The Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather JR Meltdown: Where the Fault Lies -- Ringside Report

By Geno McGahee, Ringside Report

I think it’s safe to say that the boxing world is about as disappointed as it can be at this moment. The fight that everyone wanted has fallen through. Bob Arum was quick to note a missed deadline for Floyd Mayweather, JR., to agree to a fight with Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao, while Team Mayweather contended that there was never even a negotiation taking place. RSR can confirm that there was, and now the picture may be coming clear.

Floyd Mayweather, JR., 41-0, 25 KO’s, has had the reputation of being a businessman first, and a fighter second. When tests would arise that may challenge his unblemished record, he has often bowed out, citing different reasons. When Antonio Margarito was in line for a shot at Mayweather, JR., he declined, stating that it was not a marketable fight. Kostya Tszyu showed interest that was never reciprocated. Mayweather, much like he does in the ring, picks his spots, and there is no real reason at this point why he cannot fight Pacquiao…at least on the surface.

Manny Pacquiao, 51-3-2, 38 KO’s, has appeared to be a fighter first, businessman secondly, although most would contend that he lost the number of Juan Manuel Marquez when he nearly beat him on two occasions. There was no need to tempt fate again. He has made a name for himself as a fearless brawler, that enjoys being in fights. He is quick and has great timing, and is just the opponent to test the impregnable defense of Mayweather, JR. The people want this fight. They want the fight more than any other fight in boxing over the last ten years, but it’s not happening. Let’s explore the reasons.

Roger Mayweather

The last thing that you want to do when you are going into the biggest fight of you life is to switch trainers. It has been evident time and time again that there is an adjustment period when fighters move from trainer to trainer because all are different and you can see a fighter do different things depending on what they are being taught. Roger Mayweather, the trainer of Floyd Mayweather, JR., is in quite a bit of trouble after beating up a woman and choking her out. He will hopefully be locked up for a while, but what’s good for humanity may not be good for boxing. Without Roger, this fight will not proceed and this is, I’m assuming, the big reason why this fight is not happening.

Sabotage

The sly Bob Arum may not have clean hands here. Pacquiao may have five more fights in him before he calls it a day and should he fight Floyd, he would most likely lose, and his marketability may plummet because of it. If he should fight some recognizable names in fights that he should easily win, it might make that much more money over the course of time.

Despite the objections of Luis Resto returning to the ring, Bob Arum had no problem bringing back Antonio Margarito, a fighter of similar offense. He had loaded gloves. He knew he had loaded gloves and he and his trainer were loading them for some time. Prior to the discovery, Margarito went on a spree of destruction, plowing over the opposition with the bricks he had on his hands, but when he went into a fight without the Plaster of Paris on his hands, he was dominated and left in a heap by an old Shane Mosley. The fact is: Margarito + plaster in gloves = top fighter. Margarito – plaster in gloves = mediocrity.

The positive thing that has come out of Margarito’s bad ways has been his appeal as a bad boy of boxing and Arum knows that he can sell him as an opponent for Pacquiao and people may actually think it’s a competitive fight. Even if they didn’t, Mike Tyson sold fights just on the “I wonder what he’s going to do,” factor. Margarito may have that same appeal.

On November 13th, we will see Margarito in the ring with Pacquiao and we will see the “PacMan” pummel him into early submission, and Arum will laugh all the way to the bank. This bird is in the hand is better than the two in the bush. Arum’s interest may have been in this route then the shot at Floyd, where he could lose his cash cow.

Better Safe than Sorry

There is a widespread contention by the Pacnuts that Floyd Mayweather, JR., is afraid to fight Manny Pacquiao. They would probably say the same thing about Wladimir Klitschko…but you have to take what blind groupie fans say with a grain of salt. I have seen articles by “writers,” which just about anyone can be a writer that has a laptop and an email address, jumping on this contention as well. You have to cut through the garbage here and draw your own conclusions and amazingly, they may not be that far off the mark.

When you look at the career of Mayweather, it is very impressive, but when he established himself as the man to beat, he began to play it safer then he did throughout his early career. The fight with Pacquiao would be his toughest, on paper, since his fight with Diego Corrales in 2001. He has beaten a lot of good fighters, but few were in their prime when they eventually met.

Boxing is a business and sometimes not doing what the public wants is better in the long run, but with the money on the table for this fight, it’s hard to imagine Floyd not wanting it, unless he has some trepidation. The two fights where Floyd was hurt were against Zab Judah and DeMarcus Corley, both southpaws. Pacquiao is a more complete fighter than either Judah or Corley and would not stop punching. Floyd had issues with Jose Luis Castillo. There may be some major concern about fighting Pacquiao from Floyd, and it may not be worth the gamble when he could fight anyone else and make great money in the process.

A big problem, really, is that Floyd has nothing to prove. When he fought Corrales, he was an unknown to most of boxing and he needed to put together some signature wins to establish himself. Now he is known worldwide and win or lose to Pacquiao, they have a spot reserved for him at the Hall of Fame. He is always working on his own terms and will not be dictated to, no matter how much the fans are begging for the fight.

One More Power Play

When the fight was all but set, Floyd Mayweather, JR., demanded specific steroid testing for Pacquiao, which was quickly refused and just as quickly, the fight fell apart. Time passed, and they sat down again to speak and that was ironed out, but once again, the fight evaporated and Floyd went on vacation. Is this a power play by Money Mayweather?

There is no question that both men are a draw, but PPV buys proves that Floyd is the “Money” going into this fight. He knows that the fans want to see him tested and know that no other fighter can do it but Pacquiao. He also probably realizes that Margarito or a Miguel Cotto rematch would not put a blemish on the record of his future foe and therefore, they are not a threat to him. He can come back at any time and say: “I agree to fight” and it will be on for the 13th of November.

Floyd is the master of mental warfare and this could be another example of it. It’s hard to imagine it is, but it’s certainly a possibility. We will find out in the near future because the fans are feeling shunned and are losing interest. They are refusing to salivate over food they will never get.

Who’s to Blame

The blame has to fall, at this point, on Floyd Mayweather, JR. If he wanted the fight, he would have the fight and it would be based mostly on his terms. Pacquiao, by all indications wants the fight. He wants to be the undisputed best in boxing but he has to beat Floyd in order to be that. I’m interested to see what happens with Roger Mayweather. Should he come out of his legal troubles in decent shape and ready to train, will the fight be on? I believe that this is the biggest obstacle and once it’s out of the way, let’s hope that we have the mega fight that we all want.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Antonio Margarito applies to California for reinstated boxing license -- Los Angeles Times

By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times

Disciplined boxer Antonio Margarito on Wednesday filed an application to have his license to fight reinstated by the California State Athletic Commission, more than 17 months since it was revoked when officials confiscated "loaded" hand wraps from the Tijuana fighter before his failed world welterweight title defense at Staples Center in January 2009.

Margarito's promoter, Bob Arum, told The Times, "We've asked for this to be heard on an expedited basis," before the commission's next scheduled meeting Sept. 20 in Los Angeles.

Margarito has agreed to fight Manny Pacquiao Nov. 13 at a site yet to be determined. Arum doesn't want Margarito to fight Pacquiaio in California, but when the promoter sought to have Margarito re-licensed in Nevada earlier this month, commissioners there ruled to table their decision until Margarito first attempted to have his appeal heard where the license was originally stripped.

A Pacquiao-Margarito bout would challenge the May Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley bout to emerge as the most lucrative fight of the year, and Arum said he feels obligated to give his home state Nevada a shot at landing the bout.

However, the promoter said Wednesday that "a half dozen states have said they will grant us a license without a decision by California," not including Nevada. The favorites among other U.S. destinations are believed to be Texas, where Pacquiao drew a crowd of 51,000 for a March bout against lesser-known Joshua Clottey, and Atlantic City, N.J., which would cater to the big gamblers who've descended upon Las Vegas in Pacquiao's prior fights there.

Margarito, who returned to fighting in May in a bout in Mexico, has since fired his suspended trainer, Javier Capetillo, who claimed at the February 2009 California commission meeting that plaster-coated pads ended up inside Margarito's hand wraps accidentally, and that the former two-time world welterweight champion had no knowledge of wrongdoing.

Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com

Mayweather exposed as chicken -- Yahoo! Sports

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg released a four-paragraph, five-sentence statement Monday which cast doubt upon the veracity of Floyd Mayweather Jr.; Mayweather’s best friend, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe; Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer and which forever eliminated any doubt about Mayweather’s intention: He’s ducking Manny Pacquiao.

There can be no other rational explanation.

Welcome to “Mayweather in Wonderland,” where they try to convince you that up is down, the grass is blue and the sky is green. Never mind that Mayweather has tarnished, perhaps forever, his legacy as one of the best boxers of all time. Given his disinclination to fight Pacquiao, it’s hard to regard him as the best fighter of his own time.

Mayweather was nowhere to be found on Monday, still on vacation, apparently oblivious to the millions of boxing fans desperate to hear a word about his intentions. If Mayweather cared about his legacy, if he cared about the sport that has made him rich and famous, he wouldn’t have been invisible the last few weeks while allowing Ellerbe to spew a lot of mumbo jumbo.

Mayweather and his cronies attempted to insinuate that Top Rank chairman Bob Arum was being deceitful when he said he’d been negotiating for a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight with Greenburg serving as the middle man. Greenburg and Arum have not had the strongest of relationships, while Greenburg has an extraordinarily cozy relationship with Golden Boy. If Arum were lying, their frequently contentious history together suggests that Greenburg would have called him on it immediately.

Greenburg, though, clearly sided with Arum, when he said, in part, “I had been negotiating with a representative from each side since May 2nd … “

That’s what Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, has steadfastly claimed for weeks. On June 30, Arum told Yahoo! Sports that “all issues were resolved” and that the only outstanding matter was whether Mayweather wanted to fight in 2010 or 2011. Arum then set a July 16, 11:59 p.m. deadline on Mayweather to accept the deal. On a conference call in the early morning hours of July 17, Arum announced the deadline had passed without word from Mayweather and that he was pursuing a fight for Pacquiao with either Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto.

Ellerbe, though, released a statement on July 19 that was the beginning of the end for Team Mayweather’s credibility. Ellerbe disputed that talks had even taken place. “Here are the facts,” the statement read. “Al Haymon, Richard Schaefer and myself speak to each other on a regular basis and the truth is no negotiations have ever taken place nor was there ever a deal agreed upon by Team Mayweather or Floyd Mayweather to fight Manny Pacquiao on November 13. Either Ross Greenburg or Bob Arum is not telling the truth, but history tells us who is lying.”

That led many in the media to quickly assail Arum’s credibility and for Schaefer and De La Hoya to issue self-righteous comments backing Ellerbe and denying negotiations had ever taken place.

And they would have won this silly game had it ended there and had Greenburg not entered the fray. Arum insisted he was telling the truth, but few seemed to believe him. They didn’t, that is, until Greenburg released his brief, simple, but truly remarkable statement.

In it, he said, “Fights like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao are significant because of these fighters’ ability to connect with sports fans around the world. It’s unfortunate that it won’t happen in 2010. I had been negotiating with a representative from each side since May 2nd, carefully trying to put the fight together. Hopefully, someday this fight will happen. Sports fans deserve it.”

Here’s what sports fans deserve: They deserve better than to waste their hard-earned money on “Money,” who acts as if he’s invented the sport. Mayweather’s a brilliant talent who never seems to let one forget it, who behaves as if he should be able to dictate terms and others should gratefully accept it because he said so.

Let him play in his fantasy world. Boxing doesn’t need him. And, truth be told, he’s wrong about his value.

Mayweather has sold more pay-per-views against common opponents than Pacquiao and his gates for those fights have been bigger. But Pacquiao’s Nov. 14 bout with Cotto at the MGM had a far greater economic impact upon the city of Las Vegas than either of Mayweather’s and the Nevada Gaming Control Board attributed casinos’ best performance in 22 months in November 2009 to the presence of the Pacquiao-Cotto bout and the high-rolling Asian gamblers who spent loads of money.

Despite apparently being caught red-handed when Greenburg released his statement, Ellerbe’s only response on the record was, “I hear his statement and I stand by my statement.” But he then attempted to insinuate that comments Mayweather made at a June 2 Make-a-Wish event in Las Vegas should have been taken by the media that he never planned to fight Pacquiao this year.

“At this particular time, Floyd Mayweather is taking probably a year off, a couple of years off from the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said at the charity event. “I don’t really know what the future holds for Floyd Mayweather at this particular time, but I’ll probably take a couple of years off.”

Saying one “probably” is going to take a year off is a lot different than releasing a statement or holding a media conference and announcing one’s retirement. Yet, Ellerbe attempted to intimate that Mayweather’s statement to sports director Chris Maathuis of KLAS-TV in his gym at a charity event was a definitive announcement.

What muddied the waters even more was De La Hoya apparently lying to Univision on June 11. In a televised Spanish-language interview, De La Hoya said of a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, “I think right now we are very, very close in finalizing the contracts. I can’t talk right now in detail about the negotiations but I will say that we are very close.”

The comments caused quite a stir when they were made, but Schaefer dismissed them. He insisted De La Hoya had been misquoted. But when those pesky reporters actually went and had Spanish experts translate the recording, it turned out that De La Hoya wasn’t misquoted.

So the Golden Boy tried a different tactic on Monday. He told Robert Morales of BoxingScene.com, “I think I said it because I get the question so many times that, obviously, I was fed up and tired of it and I just said like, ‘Yeah, yeah, it’s gonna get made.’ ”

Essentially, De La Hoya on Monday admitted to lying on June 11, though it’s uncertain how his June 11 comments would have helped end the questioning he wanted to avoid. Given that he said a deal was close, that would only seem to make the scrutiny greater, no lesser. Had he said there were no talks – which he’s now insisting is the truth – and that the fight was not going to happen, no one would have had reason to keep asking him.

No one is going to ask any more. How can anyone support someone with Mayweather’s arrogance, who cares so little about the fans who made him rich beyond his wildest dreams that he won’t even consider the fight they want more than any other?

Mayweather has run from his biggest challenge. The fans, even those who have ardently supported him through the years, will surely remember that. And the next time he dares to compare himself to one of boxing’s all-time greats, such as Sugar Ray Robinson or Sugar Ray Leonard, they’ll scoff.

He can’t hold a candle to either.

Source: sports.yahoo.com

Mundine demands pre-bout drug-testing of opponents -- Sydney Morning Herald

By BRAD WALTER, The Sydney Morning Herald

ANTHONY MUNDINE has followed the lead of Floyd Mayweather jnr, the pound-for-pound superstar he eventually wants to fight, by insisting on Olympics-style drugs testing for his WBA junior middleweight world title eliminator bout against Ryan Waters.

Mundine, who hopes the fight against the WBA's No.7-ranked junior middleweight can propel him to a shot at Miguel Cotto or Antonio Margarito, intends to demand all future opponents undergo three blood tests for drugs before their bouts.

''I want to set a precedent in boxing here and clean up the sport,'' Mundine said. ''I just feel that in the past there have been some fighters who have had some enhancement. I am not going to name names but I feel that they couldn't take the punishment and respond the way they did. I just feel that some guys will go to any lengths to beat me and if that is by taking drugs and enhancing their bodies illegally, then they will do that, because that is how much it means to them.''

Mayweather sparked controversy earlier this year. His refusal to back down on his demands that Manny Pacquiao undergo three blood tests before their bout resulted in one of the most eagerly awaited fights in boxing history not going ahead.

Mundine said that Waters had agreed to the stringent drug-testing and his next scheduled opponent, The Contender Australia champion Garth Wood, would do the same.

''I want to be drugs-tested,'' Mundine said. ''I've never been Olympic-style drugs-tested except when I fought in Germany, but I want both blood tests and urine tests. I don't want them on steroids, I don't want them on stanozolol, I don't want them on EPO [erythropoietin]. I want them to be even, I want them to be just like me. I work hard.''

Waters, who is also rated No.5 in the WBO's junior middleweight rankings, has been unbeaten since June 2006 and views the bout with Mundine as his opportunity to secure a world title fight.

''In this half of the world [the southern hemisphere] I am the strongest light middleweight getting around and I will show everyone that on September 15,'' Waters said.

Mundine said the fight was a stepping stone to a fourth world title in a third weight division. ''Ryan is world-rated by two sanctioning bodies, he is No.7 in the WBA and I am No.2, so we've got two boxers ranked in the top 10 in the world fighting an eliminator to be the next in line for a shot at the world title,'' he said.

The main preliminary bout will pit Australia's top-rated heavyweight, Alex Leapai, against Britain's Danny Williams, who famously scored a fourth-round knockout of Mike Tyson in 2004.

Source: smh.com.au

"Super Welterweight Title Fight" Super Disappointment -- Miami Herald

By Lyle Fitzsimmons, Sports Network

Maybe it's the travel lag...and/or my general grumpiness.

Because after a seven-day stretch that's included more than 2,000 road miles over four states and two time zones - not to mention a pair of multi-hour plane rides, stays in three hotels and what seemed like 100 hours of convention events - I'm a little short on patience.

So when I began making notes to create this week's column in the lobby of yet another lodging establishment in lovely Macon, Ga. - free wireless coverage at La Quinta Inns & Suites rocks, by the way - I was already on the prowl for someone to tear into.

With that as an objective, boxing rarely disappoints.

And this time around, it's the same-old chorus on a brand-new song.

Much as he did this time last year with news he'd face Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight championship, Filipino phenomenon Manny Pacquiao is commandeering headlines this week with the choice of his next title-fight opponent - Antonio Margarito.

According to multiple reports, Pacquiao will meet the disgraced former 147- pound kingpin on Nov. 13 in either Nevada or Mexico, pending Margarito's eventual status in Las Vegas after would-be locker room shenanigans with Shane Mosley 18 months ago.

The debate on whether Margarito should fight at all is still a lively one.

And because no one outside of he and his closest teammates really knows what happened in the back rooms at Staples Center a year ago January, I'll defer to the judgment of the Nevada commission to make a correct call after examining the evidence.

If they say he deserves a license, let him fight here.

If not, let him slink back to Mexico and do it on home turf.

Makes no difference to me. And the show goes on regardless.

Rather, my beef lies with the other machinations Bob Arum and Co. are poised to employ while billing Pacquiao-Margarito a "WBC super welterweight championship" fight.

The fact Arum created any scenario in which the reigning WBO welterweight champion meets a man two fights from elite status ensures a lead SportsCenter placement come mid-November.

The best at 147 is chasing history against a man considered dominant not long ago.

That without question is a good thing.

But like last year when it aimed for Cotto's crown, Team Pacquiao is mandating a dubious catch-weight provision to have the men fight well below the established limit for the division - four pounds, to be exact - which has long been 154 pounds.

Then a reigning welterweight champion, Cotto was contracted to defend at 145.

In competing for a super welter title, Margarito is now being held to 150.

And 12 months later...the taste it leaves is no less bitter.

Especially considering the revived frenzy the bout creates to tag Pacquiao a throwback and label his recent weight-rising dominance superior to Henry Armstrong in the 30s and 40s.

Only a fool would contend that Manny's not great.

In fact, it takes far less than a genius - whether "Pactard" or "Flomo" - to see he's an all-timer bound for deservedly special treatment at Canastota.

But no matter how many belts he adds, wrong remains wrong.

And if you don't agree, simply take a closer look.

Even if nothing had preceded it at lower weights, Pacquiao's climb to elite status at 130 pounds with his win over Juan Manuel Marquez - albeit a close and controversial one - was evidence enough to prove legitimate pound-for- pound prowess.

Since then, though, it's sometimes gotten a little murky.

While recounting breathless history, remember the title climb to 135 pounds was not made against an incumbent three-belt champ who'd beaten the previous No. 1, but with a more favorable match in David Diaz - then only the WBC claimant - as heavy bag of choice.

A brutal shellacking of Oscar De La Hoya six months later was impressive and rightfully earned Manny kudos. Lest I forget, I chose De La Hoya by easy KO going in and never dreamed an upset would have approached the destruction Pacquiao unleashed.

But the Golden Boy's imprudent weight loss - 145 pounds?!? - casts at least some shadow.

And an oft-unmentioned reality is Oscar's seven-year absence from the division hardly makes any conqueror - even a streaking Pacquiao - an Armstrong-like claimant to the throne.

Had De La Hoya lost to Steve Forbes at 147 a fight earlier, no one would have called the former "Contender" participant the division's new terror. But because he's the "it" guy, anything Manny touches - even a guy whose last win at 147 came in 2001 - turns to gold.

At 140, no plausible denial applies to Pacquiao's blitz of Ricky Hatton, whom he clearly defeated to establish himself as the new top man.

But the subsequent slight rise to meet Cotto at stand-in weight re-opens a can of worms similar to the one following the match with a shrunken Oscar.

And let's not even mention Josh Clottey, shall we?

For those unaware, history shows "Homicide Hank" used no such loopholes.

When he won the featherweight title in 1937, his foe weighed 126. When he copped the welterweight title in 1938, he conceded several pounds and won double-digit rounds on all cards. And when he took the lightweight title just three months later, he weighed 134.

"Fighter of the Decade" laurels notwithstanding, Pac's not approached those feats.

It's not even close.

But it is pretty simple.

If Manny wants to weigh 150 pounds while attempting to claim another title, so be it.

And if Margarito chooses to slim down in competing against him, that's fine, too.

But fudging established rules to orchestrate big events is wrong. And it removes any legitimacy existent when comparing Pacquiao's laudable exploits to Armstrong's legendary ones.

I understand his cash cow status allows leverage and I understand Margarito is free to walk, but it'd sure be nice to hear purists break sweats on tirades over title-bout replicas like they do while likening flimsy imitations to true multi-division trailblazers of decades past.

As for the fight itself, Margarito's got no chance. Plaster or no plaster.

Pacquiao in 8.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This week's title-fight schedule:

SATURDAY IBF junior bantamweight title - Tepic, Mexico Simphiwe Nongqayi (champion) vs. Alberto Rosas (No. 1 contender) Nongqayi (16-0-1, 6 KO): Second title defense; Third fight in Mexico (2-0, 0 KO) Rosas (31-5, 25 KO): First title fight; Six wins in 11 fights after 25-0 start Fitzbitz says: "The South African is hardly a dominant champion, but he'll be good enough here." Nongqayi by decision

WBA/WBO lightweight title - Las Vegas, Nev. Juan Manuel Marquez (WBA/WBO champion) vs. Juan Diaz (No. 8 WBA/No. 3 WBO contender) Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO): First WBA/WBO title defenses; Stopped Diaz in nine rounds in 2009 Diaz (35-3, 17 KO): Twelfth title fight (9-2, 4 KO); Former IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion at 135 Fitzbitz says: "Marquez was better last time. He's better this time. Similar result." Marquez by decision

Vacant WBO middleweight title - Las Vegas, Nev. Daniel Jacobs (No. 1 contender) vs. Dmitry Pirog (No. 2 contender) Jacobs (20-0, 17 KO): First title fight; Two fights at or below middleweight limit (2-0, 1 KO) Pirog (16-0, 13 KO): First title fight; First fight in North America Fitzbitz says: "They say Jacobs is the real deal. I'll believe for now until proven wrong." Jacobs by decision

Last week's picks: 1-1 Overall picks record: 210-73 (74.2 percent)

Lyle Fitzsimmons is a veteran sports columnist who's written professionally since 1988 and covered boxing since 1995. His work is published in print and posted online for clients in North America and Europe. Reach him at fitzbitz@msn.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/fitzbitz.

Source: miamiherald.com