It's amazing how quickly a boxing “rumor” turns into fact.
We had another example of this phenomenom Thursday night when word began circulating that Showtime was scratching a Friday media conference call for the March 6 super middleweight tournament bout between King Arthur Abraham and Andre Dirrell.
Suspcious minds jumped, no make that leaped to the conclusion that there was a problem with the fight. You don't put the kibosh on a media conference call two weeks before the fight unless there is big trouble in River City.
It seems that Dirrell has an injury, broke a hangnail or hurt his back or something else. Any second now dueling press releases alleging this, that and all that will come flying out of the propaganda section of German promoter Sauerland (King Artie) and Big Gary Shaw's multinational operation (Dirrell). And Showtime will have to chime in also.
So, I've no compunction about passing on this juicy rumor.
Whispers out of Lost Wages, Nevada, have it that Hall Of Fame bound Ronald “Winky” Wright may be hitching his aging wagon to Uncle Bob Arum's Top Rank outfit.
Further gossip has Wright being added to the June 5 Miguel Cotto challenge against WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, which may take place at Yankee Stadium and co-exist with some lucky kid's boxing-baseball-mit gelt bah mitzvah.
Coming off back to back losses to Paul Williams, Wright still has a glittering 51-5-1, 25 KOs record.
I guess bringing the Winkster, age 38, into the fold makes sense for Arum on a couple of fronts.
He would be a decent test for Foreman. If Cotto beats Foreman, they you can invoke the spirit of Tito Trinidad and have I'm No Angel fight the smooth lefthander. Personally, I think Foreman, who is no Bore Man, could stop the fading clouter from Caguas.
But, here's a sleeper thought. It's like sleeper cell, only different.
I admit it sounds farfetched but, again this is boxing.
Arum may also have Winky in his well-stocked bullpen as possible Manny Pacquiao fodder.
Wright would join Foreman, Cotto, and Antonio Margarito on the "BFM" list, meaning But For Mayweather.
Certainly it would make Arum gleefeul to bring Wright on board simply for the fact that Golden Boy has ostensibly been repping the southpaw from St. Pete.
Maybe the Floridian is upset he never was given VP stripes by the Golden Boys, I don't know. They even made him dine with their other enlisted men, far from the GOM, Golden Officers Mess.
Remember, all rumors are not guaranteed.
You click on to the column, you takes your chances.
This just in: Dirrell may fight onward but has been told he must give up his piano and ukelele lessons immediately.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
***
No comments:
Post a Comment