM in their two epic battles. At 140 or above, Manny puts the ancient JMM to sleep inside of 4 rounds.

Well, what about Mayweather? Does Mayweather even want this fight? Of course it makes a lot of sense, and would be the biggest event in the sport's recent history. The two greatest fighters in the world are in the same weight range. This is very rare. Floyd talks so much about his legacy, but it's incomplete without fighting Manny. The storylines are so clear with P4P king v. P4P king, Roach v. the Mayweather brothers, Manny was more dominant against 2 opponents in common, and lastly, the winner can call himself the best fighter of his era.

Mayweather is scared, because he's already making up excuses to avoid the fight, such as Manny getting KO'd as a teenager and 20 year old. How many of you know that a young Bernard Hopkins lost to some guy named Clinton Mitchell? Do you care? I didn't think so. Marvin Hagler had early career losses to Willie Monroe and Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts. Who gives a crap. Any fool can see that Manny in no way resembles the unpolished, weight drained, young man from over 30 pounds and ten years ago. There's also no shame in Manny losing a decision to future hall-of-famer Erik Morales at a much lower weight; particularly after knockout victories in two rematches.

Manny did much better against Oscar and Hatton than Floyd did. He was also able to knock JMM to the deck 4 times in two fights, despite having outgrown 130. Floyd could only muster a second round flash knockdown, of a slow and chubby JMM, in their welterweight mismatch. Floyd won't be able to hurt Manny, but Manny would hit Floyd harder, and more often than he has ever been cracked in his entire career. I can see Floyd avoiding this fight, because he's scared to have an L on his record. He's too stupid and arrogant to understand that most every great fighter has more than one loss, and that doesn't diminish from greatness. What fades perceptions of greatness, is the failure to challenge one's self against the very best.

If I'm Manny, I'd offer Floyd a 50/50 split and the ability to weigh up to the 147 lb limit for Manny's new WBO Welterweight Championship Belt. Floyd isn't a bruiser, and he certainly doesn't hit harder than Cotto, so 2 pounds would make zero difference. If Floyd doesn't bite on 50/50, I'd offer a 60/40 split in favor of whomever wins via KO. This would follow the brilliant model of the Hopkins/Jones Jr. agreement. If Floyd turned these terms down, he'd be exposed as the loudmouthed coward that so many of us believe him to be.

So if Floyd refuses to fight Manny--which I think is highly possible--what should Manny do? There aren't any other big money fights at 140 or 147, and I've already mentioned his superiority to the other fighters there. Pacman could just retire with his legacy in place, with the hope that Floyd grows a sac in a year or two. But how about this: who would favor Manny against Cory Spinks for the IBF Junior Middleweight strap, even while giving up 7-10 pounds? I would. That would be 8 belts in 8 divisions. Could this great champion then next give up 12-15 pounds to snag the feather-fisted Felix Sturm's WBA 160lb belt? Try 9 titles in 9 divisions. I know this would be gimmicky, but the risks are there. If Mayweather is yellow-bellied, why not see how far the climb up the ladder can go, while engaging in smart matchmaking. 9 titles in 9 divisions. Sounds nuts right? I remember hearing about Manny v. Oscar, and being disgusted by the gross "mismatch" in Oscar's favor. That was the first time I bet against Manny in the past several years. Then I misjudged him against Cotto. I'll never pick against Manny again. He's a truly remarkable athlete--and MAN.

I feel very fortunate to bear witness to the history he's creating for us all. There will never be another Manny Pacquiao. He's a truly special gift.

Source: 411mania.com

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Pacquiao is one of the best of all time

By Julian Turner, Bangkok Post

Manny Pacquiao proved beyond doubt that he is the best fighter of this generation last weekend and a case can now be made for him being one of the greatest of all time.

The Filipino's victory over welterweight Miguel Cotto was brutal, technically brilliant and exciting.

Manny took a big risk in fighting the Puerto Rican at 145lbs (66kg) but the former flyweight actually looked the stronger man once he had got out of the first round.

Cotto had more success than many of Pacquiao's previous opponents but still couldn't put a dent in him despite landing punches that would have had other fighters in serious trouble.

In a sport where a few kilogrammes can make the difference between efficiency and ruin, Pacquiao has repeatedly proved that he is able to rise to every challenge put in his way.

He has now added Cotto's name to an incredible record that also includes wins over Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales.

Pacquiao's name certainly wouldn't look out of place among legends such as Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez and Henry Armstrong but he is also on the brink of getting right to the top among the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis.

There was plenty of talk at the weekend about how Pacquiao had become the first man to win seven titles in seven different divisions by beating Miguel but that statistic has been aided by the proliferation of belts and also the expansion of the original eight weight classes.

Yet even if Pacquiao had been boxing 100 years ago he would still have spanned five divisions, winning major fights in four of them (flyweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight).

He only missed out on bantamweight after being knocked out by Thailand's Medgoen Singsurat in Nakhon Si Thammarat in 1999 in a WBC flyweight title fight.

Pacquiao decided to skip over the 118lb (53.6kg) division but no one back then could have predicted his rise all the way up to welterweight while still retaining his power, speed and punch resistance.

The fight everyone wants to see now is Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather and it was interesting to note Mayweather wasn't in the crowd last weekend.

As gifted as Floyd is, he must realise that his unbeaten record could come to an end against "Pacman".

If he had been ringside for Pacquiao v Cotto then he would have been able to make a big statement of intent but instead we were left guessing about whether he will take the risk.

I have no doubt that Pacquiao is ready to accept the match as long as Mayweather doesn't price himself out.

I always thought that Floyd would be too slick for Pacquiao but after seeing Manny hammer Cotto then it is impossible not to give him a good chance of winning the fight, which is what makes it so attractive.

Hopefully both camps can come to an agreement and get the match arranged for next year because it would be the biggest boxing event in years.

Even if Floyd wins it still wouldn't detract from Pacquiao's spectacular career and I have a feeling they could fight more than once anyway.

Another aspect of last weekend's fight worth commenting on is the conduct of Cotto's corner from the eighth round onwards.

Cotto's trainer Joe Santiago kept asking Miguel if he wanted to continue but he should have made the decision for him and pulled him out.

That is part of his job, because fighters rarely say they want to quit if asked directly. Cotto looked finished after the 10th and I was very surprised he was allowed out for the 11th round let alone the 12th.

It was hard to watch such a courageous man take a fearful, and prolonged, beating like that.

Cotto looked as though he was prepared to absorb any amount of punishment rather than give up and he should have been protected from himself, either by his corner or the referee.

Julian Turner is the Bangkok Post's Deputy Sports Editor.


Email: juliant@bangkokpost.co.th

Source: bangkokpost.com

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Is Pacquiao-Mayweather Jr. pairing in the cards?

Los Angeles Wave

Manny Pacquiao’s 12-round knockout of MIguel Cotto was barely over before talk of another glamorous matchup with the Filipino star began.

It may never happen, but a pairing of Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. dominated talk in boxing circles.

It was even prevalent among some of the fans Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas who were chanting, “We want Floyd. We want Floyd.”

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, has the same sentiments.

“I want to see him fight Mayweather,” Roach said.

Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said he was ready to begin negotiations with Mayweather’s promoter on a fight, while Mayweather issued a statement this week saying he wanted to hear from Pacquiao himself that he really wants the fight.

“Tell Manny Pacquiao to be his own man and stop letting everyone, including his loudmouth trainer, talk for him,” Mayweather said. “I am my own boss, speak for myself and tell it like it is. If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight me, all he has to do is step up to the plate and say it himself.”

Mayweather may have second thoughts after Pacquiao did what no fighter has done before — win a belt in a seventh weight class. More impressive, though, is how he has fought, dismantling opponents despite moving up consistently from 106 pounds to the 144 he weighed for the fight.

After taking the WBO version of the welterweight belt from Cotto, Pacquiao indicated he won’t trying any more weight classes.

“This is the last weight division for me,” Pacquiao said. “It’s history for me and more importantly a Filipino did it.”

Pacquiao used his blazing speed and power from both hands to win his seventh title in seven weight classes and cement his stature as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Cotto took such a beating that his face was a river of red from the fury of Pacquiao’s punches, but he refused to quit even as his corner tried to throw in the towel after the 11th round.

“I didn’t know from where the punches were coming,” Cotto said.

The fight was billed as a 145-pound classic, and in the early rounds it didn’t disappoint. The two went after each other with a vengeance and Cotto more than held his own as they traded punches in the center of the ring before a roaring sellout crowd at the MGM Grand arena.

Pacquiao dropped Cotto with a right hand early in the third round, but he wasn’t badly hurt and came back to finish the round strong. But after Pacquiao put Cotto on the canvas with a big left hand late in the fourth round, the Puerto Rican was never the same again.

Cotto won two rounds on the scorecards of two ringside judges and just one round on the card of the third.

“Our plan was not to hurry, but to take our time,” Pacquiao said. “It was a hard fight and I needed time to test his power.”

Cotto’s face was marked early and he was bleeding midway through the fight as Pacquiao kept bouncing around and throwing punches in his unorthodox southpaw style. He tried to keep taking the fight to Pacquiao, but by then his punches had lost their sting and his only real chance was to land a big punch from nowhere.

“He hit harder than we expected and he was a lot stronger than we expected,” Cotto’s trainer, Joe Santiago, said.

Cotto fought gamely, but in the later rounds he was just trying to survive as blood flowed down his face and Pacquiao came after him relentlessly. Santiago tried to stop the fight after the 11th round, but Cotto went back out to take even more punishment before a final flurry along the ropes prompted referee Kenny Bayless to end it.

Cotto’s wife and child, who were at ringside, left after the ninth round, unable to watch the beating any longer. They later accompanied him to a local hospital for a post-fight examination.

“My health comes first. I just want to make sure I’m fine, but I feel great. I’m swollen but that’s all,” Cotto said.

His face swollen, Cotto was bleeding from his nose and his cuts, and he simply couldn’t stop Pacquiao from bouncing inside and throwing both hands at will.

“Manny Pacquiao is one of the best boxers I ever fought,” Cotto said.

Source: wavenewspapers.com

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Mosley Called Out Floyd, Pacquiao Better Be Nicer About It

By Frank Lotierzo, The Sweet Science

Floyd Mayweather's seven paragraph statement released late Monday night borders on being hysterical and a bad joke at the same time. It's amazing after being taken apart by RA The Rugged Man over the phone a couple weeks ago that he has the gall to say Manny Pacquiao hasn't called him out.

For starters Pacquiao is a likable guy who doesn't go out of his way calling anybody out. Remember, it was Oscar De La Hoya who requested to fight Manny Pacquiao, not the opposite. And the last guy who called out Mayweather to his face in the ring was Shane Mosley; how'd that work out for Shane? Not too good. It resulted in a promise that he would never fight the fighter who until Pacquiao's showing against Cotto this past weekend was thought to have the best chance to take him down and see to it that his "O" will go.

This is typical scripted Mayweather. He knows now more than ever before that his only role in a potential fight with Pacquiao is to don the black hat and incite boxing fans and play the bad guy. That's Floyd's best suit and it's obvious that Pacquiao's showing versus Cotto has infuriated him and made him envious.

As Mayweather watched Pacquiao-Cotto Saturday night he had one thought going through his mind and it wasn't "I could never beat Pacquiao." No, it was more on the line that as sure as he was that he'd beat Cotto, he knows he never could've taken him apart as decisively as Pacquiao did. Not once in ten fights even if he dragged Cotto down to 144. And that's obviously eating at him based on his ridiculous press release.

Inside Mayweather is frustrated that as great as he looked versus Juan Manuel Marquez in September, Pacquiao's showing versus Cotto makes his seem like a six week old ghost. It seems no matter what Mayweather says or does he's upstaged by Pacquiao's showing in the ring versus an opponent he had more trouble with, or just so happened not to get in the ring with.

Pacquiao-Mayweather will be promoted as the good-guy versus the bad-guy as it should. Mayweather will go out of his way to tear Pacquiao down, while Pacquiao will just sit back and let the demand for the fight rise as he becomes the bigger fan favorite with each passing day.

Mayweather saw some things Saturday night that he hadn't seen before from Pacquiao and they're a big concern for him. So instead of acting like he wasn't impressed he'll scream Pacquiao is just a media creation and knows inside he can't beat Floyd Mayweather.

The question is what does Mayweather say when Arum holds a press conference to which Pacquiao steps up to the podium and calmly calls him out? Maybe Pacquiao should confer with Shane Mosley and be sure to ask to fight but not come across so confident... or it won't happen.

After Pacquiao calls Mayweather out publicly...then what Floyd?

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Source: thesweetscience.com

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Busy boxing day, except for Mayweather-Pacquiao

Los Angeles Times

Richard Schaefer, the Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions chief executive who's arranged Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s last three fights, was taking awhile to return my call. Was he making the much-anticipated Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao deal?

"No, but I've never seen the interest in this fight," Schaefer said. "Everybody wants to know what's happening. It's amazing. This is something on a scale that's beyond [Oscar] De La Hoya-Mayweather."

That's saying something, given that De La Hoya-Mayweather is the most lucrative fight ever.

Schaefer was, however, busy striking other deals Wednesday.

He said Huntington Park's Israel Vazquez has signed to have a fourth fight with Mexico's Rafael Marquez on Feb. 27 at Staples Center. The super-bantamweight champion Vazquez engaged in two fights of the year with Marquez, but endured more than a yearlong layoff after suffering a detached retina in the memorable third fight in March 2008.

Schaefer said Marquez's promoter, Gary Shaw, and Showtime have expressed a strong willingness to make the fourth fight happen, and he expects it will.

Also, Schaefer said, he has received verbal instructions from both Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez to pursue a fight that will pit them against each other next year at an open-air soccer stadium in Manchester, England.

"Hatton wants to come back," Schaefer said, referring to the Englishman's brutal second-round knockout loss to Pacquiao in May. "Marquez wants Pacquiao first, but he realizes this Mayweather-Pacquiao fight will probably happen first, so he told me he's OK to fight Hatton, and willing to go to England."

Lastly, Schaefer said, as long as Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. win their tune-up fights next month, their rematch will occur March 13 in Las Vegas.

"And Hopkins wants to move up to fight [heavyweight champ] David Haye if he wins," Schaefer said.

"I told you I've had a busy day."

-- Lance Pugmire

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

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Freddie Roach Interview On Pacquiao's win over Cotto, Mayweather Jr, Mosley, Tyson, Margarito, Marquez, Clottey and More!

By David Tyler, Doghouse Boxing

He is the trainer of Manny Pacquiao. Through Freddie’s tutelage, Pacman has become the first seven belt holder in boxing history. Freddie has won more trainer of the year awards than any trainer in the history of boxing.

He has trained more champions than any trainer in the history of boxing.. The most recent issue of Sports Illustrated calls him boxing’s greatest trainer ever! As of this date, he has not been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Once again, let’s welcome this living legend into the doghouse.

David Tyler – Fred, how was your last trip to Las Vegas?

Freddie Roach – I’d say it turned out pretty good.

DT – Let’s get down to business. Did the first round give you any jitters?

FR – I was a little surprised but Manny told me between rounds that he just wanted to see if he could take his punches because Cotto is a true Welterweight. Manny was in control.

DT – When did you know the fight was yours?

FR – After the first knock down I knew it was a matter of time. Manny was going to be too strong and fast for him.

DT – Did Miguel Cotto surprise you by running away from Manny?

FR – No not really. I could see that coming and I thought he might quit but I believe he wanted to say that he went the distance with Manny Pacquiao.

DT – Should referee Kenny Bayless have stopped that fight sooner?

FR – I don’t think so, I would say his corner should have thrown in the towel and kept their fighter from taking a beating and embarrassing himself by not boxing. His corner is young and inexperienced..

DT – Could we compare Manny to Mike Tyson in the sense that other fighters seem afraid of Pacquiao and run?

FR – Manny is even more fearsome than Tyson, he is also more of a complete fighter with great power in either hand which was on display for the world to see last Saturday. I’m sure that Mayweather is afraid of him.

DT – Manny told the world that he will stay at 147 lbs. Can anybody come close to beating him at 147 pounds?

FR – I have no problem saying that there is not a fighter in the world who could come close to beating Manny Pacquiao at Welterweight.

DT – Fred, the entire galaxy wants Manny to fight Mayweather next. What would be the biggest challenge in making this happen?

Please read the rest of this Interview at DoghouseBoxing.

***

Special thanks to Chee of Doghouse for this article.

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Talks of megafight heat up, with Floyd Sr. taking first jabs

Sports Illustrated

This article appears in the November 23, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Hanging from a building directly across the street from Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland is a Nike billboard 10 stories high bearing a huge image of Cavaliers star LeBron James with the words we are all witnesses at the top. The message: Go on in, and watch a legend in the making. Well, the apparel giant may want to construct a similar billboard of one of its newer clients,

Manny Pacquiao, and put it up on every building he fights in. Because history, you see, is happening right now.

Last Saturday night in Las Vegas, in front of 16,200 fans at the MGM Grand, Pacquiao dismantled Miguel Cotto to win the WBO welterweight championship with a 12th-round TKO. The victory, his 50th in 55 fights, gave the 30-year-old Pacquiao a title in a record-setting seventh weight class. "I've been around Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard," says Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum. "Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter I've ever seen."

Saturday's bout was expected to be the toughest test of Pacquiao's 14-year career. He would be fighting at his heaviest weight, 144 pounds, against a natural welterweight widely regarded as the division's best. Cotto, 29, brought a record of 34-1 (27 KOs) and a reputation for durability.

With trainer Freddie Roach (dubbed "my master" by Pacquiao during the week) dictating the game plan from the corner, Pacquiao rained punches on Cotto that seemed to emanate from all angles. He dropped an off-balance Cotto with a chopping right in the third round and sent him down again in the fourth with a left to his jaw. While a game Cotto responded with everything in his considerable arsenal -- including a left hook that snapped Pacquiao's head back in the third -- he could do little to stave off Pacquiao's assault.

By the ninth round Cotto's face was swollen and he was spitting blood; by the 10th he was in full retreat -- his corner almost threw in the towel -- and by the 12th a once bloodthirsty crowd was pleading for a stoppage. When Pacquiao drove Cotto to the ropes with another left, referee Kenny Bayless jumped in to wave the fight over with 2:05 remaining. "He was a lot faster than we thought," says Cotto's trainer, Joe Santiago. "A lot stronger too."

Basking in the present is a luxury afforded to no champion. Even before Pacquiao stepped out of the ring on Saturday he was asked whom he would face when he stepped back in. The first name to come up: Floyd Mayweather Jr. "We'll take the best deal out there," says Roach. "But personally I want Mayweather."

While a fight between Pacquiao and the unbeaten, five-weight-class world champion is a natural fit, there are no guarantees. There is a river of bad blood between Arum and Mayweather that flows from their ugly split in 2006. Then there is the money: Industry sources say a Pacquiao-Mayweather matchup could generate $80 million, but Mayweather has insisted he should get the larger share while Pacquiao's camp won't budge off of a 50-50 split. "Both sides need to look at the big picture," says HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg. "That's a boatload of cash and a fight that America wants." Arum, for the moment, agrees: "If [Mayweather] wants to fight Manny Pacquiao, he can call me."

The showdown, should it happen, could come as soon as early May. But Mayweather has long been criticized for avoiding the most challenging opponents, and already some in his camp appear to be looking for ways out of the bout. Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr., told SI he would advise his son not to face Pacquiao, saying that he believed Pacquiao's ability to absorb Cotto's shots and keep coming is proof that Pacquiao is taking performance-enhancing substances -- an accusation for which he had no proof. "I know Floyd is the best," says Mayweather Sr. "But when [your opponent] uses something illegal, even the best can get hurt."

Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, says there is no evidence Pacquiao is using steroids. Nevada rules, which have been in place since 2002, require fighters to submit urine samples before every fight. Those samples are tested for 40 kinds of steroids, diuretics and masking agents. Pacquiao, who has fought in Las Vegas 10 times since '02, has never tested positive. Pacquiao's conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, says the only substances Pacquiao took leading up to the fight were whey protein and liver-support supplements, while consuming a 6,500-calories-per-day diet.

Such controversy seems to bounce off Pacquiao. Humbled by poor beginnings in the Philippines, he still views himself as the reckless puncher who walked into Freddie Roach's Los Angeles gym eight years ago looking for a trainer. At the postfight press conference Pacquiao stood at a podium and declared himself "an ordinary fighter."

"You're not ordinary," Roach interrupted.

Pausing, his face reddening and then creasing with a shy smile, Pacquiao turned to Roach. "OK," he said. "Sorry about that, Master."

Source: sportsillustrated.cnn.com

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Pacquiao Calls Out Mayweather: "Let's Fight!"

By Cher Calvin, KTLA News

HOLLYWOOD -- The crowd goes crazy for Manny Pacquiao, the best pound for pound boxer in the world. And there's one question everyone is asking: Will Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather?

Manny Pacquaio has singlehandedly brought back the passion for boxing. His popularity is so enormous that hundreds of people lined up at the Highlands in Hollywood to get a glimpse of him at his victory party Tuesday night.

Pacquaio gained notoriety after knocking out Oscar de la Hoya last May. After his win on Saturday against Miguel Cotto, a 12th round knockout, everyone is calling for a Floyd Mayweather Jr. -- Manny Paquiao bout. Mayweather is calling out Pacquaio in this statement he made Monday.

"If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight me, all he has to do is step up to the plate and say it himself," Mayweather said.

So I asked Pacquaio to answer Mayweather, before anyone else talked to him. "Yes, I want to fight Mayweather," he told KTLA

Fans are demanding to see the two boxers battle it out.

The fight the world wants to see between Mayweather and Pacquaio could generate more money on pay per view with estimates over $120 million alone.

Pacquaio has made history by being the only boxer to win 7 titles in 7 weight classes. Mayweather has a perfect record. This highly anticipated bout, if it were to happen, would have to take place in a super bowl sized venue like Giants or Yankees Stadium.

Pacquiao says he's ready for it.

Source: ktla.com

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Buzz begins for Mayweather-Pacquiao

By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports

Let the gamesmanship begin.

In the wake of Manny Pacquiao's destruction of Miguel Cotto, the drums are beating for Pacquiao to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a meeting of the fighters all boxing observers agree are at the top of the pound-for-pound list (though the order is up for debate).

Bets are already being taken in Vegas. The inevitable "this fight must happen to save boxing" are already beginning. (A dubious view, given that boxing has enjoyed some really impressive pay-per-view numbers this year, none of which involved Oscar De La Hoya, the supposed last fighter ever with mainstream appeal.)

And finally, Mayweather Jr. is flapping his gums. Floyd said in a statement a couple days after Pacquiao-Cotto that Manny would be "easy work".

He also demonstrated his propensity for preposterousness on a couple of fronts. First, he engaged in a long-winded criticism on how Manny has never explicitly said he wants to fight Mayweather, a useless bit of semantics. Second, he said the Pacquiao fight was a no-win proposition because the Filipino is the smaller man and has already been beaten three times.

Such is the world that Mayweather inhabits, where an unbeaten mark rules above all else, even if the path to it has only periodically involved fighting the toughest foes. By Mayweather's logic, we should have stopped paying attention to Bernard Hopkins after 1994, as he was an exposed fighter with two losses on his ledger.

Expect more salvos in the war of words. Floyd Mayweather Sr. has said in the past that he believes Pacquiao's great recent performances just two years after fighting 12-15 pounds south of the welterweight division are in large part the result of using performance enhancers.

There'll be less smack talk on the other side of the equation, although Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach has been increasingly boastful about his charge over the last couple of years.

Roach says he wants Pacquiao to fight Mayweather next, and well he should. If they fight in May or June, Mayweather will step into the ring having fought only once in the previous 30 months, a fight against the overmatched Juan Manuel Marquez.

It will be the most lucrative fight ever, but making it could take some work. Expect Mayweather to demand a majority of the share, citing his great numbers for Marquez despite two years away from the sport. There is also talk of huge football venues and even Yankee Stadium, but don't expect this bout to be anywhere but Las Vegas.

I know I'm in the minority, but I won't be too bummed if Mayweather engages in another fight first before the superfight fully marinates. I want to see the best fight the best at optimal conditions, with no excuses involving ring rust or other factors.

The positive part of all this buzz is that it shows that fans only care about great matchups, not the titles a fighter may hold. Unfortunately, that leaves Shane Mosley out in the cold.

Mosley, who fights Andre Berto on Jan. 30, is the legitimate welterweight champion at the moment. He drubbed Antonio Margarito (who beat Cotto in the wake of Mayweather's "retirement") for that right but has been looking for a fight for nearly a year.

I'm still of the mind that Mosley-Mayweather and Mosley-Pacquiao would end up being more exciting fights than Mosley-Pacquiao, though of course not bigger events. The other two camps no doubt think that Mosley, even at 38, is too much risk for the monetary reward as he's never been able to approximate the kind of wide box office appeal they have.

As for Mayweather-Pacquiao, I'm not sure there's ever been a matchup of two guys with such fast hands. It would plenty intriguing and exciting to watch unfold, but I'm still not convinced the action would be sensational, owing to Mayweather's boxing acumen. But Manny's proven me wrong a couple of times already!

Fighter of the Blog

Who else? Call it a balance knockdown if you want, but it was a pretty ominous sign for Cotto supporters when Pacquiao dropped him in the third with his right hand, the so-called weaker one. In the fourth, Pacquiao landed his moneymaker, the left, and the fight was all but over.

I proved less successful in prognosticating this fight than Hilary Clinton, although she made her pick from Manila. I didn't think Cotto's performance against Josh Clottey in June was terrible - I'm not sure Clottey in his prime will ever be authoritatively beaten - but it's clear that Cotto is not the same fighter who stepped into the ring with Antonio Margarito.

You can decide for yourself if Margarito's gloves contained a plaster-like substance that night (he was caught before his next bout) but the Cotto who nipped Mosley just two years ago was not the same guy who stepped into the ring on Saturday. There were a couple of occasions in the first three rounds where Cotto had Manny in a vulnerable spot on the ropes, but simply couldn't pull the trigger.

But in the end, the beating of Pacquiao's fists comes with no asterisk.

The Fight

A bit surprised so many thought the main event was the Fight of the Year so far. Manny's definitely the Fighter of the Year, and it was the Performance of the Year, but I just can't make it a triple crown.

For four rounds and change it was the type of gut-churning rollercoaster type fun that few other sports can match, if any, but once you realized in the fifth that Cotto wasn't going to recover from that second knockdown, the outcome was inevitable. And towards the end, it was painful to watch.

What this fight needed to become Fight of the Year, in my mind, was one more shift in momentum, even slight, to show that there was still some doubt. An impressive Cotto flurry or even a nasty cut for Pacquiao might have sufficed in that regard.

Until proven otherwise in the next few weeks, I still have Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz pencilled in as Fight of the Year, an exciting fight with shifts in momentum whose outcome was in doubt until the final round.

Onward and upward (in weight)

There's a terrific fight on tap for this Saturday, arguably the best matchup that can be made among the six fighters in the Showtime super middleweight tournament. Mikkel Kessler of Denmark has only been beaten once, and there was no shame in losing a close-ish decision to the great Joe Calzaghe. Kessler was actually winning that bout after five rounds until Calzaghe adapted.

Kessler has a huge edge in experience over Andre Ward, but he's looked robotic from time to time, making the quick-fisted American a live underdog. Two other factors help give Ward a decent chance: Kessler is out of friendly environs, fighting in the U.S. for the first time in nine years (in Ward's backyard) and his opposition since the Calzaghe loss two years ago has been unremarkable.

Source: cbc.ca

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