BOX-OFFICE DUD: Fans mostly ignoring Holyfield-Botha bout -- Las Vegas Review-Journal

By STEVE CARP, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Evander Holyfield shouldn't expect much company Saturday when he fights in Las Vegas for the first time in 6½ years.

Through Wednesday, fewer than 1,000 tickets had been sold for the fight between the 47-year-old former heavyweight champion and Frans Botha, 41, at the Thomas & Mack Center.

The last time Holyfield fought there, a crowd of more than 17,000 saw him lose a unanimous decision to Lennox Lewis. That was Nov. 13, 1999, with the undisputed world heavyweight title at stake. This time, despite $25 lower-bowl seats, there have been few takers to watch two past-their-prime heavyweights.

Thus continues a long, strange history for Holyfield in Las Vegas. The four-time champion is 42-10-2 with 27 knockouts but only 10-6 in Las Vegas, dating to May 15, 1987, when he stopped Ricky Parker at Caesars Palace. Holyfield hasn't fought here since Oct. 4, 2003, when James Toney scored a ninth-round technical knockout at Mandalay Bay.

"Whoever shows up is going to see I still have it," Holyfield said Wednesday at the Thomas & Mack.

He was standing in front of a large photo from his fight against Lewis, on permanent display as one of the arena's memorable moments. "I've always loved Vegas. There were so many ups and downs. But I've had so many good things happen to me here. More good than bad."

But plenty of bizarre, too.

Holyfield's highs include winning the Olympic Trials box-offs at Caesars in 1984 and winning all four of his heavyweight titles here, including his first when he knocked out Buster Douglas at The Mirage in 1990.

Among the lows are losing the title to Michael Moorer in 1994 and Lewis in 1999, both at the Thomas & Mack.

For the downright bizarre, there are the "Fan Man" fight in his 1993 rematch with Riddick Bowe at Caesars and the 1997 ear-biting incident by Mike Tyson at the MGM Grand Garden.

On Nov. 6, 1993, his fight against Bowe was interrupted in the seventh round when James Miller crashed his powered paraglider in the ring.

"I had a strategy and I was following the game plan," Holyfield said. "I'm ready to finish (Bowe) off and then this Fan Man guy comes flying into the ring. I was really angry. But I said to myself, 'You won the first six rounds, now just win the other half and stop worrying about all that other stuff.' "

The fight resumed after a 20-minute delay, and Holyfield won a 12-round majority decision, becoming world champion for the second time.

Holyfield won the WBA title from Tyson in 1996 with an 11th-round TKO, and their rematch on June 28, 1997, produced once of the strangest incidents in boxing history.

After Holyfield won the first two rounds, an increasingly frustrated and erratic Tyson bit Holyfield's right ear with 40 seconds left in the third. Holyfield jumped, howling in pain. With seconds left in the round, Tyson took another bite. This time he was disqualified, and Holyfield, bloody ear and all, was declared the winner.

"I think getting bit on the ear got blown out of proportion," Holyfield said. "(Tyson) wanted to get out of there, and he did. He didn't want to take any more of a whipping. When I was a kid and I was losing a fight, I would bite. When you want to give up, you bite."

Holyfield said seven years is a long time to be away from Las Vegas. He doesn't know what will happen Saturday. It could be good. It could be bad. It could be bizarre.

"You never know," he said with a smile. "But I'm going to show Vegas I can still fight."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.

Source: lvrj.com

I'll prove Haye's not the Real Deal -- The Sun

By GAVIN GLICKSMAN, The Sun

EVANDER HOLYFIELD wants to wreck David Haye's bid to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Haye views Holyfield as one of his heroes after following in the American's footsteps by dominating the cruiserweight division before moving up to trade blows with the big boys.

The Londoner has previously admitted he would prefer to see the Real Deal enjoying his retirement instead of boxing on at the age of 47.

But Holyfield, who fights Frans Botha for the minor WBF belt on Saturday, has WBA title-holder Haye firmly in his sights.

The four-time heavyweight champion said: "He has a belt and I want them all. I wish I could fight him right now."

Holyfield believes a win against Botha at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas will move him a massive step closer to another world title shot.

And he is counting on Vegas being the lucky charm he needs to reignite his career.

The veteran said: "I'm happy to have the opportunity to fight in Las Vegas again because anything that ever worked for me happened here.

"I became the heavyweight champion here in 1990, 1993, 1996 and in 2000.

"Realistically, Vegas is a place that has given me the opportunity to be the person who I am.

"The fact of the matter is I've been driven by the things that people said I couldn't do.

"When you tell me I can't do something, that sets a fire under me to prove that I can.

"My only goal has always been to be the undisputed heavyweight champion."

Source: thesun.co.uk

Fathers of Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley discuss their sons’ fight -- Las Vegas Sun

By Case Keefer, Las Vegas Sun

Jack Mosley has persistently told his son, Shane Mosley, to speak up lately.

Problem is, Shane Mosley never has been one to let talking get in the way of his fight preparation.

"He needs to talk a little more," Jack Mosley said. "A mouth that stays closed never gets fed."

In the meantime, it appears Jack Mosley will have no qualms about speaking for his son. Jack Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Sr. hosted a teleconference Wednesday afternoon discussing the matchup between their sons' May 1 welterweight bout at MGM Grand.

Jack Molsey held nothing back. He predicted Shane Mosley (39-5-1) would upset Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0) with relative ease.

"Shane will be too much for Floyd to handle," Jack Mosley said. "He takes a good punch, he hits like a heavyweight and he's fast enough to hit Floyd."

Although the fight is still more than three weeks away, Jack's comment sparked a "my son can beat up your son" argument.

Mayweather Sr., predictably, disagreed with Jack Mosley.

"I heard some crazy things from Jack," he said. "What's Shane going to do? Shane is going to get his ass whooped. That's what's going to happen. Floyd is much faster, much quicker, more clever, smarter and he's got so many things he can do."

Despite his words, Mayweather Sr. did make it clear that he respects Shane Mosley's career achievements. He said a victory would be one of the biggest of his son's career.

Mayweather Sr. also said Shane Mosley would present a bigger challenge than Manny Pacquiao, who was supposed to fight Mayweather in March before the two camps couldn't agree on drug-testing requirements.

"Shane would be a much tougher fighter than that whatever over there that fights like a machine," Mayweather Sr. said. "Shane is going to be much tougher if things were equally on the up-and-up."

According to Jack Mosley, the Mayweathers are going to be stunned to find out just how tough Shane Mosley is in the ring.

Jack Mosley said Shane Mosley had prepared for this fight for more than 10 years, ever since he and Mayweather Jr. burst onto the scene as top fighters in the 1990s.

"We've had strategies to fight Floyd since Floyd started boxing," Jack Mosley said. "If we ever had a chance to fight him, we already knew how to fight him and beat him."

Jack Mosley and Mayweather Sr. have actually followed similar paths in assisting their sons' careers. Both trained their sons as they grew up and became champions.

Jack Mosley recently stepped aside because he said his son no longer needed his tutelage. Mayweather Sr. and Mayweather Jr. had a falling out and didn't speak for seven years until 2009.

But now they are back together and Floyd Sr. couldn't be happier.

"It's very important," Floyd Sr. said. "I love my son. That's my blood. Blood runs deep. There isn't nothing I wouldn't do for him."

Jack Mosley feels the same way for his son, but that's where the agreement between him and Mayweather Sr. ends.

They both have strong, differing opinions on the fight.

"It won't go past 11 (rounds), and you heard this first from Floyd," Floyd Sr. said.

"It won't be a surprise to me when Shane beats him," Jack said.

Source: lasvegassun.com

Mike Tyson turning back the Clock & the Roy Jones – Bernard Hopkins PPV Sham -- Ringside Report

By Geno McGahee, RingsideReport.com

Mike Tyson on Holyfield/Botha

Mike Tyson has a couple of fights on his mind as of late. The first is with PETA, a fanatical group that have jumped on Tyson’s reality show because he is racing pigeons, something he has been doing since he was a child. PETA versus Tyson and Animal Planet, the network airing the show, should be an interesting battle…one that Tyson hasn’t concerned himself with too much.

The other fight is Evander Holyfield – Frans Botha this Saturday night in Vegas. Vegas is a place that Tyson is very familiar with and so too are the two combatants going to war this Saturday night. According to a source close to the former champion, Tyson is becoming more and more receptive to the idea of facing Holyfield. Don King is pushing very hard for the Tyson comeback to begin, possibly coinciding with the pigeon show which is set to begin airing next year. Tyson is not getting any younger and that may be too long of a wait. The most likely scenario is that Tyson will be in the ring later this year or early 2011 at the latest.

Evander Holyfield has made it clear both to Don King and to the public through various interviews that he wants Iron Mike. He has stated that “Tyson could only make money” against him, an absurd statement, but one that shows the interest of the “Real Deal” in a third encounter. Should Holyfield get through Botha, expect the wheels to turn for the third match. Should Holyfield lose, it is still a possibility. Either way, the most interested spectator this Saturday night will be Iron Mike.

The Return of Antonio Margarito

Bob Arum said that what Luis Resto did was unforgivable and that he should be banned for life, but when his fighter does nearly the same thing, it wasn’t his fault. Antonio Margarito, proven to have used plaster of Paris in his hand wraps, leading to victories over many opponents that he probably would have lost to had the playing field been even, will return to the ring in Mexico on May 8th in “Latin Fury 14.”

You cannot blame Bob Arum for wanting his fighter to get in there, especially now. The discovery of his cheating ways may actually make him more of an attraction. The boxing bad boys always sell well. Look at Mike Tyson. When his skills diminished and he began becoming more and more unpredictable, people watched. His fight with Lennox Lewis was incredibly successful because of that factor, and now Margarito, the known cheater, comes back to boxing and it will only be a matter of time before he makes his way to the states again.

Money talks and it will scream for him to return. The commission will have to keep a close eye on him, but after time, it may not be as stringent, and we could see him return to the loaded gloves. Remember, for those of you that may dispute the chances of him doing it again, that boxing is a sport where you can make a lot of money. One victory can mean millions upon millions of dollars. Margarito cheated for the money, plain and simple, and he made a boatload, risking the lives of many an opponent and ruining Miguel Cotto in the process.

The PPV buys for this event will tell us something about the future of Margarito. If it sells well, it will be more incentive for Arum to get him back to the states, and with Floyd Mayweather taking on Shane Mosley, and Manny Pacquiao waiting in the wings, there is plenty of money to go around, especially with the hands of plaster, Margarito.

Roy Jones – Bernard Hopkins II: As Advertised

Roy Jones, JR., went to war in an incredibly ugly match with Bernard Hopkins, a rematch 17 years in the making. My prediction was Hopkins by UD in what I called a “no brainer,” and it was Hopkins by UD…a no brainer. I thought it was amusing that the promotion announced that there would be no replay and that anyone streaming it live via the Internet would be punished to the full extent of the law. They knew that this was a bomb and did whatever they could to get people to lay down the 50 dollars to buy it.

The problem with the fight is that it was meaningless and predictable. Jones, JR., had zero left going into it. He was stopped in one round by Danny Green, and pummeled twelve rounds by Joe Calzaghe in recent outings. He beat a bloated Felix Trinidad and a shot Jeff Lacy, names that on paper, impress, but when you see exactly what they have left, you realize that the victories were misleading.

Hopkins has not been in an exciting fight since 2001 when he knocked out Felix Trinidad. His mauling, ugly style is effective, but it isn’t what fans want to see. The bad blood between the fighters, whether real or manufactured to sell the fight, did not do anything to make the PPV any more worthy of the price tag.

This was a business deal. When Green won via first round stoppage, damage control went into effect and suddenly, Green wore illegal hand wraps. It was a pathetic charge, but Jones planted the seed in the public’s mind. Now there was doubt. On top of that, Hopkins chimed in, stating that it was quick stoppage. When you compile the two allegations, some may be duped into believing that Jones was jobbed and therefore you can erase the defeat. In all actuality, he lost fair and square.

Where do the fighters go from here? Jones – Hopkins III? They are tied 1-1 at this point and why not fleece the public for another 50 bucks? Then again, if I’m correct, they will not be in a position to when the PPV rentals come very low. Hopkins will move on and Jones, JR., will regroup and find boxers more shot then he is to beat up and attempt to fool the public into thinking he’s back on his game. Unfortunately for Jones, he built his career on reflexes and they are the first thing to go and they have gone.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Fil-Ams ask Carolla show advertisers to pull out -- ABS-CBN News

By Rodney J. Jaleco, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

WASHINGTON DC - A group that caters to the needs of Filipino immigrants in the Metro DC region is getting back at radio shock jock Adam Carolla where they think it’s going to sting the most – at his radio show’s advertisers.

“Mr. Carolla, these whole racist remarks from a supposedly intelligent person like you, being part of the media, is all bout you and not us,” wrote lawyer Arnedo Valera, executive director of the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), in a letter sent through the local CBS radio affiliate here.

The letter was also signed by other MHC officers Grace Valera-Jaramillo and Jesse Gatchalian.

Carolla, who has insulted Native Hawaiians (he called them the “world’s dumbest people” in 2003), women and Asian Americans, among others, called Filipino sports idol Manny Pacquiao “an idiot”, “illiterate” and “brain-damaged” for refusing to undergo blood tests for a planned bout with former champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. that eventually fell through.

“Why don’t you get your (expletive) together? They got this (Pacquiao) and sex tours. That’s all they have over there,” Carolla ranted about the Philippines.

Philippine presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said Carolla was “an ignorant fool who belongs to a sick minority in the US”.

“Your recent pronouncements against us Filipinos are an act of ignorance…Behind that feeling of superiority of being a White American is actually a failure of your human faculty to think and feel for the diversity of the cultures which America is made of,” the MHC statement read.

“You don’t deserve to be in media,” the Fil-Am group declared.

They accused Carolla of fanning racist tensions in America by “using your position to sweepingly belittle people in the US”.

In addition to demanding a “genuine and real public apology”, Valera said they will mount a letter-writing campaign to Carolla’s show sponsors to ask them to withdraw their support.

“We will not take your racial tirade sitting down,” the statement stressed.

Valera recalled that disparaging remarks by radio commentator Don Imus against members of a college women’s basketball team in 2007 caused such a firestorm that he was suspended and MSNBC yanked out his program from the air.

But after a long hiatus, Imus was allowed to go back on air (on Fox) but only after he vowed to be more sensitive to women and African-Americans.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Floyd Mayweather Sr. on Floyd Jr.: 'That's My Blood' -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

The family feud between trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. and his talented boxer son, Floyd Mayweather Jr., has been well-documented.

The son once booted the father from his training facility and evicted him from a home that he owned.

They reportedly didn't have a cordial conversation for nearly seven years, a time during which Floyd Sr. once even threatened to train Oscar de la Hoya to defeat his son in the ring -- although he later, refused to do so.

But their frosty relationship has since thawed, most notably leading up to Floyd Jr.'s last fight -- September's unanimous, 12-round decision over Juan Manuel Marquez.

That's when, after having been long exiled from his son's camp by the fighter himself, Floyd Sr. was allowed to be part of Floyd Jr.'s preparation for Marquez.

The 57-year-old Floyd Sr. has told FanHouse that he also has "no problems" with Roger Mayweather, his 48-year-old sibling who has trained Floyd Jr. since 2000, adding, "That's [feuding] something that happened a lot of years ago."

"Through it all, the Mayweather bond between the father and son has never wavered in my eyes. The deep love and appreciation that the two have had for a number of years, you can't even began to even talk about," said Leonard Ellerbe, the fighter's longtime friend and CEO of Mayweather Promotions.

"I know, personally, how Floyd Jr. feels about his dad, and the impact that he has had on his life," said Ellerbe. "Floyd Sr. has really played an integral part in his son's career from the very beginning. He's taught him everything that he knows about the sport, which has enabled him to be the best fighter in the sport today, as we all know."

Floyd Sr. will apparently be a part of things, yet again, at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas, on May 1, when 33-year-old Floyd Jr. (40-0, 25 knockouts) takes on 38-year-old WBA welterweight (147 pounds) champion, Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) in perhaps the biggest fight of his life.

"This is very, very important, and, you know, I would be lying to you if I were to tell you that I'm not happy to be back with my son," said Floyd Mayweather Sr., who trained Floyd Jr. to his first world title -- an October, 1998, eighth-round knockout of Genaro Hernandez for the WBC super featherweight (130 pounds) belt -- and was named Manager Of The Year in 1998.

"That's my blood. My blood runs deep. That's my son, and there ain't nothing that I wouldn't do for him," said Floyd Sr., who also trains other fighters. "That's why right now, as soon as I get through with one gym, I'm at my son's gym, because my son comes first."

Input into Floyd Jr.'s training for Marquez was said to have involved "things like holding the heavy bag and helping with shadow boxing," said Floyd Sr.

It is unclear whether that situation will change against Mosley, although Floyd Sr. said that he is in his son's camp, "Every day."

"The only thing is that I can tell you is that everything is going really good in training camp now, and that Floyd's looking very sharp," said Floyd Sr., who trained de la Hoya to face Mosley during the latter's 2003 victory over de la Hoya.

"That [Mosley-de la Hoya] right there was a blueprint right there, what Oscar did to him already. Oscar really beat the hell out of [Mosley,]" said Floyd Sr. "The blueprint has already been laid out for Floyd to beat Shane, because he ain't gotten any better."

But having fought as high as junior middleweight (154 pounds), Mosley has vowed that Floyd Jr. "is going to be the hardest fight that he has ever had in his life."

"Everybody else Floyd has been in with has been 135 pounds or at around 140. He's not fought any real 147 pounders," said Mosley, adding that his weight, as of now, is "around 152-ish when I leave the gym."

"I'm pretty sure that Floyd will feel more power in this fight that he will have ever had to feel," said Mosley. "And if I can get that knockout, if I get that one shot, and if I can get him hurt, then I'm going to be all over him."

Floyd Sr., however, disagrees.

"Floyd beat Oscar de la Hoya, and Shane don't punch as hard as Oscar de la Hoya. He might swing a little wider, throw his punches a little wider," said Floyd Sr. "That's just a bunch of talk. What do you expect him to say. And you have to remember one thing: Hitting don't mean sh** when you can't find nothing to hit."

Floyd Sr. discounted Mosley's January, 2009, ninth-round knockout victory which dethroned Antonio Margarito as WBA super world welterweight champion, saying Margarito "was a walking mummy who was tailor-made for Shane."

"Floyd has too many things that he can use against Shane. Shane is not smart. He doesn't use the jab enough, and when he does use it, he's going to get countered and something is going to come flying over the top of it," said Floyd Sr.

"Floyd's got too much for Shane, trust me," said Floyd Sr. "On May 1, it's going to be Shane who is going to be a walking mummy. Believe me, Shane knows what's coming."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Floyd Mayweather Sr. calls Manny Pacquiao robotic 'whatever' -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

Fathers Knows Worst, the new boxing sitcom starring Floyd Mayweather Sr.

News flash of the day: According to Poppa M, Antonio Margarito was just a mummy when he fought Sugar Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao is merely a robotic "whatever from other there" when he fights anybody.

Mayweather verbally stole the show from the more reasoned and laidback Cactus Jack Mosley on a press conference call Wednesday.

In our newest episode, "Pretty Daddy" also rattles off some nonsense about how Sugar Shane Mosley has been fighting "all Mexicans."

"First off, I heard these crazy things from Jack about what Shane is going to do. Shane is going to get his ass whooped. This is what's going to happen because little Floyd is faster than Shane, much faster, much slicker, more clever, smarter and he has so many things that he can do.

"We already know the outline on him because Oscar De La Hoya already showed that. We already know what to do with Shane," Floyd Sr. said.

"To tell you the truth, he never really beat a black fighter, and that tells you right there on how it's going to be.

"Margarito was a walking mummy. He was a tailor-made for Shane. Floyd just has too many thing he can use against Shane. Shane is not smart. He had quick hands. He doesn't use the jab enough and when he does use it, he's going to get countered," Floyd Sr. said.

"Shane don't punch as hard as Oscar De La Hoya? Floyd fought De La Hoya and Shane is not a bigger puncher than De La Hoya. He might swing a little wider, but as far as him hitting harder I don't know about that. You have to remember one thing, hitting doesn't mean sh*t if you can't find something to hit."

"What Oscar did to him already, it's a blueprint. Oscar beat the hell out of him already. The blueprint is already laid out for him. He ain't get no better. How is he going to get better? Shane knows what's coming."

As a slight concession, Poppa M did describe Mosley as a more difficult foe for his baby boy than Megamanny Pacquiao.

"On the real, I think Shane would be the tougher fight. Shane would be the tougher fight because of certain reasons, so figure it out. Shane would be a much tougher fight than that 'whatever' over there that fights like a machine," Floyd Sr. said.

Getting back to his "race card," Mayweather Pere does mention that he is sure that Winky Wright is an African American and so was the late Vernon Forest, killed in an Atlanta street robbery.

Why would Mayweather inject a racial issue where there is none, I don't know.

Mosley, who comes from Pomona, is a Southern California based fighter so, during both his amateur and pro careers, yes has fought many Latinos, especially Mexicans and Mexican Americans among them a guy named Oscar de la Hoya.

I mean, doh!

Secondly, the number of highly rated black American fighters is dwindling with each passing year.

Take a peek into the remaining big city boxing gyms and you would know that. Or else check out the various Alphabet Soup Group rankings.

Without Hispanics, Asians and Eastern Europeans right now, there really would be no boxing.

I know they have labeled the May 1 Mosley-Mayweather fight "Who R U Picking" which is idiotic enough but I have another name for Poppa M's latest absurd to the extreme rant.

"What R U Talking About" is what I call it.

Things are so bad that neither the United Kingdom or Mexico can truly boast of having a current superdstar attraction (though heavyweight David Haye is on the bubble in Old Blighty).

Our three top superstars are Manny Pacquiao, Li'l Floyd and Mosley. Throw in the name of Chad Dawson, Paul Williams and maybe Andre Berto. The "white spot" is admirably held down by Kelly Pavlik.

So what is Floyd Senior's point here?

Maybe if he wears a hat, it won't show.

Poppa M is like "Alice In Wonderland," things just grow curiouser and curiouser.

How come no one ever mentions the paucity of albino champions?

No disrespect intended, of course.

What's next, saying that L'il Floyd has NEVER LOST to an opponent with green eyes.

That's as true as saying he's never lost to a Pinoy...yet.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

If His Story Is To Be Believed, Margarito's Ignorance Is At a Criminal Level -- The Sweet Science

By Rick Folstad, The Sweet Science

Unless you were standing over Antonio Margarito with a professional eye, watching him get his hands wrapped, it’s hard to say whether Margarito was part of the plot to commit a crime against Sugar Shane Mosley or just an innocent bystander.

The California State Athletic Commission decided on the former. Promoter Bob Arum and Margarito’s attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, decided on the later.

But while there hasn’t been a lot of new information coming down from the court house in Sacramento, Arum and Petrocelli are on a crusade to clear Margarito‘s name.

To hear Arum and Petrocelli tell it, Margarito might as well have been sitting in another room when the dastardly crime was attempted. They say he’s innocent of all charges, but that’s what you would expect a couple members of your gang to say. The only thing I get coming away from their conference call Monday is that Margarito is either a cheater or an airhead; and Javier Capetillo, Margarito‘s former trainer, has been quickly and easily tossed under the bus, a simple casualty of war.

“I have been distressed about the amount of misinformation out there and people making conclusions based on the misinformation,” is how Bob Arum opened the call.

From that point on, it was pretty much Petrocelli explaining why Margarito should be fully pardoned and hoisted onto our shoulders and paraded down main street. Speaking in his best legalese, he claimed several times that Margarito “had no knowledge or participation in the events,“ that led to the one-year revocation of Margarito’s license to box in the United States.

According to Petrocelli, the problem was that Capetillo wrapped Margarito’s hands using - gasp - already used and tainted gauze knuckle pads. Those pads were found to contain calcium and sulfur, two of the primary elements found in plaster of paris. At least that’s what the guys in the California Department of Justice laboratory tell us.

Plaster of paris?

Oh, oh.

But Petrocelli explained that calcium and sulfur are found in a variety of substances, including hand crème, and the pads weren‘t like concrete or rock, but made of soft gauze.

“Antonio offered up his right hand to the inspector and to Mosley’s trainer and said, ‘look, I have nothing to hide. Look at it. Take it off,’ “ Petrocelli said. “They found the same thing, a worn, used and a little hard (knuckle pad insert), almost like it had been in water and dried, and it was harder than just the soft gauze. Both knuckle pads were confiscated.”

But the big question is, how could Capetillo wrap Margarito’s hands using a formerly worn, harder knuckle pad without Margarito noticing it? Fighters pay very, very close attention when their hands are being wrapped. Why didn’t Margarito notice something was different about his wraps? And why was Capetillo using second-hand knuckle pads in the first place? Couldn’t afford new ones? Left the new ones at home?

Let’s ask Petrocelli.

“He obviously knew his hands were being wrapped, but what he didn’t know was this: There is this little 2-inch long and maybe 1-inch wide gauze pad and embedded inside, there was another piece of gauze and it was that other piece of gauze - which I’ll call the gauze insert - that the inspectors thought was irregular. Not the main gauze knuckle pad that rests on the knuckle. And again, these are pre-made and (Margarito) is sitting there extending his hands and his trainer puts on a gauze knuckle pad and inside the gauze knuckle pad is this further gauze insert that’s got some irregular chemical substances on them according to the governments test report. How is (Margarito) supposed to know about that?”

He’s supposed to pay attention.

Petrocelli goes on: “Because (Margarito) had no knowledge or participation of any of this, he should not be punished at all, let alone having his license revoked.”

You know the story. It was the night of Jan. 24, 2009, and Margarito was getting ready to fight Mosley in California for the WBA welterweight title. Prior to the fight, Mosley’s trainer, Naazim Richardson, went into Margarito’s locker room to check Margarito’s hand wraps, make sure all the rules were being followed.

But Richardson didn’t like what he saw, and Margarito was told to have his hands re-wrapped because of knuckle pad “irregularities.”

Later that night, Mosley stopped Margarito and the accusations grew and the CSAC had the confiscated pads analyzed and determined that Margarito attempted to use a hard pad.

“Margarito testified and all the evidence is fully in accord that he simply had no knowledge of any of this,“ Petrocelli said.

Now, with his U.S. suspension over, Margarito - who could have fought in Mexico during his suspension, but chose not to - is scheduled to return to the ring on May 8 against Roberto Garcia in a pay-per-view fight from Aguascalients, Mexico.

As for Margarito fighting again in the United States, Arum said he’s looking at something this summer, maybe a fight in Texas.

“People who really know very little about the facts would like to sentence this guy to purgatory for the rest of his life,“ Arum said. “And that’s really outrageous and wrong.“

What’s really outrageous and wrong is what Margarito and his former trainer are accused of trying to do.

Maybe Margarito didn’t know. Maybe he is innocent of intentionally trying to use illegal hand wraps. But he still has to shoulder some of the blame. He’s responsible for himself, and his alleged ignorance is a crime in itself.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Roach Says Khan Will Stop Malignaggi - Will Freddie's KO Prediction Come Good This Time? -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

There is no doubt at all that ace trainer Freddie Roach is one of the best in the business today. There is also no denying the fact that he has at times shown an uncanny knack for predicting the round correctly when suggesting what round his fighter will win in - Roach has done this on numerous occasions; often making good with what were initially seen as outlandish predictions.

However, Roach, for once, was proved wrong back in March. Going into the big Manny Pacquiao Vs. Joshua Clottey welterweight clash, Freddie said his man - the Pac-Man - would "definitely" get the stoppage, "around the 9th-round." Instead, though, the much bigger Clottey went into his shell for pretty much the entire fight and made it to the final bell. Will Roach's latest prediction - that his WBA light-welterweight champ Amir Khan will "walk right through" Paulie Malignaggi - get the trainer back into the win column, prediction-wise?

Okay, making the predictions he does is probably nothing more than a touch of gamesmanship on the part of the owner of The Wildcard Gym, designed to unsettle the rival fighter. But it's still interesting, always, to hear what Roach has to say. Can Khan do what Freddie says he can and stop "The Magic Man" in the later rounds come May 15th?

Though Malignaggi has been stopped before - by Ricky Hatton via an 11-th round corner retirement Paulie himself was not in favour of - he has never been knocked out flat. In fact, this has never come close to happening. As such, Khan, who will be making his U.S debut, will score some impressive statement if he can become the first man to put Malignaggi down and out in New York.

And at a recent media gathering in New York, Roach explained how and why his man will do this.

"We're going to set traps for Paulie, who is not a big puncher and is not dangerous," Roach said recently. "We can take a little more risks with him because he's only knocked out five people. I think our speed and our power will overwhelm him, and that we'll definitely stop him in the later rounds.

"I think that Amir walks right through him. Ricky Hatton walked right through Malignaggi and I know that Amir is better than Hatton."

Of course Roach is correct when he says Malignaggi is no puncher, but to believe he will not be dangerous because of this could be a mistake. What about the superior edge in experience Malignaggi has over Khan? What about the toughness and the ability to outbox opponents the 29-year-old has shown many times? And is Khan really "better than Hatton?" That much is at least debatable.

In the past, a number of fighters - Miguel Cotto, Lovemore N'Dou, Herman Ngoudjo and, most recently, Juan Diaz - felt they'd be way too strong and powerful for Malignaggi, and that they also would stop him. Neither fighter did (although Cotto did win a wide decision). Surprised at the toughness of the fast-talking New Yorker, these fighters, instead of stopping Malignaggi, found themselves being outboxed, hit by fast flurries of punches and even somewhat outclassed (Cotto aside). Could this happen to Khan in May?

Though the 23-year-old from Bolton, UK is as fast as he is powerful, and though his chances of getting the stoppage win cannot be discounted, I think he will find himself being taken into the later rounds next month, with Khan being taught a few lessons along the way. Will Khan grow frustrated when he fails to land his best punches on Malignaggi? Will this frustration grow when he sees round after round pass by?

This is what I feel we will see on may 15th: a close distance fight that may not be all that great a spectacle, but a fight that is often dictated by the older, more experienced man. I'm not saying Malignaggi wins. I am saying he will not be KO'd. And Roach will be 0-2 as far as his latest predictions go!

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Anthony Mundine links with top US trainer Freddie Roach at famous Wildcard Gym -- Daily Telegraph

By Josh Massoud and James Phelps, The Daily Telegraph

ANTHONY Mundine will hit America next week to link with world-renowned trainer Freddie Roach in a bid to shake off cobwebs from a three-month injury lay-off.

Since his scrappy points win over Robert Medley in January, The Man has been laid low by a painful groin problem that's required surgery.

But we can reveal Mundine is booked on a flight to Los Angeles this weekend, bound for Roach's famous Wildcard Gym where boxers including Manny Pacquiao, Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr have all become champions.

With trademark black-rimmed glasses and spiky hair, Roach is one of the most charismatic figures in world boxing and is a four-time winner of the Trainer of the Year Award. The Parkinsons' disease sufferer previously worked with actor Mickey Rourke and his current stable includes Pacquiao and British WBA light welterweight champ Amir Khan.

Mundine has previously trained in the USA with Roy Jones Sr. It's not certain how long he will stay abroad, but it's understood The Man is still some way from a return to the ring after cancelling a planned fight in May.

He's scheduled to take on The Contender winner Garth Wood in December.

***

IT'S little wonder Parramatta Eels CEO Paul Osborne survived for years as a politician, because he sure knows how to say a lot without giving anything away.

We last night contacted Osborne about yesterday's item regarding his club's interest in off-contract Cowboys star Johnathan Thurston, and the former ACT parliamentarian boxed very clever when asked if he'd spoken to the player's manager Sam Ayoub.

"I speak to Sam all the time, but I don't think much will come of it," Osborne said. "He's staying with the Cowboys, isn't he?"

All we know is that, despite Osborne's hot shoe shuffle, Parramatta are dancing closer to making Thurston an offer to rival North Queensland's $1.8 million, three-year bid.

***

GREG Waddell - the teenage sensation who inked a $100,000-a-season deal with Penrith while still in school uniform - will return to rugby league this weekend.

Regarded as one of the best up-and-coming backs in rugby league, the product of St Dominic's College in Kingswood is expected to play Toyota Cup after a horror two years plagued by injury.

In 2008 Waddell busted his knee and returned only to injure his arm.

Source: dailytelegraph.com.au