Ricky Hatton set to spurn Erik Morales fight -- The Guardian

By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk

Ricky Hatton, once the king of Las Vegas, has been offered a comeback fight against the faded Erik Morales on the undercard of a Golden Boy Promotions show in Las Vegas on 10 July. He is expected to reject the opportunity.

Juan Manuel Márquez fights Juan Díaz for two versions of the world lightweight title that night and, if he wins, is then being offered up for Hatton as the Mancunian's farewell opponent in Manchester later in the year.

Hatton, who has worked with Golden Boy (GBP) several times, will turn down the deal, according to the Manchester Evening News, for whom he writes a column.

He spoke with Robert Diaz last week when the GBP negotiator came to Manchester for David Haye's successful world heavyweight title defence against John Ruiz.

Golden Boy originally wanted Hatton to fight Márquez, who lost widely on points last year to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Hatton announced in December he was returning to the ring but has subsequently suggested he will not go through with those plans.

Hatton, who has ballooned in weight since being knocked out in the second round against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last July, has been in the gym intermittently, preparing for a celebrity football match at Old Trafford in June.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Audley Harrison is a talented boxer, but he is not a fighter -- The Guardian

By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk

Audley Harrison has been to more crossroads than Dick Whittington. In 10 years, he has gone from national hero at the Sydney Olympics to an object of almost universal derision, a failed pro who still promises the world and delivers Neasden.

The journey has become tiresome for the fight public and traumatic for Harrison, whose self-belief rarely matches his ambition once he gets in the ring, a workplace as foreign to him as the Bodleian Library would be to Mike Tyson.

He is more than capable of blowing away inadequate fodder, as he has done 26 times in 30 contests. But, if there is a live opponent coming at him – as when he fought Danny Williams, Dominic Guinn, Michael Sprott and Martin Rogan – Harrison's default position is instant caution, and that is when he has been exposed.

This week, before his rematch tonight with Sprott, he was at his eloquent best, telling Paul Foley of Boxrec.com: "I have turned my life around and I know what reality is. The perception people create is not reality. What you read in the papers, it's 10% truth and 90% perception."

He argued that he has thrived in adversity. He overcame what he calls his ghetto upbringing to get a university degree, win an Olympic gold medal and set up a 10-fight deal with the BBC. He points out he reversed the result against Williams, and went through the trauma of losing his brother in a car crash.

All of this is true. But it cannot disguise his shortcomings in the ring, because that is a place where what happens before always matters less than what happens while you're there.

Harrison is an articulate 38-year-old man, a convincing preacher of his own faith. You want him to be right, because, away from the heat of battle, what he says often makes sense and he is a likeable character. There is much to admire in his determination; he has, after all, been through some tough times, personally, and in trying to survive in the snakepit of the fight game.

But he is in the wrong business. He was not born to fight, a suspicion I have held since I bumped into his father, a small and nervous man, in the corridors of Wembley Arena the night in May 2001 Harrison made his professional debut against a man almost equally as small and nervous, a private detective from Miami called Mike Middleton.

Mr Harrison, a dapper man in suit and fedora, was carrying a large white cloth, which he told me he would throw into the ring the moment his boy got into trouble. I told him there was as much chance of that happening as Middleton working out who Jack the Ripper was. Harrison outweighed Middleton by two-and-a-half stone and stopped him in the first round, the first of many wins that led him to believe he could conquer the world.

Tonight, at the Alexandra Palace, Harrison has yet another chance, probably his last (but how many times have we said that?) when he fights Sprott for the vacant European heavyweight title.

He restored his confidence by winning Prizefighter recently, and that gave him the oxygen to carry on up the mountain. He will probably win tonight. But he is like the man looking to rediscover Shangri-La, who doesn't realise that you can't go back to some warm fantasyland, living forever on the buzz of youth.

What Audley has, paradoxically, is a talent to box without the instincts to fight – and that is a dangerous mix in the professional business. You can just about get away with it in the amateurs, which is where Audley should have stayed. Who knows? If they'd changed the rules and allowed boxers to go on beyond the age of 35, he might be going for a fourth gold medal in London.

The really bad deal

More potentially hazardous dreaming across the water tomorrow night, when Evander Holyfield, 47, fights Frans Botha, 41, in Las Vegas. Holyfield, such a force in his prime, shares Harrison's delusion that he can be world champion again. He can. In his mind.

Like Harrison, he calls on God to get him to the top of the mountain. There have been worse crimes committed in God's name, but this is one He surely won't sign up for. Believe it or not, it's on Primetime. I could not care less who wins.

Heavy times

Another heavyweight collision next month featuring a fighter heading for the exit at least is invested with reality. Danny Williams says that, regardless of the result against Sam Sexton, whom he fights on the undercard of Mitchell-Katsidis at Upton Park on 15 May, he will retire. I can't remember a fighter promising to quit, even if he wins, and doing it. We will see.

Danny has been the other great enigma of the British heavyweight scene, a fighter with real talent who struggled with the sort of inner doubts a lot of boxers have. The one night he really believed in himself, he knocked out what was left of Mike Tyson. He then gave as brave a performance as any sadist could want against Vitali Klitschko near his best.

Danny, who is 36, says he is going into the security business, looking after celebrities. He might even end up being Tyson's bodyguard on Mike's occasional trips to the UK. It's hard not to smile at the odd way life turns out some times.

Making Haye

No word yet on David Haye's next fight. But bet on this: it won't be against Nikolai Valuev. Hayemaker Boxing's German partners, Sauerland Event, hold the option on a rematch but know the bigger fight for the WBA world champion is against Wladimir Klitschko, self-managed and who fights for a rival TV network in Germany.

So, there are a lot of competing interests there. But the will exists in the Sauerland company to make Haye-Klitschko, and what is encouraging for the Londoner is that they are keen to do the fight at Wembley.

In any other business, what Haye's trainer and negotiator, Adam Booth, calls "the logical position" would make the fight a lay-down misere. But this is boxing, so expect weeks and maybe months of playground posturing.

It is one of the inbuilt ironies of the fight game that it is populated by hard men who act like kids. Bob Arum and Richard Schaefer pride themselves on being ace deal-makers, yet blew (for the time being) the biggest fight in the history of boxing, Pacquiao-Mayweather, largely because they let their egos get in the way.

Let's hope that's not the case with Haye and Klitschko. The signs are encouraging.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Hatton to refuse mega-bucks lure -- Manchester Evening News

By James Robson, Manchester Evening News

Ricky Hatton is being offered a mega-money two-fight deal to postpone his retirement.

Oscar de la Hoya's promotion company, Golden Boy, are desperately trying to talk the Hitman out of hanging up his gloves - but they are facing a losing battle.

Hatton is determined to walk away from the sport and plans to make an official announcement soon.

But Golden Boy are still hoping the 31-year-old - who has been out of action since his brutal second round knockout by Manny Pacquiao last May - can be persuaded to shelve his retirement plans.

They are trying to tempt him with a fight with Erik Morales in July before a farewell clash with Juan Marquez in Manchester at the end of the year.

Golden Boy's chief matchmaker, Robert Diaz, met with Hatton last week while in England for David Haye's WBA title defence against John Ruiz.

He has been in regular contact with Hatton's camp for the past year, trying to set out a timetable for his comeback.

And after the Hitman announced in January that he planned at least one more "big fight," Diaz set about arranging a clash with lightweight king Marquez.

The 36-year-old Mexican, who has twice taken Pacquiao the distance and last September lost on points to Floyd Mayweather, is desperate to get it on with Hatton.

Golden Boy have picked Hatton's potential opponents carefully.

They have no interest in putting him in against Amir Khan, who with Haye, are their next big ticket sellers.

Instead they see Morales as the perfect opponent to ease the Hitman back into the ring on the undercard of Marquez' July clash with Juan Diaz in Las Vegas.

Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Floyd Mayweather Sr Interview Transcript - Mayweather vs Mosley -- Eastside Boxing

Eastside Boxing

Floyd Mayweather Sr. : First of all, I heard Jack. He is crazy. He said crazy things about what Shane's going to do. Shane's going to get his ass whooped. That's what's going to happen. I'm going to tell you.

Floyd's faster than Shane, much faster, much slicker, more clever, smarter. You understand? He's got so many things he can do. Shane can't ever do just what his daddy said, be strong and come straight ahead, and he hasn't got to worry about that because, like I said, all we know is the outline on him because Oscar de la Hoya already showed that. He did that the second time when he fought him, so we already know what to do with Shane .... He's talking about how fast, he's going to find out how fast he is and how smart he is. To be honest with you, to tell you the truth, he's never even beat a black fighter. That pretty much tells you how it's going to be.

Q: Floyd, would a victory over Shane Mosley in your mind be one of Floyd's bigger victories in his career and why?

F. Mayweather Sr. - I wouldn't necessarily say that it's his biggest victory. I guess it could be one of his biggest victories, but overall, I'm being honest. I really believe that Shane's not going to be the toughest challenge Floyd has had yet because from what I've seen of Shane, all that Margarito stuff that he did, it isn't anything, man. Believe me. Margarito was a walking mummy, so he was tailor-made for Shane. He's got somebody that he's going to be tailor-made for..

Floyd's just got too many things he can use against Shane. Shane is not smart. He's not smart. He had quick hands. The hands aren't that quick anyway, doesn't usually jab enough, and when he does use it, he's going to get countered. Every time he shoots, something will come flying over the top of it. I just really think that my son's got too many things in his arsenal for Shane. That's what I believe.

Q: You were quoted on a fight web site that you hear that Shane is getting beat up in training camp. Do you want to expound on that a little bit?

F. Mayweather Sr.: You said you heard that?

Q: No, I saw you quoted as saying that.

F. Mayweather Sr.: You heard me. You quoted me. Well, I'm going to be honest. It doesn't make any difference if he gets his ass whooped in training or wherever he gets it whooped. He's going to get it whooped on May 1. That's all I was talking about. I'm just saying because if they're whooping his ass right now, it'll make it easier for little Floyd when the 1st gets here.

Q: Do you like what Floyd's doing in training camp? Do you like how his training has been going?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Floyd's been looking great.

Q: In what way?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Every way possible. I'm just telling you, Floyd isn't having a problem at all. Floyd's barely getting hit. All this stuff he's talking about the speed, this, that. Floyd's got too much mind for Shane. Trust me. You're going to see. Shane's going to be a walking mummy. I'm going to tell you this right here. Trust me. I'm going to tell you this right here. It's going to be like this right here. ...

Q: Did you say he's got too much mind for Mosley?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Well, you can call it mind. You've got to use your mind. I said he's said he's too smart for Shane. Like I said, I'm going to let everybody know, I want to let everybody know right here that this fight won't go past 11, and you heard this first from Floyd on 24/7. That's what's going to happen on TV.

Q: I'm all right, buddy. How much are you in the camp right now?

F. Mayweather Sr.: I'm in the camp every day.

Q: Are you consulted anymore for this fight for strategy purposes since you have experience specifically putting together a game plan for fighting Shane?

F. Mayweather Sr.: The only thing I can tell you, Dave, is everything's going real good in the camp now, and Floyd's looking very sharp. Like I said, what little Floyd's doing now, man, is amazing right now. I just think that what Jack said, he said that Shane's going to be ... he's got somebody now that can, he's strong, and he's got all this power, but I'm pretty sure you know yourself, Dave, pretty much how that's going to go.

Q: Is it all a similar game plan fighting Shane for Floyd as it was for Oscar since they have different talents. Floyd and Oscar have different talents. Is there any similarity in the game plan for Floyd fighting Shane ...?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Well, you know something, that's a good thing you laid out right there about Oscar and Floyd fighting Shane. All they do is, it isn't anything but a blueprint right there what Oscar did to him already. It's the blueprint. Oscar beat the hell out of him, but we already know that it's a little bit different here. The blueprint's already laid out for him. He hasn't got any better. How're you going to get better? That's what I want to know. Believe me, Shane knows what's coming.

Q: What's a tougher fight, Pacquiao or Mosley for Floyd?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Who's going to be the toughest fight? Well, you know something, being real I would say that Shane would be the tougher fight. I only say that for reasons. I'm going to court for some things that have been happening, so that's the only reason I would let you know that Shane would be the toughest fight because of certain reasons.

Q: I know what you're saying. Hypothetically, all things being equal style wise and tools and things like that, can you compare the two as far as which one might ...?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Yes, Shane would be a much tougher fight if everything was equal. Shane would be much tougher than that whatever over there that fights like a machine. Shane would be much tougher. I'm just saying equally, if everything is on the up and up, Shane would be definitely a much tougher fight.

Q: Why do you think that's the case?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Well, I just explained that. I think that I explained it, and I think you said you knew. ...

M. Rosenthal: Yes, I know what you said. Okay, thank you.

Q: Floyd, I talked to Shane yesterday, and he feels as though Floyd is fighting the biggest fighter he's ever fought, and he's fighting a guy who hits harder than anybody he's every fought. Obviously, you trained against Shane one time at least once. What do you think of that assertion by Shane?

F. Mayweather Sr.: I don't feel like Shane's the biggest punch. Shane doesn't punch harder than Oscar de la Hoya. Floyd fought de la Hoya. Yes, he did, and Shane is not a bigger punch than de la Hoya. He might swing them a little wider. He might throw his punches a little wider, but as far as him hitting harder, I don't know about that. That's just a bunch of talk. Of course, what do you expect him to say? You've got to remember one thing, hitting on me isn't shit when you can't find anything to hit.

Q: For you personally given how much of your life with Floyd and we've seen you almost crying on TV and really wanting to be a part of his team-

F. Mayweather Sr.: Let me stop you here. I forgot your name, but let me stop you here. You have never in your life seen me almost crying on TV because I ... crying-

Q: Well, you were very emotional because that's your son.

F. Mayweather Sr.: I could be emotional, but you've never seen me. I never cried on TV, man. If I decide to cry anyway, it would be personal. It would be me by myself. I've never almost cried on TV. Nobody's ever seen that but you.

Q: Okay, let me ask you this then. Can you just really sum up for us how important it is to be a part of your son's life ... career?

F. Mayweather Sr.: It is very, very important. I would be lying to you to tell you that I'm not happy to be back with my son. I love my son. That's my blood. My blood runs deep. That's my son, and there isn't anything that I wouldn't do for him because that's why right now as soon as I get through ... gym, I'm at my son's gym because my son's first. Don't get me wrong as far as the crying you're talking about. That never happened, but I will tell you this right here that you could have seen some emotion in me.

Q: It was close, Floyd. It was close. It was very, very, very close, and it's totally understandable.

F. Mayweather Sr.: Sometimes-

Q: ... right now.

F. Mayweather Sr.: What?

Q: I can hear it in your voice right now.

F. Mayweather Sr.: We talk like that, it happens. I don't know what you hear, but whatever you hear, there's nothing wrong with it, but then again, it might be that way. See, sometimes things happen and people don't even know. Sometimes, I mean, I need to check myself carefully, but it isn't anything anyway. ... my son in anyway, so it doesn't make a difference.

Q: Floyd, my question to you is you had spoke about all things being considered with Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley. Were you alluding to the fact about the rumor that Pacquiao might be on steroids when you were saying that?

F. Mayweather Sr.: I'm not talking anything about any steroids or anything about that because I don't even know what you're talking about.

L. Ellerbe: This is Leonard Ellerbe. Keep your questions directed to Shane Mosley and Floyd Jr.

Q: Okay, well, I was just a little curious about that when you said all things being equal. All right, but my next question is with Floyd's style being a defensive fighter for the most part and a counter-puncher and Shane being basically like an offensive fighter, how do you feel that the outcome of the fight will be?

F. Mayweather Sr.: Well, I think I explained that to everybody I talked to. I think I explained that about who I think is going to win the fight. Floyd has definitely had a lot more people that come forward and try to fight him and then got whooped. The way it stands today he's 40-0, so 40 people got their asses whooped anyway you want to look at it.

Q: Do you look at the fight being a decision for Floyd?

F. Mayweather Sr.: I'm not going to see that it can't be a decision. I think that Shane is a tough competitive fighter, and I think that Shane takes a good shot, but I don't think he's as smart as my son. When things like this come down like this with strength and power and all that stuff, that's when you use your mind. That's what Shane doesn't have is the mind. He might have one, but I don't think his is totally like little Floyd's.

R. Schaefer: Yes, maybe have Leonard make the final comments, but I just want to quickly point out something. Make sure you're going to tune in this Saturday of the start of 24/7. The first episode is going to air this coming Saturday. It's amazing stuff. It's Mr. 24/7 Floyd Mayweather himself back on 24/7 again and of course with Shane Mosley and Naazim Richardson. We have two new people to the 24/7 series, a lot of great, great stuff. Make sure you don't miss it. Leonard.

L. Ellerbe: Yes, I just want to thank everyone for coming on the call today. It was an outstanding call, and I also wanted to thank Mayweather Sr. for his great insight.

K. Swanson: Great, thanks, everybody. Keep watching your email inboxes for the latest and greatest news. May 1, Who R U Picking?


END OF CALL

Boxing superstar and six-time World Champion Floyd "Money" Mayweather and welterweight mega-star, five-time World Champion and current WBA Welterweight World Champion Sugar Shane Mosley, are set to meet on Saturday, May 1 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a spectacular bout which will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets, priced at $1,250, $1,000, $600, $300 and $150 not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

HBO's Emmy®-Award-winning all-access series "24/7" premieres an all new edition when "24/7 Mayweather/Mosley" debuts Saturday, Apr. 10 at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT. The four-part series will air for three consecutive Saturday nights before the finale airs the night before the welterweight showdown in Las Vegas.

The Mayweather vs. Mosley pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Mosley fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Carl Froch, Mikkel Kessler Are Friends, Foes -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

WBC super middleweight (168 pounds) champion, Carl Froch, of England, says he'll have no problem trying to take Mikkel Kessler's head off on April 24 -- even though he likes the former WBA titlist from Denmark.

This is, after all, the same Froch who took only one round to demolish a close friend, Damon Hague, during a fight back in September of 2004.

"I've boxed friends before. I boxed a friend named Damon Hague for the British title back in 2004, and I almost decapitated him in Round One," said Froch, referring to what was his 11th stoppage victory over the course of 14 wins without a loss. "One week later, I was around at his house having dinner with him, so that's no problem, I assure you."

The 32-year-old Froch (26-0, 20 knockouts) will try to do the same thing against the 31-year-old Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs) before what is expected to be a sellout crowd of more than 10,000 partisan Kessler fans at Denmark's MCH Messecenter Herning, in Herning, Denmark.

Froch-Kessler is part of group stage No. 2 of the Showtime-televised Super Six Super Middleweight World Boxing Classic, which held a Thursday conference call featuring the two fighters and their promoters.

Coming off of October's disputed, 12-round split-decision over Andre Dirrell (19-1, 13 KOs) that took place before his hometown fans at Nottingham England's Trent FM Arena, Froch had some ominous words concerning what he planned to do to Kessler.

Froch was quoted as saying he would "decapitate Mikkel Kessler," the latter of whom has posted that message within his training camp quarters on a large banner depicting Froch's big face.

"If Karl wants to decapitate me, then that's why I put that sign up in my training camp, so that I can watch it every day," said Kessler, who was dethroned in November as WBA titlist following a throughly dominant, 11th-round, technical decision by former Olympic gold medalist, Andre Ward (21-0, 13 KOs) in Ward's hometown of Oakland, Calif.

"That sign reminds me of how badly he wants to fight me and how badly he wants to kill me and decapitate me," said Kessler. "We look forward to that, and I'm only training harder and better."

Froch addressed Kessler  by easing off of the severity of his statement.

"Hey Mikkel, I don't want to kill you, and you know that. Don't be that harsh. When I say that I'm going to decapitate Mikkel Kessler, we all know that's a figure of speech," said Froch.

"I'm going to go in there and do my best to win, and Mikkel Kessler's going to come and he's going to turn up and he's going to do his best," said Froch. "We're two proud athletes at the top of our game. We both know what's on the line here."

Unlike the animosity that existed between Froch and Dirrell during the leadup to their clash, there seemed to be little acrimony between Froch and Kessler.

"One thing's for sure: You're not going to get any cheap talk from either of us, and I think that Mikkel will back me up on that," said Froch. "But you're still going to get an outrageous fight on that night, and the audience will be in for a real treat. We've both got too much class for anything else but that."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Pavlik anxious to rally after a long recession -- 15Rounds

By Norm Frauenheim, 15Rounds.com

Nobody has to tell Kelly Pavlik about The Great Recession. He lived it. His career declined like the economy from late 2008 through 2009. It’s hard to say whether projections from so-called business experts are bearish or just more bull. But at least Pavlik has a chance in hand, now healthy, to restore fundamental confidence in an attempt to forget the last 18 months and perhaps re-create a promising future.

Pavlik’s first fight in 2010, a Home Box Office-televised date on April 17 against Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City, is being called the most important middleweight fight in several years by promoter Bob Arum.

Important means it is an indicator about whether it is time to re-invest in Pavlik, whose future was knocked sideways in October, 2008 by Bernard Hopkins and almost knocked out a few months later by a dangerous infection on the middle knuckle on the index finger of his left hand. The infection and maybe Hopkins are gone. But some of the questions aren’t. Pavlik knows that. He has the scars he can see. But professional maturity is often about dealing with the unseen. Second-guessing and unfounded speculation leave their own scars.

“Flak,’’ Pavlik said Thursday during a conference call in a matter-of-fact tone that also seemed to say that he has come to terms with it

Flak is the price of stardom these days and perhaps in any day. Manny Pacquiao has had to endure it in rumors about performance-enhancers that were planted by Floyd Mayweather Sr. and have continued in the wake of negotiations for a March fight that fell apart when Floyd Jr. demanded Olympic-style drug testing. Hopkins is dealing with it all over again from critics and allies urging his retirement after a messy victory over Roy Jones, Jr. Pick the star and you’ll find the flak. Like big money, it’s part of the guarantee.

Along Pavlik’s career path, it may have landed early. But his apparent understanding of it is a good sign for a business that could use him.

“If the flak is going to be there, there’s nothing I can do,’’ said Pavlik, who questioned the quality of opposition Arthur Abraham beat for the International Boxing Federation’s version of the middleweight title before his super-middleweight loss by disqualification to Andre Dirrell. “Abraham got the middleweight world title by vacancy. He didn’t fight nobody to win the world title. Who did Arthur Abraham defend his title against? Why didn’t he get the flak?’’

In Martinez, Pavlik hopes rumors about his willingness to fight Williams.

“Next to Williams, Martinez is the toughest guy out there,’’ Pavlik said

Still, Martinez doesn’t register much on marquee, the marketing scale that measures name-recognition. He also doesn’t represent the career-defining fight that seemed to be Pavlik’s destiny after knocking out Jermain Taylor three years ago. Nonetheless, Martinez is there, in his way and dangerous enough to crush him beneath a burden that will collapse if Pavlik can’t prove he is as good as everybody thought he was before his recession. In December, Martinez lost a debatable decision to Paul Williams, whom Pavlik was supposed to fight before MRSA — a virulent staph infection — put him in the hospital.

“I thought he won the fight,’’ said Pavlik, who went on to say that Martinez’s impressive performance also some weaknesses. ‘I was impressed, but I wasn’t impressed.’’

Martinez left himself open to punches that Pavlik intends to land. However, there are questions – big ones in that collective burden of proof – about Pavlik’s hand speed and ability to deal with punches thrown from angles. They’ve been there since Hopkins upset him at heavier weight, 175 pounds instead of 160.

“From mind-to-fist, I just couldn’t let it go,” said Pavlik, who said he wasn’t feeling well on the night of his only loss in 37 bouts. “It was just a bad fight. Nothing we could do about it. I was lethargic.’’

If Pavlik wins, the guess is that he will finally face Williams in a bout that has been talked about for a while. It might not be quite the showdown it might have been, however, because Williams was disappointing against Martinez.

If not Williams, Arum hinted at what might await Pavlik if he beats Martinez and, in the process, is impressive enough to eliminate the doubts. Pavlik’s future, Arum said, might be at 168 pounds, the super-middleweight division that currently is being decided by the on-again, off-again World Classic Tournament. People are bigger and so are the real middleweights, Arum said. The best, he says are working as super-middleweights, which could mean the emerging Americans, Andre Ward and Dirrell, are in Pavlik’s future.

“After he cleans up the middleweights, then he moves up,’’ Arum said of a post-recession path through flak and now fertile for the beginning of a Pavlik renewal.

Fathers know best

Jack Mosley, Shane’s dad, and Floyd Maywather Sr, Floyd’ Jr.’s father, held court in conference call last week about their son’s welterweight clash on May 1 at Las Vegas MGM Grand in the year’s most anticipated fight.

Floyd Sr. made a lot of noise. Jack Mosley made a lot of sense. That was predictable, unlike the fight.

Jack Mosley says his son’s superior punching power gives him.

Shane, he said, is “fast enough to hit Floyd over-and-over again. That will be a problem for Floyd.’’
Floyd Sr. laughed. Floyd Jr., he said, has superior brain power.

“Shane’s not smart,’’ said Floyd Sr., who believes his son is the more complete fighter.

Floyd Sr. also was no impressed with Shane Mosley stoppage of Antonio Margarito more than a year ago in Los Angeles.

“Margarito was a walking mummy,’’ Floyd Sr. said not long after suggesting that Shane Mosley was a dummy

Notes, anecdotes

· Andre Berto will fight for himself and a cause Saturday in south Florida against Carlos Quintana. Proceeds will go to Haiti’s efforts to rebuild from the February earthquake, which forced Berto to withdraw from a bout with Mosley. Berto has family in Haiti. Money is designated for Project Medishare, a health-care fund. Berto, has been active in trying to help Haitians, also has a Dynasty Foundation in his name at www.AndreBerto.com.

· Margarito isn’t helping himself in the court of public opinion by not accepting some accountability for gauze described irregular by his attorney Daniel Petrocelli and rock-like by others before he was forced to re-wrap hands in the loss to Mosley in Los Angeles. Margarito, who returns to the ring on May 8 in Mexico and hopes to be re-licensed in the United States, again said Tuesday at a news conference in Los Angeles that he had no idea disgraced trainer Javier Capitello had inserted an illegal pad The media will never buy the repeated claim that he had no clue. Writers know that fighters treat their hands the way a master carpenter cares for his tools. They protect their hands so much that some won’t even engage in a simple handshake. Some of the media will never believe him. But a campaign to restore Margarito’s reputation can gain some traction, if he at least says he’s sorry. If he didn’t know, he should have.

· And I can’t help but think of Mike Tyson while watching Tiger Woods at The Masters. It isn’t about golf as much as it is a Tyson-like spectacle. Late in his career, Tyson wasn’t about boxing either. The media would gather at ringside, waiting for an accident to happen. Now, that media are in Augusta, waiting for another one.

Source: 15rounds.com

The Greatest -- The Ledger

By Rick Brown, THE LEDGER

Muhammad Ali called himself "The Greatest."

A panel of four boxing experts assembled by The Ledger disagrees.

Sure, Ali was great. So were Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano. And Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao have joined the conversation in recent years.

They had all the tools; they had longevity.

But when asked to put all the tools together and identify the ultimate boxer, The Ledger's panel - including Showtime boxing analyst Al Bernstein, boxing historian Bert Sugar, boxing publicist Bill Caplan and Winter Haven trainer Tony Morgan - was unanimous.

Sugar Ray Robinson.

"He did more things well than any boxer in history," Bernstein said. "He was fast, powerful, clever and courageous. He had a great jab, great hook, good right hand and threw great combinations. He was also a good, but not perfect defensive fighter."

Robinson was so good, he knocked a guy out while moving backward.

Robinson was an international star as he was just as popular in France, where he lived for a while. In the United States, Robinson was honored with a postal stamp in 1996.

Born May 3, 1921, in Ailey Ga., as Walker Smith Jr., his family moved to New York when he was a teenager. It was in Harlem that he was introduced to boxing.

At 14, Smith wanted to enter a tournament but was told he needed to have an Amateur Athletic Union boxing card. He couldn't do that until he was 16, so he borrowed a friend's card. That friend was Ray Robinson.

As he progressed in the gym, his future coach, George Gainford, said the young boxer's style and fluid motions were "sweet like sugar." Thus, Sugar Ray Robinson was born.


Others would use the nickname "sugar," but Robinson owned it. After knocking out a boxer named Sugar George Costner in 1951, Robinson stood over the fallen fighter and asked, "Who's the real Sugar?"

His amateur record was a perfect 85-0 with 69 knockouts. He won the Golden Gloves featherweight championship in 1939 and the lightweight title in 1940 before turning pro.

For more than two decades, Robinson was the class of the welterweight and middleweight divisions. He had a 91-fight win streak. In his first 131 fights, he had one loss and two draws.

"He was flawless," said Sugar, the historian. "In his only loss to Jake LaMotta, he reversed that three weeks later. He was an unbelievable fighter."

Robinson captured the welterweight title in 1946 and held it until 1951. Later in 1951, he won the middleweight title. He retired in 1952 but came back and won the middleweight title again in 1955. He was the first boxer to win a divisional world championship five times.

In all, Robinson fought for 26 years and finished his career 175-19-6 with two no-decisions. The word "pound-for-pound" fighter was created because of him.

Since his death in 1989, Robinson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1997, Ring magazine named him the best pound-for-pound boxer in history, while in 1999, the Associated Press named him the greatest welterweight and middleweight boxer of the century.

And what do those other great fighters think of all that?

Ali, Louis and Sugar Ray Leonard called Robinson their idol.

Leonard was quoted as saying, "Someone once said there was a comparison between Sugar Ray Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson. Believe me, there's no comparison. Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest."

Source: theledger.com

The End of Manny Pacquiao: Why Floyd Mayweather JR Wins -- Ringside Report

By Joe Wilson, RingsideReport.com

The famous welterweight division is playing on all six strings these days. This division is packed with talent. It seems the most exciting fights in professional boxing camps out right here. Andre Berto, Carlos Quintana, Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley, Luis Carlos Abregu both undefeated, Joshua Clottey and Antonio Margarito whose now fighting for boxing privileges are all part of the group.

These welterweights mentioned above are considered good fighters in this division. However, there are three names I have not mentioned yet; because these three are running so far ahead of the pack you can’t even see their dust. And…when it comes to star power, these guys are the true faces of the welterweight division. Think Hollywood’s A-list.

They are Floyd “Money” Mayweather, JR., Sugar Shane Mosley and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao.

Any permutation of these three names, against each other guarantees a mega fight. It’s been said, the biggest match up of these three welterweights is; Floyd Mayweather JR. versus Manny Pacquiao. This fight becomes a super mega fight. It’s also said this match up will break all records when it comes to attendance and PPV buys. The day this match up becomes a reality, history will be made.

Mayweather JR. and Pacquiao have already transcended the sport of boxing. These guys are now known all over the world. Thanks to Bob Arum, not long ago, the Top Rank Boxing promoter released a premature statement saying, “these two fighters have signed a contact agreement to fight.” The “deal is done” was the headlines of all boxing news.

Shortly afterwards, a statement hit boxing news, that no contract agreement had been finalized between these two fighters. One week fight fans all over the world were making preparations for the biggest fight in history, and then would soon have their bubble burst all in one day. Back to square one with fight negotiations. What seemed to be really close turned out to be miles away.

The demands from both camps took a life of their own. What was intended to be a fight in the ring turned out to be a “war of words” throughout the media. Random drug test, ten million dollars for every pound over the welterweight limit, “I’m suing,” all echoed around the news. It was a real fiasco. The ugly face of boxing surfaced like no other time before.

But even at the height of all that garbage, some remained optimistic about this fight. We all thought that after a week are so, the dust would settle and these two camps would pull themselves together; take out there calculators, do some simple math and quickly come to their senses. So far that hasn’t happened.

Let’s talk about these two fighters and what they bring. Manny Pacquiao has become an icon in boxing. Today, his name is common in America. He is known as a “Hero” in his country. His courage along with his humble appearance has made him likeable amongst people from all over. He gives 100 percent every time he steps in the ring.

Floyd Mayweather, JR., on the other hand is totally opposite when it comes to character. He is well known for bragging, loud mouth, gangster attitude and showing off. Mayweather is seen as the “villain” in the public eye. But when it comes to fighting he knows how to win. Anyone who has placed a bet against him throughout his career walked away sad. Mayweather has never lost a fight!

His skills in the ring, are probably the best in the history of boxing. They call it the “sweet science” of boxing. Mayweather has a way of making his opponents miss, and then he counters with the blink of an eye. His hand speed is like lightening fast. After his opponent miss, before they can get back in place, he has already struck. It’s amazing to see an athlete with that kind of accuracy and speed.

Manny Pacquiao has been very impressive with his wins over some of boxing elite. He has made some fighters quit before finishing the bout. He has taken some of his opponents out by devastating knockout. The only thing is… he has never been is the ring with someone as crafty and skillful as Floyd Mayweather. That will be the difference in this fight. Think green energy!

If you watch any of Mayweather fights, even before he was on the two year layoff. In his corner between rounds he gets very little advice from his trainer, Roger Mayweather. Floyd makes adjustments in the ring. He figures out his competition within the early rounds. He is one of the smartest fighters I’ve seen when it comes to doing this.

You can’t teach a fighter to do that! This is something he’s born with; it’s called a “gift.” Roger Mayweather invested his boxing knowledge in Floyd many years ago. Floyd grew up in the boxing gym. His father Floyd, SR., and Uncle Roger were both professional boxers. Boxing is all Floyd knows and he’s damn good at it!

This “in the ring gift” he has will allow him to defeat Manny Pacquiao. There is no blueprint on how to beat Mayweather. His conditioning has never been in question. He out thinks his competition in the ring. He will figure out Pacquiao within a few rounds and take over the fight.

Trainer Freddie Roach will have no answers. Pacquiao will get through Mayweather’s defense at times, but Floyd will make him pay tremendously. Unlike Joshua Clottey who fought from a shell the entire fight; Mayweather would never do that. His counter punching skills are way too good for that. Not to mention his ego…

Pacquiao will not look like the same fighter after about six rounds. He will become frustrated with Mayweather’s style of hit and not get hit technique. He will get close enough to counter punch Pacquiao with ease. Mayweather will win this fight by unanimous decision, if and when this fight takes place. This fight will not be the toughest fight of Mayweather’s career. Not even close.

The toughest fight for Mayweather will be his upcoming fight against Sugar Shane Mosley. This match up may come in second place according to dollars made, but the two fighter’s styles could make this fight very exciting. We all know they don’t like each other and Mosley always goes for the knockout.

Manny Pacquiao will get to sit back and watch how this May 1st event unfolds, and then decide who he wants next. Either way you slice it, the most money that can be generated in boxing today, is between these three fighters. Fight fans are waiting.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Middleweight champ Pavlik says his troubles are finally in past -- USA Today

By Dave Skretta, Associated Press

NEW YORK — Kelly Pavlik believes he finally has his injuries behind him, and he's ready to face Sergio Martinez in what amounts to a comeback fight for the WBC middleweight champ.

Since rocketing to stardom with a knockout of Jermain Taylor almost three years ago, Pavlik has defeated a trio of overmatched challengers, lost to Bernard Hopkins when he was ill, and was sidelined for several months because of a persistent staph infection on his hand.

The rough run has turned many fans against him, and Pavlik said during a conference call on Thursday that the reason he's taking a risk by fighting Martinez — considered one of the top junior middleweights in the world — to prove he's not afraid to face anybody.

"The flack is going to be there, there's nothing I could do," Pavlik said. "This was my way of going out there and showing people I will take dangerous fights, against a very good fighter, when I'm healthy and 100% ready to go."

Pavlik will defend his WBC and minor WBO versions of the title on April 17 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the same seaside arena where he stunned Taylor in September 2007 and defended his championships nine month later against fringe contender Gary Lockett.

Along the way, Pavlik defeated Taylor in a catch-weight rematch that many people seem to have forgotten. Instead, they point to the Hopkins loss at light heavyweight and a pair of wins last year against Marco Antonio Rubio and Miguel Angel Espino as evidence that Pavlik is unwilling to defend his title trinkets against the best in the sport.

"I probably have never seen Kelly look so good," said his trainer, Jack Loew. "This is a very serious fight for us, and I think everybody is going to finally be able to see the best Kelly Pavlik they've seen in a long time."

Martinez (44-2-2, 24 KOs) is far more than simply the B-side to the fight.

He's an exciting puncher with plenty of power, and his only losses have come against former champions Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams.

Many believe that Martinez defeated Williams in December, when they traded knockdowns in the first round at Boardwalk Hall, then proceeded to trade punches the rest of the fight. Williams earned the mixed decision, but Martinez earned plenty of praise.

And now, a shot at the reigning middleweight king.

"People saw his last fight against Paul Williams, and a lot of people thought Martinez won the fight, but in any event he gave a hell of an account of himself," Arum said. "Kelly has his hands full with Martinez, but it should be a tremendous, tremendous fight."

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: usatoday.com

Filipino group demands apology from racist radio host -- Workers World

By Bernadette Ellorin, Workers World

BAYAN USA joins the millions of Filipinos in the United States and around the world in taking collective offense to the tasteless remarks recently made by radio personality Adam Carolla regarding Manny Pacquiao, the Philippines and the Filipino people on his nationally syndicated show, “The Adam Carolla Podcast.” We also agree with the demand that Carolla issue an official apology for his insensitive and vulgar insinuations about [world boxing welterweight champion] Manny Pacquiao, Filipinos, and most especially Filipina women and children in the sex trade industry.

It’s sad that in 2010 it must still be pointed out that the two unfortunate realities of the Filipino people that Carolla despicably chose to goad with ridicule — the Filipino people’s overwhelming pride in Manny Pacquiao’s success and the existence of the sex trade industry that consumes mainly young Filipina women and children — stem from the most unfortunate reality of all, widespread poverty and joblessness in the country.

Only in a very poor country such as the Philippines, where people are afforded very few economic opportunities to rise from impoverishment, can the sex trade or any black market industry proliferate into a cultural norm.

Carolla’s tirade against Manny Pacquiao being “illiterate” and “praying to chicken bones” is no different than mocking Filipinos for being poor. Carolla mocks further by stating that all that Filipinos have going for them is “Manny Pacquiao and sex tours.” Clearly, poverty and the choices it leads people to make in the so-called Third World are game material for comedy and cheap laughs from the likes of Adam Carolla.

Perhaps the even bigger offense beyond Carolla’s words that should not go unchecked is the mainstream corporate media’s tolerance and allowance of such derogatory and racist comments to even air. That a white radio personality such as Adam Carolla can boldly make those remarks against a racial minority with seemingly no air of reservation for the social ramifications ultimately reveals that corporate media here in the U.S. have barely progressed from the turn of the 20th century when, during the long-forgotten Philippine-American War, mainstream U.S. newspapers blatantly depicted caricatures of Filipinos as “n — — rs”, monkeys and dog-eating savages, all in the effort to justify what was to be the U.S.’s first colonial project abroad.

CBS Radio Inc., which broadcasts “The Adam Carolla Podcast,” is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the U.S., with more than 140 radio stations across the country, reaching millions of listeners everyday. In 2007, CBS Radio fired radio host Don Imus for racial slurs made against African Americans on his now-cancelled show, “Imus in the Morning.” Incidentally, CBS Radio was also the former home of notorious radio personality Howard Stern, who in 1992 used his nationally syndicated radio show to issue a warning that the Philippines “is a country where fathers sell their own daughters for sex” and that he wouldn’t recommend anyone go to the Philippines “unless you want to get laid.”

Despite making contributions to the U.S. for more than 100 years, Filipinos — one of the largest Asian groups in the country, numbering at nearly 4 million — are still painfully absent from mainstream media. With the likes of Adam Carolla, Howard Stern, Alec Baldwin, David Letterman and even the writing team of ABC’s Desperate Housewives each taking very public jabs against Filipinos and Filipino culture, it is no wonder why Filipinos would welcome and rally in support when one of their own rises from underdog obscurity to become perhaps the most successful boxing champion in recent history and deservedly earning worldwide respect and admiration.

Corporate media outlets such as CBS Radio Inc., Clear Channel Communications, Citadel Broadcasting and the media oligarchs such as Viacom that own them, literally profit in the billions annually off one task — disseminating information to the public and shaping public opinion. When left in the hands and interests of multinational corporations, we see how racists such as Adam Carolla, Don Imus and Howard Stern are offered lucrative deals and the power of their own nationally syndicated shows. While it remains to be seen how CBS Radio Inc. will respond to Carolla’s remarks now that the Filipino community is rightfully taking issue with it, clearly the bigger fight remains in the struggle against systemic institutional racism and for responsible media messaging that entails inclusion and representation of all racial minorities that suffer from marginalization.

The writer is the chairperson of BAYAN USA.

E-mail: chair@bayanusa.org

Source: workers.org

With Haiti on his mind, Berto returns to ring -- USA Today

By Bob Velin, USA TODAY

Andre Berto was 18 days away from the biggest fight of his career in January when the news broke that changed his life.

Berto was preparing for his Jan. 30 welterweight unification title fight in Las Vegas against Shane Mosley when his parents' native Haiti was shaken to its core by a massive earthquake that destroyed the capital of Port Au Prince, killing more than 200,000 people. Eight of the dead were relatives of Berto. Two more survived but were among the hundreds of thousands left homeless.

Less than a week later, Berto pulled out of the Mosley fight, citing physical and mental exhaustion, and headed to Haiti — the country he fought for in the 2004 Olympics — with his brother Cleveland to offer his assistance.

Three months later, the undefeated Berto is set to return to the ring for the first time since last May, taking on former welterweight titlist Carlos Quintana on Saturday (HBO, 10:30 p.m. ET) at Sunrise, Fla.

The hiatus was just what he needed. "It gave me time to focus on me, on the family, and take some time off from boxing," he says. "I feel fresh, I feel motivated. I can't wait to get in there."

The 26-year-old Berto (25-0, 19 KOs), isn't looking at Quintana as merely a steppingstone to the heavy hitters of the 147-pound division, such as Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather and Mosley. He knows Quintana (27-2, 21 KOs) can be dangerous, as Paul Williams found out in 2008. Quintana's the only blemish on Williams' record.

Four months later Williams KO'd the Puerto Rican in the first round of their rematch. Quintana's only other loss was to then unbeaten Miguel Cotto in 2006.

"He's a slick southpaw. You have to be careful, you have to assert your dominance early," says Berto of Quintana, 33. "I'm just going to go in there and do what I gotta do."

Berto has no regrets about pulling out of the Mosley fight. He saw his Haiti mission as something of a calling. It changed his outlook on life.

"What happened in Haiti was something that just hit me," he says. "It hit a lot of people around the world. I did what I did for a reason. I could never take back a situation like that, me going over there to help people in need instead of getting a paycheck.

"It was something I don't regret. I'm young, I have a lot of fight in me and I'm ready to go full force."

As happens often in natural disasters such as the Haiti quake, says Berto, it's kind of forgotten outside of the disaster area after a month or so. He's trying to make sure that doesn't happen.

That's why this fight is billed as "Fighting for Haiti." A percentage of proceeds from the fight and surrounding events will go to Berto's Dynasty Foundation, which will send funds to Haiti. Also, HBO will show footage from Berto's Haiti visit during the fight.

"We're putting a gameplan together to make sure that everything we receive gets to the people," he says. "We're two feet in."

Berto says the Haiti tragedy helped him realize his purpose.

"At the end of the day I was blessed with a talent," he says, "and I believe that a lot of people don't really see their purpose within their talent. I've really had a chance to find that purpose.

"This foundation is going to continue to give me the vehicle to help others, when it comes to Haiti, or the local boys and girls clubs or a lot of other situations I've already been a part of. It's been a motivating factor for me and I'm happy."

What could help Berto more than anything is using what he witnessed in Haiti to help him handle adversity in the ring.

"Everything I saw down there is an experience I'll never forget," he says. "What I'll face in the ring at any time is not going to be anything compared to what I've seen and been a part of in Haiti.

"It's matured me and made me stronger and I'm going to show it all on fight night."

Floyd returns:

He's baaack. And the people at HBO's all-access series 24/7 couldn't be happier that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and family will be part of the four-episode run-up to the May 1 welterweight title fight between Mayweather and Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The series will debut Saturday at 10 p.m. ET, as a lead-in to the Berto-Quintana fight.

HBO's cameras will follow Mayweather & Co. around his Las Vegas gym and nearby home, while Mosley will be filmed at his Big Bear, Calif., training camp.

Source: usatoday.com

HOLYFIELD SAYS You Will Kick Yourself If You Don't Buy Saturday PPV -- The Sweet Science

By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science

Evander Holyfield has a warning for TSS U. If you don't pony up to watch the 47-year-old Real Deal rumble with 41-year-old Frans Botha on saturday night, you will be kicking yourself come Sunday morning.

"You're gonna see a better Holyfield than ever," he told TSS in a Thursday phoner. "In more recent fights, people didn't see enough combos, you're going to see me bend my legs more, more aggressiveness.

If you watched Holyfield in his last outing, against Nicolay Valuev on Dec. 20, 2009, he didn't exactly make you believe that 40 is the new 30. You shouldn't hold that against him, he tells us. Styles make fights, he explains, and Valuev's reach meant that Holyfield had a hard time getting close enough to touch him.

"Botha's arms are the same length as mine, I don't have to reach too far to get close, I don't have to take too big of a step to him. In this fight, I can dictate the pace."

So, Evander, you're telling us we'll see a prime Holyfield come Saturday, if we decide to purchase the $29.95 PPV?

He pauses. "I wouldn't say prime," Holyfield says, and chuckles. "I'd say mature."

Speaking of people kicking themselves...folks who figured that Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones would let it all hang out, that their animus on display leading up to their rematch wasn't just showmanship, they were kicking themselves for buying the PPV. Holyfield (42-10-2; 0-2 in last two fights, against Valuev, Sultan Ibragimov) says that forthy-something sparring session shouldn't and doesn't reflect upon him or the prospects for a compelling match on Saturday at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

"I don't believe in bad luck," he tells us, as he dismisses the timing of a PPV just on the heels of a soporofic senior showdown. "We're gonna put on a great performance. If they don't see it, they'll wish they would have. I can't make people do something they don't want to do."

If he beats the 47-4 Botha, who didn't box from July 2002-July 2007, but is 3-0-1 since coming back, Holyfield doesn't have any plans set in stone. He'd like a shot at a belt, presumably something bigger than the WBF version on the line Saturday. What about that rumored third tussle with Mike Tyson?

"It's possible," he says. "If Tyson gets in shape, or even if he doesn't, because I can't be concerned with what everybody else does...I'm in ready mode. I'm a performer. I like performing. But I wouldn't bet my life on a third fight with Tyson happening. But if it could be made, if they want to pay..."

The four-time heavyweight champion Holyfield says a publicized spat with his wife, in which she accused him of striking her, and took out a protection order against him, is old news. Wife Candi, age 30, said Holyfield hit her after she refused to show him check stubs to prove she was giving money to their church.

"All that is behind me. No sense in opening as a can of worms. News has an expiration date on it. That hasn't been on my mind," he says. "What married people don't have conflicts?"

And some would say Evander has reached his expiration date as a boxer. Funny, that. I hit 40 in October. And the older I get the cloudier my judgement is regarding the timing of a boxers' retirement. If a man can pass his physical, and he enjoys the savage science, and can still make coin, then who are we to say he should hang them up? Well...as a fightwriter, I take it as my duty to act as a conscience of sorts, in a fiduciary manner, really, for fighters who may not be surrounded by people with their best interest at heart. And for the sport, which is frequently disrespected by people whose sole intent is to make money, without regard to the long view of the sport.

Yes, sometimes a man needs to here from an unbiased source, someone who will delve into brutal truth, and say, "Your best days are far, realllyy far, in the rear view mirror. Your speech doesn't sound so hot, and you risk longterm neurological deterioration if you soldier on, and take punishment." But the older I get, the more I realize that we have one life to live. I'm not banking on any afterlife with supermodel virgins clustering around me. We get one shot here. And it's quite hard to cave in to reality, to admit that your best days are behind you. If a man wants to continue to press on, despite ample evidence that suggests that his task is quixotic at best, well...it's his choice.

Final thought...As Holyfield himself made clear, let the buyer be wary. He promises he'll be fit and furious on Saturday, and I'm sure he believes that, I'm sure he isn't talking a good game just to spur sales. But he's 47, Botha is 41, and so there is a chance that on fight night, once again, it'll be proved that 40 isn't the new 30. If you do buy the show, and the main event is a snoozer, and you find yourself kicking yourself Sunday, well, chalk it up to a learning experience. And when Holyfield-Tyson III goes down next year, plan accordingly.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Hopkins would leave Golden Boy to fight again -- ESPN

By Don Steinberg, ESPN.com

Bernard Hopkins is content with his ugly revenge over Roy Jones Jr. on Saturday night -- "a win is a win is a win," he says -- but the aftermath of the fight has him questioning the loyalty of his own promoter, Golden Boy, and contemplating a walk to another promoter if that's what it takes for him to keep fighting at age 45.

Hopkins believes pretty much the entire boxing industry is seizing upon the lackluster Jones rematch as a lever to drive him and his nonconformist attitude out of the sport, "to wrap me up in Roy Jones' grave and throw me in, and kill two birds with one stone," he told ESPN.com on Thursday from his house in Delaware. "I'm not going to let them do that to me."

Many in the media have urged both Jones, 41, and Hopkins to hang up the gloves before someone really gets hurt. Those doubters aren't new to The Executioner, but he seems especially hurt by comments that Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer made to the media. Schaeffer nudged Hopkins toward retirement, saying it "could be something which, as a friend, I might advise him to consider. I think it's time for his friends and family to have a serious talk with him."

Denying Hopkins a chance to earn a living in the ring doesn't sit well with the fighter.

"Maybe the money's not being made off me like it's being made off somebody else," Hopkins said. "If that's the problem, then fine. I've got a lot of other promoters calling me as of today … It's gonna look strange to y'all when I'm moving in with [Bob] Arum or [Don] King. I don't blame anybody for being a businessman. Just tell me, so I can do what's right for my family, so you can't blame me for going across the street. That's all I'm saying.

"It needs to come out now, because at the end of the day, Bernard Hopkins [has] always been his own man, and if the industry thought that I was gonna be a controlled puppet because I'm in with a big company, they're in for a rude awakening. Because Bernard Hopkins is not going to become part of the industry. Maybe I won't survive as a Golden Boy promoter. "

One thing Hopkins is sure of is he's not saying goodbye to the ring just yet.

"The thing is coming to a head based on my next move. Because my next move isn't retirement. I have no reason to retire," he said.

Hopkins has spent nearly a year telling people he'd like to challenge for David Haye's heavyweight title. Now he suggests even his own company (Hopkins has a small equity stake in Golden Boy), which also promotes Haye, is walking away from the idea.

"Don't tell me that he's bigger, he's stronger," Hopkins said, seemingly aiming his comments at his own business partners. "They told [Evander] Holyfield that. You're telling me that [he can't fight Haye] because of the Roy Jones fight? So, let's play Devil's Advocate, Richard … Now you try to use the illegal hit on the back of the head to say that you won't be a part of that [a Haye fight]?"

Even Haye said he'd rather fight Wladimir Klitschko than give Hopkins a shot, and that scenario seems increasingly unlikely.

So what's next? Hopkins says he's "in talks now." Only time will tell.

Source: espn.go.com

How a second Sprott of bother can finish Audley Harrison off for good -- Daily Mail

By JEFF POWELL, Daily Mail

After the David Haye spectacular, Audley Harrison’s hand-cart to hell or salvation. And there is no telling which direction our great under-achiever’s rickety old rickshaw will take him on the steep hillside of London’s Alexandra Palace.

Such is the weird and wonderful, death or glory business of heavyweight boxing that Harrison enters a ring erected somewhere between oblivion and a shot at a world title.

Is he about to complete the long haul back to the pinnacle from which he confesses: ‘I tumbled after bringing home gold from the Sydney Olympics 10 years ago’? Or is he about to be knocked out by Michael Sprott for a second time and thereby hurled over the precipice into retirement.

Sprott, 35, stopped Harrison, 38, in five rounds three years ago and says: ‘I’ll do it quicker this time because despite all the talent which won him his gold medal he lacks a little bit of heart for the professional game.’

Harrison, disappointed by those remarks after dedicating his Prizefighter triumph to Ginette Sprott, whose tragic death under the wheels of a train forced her brother’s withdrawl from that tournament, responds: ‘I made ridiculous errors first time against Michael but there won’t be any repeat of that. He needs a miracle to beat me again.’

In the eyes of most observers, it is little short of miraculous that Harrison should find himself back within touching distance of challenging Vitali Klitschko for the WBC belt before Haye, the WBA champion, gets his chance of unifying those titles. But such are the convoluted workings of the hardest game.

The European heavyweight championship brings with it an automatic top 10 WBC ranking and Klitschko might well look upon Harrison as an easy pay-night.

Harrison’s promoter Barry Hearn says: ‘If Audley beats Michael and then completes one successful mandatory defence, he will be in line for Vitali.’

The same should apply to Sprott. Harrison, cruelly lampooned sometimes as the Fraudley of boxing, resurrected his career with that Prizefighter success but Sprott knocks that, too, saying to his rival’s face: ‘I would have won that event, not you, had I not been in mourning.’

To which Harrison angrily reacts: ‘You had better be ready and willing to take a pain-load of punishment.’
Talking a good fight has never been Harrison’s problem and he reminds us: ‘I came from a young offender’s institute to gain a university degree and win that Olympic gold for my country.

‘People call me a failure but all that makes me is a British success story. I cannot let myself lose again to Sprott. It won’t happen, because this man is simply not in my class.’

Not even Sprott argues with that evaluation but he knows that there is more to boxing than natural-born talent.

Harrison ought to win hands up. We hold our breath and wait to see if the proximity of hell-fire and eternal damnation will nerve him to start fulfilling what he still believes to be his destiny.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

David Haye Tells Audley Harrison - "Beat Michael Sprott And Alexander Dimitrenko, Then Come Knock On My Door" -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

WBA heavyweight champion Brit David Haye has admitted he has something of a soft spot for countryman and former Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison. And though "The Hayemaker" admits the 38-year-old known as "A-Force" has a long way to go before he can be looked at as a serious and credible challenger for his WBA belt, the 29-year-old has not ruled out such a fight.

Talking to Sky Sports recently, Haye spoke about Harrison and his frequent attempts at, not so much calling him out per se, but at putting forth the idea of an all-British heavyweight title clash..

"I've achieved everything I said I would [in my career] and Audley said when he won the Olympics (in 2000) that he'd be the British champion in five fights," Haye said. "I don't think he's ever won the British title to this day (he hasn't), and this (tomorrow's rematch with Michael Sprott) is his first major title fight, and it's for a vacant title against a guy who knocked him spark out in three rounds.

"I like Audley. I think he's got a lot of ability and a lot of potential, but for some reason something's not clicking. Hopefully he's got that figured out now, and hopefully he can KO Michael Sprott, he can KO [Alexander] Dimitrenko, and he could be my next contender. Before that he's got to beat two guys."

So who knows? Maybe, if Harrison, 26-4(19) can gain revenge over Sprott in London tomorrow evening, and if he can then get Ukraine's Dimitrenko into the ring with him and beat him also, he could, just maybe, find himself not a million miles away from sharing a ring with Haye.

It's interesting Haye mentions a Harrison-Dimitrenko fight. The big 27-year-old has not been seen since his humbling points loss to "Fast" Eddie Chambers, last July. Still a big name in Europe, however, Dimitrenko will be looking to take the European belt off Harrison if the southpaw can win it tomorrow night. And though many fans would probably make Dimitrenko, 29-1(19) a favourite over "A-Force," a win for the Londoner would make his credentials as far as a shot at Haye that much more impressive.

Still, as Haye - who has bigger fish to fry, so to speak - says, big Audley is a long ways from being in a position to challenge him at the moment. After all, Sprott, who has promised another KO win over Harrison, may well win on Friday night.

But just supposing, in say, six months time, if Harrison has beaten Sprott and Dimitrenko, and if Haye is still in possession of his WBA belt - what would the critics say if Haye accepted the challenge of Harrison? It's fair to say, unless he's beaten at least one of the Klitschkos by then, Haye would come under real fire if he took what the cynics would undoubtedly call an easy fight.

If, however, Haye HAS beaten a Klitschko by October or November or thereabouts, he would be free to pretty much fight whoever he wants by way of a voluntary defence; this fight being a "warm-up" for the inevitable second Klitschko fight. This possible turn of events aside, I don't see Harrison ever facing Haye in the ring. All the same, Audley will likely take heart at how Haye is even talking about him!

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Haye plans four more fights -- Sky Sports

Sky Sports

David Haye has reaffirmed his intention to retire from boxing at the age of 31 - even if he hasn't faced either of the Klitschko brothers by then.

The British heavyweight was in the Sky Sports News studios to look back on his stunning defence of his WBA world title against John Ruiz.

Having become just the second man to stop the experienced American at the MEN Arena on Saturday, Haye is now enjoying a well-earned break.

However, in between eating chips and chocolate for the first time in three months, the 29-year-old is already looking ahead to possible bouts against either Vitaly or Wladimir Klitschko.

Ideal world

"We're just relaxing at the moment but in the next couple of weeks Adam (Booth, Haye's trainer and manager) and I will sit down and really start breaking down what is the best manoeuvre out there," he told Sky Sports News.

"The best one for me, in an ideal world, would be either of the Klitschko brothers. Whichever one is available.

"I know Wladimir has a very effective jab and a good work-rate. But he's very gun-shy - he doesn't like to commit himself. He's shown in many fights when things get hard he finds a way to lose the fight.

"The same thing applies with Vitaly. When things get tough he pulls out with injuries during a fight. I will find a way to make them boys quit.

"They are a league above John Ruiz, and that's not being disrespectful to him (Ruiz). They don't have styles where they take a lot of shots and they are very calculated.

"I believe they are a step above (what I've faced), but I will raise my game to whoever I'm fighting."

He added: "I want to fight (the Klitschkos) and I know they both want to fight. Nobody is running from anybody, it's just all about getting it down on paper and making it happen."

With his intention to hang up his gloves in two years, a decision he made back when he was just 10, Haye intends to keep himself busy.

While he is hopeful of facing both Klitschkos before quitting, the Londoner insists he does not have to fight the Ukrainian siblings to secure his "legacy".

"I'm going to squeeze four fights in, at least two of them against the Klitschko brothers," Haye announced.

"I said when I was 10 years old that I would retire when I was 30-31. I've achieved my goals that I set out to do as a kid; it's now about that extra legacy.

"To unify the titles against Wladimir or Vitaly would be absolutely huge for my legacy. If it doesn't happen in two years, then it doesn't happen. However I will find someone to secure my legacy with.

"I could keep going on for another seven years. I eat healthy, so I could probably go on longer than that if I wanted to.

"But I've seen good friends and fighters where their speech has deteriorated over the years. I'd hate to fall in that category when I'm 38 or 39, where you lose you faculties.

"I'm healthy at the moment and I want to make sure I achieve all my goals and then get out of it (the sport of boxing) the same way I got into it."

Valuev rematch

If a bout with either Wladimir or Vitaly does not come off in the near future, another possible option for Haye could be a rematch with Nikolay Valuev - the man he beat to be crowned world champion.

"It's a possibility," the former cruiserweight admitted. "If the Vitaly and Wladimir fights don't materialise then there is an option where that could potentially happen."

Asked if he'd like to face Valuev again, he replied: "In an ideal world no, because I've already beaten him.

"But if it has to happen, then it has to happen. I believe if I fought him again I'd knock him out this time around. I know I can hurt him and I'd make sure I got to him earlier (than in their first fight)."

Source: skysports.com