By Geno McGahee, Ringside Report
One of the most powerful men in boxing and a man that has had a stake in many of the major fights of the last 15 years, Oscar De La Hoya, was reportedly quoted to say that the mega fight between Floyd Mayweather, JR., and Manny Pacquiao is “very close” to completion. A source close to Team Mayweather has also reported to RSR that the specifics have been ironed out and that the only thing that remains is the contract signing and subsequent announcement of the fight. Is it too good to be true?
After Pacquiao’s destruction of Miguel Cotto and Floyd’s dismantling of Juan Manuel Marquez, the two agreed to a showdown with big money on the line as well as the legacy of both men. Floyd Mayweather, SR., made an observation that turned the bout on its head. He suspected that Manny Pacquiao was on steroids.
Steroids are a problem in every competitive sport and it is not a surprise that it is rampant. With millions of dollars are at stake, people will go to extreme measures. Antonio Margarito is a good example of what a fighter will do to get the competitive edge, loading his hand wraps with plaster of Paris. There have also been consistent rumors that the late Diego Corrales and Marco Antonio Barrera have also implemented the loaded hand wraps throughout their careers.
Although loading gloves seems to be isolated incidents, steroid abuse is a much larger issue. James “Lights Out” Toney, the former middleweight, super middleweight, cruiserweight, and heavyweight champion has tested positive for steroids on more than one occasion. Sugar Shane Mosley admitted using steroids, Fernando Vargas was banned temporarily after testing positive, Jameel McCline, Evander Holyfield, and the list goes on and on of the boxers reportedly “juicing.”
So will the steroids allegations make this fight a no-go again?
The issue isn’t the steroid testing, but the method in which the fighters are tested. Pacquiao’s claim is that the random Olympic style testing would drain him for the fight and I’m sure that they can cite Shane Mosley’s horrible performance against Mayweather in his last fight as evidence. Mayweather wants to employ this testing to overcome the boxers’ ability to avoid testing positive. Many know how to play the game and avoiding a positive test can be accomplished even as a user. That is the point of Team Mayweather and they have some ground to stand on.
Pacquiao may be his own worst enemy. His ability to climb weight divisions and apparently get stronger and more effective as he puts on pounds has raised some red flags, either justly or unjustly. Floyd, SR., watched on as Manny destroyed Miguel Cotto and made the allegation because of how great he looked in the ring. Cotto made some comments that he didn’t rule out that Pacquiao was on steroids and should agree to the Olympic testing.
Recently Kermit Cintron has come out and stated that Pacquiao’s jump in weight and physical appearance and strength suggest that he may be juicing. It is not just the Mayweathers suggesting this and should the fight come off and Manny win, the question will linger.
To save the fight of the century, Pacquiao should agree to the Olympic style testing, and with all the money on the line, it’s hard to fathom why he wouldn’t. What is interesting about the current negotiations is that this point has apparently not thrown a wrench in the works just yet. You can draw the conclusion that this situation, the only situation that prevented them from fighting earlier, has been resolved one way or another.
Because of the gag order put into place to protect this fight’s negotiations from outside influence, mum is the word, but De La Hoya gave everyone a small window into the ongoing talks. This fight is worth far too much money for it not to happen and there hasn’t been a fight of this magnitude in years. Arguably, the last fight that can compare to this was the showdown in 1999 between undefeated welterweight champions: Felix Trinidad and Oscar De La Hoya. The anticipation was at an all time high and now, I believe it to be even higher for this showdown. It has everything that you would want as a boxing fan.
Floyd Mayweather, JR., has been responsible for some of the biggest selling pay per view events, and that is a testament to his ability to market himself. He has become the new Muhammad Ali. He is the man that you want to see lose…you want to see somebody shut his mouth, which is why a guy that is a defensive whiz with a mediocre punch can sell out arenas. His showdowns with Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Shane Mosley were incredible successes. There aren’t many that go into these bouts hoping to see a defensive display. They hope that the opponent at least gives Floyd some scares and tests him because he is so much superior, or perceived to be superior, then all of the other pugilists in the game today.
Manny Pacquiao, the #2 pay per view attraction according to the numbers, earned his popularity through his performance in the ring. He is one of those fighters that love to fight. When he gets hit, he likes it, and becomes more aggressive. He has beaten up on many Mexican legends like Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Erik Morales (2 out of 3 times) and Juan Manuel Marquez. He is one of only two men to stop Oscar De La Hoya (the other being a middleweight, Bernard Hopkins), outworked tough guy Joshua Clottey, and beat Miguel Cotto into submission. He is the Mike Tyson of today. You wonder just what can stop him…this is why a showdown with Floyd is necessary.
I don’t think that there are many that argue that Floyd and Manny are #1 and #2 pound for pound best in the world…you may argue which occupies top spot, but they are there at the two positions. Style-wise, this fight is perfect with an aggressor with lighting speed going against the defensive master with perfect timing.
The biggest fight in recent history is coming people. There isn’t much that can stop it now. Oscar De La Hoya let it slip that we are close to a deal and we have an alternate source that contacted RSR revealing that Oscar wasn’t off base. Floyd Mayweather, JR., will take on Manny Pacquiao in November, most likely in Las Vegas. There is no bigger fight.
Source: ringsidereport.com
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Sabtu, 19 Juni 2010
Rabu, 16 Juni 2010
Arum optimistic, De La Hoya says it's almost done, but Ariza believes Mayweather won't fight Pacquiao
By Ronnie Nathanielsz, PhilBoxing.comWhile Top Rank promoter Bob Arum remains optimistic and Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya claims a mega-buck fight between pound-for-pound king and “Fighter of the Decade” Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr is almost done, Pacquiao’s conditioning expert Alex Ariza believes it won’t happen because Mayweather doesn’t want to lose.
Ariza said the report that Mayweather was going to take “a little bit of time off ” and the fact that the Nevada State Athletic Commission “slammed the door on the US Anti Doping Agency” by indicating that random drug testing is not going to be a part of the pre and post-fight procedure is certain to make it more difficult to arrive at an agreement. The conditioning guru said “I don’t think you can put a price on that and I think Mayweather is afraid of that (losing) because being undefeated is the only thing that validates Mayweather in his heart and in the sport.”
Given this possibility Ariza said a rematch with newly crowned WBA light middleweight champion Miguel Cotto “is very likely” stating that Pacquiao can win his eighth title in eight different divisions and solidify his position as the greatest fighter. He said fighting Antonio Margarito was also an option and “would be a good fight for us” even as he mentioned Juan Manuel Marquez as another possible opponent.
Asked whether fighting Cotto at 154 pounds would be difficult for Pacquiao, Ariza replied “I don’t think so. I think Manny can knockout Cotto at 154.”
Pacquiao scored a dominating 12th round TKO over Cotto to win the Puerto Rican’s WBO welterweight title and the WBC “Diamond Belt” last November and Ariza feels the extra weight won’t make a difference.
Arum who has been quietly striving to reach and agreement with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer on a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight said the other day he was still “optimistic” that it could be done.
Oscar De La Hoya on the other hand was far more direct saying "I can't talk right now in detail about the negotiations but I can say that we are very close.
Up until now, it's been a very difficult negotiation process for various reasons but right now we're very close.”
De La Hoya added "I think right now we are very, very close in finalizing the contracts.
"It's going to be a big, big fight!"
Source: philboxing.com
Selasa, 01 Juni 2010
Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach Fighter, Trainer Of The Year -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse.com
Seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, will receive his milestone third, consecutive Fighter Of The Year Award, as well as his first honor as Fighter Of The Decade, on Friday night at the 85th annual Boxing Writers' Association of America Awards Dinner at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
In victory, the 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) ties three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, and, four-time heavyweight titlist, Evander Holyfield, as three-time recepients of the designation, whose official name is "The Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter Of The Year" award.
Also being honored on Friday is Pacquiao's Hall Of Fame chief cornerman, Freddie Roach
, who will be named Trainer Of The Year for a record fourth consecutive time. Trainer Of The Year is named after the late Eddie Futch, who is Roach's mentor.
Also being recognized is February's 2009 Fight Of The Year between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz, which ended with Marquez coming from behind to score a ninth-round knockout for the vacant WBO and WBA lightweight (135 pounds) titles.
The Fight Of The Year Award has been renamed in honor of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, the latter of whom is expected to attend the event.
Pacquiao is 12-0, with eight knockouts since his last loss, a March of 2005 unanimous decision setback against Mexican great, Erik Morales.
A recent winner of a congressional seat in his native Philippines, Pacquiao's cross-over appeal has transformed him into an international superstar.
"Muhammad Ali was a beloved figure in his prime, but also a reviled figure. There were people on both sides of the political spectrum, particularly regarding the war in Vietnam. The ones that opposed it loved Ali, and the ones who were in favor of it didn't," his promoter, Bob Arum, has told FanHouse.
"But until he was long-retired, Ali was never the universally admired figure in this country and around the world like Manny Pacquiao, who is someone different," said Arum. "Anybody who is aware of Manny Pacqiao loves him, admires him, and there are no haters. There is no right or left when it comes to Manny Pacquiao. That's made him a more universally revered figure than Muhammad Ali."
Pacquiao's winning streak includes consecutive knockouts in four straight fights over former world champs, David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and, Miguel Cotto, respectively, in nine, eight, two, and, 12 rounds before earning a March unanimous decision over former titlist, Joshua Clottey.
The run also comprises having twice avenged the loss to Morales, whom he stopped in 10, and, three rounds, in January and November 2006.
Pacquiao's winning spree also includes 12-round triumphs over Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, as well as an eighth-round knockout of Jorge Solis, who entered their matchup unbeaten at 33-0-2, with 24 knockouts.
Some critics have questioned Pacquiao's ability to carry his two-fisted power against a champion who represented the largest and strongest man he had ever faced in the ring.
Pacquiao, who fought Cotto at a catchweight of 145 pounds, weighed in at 144 -- his highest since the 142 against De La Hoya, as well as 138 against Hatton before tipping the scales at a career-high 145 and three fourths against Clottey.
Other honorees include a posthumous dedication to former world champion, Alexis Arguello, as the recepient of The Marvin Kohn "Good Guy" Award, and broadcaster Nick Charles and former heavyweight contender, George Chuvalo, as the winners of The "Bill Crawford Perseverance in Overcoming Adversity" Award.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Seven-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, will receive his milestone third, consecutive Fighter Of The Year Award, as well as his first honor as Fighter Of The Decade, on Friday night at the 85th annual Boxing Writers' Association of America Awards Dinner at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
In victory, the 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) ties three-time heavyweight champion, Muhammad Ali, and, four-time heavyweight titlist, Evander Holyfield, as three-time recepients of the designation, whose official name is "The Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter Of The Year" award.
Also being honored on Friday is Pacquiao's Hall Of Fame chief cornerman, Freddie Roach, who will be named Trainer Of The Year for a record fourth consecutive time. Trainer Of The Year is named after the late Eddie Futch, who is Roach's mentor.Also being recognized is February's 2009 Fight Of The Year between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz, which ended with Marquez coming from behind to score a ninth-round knockout for the vacant WBO and WBA lightweight (135 pounds) titles.
The Fight Of The Year Award has been renamed in honor of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, the latter of whom is expected to attend the event.
Pacquiao is 12-0, with eight knockouts since his last loss, a March of 2005 unanimous decision setback against Mexican great, Erik Morales.
A recent winner of a congressional seat in his native Philippines, Pacquiao's cross-over appeal has transformed him into an international superstar.
"Muhammad Ali was a beloved figure in his prime, but also a reviled figure. There were people on both sides of the political spectrum, particularly regarding the war in Vietnam. The ones that opposed it loved Ali, and the ones who were in favor of it didn't," his promoter, Bob Arum, has told FanHouse.
"But until he was long-retired, Ali was never the universally admired figure in this country and around the world like Manny Pacquiao, who is someone different," said Arum. "Anybody who is aware of Manny Pacqiao loves him, admires him, and there are no haters. There is no right or left when it comes to Manny Pacquiao. That's made him a more universally revered figure than Muhammad Ali."
Pacquiao's winning streak includes consecutive knockouts in four straight fights over former world champs, David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and, Miguel Cotto, respectively, in nine, eight, two, and, 12 rounds before earning a March unanimous decision over former titlist, Joshua Clottey.
The run also comprises having twice avenged the loss to Morales, whom he stopped in 10, and, three rounds, in January and November 2006.
Pacquiao's winning spree also includes 12-round triumphs over Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, as well as an eighth-round knockout of Jorge Solis, who entered their matchup unbeaten at 33-0-2, with 24 knockouts.
Some critics have questioned Pacquiao's ability to carry his two-fisted power against a champion who represented the largest and strongest man he had ever faced in the ring.
Pacquiao, who fought Cotto at a catchweight of 145 pounds, weighed in at 144 -- his highest since the 142 against De La Hoya, as well as 138 against Hatton before tipping the scales at a career-high 145 and three fourths against Clottey.
Other honorees include a posthumous dedication to former world champion, Alexis Arguello, as the recepient of The Marvin Kohn "Good Guy" Award, and broadcaster Nick Charles and former heavyweight contender, George Chuvalo, as the winners of The "Bill Crawford Perseverance in Overcoming Adversity" Award.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Selasa, 11 Mei 2010
Kevin Mitchell backing Mayweather in Pacquiao row -- ESPN
ESPN staff
Kevin Mitchell has backed Floyd Mayweather Jnr's stance in his blood-testing row with Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather Jnr has insisted that Pacquiao must agree to Olympic-style random blood testing ahead of any bout, but the Filipino is refusing to comply.
The stand-off between the pugilists is threatening to prove too large an obstacle to overcome in the bid to arrange the hotly-anticipated fight.
"I think Mayweather's got a fair point with the testing," Mitchell said. "If someone won't take a drug test then there's a problem there. Mayweather's taken the test so what's the big deal? I'm not sure about Pacquiao's reason for not giving blood - that he feels weakened by it. I've never felt weakened giving blood, though maybe it's different for him."
Mitchell, who takes on Michael Katsidis on May 15 for the WBO interim lightweight title, is eyeing up a future bout against revered Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez - who has twice faced off against Pacquiao. "After Katsidis, I want the big names," Mitchell said. "And the best has got to be Marquez."
Amir Khan is in action on the same night as the Mitchell-Katsidis clash, taking on Paulie Malignaggi in his first fight on American soil. Oscar De La Hoya, founder of Khan's promoters Golden Boy, is backing the Brit to become a "super-champion."
"Amir Khan, I believe, has the speed, power and passion I had," De La Hoya said. "Those are the attributes that helped me to become who I am in the sport of boxing. It really is a privilege to me to guide his career into something special for the future.
"What sets him apart is the passion I see in his eyes. Khan has the ability to become a super-champion, a legend."
© ESPN EMEA Ltd
Source: espn.co.uk
Kevin Mitchell has backed Floyd Mayweather Jnr's stance in his blood-testing row with Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather Jnr has insisted that Pacquiao must agree to Olympic-style random blood testing ahead of any bout, but the Filipino is refusing to comply.
The stand-off between the pugilists is threatening to prove too large an obstacle to overcome in the bid to arrange the hotly-anticipated fight.
"I think Mayweather's got a fair point with the testing," Mitchell said. "If someone won't take a drug test then there's a problem there. Mayweather's taken the test so what's the big deal? I'm not sure about Pacquiao's reason for not giving blood - that he feels weakened by it. I've never felt weakened giving blood, though maybe it's different for him."
Mitchell, who takes on Michael Katsidis on May 15 for the WBO interim lightweight title, is eyeing up a future bout against revered Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez - who has twice faced off against Pacquiao. "After Katsidis, I want the big names," Mitchell said. "And the best has got to be Marquez."
Amir Khan is in action on the same night as the Mitchell-Katsidis clash, taking on Paulie Malignaggi in his first fight on American soil. Oscar De La Hoya, founder of Khan's promoters Golden Boy, is backing the Brit to become a "super-champion."
"Amir Khan, I believe, has the speed, power and passion I had," De La Hoya said. "Those are the attributes that helped me to become who I am in the sport of boxing. It really is a privilege to me to guide his career into something special for the future.
"What sets him apart is the passion I see in his eyes. Khan has the ability to become a super-champion, a legend."
© ESPN EMEA Ltd
Source: espn.co.uk
Rabu, 05 Mei 2010
WBC's Sulaiman speaks out on Mayweather vs. Mosley sanctioning antics -- Examiner
By Matt Stolow, Examiner.com
World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman is upset that big name fighters such as Saturday night's Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley are only using the sanctioning bodies to position themselves for big fights and neither actually fighting for the titles nor paying the 3% fee charged for the belt and title.
Now, I'm not looking for one person to feel sorry for the WBC, although personally I believe it has a lot of good qualities.
What is the value of sanctioning bodies today? Most are useless drains on boxing society. But the big boys serve a purpose. They are probably worth somewhere around half of what they think they are worth.
However, as everybody in every walk of life is cutting back their spending, the sanctioning bodies must do the same and consider themselves a boutique in the boxing world and nothing more or less.
Sulaiman says he was humiliated that neither Mayweather nor Mosley fought for the World Boxing Association belt that Mosley held.
That sounds a little strong, a little over dramatic, but Sulaiman has a worldwide audience that listens to him.
Where this is will lead I don't know but it is worth bringing it up.
Source: examiner.com
World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman is upset that big name fighters such as Saturday night's Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley are only using the sanctioning bodies to position themselves for big fights and neither actually fighting for the titles nor paying the 3% fee charged for the belt and title.Now, I'm not looking for one person to feel sorry for the WBC, although personally I believe it has a lot of good qualities.The WBC world ratings are still the best we have and the organization has been pro-active in boxer safety through the years.
It's difficult for a fighter to carry more than one belt because you're then talking of at least 3% and maybe 6% in fees off the top he must pay to these groups and the dates of all their mandatory title defense dates makes it almost impossible to represent more than one belt at a time.
What is the value of sanctioning bodies today? Most are useless drains on boxing society. But the big boys serve a purpose. They are probably worth somewhere around half of what they think they are worth.
However, as everybody in every walk of life is cutting back their spending, the sanctioning bodies must do the same and consider themselves a boutique in the boxing world and nothing more or less.
Sulaiman says he was humiliated that neither Mayweather nor Mosley fought for the World Boxing Association belt that Mosley held.
That sounds a little strong, a little over dramatic, but Sulaiman has a worldwide audience that listens to him.
Where this is will lead I don't know but it is worth bringing it up.
Source: examiner.com
Senin, 03 Mei 2010
Drop the damn blood tests and let's get it on -- PhilBoxing
By Ed de la Vega, PhilBoxing.com
Floyd Mayweather Jr looked impressive last Saturday at the MGM Grand against Sugar Shane Mosley.
But then again, Sugar was not as sweet anymore. Age has finally caught up with the guy. And, I am betting not too many will disagree with that.
Mayweather in fairness still had some of his old sting and he repeatedly caught Mosley with his counter punches and he rightfully deserves to win.
And win he did!
Mayweather’s win however was not as smooth as the judges’ scores. (One judge gave 11 rounds to him and the other, 10 rounds.) There was a huge kink, particularly in the second round when he was caught with a couple of right hands form the aging Mosley that buckled his knees. Only his quick thinking saved him from a disastrous knock down. He instinctively grabbed on Mosley and that prevented him from hitting the canvas. There were a few occasions when he was caught by Mosley with solid but weak shots, particularly as the fight went on when Mosley was gassed -out.
But I give credit to Mayweather. He adjusted after that 2nd round and went on to continually frustrate Mosley all through the last round.
Now that Mayweather is finally done with the aging Mosley, many including Oscar de la Hoya is calling him the best in the world?
Nah!
Mayweather, in spite of what everyone is saying still has one hurdle to pass before he can be called the “best in the world”. And, no matter what is said and done by anyone including him, his legacy is still incomplete.
There is no doubt he will be in the Hall of Fame. He has done enough to deserve that spot.
But, the best in the world? I don’t think so. But to be fair, I say he is almost there.
Mayweather must fight and beat Pacquiao to claim an undisputed “ best in the world” designation. Until that is done, he can’t rightfully claim the designation. Oh, many will still regard him as such but in reality he isn’t, until he gets over the Filipino spitfire.
In my opinion, Mayweather is scared of Pacquiao.
Pacquiao is the only one fighter who has the true potential to beat him. That is why he is not too keen to fight him. And, he will even ignore a huge pay check just to avoid the Pacman.
Mayweather found a good excuse with the “blood tests”. And he repeatedly pushed that issue to hide from Pacquiao.
So I say, - Hey Junior dropped the damn blood test demand and man up. Let the fight happen and see if you are really the best and deserved to be designated as such.
Without that fight, a blot will remain in your record. And nothing short of the fight can erase that.
Source: philboxing.com
Floyd Mayweather Jr looked impressive last Saturday at the MGM Grand against Sugar Shane Mosley.
But then again, Sugar was not as sweet anymore. Age has finally caught up with the guy. And, I am betting not too many will disagree with that.
Mayweather in fairness still had some of his old sting and he repeatedly caught Mosley with his counter punches and he rightfully deserves to win. Mayweather’s win however was not as smooth as the judges’ scores. (One judge gave 11 rounds to him and the other, 10 rounds.) There was a huge kink, particularly in the second round when he was caught with a couple of right hands form the aging Mosley that buckled his knees. Only his quick thinking saved him from a disastrous knock down. He instinctively grabbed on Mosley and that prevented him from hitting the canvas. There were a few occasions when he was caught by Mosley with solid but weak shots, particularly as the fight went on when Mosley was gassed -out.
But I give credit to Mayweather. He adjusted after that 2nd round and went on to continually frustrate Mosley all through the last round.
Now that Mayweather is finally done with the aging Mosley, many including Oscar de la Hoya is calling him the best in the world?
Nah!
Mayweather, in spite of what everyone is saying still has one hurdle to pass before he can be called the “best in the world”. And, no matter what is said and done by anyone including him, his legacy is still incomplete.
There is no doubt he will be in the Hall of Fame. He has done enough to deserve that spot.
But, the best in the world? I don’t think so. But to be fair, I say he is almost there.
Mayweather must fight and beat Pacquiao to claim an undisputed “ best in the world” designation. Until that is done, he can’t rightfully claim the designation. Oh, many will still regard him as such but in reality he isn’t, until he gets over the Filipino spitfire.
In my opinion, Mayweather is scared of Pacquiao.
Pacquiao is the only one fighter who has the true potential to beat him. That is why he is not too keen to fight him. And, he will even ignore a huge pay check just to avoid the Pacman.
Mayweather found a good excuse with the “blood tests”. And he repeatedly pushed that issue to hide from Pacquiao.
So I say, - Hey Junior dropped the damn blood test demand and man up. Let the fight happen and see if you are really the best and deserved to be designated as such.
Without that fight, a blot will remain in your record. And nothing short of the fight can erase that.
Source: philboxing.com
Floyd Mayweather Jr. silences critics with dominating win over WBA champ Sugar Shane Mosley -- New York Daily News
By Tim Smith, NY Daily News
LAS VEGAS - Oscar De La Hoya has fought Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. He lost to them all - Mosley twice.
But what De La Hoya saw Mayweather do to Mosley in a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision on Saturday night convinced him that Mayweather is the best of this generation and possibly of all time.
"Mayweather is special. We have to respect that," De La Hoya said.
Mosley rocked Mayweather in the second round and looked to be on the verge of saying to him, "The buck stops here." But Mayweather survived the round and then shut down Mosley for the next 10.
It was a masterful display by Mayweather. He answered the critics who said he hadn't ever beaten a legitimate welterweight with the victory over Mosley, a three-time welterweight champion and the current WBA champ.
He answered those who said he couldn't weather a storm if his chin was tested. After getting hurt by Mosley, Mayweather didn't fold. And he proved that there isn't an opponent that he can't completely shut down.
Even so, Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) knows it wasn't enough to please all of his critics.
"I'm in a no-win situation, because no matter what I do it's never good enough," Mayweather said.
Mayweather came up with his fight strategy with his uncle and trainer, Roger, and his father, Floyd Sr. The things he did to neutralize Mosley were in-fight adjustments.
"Mosley has very fast hands, but he doesn't have a jab," Roger Mayweather said. "He has tremendous hand speed, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't hit the target. He's fast if he fights somebody who's slow. How was he going to win if he couldn't outbox my nephew? I just told him (Mayweather) to keep him in the middle of the ring and box his ears off."
Mosley said he wanted to end matters in the second round, but his neck tightened up and couldn't finish the job. As his trainer Naazim Richardson noted, Mayweather gives you a brief window of opportunity to get the job done. If you don't take advantage, then it's curtains for you.
Richardson said Mosley was making excuses in the dressing room after the fight, but he told him to stop because no one but his mother wanted to hear them.
Even though he still has the WBA welterweight title, the 38-year-old Mosley (46-7, 39 KOs) said he didn't know what he was going to do. He said he would go on vacation and think about his next move.
After the fight, most of the questions were about a possible bout for Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather said if Pacquiao is interested in fighting him, then he will agree to Olympic-style testing. If not, then Mayweather said he will move forward without him. Pacquiao turned down a proposed fight with Mayweather back in December because he wouldn't agree to the testing.
Source: nydailynews.com
LAS VEGAS - Oscar De La Hoya has fought Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. He lost to them all - Mosley twice.
But what De La Hoya saw Mayweather do to Mosley in a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision on Saturday night convinced him that Mayweather is the best of this generation and possibly of all time.
"Mayweather is special. We have to respect that," De La Hoya said.
Mosley rocked Mayweather in the second round and looked to be on the verge of saying to him, "The buck stops here." But Mayweather survived the round and then shut down Mosley for the next 10.
It was a masterful display by Mayweather. He answered the critics who said he hadn't ever beaten a legitimate welterweight with the victory over Mosley, a three-time welterweight champion and the current WBA champ.
He answered those who said he couldn't weather a storm if his chin was tested. After getting hurt by Mosley, Mayweather didn't fold. And he proved that there isn't an opponent that he can't completely shut down.
Even so, Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) knows it wasn't enough to please all of his critics.
"I'm in a no-win situation, because no matter what I do it's never good enough," Mayweather said.
Mayweather came up with his fight strategy with his uncle and trainer, Roger, and his father, Floyd Sr. The things he did to neutralize Mosley were in-fight adjustments.
"Mosley has very fast hands, but he doesn't have a jab," Roger Mayweather said. "He has tremendous hand speed, but it doesn't mean anything if you can't hit the target. He's fast if he fights somebody who's slow. How was he going to win if he couldn't outbox my nephew? I just told him (Mayweather) to keep him in the middle of the ring and box his ears off."
Mosley said he wanted to end matters in the second round, but his neck tightened up and couldn't finish the job. As his trainer Naazim Richardson noted, Mayweather gives you a brief window of opportunity to get the job done. If you don't take advantage, then it's curtains for you.
Richardson said Mosley was making excuses in the dressing room after the fight, but he told him to stop because no one but his mother wanted to hear them.
Even though he still has the WBA welterweight title, the 38-year-old Mosley (46-7, 39 KOs) said he didn't know what he was going to do. He said he would go on vacation and think about his next move.
After the fight, most of the questions were about a possible bout for Mayweather against Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather said if Pacquiao is interested in fighting him, then he will agree to Olympic-style testing. If not, then Mayweather said he will move forward without him. Pacquiao turned down a proposed fight with Mayweather back in December because he wouldn't agree to the testing.
Source: nydailynews.com
Floyd Mayweather convinces Golden oldie -- Boston Herald
By Ron Borges, Boston Herald
LAS VEGAS - As the rounds wore on and Shane Mosley wore down the way a cliff does after the ocean has battered it with its constancy for too long, Oscar De La Hoya began to feel good about himself.
Now retired from the brutal business of boxing, De La Hoya is the last man to have actually posed a challenge to Floyd Mayweather Jr. inside a boxing ring. Since De La Hoya lost a disputed split decision to him three years ago, Mayweather has fought three of the biggest names in the sport and embarrassed each of them. The trend of dominance that continued Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where he turned Mosley into a frustrated old man first lamenting the loss of his skills but finally conceding it was not merely time that beat him so one-sidedly. It was also Mayweather’s gifts.
“A lot of guys are talented,” Mayweather said after administering a 12-round thrashing to the WBA welterweight champion in which two of the three judges awarded him 11 of the 12 rounds. “Talented and God-gifted are two different things. I’m God-gifted. I know it in my heart.”
Now so do De La Hoya and Mosley, business partners in Golden Boy Promotions and now shared victims of Mayweather’s brilliance.
“We’ve just witnessed the best fighter on the planet,” De La Hoya said at a postfight press conference. “No doubt in my mind. No doubt in Mosley’s mind. Tonight convinced me. He’s the best - possibly of all-time. Mayweather has the skill, talent and work ethic to beat anybody.”
De La Hoya spoke with superior knowledge on that subject, having fought and lost to not only Mayweather and Mosley (twice) but also to Manny Pacquiao.
When asked how Pacquiao would do against Mayweather, De La Hoya was emphatic in his opinion.
“I have to be truthful with you,” De La Hoya said. “Mayweather is on a different level because he’s a student of the game. He’ll beat you mentally outside the ring and finish you off inside the ring. It would be an interesting fight but Mayweather, by far, is the best.”
Mosley provided whatever doubters still existed the last test Mayweather needed when he twice rocked him with solid right hands in the second round, knocking him off balance the first time and into the dark, troubling place a fighter goes when his system is beginning to shut down the second.
At that juncture, his legs went bowlegged and it seemed with 1:47 left in the round, Mosley might finish off the man who earlier in the week claimed to be greater than Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson. But while he searched and probed for another opening, not even his admittedly fast hands could unlock further the mystery that is Mayweather when inside a 20-foot expanse of roped off canvas.
“I was that close to getting him,” Mosley said, holding his fingers together like Julia Child adding a pinch of salt. “He’s a hell of a fighter. He made adjustments. I didn’t. That’s the most he’s been hurt before, but he’s a warrior. He proved that tonight.”
Mayweather’s superior hand speed and cleverness changed everything for good at the end of Round 7. Twice Mayweather landed what he calls a pull-back counter, a straight right hand that is launched to counter a left jab by first rocking back away from the incoming fire and then reacting so quickly coming back that the right hand is launched while the left is still in the air.
That left Mosley defenseless because it came so quickly he could not slip it and so hard it reddened the center of his face and snapped his head back as if he’d been in a car wreck with an SUV.
When Mayweather later nailed him flush with a hard left jab just before the bell tolled, Mosley’s face took on a look of sad discouragement. He’d had his moment and not only didn’t capitalize but Mayweather had come back and attacked him in the very next round and now was dominating.
After that, the rest of his shift was a hard day’s night. He survived but did little more than expand Mayweather credentials and give De La Hoya a reason to feel he’d done better three years ago than he thought.
“As the fight was going on I was thinking I was kind of proud of what I accomplished,” De La Hoya said, wearing a rueful smile. “The Mayweather style is a hard style to break.”
Too hard for 41 straight guys. Will it be different if the 42nd is Pacquiao? I doubt it.
rborges@bostonherald.com
Source: news.bostonherald.com
LAS VEGAS - As the rounds wore on and Shane Mosley wore down the way a cliff does after the ocean has battered it with its constancy for too long, Oscar De La Hoya began to feel good about himself.
Now retired from the brutal business of boxing, De La Hoya is the last man to have actually posed a challenge to Floyd Mayweather Jr. inside a boxing ring. Since De La Hoya lost a disputed split decision to him three years ago, Mayweather has fought three of the biggest names in the sport and embarrassed each of them. The trend of dominance that continued Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where he turned Mosley into a frustrated old man first lamenting the loss of his skills but finally conceding it was not merely time that beat him so one-sidedly. It was also Mayweather’s gifts.“A lot of guys are talented,” Mayweather said after administering a 12-round thrashing to the WBA welterweight champion in which two of the three judges awarded him 11 of the 12 rounds. “Talented and God-gifted are two different things. I’m God-gifted. I know it in my heart.”
Now so do De La Hoya and Mosley, business partners in Golden Boy Promotions and now shared victims of Mayweather’s brilliance.
“We’ve just witnessed the best fighter on the planet,” De La Hoya said at a postfight press conference. “No doubt in my mind. No doubt in Mosley’s mind. Tonight convinced me. He’s the best - possibly of all-time. Mayweather has the skill, talent and work ethic to beat anybody.”
De La Hoya spoke with superior knowledge on that subject, having fought and lost to not only Mayweather and Mosley (twice) but also to Manny Pacquiao.
When asked how Pacquiao would do against Mayweather, De La Hoya was emphatic in his opinion.
“I have to be truthful with you,” De La Hoya said. “Mayweather is on a different level because he’s a student of the game. He’ll beat you mentally outside the ring and finish you off inside the ring. It would be an interesting fight but Mayweather, by far, is the best.”
Mosley provided whatever doubters still existed the last test Mayweather needed when he twice rocked him with solid right hands in the second round, knocking him off balance the first time and into the dark, troubling place a fighter goes when his system is beginning to shut down the second.
At that juncture, his legs went bowlegged and it seemed with 1:47 left in the round, Mosley might finish off the man who earlier in the week claimed to be greater than Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson. But while he searched and probed for another opening, not even his admittedly fast hands could unlock further the mystery that is Mayweather when inside a 20-foot expanse of roped off canvas.
“I was that close to getting him,” Mosley said, holding his fingers together like Julia Child adding a pinch of salt. “He’s a hell of a fighter. He made adjustments. I didn’t. That’s the most he’s been hurt before, but he’s a warrior. He proved that tonight.”
Mayweather’s superior hand speed and cleverness changed everything for good at the end of Round 7. Twice Mayweather landed what he calls a pull-back counter, a straight right hand that is launched to counter a left jab by first rocking back away from the incoming fire and then reacting so quickly coming back that the right hand is launched while the left is still in the air.
That left Mosley defenseless because it came so quickly he could not slip it and so hard it reddened the center of his face and snapped his head back as if he’d been in a car wreck with an SUV.
When Mayweather later nailed him flush with a hard left jab just before the bell tolled, Mosley’s face took on a look of sad discouragement. He’d had his moment and not only didn’t capitalize but Mayweather had come back and attacked him in the very next round and now was dominating.
After that, the rest of his shift was a hard day’s night. He survived but did little more than expand Mayweather credentials and give De La Hoya a reason to feel he’d done better three years ago than he thought.
“As the fight was going on I was thinking I was kind of proud of what I accomplished,” De La Hoya said, wearing a rueful smile. “The Mayweather style is a hard style to break.”
Too hard for 41 straight guys. Will it be different if the 42nd is Pacquiao? I doubt it.
rborges@bostonherald.com
Source: news.bostonherald.com
Minggu, 02 Mei 2010
Oscar De La Hoya: Floyd Mayweather 'the best,' now can dictate terms to Manny Pacquiao -- Grand Rapids Press
By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press
LAS VEGAS -- Oscar De La Hoya
, who was curiously absent during fight week and gave business partner Shane Mosley advice on several consultations about how to fight Floyd Mayweather, found himself torn early in Mayweather’s 12-round unanimous decision victory Saturday night over Mosley.
By fight’s end, those mixed emotions turned to pride, he said, about being the only fighter to take Mayweather to a split decision, in 2007.
"I was thinking to myself I’m kind of proud of what I accomplished," he said. "Mayweather, he’s great -- and my fight with him was a tight fight."
De La Hoya lost twice to Mosley, in 2000 and 2003, and his partner in Golden Boy Promotions leveraged Mayweather’s failed talks with Manny Pacquiao to secure the welterweight blockbuster for himself.
Some considered it the most dangerous fight of Mayweather’s career because of Mosley’s speed and power -- attributes that combined to wobble the Grand Rapids native on a pair of crackling right hands in the second round.
Beyond that moment, it didn’t turn out that way.
"He fought a fighter, in Shane Mosley, that was supposed to be the most dangerous fight of his career, and Mayweather showed us that he’s the best," De La Hoya said. "Mayweather is on a different level. He’s on a different level because he’s a student of the game. He will dissect you outside the ring and finish you off inside the ring. He knows how to get in your head. He knows how to beat you mentally, then he will beat you physically."
De La Hoya said the efficiency of Mayweather’s one-sided victory "convinced me he is the best" in boxing today.
"Mayweather is special," he said. "So we have to respect that.
"He showed me true greatness because I felt that he was going to not be able to handle Mosley’s punch. And he just showed true greatness, what he’s all about -- all the hard work, the work ethic he has. It just shows you that Mayweather is the real deal. I’m a firm believer that Mayweather is the best we have right now."
De La Hoya also fought one opponent the world most wants Mayweather to face: Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao’s eighth-round technical knockout victory in 2008 was De La Hoya’s last fight.
"Being a student of the game, Pacquiao makes many mistakes," De La Hoya said. "And that will fall into Mayweather’s hands -- easy. It’ll be an entertaining fight, let me tell you, because there’s no stop in Pacquiao, there’s no quit in Pacquiao, that’s for sure."
A proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight fell apart last winter over a drug-testing issue but De La Hoya said Mayweather "is the one to dictate terms" based on his perfect record, victory over another pound-for-pound contender in Mosley, and marketability.
"Mayweather is the king of the world now," he said.
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
LAS VEGAS -- Oscar De La Hoya
, who was curiously absent during fight week and gave business partner Shane Mosley advice on several consultations about how to fight Floyd Mayweather, found himself torn early in Mayweather’s 12-round unanimous decision victory Saturday night over Mosley.By fight’s end, those mixed emotions turned to pride, he said, about being the only fighter to take Mayweather to a split decision, in 2007.De La Hoya lost twice to Mosley, in 2000 and 2003, and his partner in Golden Boy Promotions leveraged Mayweather’s failed talks with Manny Pacquiao to secure the welterweight blockbuster for himself.
Some considered it the most dangerous fight of Mayweather’s career because of Mosley’s speed and power -- attributes that combined to wobble the Grand Rapids native on a pair of crackling right hands in the second round.
Beyond that moment, it didn’t turn out that way.
"He fought a fighter, in Shane Mosley, that was supposed to be the most dangerous fight of his career, and Mayweather showed us that he’s the best," De La Hoya said. "Mayweather is on a different level. He’s on a different level because he’s a student of the game. He will dissect you outside the ring and finish you off inside the ring. He knows how to get in your head. He knows how to beat you mentally, then he will beat you physically."
De La Hoya said the efficiency of Mayweather’s one-sided victory "convinced me he is the best" in boxing today.
"Mayweather is special," he said. "So we have to respect that.
"He showed me true greatness because I felt that he was going to not be able to handle Mosley’s punch. And he just showed true greatness, what he’s all about -- all the hard work, the work ethic he has. It just shows you that Mayweather is the real deal. I’m a firm believer that Mayweather is the best we have right now."
De La Hoya also fought one opponent the world most wants Mayweather to face: Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao’s eighth-round technical knockout victory in 2008 was De La Hoya’s last fight.
"Being a student of the game, Pacquiao makes many mistakes," De La Hoya said. "And that will fall into Mayweather’s hands -- easy. It’ll be an entertaining fight, let me tell you, because there’s no stop in Pacquiao, there’s no quit in Pacquiao, that’s for sure."
A proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao fight fell apart last winter over a drug-testing issue but De La Hoya said Mayweather "is the one to dictate terms" based on his perfect record, victory over another pound-for-pound contender in Mosley, and marketability.
"Mayweather is the king of the world now," he said.
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
Kamis, 29 April 2010
Fathers Floyd Mayweather Sr., Jack Mosley recall weigh-in feud before Mosley-De La Hoya -- Grand Rapids Press
By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press
LAS VEGAS -- In 2003, when Floyd Mayweather Sr. trained Oscar De La Hoya and Jack Mosley trained Shane Mosley
, Mayweather stood in the way while De La Hoya weighed in. So Jack Mosley walked behind him, physically lifted him, and set him aside.
As Jack Mosley recalled it, he wanted to monitor De La Hoya’s weight on the official scale at MGM Grand, the same site where his son will fight the younger Floyd Mayweather on Saturday night.
But Jack Mosley said when the elder Mayweather did not respond to his request to step aside at the scale “I picked him up and set him to the side.”
“He didn't realize how strong I was,” Jack Mosley said. “He was in my way at the scales and he wouldn't move over. I said 'Floyd, you've got to move, it's my turn to stand by the scales,' when Oscar got up to weigh in. He just stood up there.
“So I'm like 'OK, he's not going to let him do that to me in front of 5,000 people,' so I lifted him up and moved him to the side, and got in there and did what I had to do."
Asked about Mayweather Sr.’s response, Jack Mosley said “He just stood there -- he didn’t move.”
He added that the two have gotten along fine in the years since, but publicly recounting that incident raised Mayweather's ire.
"I'll whip the (expletive) out of that old, slow (expletive)," Mayweather said. "That's what I want to say right now. If Shane's daddy wants a fight, we can have a fight right now and I'll guarantee you I will knock him out."
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
LAS VEGAS -- In 2003, when Floyd Mayweather Sr. trained Oscar De La Hoya and Jack Mosley trained Shane Mosley, Mayweather stood in the way while De La Hoya weighed in. So Jack Mosley walked behind him, physically lifted him, and set him aside.Jack Mosley recalled that incident recently when asked how he gets along with Mayweather, to the latter's dismay.
"I don't know why Jack was even bringing up about that, because I wouldn't have said nothing about it,” Mayweather said. “Really, man, we had been cool. But all this stuff, what do you bring this up for?"
As Jack Mosley recalled it, he wanted to monitor De La Hoya’s weight on the official scale at MGM Grand, the same site where his son will fight the younger Floyd Mayweather on Saturday night.
But Jack Mosley said when the elder Mayweather did not respond to his request to step aside at the scale “I picked him up and set him to the side.”
“He didn't realize how strong I was,” Jack Mosley said. “He was in my way at the scales and he wouldn't move over. I said 'Floyd, you've got to move, it's my turn to stand by the scales,' when Oscar got up to weigh in. He just stood up there.
“So I'm like 'OK, he's not going to let him do that to me in front of 5,000 people,' so I lifted him up and moved him to the side, and got in there and did what I had to do."
Asked about Mayweather Sr.’s response, Jack Mosley said “He just stood there -- he didn’t move.”
He added that the two have gotten along fine in the years since, but publicly recounting that incident raised Mayweather's ire.
"I'll whip the (expletive) out of that old, slow (expletive)," Mayweather said. "That's what I want to say right now. If Shane's daddy wants a fight, we can have a fight right now and I'll guarantee you I will knock him out."
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
Chavez Jr. is Roach's Latest Wild Card -- SecondsOut
By Steve Kim, SecondsOut.com
Roach has a star-studded roster, from Manny Pacquiao on down and the Wild Card is the home to a multitude of world-class prizefighters. And it’s a highly competitive atmosphere, where the weak will not survive. Here, Chavez Jr. isn’t the son of boxing royalty; as of now, he’s just another relatively unproven fighter. He’s basically Vanes Martirosyan with a better boxer lineage.
"We think Chavez is enormously talented and we have to get somebody to bring out that talent and discipline. And there’s nobody better than Freddie," stated Arum, who took Chavez to the Wild Card a couple of months ago. He admits to being distressed over Chavez’s rather desultory dedication to the sport. "Sure, of course, all of us [are]."
The crime isn’t that Junior is not the equal of his father (very few ever will be at the level of the great “JC Superstar”); it’s that he’s not even reaching his own ceiling as a fighter, which has seemingly turned off more than a few Mexican fans. But perhaps, he will never have the desire of the original Julio Cesar Chavez. After all, he was a child of privilege, one that was born with a silver mouthpiece. How could he have ever had the hunger and drive of his father growing up?
As former major league pitcher Dean Chance (now, incidentally, president of fringe alphabet organization, the IBA) once famously noted, "He was born on third base, but he thinks he hit a triple." At times, that would apply to Chavez.
Arum admits, "Chavez comes from a wealthy family. Marvin Hagler, one of my great fighters, said rich guys who sleep in silk pajamas don’t like to get up in the morning and do roadwork." And judging by the softness in his body in his most recent fights, he looks like a guy who hasn’t been hitting the pavement in the early hours. Last year, the physical conditioners from Velocity- best known for working with Miguel Cotto- were summoned to Big Bear to work with Junior, only to be jettisoned from the mountain a few weeks later. The reason?
It seemed as though they were working Junior just a bit too hard for his liking.
You just wonder; is Chavez boxing because he wants to or because he’s expected to? At times, he does remind one of that trust-fund baby incapable of holding any real responsibility in the real world, yet, will always be bailed out because of who he is. In other sports, it’s not unusual to see kids who come from wealth follow in the footsteps of their fathers. But in boxing, is it even possible?
As you ask this question to Roach, he takes a long pause before saying," I would say mostly no. But the thing is, in some cases, they have the genes of a fighter. Like the Mayweathers and so forth, Floyd Jr. wasn’t brought up as hard as Roger and Floyd Sr. were. He had a little more comfortable of a life because of the success of his uncle, of course. So it’s not impossible, but it’s unusual."
But there’s a key difference here; Floyd Jr., for all his bombast, has an obvious thirst and drive for the sport, along with incredible, natural, God-given ability. Chavez isn’t a bad fighter; he has a pretty good offensive skill set and a good beard. But that’s offset by shoddy conditioning, which has limited his effectiveness in certain fights.
But what happens the first few days when he is pushed to the brink in the gym, when it’s no longer his call on when to call it quits? And can his body take the ballistic training of Roach’s strength-and-training guru, Alex Ariza, in the early mornings? This will be a bit of culture shock for Chavez.
Roach says simply, "[If] he doesn’t work hard, he’ll probably go home." The trainer says he won’t even have to send him on his way. "I’ll give him an opportunity to show me he’s willing to change and work. And I’m going to push him, push him, push him and if he doesn’t respond, he’ll go home on his own. I hear he’s that type of person. But the thing is, if he does have a work ethic, I’ll sit down and talk with him. I’ll give him a chance. But he’s going to get one chance and that’s it."
Roach’s bottom line is simple, "I don’t have time; I have a lot of good fighters that want to work, so I don’t have time to be baby-sitting anybody."
Chavez should have some inkling of what to expect as he dropped by the Wild Card to see Pacquiao perform his daily duties with Roach, before “Pac-Man” faced Joshua Clottey in March. "When he [Chavez] saw Manny work out, he said we were a little crazy. But he saw how I work my fighters and how I push them and so forth. So I’m hoping he sees that as a challenge to him."
The days of being surrounded by yes-men are over, for now. The young man is no longer the boss of his own training.
"It was my camp," Chavez admitted. "I told them what I wanted to do. It was my family and it’s not the same when it’s your family. You tell them what to do; they’re not going to tell me no."
He says later, "It’s a great opportunity for me. You see what he’s done with fighters; he makes them better than they are. I’m hoping he’ll do that for me. He’ll make me work and I can become the best that I can become."
ENABLING
As is usually the case with Chavez Jr., or any fighter handled by Fernando Beltran, the fighter was once again tardy to the press conference on Tuesday, which had Arum a bit antsy. This after the Monday afternoon presser in San Antonio was scrapped because Chavez had some immigration issues.
"We flew down; we got picked up at the airport. We were told then that he wasn’t coming and that there wouldn’t be a press conference," said a rather annoyed Craig Hamilton, who manages Duddy. "So John and I went over and visited the Alamo."
Again, Chavez gets away with it, because he’s allowed to. Meanwhile, everyone else who was scheduled to be there showed up dutifully.
"It’s a ton of disrespect; I mean, look, it’s disrespect to John, yes, but this is particularly disrespectful to Top Rank," Hamilton pointed out. "When you take a fight like this, for example, John has a contract; he’s going to get paid either way. But we want the promoter to succeed. So you go to press conferences, we cross the country. In two days, we traveled to San Antonio, to Los Angeles, back to New York. We’re trying to help the promotion. It’s disrespectful to the press people who plan a day, the Mexican fans- he has a ton of them. It’s disrespectful to them. So yeah, it’s disrespectful and it’s not excusable. You know if you had a visa problem two days ago, you had one a month ago.
"So I don’t listen to that. I manage a fighter; you take care of the business. That’s what your job is. My job is to make sure if he has a visa problem- Duddy’s not a naturalized citizen- there’s any issue, we got it taken care of well ahead of when you have to," continued Hamilton.
As the press conference finally began (about a half-hour late), Arum announced that Chavez would be meeting with immigration attorney Frank Ronzio (who once managed David Kamau) to work out all his issues after he met with the media. He said he advised his fighter to stay out of Arizona for the time being.
I think he was being serious.
TOP BARRERA
Marco Antonio Barrera, who waged a legendary trilogy with Erik Morales (long a Top Rank stalwart) is on “Latin Fury 15’.” Seeing Barrera on a Top Rank show is like seeing Derek Jeter in a Boston Red Sox uniform.
"Barrera’s always been the enemy. He’s always been on the opposite side. I may still root for the other guy," Arum joked.
Barrera, according to the veteran promoter, signed a five-fight deal with Beltran (who once co-promoted “El Terrible” with Top Rank).
OK, don’t want to give Arum any ideas, but is there any possibility of Barrera-Morales IV?
"Morales called me yesterday at the office to say, ’I hear Bob’s been looking for me.’ Which I wasn’t. But he left a number for me to call."
Uh-oh.
LATIN FURY FLURRIES
This show will take place at the Alamodome, which has a rich boxing history. Pernell Whitaker faced Chavez here in September of 1993, in front of over 60,000 fans. Oscar De La Hoya knocked out Kamau several years later and Pacquiao knocked out Barrera here in 2003...Also on this card is a bout between bantamweights Eric Morel and Jorge Arce and featherweight Salvador Sanchez III...Adailton De Jesus is slated to take on Barrera...This pay-per-view is priced at $39.95...Say what you will, but the recently retired John Ruiz had himself a pretty good career. He certainly got the most out of his ability...Is there any question that LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, and might be so for another decade?...Although Kevin Durant will have something to say about that...Any questions or comments can be directed to k9kim@yahoo.com and you can follow me at www.twitter.com. You can now become a Facebook fan of Maxboxing at www.facebook.com/MaxBoxing
Source: secondsout.com
It was made official on Tuesday afternoon at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles that renowned trainer Freddie Roach would take over the training duties for Julio Cesar Chavez
Jr., who faces John Duddy in San Antonio, Texas, on June 26th as the headliner on “Latin Fury 15.” Chavez Jr. will report to the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood on Saturday for his first official day under the watchful eye of Roach.
Jr., who faces John Duddy in San Antonio, Texas, on June 26th as the headliner on “Latin Fury 15.” Chavez Jr. will report to the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood on Saturday for his first official day under the watchful eye of Roach.It’s no secret that Junior’s work ethic has never been described as “Spartan,” but he says that this move represents a new chapter in his career.
"I came here very willing to do whatever I need to do, whatever they ask me to do; that’s what I have to do. Work," said Chavez, through Top Rank publicist Ricardo Jimenez. His own promoter, Bob Arum, has labeled him “lazy,” to which Junior responded, "I always believed I needed a real leader to help me out. I haven’t had that in my camp. I know I have that now."
Roach has a star-studded roster, from Manny Pacquiao on down and the Wild Card is the home to a multitude of world-class prizefighters. And it’s a highly competitive atmosphere, where the weak will not survive. Here, Chavez Jr. isn’t the son of boxing royalty; as of now, he’s just another relatively unproven fighter. He’s basically Vanes Martirosyan with a better boxer lineage."We think Chavez is enormously talented and we have to get somebody to bring out that talent and discipline. And there’s nobody better than Freddie," stated Arum, who took Chavez to the Wild Card a couple of months ago. He admits to being distressed over Chavez’s rather desultory dedication to the sport. "Sure, of course, all of us [are]."
The crime isn’t that Junior is not the equal of his father (very few ever will be at the level of the great “JC Superstar”); it’s that he’s not even reaching his own ceiling as a fighter, which has seemingly turned off more than a few Mexican fans. But perhaps, he will never have the desire of the original Julio Cesar Chavez. After all, he was a child of privilege, one that was born with a silver mouthpiece. How could he have ever had the hunger and drive of his father growing up?
As former major league pitcher Dean Chance (now, incidentally, president of fringe alphabet organization, the IBA) once famously noted, "He was born on third base, but he thinks he hit a triple." At times, that would apply to Chavez.
Arum admits, "Chavez comes from a wealthy family. Marvin Hagler, one of my great fighters, said rich guys who sleep in silk pajamas don’t like to get up in the morning and do roadwork." And judging by the softness in his body in his most recent fights, he looks like a guy who hasn’t been hitting the pavement in the early hours. Last year, the physical conditioners from Velocity- best known for working with Miguel Cotto- were summoned to Big Bear to work with Junior, only to be jettisoned from the mountain a few weeks later. The reason?
It seemed as though they were working Junior just a bit too hard for his liking.
You just wonder; is Chavez boxing because he wants to or because he’s expected to? At times, he does remind one of that trust-fund baby incapable of holding any real responsibility in the real world, yet, will always be bailed out because of who he is. In other sports, it’s not unusual to see kids who come from wealth follow in the footsteps of their fathers. But in boxing, is it even possible?
As you ask this question to Roach, he takes a long pause before saying," I would say mostly no. But the thing is, in some cases, they have the genes of a fighter. Like the Mayweathers and so forth, Floyd Jr. wasn’t brought up as hard as Roger and Floyd Sr. were. He had a little more comfortable of a life because of the success of his uncle, of course. So it’s not impossible, but it’s unusual."
But there’s a key difference here; Floyd Jr., for all his bombast, has an obvious thirst and drive for the sport, along with incredible, natural, God-given ability. Chavez isn’t a bad fighter; he has a pretty good offensive skill set and a good beard. But that’s offset by shoddy conditioning, which has limited his effectiveness in certain fights.
But what happens the first few days when he is pushed to the brink in the gym, when it’s no longer his call on when to call it quits? And can his body take the ballistic training of Roach’s strength-and-training guru, Alex Ariza, in the early mornings? This will be a bit of culture shock for Chavez.
Roach says simply, "[If] he doesn’t work hard, he’ll probably go home." The trainer says he won’t even have to send him on his way. "I’ll give him an opportunity to show me he’s willing to change and work. And I’m going to push him, push him, push him and if he doesn’t respond, he’ll go home on his own. I hear he’s that type of person. But the thing is, if he does have a work ethic, I’ll sit down and talk with him. I’ll give him a chance. But he’s going to get one chance and that’s it."
Roach’s bottom line is simple, "I don’t have time; I have a lot of good fighters that want to work, so I don’t have time to be baby-sitting anybody."
Chavez should have some inkling of what to expect as he dropped by the Wild Card to see Pacquiao perform his daily duties with Roach, before “Pac-Man” faced Joshua Clottey in March. "When he [Chavez] saw Manny work out, he said we were a little crazy. But he saw how I work my fighters and how I push them and so forth. So I’m hoping he sees that as a challenge to him."
The days of being surrounded by yes-men are over, for now. The young man is no longer the boss of his own training.
"It was my camp," Chavez admitted. "I told them what I wanted to do. It was my family and it’s not the same when it’s your family. You tell them what to do; they’re not going to tell me no."
He says later, "It’s a great opportunity for me. You see what he’s done with fighters; he makes them better than they are. I’m hoping he’ll do that for me. He’ll make me work and I can become the best that I can become."
ENABLING
As is usually the case with Chavez Jr., or any fighter handled by Fernando Beltran, the fighter was once again tardy to the press conference on Tuesday, which had Arum a bit antsy. This after the Monday afternoon presser in San Antonio was scrapped because Chavez had some immigration issues.
"We flew down; we got picked up at the airport. We were told then that he wasn’t coming and that there wouldn’t be a press conference," said a rather annoyed Craig Hamilton, who manages Duddy. "So John and I went over and visited the Alamo."
Again, Chavez gets away with it, because he’s allowed to. Meanwhile, everyone else who was scheduled to be there showed up dutifully.
"It’s a ton of disrespect; I mean, look, it’s disrespect to John, yes, but this is particularly disrespectful to Top Rank," Hamilton pointed out. "When you take a fight like this, for example, John has a contract; he’s going to get paid either way. But we want the promoter to succeed. So you go to press conferences, we cross the country. In two days, we traveled to San Antonio, to Los Angeles, back to New York. We’re trying to help the promotion. It’s disrespectful to the press people who plan a day, the Mexican fans- he has a ton of them. It’s disrespectful to them. So yeah, it’s disrespectful and it’s not excusable. You know if you had a visa problem two days ago, you had one a month ago.
"So I don’t listen to that. I manage a fighter; you take care of the business. That’s what your job is. My job is to make sure if he has a visa problem- Duddy’s not a naturalized citizen- there’s any issue, we got it taken care of well ahead of when you have to," continued Hamilton.
As the press conference finally began (about a half-hour late), Arum announced that Chavez would be meeting with immigration attorney Frank Ronzio (who once managed David Kamau) to work out all his issues after he met with the media. He said he advised his fighter to stay out of Arizona for the time being.
I think he was being serious.
TOP BARRERA
Marco Antonio Barrera, who waged a legendary trilogy with Erik Morales (long a Top Rank stalwart) is on “Latin Fury 15’.” Seeing Barrera on a Top Rank show is like seeing Derek Jeter in a Boston Red Sox uniform.
"Barrera’s always been the enemy. He’s always been on the opposite side. I may still root for the other guy," Arum joked.
Barrera, according to the veteran promoter, signed a five-fight deal with Beltran (who once co-promoted “El Terrible” with Top Rank).
OK, don’t want to give Arum any ideas, but is there any possibility of Barrera-Morales IV?
"Morales called me yesterday at the office to say, ’I hear Bob’s been looking for me.’ Which I wasn’t. But he left a number for me to call."
Uh-oh.
LATIN FURY FLURRIES
This show will take place at the Alamodome, which has a rich boxing history. Pernell Whitaker faced Chavez here in September of 1993, in front of over 60,000 fans. Oscar De La Hoya knocked out Kamau several years later and Pacquiao knocked out Barrera here in 2003...Also on this card is a bout between bantamweights Eric Morel and Jorge Arce and featherweight Salvador Sanchez III...Adailton De Jesus is slated to take on Barrera...This pay-per-view is priced at $39.95...Say what you will, but the recently retired John Ruiz had himself a pretty good career. He certainly got the most out of his ability...Is there any question that LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, and might be so for another decade?...Although Kevin Durant will have something to say about that...Any questions or comments can be directed to k9kim@yahoo.com and you can follow me at www.twitter.com. You can now become a Facebook fan of Maxboxing at www.facebook.com/MaxBoxing
Source: secondsout.com
Rabu, 28 April 2010
Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley get in last words -- Los Angeles Times
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Las Vegas
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley both addressed nagging criticisms about each other as the hours ticked down to their Saturday night welterweight title fight.
"We don't know how many fights he fought clean," Mayweather said about Mosley at Wednesday's final news conference, digging once more at Mosley's 2003 use of performance-enhancing drugs.
"Mayweather deserves credit for taking this chance [to fight me]," said Mosley, who has knocked out 39 of his 51 opponents and stands as the toughest opponent Mayweather has fought since taking on a close-to-retirement Oscar De La Hoya
in 2007.
Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) long has been jabbed by critics for failing to engage in a classic brawl, backing off and fighting in spurts, instead of going for the kill and chasing the highlight-reel slugfest. Despite his unbeaten record, critics say Mayweather tends to dominate only against smaller or less skilled foes, as he did against Juan Manuel Marquez last year.
The opportunity for both men in this bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas is to conquer their most biting criticism.
"Shane is a very dangerous guy," fight promoter Richard Schaefer said, pointing out Mosley's ninth-round technical knockout upset over Antonio Margarito last year. "These guys who've said Mayweather has been afraid to fight, to take on a guy like [Mosley], needed to apologize when Floyd signed up for this fight."
Mayweather is expected to be far more active than usual against Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs), who like Mayweather has been well-schooled in boxing since his youth and knows how to apply his craft's finest skills and traps.
Mayweather, reluctant to ever acknowledge the severity of his challenger's talent beyond cursory respect, said the Mosley bout will "entertain fans." Mayweather also defended his past practice to "take less punishment" in bouts. Take a look at who's still active from the U.S. Olympic classes of 1996 (where Mayweather won a bronze medal) and 2000, he suggests.
"It's not my fault I dominate," said Mayweather, 33, sharply dressed in a blue-gray vest and large tie. "If I had been in a bunch of wars, I wouldn't be here talking to you guys anymore."
As for Mosley, he called Mayweather "a special fighter," acknowledging it will take an unusual effort by Mayweather to beat him. "He deserves props," Mosley said. "Maybe he's decided this is the right time to take this kind of fight."
Mosley also revealed that the independent anti-doping protocol that Mayweather insisted upon for this bout — performed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency — has subjected him to four blood draws and eight urine tests.
"Eight times, that's a bit excessive, but I like this," Mosley said. "Hey, I'm a clean fighter."
Schaefer said the thorough drug tests mean he "never wants to hear another word about Shane Mosley and BALCO.
"I do hope when Shane wins that people give him the credit he deserves and tell how a clean Shane Mosley beat the best fighter in the world."
lance.pugmire@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
Source: latimes.com
Reporting from Las Vegas
Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Shane Mosley both addressed nagging criticisms about each other as the hours ticked down to their Saturday night welterweight title fight.
"We don't know how many fights he fought clean," Mayweather said about Mosley at Wednesday's final news conference, digging once more at Mosley's 2003 use of performance-enhancing drugs.
"Mayweather deserves credit for taking this chance [to fight me]," said Mosley, who has knocked out 39 of his 51 opponents and stands as the toughest opponent Mayweather has fought since taking on a close-to-retirement Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) long has been jabbed by critics for failing to engage in a classic brawl, backing off and fighting in spurts, instead of going for the kill and chasing the highlight-reel slugfest. Despite his unbeaten record, critics say Mayweather tends to dominate only against smaller or less skilled foes, as he did against Juan Manuel Marquez last year.
The opportunity for both men in this bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas is to conquer their most biting criticism.
"Shane is a very dangerous guy," fight promoter Richard Schaefer said, pointing out Mosley's ninth-round technical knockout upset over Antonio Margarito last year. "These guys who've said Mayweather has been afraid to fight, to take on a guy like [Mosley], needed to apologize when Floyd signed up for this fight."
Mayweather is expected to be far more active than usual against Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs), who like Mayweather has been well-schooled in boxing since his youth and knows how to apply his craft's finest skills and traps.
Mayweather, reluctant to ever acknowledge the severity of his challenger's talent beyond cursory respect, said the Mosley bout will "entertain fans." Mayweather also defended his past practice to "take less punishment" in bouts. Take a look at who's still active from the U.S. Olympic classes of 1996 (where Mayweather won a bronze medal) and 2000, he suggests.
"It's not my fault I dominate," said Mayweather, 33, sharply dressed in a blue-gray vest and large tie. "If I had been in a bunch of wars, I wouldn't be here talking to you guys anymore."
As for Mosley, he called Mayweather "a special fighter," acknowledging it will take an unusual effort by Mayweather to beat him. "He deserves props," Mosley said. "Maybe he's decided this is the right time to take this kind of fight."
Mosley also revealed that the independent anti-doping protocol that Mayweather insisted upon for this bout — performed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency — has subjected him to four blood draws and eight urine tests.
"Eight times, that's a bit excessive, but I like this," Mosley said. "Hey, I'm a clean fighter."
Schaefer said the thorough drug tests mean he "never wants to hear another word about Shane Mosley and BALCO.
"I do hope when Shane wins that people give him the credit he deserves and tell how a clean Shane Mosley beat the best fighter in the world."
lance.pugmire@latimes.com
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times
Source: latimes.com
Mosley Plans His Legacy and His Efforts to Ruin Everyone Else’s -- New York Times
By Greg Bishop, The New York Times
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — Sugar Shane Mosley sits upstairs in the man cave at his training compound, the one with a massage table in the corner and a hot tub on the deck.
At 38 years old, he is the last of the 1992 Olympians still boxing. Yet Mosley continues to venture inside boxing rings to affirm and enhance the subject for which he cares most deeply: his legacy, as a Sugar, as a boxer, as, he hopes, an all-time great.
“People that follow boxing know that I’m a maniac,” Mosley said. “The ones that don’t say I’m old and slow, I’m this and that. All this stup-id-ness.”
He spit out that last word like a piece of rotten food. Gone was the smile that defines him, replaced with a nervous laugh.
“They look past greatness,” he continued. “I’m a legendary fighter. I’ve been battling for years. Battling. And battling. It doesn’t sit right with me, being on the back end.”
He leaned forward, his body shaking as if on vibrate, his penetrating blue eyes filled with anger, frustration, disbelief.
“I have another idea,” he said, voice rising. “This here is the year of the monkey wrench. Write me off. I’m throwing a wrench in everybody’s plans.”
Mosley (46-5 with 39 knockouts), not Manny Pacquiao, will meet Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0 with 25 knockouts) on Saturday night in a welterweight fight in Las Vegas. He will showcase that misleading smile, a toothy grin framed by a thin mustache.
His trainer, Naazim Richardson, said he believed all great fighters possess deceiving qualities, from Muhammad Ali (unassuming heavyweight) to Oscar De La Hoya (tougher than he looked) to Mayweather himself (trash talk overshadows talent).
“And Shane Mosley is misleading,” Richardson said. “You look at that smile, that little kid smile, looking like he wants to sell you insurance or something. There’s this sweet quality about him. You forget he’s ferocious in the ring.”
Mosley’s father, Jack, implored his son to boast more, reasoning that “the mouth that stays closed never gets fed.” But that has never been Mosley’s style.
He trains here, flanked by his best friend and his 19-year-old son, surrounded by those he calls the Tribe. The main house is downright quaint, with paintings of bald eagles and snowmen figurines and a sign that reads, “Sugar Shane’s Chalet.” On Tuesday nights he heads to the nearby Bowling Barn, where locals grumble about flash photography and Mosley rolls under the tag name SUG.
All this makes for a humble, peaceful existence by boxing standards, but it also fans an internal struggle between who Mosley wants to be and how he wants to be remembered. He desires his place in boxing history and will discuss it when prompted (as for this article), but refuses to campaign actively.
“I’m not going to run my mouth just to run it,” he said. “That’s just talking. When I say something, you know I mean it.”
Mosley first considered his legacy at age 10, when he announced that one day he would become world champion. He never considered another plan.
He met his best friend, Hassan AbdulRahim Jr., in high school in Pomona, Calif., and they drove around in a green Volkswagen Beetle they once rebuilt in mechanics class. Most days ended at a park, with legacy the favorite topic.
Mosley struck his friend as calm, collected and obsessed with a singular pursuit. Boxers love that about him, even now. De La Hoya described Mosley as “the fighter that every fighter loves,” a throwback who sent his trainer pictures of an impromptu sparring session — held on his vacation in Bolivia.
For Mosley, boxing holds oxygen’s importance. If he spends more than a week outside the ring, he feels nasty, caged. He paces hotel rooms, or knocks out push-ups, plays basketball, tennis and soccer, or snowboards, anything to fill the void.
His grandfather remains spry at 91. His father still hits heavy bags at 65. Mosley always exuded the family energy, even in nursery school, when he tooled around on a Big Wheel while his classmates napped.
“I remember when we first started training, and I said, ‘This boxing is going to wear him out,’ ” Jack Mosley said. “Never did. Even to this day, it never does.”
Mosley faced doubts from the beginning, fighting for $1,000 here and there, knocking out all but one of his first 23 opponents. He won his first 38 fights, mostly at lightweight, and compiled a knockout ratio among the highest ever.
He chased the two famed Sugars who came before. Among his prized possessions, Mosley keeps a photograph of himself and Sugar Ray Robinson, often considered the greatest boxer of all. Mosley befriended Sugar Ray Leonard, too.
“I wanted to be like them, to show the difference between real fighters and fake ones,” Mosley said. “That’s the era that I’m from, the era that I fought in, the era that I watched. You fight the best and everything else follows.”
Not exactly. Mosley beat De La Hoya in 2000 and destroyed Antonio Margarito in his last fight, which many had considered a retirement party, in January 2009. Leonard called after the Margarito bout and told Mosley he represented their nickname perfectly.
That win announced Mosley’s return to boxing’s consciousness. But what happened between De La Hoya and Margarito nearly derailed his career.
The first defeat came in 2002, against Vernon Forrest, and over the next five years Mosley lost nearly as often as he won. Each beating came against a bigger fighter, and as recently as two years ago, promoters told his security guard to begin searching for another job.
AbdulRahim said Mosley fights best when happy, and he sees more than coincidence that Mosley’s life and career fell apart at the same time.
Victor Conte, the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative founder, accused Mosley of using performance-enhancing drugs
in 2003 and recently released portions of Mosley’s court testimony. Mosley said under oath that he unknowingly used performance-enhancing drugs.
Mosley is suing Conte for defamation, but while he agreed to Olympic-style blood testing for this bout and mostly shrugged off the subject of steroids, it obviously bothers him. On a recent conference call, he said, “It’s ridiculous that the media wants to make me the poster boy for steroids.”
Beyond that, Mosley endured a brutal and public separation from his wife and business manager (they married in 2002 and are getting a divorce). Friends used the word “toxic” to describe the union.
“He’s in a different place now, a good place,” said LaDainian Tomlinson, a Jets running back and Mosley’s friend. “This is where Shane can cement his legacy forever, as the first person to beat Floyd Mayweather.”
De La Hoya said Mosley could retire ranked among the greatest fighters of his era, but “he does have to beat a Mayweather and beat a Pacquiao to be considered that.” Richardson, his trainer, called this fight the most important of Mosley’s career.
Mosley’s camp remains confident in its preparations, so much so that the first hour of training is off limits, even to HBO’s cameras. Privately, they laugh off the underdog label, with Richardson reminding skeptics that few picked Butler to advance to the N.C.A.A. championship game.
“He wants to remind people who he is,” AbdulRahim said. “He feels like, because of the hype, boxing took this guy from the Philippines and this guy, who wasn’t really much of a champion, to tell you the truth, and placed them in his spot. Shane is the one who should be pushed and hyped and put on this pedestal. He will prove that.”
Should Mosley upset Mayweather, he could aim for a rematch or fight Pacquiao, the Filipino who has won world titles in seven weight divisions. But one day, next year or five years from now, the emphasis on legacy will shift toward Shane Jr., the next fighter in the Mosley line.
They train together here, inside the garage Mosley transformed into a puncher’s paradise. Richardson bestowed the boy with his own nickname: Spice.
“Don’t forget about Little Shane,” Mosley told friends recently. “My baby boy is next.”
With that, Mosley went back inside his gym, where his son needed instruction and his legacy needed polishing. He had typical, understated plans on this recent Tuesday: an evening with the locals, at the big, red bowling barn for league night.
Source: nytimes.com
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — Sugar Shane Mosley sits upstairs in the man cave at his training compound, the one with a massage table in the corner and a hot tub on the deck.
At 38 years old, he is the last of the 1992 Olympians still boxing. Yet Mosley continues to venture inside boxing rings to affirm and enhance the subject for which he cares most deeply: his legacy, as a Sugar, as a boxer, as, he hopes, an all-time great.
“People that follow boxing know that I’m a maniac,” Mosley said. “The ones that don’t say I’m old and slow, I’m this and that. All this stup-id-ness.”
He spit out that last word like a piece of rotten food. Gone was the smile that defines him, replaced with a nervous laugh.
“They look past greatness,” he continued. “I’m a legendary fighter. I’ve been battling for years. Battling. And battling. It doesn’t sit right with me, being on the back end.”
He leaned forward, his body shaking as if on vibrate, his penetrating blue eyes filled with anger, frustration, disbelief.
“I have another idea,” he said, voice rising. “This here is the year of the monkey wrench. Write me off. I’m throwing a wrench in everybody’s plans.”
Mosley (46-5 with 39 knockouts), not Manny Pacquiao, will meet Floyd Mayweather Jr. (40-0 with 25 knockouts) on Saturday night in a welterweight fight in Las Vegas. He will showcase that misleading smile, a toothy grin framed by a thin mustache.
His trainer, Naazim Richardson, said he believed all great fighters possess deceiving qualities, from Muhammad Ali (unassuming heavyweight) to Oscar De La Hoya (tougher than he looked) to Mayweather himself (trash talk overshadows talent).
“And Shane Mosley is misleading,” Richardson said. “You look at that smile, that little kid smile, looking like he wants to sell you insurance or something. There’s this sweet quality about him. You forget he’s ferocious in the ring.”
Mosley’s father, Jack, implored his son to boast more, reasoning that “the mouth that stays closed never gets fed.” But that has never been Mosley’s style.
He trains here, flanked by his best friend and his 19-year-old son, surrounded by those he calls the Tribe. The main house is downright quaint, with paintings of bald eagles and snowmen figurines and a sign that reads, “Sugar Shane’s Chalet.” On Tuesday nights he heads to the nearby Bowling Barn, where locals grumble about flash photography and Mosley rolls under the tag name SUG.
All this makes for a humble, peaceful existence by boxing standards, but it also fans an internal struggle between who Mosley wants to be and how he wants to be remembered. He desires his place in boxing history and will discuss it when prompted (as for this article), but refuses to campaign actively.
“I’m not going to run my mouth just to run it,” he said. “That’s just talking. When I say something, you know I mean it.”
Mosley first considered his legacy at age 10, when he announced that one day he would become world champion. He never considered another plan.
He met his best friend, Hassan AbdulRahim Jr., in high school in Pomona, Calif., and they drove around in a green Volkswagen Beetle they once rebuilt in mechanics class. Most days ended at a park, with legacy the favorite topic.
Mosley struck his friend as calm, collected and obsessed with a singular pursuit. Boxers love that about him, even now. De La Hoya described Mosley as “the fighter that every fighter loves,” a throwback who sent his trainer pictures of an impromptu sparring session — held on his vacation in Bolivia.
For Mosley, boxing holds oxygen’s importance. If he spends more than a week outside the ring, he feels nasty, caged. He paces hotel rooms, or knocks out push-ups, plays basketball, tennis and soccer, or snowboards, anything to fill the void.
His grandfather remains spry at 91. His father still hits heavy bags at 65. Mosley always exuded the family energy, even in nursery school, when he tooled around on a Big Wheel while his classmates napped.
“I remember when we first started training, and I said, ‘This boxing is going to wear him out,’ ” Jack Mosley said. “Never did. Even to this day, it never does.”
Mosley faced doubts from the beginning, fighting for $1,000 here and there, knocking out all but one of his first 23 opponents. He won his first 38 fights, mostly at lightweight, and compiled a knockout ratio among the highest ever.
He chased the two famed Sugars who came before. Among his prized possessions, Mosley keeps a photograph of himself and Sugar Ray Robinson, often considered the greatest boxer of all. Mosley befriended Sugar Ray Leonard, too.
“I wanted to be like them, to show the difference between real fighters and fake ones,” Mosley said. “That’s the era that I’m from, the era that I fought in, the era that I watched. You fight the best and everything else follows.”
Not exactly. Mosley beat De La Hoya in 2000 and destroyed Antonio Margarito in his last fight, which many had considered a retirement party, in January 2009. Leonard called after the Margarito bout and told Mosley he represented their nickname perfectly.
That win announced Mosley’s return to boxing’s consciousness. But what happened between De La Hoya and Margarito nearly derailed his career.
The first defeat came in 2002, against Vernon Forrest, and over the next five years Mosley lost nearly as often as he won. Each beating came against a bigger fighter, and as recently as two years ago, promoters told his security guard to begin searching for another job.
AbdulRahim said Mosley fights best when happy, and he sees more than coincidence that Mosley’s life and career fell apart at the same time.
Victor Conte, the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative founder, accused Mosley of using performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 and recently released portions of Mosley’s court testimony. Mosley said under oath that he unknowingly used performance-enhancing drugs. Mosley is suing Conte for defamation, but while he agreed to Olympic-style blood testing for this bout and mostly shrugged off the subject of steroids, it obviously bothers him. On a recent conference call, he said, “It’s ridiculous that the media wants to make me the poster boy for steroids.”
Beyond that, Mosley endured a brutal and public separation from his wife and business manager (they married in 2002 and are getting a divorce). Friends used the word “toxic” to describe the union.
“He’s in a different place now, a good place,” said LaDainian Tomlinson, a Jets running back and Mosley’s friend. “This is where Shane can cement his legacy forever, as the first person to beat Floyd Mayweather.”
De La Hoya said Mosley could retire ranked among the greatest fighters of his era, but “he does have to beat a Mayweather and beat a Pacquiao to be considered that.” Richardson, his trainer, called this fight the most important of Mosley’s career.
Mosley’s camp remains confident in its preparations, so much so that the first hour of training is off limits, even to HBO’s cameras. Privately, they laugh off the underdog label, with Richardson reminding skeptics that few picked Butler to advance to the N.C.A.A. championship game.
“He wants to remind people who he is,” AbdulRahim said. “He feels like, because of the hype, boxing took this guy from the Philippines and this guy, who wasn’t really much of a champion, to tell you the truth, and placed them in his spot. Shane is the one who should be pushed and hyped and put on this pedestal. He will prove that.”
Should Mosley upset Mayweather, he could aim for a rematch or fight Pacquiao, the Filipino who has won world titles in seven weight divisions. But one day, next year or five years from now, the emphasis on legacy will shift toward Shane Jr., the next fighter in the Mosley line.
They train together here, inside the garage Mosley transformed into a puncher’s paradise. Richardson bestowed the boy with his own nickname: Spice.
“Don’t forget about Little Shane,” Mosley told friends recently. “My baby boy is next.”
With that, Mosley went back inside his gym, where his son needed instruction and his legacy needed polishing. He had typical, understated plans on this recent Tuesday: an evening with the locals, at the big, red bowling barn for league night.
Source: nytimes.com
Selasa, 27 April 2010
Mayweather v. Mosley: Everything that is wrong with boxing in one bag -- PhilBoxing
By Earl Blaney, PhilBoxing.com
It’s not the fight we want to see, but we’ll watch it anyway. It shouldn’t really be a good one, but that doesn’t really matter. The guy who can’t lose is well capable of doing exactly that. These are some of the oxymoronic statements that underscore this weekend's bout between Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley, factual statements that make morons of today’s boxing fans and a mockery of the sport of boxing.
As everyone knows this fight is not the fight that should be fought this weekend.
It is instead a poorly made, promoter produced, “knock off” of a real mega fight (Mayweather-Pacquiao). Like so many lower class consumers, rather than call the police on the back alley dealers, boxing fans opt instead to buy the bag. We know the quality doesn’t match up, but at a distance it looks the same, and for practical reasons it’s usable (well at least until the third or fourth round when the whole thing falls apart). What makes this choice so pathetic for boxing fans is that in boxing “knock off” fights cost the same as the “original” would.
Many people will watch this fight because despite his hiatus from boxing Floyd Mayweather remains one of the best technical boxers in recent history (he would say the best of all time). There is no doubting the former. Unfortunately for boxing and for Mayweather himself, his ego has been in training for much longer and at a greater intensity than his boxing skills.
Mayweather’s attitude towards the sport is the biggest obstacle to a fight fans conversion to his self proclaimed worshipility. In fact, rarely has such a talented athlete done so little to advance the sport that he participates in. Unfortunately also, while this situation is an anomaly in sport, it has certainly become a commonality in boxing.
In fairness, a criticism of Mayweather’s recent fight history partly represents a criticism of the unskilled labor market making boxing today. His big fights since hitting welterweight (147lbs. 2005) have been against three men; Zab Judah, Ricky Hatton and De la Hoya.
Going into the Judah fight (2005) the undisciplined Judah seemed a bad match for the technical mastery of Mayweather. He was. However, Judah was able to legitimately bully Mayweather around throughout the early fight (highlighted by a legitimate knockdown in the second). The bullying turned ugly later on.
Two things were true of this mismatch. When the two were boxing Mayweather dominated, but when a fight broke out in the boxing ring Mayweather looked very vulnerable. Of course going into the contest Mayweather had no intention of fighting, he wanted to box. This is characteristic of a Mayweather performance.
Technically dominating a technically unsound opponent hardly makes Mayweather a great fighter it only makes him a smart fighter. There are a long list of fighters however who were/are both. This of course is the reason people re-watch old Ali fights and don’t and never will re-watch a Mayweather points scoring clinic. Yes Mayweather is good at “boxing” but his fights aren’t good boxing to watch.
Against Oscar De la Hoya Mayweather faced legitimate technical opposition against an opponent who has built his career on losing closely matched big fights and winning promotion contracts to big mismatched ones. Taking away from his victory in this Mayweather’s best true “boxing” match, was the fact that Mayweather was not able to dominate the slowing, aging De La Hoya (any where near the way Pacquiao would, only a year later). Mayweather only managed a spilt decision victory. Impressive? Slightly, but certainly slight of great.
Mayweather was the first to expose Ricky Hatton as a press inflated B class fighter. He didn’t do it in convincing fashion (like Pacquiao did, again about a year later), but he did it none the less. And then, as we remember he went into retirement saying “(he) had nothing left to prove”, while critics were left wondering what in fact he had proved to begin with?
There lies the crux of another problem. In most of today’s sports egos are apparent but controlled; unfortunately it is apparent that today’s boxing is controlled by egos. In what other sport are athletes allowed to unilaterally overrule governing commissions and impose their own rules on the sport (such as what Mayweather attempted to with blood testing regulations leading to the cancellation of the Pacquiao fight)? In what other sport can an athlete enter into competition ignoring the set rules of the contest all together (such as when Mayweather totally ignored the weight limitation for his last fight against Marquez)? In what sport can an athlete self proclaim his greatness and have it legitimately honored by fans when he refuses to face real competition (like Manny Pacquiao)? The answer to these questions sadly is, ONLY IN BOXING.
Due to the sad state of affairs that exist in the sport boxing fans no longer have the distinguishing taste or class to differentiate between fakes and genuine products. Much to the delight of promoters like De La Hoya (and most others) who continue to use a low class work force to turn out a substandard product that costs just as much as you should pay for the high quality model. On the street, when you buy a fake bag you get what you paid for. In boxing you certainly don’t.
Earl Blaney
Yeojoo University
Yeojoo, South Korea
e_bmail@yahoo.com
(82) 010 7104 7298
Source: philboxing.com
It’s not the fight we want to see, but we’ll watch it anyway. It shouldn’t really be a good one, but that doesn’t really matter. The guy who can’t lose is well capable of doing exactly that. These are some of the oxymoronic statements that underscore this weekend's bout between Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley, factual statements that make morons of today’s boxing fans and a mockery of the sport of boxing.
As everyone knows this fight is not the fight that should be fought this weekend.
It is instead a poorly made, promoter produced, “knock off” of a real mega fight (Mayweather-Pacquiao). Like so many lower class consumers, rather than call the police on the back alley dealers, boxing fans opt instead to buy the bag. We know the quality doesn’t match up, but at a distance it looks the same, and for practical reasons it’s usable (well at least until the third or fourth round when the whole thing falls apart). What makes this choice so pathetic for boxing fans is that in boxing “knock off” fights cost the same as the “original” would.
Many people will watch this fight because despite his hiatus from boxing Floyd Mayweather remains one of the best technical boxers in recent history (he would say the best of all time). There is no doubting the former. Unfortunately for boxing and for Mayweather himself, his ego has been in training for much longer and at a greater intensity than his boxing skills.
Mayweather’s attitude towards the sport is the biggest obstacle to a fight fans conversion to his self proclaimed worshipility. In fact, rarely has such a talented athlete done so little to advance the sport that he participates in. Unfortunately also, while this situation is an anomaly in sport, it has certainly become a commonality in boxing.
In fairness, a criticism of Mayweather’s recent fight history partly represents a criticism of the unskilled labor market making boxing today. His big fights since hitting welterweight (147lbs. 2005) have been against three men; Zab Judah, Ricky Hatton and De la Hoya.
Going into the Judah fight (2005) the undisciplined Judah seemed a bad match for the technical mastery of Mayweather. He was. However, Judah was able to legitimately bully Mayweather around throughout the early fight (highlighted by a legitimate knockdown in the second). The bullying turned ugly later on.
Two things were true of this mismatch. When the two were boxing Mayweather dominated, but when a fight broke out in the boxing ring Mayweather looked very vulnerable. Of course going into the contest Mayweather had no intention of fighting, he wanted to box. This is characteristic of a Mayweather performance.
Technically dominating a technically unsound opponent hardly makes Mayweather a great fighter it only makes him a smart fighter. There are a long list of fighters however who were/are both. This of course is the reason people re-watch old Ali fights and don’t and never will re-watch a Mayweather points scoring clinic. Yes Mayweather is good at “boxing” but his fights aren’t good boxing to watch.
Against Oscar De la Hoya Mayweather faced legitimate technical opposition against an opponent who has built his career on losing closely matched big fights and winning promotion contracts to big mismatched ones. Taking away from his victory in this Mayweather’s best true “boxing” match, was the fact that Mayweather was not able to dominate the slowing, aging De La Hoya (any where near the way Pacquiao would, only a year later). Mayweather only managed a spilt decision victory. Impressive? Slightly, but certainly slight of great.
Mayweather was the first to expose Ricky Hatton as a press inflated B class fighter. He didn’t do it in convincing fashion (like Pacquiao did, again about a year later), but he did it none the less. And then, as we remember he went into retirement saying “(he) had nothing left to prove”, while critics were left wondering what in fact he had proved to begin with?
There lies the crux of another problem. In most of today’s sports egos are apparent but controlled; unfortunately it is apparent that today’s boxing is controlled by egos. In what other sport are athletes allowed to unilaterally overrule governing commissions and impose their own rules on the sport (such as what Mayweather attempted to with blood testing regulations leading to the cancellation of the Pacquiao fight)? In what other sport can an athlete enter into competition ignoring the set rules of the contest all together (such as when Mayweather totally ignored the weight limitation for his last fight against Marquez)? In what sport can an athlete self proclaim his greatness and have it legitimately honored by fans when he refuses to face real competition (like Manny Pacquiao)? The answer to these questions sadly is, ONLY IN BOXING.
Due to the sad state of affairs that exist in the sport boxing fans no longer have the distinguishing taste or class to differentiate between fakes and genuine products. Much to the delight of promoters like De La Hoya (and most others) who continue to use a low class work force to turn out a substandard product that costs just as much as you should pay for the high quality model. On the street, when you buy a fake bag you get what you paid for. In boxing you certainly don’t.
Earl Blaney
Yeojoo University
Yeojoo, South Korea
e_bmail@yahoo.com
(82) 010 7104 7298
Source: philboxing.com
Emanuel Steward expects Floyd Mayweather fight to be tight -- Detroit Free Press
FREE PRESS STAFF
Kronk Gym icon Emanuel Steward will be at ringside Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as part of the HBO boxing team calling the Floyd (Pretty Boy) Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KOs) versus Sugar Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) welterweight clash. The fight can be seen on HBO pay-per-view beginning at 9 p.m.
Steward knows Mayweather, the six-time world champion from Grand Rapids, and his family well, having hosted him at his training camp in California. Though Mayweather, 33, is expected to have too much speed and stamina for the WBA super welterweight king Mosley, 38, Steward believes the fight will go down to the wire. He spoke to Free Press boxing writer Mike Brudenell on Monday from Florida on the year's most talked about fight to date.
Q: Where does this fight rank in recent times?
A: This shapes up as a great bout -- better than Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya or Mayweather and De La Hoya, or Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. Mosley will test Mayweather, get him out of his comfort zone. At 38, Mosley is still an exceptional human being. There's something special about him. He'll bring out the best in Mayweather.
Q: What are the keys to Mosley winning the fight?
A: Shane now has a trainer in Naazim Richardson who can instill the energy and spiritual force in him to raise his performance. Mosley also has an unbelievable desire to win this fight. He can't fast-talk Floyd, but he has a burning desire to whip Mayweather's behind.
Q: How does Mayweather win?
A: Floyd will pick his spots -- keep the fight outside. He'll counterpunch and fight a technical bout. He has superior speed and movement.
Q: Is this fight the biggest test of Mayweather's career?
A: Yes. The intensity of this fight will be more than Floyd has ever faced. This is definitely his biggest test. Mosley is just big enough to attack him.
Q: Mosley's wife, Jin, filed for divorce in 2009. He has a new trainer. How is Mosley's mental state right now?
A: I think there are a lot of burdens off of him. I think he is on a high. I think Mosley is very focused on this fight.
Q: What about you?
A: You bet I'm excited. I had a lunch meeting a few weeks ago with the HBO boxing crew -- Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Harold Lederman. They thought Mosley an 8-1 shot. I said, I think you guys are crazy -- this isn't any runaway fight.
Q: Who wins?
A: It's hard to call. I believe it's a dead-even fight. ... The officiating will be the key: Mayweather, possibly, by decision.
Source: freep.com
Kronk Gym icon Emanuel Steward will be at ringside Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as part of the HBO boxing team calling the Floyd (Pretty Boy) Mayweather Jr. (40-0, 25 KOs) versus Sugar Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) welterweight clash. The fight can be seen on HBO pay-per-view beginning at 9 p.m.
Steward knows Mayweather, the six-time world champion from Grand Rapids, and his family well, having hosted him at his training camp in California. Though Mayweather, 33, is expected to have too much speed and stamina for the WBA super welterweight king Mosley, 38, Steward believes the fight will go down to the wire. He spoke to Free Press boxing writer Mike Brudenell on Monday from Florida on the year's most talked about fight to date.
Q: Where does this fight rank in recent times?
A: This shapes up as a great bout -- better than Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya or Mayweather and De La Hoya, or Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. Mosley will test Mayweather, get him out of his comfort zone. At 38, Mosley is still an exceptional human being. There's something special about him. He'll bring out the best in Mayweather.
Q: What are the keys to Mosley winning the fight?
A: Shane now has a trainer in Naazim Richardson who can instill the energy and spiritual force in him to raise his performance. Mosley also has an unbelievable desire to win this fight. He can't fast-talk Floyd, but he has a burning desire to whip Mayweather's behind.
Q: How does Mayweather win?
A: Floyd will pick his spots -- keep the fight outside. He'll counterpunch and fight a technical bout. He has superior speed and movement.
Q: Is this fight the biggest test of Mayweather's career?
A: Yes. The intensity of this fight will be more than Floyd has ever faced. This is definitely his biggest test. Mosley is just big enough to attack him.
Q: Mosley's wife, Jin, filed for divorce in 2009. He has a new trainer. How is Mosley's mental state right now?
A: I think there are a lot of burdens off of him. I think he is on a high. I think Mosley is very focused on this fight.
Q: What about you?
A: You bet I'm excited. I had a lunch meeting a few weeks ago with the HBO boxing crew -- Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Harold Lederman. They thought Mosley an 8-1 shot. I said, I think you guys are crazy -- this isn't any runaway fight.
Q: Who wins?
A: It's hard to call. I believe it's a dead-even fight. ... The officiating will be the key: Mayweather, possibly, by decision.
Source: freep.com
Senin, 26 April 2010
Mayweather-Mosley fight could set pay-per-view mark -- USA Today
By Bob Velin, USA TODAY
Oscar De La Hoya might be the king of boxing pay-per-view, but Floyd Mayweather lives up to his nickname, "Money," by virtue of being the sport's all-time leader in average revenue generated per PPV fight.
In six PPV fights, Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) has generated 5.5 million buys and $292 million in revenue, which averages out to about $48.6 million a fight, nearly $12 million more a fight than De La Hoya averaged in 19 PPV fights.
"It feels good to be the pay-per-view king as I have always believed in myself, and obviously a lot of other people do, too," Mayweather said Monday. "They keep coming back for more, and I am glad to give them what they want. I always try to entertain the fans, whether it's in the ring or with the things I say and do."
Mayweather's welterweight mega-fight Saturday against "Sugar" Shane Mosley (46-5-0, 39 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET) is expected to threaten the pay-per-view record of 2.4 million buys set in Mayweather's fight with De La Hoya in December 2007.
Mark Taffet, HBO's senior vice president for pay-per-view, said Monday that Mayweather's popularity is twofold.
"Floyd has definitely crossed over from boxing to sports and now to entertainment," Taffet says. "He casts a wide net right now, well into the entertainment arena in attracting fans of all ages and ethnicities.
"In addition, Floyd's appeal as an entertainer comes at the same time that we are seeing an unprecedented explosion of digital and social media. It's the confluence of those two factors … taking Floyd to new heights."
Mayweather's two highest PPV fights were against Hispanic fighters: De La Hoya and last year vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, which had 1,060,000 buys.
Saturday's fight features two African-American fighters. Such a matchup had its greatest success in the heavyweight era of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Taffet says Mayweather is leading a resurgence in the American boxing market.
"One of the main reasons that Mayweather-De La Hoya did a million buys more than De La Hoya's second-biggest fight ever was because of the buys that came out of the large urban centers of America," Taffet said. "Mayweather-Mosley is a classic showdown between two American superstars who collectively have appeared nearly 50 times on HBO during the past 15 years. American fans know these two men well. And they've been anticipating this matchup."
Mayweather's manager, Leonard Ellerbe, said Monday that this fight is important because it's a fight between two Americans.
"You haven't seen a fight of this magnitude (between two American fighters) in a number of years," Ellerbe said. "It's a fight the fans have wanted to see for quite some time.
"To Floyd's credit, he has been groomed from Day 1 to be a superstar. What separates him from any other fighter out there is that he does it his way. He's willing to jump out there and take the risks that no other fighter has done in a number of years. If he talks about something, he goes out and does it."
HBO's hit reality series, 24/7: Mayweather-Mosley, has reached a demographic that has been hard to reach for boxing.
"Specifically, younger males across all ethnic lines," Taffet said. "24/7 is the most successful show in the last 10 years of not only reaching new fans but connecting them intimately to the athletes."
Ellerbe says the image you see of "Money" Mayweather on 24/7 is a character.
"That doesn't depict who Floyd Mayweather is," Ellerbe said. "Floyd is just promoting his fights. He's just doing his job."
Ellerbe thinks the PPV record will fall Saturday. Will the fight live up to the hype?
"That's one thing you don't have to worry about," Ellerbe said. "Shane Mosley is going to come to fight. And we know Floyd is going to come to fight."
Ruiz hangs up gloves:
Former heavyweight champion John Ruiz is retiring.
The 38-year-old boxer said in a statement Monday that he's leaving after an 18-year career. He was the WBA champ two times and finished with a record of 44-9-1, including 30 knockouts.
Source: usatoday.com
Oscar De La Hoya might be the king of boxing pay-per-view, but Floyd Mayweather lives up to his nickname, "Money," by virtue of being the sport's all-time leader in average revenue generated per PPV fight.
In six PPV fights, Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) has generated 5.5 million buys and $292 million in revenue, which averages out to about $48.6 million a fight, nearly $12 million more a fight than De La Hoya averaged in 19 PPV fights.
"It feels good to be the pay-per-view king as I have always believed in myself, and obviously a lot of other people do, too," Mayweather said Monday. "They keep coming back for more, and I am glad to give them what they want. I always try to entertain the fans, whether it's in the ring or with the things I say and do."
Mayweather's welterweight mega-fight Saturday against "Sugar" Shane Mosley (46-5-0, 39 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (HBO PPV, 9 p.m. ET) is expected to threaten the pay-per-view record of 2.4 million buys set in Mayweather's fight with De La Hoya in December 2007.
Mark Taffet, HBO's senior vice president for pay-per-view, said Monday that Mayweather's popularity is twofold.
"Floyd has definitely crossed over from boxing to sports and now to entertainment," Taffet says. "He casts a wide net right now, well into the entertainment arena in attracting fans of all ages and ethnicities.
"In addition, Floyd's appeal as an entertainer comes at the same time that we are seeing an unprecedented explosion of digital and social media. It's the confluence of those two factors … taking Floyd to new heights."
Mayweather's two highest PPV fights were against Hispanic fighters: De La Hoya and last year vs. Juan Manuel Marquez, which had 1,060,000 buys.
Saturday's fight features two African-American fighters. Such a matchup had its greatest success in the heavyweight era of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Taffet says Mayweather is leading a resurgence in the American boxing market.
"One of the main reasons that Mayweather-De La Hoya did a million buys more than De La Hoya's second-biggest fight ever was because of the buys that came out of the large urban centers of America," Taffet said. "Mayweather-Mosley is a classic showdown between two American superstars who collectively have appeared nearly 50 times on HBO during the past 15 years. American fans know these two men well. And they've been anticipating this matchup."
Mayweather's manager, Leonard Ellerbe, said Monday that this fight is important because it's a fight between two Americans.
"You haven't seen a fight of this magnitude (between two American fighters) in a number of years," Ellerbe said. "It's a fight the fans have wanted to see for quite some time.
"To Floyd's credit, he has been groomed from Day 1 to be a superstar. What separates him from any other fighter out there is that he does it his way. He's willing to jump out there and take the risks that no other fighter has done in a number of years. If he talks about something, he goes out and does it."
HBO's hit reality series, 24/7: Mayweather-Mosley, has reached a demographic that has been hard to reach for boxing.
"Specifically, younger males across all ethnic lines," Taffet said. "24/7 is the most successful show in the last 10 years of not only reaching new fans but connecting them intimately to the athletes."
Ellerbe says the image you see of "Money" Mayweather on 24/7 is a character.
"That doesn't depict who Floyd Mayweather is," Ellerbe said. "Floyd is just promoting his fights. He's just doing his job."
Ellerbe thinks the PPV record will fall Saturday. Will the fight live up to the hype?
"That's one thing you don't have to worry about," Ellerbe said. "Shane Mosley is going to come to fight. And we know Floyd is going to come to fight."
Ruiz hangs up gloves:
Former heavyweight champion John Ruiz is retiring.
The 38-year-old boxer said in a statement Monday that he's leaving after an 18-year career. He was the WBA champ two times and finished with a record of 44-9-1, including 30 knockouts.
Source: usatoday.com
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