Mayweather's talk proves easy to trash -- San Antonio Express

By John Whisler, San Antonio Express

In announcing the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Shane Mosley matchup, Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe said his fighter is “happy to set the precedent for random (drug) testing in order to ensure fair and safe contests for all fighters.”

Later, Mayweather, presumably with a straight face, claimed he's trying to clean up boxing.

“I'm trying to clean up sports, period,” he said.

“Pretty Boy” Floyd, formerly the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, is now an anti-drug crusader.

Who knew?

All this is completely laughable, of course.

Mayweather, whose insistence that Manny Pacquiao submit to random blood tests for PEDs killed their proposed megafight, made the same demands of Mosley during talks for their May 1 bout in Las Vegas.

Mosley accepted the terms and signed the contract, giving Mayweather complete control over the drug testing to be implemented, over and above any testing that is required by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

For years, many experts have advocated establishing a federal commission to oversee the sport.

As of today, we have no federal commission. But, apparently, we do have a federal commissioner.

How comforting.

Can't wait for Money May's next move as the nation's new boxing czar.

Mayweather does deserve credit on a couple of fronts. He stepped up and agreed to fight Mosley, who even at 38 is generally considered one of the best welterweights in the world.

And the blood-testing demands Mayweather made of Mosley matched the ones he made of Pacquiao.

But let's not get carried away here. Mayweather's motives weren't altogether pure.

If there's anything we've learned about Mayweather over the years, it's that he's highly sensitive to criticism.

He's been accused of handpicking his opponents throughout his career in order to avoid fighting the best of the best.

And if the blood-testing demands of Mosley were not the same ones he made of Pacquiao, then the Pacquiao demands would ring hollow and appear to be nothing more than a silly ploy to get under the Filipino fighter's skin.

Or worse, it would look like Mayweather was ducking Pacquiao.

So Mayweather and his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, have done an excellent job of reading the tea leaves and anticipating public perception.

That's the bottom line and the primary motive behind Mayweather's actions.

Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy, which also promotes Mosley, lauded his fighters for “paving the way for big money fights to be above reproach, with no possibility of either fighter being dirty.”

Baloney.

Mosley is so desperate for a major payday and a chance to repair his tainted reputation that he agreed to Mayweather's demands.

Mosley, you might recall, admitted to a grand jury that he used PEDs prior to a 2003 victory over De La Hoya.

Mayweather is merely trying to save face after screwing up the Pacquiao negotiations. He simply overreacted to Pacquiao's contract demand for a $10 million penalty for each pound either fighter weighed in over the 147-pound limit.

In September, Mayweather was fined $600,000 for weighing in 2 pounds over the 144-pound limit for the Juan Manuel Marquez fight.

Mayweather should have demanded the clause in the Pacquiao contract be removed. Nothing more. Nothing less.

And then there's this: If Mayweather is so intent on cleaning up sports, why did he wait so long — 40 fights into his career — to launch such a noble crusade?

jwhisler@express-news.net

Source: mysanantonio.com

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Mark Wahlberg: "My Son Is Obsessed With Boxing" -- Celebrity Baby Scoop

Celebrity Baby Scoop

Growing up as the youngest of nine siblings, Mark Wahlberg says he learned at a young age to stand up for himself. It's a lesson that he's passing on to his oldest son Michael, 4 next month.

The 38-year-old star of The Departed said on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night, "My son is obsessed with boxing. I took him to see Manny Pacquiao yesterday at the Wild Card Gym [in Hollywood]. I have a boxing ring at home because I did [the film The Fighter], so I put up a ring in my backyard. As soon as we got home he wanted to go in the ring and just pound the crap out of me. And we did that again today. He puts on the gloves, he tells me to get on my hands and my knees and put my hands behind my back and he just punches me as hard as he can."

Mark admits that he could be in trouble as Michael gets older: "Fun for him, not for me. The kid's starting to hit hard, I had a bit of a headache."

Though he thinks that "it's good that he's learning already to hit and not be hit," Mark does say they had to teach Michael to save his punches for daddy after they got a call from a teacher.

"We've actually had that call once and now he knows that it's only play with daddy, in the ring, and that's it."

Mark and his wife Rhea Durham are also parents to Ella, 6, Brendon, 1, and new baby Grace, 1 month.

Source: celebritybabyscoop.com

Floyd Mayweather still wonders why Manny Pacquiao wouldn't take a '$25 million drug test' -- Grand Rapids Press

By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press

As Floyd Mayweather squeezes in his last pre-training-camp shots at normal life during NBA all-star festivities in Dallas, he allowed for some postmortem parting shots at Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather is right where he expected to be this spring, on the verge of the biggest fight in boxing, although not against Pacquiao. His May 1 showdown against Shane Mosley is the most anticipated event on the sport’s docket, since the most anticipated theoretical one fell apart on a single negotiating point -- drug testing.

In an exclusive interview in the wee hours of Saturday morning, Mayweather made a few things clear about the welterweight showdown that wasn’t, and the one that is.

The Grand Rapids native is excited about a fight more than a decade in the making.

“Shane Mosley is going down in the Hall of Fame,” Mayweather said. “I truly believe that. And I’m proud to say I want to face the best guys. I want to face Hall of Famers. Why not? Those are extras for me. I can hold my head high and say, ‘This is what I’ve done.’”

And to Mosley saying his speed and power can solve the 40-0 riddle, Mayweather offered a yawning response.

“Everybody always says they have a remedy,” he said. “Everybody always says, ‘Oh, I hit hard, I’m fast, I’m strong.’ I only have one thing to say -- they’re not as smart as me.”

There will be ample opportunity to discuss Mayweather-Mosley, which trumped Pacquiao’s March 13 bout against Joshua Clottey.

Until then, the question remains what the future holds for Mayweather-Pacquiao.

And this may be the answer: Even sterner testing than Mayweather agreed to before talks failed, and revamped purses if Pacquiao-Clottey pay-per-view numbers fall well short of Mayweather-Mosley numbers.

Mayweather’s last offer on a fight negotiated to a 50-50 split -- with $25 million each, plus pay-per-view percentages -- was a 14-day window before the fight with no blood testing.

“I gave him a chance, up to 14 days out. But my new terms are all the way up to the fight. They can come get us whenever, all the way up to the fight, random drug test. That’s what it is,” Mayweather said.

And if, as expected, Mayweather-Mosley greatly outperforms Pacquiao-Clottey, 50-50 is history.

“Instead of 20 or 25 (million dollars), he may have to drop to 15, or 17,” Mayweather said. “And you know me, they may have to throw that extra five or 10 on mine, and we can rock and roll. Take it or leave it.”

Mayweather’s emphasis on Olympic-style drug testing was lambasted by those who saw it as dodging Pacquiao.

“What the world was trying to see was the abnormal,” he said. “But the thing is this: I’ve never seen a guy who didn’t want to take a $25 million drug test. If you’re clean, take the drug test.

“In my clause, he told me that if you weigh over 147, I had to pay him $10 million for each pound. I agreed. But he didn’t agree to my terms. And we both would’ve had to take tests. It wasn’t just steered toward him. It was both me and him.”

Pacquiao subsequently sued Mayweather, and others, alleging defamation.

“He can file a lawsuit,” Mayweather said. “I never came out on record and said that he was on nothing. All I’m saying is why don’t you want to take a $25 million drug test?”

Mayweather said he is “absolutely proud” of his stance for random blood and urine testing for all future fights, to which Mosley agreed.

“If it was all about money for me, I would’ve said ‘I don’t care what Manny Pacquiao does, just give me the money, I’ll take it,’ ” he said. “But it’s me taking a stand for something that means something. And it’s for the fighters who are up and coming.

“It’s sort of the same stance Martin Luther King and Malcolm X made, so we could have freedoms, so everybody could tell the world that we’re equal. The only thing I’m saying is that we are equal. So if you’re not on nothing and I’m not on nothing, then let’s go take the test. That’s all I’m saying."

E-mail David Mayo at dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo

Source: mlive.com

Donaire Gets Cakewalk Win Over Undersized Foe Vargas -- The Sweet Science

By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science

Nonito Donaire looked rock-solid in the main event of the Latin Fury-Pinoy Power PPV card from the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday night. But he was a super flyweight in with a man who battled as a minimumweight/straw-weight boxer, so no one should lose themselves in exultation at the third round stoppage victory for the "Filipino Flash." For those of you unfamiliar with that weight class, that meant Manuel Vargas weighed in at 105 pounds for that September bout against Donnie NIetes. For this scrap, he was 114 pounds, but Vargas may as well have been 100 pounds, dripping wet with flop sweat as he readied himself to surrender to the heavy handed Donaire (115 pounds; 22-1; from General Santos City, Philippines).

The challenger Vargas (age 28; 26-4-1 entering; from Mexico; ex straw-weight champ) took the bout on just three days notice, after Gerson Guerrero failed an eye exam. He was in the gym training for a March 12 bout, against 108 pound champion Rodel Mayol, so he was keen to make more money, and fight on a bigger stage. This was a non-title affair. The official time of the finish was 1:33 of the third. Donaire landed 35 punches of 106 thrown, while Vargas landed just four of 45.

In case anyone out there was fantasizing about a PPV price markdown, what with the switcheroo of foes, let it be said that Guerrero may well not have made it past three himself. His record isn't built on the firmest of foundations...

In the first, the 27-year-old Donaire, whose sole loss came in his second pro outing, showed a height and reach edge, in a big way. There looked to be a two division gap between the men. The latecomer backed up, mostly to his left. When he came forward, he paid; a left hook clanked his head with a minute to go. Donaire is such a calm customer, and he looked to be totally non flustered by anything Vargas showed him. In the second, a right hand buzzed the underdog. Then another. It didn't look like we'd see the sixth, let alone a distance scrap. Vargas' mouth hung open, but he wasn't shy. He'd hurl the occasional overhand right that Donaire evaded with relative ease. In the third, Donaire dropped Vargas with a left-right-left-right-left combo, and he lay on his back, cooked. Ref Joe Cortez counted to ten.

Gerry Penalosa (age 37; from the Phillipines; , a 20 year pro; 54-7-2 entering; two time world champ; 118 pounds) took on Eric Morel (34; born in Puerto Rico; 1996 Olympian; ex fly champ; 117 pounds; 41-2 entering) in a fight for the vacant WBO world bantamweight crown. Morel used his legs to great effect, and came away with a split decision win (115-113 for Morel, 115-113 for Penalosa, 116-112 for Morel), a decision at odds with the announcers working the show. TSS agreed with the 116-112 Duane Ford card for Morel, liking his dialed in pugilism, while as always coming away with mad respect for Penalosa's cajones.

Morel looked the peppier of the two thirtysomethings in the first. He circled left, away from Gerry's left. The Filipino got the right hook to the body untracked in the second. Morel tried to take some steam out with a groinshot. Morel came out with a pile of power shots to start the third, sending a message. But really his legs spoke loudest; his mobility if used properly could give him an edge. Gerry's left eye swelled up by this juncture. In the fourth, Morel moved well but where was the O? It came at the end of the round actually, maybe enough to get the judges' nod. Morel didn't slow down in the fifth, but we wondered if he could stay energized and moving for the duration. In the sixth, the action stopped for a head clash. Gerry's right eye was cut. Then his left eye sprung a leak, again from an accidental head bump. The doc looked at Gerry, and he pronounced him fit to continue.

In round seven, Morel kept on keeping on, getting in, getting off, and getting away. That is, until a minute left, when Gerry landed a combo. The blood from the left eye bothered Gerry's vision in the eighth, but he kept chugging forward. He won the round, as Morel's dancing dropped off. In round nine, Morel was back on message, but Penalosa's body work was sharp. In the 10th, Morel's ring generalship looked to be the difference, if you are the sort who prizes that, even if there wasn't excessive offense to augment it. In the 11th, Morel didn't fade. He kept clear of Gerry's power launches, but was he throwing enough to win the rounds? He was on my card. In the last round, Morel kept on his Segway, maybe too much for what was almost certainly a megatight fight. We'd go to the cards. Steve Farhood had Gerry up big, Al Bernstein a bit less, and Nick Charles also saw Gerry the victor. TSS did not. The stats said: Morel went, while Gerry was.

Champ Fernando Montiel (age 30; from Mexico; three division champ; 118 pounds; 39-2-2 entering) hooked up with Ciso Morales (118 pounds; 14-0 entering; from the Philippines), in a defense of his WBO 118 pound belt. Montiel likes to sweep with the left hook and voila. Morales ate one, to the gut, and went down with a minute left. He hit the deck, laying on his belly, and couldn't beat Robert Byrds' count. On replay, viewers saw that it wasn't a groin shot, but a belt-line crack thrown as Morales jabbed, which felled the kid. He didn't protest a crotchshot, for the record. The time: 2:06 of the first.

Filipino Bernabe Concepcion (age 22; 126 pounds; 29-2-1 coming in) won a UD10 from Puerto Rican Mario Santiago (age 31; 126 pounds; 21-1-1 entering) in the TV opener, and put himself ahead in the JuanMa sweepstakes. The lefty Santiago circled, and used his jab to good effect in the first. Bernie did get off a sharp right with Santiago's back to the ropes two minutes in. Manny Pacquiao sat in the audience, rooting on the fellow Filipino. Bernie got heated in the second, and his right hand touched up the Puerto Rican multiple times. Bernie fired after the bell in the third, showing distaste for a low blow earlier on. Santiago backed up, but it was hard to decipher his strategy in doing so. He didn't counter smartly, make Bernie pay if he got out of position. Why wasn't he using a heigh and reach advantage, his corner wondered. Bernie scored a knockdown off a right at 1:40 of the sixth. Could he finish? Santiago got his head, and his legs looked solid enough to stick around awhile. Santiago indeed got something done with body shots in the ninth. He knew he needed a late surge. That came in the tenth--he forged ahead, and got aggressive, and whaled away. A right uppercut was sharp, and he snapped with both hands. Where was this furor the rest of the way? He gestured at and screamed at Bernie, and won the last round by a wide margin. We'd go to the cards. 98-91, 96-93, 97-92, they said, all for the Filipino. He went 145-387 and Santiago was 149-789, supposedly, but this was a clear case of the stats giving a mistaken impression. So, how will Concepcion fare in a WBO featherweight title crack against JuanMa? He'll be the underdog, let's put it that way. JuanMa will like his lack of volume, his squared up style, his lack of pinpoint accuracy.

SPEEBAG Pacquiao took the mike and talked up his foundation, the Manny Pacquiao Foundation, which is accepting donations to help defray medical costs for the Filipino fighter Z Gorres, who suffered a brain injury in his last bout, against Luis Melendez on Nov. 13 in Las Vegas. TSS readers can send money to: The Manny Pacquiao Foundation C/O Top Rank Boxing, 3980 Howard Hughes Blvd Suite 580, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109.

---Afterwards, Donaire said he'd next like to fight Darchinyan next.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Antonio Margarito won't fight in Dallas -- Los Angeles Times

By Bill Dwyre, Los Angeles Times

The proposed undercard appearance of suspended boxer Antonio Margarito will not take place March 13.

Margarito, former world champion at 147 pounds, had been in line to fight in a semi-main event prior to the Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. But Bob Arum of Top Rank, Margarito's promoter, said those plans have now changed. Arum said that Margarito would fight on a card May 8 in Aguascalientes, Mexico. He will be the main-event boxer in that one.

Margarito was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission after his upset loss to Shane Mosley at Staples Center in January 2009. Prior to that fight, it was discovered, by Mosley's trainer, that Margarito had a plaster-like substance in his hand wraps under his gloves.

Margarito's suspension allowed him to re-apply for a license for the first time Thursday. But the California commission that suspended him is balking at that, calling his violation severe. Some officials in the sport believe that, despite California's objections, other states may give him a license. In general, a suspension in one state is not lifted for another unless the original state signs off.

"We are tabling everything right now," Arum said. "We want our lawyers to look carefully at the case."

The presumption is that there will be talks with California commission lawyers as well before any further movement takes place.

Margarito, one of the bigger Mexican boxing stars after the retirement of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, is 31 and has a 37-6 record, including 27 knockouts.

Arum said the Dallas undercard spot would be filled by a title match at 135 pounds between Humberto Soto and David Diaz.

Source: latimes.com

Montiel blasts out Morales in one -- 15Rounds

By Marc Abrams, 15Rounds.com

Fernando Montiel remained his WBO Bantamweight title with a body shot knockout over Ciso Morales.

Montiel landed a left to the body and a grazing right that sent Morales down for referee Robert Byrd’s ten count and the bout was waved off at 2:06.

Montiel, 118 lbs of Los Mochis, Mexico is now 40-2-2 with thirty knockouts. Morales, 118 lbs of Talabon Bohol, Philippines is now 14-1.

Gerry Penalosa turned back the clock and fought through two nasty cuts but showed his experience but still came up on the short end of a close split decision loss to Eric Morel in a WBO Interim Bantamweight title bout.

Morel boxed very well over the over the first few rounds as he jabbed and moved in and out befuddling Penalosa. That didn’t last long as Penalosa was very patient and began to apply pressure in little bunches as he would land some pesky three and four punch combinations. In round six, two accidental headbutts opened up two separate cuts around the eyes of Penalosa but despite the blood, the fight was allowed to continue and that seemed to light a fire under Penalosa.

Penalosa looked to be getting the better of the action over the second half of the fight with his work rate whereas Morel would land some jabs and move but not many power shots behind them. Penalosa could very well have taken five of the last six rounds but it wasn’t to be as Morel got the split decision by scored of 116-112; 115-113 with Penalosa gaining a card 115-113.

Morel, 117 lbs of Madison, WI vis San Juan , PR now will gain a shot at Fernando Montiel with a record of 42-2. Penalosa, 118 lbs of San Caious, Philippines is now 54-8-2.

Bernabe Concepcion hung on for a unanimous decision over Mario Santiago in a Featherweight elimination bout.

Concepcion had a lot of success early as he landed winging rights hands and backed up Santiago with some flush shots. Santiago was jabbing but little else as he ate those shots. In round six, a booming right sent Santiago to the deck and and he was hurt. Concepcion tried to end things but Santiago held him off and landed a enough shots that Concepcion was backing off towards the end of the round.

Concepcion took the next couple rounds to build up his comfortable lead on the cards. Santiago got foing towards the end of the ninth and carried that momentum into the final round as he rocked Concepcion with a barrage of punches against the ropes and Concepcion looked to be in trouble. Concepcion tried to fire back in a wildly entertaining exchange that thrilled the crowd for the last thirty seconds of the fight.

It was too little, too late for Santiago as Concepcion, 126 lbs of Catandunes, Philippines, won by scores of 98-91; 96-93; 97-92 to raise his record to 28-3-1and earn a shot at WBO champion Juan Manuel Lopez in June. Santiago, 126 lbs of Ponce, Puerto Rico is now 21-2-1.

Source: 15rounds.com

Roger Mayweather lays it all out -- Examiner

By T.K. Stewart, Examiner.com

Ask former two-time world champ and current boxing trainer Roger Mayweather a question about the sport and you will always receive an answer. He is of course the trainer and uncle of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who will face Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas.

“Shane Mosley ain’t goin’ to beat Floyd,” said the mercurial Mayweather during a brief conversation. “It don’t matter if I was his uncle or not - I’d still say the same thing. All you gotta’ do is ask yourself one question. Shane lost to Cotto, right? Would Cotto beat Floyd? I think even you know the answer to that.

“I’ll tell you what this whole fight is gonna’ come down to,” continued Mayweather. “Shane Mosley can’t out think Floyd and that right there is all you need to know about it. He can’t out think him. Floyd’s too smart.”

While Floyd, who will be 33 by the time the fight takes place, is undefeated at 39-0, Roger says that the way to beat him, if anybody could, “Is with the jab. You gotta’ be able to probably hit Floyd with the jab, back him up and then get him on the ropes. Oscar did good, ‘cause Oscar got a good jab, he made it close. Thing is though, ain’t nobody out there can do that, you know what I mean?”

Many within the industry feel that perhaps Mosley, 38, could be the one to seriously test Floyd, but the opinionated Roger sees things differently.

“No, Shane don’t have the jab that he needs in order to hit Floyd. He’s got the speed, you know, the handspeed, but he ain’t got the jab. So, without the jab, how’s he gonna’ hit Floyd. To get to Floyd you gotta’ have the jab.”

Roger, however, did not totally dismiss Mosley as he has others that have challenged Floyd in the past.

“It will be a good fight, a good fight,” said Roger, 48, who is currently free on $13,000 bail and is facing battery and coercion charges from a Las Vegas incident last August with a woman he previously trained. If found guilty, he is facing from 3 to 16 years in prison. The trial is set to begin June 1.

“Shane Mosley is a good fight for anyone,” Roger theorizes. “But see, the thing here, the thing here is that he ain’t gonna’ be able to hit Floyd with the jab and he damn sure can’t outbox him. Then, like I said, he can’t out think him neither. So, since he can’t do none of them three things, then he in trouble.”

Source: examiner.com

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Upcoming bouts help ease pain of blockbuster cancellation

By George Willis, New York Post

Though the frustration, skepticism and finger pointing over the failed negotiations for a bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao haven't totally subsided, the dark cloud is starting to lift. At least there's something to look forward to.

Pacquiao will defend his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium, and Mayweather has signed to fight WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley on May 1 in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins finally will stage a rematch on April 3 to settle their 17-year-old feud, and Kelly Pavlik will defend his middleweight title against Sergio Martinez on April 17 in Atlantic City.

The case can be made boxing is picking itself off the canvas.

Now only if the blood-testing controversy would go away. The 800-pound elephant is out of the barn, and the issue isn't going away anytime soon. Though Mosley has agreed to Mayweather's demand for random blood testing, the issue didn't come up in the talks for Jones-Hopkins II, even though Jones tested positive for steroids after a fight in 2000 with Richard Hall in Indianapolis and Hopkins is a 45-year-old marvel who seemingly is defying age. If there is suspicion about Pacquiao, why shouldn't there be suspicion about Jones or Hopkins?

"Why would we need all that? We didn't do that the first time," Jones said of the lack of testing. "If he is doing something because he's 45 years old, I'm still going to beat him. He could have been doing it the first time. Who knows? I'm still going to beat him so it doesn't matter to me. That's how much better than him I think I am."

Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, represented Mayweather in his failed negotiations with Pacquiao and acted as the mediator in talks between Mosley, a Golden Boy partner, and Mayweather. Schaefer hopes the controversy about blood testing begins to quiet down.

"I do believe the time is here to introduce blood testing to the sport of boxing, but it's not up to me," Schaefer said. "I'm not the commissioner. If a fighter asks for specific contractual deal terms as far as blood testing or the size of the ring or the gloves, they basically become contractual deal points.

"It's too bad [Mayweather-Pacquiao] didn't happen, but the world goes on. We should all take a step back and stop talking about Mayweather and Pacquiao. Let's focus on [Mayweather-Mosley]. Who knows? Maybe down the road that other fight is going to happen. Maybe it won't. The fact is boxing goes on."

**

Jones said he likely will retire at the end of this year. "I'll do it this year and probably call it a day," he said. Some would suggest Jones should have retired in 2004 when he was knocked out in back-to-back fights with Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson. Six years later, he's coming off a first-round TKO defeat to Danny Green last December in Australia, making Jones 5-5 in his past 10 bouts, including three losses by knockout.

"Had I got knocked out and stayed down, I would have been concerned," Jones said. "But I've got two knock downs and a knockout. The first [Antonio] Tarver knockdown I got up. They just stopped the fight. The only time I got knocked out was against Glen Johnson and my body was totally dehydrated then. If I was getting knocked out every time or every time I got hit in the gym I was getting hurt, I wouldn't be out there. I wouldn't waste my time fighting. But that's not the case."

**

Spike TV will broadcast "Facing Ali" at 9 p.m. Monday. The documentary delves into the life of Muhammad Ali through the eyes of 10 fighters who faced him in the ring, including Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Larry Holmes.

george.willis@nypost.com

Source: nypost.com

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Why Valero must quit ring for the sake of boxing -- Mirror

By Barry Mcguigan, Mirror.co.uk

Edwin Valero is now a champion in recess, as the WBC call it, which means his lightweight world title is up for grabs.

The idea is to give Valero time for the gash on his head - sustained against Antonio DeMarco last week - to heal and for him to test the waters at light-welterweight.

I wonder if the real issue is being overlooked here. Texas remains the only state in the United States in which he can fight.

That is no accident.

Reports of the brain scan from New York State came as a shock when I learned the findings.

Valero suffered a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain after falling off a motor cycle in 2001. He was not wearing a helmet.

He had an operation to repair the damage and was declared fit to box by the Venezuela authorities.

It was not until the New York State scan that the extent of his injuries were revealed. The fact that he had a traumatic brain injury, a tear inside the cranium in the most vulnerable part of the brain, means he should never box again in my view. That is a devastating conclusion to reach for such a talented fighter but not as desperate as the consequences might be of fighting on.

He is a phenomenal fighter, one I tipped for greatness during his battle for the right to fight in the United States.

But the bottom line is I don't believe boxing can take the risk knowing what we know now.

The ramifications of allowing a boxer who has had a subdural haematoma into the ring could be disastrous.

I accept that Valero, and Marco Antonio Barrera, have fought on without obvious consequences following operations to drain blood from the brain.

But that is not to say there won't be any. The risk is just too great, particularly in championship bouts.

There are also the long-term effects to consider. Brain injuries sometimes take a while to play out leading to dementia or some impaired brain function much later. Valero is a knockout artist. He goes to war in the ring, which is the attraction of him.

But it is a style that leaves him vulnerable in elite class. From a technical point of view, Valero fights recklessly. Yes, he was more measured against DeMarco last week, but could he hold himself back against Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather? Championship bouts in Las Vegas have a way of hitting the adrenalin button. As it is, Valero throws shots like he is looking over a fence with his head stuck up in the air.

That is OK when the opponent is so scared by his reputation that he is already running away. And no wonder. Valero has ko'd each of his 27 opponents.

But against a Pacquiao or a Mayweather, Valero would get the opposite response. Both exploit any technical vulnerabilities.

A bout against either, or a Juan Manuel Marquez for that matter, would be dangerous for Valero.

It is not simply about him. What if he were to suffer a fatal injury in the ring? Subdural haematomas are the most common cause of boxing deaths.

I know what it is like to suffer the effects of a death in the ring.

There is not a day goes by when I don't think of Young Ali. No fighter should have to go through that.

The pressure for Valero to fight in Las Vegas will increase as he goes through the gears. For the sake of boxing and Valero himself, the answer should still be no.

Check Out My Website: www.barrymcguigan.com

Source: mirror.co.uk

Fernando Montiel Wants 'Big Fight' After Ciso Morales -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Although he weighed in at the bantamweight limit of 118 pounds for Saturday night's clash at the Las Vegas Hilton, Fernando Montiel opponent, Ciso Morales, represented a large obstacle in more ways than one.

Listed at only an inch taller than Montiel at 5-foot-5, the slender Morales looked to be bigger. And his nickname, "Kid Terrible," makes him every bit the threat that he's supposed to be.

"I know Ciso Morales is a very hungry fighter," said Montiel, who, at the age of 30, is eight years older than the 22-year-old Morales. "I know that he is coming to take my title."

Montiel (39-2-2, 29 KOs), of Los Mochis, Mex., will be riding an 8-0-1 unbeaten streak that includes five knockouts when he steps into the ring opposite Morales (14-0, eight KOs), of Bohol, Philippines, to defend his WBO crown.

Morales is a youngster whom many compare favorably to seven-division titlist, Manny Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), the cross-over Filipino superstar who will defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title against Joshua Clottey on March 13 at The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium.

Montiel-Morales will be an undercard bout to Saturday night's main event of Top Rank's Latin Fury 13-Pinoy Power III pay-per-view card, featuring 27-year-old WBA interim super flyweight (115 pounds) champ Nonito Donaire (22-1, 14 KOs) of the Philippines defending his belt against 28-year-old Manuel Vargas (26-4-1, 11 KOs) of Jalisco, Mexico, in the main event.

The show also has Puerto Rican-born, 34-year-old former WBA flyweight (112 pounds) king Eric Morel (41-2, 21 KOs), of Madison, Wis., facing 37-year-old, southpaw, former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa (54-7-2, 36 KOs), of Cebu, Philippines, in a WBO 118-pound title eliminator.

Also on the card is a featherweight clash between 31-year-old Puerto Rican southpaw Mario Santiago (21-1-1, 14 KOs) going up against 22-year-old Bernabe Concepcion (29-2-1, 17 KOs), of Rizal, Philippines.

"Montiel has been one of the premiere fighters for a while. And if he gets by Morales, then he's going to fight the Morel-Penalosa winner," said Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank Promotions.

"That's only if he gets by this guy -- and that's a big 'if,'" said Arum, "Because the guy is a young, hungry fighter, this Morales, who is very, very good."

Montiel last suffered defeat in May of 2006, via split-decision to Jhonny Gonzalez during his bid to earn that same crown.

Coming off of September's three-round, technical draw with Alejandro Valdez, Montiel said that he realizes what is ahead of him should he defeat the energetic Morales.

"At this stage in my career, I want a big fight against big names like Nonito Donaire," said Montiel, who earned the interim WBO belt with a third-round knockout of Diego Oscar Silva in March.

"I know that I have to stay patient and not get wild on Saturday night," said Montiel. "I am really looking forward to this fight."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

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