Floyd Mayweather JR & Muhammad Ali: The Common Factor – Both are Scum -- Ringside Report

By Siri Karri, Ringside Report

Chances are that if you know anything about anything of current day boxing, you’ve heard of the Klitschko brothers. Granted they aren’t mentioned in the same breath as Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather, but you’ve at least heard of them. They’re kind of like Kevin Bacon; you don’t have to see any of his movies but as soon as someone mentions him you go, “Hey, I’ve heard that name before!”.

For those who don’t know, Vitali Klitschko is a 6 foot 7, 42-2 heavyweight whose only losses came via shoulder injury against famed boxers Chris Byrd and cut against Lennox Lewis. His younger brother Wladimir is a 6 foot 5, 53-3 heavyweight and between them both, they hold the WBC, IBF, IBO, and WBO belts. They are the best boxers that barely anyone’s heard of.

And it’s not their fault.

In any combat sport, the heavyweight division is often considered the most prestigious. The men who compete in it have won the genetic lottery, towering over the mere mortals in the audience as their blows pack spine-tingling power. It’s no surprise that fighters who’ve truly united the boxing world are most often found at heavyweight: Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, etc. So it’s no surprise that when the heavyweight division is filled with so few noteworthy names, the Klitschko dominance flies under the radar. But that’s not the real problem.

The real problem is the fans. Specifically it seems . . . American fans.

Now I’ll admit right now that I prefer MMA to Boxing, but that doesn’t mean I’m not a boxing fan. I am just as enthusiastic about fights like Marquez vs. Diaz as I am Griffin vs. Bonnar. Being the cynical teenager I am however, I am willing to point out the flaws in everything and today it’s boxing fans’ turn to put their heads on the chopping block.

I want you to think of some of the most famous, notable, biggest draw fighters. I’m not talking about just famous, I’m talking about people that catapulted boxing to the forefront of the sporting world on their shoulders alone.

Floyd Mayweather? Roy Jones Jr.? Hell let’s take it back a little further: Muhammad Ali? These are all men who not only captivated the boxing scene on their shoulders, but probably defined their respective weight division(s) through their ability. You know what else they have in common?

They were all A-holes. That’s right A-holes. Dick pistons. Men whose behavior resemble more that of a 10 year old trying to act cool for his brother’s friends than professional athletes.

Maybe it’s because I’m foreign born, but I never understood why Muhammad Ali is worshipped the way he is. He was unbearably arrogant, and he treated rival Joe Frazier like crap. Seriously, when Ali’s boxing license was revoked Frazier helped him out financially . . . and then Ali turned around and used racial slurs to hype up their third meeting in Manila. There are SO many talented, championship boxers . . . and this is the one who becomes a cultural icon?

No other sport has this problem.

Basketball? Isaiah Thomas and Michael Jordan may have made war on the basketball court, but they never engaged in the immature verbal battles on the level that boxers do. Whenever Isaiah did lash out, it was HIS popularity that suffered while Jordan’s soared. Tennis? Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the most polite men in the sporting world period . . . and they are also the two most revered tennis players as of this writing. Baseball? Roger Clemens may have been good, but his arrogance definitely didn’t help the Yankees gain any new fans.

But Siri! None of those are combat sports, which has an entirely different subculture surrounding it . . . bleated the sheep. Alright, let Siri provide you with an example from MMA, boxing’s chief competition.
On April 10, 2010, Anderson Silva (arguably the best fighter in the world) defended his title against lankly contender Damien Maia. Clearly dominating the fight, Anderson Silva began showboating and dancing around his hurt opponent instead of finishing him off. Do you want to know what happened? Anderson Silva was REVILED, his fan-base turning away in disgust. Look at fighters like Roy Jones Jr. who showboated in the ring, seeking to express their ego’s much in the manner of a chimpanzee attempting to attract a mate. These fighters became loved for their antics instead of blasted for their immaturity.
Look at the Klitschko brothers. It’s not like they’re boring.

Both are granite chinned punchers who have a host of finishes under their belt. They are imposing physical specimens who have redefined the heavyweight jab as a legitimate threat. By professional athletic standards they are some of the most educated, well spoken, and humble men in the world. I mean, seriously . . . they both have PhDs.

So why in god’s name has it taken a loud mouthed wannabe like David Haye to draw true attention to a Klitschko fight? I’m not angry that this fight is getting hyped; it’s going to be one of the best big man fights in recent memory and I’m happy it’s beginning to get the attention it deserves. But why must they rely on this annoying gum-flapping to generate so much interest for their fights when both brothers shining beacons of what a professional athlete should be?

No seriously, I’m not going to answer this question; I can’t even comprehend the logic behind it.
Is it because they fight out of the Ukraine and are stationed in Germany? I understand that Call of Duty games seem to give the uneducated crowd massive erections with their fictional invasion plot involving Axis and Cold War powers, but I was hoping that brain dead idiots would have enough IQ to realize that while it would be nice to have a hometown heavyweight . . . great foreign fighters should not wane their interest in boxing.

Is it because they’re too damn nice? Has unwarranted and unbridled smack talk (a.k.a. Muhammad Ali) somehow become what America desires in its boxers? So . . . if the Klitschko brothers were uneducated, unrefined and arrogant they would still generate more interest as long as they kept their gums flapping? Yeah sure they could do that . . . as they sip their beer, hit on their relatives and pronounce the name of this country as “Murca”.

This is a time when boxing fans need to be united; our sport (that’s right I’m a fan too) is splintering. We have so many organizations that if you put them all together it would look like alphabet soup. It’s becoming more and more apparent that steroids are common in the sport, and organizers are unwilling to enforce stricter measures lest they lose big fights. Mixed martial arts is quickly siphoning off the younger generation of fans with marketing, variety and good business strategy. And with all of this . . . American fans are simply turning away from two of the best heavyweight boxers on the planet?

Wow guys. Just wow.

Source: ringsidereport.com

David Haye vows to knock out Wladimir Klitschko by the sixth round -- Guardian

By Jamie Jackson, Guardian.co.uk

David Haye believes he will knock out Wladimir Klitschko by the sixth round of their world heavyweight title clash in Hamburg on Saturday. Asked for a prediction Haye said: "I'm not sure [exactly] which round yet – before six. I'd be surprised if he goes past the sixth round."

Klitschko is the IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring magazine champion, and Haye will be defending his WBA belt. The weigh-in was conducted at a sports retailer in the city centre, with Klitschko's supporters largely kept out on his home patch due to the heavy presence of Haye fans. Many of the British boxer's followers sang and chanted, creating a raucous and, at times, unsavoury atmosphere.

Haye does not believe that will have unnerved Klitschko, though. "He's the champion, he's been in this situation many times," he said. "He's stared into the eyes of men who believed they were going to win in the past. He's had enough fights to be able to handle a press conference or weigh-in so he looks confident. But once I start landing my shots and he can't land his, I guarantee he'll start crapping himself.

"The reception [was] tremendous, I don't think Klitschko's ever had to deal with having that type of reception. Every time he's come out everyone has worshipped him and this time round he got a load of boos and jeers."

Haye, who has one defeat and 23 knockouts in his 26 fights, weighed in at 15st 2lb, two pounds more than when he defeated Audley Harrison last November. The 15st 8lb he carried against John Ruiz in early 2010 is the most he has weighed for a fight. Klitschko, who has 55 wins with 49 knockouts and three defeats, was more than two stones heavier than Haye, taking the scales to 17st 5lb.

After the pair had eyeballed each other immediately following the weigh-in Haye was asked what he saw in Klitschko's demeanour. "I saw someone who was ready, hungry and in shape and who believed they were going to win. My prediction is he's going to come out a lot harder than he normally does so he's going to get knocked out quick," he said.

Haye claimed that with Klitschko's superior reach he will need to box him from short range. "Without a doubt you can't allow him to keep you at the end of his jab, you've got to get inside, you've got to let your shots go," he said.

Asked if the 35-year-old likes to bully opponents, Haye said: "Yeah he does, he's used to being bigger and taller with his longer arms so I can't allow him to utilise it.

"This is the biggest fight in boxing, plain and simple. I think the only fight that could match it is Floyd Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao. For various reasons their fight has not happened, and won't happen this year. I'm so proud to be involved in [this] and to be the guy that knocks the other unconscious is going to be a great feeling, to be the main man, at the pinnacle of the heavyweight division."

Haye said it was "unrepeatable" what he had told Klitschko during the weigh-in but the Ukrainian seemed unperturbed. "I've been called a dead man walking before," Klitschko said. "But this dead man keeps walking. And you know what? It's OK the way Haye talks and represents himself. David Haye has been around, talking a lot, and now it is time for the talking to end. I'm angry for the last three years but it has transformed into concentration and motivation now."

Source: guardian.co.uk

Haye looks set to pocket £15million for his fight with Wladimir Klitschko -- Mirror

By DAVID ANDERSON, Daily Mirror

DAVID HAYE will pocket a career-best purse of £15million for his humdinger in Hamburg tonight.

The heavyweight unification clash will be the richest fight ever staged in Europe and WBA title holder Haye and IBF and WBO champion Klitschko have agreed to split the £30m pot 50-50.

TV pay-per-view figures could break the £1m barrier, which would make the contest second only to Ricky Hatton-Floyd Mayweather Jr in UK box office history.

A million pay-per-views would generate around £15m with the fighters pocketing a progressively larger percentage of the £14.95 box office fee – rising to £19.95 today – the more sales are made.

The TV cash will be swollen a further £6m by Luxembourg-based broadcaster RTL, who are screening the fight on terrestrial TV in Germany, and American broadcaster HBO.

The big fight will be watched by millions of viewers worldwide with 150 countries paying to tune in.

A sell-out crowd of more than 45,000 will be packed inside Hamburg’s Imtech Arena, paying between £50 and £1,000 for tickets.

It will be the biggest contest involving a Brit since the Hatton-Mayweather bout broke all records in December 2007.

A source close to Haye’s camp said: “In pure money terms this will be the richest fight in Europe and the final pot could be as much as £30m.

“With the fighters splitting every penny 50-50, they would gross £15m each.”

Source: mirror.co.uk

Mayweather Jr. insists Shane Mosley told him to get Manny Pacquiao tested -- Examiner

By Rick Rockwell, Examiner

The incredible soap opera between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao has taken another crazy turn as the undefeated boxer Floyd announced to the public that Shane Mosley has privately told him to get Manny Pacquiao tested. Apparently, after the May 7th fight between Mosley and Pacquiao, Floyd and Shane had a phone conversation about Manny. On Thursday, Floyd Jr. made the following comments about that conversation, according to Fighthype.com:

"Me and Shane talked and he told me the truth. These words that Shane told me: 'Floyd, if I was you, I'd make Pacquiao take the test'."

Floyd claims that Shane might have regretted not getting Manny tested before their fight on May 7th. Floyd has now thrown Mosley under the bus and it will be interesting to see how Shane responds. Last month, a bogus report came out that Pacquiao was taking PEDs all the way back to his fight with Hatton and De La Hoya. Shane retweeted the report, made a few comments, and then completely backed off of it when he was getting blasted in the media.

If Mosley really has a problem with Pacquiao, then he should publicly come out and say it. Unfortunately, we can't just go off the words of Floyd Jr. when it comes to allegations like this. I guess the $5 million pay day that Mosley received was good enough for him to publicly declare Manny was clean but privately question Pacquiao.

Source: examiner.com

Steward explains why Haye is in trouble against Klitschko -- Ring

By Michael Rosenthal, The Ring

HAMBURG, Germany -- Trainer Emanuel Steward was relaxed as he sank into a plush leather chair in the lobby of a five-star hotel here. It had nothing to do with the serene setting of the InterContinental, which overlooks the picturesque Alster Lake in one of Germany’s most-beautiful cities.

Rather, Steward, a natural worrier, is at peace because he is supremely confident about the prospects of his fighter – heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko -- against David Haye on Saturday.

“Honestly,” he said in a soft voice, almost embarrassed at being so bold, “I don’t think it’ll go much past four rounds.”

Steward chatted for about an hour with RingTV.com, explaining why Klitschkko will beat Haye at what is expected to be an Imtech Arena soccer stadium packed with about 50,000 fans of the Germany-based Ukrainian giant.

Klitschko has obvious advantages in size and experience – he has taken part in 18 world title fights, Haye five – that should play a role in their long-awating showdown.

However, Steward focused on three basic aspects of his fighter’s game he believes will make this a one-sided fight: Footwork he compared to that of Manny Pacquiao, the big man’s now-legendary left jab and a right he said rivals that of any fighter he’s ever worked with.

Steward said he can’t understand why observers don’t recognize Klitschko’s ability to move his feet effectively, which he explained is the most-important element to any boxer’s repertoire.

Klitschko, he said, defetly uses his feet to get into punching range – relentlessly cutting off the ring – but also uses them to step quickly backward when his opponent attacks and then, with his prey off balance, counter punch. Either way the opponent loses.

“Tommy Morrison beat George Foreman so easily because every time George came in, Tommy just moved to the side,” Steward said. “It was so simple. Tommy would just make George miss completely and then BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!. Michael Moorer and other opponents blocked George’s punches. If you make someone miss, they lose their balance. If you block punches, you let them keep their balance.

“The only fighters in boxing (today) that do this effectively off the top of my head are Manny Pacquiao and Wladimir. People don’t see Wladimir’s footwork. That amazes me.”

How is Haye’s footwork?

Steward got up from his chair and stood with his feet wide apart, catching the attention of curious hotel guests nearby who would receive their first lesson in proper balance. The trainer threw a right hand and then stumbled to make a point.

“Haye gets out of balance when he throws his right,” Steward said. “That’s why he never throws combinations, because he’s off balance all the time. He’s too far apart and flat footed. Wladimir is always on his toes.”

So how was an unbalanced Haye able to beat heavyweights such as Nikolai Valuev and John Ruiz?

“Because his opponents stand like that,” said Steward, standing upright with his hands covering his face. “He’s more explosive than those guys. He better be careful who he’s fighting this time, though. In his mind Wladimir is a stand-up, robotic guy. He doesn’t see the footwork, how he cuts off the ring, shortens the distance.

“If he is comparing Wladimir to Valuev and Ruiz, he’s going to have a problem.”

Klitschko’s jab is no secret. It is like a moving, rock-hard wall his opponents almost invariably can’t find a way around.

Steward said it isn’t thrown in the same way each time, though. Sometimes it is predictable, coming straight at you. Sometimes he throws it out of rhythm. And sometimes he’ll throw a half jab first – causing you to flinch – and then come at you with full force.

The idea is to keep the opponent guessing.

“I see people get frustrated with his jab,” Steward said. “They can’t figure it out. The opponent goes back to his corner and they say, ‘Why are you getting his with those jabs, man? We worked on that in camp.’ They all have problems with it.

“The strategy for this fight is real simple … create foot pressure, take his space away, like Wladimir did against Eddie Chambers. Cut him off, cut him off, cut him off. Create tension. Don’t give him time to relax. Shoot the jab, shoot the jab, shoot the jab and eventually you’ll get caught with a big shot.”

Klitschko -- 6-foot-6½ (199cm) and about 245 pounds (111 kilos) – is a big, immensely strong man. His right biceps is the size of a basketball.

Thus, it’s no great surprise that Steward compares his punching power to that of giant-sized former protégé Lennox Lewis and most people believe he hits harder than Mike Tyson ever did.

The effectiveness of Klitschko’s right goes beyond strength, though. Speed (underrated) and positioning of his glove also play a role.

Steward said more than one opponent has told him after the fact that they were surprised at Klitschko’s hand speed, another example of his surprising athleticism given his size.

The right also reaches its target quickly because of where it starts. Steward put his right fist against his ear, a typical starting position for an orthodox boxer. Then he moved the fist to his chin, about six inches closer to the opponent.

That’s where Klitschko’s right starts, he said. Steward believes the six inches can decide a fight.

“I ran into Chris Byrd after Wladimir beat him the second time and he said, ‘My dad and everyone says he beat me because he is bigger than me. The first fight, maybe. The last fight he beat me because I couldn’t see his punches.’ Chris got knocked down the first time and asked his corner, ‘What knocked me down?’ They said a right hand. He never saw it. He keeps it in such a position and throws it so straight that you hardly see it.

“You get so busy watching for the jab and all of a sudden you’re on the floor. Wladimir pushes the button on the missle and it goes right to the target.”

That’s what Steward is convinced will happen against Haye on Saturday.

Klitschko will use his feet to move in and out of danger. He’ll batter the Briton with his confusing and relentless jab. And he’ll fire big rights that Haye will have trouble tracking, rights that will eventually spell the underdog's doom.

It all seems so simple.

“It is,” Steward said. “That’s why I’m so comfortable, so relaxed about this fight.”

Source: ringtv.craveonline.com

District judge sides with Pacquiao, orders Mayweather to give deposition -- Las Vegas Review-Journal

By Steve Carp, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

A district judge ruled Thursday that Floyd Mayweather Jr. must give a deposition in the defamation lawsuit filed against him by fellow boxer Manny Pacquiao.

U.S. District Court Judge Larry Hicks denied an emergency appeal filed by Mayweather attorney Mark Tratos, claiming the appeal was "without merit." Mayweather was scheduled to give his deposition June 17 but failed to appear.

Pacquiao, the reigning WBO welterweight champion who has won world titles in eight weight divisions, sued Mayweather in December 2009 after Mayweather allegedly accused Pacquiao of taking steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in his rise to stardom.

Hicks' decision affirmed Magistrate Robert Johnston's order denying Mayweather's motion for a protective order to prevent the June 17 deposition.

Daniel Petrocelli, who represents Pacquiao, said Thursday: "Floyd Mayweather Jr. still is refusing to show up for his deposition. He continues to defy the court's order."

Mayweather this week went on a two-day promotional tour for his Sept. 17 fight against WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz at the MGM Grand Garden. Tratos said he has reached out to Petrocelli in the hope of delaying the deposition until after the fight.

"We're still negotiating," Tratos said. "I've had correspondence with opposing counsel and we'll try and find a solution. If possible, we'd like to have the deposition after Sept. 17."

Tratos said there was no truth to the rumor that Pacquiao would drop his lawsuit if Mayweather publicly apologized to him. Pacquiao dropped Golden Boy Promotions president Oscar De La Hoya and chief executive officer Richard Schaefer from the lawsuit this spring after Golden Boy issued a public apology to Pacquiao.

"Believe me, if it was an apology that was necessary, this case would have been gone a long time ago," Tratos said.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.

Source: lvrj.com

Ortiz-Mayweather LA Presser -- FightNews

By Francisco Salazar, FightNews.com

The stars were out at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. There were bright lights, a red carpet, hundreds of fans in attendance seeking autographs or pictures. One would have thought that famous actors, rappers, or other celebrities were attending an awards show based on the electricity of the event and the crowd.
Instead, it was two of the biggest names in boxing today that drew an overwhelming crowd to the outdoor plaza, which is located right across the street from STAPLES Center.

Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz took different roads during their professional career, but they will step inside the ring on September 17th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Wednesday night was the final stop of a two-day press tour to announce their showdown in a few months’ time. On Tuesday afternoon, both fighters and their respective camps were in New York City, holding court in front of the media and fight fans.
After defeating Andre Berto two and a half months ago, Ortiz confirmed to the media that he went to the office of Golden Boy Promotions and demanded that they arrange a bout between him and Mayweather. Since Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe have worked together in the past, the fight was arranged with little hesitance.

Possibly because of the electricity in the air and the crowd that favored Ortiz, there was a great deal of talking from the Ortiz camp, more so than at the press conference in New York.

When Schaefer announced to the meeting between the two fighters was called “Star Power,” explaining that Mayweather was the star and Ortiz had the power, Ortiz interjected.
“I am the power and I am the star!” proclaimed Ortiz, drawing applause from the crowd.
Possibly, considering that Ortiz defeated Berto with power and has risen to the star that the media and fight fans projected him to be when he was a prospect.

Ortiz did not hide his emotions in explaining that he was frustrated and felt disrespected that Mayweather, in an interview with ESPN’s Brian Kenny, focused his attention on a possible fight with Manny Pacquiao.

“I’m tired of keeping my mouth closed. I’m tired of hearing about Pacquiao. Mayweather is a beast, but I’m a monster. If he wants to box, we’ll box. If he wants to brawl, we’ll brawl. I’m the new WBC champion and I’m keeping the belt. I’m going to knock Mayweather out the way Julio Cesar Chavez knocked out Roger Mayweather.”

Mayweather thanked Ortiz for not only “stepping up to face him,” but for submitting to the Olympic-style drug testing, an alleged sticking point that Pacquiao did not want to agree to by Mayweather.

Praising the late-Genaro Hernandez, who passed away a few weeks ago to cancer, Mayweather stated that he has been in grueling fights with Mexican fighters and he expects one from the young Mexican-American.

“It’s going to be another amazing night. I’m going to go toe-to-toe. I’m not going to box. September 17th will be an amazing night. I’m not going to overlook Ortiz. He’s young and I can’t overlook those victories. But, Victor will be now, then Pacquiao is next.”

MGM Grand executive Bob Halloran announced that Mayweather is a -750 favorite, while Ortiz is a +525 underdog.

“That’s fine by me. I was an underdog going into the Berto fight,” was what Ortiz responded when asked about the odds.

Schaefer announced that tickets will go on sale a week from Friday. Besides HBO Pay Per View, the fight will be shown on closed circuit in Las Vegas and in movie theatres across the country.

Also, a “behind the scenes” press tour video will be shown on Youtube.

Aside from the face-to-face jawing between the two before and after the press conference, the event was rather calm and more entertaining for the media and fight fans.

Let us hope that the press conference will translate to a lot of action in the ring on September 17th.

Source: fightnews.com

Judge Rejects Mayweather Emergency Appeal for Delay in Deposition -- The Boxing Tribune

The Boxing Tribune

A Las Vegas judge on Thursday denied Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s emergency appeal for a delay in the court ordered deposition pertaining to Manny Pacquiao’s defamation lawsuit against the fighter.

Manny Pacquiao has a pending lawsuit against Mayweather and his father, Floyd Sr., for comments the two made regarding Pacquiao and the use of performance enhancing drugs last year. A deposition was ordered for June 17, but Mayweather no-showed the court proceeding after making an unsuccessful attempt to postpone it several days earlier.

Mayweather and his attorneys were looking to postpone the deposition until after his September 17 bout with Victor Ortiz.

Source: theboxingtribune.com

Floyd Mayweather says he wants to fight Manny Pacquiao, as he promotes bout with Victor Ortiz -- NY Daily News

By Tim Smith, DAILY NEWS

In the past when Floyd Mayweather Jr. had a press conference to announce his upcoming fight he used the occasion to get under the skin of his opponent.

So there was the expectation that Mayweather would use Tuesday's press conference at the Hudson Theater near Times Square to unnerve WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz, whom he will fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sept. 17.

Instead, Mayweather, who hasn't fought in 13 months, was in a more reflective mood. When it was his time to speak to the media and the many fans who packed the theater, Mayweather sounded as if he was delivering a testimonial than the usual fight hype.

Mayweather praised Ortiz and thanked everyone from the members of his team to the guys who sweep the floor in the balcony of the theater. For 15 minutes Mayweather talked about spending more time with his children, being misunderstood and not being given the benefit of the doubt on his many legal woes.

But the only thing that anyone wants to hear from Mayweather is if he will fight Manny Pacquiao, and if so, when is it going to happen? And while everyone is thinking that Ortiz, a young, powerful southpaw who comes straight ahead, is the perfect primer for a Pacquiao match, only Mayweather is certain whether the mega fight everyone wants to see will happen next year.

"Floyd Mayweather doesn't duck or dodge anyone," Mayweather said. "Do I want the Pacquiao fight? Absolutely. If that's what the fans want. It takes one step at a time. I can't overlook Victor Ortiz. He's tough and he's earned the chance."

By taking on Ortiz, a 24-year-old with pop in both hands, Mayweather is getting one up on Pacquiao, whose last few opponents have been retreads and has-beens. That point wasn't lost on Mayweather.

"Victor Ortiz is a young, hungry champion that bounced back from a brutal loss," Mayweather said. "Honestly I picked Victor Ortiz for that."

Mayweather wouldn't commit on exactly when he would fight Pacquiao, but at least he's on the record that he wants the fight. And Leonard Ellerbee, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said he doesn't see any obstacles for making the fight. Mayweather acknowledged that Pacquiao had agreed to blood and urine testing for performance-enhancing drugs, but was not on the same page with regard to the protocol that Mayweather wants to use.

Mayweather said he has never said that Pacquiao used performance-enhancing drugs. He said he just wants everyone in boxing and all sports to test for PEDs.

"They have it in baseball, they have it in football, they have it in the Olympics," Mayweather said.

Source: nydailynews.com

Mayweather multitasks -- Las Vegas Review-Journal

By Steve Carp, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight Victor Ortiz in his return to the ring, but on Tuesday he found himself looking into the future -- and a highly anticipated date with Manny Pacquiao.

As the promotion began for his Sept. 17 fight against Ortiz at the MGM Grand Garden, Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) wanted to set the record straight -- at least from his perspective -- about where he stands with Pacquiao.

"I never said Manny Pacquiao is cheating," Mayweather said Tuesday from New York, where the two-city promotional tour kicked off. Mayweather and Ortiz will be in Los Angeles today.

"I never discredited Manny Pacquiao. I'm not taking anything away from him. All I said is we should take the (Olympic-style drug) tests. If you want to beat me, I want you to earn it. Just take the test.

"Do I want the Pacquiao fight? Absolutely. But it's one step at a time, and I can't overlook Victor Ortiz. He's the world champion."

Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) has the WBC welterweight title,

Mayweather is being sued by Pacquiao for defamation after Mayweather allegedly made claims in 2009 that Pacquiao used steroids to help launch his rise to the top as boxing's best pound-for-pound fighter. Over the past two years, there have been two attempts to put the two in the ring, and both tries have failed.

Ortiz said he knows Mayweather will dominate the headlines up until fight night, whether it's talk about Pacquiao, Mayweather's return to boxing from a 16-month hiatus or his myriad troubles outside the ring.

"I'm the one with the belt," Ortiz said. "I knew when I was 9 years old that I would one day be the world welterweight champion, and I plan to be the champ for a long time. If (Neil) Armstrong can go to the moon, why can't I hold on to my belt for 15 years?"

Ortiz, 24, is coming off a sensational win over Andre Berto on April 16, when he survived a sixth-round knockdown to knock down Berto later in the round and win the WBC belt by unanimous decision. He said the win proved to him that he had a warrior's spirit, and he refused to listen to critics who said he didn't have the heart to be a champion.

"I never paid any attention to that," Ortiz said. "I always stayed true to myself."

Mayweather was ringside that night. He was impressed with Ortiz and decided he would be a worthy opponent in his return to the ring.

"This is not my last fight," said the 34-year-old Mayweather, who last fought May 1, 2010, when he beat Shane Mosley.

Mayweather opened as a minus-750 favorite over Ortiz (plus-525) at the MGM's sports book.

"I'm going to stay active, and I'd like to give you 10 more fights," Mayweather said. "But I don't know if I can do that, since I'm closer to 40 than to 21. But I'm going to go to camp and dedicate myself and push myself to the limit. I look forward to going out there and bringing the pressure.

"I deserve to be where I'm at. What other athlete has done it 15 years straight without a loss?"

HBO announced Tuesday that the first installment of the reality TV series "24/7 Mayweather/Ortiz" will debut Aug. 27, with successive installments on Sept. 3, 10 and 16.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter @stevecarprj.

Source: lvrj.com