By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk
Barry McGuigan, the former world featherweight champion, said on Wednesday that Ricky Hatton's proposed comeback at world level was "potentially dangerous". And Frank Warren, Hatton's erstwhile promoter, said it was "ill-advised".
Warren masterminded Hatton's rise to prominence from a burgeoning 18-year-old talent to one of the world's major players.
Warren was beside Hatton at the MEN Arena on the fighter's greatest night, when he broke the spirit of Kostya Tszyu, then considered one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and fought him to a standstill.
It remains Hatton's finest hour.
Warren said on Wednesday: "It [Hatton's comeback] is predictable and ill-advised. He was knocked senseless and unconscious for three minutes in his last fight. All concerned should be ashamed of themselves by letting him fight."
McGuigan added that there were "serious dangers in fighting live world-class rivals, and I would strongly advise against it", telling Telegraph Sport that the caveat in his eyes could be a 10-round bow-out fight against a light puncher.
"Hatton shouldn't be taking a fight like Juan Manuel Marquez, because you can't tell me he isn't a dangerous opponent still. My concern is that Hatton could be dismantled.
"What concerns me is the accumulation of punishment that Hatton has taken in his career, having been an attritional fighter. In most of his fights he wore his opponents down and beat them up, and took a lot of punches doing so.
"Hatton has also been world class at abusing his body outside the ring, putting on 40 per cent of body weight on top of a lean fighting body. Ricky took that to a new level, and is a poor role model in dietary terms for kids in that sense. The way he has lived may have come back to haunt him in his last few fights."
McGuigan continued: "If he fights an innocuous puncher, gets a big crowd at the Manchester City football ground and it's like a tribute night, fine. And he could even be fighting at the 10st 7lb welterweight limit [7lb more than what used to be his best fighting weight].
"Bow-out fight, I can understand, but anything more... I can’t see it being a good thing.
"Ricky might say 'Who does he think he is to judge me?', but I'm 48 years old and I've been through what he has at the very highest level and seen tragedies in the ring and guys damaged there, and sometimes fighters have to be protected from themselves."
Source: telegraph.co.uk
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Hopkins, Jones Jr. agree to fight -- ESPN
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
Two months after the long-anticipated Roy Jones Jr.-Bernard Hopkins rematch was left for dead following Jones' stunning first-round knockout loss in an interim bout, the fight was resurrected on Wednesday -- an early birthday present for the aging stars.
Hopkins, who will be 45 on Friday and still ranks among the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound, and Jones, who turns 41 on Saturday, signed contracts to meet in a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight fight on pay-per-view, representatives for both fighters told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.
The fight likely will be April 17 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Hopkins' promoter, said.
"We worked very hard to keep this fight alive and we got it signed on Wednesday," said John Wirt, the CEO of Square Ring, Jones' promotional company. "We're ecstatic that the fight was made and we're looking forward to a great event. There's been a long-standing rivalry between two of the preeminent boxers of our generation. This fight will establish once and for all who is the better fighter between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. This is the fight Roy always wanted."
Schaefer said he was in talks with HBO PPV about handling the event, adding that "there are different parties also interested in the fight." HBO's spring pay-per-view schedule is unclear with deals still possible for it to carry fights involving Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
After numerous failed attempts to make a rematch over the past decade, Jones and Hopkins finally came to terms in September to meet again. However, Jones had already signed for a fight on Dec. 2 in Australia against Danny Green.
Jones, who was due $4 million to fight Green, didn't want to withdraw from the fight, so he faced Green and Hopkins took a tuneup fight on the same day in his hometown of Philadelphia. While Hopkins, who ended a 14-month layoff, cruised to a lopsided unanimous decision against Enrique Ornelas, Jones was shockingly knocked out in the first round by Green.
The deal between Hopkins (50-5-1, 32 KOs) and Jones (54-6, 40 KOs) was contingent upon both men winning their December bouts, so when Jones lost, it appeared they would not fight, although Hopkins continually mentioned Jones as still being a viable opponent and tried to play up the loss to Green as a quick stoppage.
Hopkins explored a fight with Green, but those talks went nowhere, and he had few other notable options. And Jones, who is protesting the loss to Green over a dispute related to the amount of gauze Green used in his hand wraps, still wanted to face Hopkins.
"The interesting thing is the conversations never died down," Schaefer said. "Even after Bernard won and Roy lost, the talks continued and different options were evaluated. But I just felt from talking to Bernard and from the conversations I had with John that they really wanted to fight each other.
"I think there is so much at stake for these guys. This is an event they have been waiting for for 17 years. They would not let anything get in the way of getting this fight finally done. I believe very strongly that at this point in their careers, after everything they have accomplished, I think this is a well-deserved fight for these two guys to finally get it on April 17. Love 'em or hate em, they are two of the most recognized names in the sport of boxing."
In several previous negotiations, Jones and Hopkins had always been hung up on the revenue split. Under the deal they agreed to in September, the split of the money was to be 50-50, but with a knockout provision. If the fight was decided by a knockout, the winner would get 60 percent with the loser getting 40 percent.
Although terms of the new deal were not disclosed, Wirt said that Jones agreed to "a modification" of the original deal with Jones' percentage potentially increasing depending on how the pay-per-view performed.
The knockout provision, however, is still in the new deal.
"The only thing I can say about the structure of the deal is that there is still a substantial financial benefit to the guy who wins by knockout," Schaefer said.
Before either man became a star, they met for a vacant middleweight title on May 22, 1993. Jones won a clear unanimous decision and would go on to dominate boxing, reigning as the pound-for-for king for about a decade while winning titles in four weight classes from middleweight to heavyweight.
After Jones left the middleweight division, Hopkins claimed the vacant title and went on to make a division-record 20 defenses, including becoming the undisputed champion in 2001. After Hopkins lost the middleweight title to Jermain Taylor in 2005, he moved up in weight and upset Antonio Tarver to win the light heavyweight championship in 2006.
Even though Jones lost his last fight, Schaefer said people would be foolish to write him off.
"Those who write Roy Jones off are making a mistake because he will come in motivated more than ever because this is a personal showdown between these guys," Schaefer said. "They were waiting a long time for this fight and here it is. Bernard, at this point in his career, keeps on defying mother time. For Bernard, after all the accomplishments, for him to get up for a fight, he also needs that personal motivation, and he will have it against Roy Jones.
"Those two guys, after all the talking and the build up, and the ups and downs and the cheers and disappointments, finally, they are going to meet again. Bernard won't be judging Roy on his last performance. He knows that would be a big mistake. I think they will both come at their best because of how important this is to both of them."
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Two months after the long-anticipated Roy Jones Jr.-Bernard Hopkins rematch was left for dead following Jones' stunning first-round knockout loss in an interim bout, the fight was resurrected on Wednesday -- an early birthday present for the aging stars.
Hopkins, who will be 45 on Friday and still ranks among the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound, and Jones, who turns 41 on Saturday, signed contracts to meet in a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight fight on pay-per-view, representatives for both fighters told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.
The fight likely will be April 17 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Hopkins' promoter, said.
"We worked very hard to keep this fight alive and we got it signed on Wednesday," said John Wirt, the CEO of Square Ring, Jones' promotional company. "We're ecstatic that the fight was made and we're looking forward to a great event. There's been a long-standing rivalry between two of the preeminent boxers of our generation. This fight will establish once and for all who is the better fighter between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. This is the fight Roy always wanted."
Schaefer said he was in talks with HBO PPV about handling the event, adding that "there are different parties also interested in the fight." HBO's spring pay-per-view schedule is unclear with deals still possible for it to carry fights involving Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
After numerous failed attempts to make a rematch over the past decade, Jones and Hopkins finally came to terms in September to meet again. However, Jones had already signed for a fight on Dec. 2 in Australia against Danny Green.
Jones, who was due $4 million to fight Green, didn't want to withdraw from the fight, so he faced Green and Hopkins took a tuneup fight on the same day in his hometown of Philadelphia. While Hopkins, who ended a 14-month layoff, cruised to a lopsided unanimous decision against Enrique Ornelas, Jones was shockingly knocked out in the first round by Green.
The deal between Hopkins (50-5-1, 32 KOs) and Jones (54-6, 40 KOs) was contingent upon both men winning their December bouts, so when Jones lost, it appeared they would not fight, although Hopkins continually mentioned Jones as still being a viable opponent and tried to play up the loss to Green as a quick stoppage.
Hopkins explored a fight with Green, but those talks went nowhere, and he had few other notable options. And Jones, who is protesting the loss to Green over a dispute related to the amount of gauze Green used in his hand wraps, still wanted to face Hopkins.
"The interesting thing is the conversations never died down," Schaefer said. "Even after Bernard won and Roy lost, the talks continued and different options were evaluated. But I just felt from talking to Bernard and from the conversations I had with John that they really wanted to fight each other.
"I think there is so much at stake for these guys. This is an event they have been waiting for for 17 years. They would not let anything get in the way of getting this fight finally done. I believe very strongly that at this point in their careers, after everything they have accomplished, I think this is a well-deserved fight for these two guys to finally get it on April 17. Love 'em or hate em, they are two of the most recognized names in the sport of boxing."
In several previous negotiations, Jones and Hopkins had always been hung up on the revenue split. Under the deal they agreed to in September, the split of the money was to be 50-50, but with a knockout provision. If the fight was decided by a knockout, the winner would get 60 percent with the loser getting 40 percent.
Although terms of the new deal were not disclosed, Wirt said that Jones agreed to "a modification" of the original deal with Jones' percentage potentially increasing depending on how the pay-per-view performed.
The knockout provision, however, is still in the new deal.
"The only thing I can say about the structure of the deal is that there is still a substantial financial benefit to the guy who wins by knockout," Schaefer said.
Before either man became a star, they met for a vacant middleweight title on May 22, 1993. Jones won a clear unanimous decision and would go on to dominate boxing, reigning as the pound-for-for king for about a decade while winning titles in four weight classes from middleweight to heavyweight.
After Jones left the middleweight division, Hopkins claimed the vacant title and went on to make a division-record 20 defenses, including becoming the undisputed champion in 2001. After Hopkins lost the middleweight title to Jermain Taylor in 2005, he moved up in weight and upset Antonio Tarver to win the light heavyweight championship in 2006.
Even though Jones lost his last fight, Schaefer said people would be foolish to write him off.
"Those who write Roy Jones off are making a mistake because he will come in motivated more than ever because this is a personal showdown between these guys," Schaefer said. "They were waiting a long time for this fight and here it is. Bernard, at this point in his career, keeps on defying mother time. For Bernard, after all the accomplishments, for him to get up for a fight, he also needs that personal motivation, and he will have it against Roy Jones.
"Those two guys, after all the talking and the build up, and the ups and downs and the cheers and disappointments, finally, they are going to meet again. Bernard won't be judging Roy on his last performance. He knows that would be a big mistake. I think they will both come at their best because of how important this is to both of them."
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Joshua Clottey's 'Unbelievable' Shot at Manny Pacquiao -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
Joshua Clottey found himself two months ago standing before a classroom of 10-year-olds when the former world champion was asked by one of them, "What happened?" during June's 12-round, unanimous decision loss to Miguel Cotto.
That question, said Clottey, came from his daughter, Zeenat.
"Their teacher had wanted me to come and talk to the kids," said the 32-year-old Clottey, a native of Accra, Ghana, who lives in The Bronx. "But I didn't think she'd be the first one to ask me something about that fight."
Zeenat will be on American soil for the first time on March 13 at Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington, Tex., where she will be at ringside for her father's attempt to lift from Manny Pacquiao, the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title.
"I chose boxing to be my profession, and it's a very, very, tough life for us. But my career has always been about trying to fight the best," said Clottey, whose American-debut was New York's sixth-round knockout of Jeffrey Hill in November of 2003.
"When I was traveling to America for the first time, this is what I said to myself at the Ghana airport," said Clottey. "I said, 'You know, I want to travel to America today, and I want to be among those top guys.' Deep down, I know that I'm one of the top fighters in the world. And I told my daughter that I'm going to be a champion in 2010."
The 31-year-old Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) represents the largest career payday for Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs), who spoke with FanHouse on Wednesday within an hour of signing the bout contract for their fight.
Nicknamed, "The Grand Master," Clottey's purse will surpass $1 million for the first time, with an upside to the pay per view.
"You can't get any bigger in this business than to fight Manny Pacquiao right now," said Clottey's manager, Vinnie Scolpino.
"But now, Joshua's got to take advantage of this opportunity, and to turn it into his favor," said Scolpino. "And Joshua Clottey has got every skill in the world to do that."
The muscular, 5-foot-9 Clottey poses perhaps the most physically-challenging threat to Pacquiao of any the Filipino star he has previously faced, even as Pacqiauo comes off of November's 12th-round knockout of Cotto.
"Sometimes, when you're in the ring, during the later rounds, you think about getting tired. This fight, I'm not going to think about tiring," said Clottey.
"This fight, I want to make everybody happy," said Clottey. "I want Manny Pacquiao to know that he picked a guy who will give him all that he wants. I'm going to fight until the last bell.
Unlike Cotto, who was contracted to come in at 145 pounds, Clottey will not be required to weigh-in at a catchweight.
Clottey, instead, will be able to tip the scales at the standard welterweight ceiling of 147 pounds. And, by fight time, fully hydrated and fed, Clottey could be closer to or beyond 160 pounds when he walks into the ring.
Known as a large welterweight, Clottey has been troubled at times with making weight. Clottey has fought at more than 147 pounds 11 times during his career, including twice at 154.
"That's going to help me a lot, because I don't think I could have do it at 145 pounds. Pacquiao's being very nice, because he's the man now," said Clottey.
"That's going to make me the bigger guy in the ring," said Clottey. "So, with him choosing me to fight at 147, and I respect him for that."
A southpaw, Pacquiao is 11-0 with eight knockouts since losing by unanimous decision to Erik Morales in March 2005.
Clottey is encouraged by the fact that he dismantled former world champion Zab Judah -- a southpaw -- damaging and cutting his rival's face badly on the way to all but scoring a knockout. The result was a ninth-round, technical decision in August of 2008.
Clottey's three losses have been against former world champs.
Clottey was ahead on all three cards in November of 1999, when he was mysteriously disqualified for an intentional head butt -- during a time when the fighters were at a distance -- on the way to an 11th-round, disqualification loss to Carlos Baldomir.
Fate took another bad turn for Clottey in December of 2006, when, ahead after four rounds, he broke one hand and suffered damage in the other. That slowed Clottey over the course of a 12-round, unanimous decision loss to Antonio Margarito during his initial bid to earn the WBO crown.
"Joshua hurt his knuckles, and he just couldn't pound Margarito anymore. So he just went the distance," said Clottey's manager, Vinnie Scolpino. "It's just what happened. He did fabulous, lasting throughout the whole fight. That's not a loss in our books."
Nearly two years later in August of 2008, Clottey rebounded to earn the vacant IBF title over Judah, a fleet-footed, skillful boxing southpaw.
Clottey's performance against Judah was perhaps the most superlative of his career, earning him a title that he yielded in order to face Cotto.
"That was a business decision, and the move that we had to make to get into the ring with Miguel Cotto," said Scolpino, regarding the choice not to defend against the IBF's No. 1 contender but to pursue Cotto's WBO belt.
"Then Joshua gets into the ring, and he loses a close decision in front of Cotto's crowd," said Scolpino. "That was a tough, tough, tough place to be."
In December, there were potential fights with present WBC super world welterweight champ, Shane Mosley, and, former WBO world welterweight titlist, Carlos Quintana -- each of which never materialized.
"We waited. Tried to get tough fights," said Scolpino. "We tried again, another one didn't happen."
Then, over the course of about the first week of this month, Scolpino began to receive calls from Top Rank promoter, Bob Arum, alluding to "A big fight for you guys. We spoke, briefly. But then, we were trying to figure out who it could possibly be," said Scolpino.
"And then, finally, the word came down that it was Manny Pacquiao. It's an unbelievable opportunity," said Scolpino. "There's no words that can tell you what this means to Joshua Clottey in this business."
But Clottey, himself, still couldn't believe it, even began to wonder if it was true.
So he started doing some research.
"I went to my computer, and I was checking one of the internet boxing sites. Then, I saw it on a couple of sites, and I was like, 'Wow.,' I couldn't even sleep that night, thinking, 'Wow, I'm going to share the ring with Manny Pacquiao,'" said Clottey.
"I want to thank Top Rank and Bob Arum -- they are really doing well by me. And I want to thank all of my fans for sticking with me," said Clottey. "And I want to thank Manny Pacquiao, so much, for giving me what is the biggest opportunity of my life."
But as thankful as Clottey is for the chance, he's equally determined not to blow it.
"I feel like I've fought the best guys out there, and now, I've got to prove a point," said Clottey. "As far I'm concerned, I know, deep down, that I've never lost a fight."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Joshua Clottey found himself two months ago standing before a classroom of 10-year-olds when the former world champion was asked by one of them, "What happened?" during June's 12-round, unanimous decision loss to Miguel Cotto.
That question, said Clottey, came from his daughter, Zeenat.
"Their teacher had wanted me to come and talk to the kids," said the 32-year-old Clottey, a native of Accra, Ghana, who lives in The Bronx. "But I didn't think she'd be the first one to ask me something about that fight."
Zeenat will be on American soil for the first time on March 13 at Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington, Tex., where she will be at ringside for her father's attempt to lift from Manny Pacquiao, the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title.
"I chose boxing to be my profession, and it's a very, very, tough life for us. But my career has always been about trying to fight the best," said Clottey, whose American-debut was New York's sixth-round knockout of Jeffrey Hill in November of 2003.
"When I was traveling to America for the first time, this is what I said to myself at the Ghana airport," said Clottey. "I said, 'You know, I want to travel to America today, and I want to be among those top guys.' Deep down, I know that I'm one of the top fighters in the world. And I told my daughter that I'm going to be a champion in 2010."
The 31-year-old Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) represents the largest career payday for Clottey (35-3, 20 KOs), who spoke with FanHouse on Wednesday within an hour of signing the bout contract for their fight.
Nicknamed, "The Grand Master," Clottey's purse will surpass $1 million for the first time, with an upside to the pay per view.
"You can't get any bigger in this business than to fight Manny Pacquiao right now," said Clottey's manager, Vinnie Scolpino.
"But now, Joshua's got to take advantage of this opportunity, and to turn it into his favor," said Scolpino. "And Joshua Clottey has got every skill in the world to do that."
The muscular, 5-foot-9 Clottey poses perhaps the most physically-challenging threat to Pacquiao of any the Filipino star he has previously faced, even as Pacqiauo comes off of November's 12th-round knockout of Cotto.
"Sometimes, when you're in the ring, during the later rounds, you think about getting tired. This fight, I'm not going to think about tiring," said Clottey.
"This fight, I want to make everybody happy," said Clottey. "I want Manny Pacquiao to know that he picked a guy who will give him all that he wants. I'm going to fight until the last bell.
Unlike Cotto, who was contracted to come in at 145 pounds, Clottey will not be required to weigh-in at a catchweight.
Clottey, instead, will be able to tip the scales at the standard welterweight ceiling of 147 pounds. And, by fight time, fully hydrated and fed, Clottey could be closer to or beyond 160 pounds when he walks into the ring.
Known as a large welterweight, Clottey has been troubled at times with making weight. Clottey has fought at more than 147 pounds 11 times during his career, including twice at 154.
"That's going to help me a lot, because I don't think I could have do it at 145 pounds. Pacquiao's being very nice, because he's the man now," said Clottey.
"That's going to make me the bigger guy in the ring," said Clottey. "So, with him choosing me to fight at 147, and I respect him for that."
A southpaw, Pacquiao is 11-0 with eight knockouts since losing by unanimous decision to Erik Morales in March 2005.
Clottey is encouraged by the fact that he dismantled former world champion Zab Judah -- a southpaw -- damaging and cutting his rival's face badly on the way to all but scoring a knockout. The result was a ninth-round, technical decision in August of 2008.
Clottey's three losses have been against former world champs.
Clottey was ahead on all three cards in November of 1999, when he was mysteriously disqualified for an intentional head butt -- during a time when the fighters were at a distance -- on the way to an 11th-round, disqualification loss to Carlos Baldomir.
Fate took another bad turn for Clottey in December of 2006, when, ahead after four rounds, he broke one hand and suffered damage in the other. That slowed Clottey over the course of a 12-round, unanimous decision loss to Antonio Margarito during his initial bid to earn the WBO crown.
"Joshua hurt his knuckles, and he just couldn't pound Margarito anymore. So he just went the distance," said Clottey's manager, Vinnie Scolpino. "It's just what happened. He did fabulous, lasting throughout the whole fight. That's not a loss in our books."
Nearly two years later in August of 2008, Clottey rebounded to earn the vacant IBF title over Judah, a fleet-footed, skillful boxing southpaw.
Clottey's performance against Judah was perhaps the most superlative of his career, earning him a title that he yielded in order to face Cotto.
"That was a business decision, and the move that we had to make to get into the ring with Miguel Cotto," said Scolpino, regarding the choice not to defend against the IBF's No. 1 contender but to pursue Cotto's WBO belt.
"Then Joshua gets into the ring, and he loses a close decision in front of Cotto's crowd," said Scolpino. "That was a tough, tough, tough place to be."
In December, there were potential fights with present WBC super world welterweight champ, Shane Mosley, and, former WBO world welterweight titlist, Carlos Quintana -- each of which never materialized.
"We waited. Tried to get tough fights," said Scolpino. "We tried again, another one didn't happen."
Then, over the course of about the first week of this month, Scolpino began to receive calls from Top Rank promoter, Bob Arum, alluding to "A big fight for you guys. We spoke, briefly. But then, we were trying to figure out who it could possibly be," said Scolpino.
"And then, finally, the word came down that it was Manny Pacquiao. It's an unbelievable opportunity," said Scolpino. "There's no words that can tell you what this means to Joshua Clottey in this business."
But Clottey, himself, still couldn't believe it, even began to wonder if it was true.
So he started doing some research.
"I went to my computer, and I was checking one of the internet boxing sites. Then, I saw it on a couple of sites, and I was like, 'Wow.,' I couldn't even sleep that night, thinking, 'Wow, I'm going to share the ring with Manny Pacquiao,'" said Clottey.
"I want to thank Top Rank and Bob Arum -- they are really doing well by me. And I want to thank all of my fans for sticking with me," said Clottey. "And I want to thank Manny Pacquiao, so much, for giving me what is the biggest opportunity of my life."
But as thankful as Clottey is for the chance, he's equally determined not to blow it.
"I feel like I've fought the best guys out there, and now, I've got to prove a point," said Clottey. "As far I'm concerned, I know, deep down, that I've never lost a fight."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Manuel Charr: Another heavyweight star arises in Germany -- Eastside Boxing
By Paul McCreath, Eastside Boxing
Germany has turned out most of the top heavyweight boxers in recent years and now we have another rising fast. Many of these boxers are not actually German but they fight there almost exclusively and are well accepted by German fans. We had the Klitschko brothers, Vlad Virchis and Alex Dimitrenko from Ukraine, Alex Povetkin, Nicolay Valuev and now Denis Boytsov from Russia. Ruslan Chagaev came from Uzbekistan, Francesco Pianeta from Italian extraction and now we have Manuel Charr from Lebanon..
You may not be familiar yet with the name Manuel Charr but I can almost guarantee he will be well known soon. He was born in Lebanon to Syrian parents who escaped the civil war and took their 4 year old son with them to Germany. They have all lived there ever since but his parents were illegal immigrants and this has caused some problems for Manuel and slowed the progress of his pro career. After starting in kick boxing and then having a short eleven fight amateur career as a boxer he turned pro with Sauerland in May of 2005. Because he lacked German citizenship, a passport or work permit he could not get paid for any of his first seven fights.
Manuel still managed to attract attention by his seventh fight when he was matched with the former Cuban amateur star Pedro Carrion and came away with a surprising 8 round majority decision. His legal problems then caused a break in his career of nearly two years while he sorted things out but finally he resumed boxing in 2008 this time under the Universum banner. Now he could get paid. After 3 more wins he got his big break when he was matched with his friend Gbenga Oloukun who was undefeated in 16 fights. Charr scored an upset 7 round KO to suddenly jump into the spotlight. In his very next fight Oloukun bounced back and outpointed Lamon Brewster over 8 rounds.
In October of last year Manuel took on his first name that would be recognizable to most American fans. Veteran trial horse Sherman Williams was outpointed in 10 rounds. Finally just a few days ago Charr added his most important win yet when he stopped veteran contender Owen Beck in the 10th round. Beck has not been too active lately with only two easy wins in 2009 but he is still only 33 years old and brought a 29-3 record into the fight. The Beck victory brought Charr's record to 14-0 with 7 KOs.
He is more boxer puncher than slugger and likes to hold his hands high and catch incoming punches off his gloves. He has fast hands with a snappy jab and quick combinations. His power is just enough to keep his opponents honest and to hurt many of them. He has an aggressive style and throws lots of punches. Manuel also has youth on his side. Although already a pro for nearly 5 years he is still only 25 years old. He stands 6 foot 3 and 1/2 inches tall and weighs between 236 and 250 pounds. Recently he has been around the low 240s most of the time. This would suggest he might be a bit overweight but he is not. He doesn't have the cut body of say David Haye but he has a solid stocky build. You can catch some of his fights on YouTube.
From the very beginning first with Sauerland and later Universum he has had the advantage of sparring with all the top heavyweights in those two stables as well as the expertise of their top trainers. With plenty of time left to develop still further we should be seeing Manuel Charr in some very important matches in the very near future.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
Germany has turned out most of the top heavyweight boxers in recent years and now we have another rising fast. Many of these boxers are not actually German but they fight there almost exclusively and are well accepted by German fans. We had the Klitschko brothers, Vlad Virchis and Alex Dimitrenko from Ukraine, Alex Povetkin, Nicolay Valuev and now Denis Boytsov from Russia. Ruslan Chagaev came from Uzbekistan, Francesco Pianeta from Italian extraction and now we have Manuel Charr from Lebanon..
You may not be familiar yet with the name Manuel Charr but I can almost guarantee he will be well known soon. He was born in Lebanon to Syrian parents who escaped the civil war and took their 4 year old son with them to Germany. They have all lived there ever since but his parents were illegal immigrants and this has caused some problems for Manuel and slowed the progress of his pro career. After starting in kick boxing and then having a short eleven fight amateur career as a boxer he turned pro with Sauerland in May of 2005. Because he lacked German citizenship, a passport or work permit he could not get paid for any of his first seven fights.
Manuel still managed to attract attention by his seventh fight when he was matched with the former Cuban amateur star Pedro Carrion and came away with a surprising 8 round majority decision. His legal problems then caused a break in his career of nearly two years while he sorted things out but finally he resumed boxing in 2008 this time under the Universum banner. Now he could get paid. After 3 more wins he got his big break when he was matched with his friend Gbenga Oloukun who was undefeated in 16 fights. Charr scored an upset 7 round KO to suddenly jump into the spotlight. In his very next fight Oloukun bounced back and outpointed Lamon Brewster over 8 rounds.
In October of last year Manuel took on his first name that would be recognizable to most American fans. Veteran trial horse Sherman Williams was outpointed in 10 rounds. Finally just a few days ago Charr added his most important win yet when he stopped veteran contender Owen Beck in the 10th round. Beck has not been too active lately with only two easy wins in 2009 but he is still only 33 years old and brought a 29-3 record into the fight. The Beck victory brought Charr's record to 14-0 with 7 KOs.
He is more boxer puncher than slugger and likes to hold his hands high and catch incoming punches off his gloves. He has fast hands with a snappy jab and quick combinations. His power is just enough to keep his opponents honest and to hurt many of them. He has an aggressive style and throws lots of punches. Manuel also has youth on his side. Although already a pro for nearly 5 years he is still only 25 years old. He stands 6 foot 3 and 1/2 inches tall and weighs between 236 and 250 pounds. Recently he has been around the low 240s most of the time. This would suggest he might be a bit overweight but he is not. He doesn't have the cut body of say David Haye but he has a solid stocky build. You can catch some of his fights on YouTube.
From the very beginning first with Sauerland and later Universum he has had the advantage of sparring with all the top heavyweights in those two stables as well as the expertise of their top trainers. With plenty of time left to develop still further we should be seeing Manuel Charr in some very important matches in the very near future.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
RICKY HATTON, CALL IT QUITS, THE TIME IS RIGHT -- UK Express
By Niall Hickman, UK Express
THE ghostwriter of 'The Hitman: My Story', pens an open letter to Ricky Hatton in the wake of his comeback.
Dear Ricky,
When we sat together for hour after hour discussing all matters from Manchester City to the mad, bad world of boxing, it was always a subject which came up time and time again...when to call it a day?
During the course of ghostwriting your autobiography four years ago, I was hugely privileged to see at close hand exactly what made you, the ‘Hitman’, such a fistic assassin.
You had just beaten Kostya Tszyu to capture the world crown you had dedicated your life towards. Remember? You were about to embark on a journey to America, taking unprecedented numbers of fight fans with you on an exodus no one who was there will ever forget.
Hanging up your boxing gloves when it is the only thing you have known for over 20 years is not an easy business, but you always insisted you knew when the time would be right. Last year, when you quit, was the right time. My argument, as someone who is on the outside looking in, having never laced a glove in my life, is a simple one. It comes in the person of boxing hero, Roberto Duran.
Duran is now 58 and only finished fighting nine years ago. He was a pugilistic phenomenon who, at the height of his powers, I would have crawled barefoot over a combination of hot coals and coral to watch. He was your type of boxer, a no-nonsense slugger who came to fight. Duran beat Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980, lost in the rematch and should never have fought again. He went on to lose, lose and lose again to fighters who would not have stood a lick with him in his prime.
For Duran, read Roy Jones Jnr, or Evander Holyfield. Both these once-magnificent fighting machines are, in supermarket terms, well past their sell-by date. I was lucky enough to see Jones and Holyfield at their best and believe me, if there was a repeat of an Open University lecture in nuclear physics on an obscure satellite television channel, I would choose the bloke with the beard and woolly jumper over watching them fight today.
Ricky, you don’t need to box any longer, as you are – quite rightly – financially secure for life. Your ring record of 45 wins and just two defeats makes you one of the best fighters Britain has ever produced. That is indisputable. Bear in mind that your two losses were to Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao. So your legacy as a great, great fighter is intact. You will be 32 in October and my inclination is that, unlike goalkeepers, you are not going to improve with age.
I know you love to fight and you always will. You would have done it for nothing and you always said those days in the back of your amateur coach Ted Peate’s knackered van on the way to shows nationwide were the happiest of your life. I know I will see you soon and if you are set on returning I will certainly be there, cheering you when you do step back into the ring.
But I will always want only what is best for you. So, when I do see you, I will look you in the eyes, mate, and say: “Remember about those chats we had about calling it a day?” And I will urge you to call it quits. I am worried that your desire for “one last memorable night” will lead to another, and another. Just like Duran, your impending return was perhaps always on the cards and the decision must be yours and yours alone.
It is often crass and glib for boxing writers such as me to say fighters should retire, when it is not their livelihood, their profession and often their only real meaning in life. Who are we to say ‘walk away’? Mayweather and Pacquiao told you that more eloquently, in fighting language, than I ever could. But I am your friend, Ricky, and I don’t want to see you hurt.
“Nasty, brutish and short” is not a firm of particularly unpleasant lawyers, but a quotation from Thomas Hobbes’ 17th century Leviathan, to describe the lives of mankind. It is also a very apt summary of the fight game. Go my friend, and go now.
Source: express.co.uk
THE ghostwriter of 'The Hitman: My Story', pens an open letter to Ricky Hatton in the wake of his comeback.
Dear Ricky,
When we sat together for hour after hour discussing all matters from Manchester City to the mad, bad world of boxing, it was always a subject which came up time and time again...when to call it a day?
During the course of ghostwriting your autobiography four years ago, I was hugely privileged to see at close hand exactly what made you, the ‘Hitman’, such a fistic assassin.
You had just beaten Kostya Tszyu to capture the world crown you had dedicated your life towards. Remember? You were about to embark on a journey to America, taking unprecedented numbers of fight fans with you on an exodus no one who was there will ever forget.
Hanging up your boxing gloves when it is the only thing you have known for over 20 years is not an easy business, but you always insisted you knew when the time would be right. Last year, when you quit, was the right time. My argument, as someone who is on the outside looking in, having never laced a glove in my life, is a simple one. It comes in the person of boxing hero, Roberto Duran.
Duran is now 58 and only finished fighting nine years ago. He was a pugilistic phenomenon who, at the height of his powers, I would have crawled barefoot over a combination of hot coals and coral to watch. He was your type of boxer, a no-nonsense slugger who came to fight. Duran beat Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980, lost in the rematch and should never have fought again. He went on to lose, lose and lose again to fighters who would not have stood a lick with him in his prime.
For Duran, read Roy Jones Jnr, or Evander Holyfield. Both these once-magnificent fighting machines are, in supermarket terms, well past their sell-by date. I was lucky enough to see Jones and Holyfield at their best and believe me, if there was a repeat of an Open University lecture in nuclear physics on an obscure satellite television channel, I would choose the bloke with the beard and woolly jumper over watching them fight today.
Ricky, you don’t need to box any longer, as you are – quite rightly – financially secure for life. Your ring record of 45 wins and just two defeats makes you one of the best fighters Britain has ever produced. That is indisputable. Bear in mind that your two losses were to Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao. So your legacy as a great, great fighter is intact. You will be 32 in October and my inclination is that, unlike goalkeepers, you are not going to improve with age.
I know you love to fight and you always will. You would have done it for nothing and you always said those days in the back of your amateur coach Ted Peate’s knackered van on the way to shows nationwide were the happiest of your life. I know I will see you soon and if you are set on returning I will certainly be there, cheering you when you do step back into the ring.
But I will always want only what is best for you. So, when I do see you, I will look you in the eyes, mate, and say: “Remember about those chats we had about calling it a day?” And I will urge you to call it quits. I am worried that your desire for “one last memorable night” will lead to another, and another. Just like Duran, your impending return was perhaps always on the cards and the decision must be yours and yours alone.
It is often crass and glib for boxing writers such as me to say fighters should retire, when it is not their livelihood, their profession and often their only real meaning in life. Who are we to say ‘walk away’? Mayweather and Pacquiao told you that more eloquently, in fighting language, than I ever could. But I am your friend, Ricky, and I don’t want to see you hurt.
“Nasty, brutish and short” is not a firm of particularly unpleasant lawyers, but a quotation from Thomas Hobbes’ 17th century Leviathan, to describe the lives of mankind. It is also a very apt summary of the fight game. Go my friend, and go now.
Source: express.co.uk
Ricky KOs dad plea -- The Sun
By PAT SHEEHAN, The Sun
RICKY HATTON has confirmed his comeback - despite pleas from his family to call it a day.
The Hitman, 31, has taken eight months to decide to fight on following his sensational two-round defeat to Manny Pacquiao in May.
Dad Ray Hatton was hoping his son's success promoting fights and running his sportswear business meant he would not want to box again.
Hatton Snr said: "We didn't want Ricky to fight on but we will respect his decision and give him 100 per cent backing. As a family we have to back him no matter what he decides.
"He has everything a young man could ever wish for but Ricky needs closure on the defeats to Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. He doesn't want to spend the rest of his life saying 'if only'.
"He wants to pack up boxing feeling right in his head.
"One thing we have said is that if we feel it's not there when he is training for whatever reason, we will all sit down and discuss the situation with him.
"We are not plotting five or six more fights. At the moment it is just one. If that goes well, and the warm-up will be against a 'name', then maybe we will start talking about another biggie."
There is a strong possibility Hatton will fight for a second time at Manchester City's ground with May 29 or June 5 the proposed dates.
Ray Hatton added: "Nothing has been written in stone yet.
"If you had told me Ricky would be fighting at Eastlands after he lost to Mayweather in Las Vegas, I'd have said you were mad.
"Fighting somewhere like that brings its own pressure but I know Ricky appreciated how many fans turned out for him at the City of Manchester Stadium. It was a special night."
Hatton Jnr said: "I want to finish at the top. If I am going to have one more fight it is going to have to be at the top against a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter or a world champion.
"The fight won't be a soft 10-rounder, either. I don't want people to say I only had that fight so I could finish on a win."
Hatton will start training again when he returns from holiday in Australia on February 15.
He added: "I am a little bit heavier than I would normally be between fights. So I will spend the first two weeks just shedding weight and then, when the date is fixed, I will go into my usual 12-week training camp."
Source: thesun.co.uk
RICKY HATTON has confirmed his comeback - despite pleas from his family to call it a day.
The Hitman, 31, has taken eight months to decide to fight on following his sensational two-round defeat to Manny Pacquiao in May.
Dad Ray Hatton was hoping his son's success promoting fights and running his sportswear business meant he would not want to box again.
Hatton Snr said: "We didn't want Ricky to fight on but we will respect his decision and give him 100 per cent backing. As a family we have to back him no matter what he decides.
"He has everything a young man could ever wish for but Ricky needs closure on the defeats to Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. He doesn't want to spend the rest of his life saying 'if only'.
"He wants to pack up boxing feeling right in his head.
"One thing we have said is that if we feel it's not there when he is training for whatever reason, we will all sit down and discuss the situation with him.
"We are not plotting five or six more fights. At the moment it is just one. If that goes well, and the warm-up will be against a 'name', then maybe we will start talking about another biggie."
There is a strong possibility Hatton will fight for a second time at Manchester City's ground with May 29 or June 5 the proposed dates.
Ray Hatton added: "Nothing has been written in stone yet.
"If you had told me Ricky would be fighting at Eastlands after he lost to Mayweather in Las Vegas, I'd have said you were mad.
"Fighting somewhere like that brings its own pressure but I know Ricky appreciated how many fans turned out for him at the City of Manchester Stadium. It was a special night."
Hatton Jnr said: "I want to finish at the top. If I am going to have one more fight it is going to have to be at the top against a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter or a world champion.
"The fight won't be a soft 10-rounder, either. I don't want people to say I only had that fight so I could finish on a win."
Hatton will start training again when he returns from holiday in Australia on February 15.
He added: "I am a little bit heavier than I would normally be between fights. So I will spend the first two weeks just shedding weight and then, when the date is fixed, I will go into my usual 12-week training camp."
Source: thesun.co.uk
Pacquiao, Mayweather deliver fans a final insult -- ESPN
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
It's bad enough that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. aren't fighting each other on March 13, after both sides detonated boxing's version of a nuclear bomb and destroyed the biggest fight in the sport over a disagreement on the drug-testing procedures for the bout.
Now they -- and we -- are stuck with meaningless alternatives.
Shame on everyone involved. Shame, shame, shame.
The sport and its fans be damned, they said.
This wasn't just the destruction of any old fight. It was one of the biggest fights in history being pulled out from under millions of fans who were ready and willing -- excited, even -- to shell out hard-earned money while in the depths of a recession, just to see the two best fighters in the world throw down.
It was a fight that would have made boxing relevant again in the mainstream, even if briefly, and a great opportunity for the sport to capitalize on its great momentum of the past few years.
But that came to a grinding halt because of pettiness, ego and insanity on both sides.
After more than a month of holding the boxing world hostage while bickering over drug testing, they failed miserably. It is easily the most disappointing turn of events that I have covered in 10 years on this crazy beat.
And now it gets even worse: In the wreckage of the dead fight, the geniuses/babies at Top Rank (Pacquiao's promoter) and Golden Boy (which represents Mayweather) are again giving the finger to boxing fans by planning fights for their stars on the same day in competing pay-per-views.
They've already wounded boxing, so why not just jam the knife in a bit deeper right?
Competing pay-per-views is just dumb, but Top Rank's Bob Arum -- who deserves a lot of the blame for Pacquiao-Mayweather going down in flames -- and Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer are just stubborn and arrogant enough to do it, no matter what damage it inflicts.
So Pacquiao is headed for Dallas Cowboys Stadium to defend his welterweight belt against Joshua Clottey. If you can get past the Mayweather fight not happening (which I haven't yet), Pacquiao-Clottey is not a bad match, although it pales in comparison to a Mayweather bout. But it says something when the most interesting aspect of the bout is the stadium in which it will take place.
In fact, if you take a look at the poll that has been running on the ESPN.com boxing page for the last couple of days, it asks simply: "Will you watch the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight at Cowboys Stadium?" The results are stunning. With more than 49,000 votes in early Wednesday evening (and still counting), it was 69-31 against watching the fight. If you examine the breakdown of the state-by-state vote, every state had voted in the majority against watching the fight except Hawaii, which has a large Filipino population.
That is just anecdotal evidence, of course, as it is not a scientific poll. But it's pretty clear that the sports public is extremely angry that Pacquiao and Mayweather are not fighting each other. The backlash against any other fight is enormous and deserved, something the promoters just do not understand yet, although they will when both pay-per-views tank miserably.
Mayweather, meanwhile, plans to fight the same night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and seems headed for a match with either Paulie Malignaggi or Nate Campbell. Both are good fighters, but neither bout is remotely compelling and beating either means nothing for Mayweather. They are both horrible mismatches. Let me repeat that, just in case you didn't get it the first time: They are both horrible mismatches. Even as non-pay-per-views, Mayweather against either opponent stinks. For a $50 fee to watch, it's grotesque.
If you think the ESPN.com poll numbers are bad for Pacquiao-Clottey, the numbers for a Mayweather-Malignaggi/Campbell poll should be much, much worse. Why? Because yet again, Mayweather, who claims to be the greatest fighter ever, would be facing a much smaller man with virtually zero chance to win. There's a shock. That's what Mayweather has systematically done since arriving at welterweight in 2005 -- duck the best opponents. At least Pacquiao has consistently challenged himself by facing bigger men. In Clottey, Pacquiao will be facing a man who poses some danger.
What it boils down to is this: Instead of fans clamoring to spend $60 for Pacquiao-Mayweather, they are stuck with two far lesser fights on the same night with a pay-per-view tab that will run $100 or so if they want to see both men in action. Hopefully, enough folks will reject both, which ought to teach both camps a lesson.
Only in boxing could those who are the de facto caretakers of the sport take a glorious event and dump all over it. What these guys needed more than mediator Daniel Weinstein's last-ditch effort to help them see their way through the drug-testing issue was group therapy.
One of the interesting elements in this depressing situation is how HBO will handle it. For the last several years, HBO PPV has handled Pacquiao and Mayweather fights. Now, it's faced with the cold reality of making a decision on which fighter and promoter it will support. Top Rank is prepared to go it alone with Pacquiao-Clottey, but it would like HBO's support. Golden Boy has been dependent and enabled by HBO since its birth.
I know it's a rough situation because HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg ain't talkin' and he's ordered his staff not to talk either. They've got some serious decisions to make inside the ivory tower.
Greenburg doesn't want to alienate either fighter or promoter. Nor does he want to alienate Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (who is paying a roughly $6 million site fee to bring Pacquiao to his stadium), especially since Greenburg was the one who championed Pacquiao-Mayweather being held at Cowboys Stadium in the first place.
So what's going to happen? Pacquiao is going to fight Clottey because he wants to get in a bout before his campaign for political office in the Philippines get rolling. (Side note: Would you really want Pacquiao, a guy who once signed a contract with Top Rank and then accepted a bag full of cash from Golden Boy to also sign with that company, representing you in government? But I digress.)
Mayweather, who has no real opponent to fight on March 13, continues with plans to fight on that date, although he ought to wait until June and fight Shane Mosley (assuming Mosley beats Andre Berto on Jan. 30).
I don't know for sure what will happen other than, no matter what happens, there will be no winners.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
It's bad enough that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. aren't fighting each other on March 13, after both sides detonated boxing's version of a nuclear bomb and destroyed the biggest fight in the sport over a disagreement on the drug-testing procedures for the bout.
Now they -- and we -- are stuck with meaningless alternatives.
Shame on everyone involved. Shame, shame, shame.
The sport and its fans be damned, they said.
This wasn't just the destruction of any old fight. It was one of the biggest fights in history being pulled out from under millions of fans who were ready and willing -- excited, even -- to shell out hard-earned money while in the depths of a recession, just to see the two best fighters in the world throw down.
It was a fight that would have made boxing relevant again in the mainstream, even if briefly, and a great opportunity for the sport to capitalize on its great momentum of the past few years.
But that came to a grinding halt because of pettiness, ego and insanity on both sides.
After more than a month of holding the boxing world hostage while bickering over drug testing, they failed miserably. It is easily the most disappointing turn of events that I have covered in 10 years on this crazy beat.
And now it gets even worse: In the wreckage of the dead fight, the geniuses/babies at Top Rank (Pacquiao's promoter) and Golden Boy (which represents Mayweather) are again giving the finger to boxing fans by planning fights for their stars on the same day in competing pay-per-views.
They've already wounded boxing, so why not just jam the knife in a bit deeper right?
Competing pay-per-views is just dumb, but Top Rank's Bob Arum -- who deserves a lot of the blame for Pacquiao-Mayweather going down in flames -- and Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer are just stubborn and arrogant enough to do it, no matter what damage it inflicts.
So Pacquiao is headed for Dallas Cowboys Stadium to defend his welterweight belt against Joshua Clottey. If you can get past the Mayweather fight not happening (which I haven't yet), Pacquiao-Clottey is not a bad match, although it pales in comparison to a Mayweather bout. But it says something when the most interesting aspect of the bout is the stadium in which it will take place.
In fact, if you take a look at the poll that has been running on the ESPN.com boxing page for the last couple of days, it asks simply: "Will you watch the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight at Cowboys Stadium?" The results are stunning. With more than 49,000 votes in early Wednesday evening (and still counting), it was 69-31 against watching the fight. If you examine the breakdown of the state-by-state vote, every state had voted in the majority against watching the fight except Hawaii, which has a large Filipino population.
That is just anecdotal evidence, of course, as it is not a scientific poll. But it's pretty clear that the sports public is extremely angry that Pacquiao and Mayweather are not fighting each other. The backlash against any other fight is enormous and deserved, something the promoters just do not understand yet, although they will when both pay-per-views tank miserably.
Mayweather, meanwhile, plans to fight the same night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and seems headed for a match with either Paulie Malignaggi or Nate Campbell. Both are good fighters, but neither bout is remotely compelling and beating either means nothing for Mayweather. They are both horrible mismatches. Let me repeat that, just in case you didn't get it the first time: They are both horrible mismatches. Even as non-pay-per-views, Mayweather against either opponent stinks. For a $50 fee to watch, it's grotesque.
If you think the ESPN.com poll numbers are bad for Pacquiao-Clottey, the numbers for a Mayweather-Malignaggi/Campbell poll should be much, much worse. Why? Because yet again, Mayweather, who claims to be the greatest fighter ever, would be facing a much smaller man with virtually zero chance to win. There's a shock. That's what Mayweather has systematically done since arriving at welterweight in 2005 -- duck the best opponents. At least Pacquiao has consistently challenged himself by facing bigger men. In Clottey, Pacquiao will be facing a man who poses some danger.
What it boils down to is this: Instead of fans clamoring to spend $60 for Pacquiao-Mayweather, they are stuck with two far lesser fights on the same night with a pay-per-view tab that will run $100 or so if they want to see both men in action. Hopefully, enough folks will reject both, which ought to teach both camps a lesson.
Only in boxing could those who are the de facto caretakers of the sport take a glorious event and dump all over it. What these guys needed more than mediator Daniel Weinstein's last-ditch effort to help them see their way through the drug-testing issue was group therapy.
One of the interesting elements in this depressing situation is how HBO will handle it. For the last several years, HBO PPV has handled Pacquiao and Mayweather fights. Now, it's faced with the cold reality of making a decision on which fighter and promoter it will support. Top Rank is prepared to go it alone with Pacquiao-Clottey, but it would like HBO's support. Golden Boy has been dependent and enabled by HBO since its birth.
I know it's a rough situation because HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg ain't talkin' and he's ordered his staff not to talk either. They've got some serious decisions to make inside the ivory tower.
Greenburg doesn't want to alienate either fighter or promoter. Nor does he want to alienate Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (who is paying a roughly $6 million site fee to bring Pacquiao to his stadium), especially since Greenburg was the one who championed Pacquiao-Mayweather being held at Cowboys Stadium in the first place.
So what's going to happen? Pacquiao is going to fight Clottey because he wants to get in a bout before his campaign for political office in the Philippines get rolling. (Side note: Would you really want Pacquiao, a guy who once signed a contract with Top Rank and then accepted a bag full of cash from Golden Boy to also sign with that company, representing you in government? But I digress.)
Mayweather, who has no real opponent to fight on March 13, continues with plans to fight on that date, although he ought to wait until June and fight Shane Mosley (assuming Mosley beats Andre Berto on Jan. 30).
I don't know for sure what will happen other than, no matter what happens, there will be no winners.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Dana White: “I Think [Floyd] Mayweather Blew This Fight” -- 5thRound
By Tim Ngo, 5thRound.com
UFC president Dana White went on another verbal assault yesterday as he blamed Floyd Mayweather for ruining a blockbuster match with Manny Pacquiao.
“I think something happened to Floyd in his last fight, something wasn’t there that used to be there, something weird. I truly believe his legacy means more to him than money does,” White said of Mayweather.
Many people had blamed Pacquiao for his unwillingness to agree to Olympic-style drug testing up until two weeks before the fight, however White states that boxing fans should be pointing the finger at Money.
“Me and Floyd go way back … I think [Floyd] blew this fight,” White said. “When another fighter starts dictating a drug test, first of all Pacquiao’s never tested positive for any drug but Floyd’s going to make him go through drug testing? That’s ridiculous.”
Most might think White was screaming like a schoolgirl when this fight fell though, however he feels the complete opposite. While appearing on 106.7’s Lavar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes, the former amateur boxer stated that there was nothing more he wanted than to see those two mix it up.
Oddly, White believes there is plenty of room for both combat sports, but boxing keeps shooting themselves in the foot and he doesn’t mind staring at them in his rear-view mirror as they do it.
“Does [that bout not happening] hurt me either way? No I don’t think so, boxing and mixed martial arts can exist,” White explained. “That fight not happening is insane, it makes no sense to me.”
Source: 5thround.com
UFC president Dana White went on another verbal assault yesterday as he blamed Floyd Mayweather for ruining a blockbuster match with Manny Pacquiao.
“I think something happened to Floyd in his last fight, something wasn’t there that used to be there, something weird. I truly believe his legacy means more to him than money does,” White said of Mayweather.
Many people had blamed Pacquiao for his unwillingness to agree to Olympic-style drug testing up until two weeks before the fight, however White states that boxing fans should be pointing the finger at Money.
“Me and Floyd go way back … I think [Floyd] blew this fight,” White said. “When another fighter starts dictating a drug test, first of all Pacquiao’s never tested positive for any drug but Floyd’s going to make him go through drug testing? That’s ridiculous.”
Most might think White was screaming like a schoolgirl when this fight fell though, however he feels the complete opposite. While appearing on 106.7’s Lavar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes, the former amateur boxer stated that there was nothing more he wanted than to see those two mix it up.
Oddly, White believes there is plenty of room for both combat sports, but boxing keeps shooting themselves in the foot and he doesn’t mind staring at them in his rear-view mirror as they do it.
“Does [that bout not happening] hurt me either way? No I don’t think so, boxing and mixed martial arts can exist,” White explained. “That fight not happening is insane, it makes no sense to me.”
Source: 5thround.com
Berto concerned after earthquake -- ESPN
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
While welterweight titlist Andre Berto trains for the biggest fight of his career, a Jan. 30 unification bout against Shane Mosley, his thoughts the past two days have understandably wandered from his preparation.
Berto is Haitian-American, and he is very concerned about what is happening on the Caribbean island, where a massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated the country on Tuesday.
Thousands are feared dead while rescue efforts continue in the poverty-stricken nation.
"I'm devastated by everything currently happening in Haiti," Berto said Wednesday. "As everybody knows, I have a lot of family members in Haiti and proudly represented Haiti in the 2004 Olympic Games. Like many other Haitian-Americans, my family and I are working to reach my loved ones. From what we have learned to this point, some of my family members are still missing and we have already been informed that members of my family have passed away in the earthquake."
Berto (25-0, 19 KOs) was born in the United States, but his parents were both born in Haiti before arriving in the United States as immigrants and settling in Winter Haven, Fla., where the 26-year-old still lives and trains.
Berto has been involved in Haitian charitable causes and has a foundation with offices in Port-au-Prince, the capital, which was hit very hard by the earthquake.
"Andre has a strong Haitian identity and has been involved with Haitian causes for a long time," said Lou DiBella, who has promoted Berto for his entire career. "His foundation's office has collapsed and he knows that members of his mother's family are missing and presumed dead. It's a bad situation."
DiBella said Berto has not broken camp while continuing to train for the bout, which will take place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
"He's training as hard as he can and trying to approach this fight with Mosley with a clear head, but right now he is personally distraught," DiBella said. "But I think he will turn that energy to his advantage because he knows that going out there and winning the fight will mean a lot to his Haitian fans and put him in a better position [financially] to help his people. He has friends and family all over Haiti, so pray for them. Pray for all the people of Haiti. My office is helping see what we can do."
Berto said he is figuring out what sort of help he can offer to his people.
"We are currently working on starting our own Haitian relief efforts, and I will be releasing additional information on how everyone can help very soon," Berto said. "I am asking everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers for the people in Haiti during this devastating time."
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
While welterweight titlist Andre Berto trains for the biggest fight of his career, a Jan. 30 unification bout against Shane Mosley, his thoughts the past two days have understandably wandered from his preparation.
Berto is Haitian-American, and he is very concerned about what is happening on the Caribbean island, where a massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated the country on Tuesday.
Thousands are feared dead while rescue efforts continue in the poverty-stricken nation.
"I'm devastated by everything currently happening in Haiti," Berto said Wednesday. "As everybody knows, I have a lot of family members in Haiti and proudly represented Haiti in the 2004 Olympic Games. Like many other Haitian-Americans, my family and I are working to reach my loved ones. From what we have learned to this point, some of my family members are still missing and we have already been informed that members of my family have passed away in the earthquake."
Berto (25-0, 19 KOs) was born in the United States, but his parents were both born in Haiti before arriving in the United States as immigrants and settling in Winter Haven, Fla., where the 26-year-old still lives and trains.
Berto has been involved in Haitian charitable causes and has a foundation with offices in Port-au-Prince, the capital, which was hit very hard by the earthquake.
"Andre has a strong Haitian identity and has been involved with Haitian causes for a long time," said Lou DiBella, who has promoted Berto for his entire career. "His foundation's office has collapsed and he knows that members of his mother's family are missing and presumed dead. It's a bad situation."
DiBella said Berto has not broken camp while continuing to train for the bout, which will take place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
"He's training as hard as he can and trying to approach this fight with Mosley with a clear head, but right now he is personally distraught," DiBella said. "But I think he will turn that energy to his advantage because he knows that going out there and winning the fight will mean a lot to his Haitian fans and put him in a better position [financially] to help his people. He has friends and family all over Haiti, so pray for them. Pray for all the people of Haiti. My office is helping see what we can do."
Berto said he is figuring out what sort of help he can offer to his people.
"We are currently working on starting our own Haitian relief efforts, and I will be releasing additional information on how everyone can help very soon," Berto said. "I am asking everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers for the people in Haiti during this devastating time."
Dan Rafael is ESPN.com's boxing writer.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Hey, Mayweather, why not Paul Williams? -- Los Angeles Times
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times
Let's be honest. If Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. stick to their guns and keep their next bouts both scheduled for March 13 after blowing the opportunity to make a mega-fight together that night, Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey is more appealing than a one-sided Mayweather showcase against either Paulie Malignaggi or Nate Campbell.
So, here's an unasked-for suggestion to Mayweather: Why not continue the game of one-upmanship with Pacquiao and make a more competitive fight than his by selecting Paul Williams as your next opponent?
"If we were asked, I'd go pick Paul up, and we'd be there as fast we could get there to sign the contract," Williams' promoter Dan Goossen told The Times.
The ever-punching Williams (38-1, 27 KOs) against the defensive wizard Mayweather would be a classic match-up. Williams, who last year posted middleweight victories over Winky Wright and Sergio Martinez, has fought as low as 147 pounds as recently as June 2008 and is an HBO fighter like "Money" so it would appear easy to facilitate.
Is Mayweather interested in Williams? His promoter, Richard Schaefer, was not immediately available for comment today, and neither was his advisor, Leonard Ellerbe.
Mayweather routinely questions the name recognition of opponents he doesn't want to fight, but how could he do that with Williams and then select either a Malignaggi or Campbell?
Mayweather-Williams makes sense, but, of course, as we've seen with the crumbled Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations, that doesn't mean the fight gets made.
(Join Los Angeles Times' poll "Who Should Floyd Mayweather Fight Next?", CLICK HERE)
Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com
Let's be honest. If Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. stick to their guns and keep their next bouts both scheduled for March 13 after blowing the opportunity to make a mega-fight together that night, Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey is more appealing than a one-sided Mayweather showcase against either Paulie Malignaggi or Nate Campbell.
So, here's an unasked-for suggestion to Mayweather: Why not continue the game of one-upmanship with Pacquiao and make a more competitive fight than his by selecting Paul Williams as your next opponent?
"If we were asked, I'd go pick Paul up, and we'd be there as fast we could get there to sign the contract," Williams' promoter Dan Goossen told The Times.
The ever-punching Williams (38-1, 27 KOs) against the defensive wizard Mayweather would be a classic match-up. Williams, who last year posted middleweight victories over Winky Wright and Sergio Martinez, has fought as low as 147 pounds as recently as June 2008 and is an HBO fighter like "Money" so it would appear easy to facilitate.
Is Mayweather interested in Williams? His promoter, Richard Schaefer, was not immediately available for comment today, and neither was his advisor, Leonard Ellerbe.
Mayweather routinely questions the name recognition of opponents he doesn't want to fight, but how could he do that with Williams and then select either a Malignaggi or Campbell?
Mayweather-Williams makes sense, but, of course, as we've seen with the crumbled Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations, that doesn't mean the fight gets made.
(Join Los Angeles Times' poll "Who Should Floyd Mayweather Fight Next?", CLICK HERE)
Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com
Will Mayweather fight someone his own size? -- BoxingNews24
By Sean McDaniel, BoxingNews24
There are rumors in the boxing world that unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KOs) will opt to fight 37-year-old Nate Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KO’s) next Floyd’s scheduled March 13th bout at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. I don’t know about you, but I’m not so sure that Campbell, a lightweight up until late last year, will be the kind of opponent needed for Mayweather to take some of the fans away from the Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey fight on the same night.
Nothing is certain as to who Mayweather’s next opponent will be, but if the rumors about Campbell being the guy are correct, I think Mayweather won’t be doing himself any favors by making this pick. I could understand it if Mayweather was a lightweight and if this fight had taken place two years ago shortly after Campbell defeated then unbeaten Juan Diaz to take his WBA and WBO lightweight titles.
However, Campbell didn’t look good in beating lightweight contender Ali Funeka by a 12 round majority decision last year in February 2009, in a fight that could have gone either way. Campbell also didn’t look good in his last fight, a no contest against Timothy Bradley. The fight only lasted three rounds, but Campbell didn’t appear to have Bradley’s number in the three rounds that were fought. But most of all, if Mayweather chooses another smaller fighter to fight, it gives the impression that he doesn’t want to fight opponents his own size.
In contrast, Pacquiao has been steadily moving up in weight and taking on bigger and better fighters in the past two years. Pacquiao has beaten David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Some boxing fans would say that each of these fighters are flawed and would be beaten by a lot of other top fighters, but Pacquiao still accomplished something by moving up in weight and taking on bigger fighters.
But for Mayweather to be taking on smaller fighters, and if he chooses the soon to be 38-year-old Campbell, Mayweather would be choosing an older one as well. Mayweather doesn’t owe it to anyone to take on a top welterweight or a talented light middleweight like Paul Williams, but he won’t be doing himself any favors if Floyd does choose another small fighter. Mayweather has beaten Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez in his last two fights. Both are good fighters for their own weight classes, but neither of them was in the same weight class as Mayweather.
Campbell is only an inch shorter than Mayweather, but the problem here is that Campbell has fought as a lightweight up until recently, and in his one fight at the higher light welterweight class, Campbell looked slow and sluggish during the Bradley fight. If you’re a Campbell fan, you could say that he was just getting warmed up, but he looked like he was having a tough time getting out of 1st gear against Bradley. I
f you consider putting Campbell in with a bigger, faster fighter than Bradley, I think we have the elements of a mismatch. But most of all, this isn’t the kind of opponent that will excite the boxing community. From what I’ve read on various boxing forums on the Internet, few fans are interested in seeing Mayweather fight Campbell. The fighter they do want to see Mayweather fight is Paul Williams. Will Mayweather do that? No, probably not in this lifetime unfortunately.
Source: boxingnews24.com
There are rumors in the boxing world that unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KOs) will opt to fight 37-year-old Nate Campbell (33-5-1, 25 KO’s) next Floyd’s scheduled March 13th bout at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. I don’t know about you, but I’m not so sure that Campbell, a lightweight up until late last year, will be the kind of opponent needed for Mayweather to take some of the fans away from the Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey fight on the same night.
Nothing is certain as to who Mayweather’s next opponent will be, but if the rumors about Campbell being the guy are correct, I think Mayweather won’t be doing himself any favors by making this pick. I could understand it if Mayweather was a lightweight and if this fight had taken place two years ago shortly after Campbell defeated then unbeaten Juan Diaz to take his WBA and WBO lightweight titles.
However, Campbell didn’t look good in beating lightweight contender Ali Funeka by a 12 round majority decision last year in February 2009, in a fight that could have gone either way. Campbell also didn’t look good in his last fight, a no contest against Timothy Bradley. The fight only lasted three rounds, but Campbell didn’t appear to have Bradley’s number in the three rounds that were fought. But most of all, if Mayweather chooses another smaller fighter to fight, it gives the impression that he doesn’t want to fight opponents his own size.
In contrast, Pacquiao has been steadily moving up in weight and taking on bigger and better fighters in the past two years. Pacquiao has beaten David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Some boxing fans would say that each of these fighters are flawed and would be beaten by a lot of other top fighters, but Pacquiao still accomplished something by moving up in weight and taking on bigger fighters.
But for Mayweather to be taking on smaller fighters, and if he chooses the soon to be 38-year-old Campbell, Mayweather would be choosing an older one as well. Mayweather doesn’t owe it to anyone to take on a top welterweight or a talented light middleweight like Paul Williams, but he won’t be doing himself any favors if Floyd does choose another small fighter. Mayweather has beaten Ricky Hatton and Juan Manuel Marquez in his last two fights. Both are good fighters for their own weight classes, but neither of them was in the same weight class as Mayweather.
Campbell is only an inch shorter than Mayweather, but the problem here is that Campbell has fought as a lightweight up until recently, and in his one fight at the higher light welterweight class, Campbell looked slow and sluggish during the Bradley fight. If you’re a Campbell fan, you could say that he was just getting warmed up, but he looked like he was having a tough time getting out of 1st gear against Bradley. I
f you consider putting Campbell in with a bigger, faster fighter than Bradley, I think we have the elements of a mismatch. But most of all, this isn’t the kind of opponent that will excite the boxing community. From what I’ve read on various boxing forums on the Internet, few fans are interested in seeing Mayweather fight Campbell. The fighter they do want to see Mayweather fight is Paul Williams. Will Mayweather do that? No, probably not in this lifetime unfortunately.
Source: boxingnews24.com
Swag: Does Manny Pacquiao have any reason to fight if it's not against Floyd Mayweather? -- Grand Rapids Press
By Eric Woodyard, The Grand Rapids Press
When Manny Pacquiao picked up the pen to sign his name on the dotted line to face Joshua Clottey on March 13, I'm sure he felt better about himself.
No worries. No blood testing. No REAL challenge!
It seems as though that's the way that Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum like it. On the other hand, Floyd Mayweather is begging for the fight to prove that he is still the greatest in the sport and one of the best ever. He even recently released a statement to fans saying that "First and foremost, not only do I want to fight Manny Pacquiao, I want to whip his punk ass."
At 40-0 (25 Knockouts) and coming off one of his best performances against one of Pacquiao's toughest in Juan Manuel Marquez, could you blame Pacquiao?
I wouldn't put myself in that danger of stepping into the ring with the Grand Rapids, Michigan, native either. It's seems as though Pacquiao is shaking like booty meat everytime he hears the name Floyd Mayweather! It's obvious that he doesn't really want the fight even in his earlier post-fight interview after his showdown with Miguel Cotto when he stated that: "My job is to fight in the ring and it depends on my promoter Arum to negotiate that fight and I'm just gonna take a vacation first and spend time with my family and have fun."
When asked did he have any preference on who he would like to fight, he stated: "For now I don't know, like I said for now I'm gonna take a vacation and spend time with my family because this was not an easy fight."
This doesn't sound like the words of a man who would like to take part in what could be the biggest grossing fight of all time to me.
What Pacquiao has done by taking the fight against Clottey is play with history. The sport of boxing hasn't saw two superstar boxers collide in their primes since earlier in the last decade. People may want to argue Floyd Mayweather/Oscar De La Hoya or Lennox Lewis/Mike Tyson but the truth is that one fighter was always on the decline of his career. This fight could break records and bring a buzz around the sport bigger than Dr. Dre's Detox album (which has been pushed back another year by the way).
All the Mayweather camp is asking for is an agreement from the Pacquiao camp to Olympic style drug testing, which includes random urine and blood testing. Mayweather has even decided to give him a 14-day blood testing window but Pacquiao still couldn't reach an agreement.
Pacquiao not agreeing to the provision is fishy -- what's to hide? Why would a man run away from $40 million just because of a blood test? The only counter he could come up with was a lawsuit for defamation against Mayweather, which is more than lame!
I continue to stand by Floyd Mayweather 100 percent on this issue and the fight against Pacquiao honestly will not make or break his career. To Pacquiao, grow some cajones and give Money Mayweather the fight. If not, do us all the pleasure of retiring from the sport because no other fight matters at this point in his career.
Source: blog.mlive.com
When Manny Pacquiao picked up the pen to sign his name on the dotted line to face Joshua Clottey on March 13, I'm sure he felt better about himself.
No worries. No blood testing. No REAL challenge!
It seems as though that's the way that Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum like it. On the other hand, Floyd Mayweather is begging for the fight to prove that he is still the greatest in the sport and one of the best ever. He even recently released a statement to fans saying that "First and foremost, not only do I want to fight Manny Pacquiao, I want to whip his punk ass."
At 40-0 (25 Knockouts) and coming off one of his best performances against one of Pacquiao's toughest in Juan Manuel Marquez, could you blame Pacquiao?
I wouldn't put myself in that danger of stepping into the ring with the Grand Rapids, Michigan, native either. It's seems as though Pacquiao is shaking like booty meat everytime he hears the name Floyd Mayweather! It's obvious that he doesn't really want the fight even in his earlier post-fight interview after his showdown with Miguel Cotto when he stated that: "My job is to fight in the ring and it depends on my promoter Arum to negotiate that fight and I'm just gonna take a vacation first and spend time with my family and have fun."
When asked did he have any preference on who he would like to fight, he stated: "For now I don't know, like I said for now I'm gonna take a vacation and spend time with my family because this was not an easy fight."
This doesn't sound like the words of a man who would like to take part in what could be the biggest grossing fight of all time to me.
What Pacquiao has done by taking the fight against Clottey is play with history. The sport of boxing hasn't saw two superstar boxers collide in their primes since earlier in the last decade. People may want to argue Floyd Mayweather/Oscar De La Hoya or Lennox Lewis/Mike Tyson but the truth is that one fighter was always on the decline of his career. This fight could break records and bring a buzz around the sport bigger than Dr. Dre's Detox album (which has been pushed back another year by the way).
All the Mayweather camp is asking for is an agreement from the Pacquiao camp to Olympic style drug testing, which includes random urine and blood testing. Mayweather has even decided to give him a 14-day blood testing window but Pacquiao still couldn't reach an agreement.
Pacquiao not agreeing to the provision is fishy -- what's to hide? Why would a man run away from $40 million just because of a blood test? The only counter he could come up with was a lawsuit for defamation against Mayweather, which is more than lame!
I continue to stand by Floyd Mayweather 100 percent on this issue and the fight against Pacquiao honestly will not make or break his career. To Pacquiao, grow some cajones and give Money Mayweather the fight. If not, do us all the pleasure of retiring from the sport because no other fight matters at this point in his career.
Source: blog.mlive.com
Exclusive Interview With Joshua Clottey - "I'm Ready To Shock The World!" - Pacquiao vs Clottey -- Eastside Boxing
By James Slater, Eastside Boxing
Former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey landed the biggest fight of his career when the eagerly awaited Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Junior fight fell apart. The teak-tough 32-year-old from Ghana received the great news last week whilst in his homeland of Ghana, and yesterday the 35-3(20) warrior arrived back in New York. Having had some bad luck recently - what with his big fight with "Sugar" Shane Mosley, originally set for Boxing Day, 2009, called off - Clottey is at last the beneficiary of some fortune his hard work has earned him.
Very kindly taking the time to speak with me on the upcoming mega-fight with the pound-for-pound king, the always modest and easygoing Clottey had the following answers to my questions:
James Slater: Congratulations on getting the huge fight with Pacquiao! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me, Joshua, I know you've got a lot going on. First of all, is this the best possible fight you could have hoped for? If you could have picked your dream fight, would this fight with Manny Pacquiao have been it?
Joshua Clottey: Thank you very much. Yes, this is the fight I have always wanted. I've always wanted fights like this - against the best fighters in the world. I really want to prove my point in this fight, prove to the whole world that I am the best. I'm so happy about getting this fight with the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world..
J.S: After all the recent disappointments you've had, with the Shane Mosley fight falling through for one thing - have things turned out even better in the long run? You now have the Pacquiao fight, and everyone knows you deserve it.
J.C: Yes, you're right. I was upset when the Mosley fight fell through, but this is better. I'm most honoured to be getting this fight - this is what I've always wanted.
J.S: When did you get to the U.S from Ghana?
J.C: Yesterday. I had to come back to sign the contract today. It will all be wrapped up today.
J.S: I know you are a guy who is always in shape, but when will you begin camp for March 13th?
J.C: Right now, I have to do the press conference. I want to say thank you to Top Rank - they have been so good to me throughout my career. And I want to say thank you to Manny Pacquiao as well. Then, after the press conference, I will sort out my training camp. Right now I am running, I'm jogging in the morning and in the afternoon.
J.S: Is it too early talk about who you will be sparring with? Lots of southpaws though, obviously.
J.C: I will think about who I will spar with later, but one thing about me is, I know how to handle southpaws easy. [Miguel] Cotto switched to southpaw in the fight and it was no problem. So I'm not concerned about Pacquiao's stance. I can handle that good.
J.S: A key question, Joshua, is at what weight will the fight take place at? Will it be a catch-weight fight, like the Pacquiao-Cotto fight was?
J.C: It will be at full welterweight. Manny Pacquiao is a very nice person, and he wants to show the world he can fight a real welterweight, someone who is big like me.
J.S: If that did come about, though, and they asked you to fight at, say, 145-pounds, would you do it?
J.C: That's never been talked about. Bob Arum got him to agree to fight at 147, and I want to thank Bob Arum for that. If I had to [come in at 145] I don't think I could really do it. I wouldn't want to drain myself. Boxing is dangerous and I wouldn't want to fight while weakened.
J.S: Well, that's good news, the fight being at a full 147. As great as Pacquiao is, you think you can beat him. How hard do you see the fight being?
J.C: You know, this is not an easy fight at all. But you know me, I always come to do my job in the ring, and I come to make the people happy. I can handle southpaws well and I will beat Pacquiao. I'm ready to shock the world.
J.S: Do you yourself think it will be considered an amazing upset if you beat Pacquiao, or will people say, "well, Clottey was too big for Pacquiao?"
J.C: I don't know if people will be amazed, but I will beat him. If I do, people may then say that he [Pacquiao] can't beat real welterweights. But if he can win, they will say he has beaten a real guy at the weight. But if I beat him, they will say he wasn't able to beat the genuine welterweights.
J.S: You mean because of the way Pacquiao beat a weight-drained Oscar de La Hoya, and a 145-pound Cotto, the critics will say that?
J.C: Yes. I want to see myself, if Pacquiao beat those guys - De La Hoya, Cotto, Ricky Hatton, because of the weight they had to come down to. I also want to see if he beat those guys for real or if he beat them with something. I will show the world the answer to this question.
J.S: When you say with "something," do you mean what all the Floyd Mayweather thing has been about? I mean, we can't say anything about steroids, we could get in trouble, and we can't say Pacquiao uses or has used them.
J.C: No, I don't think he has used steroids, but I can't say for sure. But if he has, it's very unfair. I'm going up against him now, and I want to see if he can beat a real, big, natural welterweight.
J.S: How will you fight Pacquiao? And will he be the fastest guy you'll have ever fought?
J.C: It's too early to talk about my tactics, but I will follow him; I will come forward in the fight. Yes, he will be the fastest guy I'll have fought, but Pacquiao is also durable as well as fast. I'm concerned about his speed, of course, but every time I hit him he will feel it, and maybe this will break him down. I think this will be a nice fight. There's one thing about me; I hate losing.
J.S: This is a huge fight; do you feel any more nervous or excited than you have before any other fight?
J.C: I feel more happy with this fight than for any other. It's not easy to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao, the best pound-for-pound in the world. I want to see how good he and Freddie Roach are - I'm fighting them both and I want to see how they perform. I want to see what they can do against me.
J.S: The sky's the limit for you if you can win this one, Joshua. Has Pacquiao made a mistake by fighting you?
J.C: Well, we always ask that before a fight. People have asked me that - as I am bigger and stronger than him. In that regard, he has made a mistake. But he is fast and he wants to prove to the world he can beat someone as big and as strong as me.
J.S: Well, we all look forward to the fight. It's been a pleasure speaking with you, Joshua. Can I ask you finally: how do you see yourself winning - on points or by KO?
J.C: I think I'll win on points, but if a KO comes I'll take it and give it to the world.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
Former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey landed the biggest fight of his career when the eagerly awaited Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Junior fight fell apart. The teak-tough 32-year-old from Ghana received the great news last week whilst in his homeland of Ghana, and yesterday the 35-3(20) warrior arrived back in New York. Having had some bad luck recently - what with his big fight with "Sugar" Shane Mosley, originally set for Boxing Day, 2009, called off - Clottey is at last the beneficiary of some fortune his hard work has earned him.
Very kindly taking the time to speak with me on the upcoming mega-fight with the pound-for-pound king, the always modest and easygoing Clottey had the following answers to my questions:
James Slater: Congratulations on getting the huge fight with Pacquiao! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me, Joshua, I know you've got a lot going on. First of all, is this the best possible fight you could have hoped for? If you could have picked your dream fight, would this fight with Manny Pacquiao have been it?
Joshua Clottey: Thank you very much. Yes, this is the fight I have always wanted. I've always wanted fights like this - against the best fighters in the world. I really want to prove my point in this fight, prove to the whole world that I am the best. I'm so happy about getting this fight with the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world..
J.S: After all the recent disappointments you've had, with the Shane Mosley fight falling through for one thing - have things turned out even better in the long run? You now have the Pacquiao fight, and everyone knows you deserve it.
J.C: Yes, you're right. I was upset when the Mosley fight fell through, but this is better. I'm most honoured to be getting this fight - this is what I've always wanted.
J.S: When did you get to the U.S from Ghana?
J.C: Yesterday. I had to come back to sign the contract today. It will all be wrapped up today.
J.S: I know you are a guy who is always in shape, but when will you begin camp for March 13th?
J.C: Right now, I have to do the press conference. I want to say thank you to Top Rank - they have been so good to me throughout my career. And I want to say thank you to Manny Pacquiao as well. Then, after the press conference, I will sort out my training camp. Right now I am running, I'm jogging in the morning and in the afternoon.
J.S: Is it too early talk about who you will be sparring with? Lots of southpaws though, obviously.
J.C: I will think about who I will spar with later, but one thing about me is, I know how to handle southpaws easy. [Miguel] Cotto switched to southpaw in the fight and it was no problem. So I'm not concerned about Pacquiao's stance. I can handle that good.
J.S: A key question, Joshua, is at what weight will the fight take place at? Will it be a catch-weight fight, like the Pacquiao-Cotto fight was?
J.C: It will be at full welterweight. Manny Pacquiao is a very nice person, and he wants to show the world he can fight a real welterweight, someone who is big like me.
J.S: If that did come about, though, and they asked you to fight at, say, 145-pounds, would you do it?
J.C: That's never been talked about. Bob Arum got him to agree to fight at 147, and I want to thank Bob Arum for that. If I had to [come in at 145] I don't think I could really do it. I wouldn't want to drain myself. Boxing is dangerous and I wouldn't want to fight while weakened.
J.S: Well, that's good news, the fight being at a full 147. As great as Pacquiao is, you think you can beat him. How hard do you see the fight being?
J.C: You know, this is not an easy fight at all. But you know me, I always come to do my job in the ring, and I come to make the people happy. I can handle southpaws well and I will beat Pacquiao. I'm ready to shock the world.
J.S: Do you yourself think it will be considered an amazing upset if you beat Pacquiao, or will people say, "well, Clottey was too big for Pacquiao?"
J.C: I don't know if people will be amazed, but I will beat him. If I do, people may then say that he [Pacquiao] can't beat real welterweights. But if he can win, they will say he has beaten a real guy at the weight. But if I beat him, they will say he wasn't able to beat the genuine welterweights.
J.S: You mean because of the way Pacquiao beat a weight-drained Oscar de La Hoya, and a 145-pound Cotto, the critics will say that?
J.C: Yes. I want to see myself, if Pacquiao beat those guys - De La Hoya, Cotto, Ricky Hatton, because of the weight they had to come down to. I also want to see if he beat those guys for real or if he beat them with something. I will show the world the answer to this question.
J.S: When you say with "something," do you mean what all the Floyd Mayweather thing has been about? I mean, we can't say anything about steroids, we could get in trouble, and we can't say Pacquiao uses or has used them.
J.C: No, I don't think he has used steroids, but I can't say for sure. But if he has, it's very unfair. I'm going up against him now, and I want to see if he can beat a real, big, natural welterweight.
J.S: How will you fight Pacquiao? And will he be the fastest guy you'll have ever fought?
J.C: It's too early to talk about my tactics, but I will follow him; I will come forward in the fight. Yes, he will be the fastest guy I'll have fought, but Pacquiao is also durable as well as fast. I'm concerned about his speed, of course, but every time I hit him he will feel it, and maybe this will break him down. I think this will be a nice fight. There's one thing about me; I hate losing.
J.S: This is a huge fight; do you feel any more nervous or excited than you have before any other fight?
J.C: I feel more happy with this fight than for any other. It's not easy to get a fight with Manny Pacquiao, the best pound-for-pound in the world. I want to see how good he and Freddie Roach are - I'm fighting them both and I want to see how they perform. I want to see what they can do against me.
J.S: The sky's the limit for you if you can win this one, Joshua. Has Pacquiao made a mistake by fighting you?
J.C: Well, we always ask that before a fight. People have asked me that - as I am bigger and stronger than him. In that regard, he has made a mistake. But he is fast and he wants to prove to the world he can beat someone as big and as strong as me.
J.S: Well, we all look forward to the fight. It's been a pleasure speaking with you, Joshua. Can I ask you finally: how do you see yourself winning - on points or by KO?
J.C: I think I'll win on points, but if a KO comes I'll take it and give it to the world.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
Hatton still chasing the dragon -- BBC Sport
By Ben Dirs, BBC Sport
Boxers don't take kindly to being given advice by non-boxers. Non-boxers, according to boxers, know nothing of boxing. And most of the time they're right.
When it comes to retirement, boxers are particularly sensitive to counselling from outside their tribe. "Everyone's become an expert about me," said Ricky Hatton after his devastating defeat to Manny Pacquiao in May, "but it's my decision." Yet when it comes to retirement, boxers so often get it wrong.
"A fighter knows when to quit," Chris Eubank told BBC Sport last year, wilfully ignoring the stacks of evidence to the contrary. Joe Louis didn't know when to quit. Muhammad Ali didn't know when to quit. Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Evander Holyfield - none of them knew when to quit.
Then there's Greg Page, a former heavyweight world champion who was buried the day after Hatton's defeat to Pacquiao in Las Vegas.
Page, a sparring partner of Ali, retired at the age of 34 in 1993, only to embark on a comeback three years later. Like legions of fighters before him, he thought he knew when to quit - and then changed his mind.
In 2001, at the age of 42, Page was knocked into a coma by 24-year-old opponent Dale Crowe. He never fully recovered.
"If you don't quit, you'll get it eventually," Holyfield told me once, but what he meant by "it" is open to interpretation.
Another fighter who thought he knew when to quit is Freddie Roach, the American trainer who masterminded Pacquiao's two-round demolition of Hatton.
"Knockouts like that are not good for people," said Roach, who suffers from Parkinson's disease exacerbated by boxing, after Hatton's devastating defeat.
"I was told to retire by my trainer and I fought five more fights without him. I lost four of them, so my trainer was probably right."
Roach, like Hatton a rough-and-tumble fighter who was prepared to take two punches to land one of his own, called on Manchester's former light-welterweight king to pack it in after the loss to Pacquiao. Other notables, from Henry Cooper to John Conteh, followed suit.
Hatton, not wishing to go out flat on his back, eyes flickering on and off like a busted lightbulb, has ignored them. What do Cooper and Conteh know about getting out at the right time, Hatton might have thought. Not much, but then that's the point.
Given boxing's track record, his decision to fight on is hardly surprising, but that doesn't make it any less baffling to the non-boxer.
Unlike Page, Hatton has millions in the bank. He has a loving family, a glamorous girlfriend, a young son. Plus, against Mexico's two-weight world champion Juan Manuel Marquez, a 36-year-old pumped up featherweight and his likely opponent, Hatton will have nothing much to gain and everything to lose. But if Hatton's not a boxer, what exactly is he?
He has spoken of becoming the "greatest promoter in the world", but hearing you're the greatest promoter in the world has nothing on being told "There's Only One Ricky Hatton". Over and over again, by tens of thousands, while you're up there under lights.
"Success in the ring," Barry McGuigan recently told BBC Sport, "is like a Class A drug." Which is why Hatton is still chasing the dragon, and why that highest of highs will no doubt remain elusive.
For all the hype surrounding his bouts on American soil (nine in total), Hatton's personal Everest was his defeat of Kostya Tszyu in Manchester in June 2005. Despite his protestations, he's been descending ever since.
No-one who was present will forget that clammy Sunday morning at the MEN Arena, when Hatton ploughed Tszyu into the canvas to claim the IBF light-welterweight crown. Just as no-one will forget the manner in which he did it.
Pressurising, mauling, wrestling - it was what Hatton did best. Unfortunately, against slicker, and less shopworn, fighters than the 35-year-old Tszyu, Hatton's brawling just didn't cut it.
The unmistakable signs of very real decline were there for all to see in the summer of 2008, when Juan Lazcano, a career lightweight, rocked Hatton to his boots in a bona-fide tear-up at the City of Manchester Stadium.
After that fight, Hatton got himself a new trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr, and convinced himself he was a fighter reborn with an easy win over Paulie Malignaggi. Pacquiao would disabuse him of that notion in brutal fashion.
So Hatton was found wanting on the biggest stage - outclassed by Floyd Mayweather Jr, demolished by Pacquiao - but then there's no shame in that.
The only shame will be to see him back in the ring, with nothing left to prove, except perhaps to himself. All that any true fan can hope for is that it's merely one for the road.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Boxers don't take kindly to being given advice by non-boxers. Non-boxers, according to boxers, know nothing of boxing. And most of the time they're right.
When it comes to retirement, boxers are particularly sensitive to counselling from outside their tribe. "Everyone's become an expert about me," said Ricky Hatton after his devastating defeat to Manny Pacquiao in May, "but it's my decision." Yet when it comes to retirement, boxers so often get it wrong.
"A fighter knows when to quit," Chris Eubank told BBC Sport last year, wilfully ignoring the stacks of evidence to the contrary. Joe Louis didn't know when to quit. Muhammad Ali didn't know when to quit. Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Evander Holyfield - none of them knew when to quit.
Then there's Greg Page, a former heavyweight world champion who was buried the day after Hatton's defeat to Pacquiao in Las Vegas.
Hatton was knocked cold by Manny Pacquiao inside two rounds in Las Vegas last May
Page, a sparring partner of Ali, retired at the age of 34 in 1993, only to embark on a comeback three years later. Like legions of fighters before him, he thought he knew when to quit - and then changed his mind.
In 2001, at the age of 42, Page was knocked into a coma by 24-year-old opponent Dale Crowe. He never fully recovered.
"If you don't quit, you'll get it eventually," Holyfield told me once, but what he meant by "it" is open to interpretation.
Another fighter who thought he knew when to quit is Freddie Roach, the American trainer who masterminded Pacquiao's two-round demolition of Hatton.
"Knockouts like that are not good for people," said Roach, who suffers from Parkinson's disease exacerbated by boxing, after Hatton's devastating defeat.
"I was told to retire by my trainer and I fought five more fights without him. I lost four of them, so my trainer was probably right."
Roach, like Hatton a rough-and-tumble fighter who was prepared to take two punches to land one of his own, called on Manchester's former light-welterweight king to pack it in after the loss to Pacquiao. Other notables, from Henry Cooper to John Conteh, followed suit.
Hatton, not wishing to go out flat on his back, eyes flickering on and off like a busted lightbulb, has ignored them. What do Cooper and Conteh know about getting out at the right time, Hatton might have thought. Not much, but then that's the point.
Given boxing's track record, his decision to fight on is hardly surprising, but that doesn't make it any less baffling to the non-boxer.
Unlike Page, Hatton has millions in the bank. He has a loving family, a glamorous girlfriend, a young son. Plus, against Mexico's two-weight world champion Juan Manuel Marquez, a 36-year-old pumped up featherweight and his likely opponent, Hatton will have nothing much to gain and everything to lose. But if Hatton's not a boxer, what exactly is he?
He has spoken of becoming the "greatest promoter in the world", but hearing you're the greatest promoter in the world has nothing on being told "There's Only One Ricky Hatton". Over and over again, by tens of thousands, while you're up there under lights.
"Success in the ring," Barry McGuigan recently told BBC Sport, "is like a Class A drug." Which is why Hatton is still chasing the dragon, and why that highest of highs will no doubt remain elusive.
For all the hype surrounding his bouts on American soil (nine in total), Hatton's personal Everest was his defeat of Kostya Tszyu in Manchester in June 2005. Despite his protestations, he's been descending ever since.
No-one who was present will forget that clammy Sunday morning at the MEN Arena, when Hatton ploughed Tszyu into the canvas to claim the IBF light-welterweight crown. Just as no-one will forget the manner in which he did it.
Pressurising, mauling, wrestling - it was what Hatton did best. Unfortunately, against slicker, and less shopworn, fighters than the 35-year-old Tszyu, Hatton's brawling just didn't cut it.
The unmistakable signs of very real decline were there for all to see in the summer of 2008, when Juan Lazcano, a career lightweight, rocked Hatton to his boots in a bona-fide tear-up at the City of Manchester Stadium.
After that fight, Hatton got himself a new trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr, and convinced himself he was a fighter reborn with an easy win over Paulie Malignaggi. Pacquiao would disabuse him of that notion in brutal fashion.
So Hatton was found wanting on the biggest stage - outclassed by Floyd Mayweather Jr, demolished by Pacquiao - but then there's no shame in that.
The only shame will be to see him back in the ring, with nothing left to prove, except perhaps to himself. All that any true fan can hope for is that it's merely one for the road.
Source: bbc.co.uk
Ricky's ready to rumble again - The Sun
By GAVIN GLICKSMAN, The Sun
RICKY HATTON has confirmed he will return to the ring later this year.
The Hitman's last outing was a two-round demolition at the hands of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao last May.
Hatton admits his preparation for the showdown with the Filipino was beset by problems and he is determined to prove he can still cut it at the highest level.
Speaking to Hatton TV, he said: "I've decided to make a comeback and have another fight, probably around the summertime.
"There's no opponent confirmed yet, or a date, but the point is I've made my mind up to have one more fight.
"I've had a good break and plenty of time to reflect, put the Pacquiao defeat behind me and get my mind straight.
"I've had a good rest and really recharged the batteries, so I'm happy to get back at it now.
"I go on holiday with my girlfriend to Australia soon, but as soon as I'm back I'll start training.
"I'll shed the extra weight I'm carrying and then have my normal 12-week training camp."
Hatton has also hinted he may not be returning for just one final farewell fight.
The 31-year-old added: "It may be two fights instead one, but it all depends how I perform.
"It's always hard coming back from a defeat and there was reasons behind what happened.
"My training camp didn't always go to plan and a lesser fighter than Pacquiao could probably have knocked me out too."
Juan Manuel Marquez, 36, currently appears to be one of the fighters on Hatton's radar.
The Mexican lightweight king is scheduled to fight on May 1, but an opponent has yet to be named.
Marquez was defeated by Floyd Mayweather Jnr via unanimous decision in Las Vegas last September.
Another option could be IBF light-welterweight champion Juan Urango, who Hatton defeated in 2007.
The Hitman added: "We're looking at Urango. It's got to be a top-10 ranked pound-for-pound fighter or a world champion of some sort."
Source: thesun.co.uk
RICKY HATTON has confirmed he will return to the ring later this year.
The Hitman's last outing was a two-round demolition at the hands of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao last May.
Hatton admits his preparation for the showdown with the Filipino was beset by problems and he is determined to prove he can still cut it at the highest level.
Speaking to Hatton TV, he said: "I've decided to make a comeback and have another fight, probably around the summertime.
"There's no opponent confirmed yet, or a date, but the point is I've made my mind up to have one more fight.
"I've had a good break and plenty of time to reflect, put the Pacquiao defeat behind me and get my mind straight.
"I've had a good rest and really recharged the batteries, so I'm happy to get back at it now.
"I go on holiday with my girlfriend to Australia soon, but as soon as I'm back I'll start training.
"I'll shed the extra weight I'm carrying and then have my normal 12-week training camp."
Hatton has also hinted he may not be returning for just one final farewell fight.
The 31-year-old added: "It may be two fights instead one, but it all depends how I perform.
"It's always hard coming back from a defeat and there was reasons behind what happened.
"My training camp didn't always go to plan and a lesser fighter than Pacquiao could probably have knocked me out too."
Juan Manuel Marquez, 36, currently appears to be one of the fighters on Hatton's radar.
The Mexican lightweight king is scheduled to fight on May 1, but an opponent has yet to be named.
Marquez was defeated by Floyd Mayweather Jnr via unanimous decision in Las Vegas last September.
Another option could be IBF light-welterweight champion Juan Urango, who Hatton defeated in 2007.
The Hitman added: "We're looking at Urango. It's got to be a top-10 ranked pound-for-pound fighter or a world champion of some sort."
Source: thesun.co.uk
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