By Norm Frauenheim, 15Rounds.com
A reported agreement on terms for Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. should be reason for optimism. Maybe, the biggest fight in years will finally happen. But skepticism is the only reasonable reaction. We’ve been here before, haven’t we? We’re back at the scene of an old accident, waiting on Mayweather all over again. I’d prefer to wait on a root canal.
Mayweather is as unpredictable as he is elusive. Annoying, too, but give him this: He says – ad nauseam –that he is the face of boxing, that everything happens because of him. Few can argue with him on that one right now. In resurrected talks of negotiations that blew apart more than six months ago, Mayweather has the last say, yea or nay.
“It’s up to him,’’ Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told Yahoo Wednesday.
Safe to say, Arum won’t leave it up to Mayweather for long. He’ll give it a couple of weeks. The Top Rank promoter says he will wait until mid-July for an answer from Mayweather. No reply presumably means Arum will turn to Plan B or C, Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto for a Pacquiao bout scheduled for Nov. 13.
But nobody knows how — or even if — Mayweather will respond. Mayweather’s representatives, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and Leonard Ellerbe, have honored an initial agreement not to comment. If Mayweather-Pacquiao is going to happen in November, however, it’s time to take off the gag.
Mayweather must enjoy the power of being granted the last word. But it is double-edged with potential enough to destroy Mayweather’s attempts to spin himself into a less profane, more media-friendly personality before and after his brilliant victory over Shane Mosley in May.
In renewed talks however, it looks as if there is a reversal of roles. There was no deal six months ago because of a sudden, deal-breaking demand from Mayweather for random, Olympic-style drug-testing. Pacquiao said no, a refusal that then aroused speculation about whether he was in fact a user of banned substances despite a clean record of tests sanctioned by regulatory agencies, including the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
According to Arum, the drug issue has been resolved. Arum didn’t provide any specifics, but the assumption is that Pacquiao has agreed to some sort of random blood-testing under protocol set down by the Nevada commission, which appeared to consider possible methods and timetables during discussions last month with sports-medicine experts, physicians and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
If Pacquiao has agreed to drug testing, Mayweather has lost the high ground he had occupied amid repeated boasts that he was only try to clean up boxing. Drug testing is no longer the issue. But that doesn’t mean that Mayweather won’t find another one.
If he does, Mayweather will have to face renewed accusations that he just doesn’t want to fight Pacquiao.
Arum is right:
It is up to Mayweather.
Is it ever.
From this corner, it looks as if Mayweather’s only wiggle room is a delay until next year. In interviews with Yahoo and Filipino media, Arum seemed to prepare himself for Pacquiao-Mayweather at a later date.
He has to look only at Mayweather’’s recent record. The unbeaten welterweight has fought only four times over the last four years – twice in 2007 with victories over Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, not once in 2008, once in 2009 with a lopsided decision over Juan Manuel Marquez and once this year against Mosley.
Even if Mayweather’s career is down to only one a fight year, it appears as if there is only one fight for him. It looks as if he can’t say no to Pacquiao. Then again, Mayweather has already shown that he can say just about everything and sometimes nothing at all. It’s impossible to know what he will do. The only thing anybody knows for certain is that he will make you wait.
Source: 15rounds.com
Friday 2 July 2010
Edwin Valero was Murdered -- Ringside Report
By Geno McGahee, Ringside Report
The charge is serious and the conspiracy theory was born, created and firmly believed by the loved ones of deceased WBC Lightweight Champion, Edwin Valero. Valero, 27-0, 27 KO’s, was a terror in the ring, but reports would indicate that he was even more of a terror to his loved ones.
On April 18, 2010, the news broke that shocked the boxing world. The undefeated champion, seen as the successor to Manny Pacquiao as the most exciting fighter in the game, Edwin Valero, had murdered his 24 year old wife. It was an amazing and sad situation, but a foreseeable one to many. He had prior violent issues involving his wife and his mother, drinking problems, and wasn’t getting the proper help. He was a ticking time bomb.
Employees at the hotel where the murder took place as well as police officers have stated that Valero admitted his guilt, and while in his cell, hanged himself with a picture of his family in his mouth. The image of the Lightweight Champion hanging in a prison cell with the photograph of his loving family clinched between his teeth is far from the picture we had seen on February 6, 2010.
For years, Valero could only be seen by American audiences on youtube. The legend grew knockout by knockout, and the boxing fans began talking and expressing interest in seeing the man that had scored 18 first round knockouts. Medical problems stemming from a motorcycle accident prevented him from fighting in the US for quite a while, and he wouldn’t make his first big step there. He would make it in Mexico, but it would be picked up by Showtime.
Showtime presented a main event, pitting the Venezuelan power-puncher taking on the highly regarded Antonio DeMarco. This was the chance that boxing fans had waited for. We could see Valero live, against a good opponent, and he did not disappoint. Valero, suffering a horrible cut, persevered and stopped DeMarco in 9 rounds. It proved that he wasn’t just a brawler or a fraud. He was a true force with many marquee match ups set for the near future, if he could keep his focus and stay out of trouble.
The first sign of trouble came on March 25, 2010. Valero was accused of assault on his wife. She reported to the emergency room with a punctured lung with the story that she “fell down the stairs.” The story did not sit well with authorities as the injuries did not support the story they were given and when coupled with the fact that she had been treated for similar injuries before, the cause was obvious.
At the hospital, Valero erupted, displaying his violent behavior. He had a history of violence both inside and out of the ring and as courageous as he was inside of the ropes, he was equally despicable outside of them, beating women without mercy. When it came out that he had killed himself in his prison cell, it was not bad news and still isn’t. The story of suicide from guilt over the murder of his wife made a lot of sense, but not everyone is buying it. Some contend that the authorities murdered Valero.
Edward and Luis Valero requested that the body of Edwin be exhumed to prove that he was strangled to death by the police that took him into custody. Some point to the fact that he wore sweat pants (reportedly) into the prison cell but hanged himself with denim jeans. Another contention is that he had bruising that was inconsistent with suicide, and matched a struggle, supporting the theory that he was hanged by the police.
Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela came out during the investigation to state that Valero was innocent of the charge of murder in the case of his wife and was in fact murdered by his enemies. His coming forward with this theory, despite the long history of domestic abuse and admission of guilt, proves that had this murder gone to trial, Valero would have been a free man.
Despite my skepticism, some point to statements by Valero after his arrest, claiming that he and his wife were followed around by underworld figures, and that there was a plan to kidnap them both. He even claimed that a police officer had suggested that he checked into the very hotel where his wife was murdered. It was a set up!
An autopsy is supposed to prove the fact that Valero was murdered while in police custody, but even if this turns out to be true, it still doesn’t dismiss the fact that he beat his wife regularly and then murdered her. By no means is the police department right if it should come out that they killed the former champion to ensure that he would not be freed to fight again, but one can certainly understand their position.
The funeral for Valero was a strange sight with the streets full of mourners, all of them living vicariously through the fallen warrior…putting faith in him and refusing to give it up. “Champion,” was chanted by the crowd as they laid him to rest and some collapsed in a heap of emotion as the body was carried to the gym where he once trained. I can appreciate the admiration for a fighter, but the murdered wife was somehow lost in the story by the Valero fans. That is the true tragedy.
The question is: Was Edwin Valero murdered?
The answer to the question is irrelevant. The police should be punished for killing an inmate without question if that should be proven to be the case, but the end result whether it be murder or suicide seems to be justice for a woman that was beaten and killed. I wonder what goes through the mind of the mourners that wept for him and what they thought of his murdered wife’s life with him. Some fighters are elevated to Godly status and can do no wrong and perhaps this is a case of it.
With an undefeated record, a world of potential, and an enormous fan base, Edwin Valero had the world ahead of him and could have been in the big time right at this moment, perhaps facing off against Juan Manuel Marquez, but the monster inside the ring was not as ferocious as the monster outside of it, and because of that, we will never know what may have been.
Hugo Chavez and the Valero family may contend that this was some big conspiracy to set up Edwin and then take him out, but it is all nonsense. The history of abuse to his wife and others and drinking problem says it all. He murdered his wife and most likely, took his own life. The only big loss is that of the 24 year old woman that was once married to the lightweight champion.
Source: ringsidereport.com
The charge is serious and the conspiracy theory was born, created and firmly believed by the loved ones of deceased WBC Lightweight Champion, Edwin Valero. Valero, 27-0, 27 KO’s, was a terror in the ring, but reports would indicate that he was even more of a terror to his loved ones.
On April 18, 2010, the news broke that shocked the boxing world. The undefeated champion, seen as the successor to Manny Pacquiao as the most exciting fighter in the game, Edwin Valero, had murdered his 24 year old wife. It was an amazing and sad situation, but a foreseeable one to many. He had prior violent issues involving his wife and his mother, drinking problems, and wasn’t getting the proper help. He was a ticking time bomb.
Employees at the hotel where the murder took place as well as police officers have stated that Valero admitted his guilt, and while in his cell, hanged himself with a picture of his family in his mouth. The image of the Lightweight Champion hanging in a prison cell with the photograph of his loving family clinched between his teeth is far from the picture we had seen on February 6, 2010.
For years, Valero could only be seen by American audiences on youtube. The legend grew knockout by knockout, and the boxing fans began talking and expressing interest in seeing the man that had scored 18 first round knockouts. Medical problems stemming from a motorcycle accident prevented him from fighting in the US for quite a while, and he wouldn’t make his first big step there. He would make it in Mexico, but it would be picked up by Showtime.
Showtime presented a main event, pitting the Venezuelan power-puncher taking on the highly regarded Antonio DeMarco. This was the chance that boxing fans had waited for. We could see Valero live, against a good opponent, and he did not disappoint. Valero, suffering a horrible cut, persevered and stopped DeMarco in 9 rounds. It proved that he wasn’t just a brawler or a fraud. He was a true force with many marquee match ups set for the near future, if he could keep his focus and stay out of trouble.
The first sign of trouble came on March 25, 2010. Valero was accused of assault on his wife. She reported to the emergency room with a punctured lung with the story that she “fell down the stairs.” The story did not sit well with authorities as the injuries did not support the story they were given and when coupled with the fact that she had been treated for similar injuries before, the cause was obvious.
At the hospital, Valero erupted, displaying his violent behavior. He had a history of violence both inside and out of the ring and as courageous as he was inside of the ropes, he was equally despicable outside of them, beating women without mercy. When it came out that he had killed himself in his prison cell, it was not bad news and still isn’t. The story of suicide from guilt over the murder of his wife made a lot of sense, but not everyone is buying it. Some contend that the authorities murdered Valero.
Edward and Luis Valero requested that the body of Edwin be exhumed to prove that he was strangled to death by the police that took him into custody. Some point to the fact that he wore sweat pants (reportedly) into the prison cell but hanged himself with denim jeans. Another contention is that he had bruising that was inconsistent with suicide, and matched a struggle, supporting the theory that he was hanged by the police.
Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela came out during the investigation to state that Valero was innocent of the charge of murder in the case of his wife and was in fact murdered by his enemies. His coming forward with this theory, despite the long history of domestic abuse and admission of guilt, proves that had this murder gone to trial, Valero would have been a free man.
Despite my skepticism, some point to statements by Valero after his arrest, claiming that he and his wife were followed around by underworld figures, and that there was a plan to kidnap them both. He even claimed that a police officer had suggested that he checked into the very hotel where his wife was murdered. It was a set up!
An autopsy is supposed to prove the fact that Valero was murdered while in police custody, but even if this turns out to be true, it still doesn’t dismiss the fact that he beat his wife regularly and then murdered her. By no means is the police department right if it should come out that they killed the former champion to ensure that he would not be freed to fight again, but one can certainly understand their position.
The funeral for Valero was a strange sight with the streets full of mourners, all of them living vicariously through the fallen warrior…putting faith in him and refusing to give it up. “Champion,” was chanted by the crowd as they laid him to rest and some collapsed in a heap of emotion as the body was carried to the gym where he once trained. I can appreciate the admiration for a fighter, but the murdered wife was somehow lost in the story by the Valero fans. That is the true tragedy.
The question is: Was Edwin Valero murdered?
The answer to the question is irrelevant. The police should be punished for killing an inmate without question if that should be proven to be the case, but the end result whether it be murder or suicide seems to be justice for a woman that was beaten and killed. I wonder what goes through the mind of the mourners that wept for him and what they thought of his murdered wife’s life with him. Some fighters are elevated to Godly status and can do no wrong and perhaps this is a case of it.
With an undefeated record, a world of potential, and an enormous fan base, Edwin Valero had the world ahead of him and could have been in the big time right at this moment, perhaps facing off against Juan Manuel Marquez, but the monster inside the ring was not as ferocious as the monster outside of it, and because of that, we will never know what may have been.
Hugo Chavez and the Valero family may contend that this was some big conspiracy to set up Edwin and then take him out, but it is all nonsense. The history of abuse to his wife and others and drinking problem says it all. He murdered his wife and most likely, took his own life. The only big loss is that of the 24 year old woman that was once married to the lightweight champion.
Source: ringsidereport.com
MGM increases room rates on day of potential Pacquiao-Mayweather fight -- Las Vegas Sun
By Ray Brewer, John Katsilometes, Las Vegas SunRoom rates are spiking at MGM Resorts properties on the Strip for Nov. 13, when the boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. could happen at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
As of Thursday afternoon, less than one day after word spread of the mega-fight inching closer to reality, a basic room at the MGM Grand for Nov. 13 skyrocketed to $260. It's $180 on both Nov. 6 and 20, the Saturdays before and after the proposed date.Rooms at Mandalay Bay are $229 on Nov. 13 and $129 the following Saturday. At the Luxor, rooms rates start at $160 for Nov. 13 and $105 for Nov. 20.
Increases in room rates for specific weekends months in advance are not uncommon, MGM Resorts Vice President of Public Affairs Gordon Absher said. Variables that boost room rates vary from hot concerts like Lady Gaga to popular annual events like the National Finals Rodeo.
But Absher also said the announced Nov. 13 date for the Pacquiao-Mayweather bout has led MGM Resorts officials to adjust room rates to meet a potential demand for a huge influx of fight fans on that weekend. This is true even without a signed contract to bring what doubtless will be an extraordinarily lucrative fight to the Grand Garden Arena.
"This is similar to airline rates rising and falling according to market conditions," Absher said. "Were there to be a major sporting event on any given date, people will most likely pay more for a room. In effect, we're protecting room rates on that date. We're protecting inventory."
Absher said MGM officials who set room rates were well-aware of recent coverage that the fight is likely to be held Nov. 13 in Las Vegas. But if it is held elsewhere, the rates will adjust accordingly.
"These variables influencing room rates change day-to-day, even hour-to-hour," Absher said.
Room rates at Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Tex., which was the host hotel for Pacquiao's March 13 fight with Joshua Clottey at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, are not any higher than a typical weekend. The base rate is $199 for Nov. 13, $199 for Nov. 20.
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank said Wednesday that several negotiation hurdles that previously prevented the fight from happening have been cleared.
The two sides couldn't agree on drug-testing methods in the spring, with Mayweather agreeing to take the fight only if Pacquiao agreed to be tested through blood sample.
So, Pacquiao fought Clottey and Mayweather took on Shane Mosley on May 1 at the MGM Grand. Both were victorious.
Mayweather, whose Golden Boy Promotions has a policy against commenting on fight negotiations, said after the Mosley fight that he didn't want to fight again in 2010. He would have to ditch that stance for the mega-fight to occur in the fall.
Source: lasvegassun.com
Ryan Rhodes targets WBC clash with Margarito -- BBC Sport
BBC Sport
Ryan Rhodes believes he is closing in on a clash with Mexico's Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC world light-middleweight title.
The 33-year-old from Sheffield will first have to defend his European light-middleweight belt against Lukas Konecny in Birmingham on 18 September.
"Margarito is number one with the WBC and I'm number two," said Rhodes.
"It is a dream fight for me and it appears like it can happen if I can beat Konecny on 18 September."
Part of promoter Frank Warren's 'The Magnificent Seven', the billing at the LG Arena in Birmingham will also feature Nathan Cleverly, Kell Brook, Michael Jennings, James DeGale, Enzo Maccarinelli and Derek Chisora.
Margarito made a winning return to the ring in May after his license was revoked for 12 months for attempting to fight Shane Mosley with an illegal plaster-like substance placed inside his hand wraps.
Rhodes added: "Margarito is an unbelievable fighter, though not as strong and aggressive as when he was at welterweight.
"I'd be too fast and too strong for him. I campaigned for seven or eight years at middleweight and more than held my own."
"Fighting him is a mouth-watering prospect and would be a dream fight for me.
"He hasn't reapplied for his license to fight in the United States but of course I'd go to Mexico to face him.
"There's a shadow over his win against Miguel Cotto because of his ban after the Mosley fight, but it was a lovely fight to watch but terrible to be involved in.
"By the end of this year I should be fighting for a world title, preferably against Margarito for the WBC belt."
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Ryan Rhodes believes he is closing in on a clash with Mexico's Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC world light-middleweight title.
The 33-year-old from Sheffield will first have to defend his European light-middleweight belt against Lukas Konecny in Birmingham on 18 September.
"Margarito is number one with the WBC and I'm number two," said Rhodes.
"It is a dream fight for me and it appears like it can happen if I can beat Konecny on 18 September."
Part of promoter Frank Warren's 'The Magnificent Seven', the billing at the LG Arena in Birmingham will also feature Nathan Cleverly, Kell Brook, Michael Jennings, James DeGale, Enzo Maccarinelli and Derek Chisora.
Margarito made a winning return to the ring in May after his license was revoked for 12 months for attempting to fight Shane Mosley with an illegal plaster-like substance placed inside his hand wraps.
Rhodes added: "Margarito is an unbelievable fighter, though not as strong and aggressive as when he was at welterweight.
"I'd be too fast and too strong for him. I campaigned for seven or eight years at middleweight and more than held my own."
"Fighting him is a mouth-watering prospect and would be a dream fight for me.
"He hasn't reapplied for his license to fight in the United States but of course I'd go to Mexico to face him.
"There's a shadow over his win against Miguel Cotto because of his ban after the Mosley fight, but it was a lovely fight to watch but terrible to be involved in.
"By the end of this year I should be fighting for a world title, preferably against Margarito for the WBC belt."
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Arum: It's all up to Mayweather -- Philippine Star
By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a couple of weeks to decide whether or not he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao.
Otherwise, Top Rank president Bob Arum said Pacquiao, the best boxer in the planet today, will start looking elsewhere, and move on to his scheduled return to the ring on Nov. 13.
In an article posted by BoxingScene.com yesterday, Arum hinted that everything’s been agreed upon between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Mayweather in the talks that have gone on and off for a few months now.
“There’s no actual date of a deadline, but it’s sometime in the middle of July,” Arum told Rick Reeno of the boxing website.
“If we haven’t gotten this thing locked up and done then we’re going ahead and taking another opponent. We’re not just going to sit there and blow our chances for a fight in November,” Arum was quoted as saying.
“We’re waiting on Floyd. Floyd has to decide whether or not he’s going to fight this year or next year or not at all. It’s up to him. He isn’t up to any obligation. We want the fight this year, and if he doesn’t take the fight this year, then we’ll fight somebody else.”
Mayweather has yet to clarify statements he made a month ago that he wants out of the sport for “a year or two,” and those who said he wasn’t serious when he said that are those who want the fight to happen.
But it’s Mayweather who has to make the final decision. Only this time, he’s been given a couple of weeks to do it.
Or Pacquiao, now a new congressman, might end up facing either Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito in November, in Las Vegas, or take a break from boxing himself, and return to the ring early next year.
Now the burden is not on Pacquiao to make the fight happen. Two days ago, a day after he took his oath as congressman of Sarangani, the Pinoy icon went scuba-diving in a resort near his hometown.
He can fight either Cotto or Margarito and make as much as $15 million, more than enough to cover his personal expenses during the recent campaign.
It appears that both sides have agreed on the conditions regarding the random blood-testing, which could go on 14 days before or even closer to the fight, and the purse split, which may end up at fifty-fifty, and should leave everybody smiling.
There’s only one thing that may cause some concern regarding the talks, and it involves the defamation suit that was filed by Pacquiao against Mayweather, his dad, his uncle, and the Golden Boy top brass, including Oscar dela Hoya.
Pacquiao filed the case after the Mayweathers came out with allegations that Pacquiao is into performance-enhancing drugs, leading to the breakdown of the initial talks that should have made the fight happen last March.
Pacquiao said a few months ago that there’s no way they would drop the case, and that they had no intention of using it as a leverage or a bargaining chip for the fight that sees both fighters earning around $40 million apiece.
Reports said the details that have been given the stamp of approval by the negotiators are now with Mayweather, and now it’s up to the undefeated American and self-proclaimed pound-for-pound champ to decide on.
Source: philstar.com
MANILA, Philippines - Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a couple of weeks to decide whether or not he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao.
Otherwise, Top Rank president Bob Arum said Pacquiao, the best boxer in the planet today, will start looking elsewhere, and move on to his scheduled return to the ring on Nov. 13.
In an article posted by BoxingScene.com yesterday, Arum hinted that everything’s been agreed upon between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, which represents Mayweather in the talks that have gone on and off for a few months now.
“There’s no actual date of a deadline, but it’s sometime in the middle of July,” Arum told Rick Reeno of the boxing website.
“If we haven’t gotten this thing locked up and done then we’re going ahead and taking another opponent. We’re not just going to sit there and blow our chances for a fight in November,” Arum was quoted as saying.
“We’re waiting on Floyd. Floyd has to decide whether or not he’s going to fight this year or next year or not at all. It’s up to him. He isn’t up to any obligation. We want the fight this year, and if he doesn’t take the fight this year, then we’ll fight somebody else.”
Mayweather has yet to clarify statements he made a month ago that he wants out of the sport for “a year or two,” and those who said he wasn’t serious when he said that are those who want the fight to happen.
But it’s Mayweather who has to make the final decision. Only this time, he’s been given a couple of weeks to do it.
Or Pacquiao, now a new congressman, might end up facing either Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito in November, in Las Vegas, or take a break from boxing himself, and return to the ring early next year.
Now the burden is not on Pacquiao to make the fight happen. Two days ago, a day after he took his oath as congressman of Sarangani, the Pinoy icon went scuba-diving in a resort near his hometown.
He can fight either Cotto or Margarito and make as much as $15 million, more than enough to cover his personal expenses during the recent campaign.
It appears that both sides have agreed on the conditions regarding the random blood-testing, which could go on 14 days before or even closer to the fight, and the purse split, which may end up at fifty-fifty, and should leave everybody smiling.
There’s only one thing that may cause some concern regarding the talks, and it involves the defamation suit that was filed by Pacquiao against Mayweather, his dad, his uncle, and the Golden Boy top brass, including Oscar dela Hoya.
Pacquiao filed the case after the Mayweathers came out with allegations that Pacquiao is into performance-enhancing drugs, leading to the breakdown of the initial talks that should have made the fight happen last March.
Pacquiao said a few months ago that there’s no way they would drop the case, and that they had no intention of using it as a leverage or a bargaining chip for the fight that sees both fighters earning around $40 million apiece.
Reports said the details that have been given the stamp of approval by the negotiators are now with Mayweather, and now it’s up to the undefeated American and self-proclaimed pound-for-pound champ to decide on.
Source: philstar.com
Mundine considers Waters way to world title -- Sydney Morning Herald
By BRAD WALTER, The Sydney Morning Herald
ANTHONY MUNDINE will consider taking up a challenge from fellow light-middleweight Ryan Waters if the fight can help land a bout with the division's No.1 boxer, Miguel Cotto.
Waters crashed the ring immediately after Mundine's first fight in the 69.9-kilogram division against tough Argentinian Carlos Aden Jerez at Brisbane Entertainment Centre to call out the three-time world champion. With WBA and WBO top-10 rankings, Waters could be an avenue to another title shot for the former Dragons star.
''He's a world-ranked fighter, so maybe that could happen,'' Mundine said. ''He's rated in the top 10 by the WBA [7th] and in the top five by the WBO, so maybe that could be an eliminator for a world title.''
While Mundine acknowledged after the fight that he needed to work on his power and strength as a light-middleweight, his performance against the hardworking Jerez gave him confidence that he could become the first boxer to win world titles in three weight divisions in descending order.
To do so, the two-time WBA super-middleweight champion and former IBO middleweight titleholder is aiming to win either an interim title fight or an eliminator bout.
Already ranked the No.2 contender by the WBA, he then hopes to force Cotto into a mandatory title defence. Fights against Mexico's Antonio Margarito, the WBA's No.1 contender, and interim titleholder Nobuhiro Ishida of Japan are other options.
However, Margarito may be off the radar as he has been linked with a bout against Manny Pacquiao after negotiations for the Fillipino pound-for-pounder to fight Floyd Mayweather jnr again appear to have broken down.
Mundine eventually hopes to fight Mayweather and believes that the way to achieve that is by beating Cotto to claim the light-middleweight crown.
Before then, he has to honour an agreement to fight The Contender champion Garth Wood, possibly in December.
Mundine will look to fight again before then and Waters is now looming as a likely opponent. ''He's Australian so I am giving another Australian a pay day and a day to shine,'' Mundine said.
Source: smh.com.au
ANTHONY MUNDINE will consider taking up a challenge from fellow light-middleweight Ryan Waters if the fight can help land a bout with the division's No.1 boxer, Miguel Cotto.
Waters crashed the ring immediately after Mundine's first fight in the 69.9-kilogram division against tough Argentinian Carlos Aden Jerez at Brisbane Entertainment Centre to call out the three-time world champion. With WBA and WBO top-10 rankings, Waters could be an avenue to another title shot for the former Dragons star.
''He's a world-ranked fighter, so maybe that could happen,'' Mundine said. ''He's rated in the top 10 by the WBA [7th] and in the top five by the WBO, so maybe that could be an eliminator for a world title.''
While Mundine acknowledged after the fight that he needed to work on his power and strength as a light-middleweight, his performance against the hardworking Jerez gave him confidence that he could become the first boxer to win world titles in three weight divisions in descending order.
To do so, the two-time WBA super-middleweight champion and former IBO middleweight titleholder is aiming to win either an interim title fight or an eliminator bout.
Already ranked the No.2 contender by the WBA, he then hopes to force Cotto into a mandatory title defence. Fights against Mexico's Antonio Margarito, the WBA's No.1 contender, and interim titleholder Nobuhiro Ishida of Japan are other options.
However, Margarito may be off the radar as he has been linked with a bout against Manny Pacquiao after negotiations for the Fillipino pound-for-pounder to fight Floyd Mayweather jnr again appear to have broken down.
Mundine eventually hopes to fight Mayweather and believes that the way to achieve that is by beating Cotto to claim the light-middleweight crown.
Before then, he has to honour an agreement to fight The Contender champion Garth Wood, possibly in December.
Mundine will look to fight again before then and Waters is now looming as a likely opponent. ''He's Australian so I am giving another Australian a pay day and a day to shine,'' Mundine said.
Source: smh.com.au
Floyd must decide soon – Arum -- Manila Bulletin
By NICK GIONGCO, Manila Bulletin
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum’s patience is getting thinner each passing day.
Arum said on Thursday that he is giving Floyd Mayweather, Jr. until mid-July to decide whether he’ll face Manny Pacquiao or not in a megabuck matchup booked for November 13 in Las Vegas.
Speaking to the on-line edition of Sports Illustrated, Arum said the unbeaten American has to make a decision because time is apparently running out.
“This really depends, as I see it, on whether Mayweather wants to fight (Pacquiao). By mid-July, he’s either in or out. We’re not going to wait forever. We’re going to have a fight on November 13 and we would love it to be Mayweather.”
Arum said he has two guys on standby: Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto and Mexican Antonio Margarito.
Although the 78-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer admits that the Mayweather fight is going to command more money and media mileage, Arum said he has no other choice but to look elsewhere.
Cotto looks like the first option in the event Mayweather decides to back off from a Pacquiao fight since Cotto holds a portion of the world super-welterweight crown even if he had been beaten by the Filipino last year.
Against Cotto, Pacquiao will be gunning for an eighth world title, making it an intriguing clash.
Arum, who has been promoting Pacquiao the past six years, said the other day that negotiations have ended between the two camps and that the ball is now in Mayweather’s court.
Source: mb.com.ph
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum’s patience is getting thinner each passing day.
Arum said on Thursday that he is giving Floyd Mayweather, Jr. until mid-July to decide whether he’ll face Manny Pacquiao or not in a megabuck matchup booked for November 13 in Las Vegas.
Speaking to the on-line edition of Sports Illustrated, Arum said the unbeaten American has to make a decision because time is apparently running out.
“This really depends, as I see it, on whether Mayweather wants to fight (Pacquiao). By mid-July, he’s either in or out. We’re not going to wait forever. We’re going to have a fight on November 13 and we would love it to be Mayweather.”
Arum said he has two guys on standby: Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto and Mexican Antonio Margarito.
Although the 78-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer admits that the Mayweather fight is going to command more money and media mileage, Arum said he has no other choice but to look elsewhere.
Cotto looks like the first option in the event Mayweather decides to back off from a Pacquiao fight since Cotto holds a portion of the world super-welterweight crown even if he had been beaten by the Filipino last year.
Against Cotto, Pacquiao will be gunning for an eighth world title, making it an intriguing clash.
Arum, who has been promoting Pacquiao the past six years, said the other day that negotiations have ended between the two camps and that the ball is now in Mayweather’s court.
Source: mb.com.ph
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