Timothy Bradley's hands didn't defeat Devon Alexander, his head did -- Examiner

By Paula Duffy, Examiner.com

Devon Alexander's manager and trainer Kevin Cunningham let loose after the ten-round technical loss inflicted on his hard hitting young fighter at the hands of Timothy Bradley (27-0, 11 KOs).

"The last thing I told the referee before the fight was that Timmy's last six opponents have been cut by head butts. I told him, I told him, I told him,"

Yeah Kevin you told him, but what did you do to prepare your fighter? Alexander (21-1, 13 KOs) told HBO's Larry Merchant after the fight that he was in top shape and trained to the max, but there is no way to train for head butts.

Bradley won the HBO-named Super Fight that unified the WBO and WBC championships in the 140 pound category. One of the men in the ring at the Pontiac Silverdome outside Detroit, would suffer his first loss and Alexander pulled the short straw.

Hyped as a highly unusual meeting of undefeated American fighters, the actual boxing part of the evening bore out the fact that these men were evenly matched, if measured solely on the stats.

Luckily for Bradley, the judges saw a more aggressive fighter who seemed to stun, if not hurt Alexander when he landed his blistering right hand. The judges scored it 97-93, 96-95, and 98-93

The 27 year-old is trained by the giant of a man-trainer Gary Shaw, who cowered in the training room with Mrs. Bradley rather than sit ringside and be an emotional wreck. That alone was worth watching and it isn't clear if Shaw knows that without his fighter's use of his noggin he wouldn't get past the faster Alexander.

Bradley's first accidental head butt, seen as a punch by the ring referee Frank Garza, opened a gash on Alexander's right eyelid that required multiple stitches.

But it was the condition of the fighter's left eye, the general area of the last accidental head butt, that ultimately caused ring doctor Peter Samet to stop the fight at 1:59 of the tenth round. Alexander couldn't open it and was screaming that it was burning.

At the end of the fight, he was cut and gashed as if he were fighting Edward Scissorhands.

Perhaps that is a good nickname for Bradley who has his sights set on Amir Khan, but ultimately wants what all 140 pounders want: a shot at Manny Pacquiao.

Timothy Bradley's next opponent might want to consider figuring out how to keep his forehead and eyes from meeting their demise, not at the hands of Bradley but his head.

Source: examiner.com

Bradley Makes a Mark in a Talented Division -- New York Times

By PETER OWEN NELSON, The New York Times

PONTIAC, Mich. — In a locker room at the Silverdome, the ringside physician Peter Samet asked the battered junior welterweight Devon Alexander a question about the gash above his right eye: “Do you want a big scar, a little scar or no scar?”

Alexander replied, “No scar.”

With a grin, Samet said, “Some fighters want a scar — like a badge of honor.”

The permanent mark after Saturday’s fight was not on Alexander’s eye from six stitches, but on his record. It was formerly perfect, but is now 21-1 after his loss to the World Boxing Organization champion Timothy Bradley (27-0).

In the talent-rich 140-pound junior welterweight division, Bradley has emerged as the last undefeated champion and, by beating Alexander, the World Boxing Council titleholder, unified two of the three occupied belts. The World Boxing Association belt belongs to Amir Khan (24-1). Just before Saturday’s bout, Khan said of whoever emerged as the victor, “In the summertime, I’m thinking we can have a unification fight.”

Many in boxing hoped that Saturday’s bout would determine supremacy among the junior welterweights. It was the first time since Mike Tyson beat Tony Tucker in 1987 to unify the heavyweight crown that two undefeated continental American champions met. The unanimous technical decision for Bradley, however, was announced less than 10 rounds into the fight. An accidental head butt caused the temporary paralysis of Alexander’s eyelid and forced the referee to end the fight, eliciting a chorus of boos from the modest crowd of 6,247.

The victory, its anticlimactic finish aside, firmly puts Bradley in the top tier of junior welterweights. Now there will be a push for him to face Khan to determine who rules the division. Khan’s promoters said that matchup could take place in late July, after Khan’s tuneup fight April 16 in Manchester, England.

Bradley’s manager, Cameron Dunkin, said Saturday, “Amir Khan’s a great fight for Tim, as is Marcos Maidana,” referring to the Argentine boxer whom Khan defeated Dec. 11. Bradley had previously expressed his envy of Khan’s financial success, saying, “They aren’t paying me his dollars, and I’m the top guy in the division.”

The consensus among fans, promoters and HBO (which aired Saturday’s bout) is that a star will emerge from among the junior welterweights. A Bradley-Khan showdown this summer would help build the profile of both fighters. At stake is not only prestige and potential stardom, but also a possible lucrative payday against one of boxing’s two biggest names: Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao (who both fight as welterweights).

“Once the last man of the junior welterweight division is standing, he can go knock on Pacquiao or Mayweather’s door,” the promoter and former champion Oscar De La Hoya said.

Whether Pacquiao or Mayweather answers will be another matter. Both may continue to be too busy not fighting each other in a matchup that has failed to materialize despite multiple negotiations and an eager public.

Khan is trained by Freddie Roach, who also trains Pacquiao.

“I’d never fight Pacquiao because we’re close friends,” Khan said, “but someone like Mayweather could be a fight in the future.”

There are some who doubt that the key to Bradley or Khan’s becoming a star will be a showdown with Pacquiao or Mayweather.

“All of boxing should stop obsessing over Pacquiao and Mayweather fighting each other or anyone else,” said Thomas Hauser, a boxing journalist and a biographer of Muhammad Ali, adding, “The entire sport should just focus on good, exciting, competitive fights.”

Many of those can be made in the junior welterweight division, which boasts not only Bradley, Khan, and Maidana, but also Victor Ortiz, Lamont Peterson and Zab Judah (who is scheduled to fight for a vacant world title in March).

As for Alexander, a first defeat can cause some boxers to unravel, but television networks generally give gifted fighters a second chance. HBO has committed to airing Alexander’s next fight.

“The aftermath of a first loss is a function of the psyche of the fighter,” said Ken Hershman, the vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports, adding, “There are plenty of great fighters who lost close fights but come back stronger than ever.”

Time will tell if Alexander can get past his first defeat. His trainer of 16 years, Kevin Cunningham, seems certain that he will.

While the anesthetic lidocaine was being applied to Alexander’s cut before it was stitched up, Cunningham silently looked at the boxer and surveyed the desolate faces of the fighter’s entourage, before declaring, “Don’t worry, we’ll be back.”

Source: nytimes.com

Former Heavyweight Challenger & Unbeaten Lightweight Featured on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights

Boxing News World

Former heavyweight challenger Chris Arreola (29-2, 25 KOs, WBC #5, IBF #7), who slugged it out with Vitali Klitschko for the world title 16 months ago, and undefeated lightweight prospect Mike Dallas Jr. (17-0-1, 7 KOs, WBC #21) are featured in scheduled 10-round, co-main events on ESPN's Friday Night Fights at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on ESPN2. The card is presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. where Arreola, of nearby Riverside and coming off a 12-round unanimous-decision win against Manuel Quezada, will take on southpaw knockout artist Joey Abell (27-4, 26 KOs). The Coon Rapids, Minn. native has won eight straight fights coming in.

Dallas, the pride of Bakersfield, Calif. riding back-to-back KO wins, will take on his toughest test to date when he faces Riverside’s Josesito Lopez (28-3, 1 ND, 16 KOs, WBC #8, IBF #10), who is on a six-bout winning streak, in a battle for a vacant light welterweight title.

Studio host Brian Kenny will present the latest boxing news. Friday will also feature Holt McCallany from the FX original series Lights Out.

Media Contact: Stephen McDonald (860) 766-0523; stephen.mcdonald@espn.com

Arum and Pacquiao Might Be Bringing Boxing Back -- The Sweet Science

By Ron Borges, The Sweet Science

Manny Pacquiao has transformed himself into a boxing legend by pushing the limits of the sport. Now he’s hoping to push the limits of the pay-per-view audience as well.

After staging his last eight fights on HBO-PPV, Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum crossed the street and agreed to join forces with SHOWTIME-PPV and CBS for Pacquiao’s May 7 title defense against Shane Mosley, a decision that stunned HBO officials and left many in boxing thrilled that someone had finally thumbed their noses at them after the arrogant and cavalier way they have treated both the sport and its practitioners in recent years.

“The irony is even Arum’s enemies are celebrating,’’ one well respected industry insider said yesterday. “I’m happy for Arum and for boxing but that doesn’t change how I think about him. I think he’s a snake but he’s an intelligent snake. If it works, maybe we’ll be building a sport again.’’

If that’s the case then this was not only a brilliant business move for Arum, Pacquiao and Mosley but perhaps a life-saving one for the sport, which has struggled for years in the U.S. to expand its shrinking audience.

HBO did little to help in that regard, seemingly being content to use the largest checkbook in the industry to cherry pick boxing’s biggest events while doing next to nothing to grow the sport or fully service its subscribers by giving them the best fights money could buy without regard to who was selling them those fights.

Clearly in bed with Golden Boy Promotions and Los Angeles fight manager Al Haymon for reasons most boxing insiders never fully understood, HBO has for many years now believed it had a virtual monopoly on the fight game, at least at the top end which was the only end they have cared about since Seth Abraham and Lou DiBella left.

But Arum’s quiet negotiations with SHOWTIME opened up a door long closed to his company, Top Rank Promotions, and brings the full power of CBS and terrestrial television’s larger universe into play not only for selling this fight but also to help spur the lesser promotion of Miguel Cotto vs. Ricardo Mayorga earlier in the year.

“HBO does a fine job distributing pay-per-view,’’ Arum said from his Las Vegas office. “I have no complaints with that. The problem is the limit of HBO’s universe.

“They reach about 28 million homes. Now we will have our message on one platform that reaches 115 million homes. We’ll be able to get many more people involved in this promotion. HBO has for too long been satisfied to limit it (promotions) to its platform.’’

Arum admits to having had a poor relationship with SHOWTIME, which had grown to believe promoters like Arum would come to them only to drive up the asking price at HBO before ultimately taking their fights there. But over nine months of subtle and often behind the scenes negotiations built on his long-standing relationship with CBS boss Les Moonves ultimately led to a deal that will bring Pacquiao-Mosley exposure on prime time CBS shows as well as ad spots during the NCAA basketball tournament in March and April.

Top Rank president Todd DuBoef, Arum’s son-in-law, was a driving force behind the concept, believing such a partnership with CBS and SHOWTIME would open the far wider doors of terrestrial (free) TV to boxing, which grew its sport on free television exposure in its last glory days of the 1970s and ‘80s.

“Todd realized more so than I did that boxing was being diminished by the (shrinking) size of its universe (primarily on premium cable outlets HBO and SHOWTIME),’’ Arum said. “In 1978 I did Ali-(Leon) Spinks in New Orleans. The rights fee from ABC was $5.5 million. That’s more than HBO pays for a fight today so don’t tell me it can’t be done (boxing on free TV). It can’t be done if we can’t sell sponsors but we’ll sell sponsors. I believe this fight, this arrangement, is a sea change in the sport of boxing.’’

Certainly it’s a shocking change for HBO Sports, whose president Ross Greenburg tried to make last gasp efforts to negotiate a deal with Arum. But those efforts came long after the SHOWTIME-CBS deal was nearly completed in large part because HBO never thought it could happen.

Outworked, out-flanked and out-foxed by Arum, Moonves, SHOWTIME CEO Matt Blank and its boxing guru Ken Hershman, Greenburg came up empty, losing the sport’s biggest draw to its biggest rival in a move that, Arum hopes, will shake up the cable giant in a way that does not lead to the usual back-biting, counter programming and revenge--seeking so familiar to televised boxing’s oddly run business.

“This is all about relationships,’’ Arum said. “It couldn’t have been done a year ago (by his company and SHOWTIME). SHOWTIME would have thought we were just using them to leverage HBO. That’s the mistrust they had. I can’t blame them. I understand.’’

Arum’s company will work to bring sponsors to the event, an effort Arum believes will convince network television executives that the sport can be sold for a profit. As part of the deal, CBS will give both ad spots and live coverage during CBS programming and will run either the first or last episode of a four-part promotional countdown to the fight show on CBS in prime time (the others will run on SHOWTIME). In addition, Top Rank will be allowed to sell ad spots that help cover the production costs of that show.

Some of the undercard fighters, including the most recognizable female fighter in history, Christy Martin, will be placed on CBS talk shows; the CBS Morning Show will broadcast from Las Vegas the week of the fight and plug the event; and “60 Minutes,’’ which is still one of the most watched shows on television, will do a follow up to an earlier Pacquiao feature on May 1, airing six days before the event.

The belief is that kind of exposure on terrestrial television will drive up interest in the fighters and their stories and hence drive more viewers to buy the event on SHOWTIME PPV.

The driving force in all this, in addition to the vision of DuBoef and Arum, is the popularity of Pacquiao. He is not only the sport’s best ambassador and most well-known personality but has become someone Moonves, for one, is fascinated with, according to Arum.

“If we didn’t have Manny I don’t believe they would have listened,’’ Arum conceded. “This puts oil in the engine and then it’s ready to go but the second thing has to happen. Sponsors have to flock to the sport. I believe they will because we’ll help them sell to them.

“For years network executives have said they can’t get sponsors. They can’t get sponsors because their sales staff doesn’t know how to sell boxing. They haven’t done it in years. Once they see there is sponsor money for boxing they damn well will come back to boxing but they’re not going to do that naked. It’s easier for them just to go sell the NFL.

“We have a certain number of spots that are ours and we have good relationships with a lot of sponsors. We’ll sell them and we’ll help them sell their ads to sponsors. They’re going to see the sponsors’ support for it. Once that happens it’s a new day for boxing.’’

Certainly the sport needs something to jump start it in the U.S. Exposure on free TV has long been seen as the antidote for its flagging place in the American sporting landscape and this move at least begins the process.

How HBO executives react long term is the other significant issue. Long dominant in the sport, HBO seemed to grow both fat and disinterested in working to grow the sweet science, ignoring that end of the business until the entire sport had turned sour.

Greenburg and vice-president of programming Kery Davis began more and more to gravitate to Oscar De La Hoya’s promotional company and to Haymon, a manager without the title who represents Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and a host of other boxers. Rival promoters would privately complain of double standards, citing numerous examples of an opponent being rejected for one of their fighters or HBO refusing to use one of their boxers only to see them later accepting the same people once Golden Boy or Haymon became involved.

Yet for all the griping only a handful of boxing promoters and managers were willing to go public with their criticism. Chief among them have been Arum, King and DiBella, three of the sport’s largest promoters.

King and Arum have dominated the fight game for more than 30 years but each saw their influence and their relationships with HBO on the wane. Both have been highly critical of Greenburg and his way of doing – or not doing – business and claimed he had tipped the playing field wildly in favor of De La Hoya’s company.

HBO has always denied this but the proof has been in the fights. HBO has spent more and more and gotten less and less as it began to all but turn its boxing programming over to De La Hoya’s company with only scattered exceptions.

Arum termed Greenburg’s initial response to his call announcing he had taken Pacquiao-Mosley to SHOWTIME-CBS as “curt’’ but then added, “Then the adults took over and they’ve been very gracious. They’ve wished us well.’’

According to Arum, HBO could do something similar by using its alignment with TBS and TNT and by lining up a shared deal through Comcast with NBC, which Comcast recently consumed. The key for HBO going forward, he said, is that “they have a lot of ways to go if they aren’t arrogant.

“If they try to take retribution against us I’ll find a way but I don’t think they will. If they do, it’s too bad for their subscribers.’’

Arum said he had to convince both Mosley’s camp and Pacquiao’s to sign off on the deal because even though their guarantees remained unchanged from what HBO would have provided the gamble is on the size of the pay-per-view sales. HBO has a long established track record of what kind of sales its major pay-per-view events deliver. While Arum insists the far wider exposure the fight will get through the CBS connection will increase business, the proof will be in the numbers.

“I would not have done this on my own,’’ Arum said. “I would not have done this without the fighters' endorsement. They didn’t suffer any diminution of their guarantees but it’s a risk. If it works, there is an upside advantage. If it doesn’t, their upside is impacted. They both told us to go for it. They are cheerleaders for this.’’

How this affects the future of boxing long-term remains to be seen. If Arum is right and terrestrial TV sees there is money to be made by a return to the fight game, the sport would be uplifted by regular exposure on the networks, which were long the sport’s staple.

How this affects HBO will depend on how they react to new competition in the marketplace. If the men who run HBO Sports are able to recognize how their actions – and frankly their arrogance – led to this they will be able to survive it and compete. If they try to punish Pacquiao in the short term or Arum and his company in the long term they will have done another disservice to both the sport and its subscribers, who have for too long been forced to swallow too many one-sided shows for which the cable giant vastly overpaid for what it got.

Whether a proper response to the new reality Arum is trying to create is something Greenburg can adapt to remains to be seen. Whether this new joint venture can produce bigger pay-per-view numbers does as well, but it would stand to reason that promoting the event in 115,000,000 homes rather than 28,000,000 will drive sales.

What boxing has to hope is that it also drives HBO Sports to do what it has done little of since Abraham and DiBella left: act in the best interest of the sport that has helped build its network rather than for the self-interest of a few.

“This is a repudiation of how HBO did business for the last decade,’’ another veteran industry operative said, while refusing to be quoted directly out of fear of HBO’s possible retaliation. “This will be interesting to watch on two levels.

“If it succeeds do the networks become more involved with the sport again, which is the key to reviving interest in boxing? There’s an eternal popularity to boxing if people just get to see the sport at its best.

“The other question is, how does HBO react? Do they make wholesale changes in how they do business? If not, they’ll continue to be marginalized.’’

Regardless of how HBO reacts, however, Bob Arum believes one thing has become clear both about boxing and the effects of HBO’s long-time dominance of its biggest names and biggest promotions.

“You cannot have a major sport limited to a universe of 28 million homes,’’ he said. “It can’t be done. Something had to change. I believe this (type of shared exposure on both cable and terrestrial television) is the way to do it.’’

Source: thesweetscience.com

Ricardo Mayorga cuddles up to Manny Pacquiao: 'I think he's great and clean' -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

To borrow one of Muhammad Ali's most often used wisecracks, Ricardo Mayorga is not as dumb as he looks.

While the uncouth loudmouth from Nicaragua has been badmouthing fine gentleman and March 12 Showtime PPV opponent Miguel Cotto day and night, Mayorga had nothing but high praise for Manny Pacquiao as he visited New York along with co-promoters Don King and Bob Arum last week.

"I have no interest in fighting Floyd Mayweather," the 37 year old Mayorga told me in a relatively quiet corner of BB King's after he had lambasted Cotto on the dais. "I have no interest because he runs away from all his opponents so the fight would stink, the people wouldn't like it."

"I don't care what some people about Pacquiao, I think he is a great fighter. He's like me, he tries to entertain the fans, he is aggressive and he makes good fights."

Mayorga, who was stopped dramatically at the 2:59 mark of the final round by Pacman's May 7 foe Sugar Shane Mosley, takes a 29-7-1, 23 KOs record into his next bout and figures to be a prohibitive underdog against the younger (age 30) Cotto. Cotto's pro mark is 35-2 with 28 KOs.

Mayorga is not deaf, he's heard the persistent whispers and the back alley allegations that Pacquiao's ring achievements may be tainted by illegal drug use, chemical enhancements such as EPO and the like.

But Mayorga does not buy into such scandalous rumors.

"I don't think Pacquiao is using any drugs. I think it's all natural, all his results come from his great training, his conditioning. I think he is a clean athlete."

What with his handler, King, working with archrrival Arum at least on thisne show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Mayorga thinks a victory over the Puerto Rican banger would certainly propel him into a Pacman fight along with a huge payday.
With his gift of gab and overall threatrical flair, maybe even a spirited showing against the sliding Cotto can get him a ticket for the Pacman Lottery.

Mayorga clearly remains hopeful.

And he is smart enough not to trash Manny even while trashing all others.

"It would be a great fight, me against Pacquiao," Mayorga said. "I wouldn't have look for him and he wouldn't have to search for me.

"He'd be right in front of me and I'd be right in front of him."

Mayorga might have to drop his overstated smoking and drinking habits to get svelte, to slim down to 147 pounds but if the money is right, you know he would do it.

In the ring, mixing it up with Megamanny, could he worse than Clottey and Margarito? Methinks no way, Don Jose.

Going back to the frantic finish between Mayorga and Mosley, the scoring was close on two of three scorecards, with one judge having Mosley ahead 105-104 and a second favoring Mosley by the same margin.

HBO judge Harold Lederman saw it wider entering the 12th with a 107-102 tally so I guess the Punching Pharmacist and two of the judges were watching different fights but Mosley made it all academic, dropping Mayorga twice for the KO.

With his 38th birthday looming, Mayorga is a pragmatist away from the microphone.

A Pacquiao fight would make for a nice going into retirement nest egg.

I told you, there is a method to the Mayorga madness.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Floyd Mayweather Will Be Back In Court In March, Still Insists He Will Fight Pacquiao -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

Floyd Mayweather Junior continues to make the news; mostly outside of the boxing ring. Minutes ago, news broke of how the 33-year-old superstar was in attendance at Las Vegas Justice Court - there because of the eight misdemeanour and felony charges that stem from his alleged dispute with girlfriend and mother of two of his three children, Josie Harris in September.

Mayweather’s attorney today asked for a continuance of the case, and the judge agreed, resetting the trial for March 10th..

From a purely boxing standpoint, it now looks unlikely that Mayweather will be in any condition to fight again in the early to middle part of this year, if at all in 2010. With all the legal issues on his mind (Mayweather, according to The Las Vegas Sun, will be back in court for the misdemeanour battery charge involving a Las Vegas security guard, in February), the last thing “Money” is calling an important issue is improving on his 41-0 fight record.

However, somewhat ironically, Mayweather did release a video statement over the weekend, on his Ustream account. The short message Floyd released makes it clear he does have Pac-Man on his mind still - even though he has nothing good to say about the Pound-for-Pound king.

“I’m never gonna let my fans down,” Floyd said. “That’s the reason I’m 41-0. Don’t worry, we’re gonna beat Poochiao’s ass. Stop asking the same question. ‘When are you gonna fight Poochiao?’ I’m gonna fight the Pac-Man - when he’s off the power pellets.”

As fans can see, Mayweather - who will turn 34 a month before his next appearance in court happens - remains as boisterous as ever when it comes to the Filipino legend. But will Floyd ever face Manny, what with all the legal issues he has on his plate? And as to “Money’s” statement about fighting Pacquiao, “when he’s off the power pellets (steroids)” - that issue alone remains one of the most contentious in current boxing.

For as long as Mayweather accuses Pacquiao of taking illegal substances, and for as long as Pac-Man refuses to adhere to the tests Floyd insists he take to as to prove his innocence, we will not see the mega-fight we all want to see.

Pac-Man has recently said he will continue to fight until 2012/13. But will Mayweather have ironed out his legal troubles AND agreed to the pre-fight tests Pacquiao has himself agreed to take by then?

Would a betting man place any serious money on ever seeing the “Dream Fight” take place?

Source: eastsideboxing.com

The Brits are coming... not that Ring magazine would know it: Haye, Khan and Froch fail to hit the heights in top 100 list -- Daily Mail

By Jeff Powell, DailyMail.co.uk

Even the Bible of the noble art - Ring magazine - can be a little slow catching on to the rising challenge from the Brits. Either that or the Americans are a mite reluctant to acknowledge the threat posed by our prizefighters.

At the onset of the new Blood Season - as the title of many books about Mike Tyson so graphically describes the annual fistic calendar - Ring has published its traditional list of the world's top 100 boxers.

Be ready to scour the small print in search of our boys.

No rational judge would deny for a moment that the No 1 ranking deservedly goes to that phenomenal Filipino Manny Pacquiao.

Floyd Mayweather Jnr, of course, will object to his nemesis as the world's greatest pound-for-pound fighter being rated one place above him but Pacquiao's supremacy is something the Money Man will have to live with unless and until he girds himself to climb into the same ring as the PacMan.

From the British perspective, however, perhaps it is Mayweather's place as the solitary American in Ring's top five which holds back recognition for the UK's finest.

The decline in US boxng - especially the loss of their historic hold on the heavyweight crown which they used to cherish as the symbol of American manhood - is the source not only of regret but of an element of resentment of the foreign fighter.

That is at its most marked when it comes to the long-standing rivalry with the old country.

If there is another explanation why Amir Khan, who is counted outside the top 25, is one of only a bare-knuckle handful of British boxers in this list, it would be interesting to hear what it might be.

Khan is only two fights away from potentially unifying the world light-welterweight championship, perhaps only one more bout from a mega-fight against Mayweather.

His American master-trainer, Freddie Roach, believes him to be the impending successor to stablemate Pacquiao. Yet he comes in at a grudging 27th.

There can be no real argument with a top five, in order, of Pacquiao, Mayweather, late-exploding middleweight champ Sergio Martinez, Mexico legend Juan Manuel Marquez and the next Phillipine sensation, Nonito Donaire. But Khan down at 27?

Two places below the pride of Bolton comes Carl Froch, whose succession of five brilliant fights against the world's outstanding super-middleweights is also deserving of at least a place in the top 20.

As for David Haye, who just happens to be the WBA heavyweight champion, he is six places outside the top 50. Yet his rival world title holders Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko - who seem in no hurry to take on London's speed merchant - rank eighth and twelfth respectively.
Even Tomasz Adamek, the former cruiser champion who is unproven at heavyweight but is bulking up to face Wladimir in his native Poland in September, is 49th. But then Adamek fights out of America.

After Khan, Froch and Haye, it is necessary to plumb the depths to find the last three token Brits.
Ryan Rhodes ranks 82nd and Nathan Cleverly 86th while Ricky Burns, Scotland's world super-featherweight champion no less, only just scrapes in at 97th.

Give them the chance and Britain's big six - along with such rising stars as James DeGale, Kell Brook, George Groves, Dereck Chisora and David Price to name but a few - will rewrite the Ring in 2011.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

Mayorga peppers Cotto with verbal jabs -- Las Vegas Review Journal

By Steve Carp, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Ricardo Mayorga still talks a good game.

The former world welterweight champion, who retired from boxing in 2008 after being knocked out by Shane Mosley, returned to the ring last month and beat Michael Walker. The win led to an opportunity to fight WBA super welterweight champ Miguel Cotto on March 12 at the MGM Grand Garden.

How much Mayorga, 37, has left is debatable. But when it comes to talking trash, he showed this week he's still in his prime.

"That belt you are holding, polish it up for me because I will be taking it on March 12," Mayorga (29-7-1, 23 knockouts) told Cotto on Wednesday as the promotion for their fight began in New York. "I will make a promise here that I will knock you out in four rounds.

"I have been watching all of your fights the past two months. You are punch drunk. You can't take a punch anymore, and I will retire you. Like (Antonio) Margarito after the (Manny) Pacquiao fight, you will be thinking about retiring when I am done with you."

Cotto (35-2, 28 KOs) responded: "I am a professional fighter, and I know what my job is. My job is to fight in the ring because nobody wins a fight with their mouth."

Mayorga kept going.

"This is the first time I will fight someone that is as small as a kid," he said. "I think my pants are taller than you."

Countered Cotto, "With those little pants, I beat Shane Mosley. Do you remember him?"

This promises to be one fight where the hype will be entertaining.

■ PACQUIAO ON SHOWTIME? -- Manny Pacquiao's May 7 fight with Mosley might be broadcast on Showtime pay per view instead of HBO, which has televised the majority of Pacquiao's fights in recent years.

ESPN.com reported that multiple sources indicated that Top Rank chairman Bob Arum cut a deal with Showtime, owned by CBS, in the hopes of using that network as a promotional vehicle for Pacquiao's fight. Pacquiao appeared on "60 Minutes," CBS' news magazine show, the week before he defeated Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13.

Arum and other Top Rank officials are not talking. But the company plans to make a major announcement Wednesday regarding the pay-per-view broadcast.

■ WINKY RETURNS -- Golden Boy's first Las Vegas fight card of the year is scheduled for April 9, and plans are being finalized to have two great Mexican champions -- Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales -- meet in the main event at the MGM Grand Garden.

As part of that card, former world junior middleweight champion Winky Wright will face European middleweight champ Matthew Macklin.

"He is still one of the big names in the sport," Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said of Wright (51-5-1 25 KOs), who has not won a fight since 2006. "He's a future Hall of Famer who can still drive ratings and fan interest."

Schaefer met with Marquez on Thursday and hopes to finalize the Marquez-Morales main event, which will be televised on pay per view, this week.

"Marquez always wanted the opportunity to face Morales," Schaefer said. "We met with Marquez and made him an offer, and it wasn't quite what he expected. We'll talk again next week and see if we can get a deal done. But one way or the other, we will have a pay-per-view card at the MGM Grand on April 9."

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

Source: lvrj.com

Ring legend Sugar Ray Leonard talks about life; says SuperFight has to happen -- Examiner

By Edward Castro, Examiner.com

Sugar Ray Leonard won plenty of titles when he ruled boxing.

Today the former five-time world champion is the owner of a few new ones.

“I’m a parent, part-time golfer, husband,” Leonard said. “Those are my titles now.”

Leonard made his debut in the 52nd annual Bob Hope Classic this week, displaying his golf game on four famous golf courses in the city of La Quinta near Palm Springs, CA.

Leonard carried boxing on his shoulders throughout the 1980’s, his victories – even his losses – are considered classic moments in the history of the sweet science.

Leonard, however, has moved on. He no longer allows his fists to call the shots. The Ray Leonard of today is a devoted family man, a local politician, a widely successful motivational speaker, a health and wellness crusader and a soon-to-be novelist.

“I’ve had some good times and some bad times but I say “look at me now,” Leonard said. “I’m in a good place right now.”

Leonard, who met and married his wife Bernadette back in 1993, has been living in the Southern California affluent residential community of Pacific Palisades ever since.

Earlier this month Leonard, 54, was named the 27th Honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades. He will assume that mantle in June.

“I will smile and make sure there are no more parking tickets,” Leonard joked.

Leonard will replace actor Gavin MacLeod, who has served as honorary mayor for five years.

“There are some real prominent people who have been honorary mayor,” Leonard said. ”It’s a real honor.”

Leonard, however, hasn’t strayed too far away from boxing. He has a lot to say when it comes to the much anticipated bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“Who doesn’t want to see that matchup,” Leonard said. “They are the only guys out there.”

The sport, Leonard said, has plenty of fighters. But it only has two players.

“There are other guys who can fight and are good champions,” Leonard said. “But name wise, they are the players. They have to fight. They should fight.”

There is no doubt both fighters will make millions to step into the ring with each other. But this is the kind of fight that goes beyond the purses.

“This is for bragging rights,”Leonard said. “This is a matchup that makes your palms sweat.”

Leonard said he initially favored Mayweather. Then he leaned toward Pacquiao.

Today, Leonard said it’s anyone’s guess.

“At first I said Mayweather because he had never been hurt. Then he got hurt by Shane Mosley,” Leonard said. “Then I said Pacquiao because he had never been hurt. Then he got hurt by Margarito to the body. Both have been resilient enough to come back. It’s a hard fight to pick.”

What has Leonard excited, however, is the June 2011 release of his official autobiography “The Big Fight.”

“It’s my life story,” Leonard said. “It’s my first official book. There have been others but they were all unauthorized.”

Leonard said fans should be prepared for some gritty details.

“This is the first time I really opened up and been transparent,” Leonard said. “I have had some bad times in my life. I hope it will be more inspirational than shocking.”

Leonard has spent the last few years managing his time as a very successful motivational speaker (he has delivered POWER: Prepare, Overcome and Win Every Round to an international audience) and as an advocate for juvenile diabetes research through his Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation.

In 2009 Leonard, along with Mary Tyler Moore and Nick Jonas, testified in front of congress in an effort to raise awareness for their cause.

“I’ve seen friends and I’ve seen kids who struggle with this disease,” Leonard said. “It’s a brutal disease. “

Leonard’s struggle with retirement is well documented. But he seems to have come to grips with his new life.

That change in his life began with his move out to the West Coast in the early 1990’s, which is the time he met and married Bernadette. The two have two children: Daniel and Camille.

“I came out here, met my wife Bernadette, and started my life over again,” Leonard said. “It’s a wonderful time for me.”

Source: examiner.com

Fedor goes the Mayweather route, wants strict drug testing for Strikeforce GP -- Yahoo! Sports

By Steve Cofield, Yahoo! Sports

Floyd Mayweather made headlines in 2010 by insisting on Olympic-style drug testing for all his opponents. Shane Mosley agreed to the terms. Manny Pacquiao still hasn't. The boxer wants to ensure a level playing field. M-1 Global, the management team for MMA star Fedor Emelianenko, never used the term "Olympic-style," but it sure sent a similar message during a press conference today in Moscow.

"Two out of eight fighters in the (Strikeforce heavyweight) tournament previously failed a drug test. Obviously, I'm talking about Josh Barnett and Antonio Silva," said Fedor's manager Vadim Finkelchtein.

"We want fair competition for everyone, so that's why I will ask the commission to perform a strict drug testing. Fedor is not using any kind of substance to enhance his performance, and will be ready for any kind of testing. So if the commission decides to follow our suggestion, we'll be ready."

Fedor often refers to Barnett as a good friend, but it's clear there's still some lingering resentment from the American's last positive drug test.

"We have never shied away from a particular battle, I just want for his fighter to be professional opponent, not a chemist. Today doping can significantly add speed and endurance. We just want all parties to the Grand Prix and potential rivals to play by the rules," Finkelchtein said. "Our organization paid a heavy price after the cancelation of the fight between Josh Barnett and Fedor. We did a lot of promotion for this fight, which in the end did not take place. That's why as a promoter and manager, I don't want this to happen ever again."

Barnett is on the other side of the bracket in Strikeforce's heavyweight Grand Prix. The only way the fighters could meet is in the finals tentatively scheduled for late 2011. It's still not a certainty Barnett is a lock for the tourney. He appeal and re-instatment process in California has dragged on for months. The fighter is now planning on skipping the next hearing in the Golden State. The California State Athletic Commission is planning on ruling on Barnett's license either way.

During the presser, M-1 management also talked about Fedor's new three-fight deal which is more of a three-way pact with M-1, Strikeforce and Showtime. Last time around it was just M-1 and Strikeforce. Finkelchtein hopes to announce a Showtime deal to televise four or five M-1 fight cards in the next month.

Source: sports.yahoo.com

Manny Pacquiao Trainer Freddie Roach Preferred Juan Manuel Márquez Over Shane Mosley -- FOX News

By Wil Cruz, FOX News

There is no shortage of boxers who want to take down the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

But if Manny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, had his way, the Filipino superstar would be taking on Mexican Juan Manuel Márquez. Instead, Pacquiao is scheduled to fight against Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"No, my first option was Márquez. I think he deserved a third fight, but now everything is left up to negotiations," Roach, who was in Culiacán, Mexico, working with Julio César Chávez Jr. for an upcoming fight, told the Associated Press. "[Promoter] Bob Arum made a better deal with Mosley, and they said Márquez had asked for too much money."

Pacquiao fought Márquez to a draw in 2004 and defeated him in 2008.

Meanwhile, Miguel Cotto, who lost to Pacquiao in 2009, wants another shot, too.

He told the Philippines' publication Manila Bulletin that he'd be better prepared a second time around.

"Well, you know I have a new trainer, Emanuel Steward. I know with all his instruction and boxing knowledge, we would have a better fight and we would win the fight," he said.

Cotto is scheduled to fight Ricardo Mayorga, also at the MGM Grand, for the WBA Super World light middleweight title on March 12.

In Pacquiao's last fight in November, he pounded and humbled Mexican Antonio Margarito.

The fight all boxing fans have been waiting for is between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. Both sides have to negotiate a deal, however, and Mayweather's problems outside of the ring haven't helped.

Their stalemate has been felt throughout the sport, blocking worthy fighters, like Argentinean boxer Sergio Martínez, from getting their shot at fighting the best.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Source: latino.foxnews.com

Solving the Pacquiao puzzle: How to beat Manny? -- 8CountNews

By Carl Guevara, 8CountNews.com

When most athletes reach the age of thirty-three most start to realize that they are no longer able to compete in the same way they did ten years ago. It's simply part of life and it is no surprise at all. They usually start to lose their athleticism and physical attributes such as speed, power, and reflex. But there are certain athletes that go beyond the limits of science. Michael Jordan defied the impossible and became even greater as he got older becoming the only NBA player to score 50 or more points at age 40.

In boxing, athletes usually reach their peak between the ages twenty seven and thirty and then begin slowing down soon there after. This is the time when youthful boxers must use their age as an advantage. But again, there are some boxers who continue to defy this logic. There are few who dig deep to uncover a fountain of youth in the abyss of there souls. Current superstar boxers such as Juan Manuel Marquez, Sergio Martinez, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are all over thirty-three years old and have preserved their skills and have arguably even gotten better. The same goes for Sugar Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins. For Manny Pacquiao, would this be similar fate?

Sparring Partners

Before we touch that, there are many problems that the opponents of Pacquiao have yet to solve. The first and most telling factor is that there is no boxer in our present generation that could emulate exactly how Pacquiao moves. When searching for a sparring partner for a Pacquiao opponant perhaps trainers should hold a open casting call for actors. How could anyone prepare for the Pac-Monster if they cannot find someone who could mimic Pacquiao in training? So far there really haven’t been any sparring partners who come close to fighting like Manny.

Style

The second fact pays tribute to his awkward boxing style. De La Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, and Margarito were fully aware of Pacquiao’s speed, power, and relentless punch count that he accumulates in any given round. All of these opponents’ said the same thing after fighting him, “they never know where the punches are coming from.” His unpredictable punches from diverse angles are a major factor if you are Pacquiao’s next opponent. How could you prepare for someone whose punch seems to come out from nowhere?

Stamina

The third and perhaps the hardest fact of all is Pacquiao’s almost super-human stamina. If there is a boxer today that could punch at least one hundred times per round, without losing power and speed while remaining accurate then congratulations! You have now solved the 1st part of the Pacquiao puzzle.

Wisdom

The next piece to solve is the ability to out-smart the three time BWAA trainer of the year, Freddie Roach. Cracking the Roach-Pacquiao cube should be easy according to Mayweather Sr. Go figure.

Choices

Congressman Manny Pacquiao of the lone district of Saranggani province has now turned thirty-two. From my perspective there are still no signs that the current pound for pound king is slowing down. He destroyed the much larger opponent in Antonio Margarito who outweighed him by at least 17 lbs on their November 14 Super Welterweight title match held in Texas. As he breezed through his 8th divisional world title he only seems to become more indestructible and more unbeatable.

While his height could prove to be an issue against a much taller fighter like Paul Williams, I see no legitimate weakness about this superhuman wrecking machine.

Pacquiao is an offensive demon and by his own admission he is very much hittable, but he tends to thrive on getting hit.

His offense is also his defense. Not many opponents have proved to withstand a Pacman onslaught once he gets his engine revved up. However, if the above logic holds true, his age could be the only factor and this could be the chance that the younger generation of boxers has been looking for.

For the first time in his career we saw a different side of Pacquiao during his training for Antonio Margarito. Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza were vocal about Manny’s commitment to training when they arrived back to the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. 8CN’s Brad Cooney and Ed Anderson were both in Hollywood during this time and were both vocal about seemingly “changed atmosphere” on Vine Street that later became public on HBO’s 24/7.

Moving closer to thirty-three years old, Pacquiaos political ambitions may also diminish his passion for the sport. But as long as Manny Pacquiao can hold on to his ‘never say die attitude’ and continue to puzzle his opponents, it is inevitable that the pound for pound king will still rein supreme for as long as he wants.

Source: 8countnews.com

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

Maybe Bob Arum is planning to retire from boxing simultaneously with Manny Pacquiao.

Recently, Uncle Bob, a spry 79 year old, has been saying that he thinks Pacman will box twice each year in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

In other words, it will be six and out for the Congressmanny who turn age 35 on Dec. 17, 2013.

That may seem funny or odd to Sergio Martinez, now 36 but who just crashed through the superstar status barrier at 35, but imagine the dazzling bank account, real estate and other assets Pacquiao will have piled up by the end of 2013.

This sounds reasonable to me and maybe I can "pack it in" when Bob and Manny do, oh I forget my 401K is still hovering at the 150K level so I will be scribbling until I fall over.

But I was ruminating about the two ways Pacman can play his six remaining ring dates, starting after his May 7 bout against Sugar Shane Mosley.

No need to worry about Mosley upsetting the apricot, so to speak, as Oscar De La Hoya has just labeled the former Golden Boy VP (who beat Oscar twice) as being only "a heavy bag" at this point.

Funny, I don't recall Oskie tweeting such infomation when he was peddling the Sergio Mora-Mosley bout, do you?

Be that as it may, after SSM, Pacman likely has five bouts remaining before Mommy Pac (Dionesia) finally gets her way.
I see two routes to the finish line for Pacquiao.

Route 1: He fights five different foes, perhaps these guys in this order...


1. JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ: Their history merits this and so what if Juan Ma takes an unaccustomed pounding?

2. ANDRE BERTO: Sort of deserving considering his unbeaten record but unfortunately he is not an established PPV name fighter. If Berto keeps his price low, he'll get the nod.

3. MIGUEL COTTO: On the slide, yeah, but he will beat Ricardo Mayorga and being "in house" with Top Rank is a big plus. This rematch is more than saleable.

4. SAUL ALVAREZ: How long can Pacquiao duck ginger-haired Mexican fighters? JC Chavez Jr. would have to cut a leg off to make 147 pounds and, if Golden Boy is reasonable, this could be a Mexican holiday bout in Las Vegas, probably in 2012.

5. FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. or whoever bubbles up between DEVON ALEXANDER and TIM BRADLEY when their current three fight HBO deals expire. This assumes Mayweather-Pacquiao is not made in November of this year which I firmly but perhaps foolishly believe it will be. Obviously any Mayweather-Pacquiao encores knock someone off this list.

Route 2: If it's all about the money for Manny, without other considerations, then try this...


1. MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO I: The Big One drops in November of this year after L'il Floyd has put to bed his various legal issues in Las Vegas.

2. IMMEDIATE REMATCH: Floyd and Manny earn so much the rematch happens in May of 2012.

3. THE THREEMATCH: Manny wins the first bout and Floyd takes a SD after 12 rounds in the rematch. Seeds of controversy lead to the rubber match.

interrupt this game plan to underline the obvious, that after three bank hauls with Mayweather, Manny may just retire then but in case he does not, we move on to...

4. FILL IN THE BLANK: Pacquiao fights TBA or TBD in Manila just to give his constituents a present.

5. THE FINALE, MARQUEZ-PACQUIAO III: So what if Juan Ma if Mosley is age 40? The bad blood will still be there to stir the pot.

Goodybye boxing, next stop Malacanang Palace...if Manny wants that. He may be too rich by then to be president of the Philippines.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Former Contender Peter Manfredo Jr. & Aaron Pryor Jr. Headline ESPN2 Friday Night Fights -- ESPN Press Release

Boxing News World

ESPN2 Friday Night Fights will originate from Key West, Fla. at 9 p.m. when middleweight Peter Manfredo Jr., a finalist and star in the first season of the TV reality series The Contender, and super middleweight Aaron Pryor Jr., son and namesake of the 1996 International Hall of Fame inductee, headline the co-feature main events.

Manfredo Jr. (36-6, 20 KOs, IBF #9, WBC #11), born and raised in Providence, RI, will meet Haitian-American Daniel Edouard (23-3-2, 14 KOs), born in Jersey City, N.J. but spending most of his time outside Port-au-Prince helping there following the hurricane.

Cincinnati native Pryor Jr. (15-2, 11 KOs), with his father and former WBA and IBF 140-pound world champion in his corner, takes on Worcester, Mass. resident Edwin Rodriguez (17-0, 13 KOs, WBA #15, WBC #25).

Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside while studio host Brian Kenny will present the latest boxing news. Friday will also feature a piece detailing what has happened to Manfredo Jr. since leaving The Contender.

Media Contact: Dan Quinn (860) 766-2234; dan.quinn@espn.com

The Protection of Manny Pacquiao & Miguel Cotto: The Bob Arum Agenda -- Ringside Report

By Idris “Drees” Newton, Ringside Report

New year, same old Bob Arum, with Miguel Cotto slated to return to the ring early March, Top Rank is staying true to form and has been shopping possible foes such as Ricardo Mayorga, Vanes Martirosyan and Pawel Wolak; apropos, I’m sure none of you can tell me who they are without first looking them up (no way you can prove me wrong, so just let it go). HBO, whom want no parts of such a “who cares” kind of fight, told Top Rank to keep shopping (I’m paraphrasing of course). I’m sure HBO shares my sentiment when I ask, “Could he possibly think anybody would be interested in seeing any of these guys in the ring with Cotto”, besides of course his largely Puerto Rican following.

This is no surprise to me, Arum is a perpetual “Under matcher”, always making sure to set bouts where his fighters ultimately have the advantage in boxing attributes. Unless, he promotes both fighters and is in a win/win kind of scenario, Arum has a keen eye for making the optimal match for his pocket rather than the best fight for boxing fans i.e. Pacman/Clottey, Pacman/De La Hoya (washed up), Pacman/Hatton (Washed up), Pacman/Margarito and last and maybe the very least (Drum roll please) SHANE MOSLEY!?!? WHAT!?!? If that doesn’t make you want to puke then you should’ve auditioned for “Fear Factor”. Boxing takes a big credibility hit every time Top Rank holds a press conference.

I contend that it is Arum and not “Pacman” (afraid of needles) or “Money” that torpedoed that mega fight. Arum has very negative feelings toward Floyd stemming from a very tumultuous history filled with resentment and feelings of betrayal on the part of Arum and Top Rank caused by Mayweather’s decision to leave the promoter in 2006. While Arum, again trying to make himself more money by pitting Floyd with his then unknown fighter (Antonio Margarito), who would have been an easy victory for “Money” (and a lesser draw, as far as PPV buys, I believe), for a measly eight million, instead of getting the big money fight Floyd wanted against a De La Hoya, or a primed Mosley or a still Dangerous Kostya Tszyu.

Floyd knew then what we are all beginning to realize now, that Bob Arum and Top Rank are not in the business of making good fights they are in the business of acting. Acting as if, Clottey/Pacquiao was a big fight to pack the Cowboys monstrosity of a stadium. Don’t be fooled folks; it was Arums desire to make a deal with Jerry Jones that created that horrible fight with Clottey and the fact that Richard Schaffer of Golden Boy Promotions (Arum’s Arch enemies, and Floyd’s Co-Promoters) had no interest in “Jerry’s World” as a venue. In other words, no Dallas=no fight, not for Golden Boy, not for Floyd, and certainly not for you and I (The Fans). Simple as that, Bob Arum cared more about sticking it to Floyd and Golden Boy as well as getting the first big fight in the “The Terror Dome” (Cowboys Stadium)

Is this what it has come to boxing fans, Cotto/Mayorga?

Really, no other matches to be made, this is what we have to look forward to? No Margorito/Cotto rematch, who are pretty much even now that we all can assume that Tony was by all accounts a cheater back when they met the first time around. They’ve both gotten shellacked by “Pacman” so the only difference would be the level playing field the fight would be contested on. Why not Cotto/Berto, who wouldn’t want to watch all action spectacle? Berto is about due for a real challenge and Berto is just the right kind of fight. That would jolt him into the names of possible Floyd/Manny matchups instantly. We could use a new face, and exciting young and hungry fighter like Berto to make waves in the division. A welterweight Division that has become boring because of Top Rank’s selfish fight hoarding, and obvious disregard for bettering the sport.

Soon it will be official, the end of the welterweight division that is taking a back seat to the junior welterweight division. A junior welterweight division that is pairing its best fighters in great fights, real competition between the best that the weight class has to offer. All the while Top Rank is content with being a cancer to boxing, producing such an ill advised fight. Cotto/Mayorga, why not give us Cotto/Martinez who has expressed interest in a Cotto match up?

Why?

Because Cotto will lose that’s why and Arum’s last name isn’t Dibella as in Lou Dibella who promotes the Middleweight champ. Can we get this fight on a video game, I don’t think they (Top Rank) would let even that happen. “Sorry kid we’re suing you for playing your video game, we haven’t sold you the rights to kick the crap out of our fighter’s likeness”

Martinez/Cotto, would be a huge money maker, and for once a good reason to have a huge fight in a huge stadium. It would actually be competitive, sure Cotto would lose but still, it’s much better than the wipe out Cotto/Mayorga is destined to be. Complete wipe out, there is no doubt in my mind or Top Rank’s for that matter, this fight will be a land slide victory for Bob and all his cronies. What do we fans need to do to see a good fight now that all but one of Top Rank’s fighters has been exposed? Will they ever match their top guys against someone like a Berto or Martinez, a top fighter with skill and desire and not just a name fighter? I for one don’t see it happening.

Where has it left us, with a fight between Miguel Cotto and who else but washed up Ricardo Mayorga who couldn’t cut it in a short run as a MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighter. Who couldn’t cut it as a boxer back when he was relevant in boxing, rendered useless, a villain in a play to be viewed over and over again always with a new (but old) star looking to re-energize his career (De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad and Shane Mosley) long gone are the days when you made Vernon Forest look like well, you in so many of your late beat downs.

We all felt sorry for you after a while and maybe you missed the empathy of the crowd, shouts of “Leave him alone” like something out of an 80’s nerd gets the girl movie. But you became a bore long ago and you will be a bore once more when you step in the ring with Cotto to reprise your old role as punching bag. Sure you’ll show your chin early on as you do in an entertaining show of bravado and tough, sure you throw a wild haymaker that might catch Cotto on the top of his head at some point but in the end you will be the same old Mayorga. A Mayorga that does not deserve a title shot with any champion. But that’s what he is getting and that’s what we are getting and we have Bobby boy Arum and Top Rank to thank for this farce of a fight.

Source: ringsidereport.com

Larry Holmes: I'm proud of Pacquiao, disgusted by Mayweather -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

Former world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes must have felt like the guy who was called on stage to sing after Frank Sinatra just wowed an audience.

The "Easton Assassin" nobly ruled the (back then) most important weight division in boxing for seven, solid years but unfortunately his predecessor was the charismatic Muhammad Ali.

So, during his reign, Holmes never got the appreciation his exquisite ring skills merited.

Retired since 2002, the 61 year old Holmes, whose has only been living in the small Pennsylvania city since 1957, looks better with the passage of time.

But, at least, Holmes is getting his props, smelling the roses, while he's still above ground.

Holmes does not believe America's top boxer of today, controversial Floyd Mayweather Jr., will enjoy such reverence in his later years.

"I don't think so." Holmes told me in a face to face conversation. "This guy is a little assh----.

"I don't know what his problem is really but Mayweather has got a big chip on his shoulder. He conducts himself like an ass in public, flashing money and all that. These are hard economic times, lot of people can't find jobs and he's flashing all that cash?

"Could he as popular like Sugar Ray Leonard was? Yeah, if he didn't come as such an an assh---. He just comes off as a bad guy. The way he talks, all that bitch this and bitch that, I don't go for that, either. No one's going to call my sister a bitch, call her out of her name, at least not in front of me," Holmes said.

Holmes doesn't expect Mayweather to listen to him. He said that L'il Floyd doesn't even acknowledge that his boxing skills are mainly inherited from his ex-boxer father and former world champion uncle.

"Yeah, he's a good fighter but he got his ability in boxing from them, from his family. But you don't ever hear him speak on that. You got to be humble. You got to be someone who people can like, who they can admire.

Switch the topic of Manny Pacquiao and Holmes lights up.

"I'm proud of Pacquiao for all he's doing. I think Manny brings a lot of excitement to the ring and makes people want to see his fights. Best thing Manny ever did was getting connected with Freddie Roach as his teacher, his trainer."

Holmes said Roach laid the fistic foundation for Pacman just as his own early career tutors did for him.

"Freddie Roach...he's been there," Holmes said. "Freddie was trained by Eddie Futch. I was trained by Ray Arcel and by Freddie Brown. I also had Eddie in my corner sometimes. I had the greatest minds in boxing working with me. Richie Giachetti, he knew boxing but he couldn't demonstrate it like those other guys could.

"That's why we got no heavyweights in America now...we got no teachers like those guys. It's not just the fact that a lot of big guys are playing pro football or basketball."

Nobody taught Holmes how to take the hammer blows of Earnie Shavers, hit the canvas and rise again to fight on to victory.

With a 69-6, 44 KOs record, Holmes is the voice of authority.

He cheers Pacquiao and jeers Mayweather.

Is anyone surprised by that at this point?

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Fernando Montiel to defend titles -- ESPN

By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com

The biggest boxing action often comes in the smallest packages, which is what fight fans are hoping for when unified bantamweight titleholder Fernando Montiel defends his belts against Nonito Donaire on Feb. 19 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The 118-pound world title fight, which kicks off HBO's season of "Boxing After Dark" and pits fighters on the pound-for-pound list, was formally announced Monday.

"Eighteen years ago I promoted a fight with two 108-pound world champions which was one of the greatest events I ever promoted -- Michael Carbajal vs. Humberto Gonzalez at the Las Vegas Hilton," Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said. "It proved to everyone that dynamite can come in all size of packages. Montiel vs. Donaire will feature a matchup between two hard-punching bantamweights that is every bit as explosive as Carbajal-Gonzalez. It's a can't- miss fight and the fans will be assured of seeing a dynamite event."

Montiel, installed as a 2-to-1 underdog by the casino, will be making his fourth title defense and is coming off a second-round knockout of Jovanny Soto in a December non-title bout designed to be his final tune-up before facing Donaire.

Montiel (43-2-2, 33 KOs), who has not lost since 2006, is one of four Mexican fighters to win world titles in three weight divisions along with Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.

He has also won titles at junior bantamweight and flyweight and said he is not concerned about being the underdog against Donaire. In April, Montiel was also the underdog when he went to Japan for a unification bout with Hozumi Hasegawa. Although Montiel was trailing on all three scorecards after three rounds, he stopped Hasegawa in the fourth round to unify two of the major belts.

"This is the kind of fight that motivates me," said Montiel, 31, of Mexico. "I am not worried about Nonito being the favorite. You should run to the sports book and bet me. It is a very important fight for me and a great opportunity to prove that I am one of the best fighters in the world. I expect a tough fight, but I also expect to win."

Said Fernando Beltran, Montiel's co-promoter, "We don't worry about odds. We were 3-to-1 underdogs in Japan when Fernando won a world title."

The 28-year-old Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs), a native of the Philippines who grew up in California, is a former flyweight titlist and interim junior bantamweight titlist. He fought as a bantamweight earlier in his career, but returned to the division on Dec. 4 in his final tune-up before the fight with Montiel and scored a dominant fourth-round knockout of former titlist Wladimir Sidorenko, who many considered to be a formidable opponent.

"Fernando Montiel is the best fighter I have ever faced and certainly the toughest challenge of my professional career," said Donaire, who has scored knockouts in eight of his last nine fights. "It's going to be a battle of strength and will. I'm leaving nothing to chance in training and when the final bell rings on Feb. 19, the Philippines will have another mark in the victory column against Mexico.

"I'm taking on a great champion and I'm going to prove where I stand in boxing. It will not go 12 rounds. I have power. He has power. I want to win by knockout. He wants to win by knockout."

HBO's telecast will open with a scheduled 12-round rematch between Philadelphia welterweight Mike Jones (23-0, 18 KOs) and Mexico's Jesus Soto-Karass (24-5-3, 16 KOs), who fought an action-packed fight Nov. 13 on the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito undercard at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Jones won a majority decision -- 97-93, 95-94 and 94-94 on the scorecards -- in a highly competitive fight. Jones nearly knocked Soto-Karass out in the second round, but he survived and battled back to nearly pull the upset.

Source: sports.espn.go.com

Manny Pacquiao's Adviser Lashes Out at Shane Mosley Criticism -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

In an HBO pay per view televised, Top Rank Promotions bout on Nov. 13 from the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, eight-division king Manny Pacquiao scored a lopsided, unanimous decision rout over ex-titlist Antonio Margarito, adding the vacant junior middleweight (154 pounds) belt to the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown that he already owned.

The victory was Pacquiao's 13th straight during a run that has included eight knockouts since his last defeat, a March, 2005, unanimous decision loss to Erik Morales, whom Pacquiao has since twice stopped in the third and 10th rounds.

On May 7 in an HBO pay per view contest from the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 knockouts) will defend his WBO belt against 39-year-old three-division, five-time titlist, Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs), a selection for which Pacquiao and his handlers, including Top Rank Promotions CEO, Bob Arum, have taken much criticism.

Many observers consider Mosley to be over the hill, even as Pacquiao's dominance has gained him an aura of invincibility in the eyes of his own fans.

Mosley's not looked good in his past two fights, May's Golden Boy Promotions, lopsided, 12-round unanimous decision loss to six-time champion Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs), and, September's split-decision draw with ex-champion, Sergio Mora (21-1-1, six KOs) that was contested at 154 pounds.

Still, he was chosen over 37-year-old WBO and WBA lightweight king Juan Manuel Marquez (51-5-1, 38 KOs) and 27-year-old WBC welterweight belt-holder Andre Berto (27-0, 21 KOs).




Berto had scored two straight knockouts, respectively, over southpaw former world champion Carlos Quintana (27-3, 22 KOs) in April and hard-punching Freddy Hernandez (29-1, 20 KOs) last month in the eighth and first rounds.

Marquez battled Pacquiao to a disputed draw, and lost a controversial, split-decision, respectively, in May of 2004, and, March, 2008, being knocked down a combined four times over the course of the two bouts.

Last month, Marquez rose from a third-round knockdown to win by an HBO televised, ninth-round knockout over former WBO interim champ Michael Katsidis (27-3, 22 KOs).

During a Monday interview with FanHouse, Pacquiao's adviser, Michael Koncz, defended the selection of Mosley.

"Again, who cares? I'm not too concerned, and nor is Manny, because, we want to do two things -- and when I say, 'we,' I'm speaking for Manny," said Koncz.

"No. 1, we want to entertain the fans, because that's of the utmost importance to Manny. No. 2, we want to generate a paycheck, because that's his living," said Koncz. "Out of the three names that we were giving, this was the best, overall opponent that we could get. Bob Arum never forces anything on us. He gives us options, and then, it's our decision on what we do."

Koncz lashed out at those whom he believes are denigrating Mosley's credentials and, by extension, Pacquiao's accomplishments.

"I mean, what's wrong with Mosley? Mosley is a very talented fighter who has got power in both hands. I mean, when you look at it, Manny has done nothing but taken on larger opponents ever since he fought Oscar De La Hoya, and it has taken the toll at times," said Koncz.

"I mean, Margarito hurt him in the sixth round when he caught Manny with that body shot," said Koncz. "There was similar criticism of Manny before we took the fight with Antonio Margarito, and then, after the fight, they changed their tune."

Koncz pointed to the fact that Mosley staggered Mayweather with a second-round right hand that appeared to have the Las Vegas resident on the verge of suffering his first loss.

"Shane Mosley damn near knocked out Floyd Mayweather," said Koncz, whose negotiations for a bout with Mayweather twice failed. "I think that during rounds one through round five, Mosley is a very, very dangerous opponent."

The 32-year-old Pacquiao and Mosley have three opponents in common -- Margarito (38-7, 27 KOs), Miguel Cotto and Oscar De La Hoya.

Mosley has scored a January 2009, ninth-round knockout over Margarito, this, after having been unanimously decisioned in July of 2007 in his failed bid to earn the WBA welterweight crown from Cotto (35-2, 28 KOs), whom Pacquiao dethroned as WBO 147-pound king by 12th-round stoppage in November of 2009. Cotto is now the WBA's junior middleweight champ.

Pacquiao also debuted as a welterweight with a December, 2008 eighth-round knockout of De La Hoya, whom Mosley decisioned for WBC welterweight belt in June of 2000, and, yet again, in September of 2003 to add the WBC's junior middleweight title to the WBA 154-pound crown that he already owned.

"That's the frustrating part of all of this is that Manny has accomplished so much in boxing. We've taken on Oscar De La Hoya, and we've done this and we've done that. Now, just because a guy is 39 years old, he's pasts his prime and not worth the fight?" said Koncz.

"Manny's career is winding down over the next two years or whatever, so here's a suggestion. Why don't all of those writers and guys who want to criticize us for fighting Mosley -- why don't they pull all of their money together, put it into a pot," said Koncz. "Then, they can give us the guaranteed purse that we're getting with the opponents that we're selecting and we'll fight anybody they want -- Juan Manuel Marquez, Andre Berto or whoever."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com