Could have been an amicable split. It could also have been Haymon not wanting him. Whatever the case may be, one fighter leaving Haymon isn't the end of the world.
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CZAR and CZAR
Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
- Start date
Matthysse leaving Al is the best thing for him. Al probably showed him who his next possible foe might be and pay, vs GBP showing him if he can get Provodnikov and get paid $1 mill, then get a title shot vs another 140 lbr like Mikey Garcia, Crawford, or Algieri. All $1 mill fights. And who knows who carries the NBC fights outside the US so smart move by Lucas.
Stephen Espinoza: Bob Arum Is Lying About Mayweather-Pacquiao Contract
by Kel Dansby | Posted on Monday, January 26th, 2015
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Stephen Espinoza
Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza has become the latest person to call out Top Rank’s Bob Arum for his statements regarding the Mayweather-Pacquiao contract.
Espinoza isn’t sure why Bob Arum and Top Rank have been leaking this information but he didn’t waste anytime clearing up the rumors.
“Signing what? No contract has been drafted yet. What the hell is everyone signing?” questioned Espinoza, before the executive was asked whether negotiations were ongoing for the proposed $250m clash. “Yes, we’re still trying to make the fight.”
When asked about Arum claiming they had signed a contract in principal Espinoza had this to say:
“You can sign a contract in principle? Must have missed that day of law school.”
The Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations seem to get more difficult by the day. If it was only up to the two fighters I’m sure the fight would’ve been signed by now but the other aspects of boxing get in the way of that.
In an interview with FightHype, Espinoza went into further detail about Arum’s recent moves:
“To get to the specifics, Floyd isn’t holding anything up. No one is waiting on Floyd to rubber stamp or sign anything. Arum isn’t being truthful on this and he knows it. There is no contract that is awaiting Floyd’s signature and Bob Arum knows that. Floyd has been absolutely clear with all of us, with Leslie Moonves, with Al Haymon, and with me, that he wants the Pacquiao fight. That’s what we’ve been working on for weeks. We’ve made what I call significant progress, but there’s still open issues which have to be resolved…”
“A lot of the stuff that has come out from Arum is baffling to us. I can only guess as to what his motives may be. Maybe he thinks that this is creating some public pressure on Floyd to get the deal done, but the irony of the whole thing is no one needs to pressure Floyd. Floyd has wanted this all along. If people saw the terms that have been negotiated, it’s clear Floyd wants to make a deal. He doesn’t need this PR campaign to convince him that he needs to make the deal. He wants to do it for himself, for the fans, for the sport of boxing, and no one needs to pressure him into making that fight. Then you start to wonder if someone is consistently mischaracterizing the negotiations and trying to demean the other side, is that person really trying to make a deal? Someone who’s trying to make a deal doesn’t go out and publicly misrepresent what’s going on with the negotiations. It’s a complete mystery to us,” said Espinoza.
It looks more and more like we will see Mayweather-Cotto and Pacquiao-Khan in May instead of the biggest paying fight in history.
Tags Bob ArumContractFloyd MayweatherHBOManny PacquiaoShowtimeStephen Espinoza
About the Author Kel Dansby
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by Kel Dansby | Posted on Monday, January 26th, 2015
Tweet about this on TwitterShare on FacebookEmail this to someoneShare on RedditShare on Google+
Stephen Espinoza
Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza has become the latest person to call out Top Rank’s Bob Arum for his statements regarding the Mayweather-Pacquiao contract.
Espinoza isn’t sure why Bob Arum and Top Rank have been leaking this information but he didn’t waste anytime clearing up the rumors.
“Signing what? No contract has been drafted yet. What the hell is everyone signing?” questioned Espinoza, before the executive was asked whether negotiations were ongoing for the proposed $250m clash. “Yes, we’re still trying to make the fight.”
When asked about Arum claiming they had signed a contract in principal Espinoza had this to say:
“You can sign a contract in principle? Must have missed that day of law school.”
The Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations seem to get more difficult by the day. If it was only up to the two fighters I’m sure the fight would’ve been signed by now but the other aspects of boxing get in the way of that.
In an interview with FightHype, Espinoza went into further detail about Arum’s recent moves:
“To get to the specifics, Floyd isn’t holding anything up. No one is waiting on Floyd to rubber stamp or sign anything. Arum isn’t being truthful on this and he knows it. There is no contract that is awaiting Floyd’s signature and Bob Arum knows that. Floyd has been absolutely clear with all of us, with Leslie Moonves, with Al Haymon, and with me, that he wants the Pacquiao fight. That’s what we’ve been working on for weeks. We’ve made what I call significant progress, but there’s still open issues which have to be resolved…”
“A lot of the stuff that has come out from Arum is baffling to us. I can only guess as to what his motives may be. Maybe he thinks that this is creating some public pressure on Floyd to get the deal done, but the irony of the whole thing is no one needs to pressure Floyd. Floyd has wanted this all along. If people saw the terms that have been negotiated, it’s clear Floyd wants to make a deal. He doesn’t need this PR campaign to convince him that he needs to make the deal. He wants to do it for himself, for the fans, for the sport of boxing, and no one needs to pressure him into making that fight. Then you start to wonder if someone is consistently mischaracterizing the negotiations and trying to demean the other side, is that person really trying to make a deal? Someone who’s trying to make a deal doesn’t go out and publicly misrepresent what’s going on with the negotiations. It’s a complete mystery to us,” said Espinoza.
It looks more and more like we will see Mayweather-Cotto and Pacquiao-Khan in May instead of the biggest paying fight in history.
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About the Author Kel Dansby
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Props:
CZAR and CZAR
Speaking of Garcia's belts. He should be stripped. His last fight was at a catchweight of 142 pounds. His upcoming fight against Pederson is at 143. That will be over 1 year without defending his WBA and WBC 140 pound belts (his last defense, which ironically should have been a loss, was 3/15/14 against Mauricio Herrera).
If the fight is fixed like the Angulo fight where Angulo wasnt allowed to let his hands go than it wont matter lol. Im still trippin off how Angulo fought in that fight lol. Got Em!!
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trips and trips
Pacquiao Agrees to Mayweather’s Last 2 Demands For Fight
by Glenn Erby | Posted on Wednesday, January 28th, 2015
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Mayweather Pacquiao Heat Game
A chance face-to-face meeting and brief discussion during halftime of Tuesday night’s Heat-Bucks game in Miami, turned into Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. meeting privately for more than an hour to further discuss details of possible bout.
According to Dan Rafael, Pacquiao easily agreed to Mayweather’s final two demands needed to make their megafight happen.
Koncz said that Mayweather voiced two specific broadcasting issues to Pacquiao during the hotel meeting.
“I told Floyd I would call [Pacquiao promoter] Bob [Arum of Top Rank] in the morning, and I did that and discussed them with Bob, and he assured us they have been worked out. I took care of it,” Koncz said. “I said to Floyd, and Manny agreed, that if those are the only two broadcasting issues, we would take care of them.”
Koncz declined to go into detail about the specifics of the issues because “I don’t want to step on HBO’s or Showtime’s toes.”
Koncz said Pacquiao and Mayweather also discussed other issues but that the broadcasting items were “the majority of the discussion. Floyd said, ‘I want the fight to happen,’ and Manny said he does, too. If the fighters both want the fight to happen, who can stop it? They both said they want it to happen, and we’re still looking to make it happen on May 2.
“I think people are just tired of all of this. Me and Manny, and maybe Floyd, we’re tired of the fans and everybody, everywhere we go continually asking us when the fight will happen. Boxing needs this fight to happen, and it needs to happen in May.”
by Glenn Erby | Posted on Wednesday, January 28th, 2015
Tweet about this on TwitterShare on FacebookEmail this to someoneShare on RedditShare on Google+
Mayweather Pacquiao Heat Game
A chance face-to-face meeting and brief discussion during halftime of Tuesday night’s Heat-Bucks game in Miami, turned into Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. meeting privately for more than an hour to further discuss details of possible bout.
According to Dan Rafael, Pacquiao easily agreed to Mayweather’s final two demands needed to make their megafight happen.
Koncz said that Mayweather voiced two specific broadcasting issues to Pacquiao during the hotel meeting.
“I told Floyd I would call [Pacquiao promoter] Bob [Arum of Top Rank] in the morning, and I did that and discussed them with Bob, and he assured us they have been worked out. I took care of it,” Koncz said. “I said to Floyd, and Manny agreed, that if those are the only two broadcasting issues, we would take care of them.”
Koncz declined to go into detail about the specifics of the issues because “I don’t want to step on HBO’s or Showtime’s toes.”
Koncz said Pacquiao and Mayweather also discussed other issues but that the broadcasting items were “the majority of the discussion. Floyd said, ‘I want the fight to happen,’ and Manny said he does, too. If the fighters both want the fight to happen, who can stop it? They both said they want it to happen, and we’re still looking to make it happen on May 2.
“I think people are just tired of all of this. Me and Manny, and maybe Floyd, we’re tired of the fans and everybody, everywhere we go continually asking us when the fight will happen. Boxing needs this fight to happen, and it needs to happen in May.”
Adrien Broner “This is the first big installment of ‘AB on NBC.’ There’s nothing I can’t do,”
ThaBoxingVoice
By ThaBoxingVoice January 28, 2015 2:28 pm
Adrien Broner “This is the first big installment of ‘AB on NBC.’ There’s nothing I can’t do,”
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The return of prizefighting to primetime network television has finally arrived as the recently announced Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series is set to debut on Saturday, March 7 with an action-packed double main event on NBC, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The inaugural PBC on NBC fight night will feature two spectacular bouts worthy of this historic occasion. In the second main event of the evening, undefeated welterweight knockout artist Keith “One Time” Thurman (24-0, 21 KOs) will take on former four-division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs) in a showdown where both men look to prove they are amongst the best fighters in the world on the biggest stage in recent boxing history.
The first main event of the evening will feature one of boxing’s biggest and most compelling stars, former three-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) facing off against the always exciting John “The Gladiator” Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KOs) in a super lightweight bout that will put the winner at the top of the division.
Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino or www.ticketmaster.com.
Boxing: Adrien Broner vs Eloy Perez
Don’t miss a minute of the PBC on NBC action as the first televised fight on NBC begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT SHARP!
“The team and I are extremely excited and we are all looking forward to this opportunity to fight on NBC. A lot of what my team keeps saying is that this is going to change the sport. It reminds me that my late trainer Ben Getty used to tell me, that all I needed to do was get on a big stage,” said Thurman. “I’m truly looking forward to headlining the first show. I’m happy to be back at MGM Grand and looking forward to a great knockout. This is the start of creating a household name.”
“It’s very refreshing to know that NBC is bringing boxing back to primetime television,” said Guerrero. “It’s an honor to be part of the first show, especially against an undefeated champion like Keith Thurman. Everyone knows I always come to fight. Let’s hope Thurman has the same mindset. He claims that he’s going to knock me out, but I see a totally different outcome. When this fight is over, everyone tuning in will know why boxing is one of the most exciting sports to watch, that I can guarantee.”
“This is the first big installment of ‘AB on NBC.’ There’s nothing I can’t do,” said Broner. “It’s a great fight not only for the fighters, but for the fans. Everyone knows that I always come to fight and I know John Molina Jr. is coming to fight. I look forward to stopping Molina on NBC. I love the support and anyone that supports me; I’m going to fight for them. This is just the start of the ‘AB Show’ in 2015.”
Thurman_011
“I am extremely excited to be a part of the inaugural show on NBC and to be on this platform. I can’t wait to go out there and do what I do best in front of millions of people,” said Molina Jr. “I want to fight the best and Broner is one of the best. This is a fight that we asked for over a year ago and we finally got it. I am so excited. I’m not nervous at all. If I were nervous, I wouldn’t be in this industry. This is the type of thing that real fighters dream about. I’m counting down the days.”
The return of boxing to primetime on NBC is nearly 30 years in the making, with the last such fight night taking place May 20, 1985. That fight saw Larry Holmes win a 15-round decision and defend his IBF Heavyweight World Championship against Carl Williams in Reno, Nev.
Primetime national television was a long-time home for some of the most recognizable names in the history of the sport, with fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Mike Tyson making a name for themselves in front of a national audience.
The PBC on NBC series will feature a cast of familiar names and voices who will lend their immense talents to the broadcasts. Seven-time Emmy Award winner Al Michaels will host the series while Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer will compose the music that brings the series to life. In addition, legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard will serve as lead analyst.
robert guerrero
“I’m so excited about PBC on NBC. I was shocked when I got the call, but right away I knew I wanted to be a part of this,” said Leonard. “This is what boxing needs, and this is what the boxing fans need.”
Los Angeles-based Goossen Promotions will promote this inaugural PBC on NBC event.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this extraordinary and highly anticipated event
on March 7, the debut of the ‘Premier Boxing Champions’ series on NBC,” said Tom Brown of Goossen Promotions. “These are two outstanding fights featuring four world class boxers and fans are in for a terrific night of action.”
Thurman has long proven his power by knocking out 18 of his first 19 opponents, but when he won the interim WBA Welterweight World Title with a 10th round knockout over Diego Chaves in July of 2013, he put himself in a position to fight the very best in the sport. The 26-year-old Clearwater, Florida native has since made three successful title defenses with knockouts over Jesus Soto Karass and Julio Diaz, before dominating Leonard Bundu on his way to a unanimous decision in December 2014. Now, Thurman looks to remain undefeated when he faces his toughest test to date in Guerrero.
A battle-tested veteran, Guerrero, of Gilroy, Calif., has been among the elite fighters in boxing for years. A southpaw boxer-puncher, Guerrero has won world titles in four weight classes from 130 to 147 pounds, beating the likes of Andre Berto, Joel Casamayor, Michael Katsidis and Selcuk Aydin along the way. His prowess across these weight classes earned him a fight with pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather in 2013, which he lost by unanimous decision. “The Ghost” bounced back nicely in June of 2014 with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Yoshihiro Kamegai.
One of boxing’s most well-known stars, Broner, the 25-year old phenom who has collected world titles at 130, 135 and 147 pounds, is setting his sights on the dangerous puncher John Molina Jr. on March 7. Broner has prevailed over the likes of Paulie Malignaggi, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Antonio Demarco on the way to becoming a three-division champion. Despite suffering his first loss to Marcos Maidana in December 2013, the Cincinnati-native rebounded with back-to-back victories over Carlos Molina and Emmanuel Taylor.
Molina Jr. from Covina, Calif., has had great success in the professional ranks including an impressive knockout victory over current world champion Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight. The 32-year-old lost a scintillating Fight of the Year candidate to Lucas Matthysse in 2014 and is looking to start off 2015 with a big win against Broner.
ThaBoxingVoice
By ThaBoxingVoice January 28, 2015 2:28 pm
Adrien Broner “This is the first big installment of ‘AB on NBC.’ There’s nothing I can’t do,”
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The return of prizefighting to primetime network television has finally arrived as the recently announced Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series is set to debut on Saturday, March 7 with an action-packed double main event on NBC, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The inaugural PBC on NBC fight night will feature two spectacular bouts worthy of this historic occasion. In the second main event of the evening, undefeated welterweight knockout artist Keith “One Time” Thurman (24-0, 21 KOs) will take on former four-division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs) in a showdown where both men look to prove they are amongst the best fighters in the world on the biggest stage in recent boxing history.
The first main event of the evening will feature one of boxing’s biggest and most compelling stars, former three-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) facing off against the always exciting John “The Gladiator” Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KOs) in a super lightweight bout that will put the winner at the top of the division.
Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino or www.ticketmaster.com.
Boxing: Adrien Broner vs Eloy Perez
Don’t miss a minute of the PBC on NBC action as the first televised fight on NBC begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT SHARP!
“The team and I are extremely excited and we are all looking forward to this opportunity to fight on NBC. A lot of what my team keeps saying is that this is going to change the sport. It reminds me that my late trainer Ben Getty used to tell me, that all I needed to do was get on a big stage,” said Thurman. “I’m truly looking forward to headlining the first show. I’m happy to be back at MGM Grand and looking forward to a great knockout. This is the start of creating a household name.”
“It’s very refreshing to know that NBC is bringing boxing back to primetime television,” said Guerrero. “It’s an honor to be part of the first show, especially against an undefeated champion like Keith Thurman. Everyone knows I always come to fight. Let’s hope Thurman has the same mindset. He claims that he’s going to knock me out, but I see a totally different outcome. When this fight is over, everyone tuning in will know why boxing is one of the most exciting sports to watch, that I can guarantee.”
“This is the first big installment of ‘AB on NBC.’ There’s nothing I can’t do,” said Broner. “It’s a great fight not only for the fighters, but for the fans. Everyone knows that I always come to fight and I know John Molina Jr. is coming to fight. I look forward to stopping Molina on NBC. I love the support and anyone that supports me; I’m going to fight for them. This is just the start of the ‘AB Show’ in 2015.”
Thurman_011
“I am extremely excited to be a part of the inaugural show on NBC and to be on this platform. I can’t wait to go out there and do what I do best in front of millions of people,” said Molina Jr. “I want to fight the best and Broner is one of the best. This is a fight that we asked for over a year ago and we finally got it. I am so excited. I’m not nervous at all. If I were nervous, I wouldn’t be in this industry. This is the type of thing that real fighters dream about. I’m counting down the days.”
The return of boxing to primetime on NBC is nearly 30 years in the making, with the last such fight night taking place May 20, 1985. That fight saw Larry Holmes win a 15-round decision and defend his IBF Heavyweight World Championship against Carl Williams in Reno, Nev.
Primetime national television was a long-time home for some of the most recognizable names in the history of the sport, with fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Mike Tyson making a name for themselves in front of a national audience.
The PBC on NBC series will feature a cast of familiar names and voices who will lend their immense talents to the broadcasts. Seven-time Emmy Award winner Al Michaels will host the series while Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer will compose the music that brings the series to life. In addition, legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard will serve as lead analyst.
robert guerrero
“I’m so excited about PBC on NBC. I was shocked when I got the call, but right away I knew I wanted to be a part of this,” said Leonard. “This is what boxing needs, and this is what the boxing fans need.”
Los Angeles-based Goossen Promotions will promote this inaugural PBC on NBC event.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this extraordinary and highly anticipated event
on March 7, the debut of the ‘Premier Boxing Champions’ series on NBC,” said Tom Brown of Goossen Promotions. “These are two outstanding fights featuring four world class boxers and fans are in for a terrific night of action.”
Thurman has long proven his power by knocking out 18 of his first 19 opponents, but when he won the interim WBA Welterweight World Title with a 10th round knockout over Diego Chaves in July of 2013, he put himself in a position to fight the very best in the sport. The 26-year-old Clearwater, Florida native has since made three successful title defenses with knockouts over Jesus Soto Karass and Julio Diaz, before dominating Leonard Bundu on his way to a unanimous decision in December 2014. Now, Thurman looks to remain undefeated when he faces his toughest test to date in Guerrero.
A battle-tested veteran, Guerrero, of Gilroy, Calif., has been among the elite fighters in boxing for years. A southpaw boxer-puncher, Guerrero has won world titles in four weight classes from 130 to 147 pounds, beating the likes of Andre Berto, Joel Casamayor, Michael Katsidis and Selcuk Aydin along the way. His prowess across these weight classes earned him a fight with pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather in 2013, which he lost by unanimous decision. “The Ghost” bounced back nicely in June of 2014 with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Yoshihiro Kamegai.
One of boxing’s most well-known stars, Broner, the 25-year old phenom who has collected world titles at 130, 135 and 147 pounds, is setting his sights on the dangerous puncher John Molina Jr. on March 7. Broner has prevailed over the likes of Paulie Malignaggi, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Antonio Demarco on the way to becoming a three-division champion. Despite suffering his first loss to Marcos Maidana in December 2013, the Cincinnati-native rebounded with back-to-back victories over Carlos Molina and Emmanuel Taylor.
Molina Jr. from Covina, Calif., has had great success in the professional ranks including an impressive knockout victory over current world champion Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight. The 32-year-old lost a scintillating Fight of the Year candidate to Lucas Matthysse in 2014 and is looking to start off 2015 with a big win against Broner.
Bob Arum “I can only blame myself for not really listening to him” [Mayweather]
Victor Salazar
By Victor Salazar January 28, 2015 12:17 pm
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bob-arum
When we look back at a possible Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight never happening, it could come down to the relationship with Mayweather and Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum who previously promoted Mayweather as well. Mayweather felt he was not promoted properly by Arum. Arum revealed on the Sirius XM Radio Show that indeed Mayweather was right.
“When I look back at it, I say the fault was mine,” Arum stated. The reason I say the fault was mine because I started in an era with Foreman, Ali, and Frazier, but it was a different era. I wasn’t in tuned to what was happening in the African-American community and the whole hip-hop phenomenon. The fact that you had radio now, internet, and the base that Floyd was asking me to reach the African-American community and my idea of the African-American community and that was no longer the young, urban community that Floyd was talking about.”
Arum commends Mayweather for being able to do for him on his own what Arum failed to do as his promoter.
“So after he left me he was able to exploit that demographic and to his credit he was able to really capitalize on it,” explained Arum. “So I can only blame myself for not really listening to him but not knowing how to do it.”
The question was posed about burying a hatchet with Mayweather to making the fight happen. Arum’s response to the show’s host was, “I got no hatchet to bury with Floyd. I have no problem with Floyd, and he has no problem with me. Other than the fact that when he was with us, we didn’t do the job that we should have done with him because we didn’t know what the hell he was talking about.”
A lot has been said by Mayweather and others that a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao only happens if Arum is not involved. However, seeing that he’s Pacquiao’s promoter that us unlikely. So the clock is ticking, and everyone knows it, including Arum.
“It’s got to happen now because its got to the point where people are finally going to tune out. The patience will be at the end. It’s got to happen now or else it’s not going to happen.”
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By Victor Salazar January 28, 2015 12:17 pm
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bob-arum
When we look back at a possible Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight never happening, it could come down to the relationship with Mayweather and Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum who previously promoted Mayweather as well. Mayweather felt he was not promoted properly by Arum. Arum revealed on the Sirius XM Radio Show that indeed Mayweather was right.
“When I look back at it, I say the fault was mine,” Arum stated. The reason I say the fault was mine because I started in an era with Foreman, Ali, and Frazier, but it was a different era. I wasn’t in tuned to what was happening in the African-American community and the whole hip-hop phenomenon. The fact that you had radio now, internet, and the base that Floyd was asking me to reach the African-American community and my idea of the African-American community and that was no longer the young, urban community that Floyd was talking about.”
Arum commends Mayweather for being able to do for him on his own what Arum failed to do as his promoter.
“So after he left me he was able to exploit that demographic and to his credit he was able to really capitalize on it,” explained Arum. “So I can only blame myself for not really listening to him but not knowing how to do it.”
The question was posed about burying a hatchet with Mayweather to making the fight happen. Arum’s response to the show’s host was, “I got no hatchet to bury with Floyd. I have no problem with Floyd, and he has no problem with me. Other than the fact that when he was with us, we didn’t do the job that we should have done with him because we didn’t know what the hell he was talking about.”
A lot has been said by Mayweather and others that a fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao only happens if Arum is not involved. However, seeing that he’s Pacquiao’s promoter that us unlikely. So the clock is ticking, and everyone knows it, including Arum.
“It’s got to happen now because its got to the point where people are finally going to tune out. The patience will be at the end. It’s got to happen now or else it’s not going to happen.”
Al Haymon's Stable Rapidly Rising, Signs 10 More Fighters
By Rick Reeno
BoxingScene.com has been advised that ten more fighters have come on board with adviser/manager Al Haymon.
Regarding as the most powerful figure in boxing, Haymon significantly increased his stable of fighters in 2014 - with at least 50 signings. He appears to be on pace to easily surpass that number in 2015, with nearly 20 signings in the month of January.
From what BoxingScene understands, at least 30 additional fighters are currently in talks to join Haymon Boxing.
In the last two weeks, Haymon's company announced two television deals. They are going to stage shows on NBC, NBC Sports and Spike TV. Haymon already has a very close working relationship with Showtime, and his fighters are also showcased on ESPN.
Haymon is currently working with well over 160 fighters.
He recently added ten more to his company, including:
2004 Puerto Rican Olympian Carlos Velazquez (18-1, 12KOs), ranked at #13 by IBF at 130-pounds. Velaszquez has won three straight after suffering an upset knockout loss to Rico Ramos (also managed by Haymon) in September 2013.
Former world champion Daiki Kameda (29-4, 18KOs) of Japan. Daiki joins his brothers Tomoki and Koki, who both signed deals with Haymon in 2014. Currently ranked at #4 by the WBA, Daiki is looking to quickly get back in the ring after taking time off following a twelve round split decision loss to Liborio Solis in December 2013.
Dangerous light heavyweight contender Humberto Savigne (12-1, 9KOs) of Cuba. Savigne is ranked at #3 by the WBC and very close to getting a mandatory title shot at current beltholder Adonis Stevenson, who also works with Haymon. Savigne returns on February 20th in a ShoBox televised fight.
Claudio Marrero (17-1, 13KOs) of the Dominican Republic. Ranked at #7 by the WBA at featherweight, Marrero is expected back on February 20th as part of a ShoBox card. He won three straight since suffering a decision loss to hot contender Jesus Cuellar, who is also handled by Haymon.
Unbeaten Moises Flores (22-0, 16KOs) of Mexico, who is ranked at #13 by the WBC at super bantamweight.
Undefeated Puerto Rican Olympian Samuel Figueroa (6-0, 4KOs)
Junior middleweight contender Yudel Jhonson of Cuba. Ranked at #9 by the WBA and winner of four straight since losing a ten round decision to Willie Nelson in May of 2012.
Undefeated cruiserweight contender Isiah thomas (13-0, 6KOs), a Detroit native with Kronk training roots.
Heavyweight knockout artist Yasmany Consuegra (16-0, 14KOs) of Cuba.
Junior welterweight contender Walter Castillo (25-2, 18KOs) of Nicaragua. Castillo has a #6 ranking under the WBA and won nine straight since a split decision loss to Vicente Mosquera in February of 2012.
In order to satisfy all of his television commitments while keeping an in-house structure, Haymon needs a lot of live bodies. And the possibility of getting big fights with Haymon-managed boxers, significant purse increases and network exposure has certainly influenced a lot of fighters to pursue a working relationship with Haymon.
The biggest question, from most industry insiders who are on the outside looking in, is whether or not Haymon can effectively keep 160 fighters active, and his stable continues to increase by the week. The next few months will prove to be very interesting as Haymon's high profile network deals are going to be in full swing.
By Rick Reeno
BoxingScene.com has been advised that ten more fighters have come on board with adviser/manager Al Haymon.
Regarding as the most powerful figure in boxing, Haymon significantly increased his stable of fighters in 2014 - with at least 50 signings. He appears to be on pace to easily surpass that number in 2015, with nearly 20 signings in the month of January.
From what BoxingScene understands, at least 30 additional fighters are currently in talks to join Haymon Boxing.
In the last two weeks, Haymon's company announced two television deals. They are going to stage shows on NBC, NBC Sports and Spike TV. Haymon already has a very close working relationship with Showtime, and his fighters are also showcased on ESPN.
Haymon is currently working with well over 160 fighters.
He recently added ten more to his company, including:
2004 Puerto Rican Olympian Carlos Velazquez (18-1, 12KOs), ranked at #13 by IBF at 130-pounds. Velaszquez has won three straight after suffering an upset knockout loss to Rico Ramos (also managed by Haymon) in September 2013.
Former world champion Daiki Kameda (29-4, 18KOs) of Japan. Daiki joins his brothers Tomoki and Koki, who both signed deals with Haymon in 2014. Currently ranked at #4 by the WBA, Daiki is looking to quickly get back in the ring after taking time off following a twelve round split decision loss to Liborio Solis in December 2013.
Dangerous light heavyweight contender Humberto Savigne (12-1, 9KOs) of Cuba. Savigne is ranked at #3 by the WBC and very close to getting a mandatory title shot at current beltholder Adonis Stevenson, who also works with Haymon. Savigne returns on February 20th in a ShoBox televised fight.
Claudio Marrero (17-1, 13KOs) of the Dominican Republic. Ranked at #7 by the WBA at featherweight, Marrero is expected back on February 20th as part of a ShoBox card. He won three straight since suffering a decision loss to hot contender Jesus Cuellar, who is also handled by Haymon.
Unbeaten Moises Flores (22-0, 16KOs) of Mexico, who is ranked at #13 by the WBC at super bantamweight.
Undefeated Puerto Rican Olympian Samuel Figueroa (6-0, 4KOs)
Junior middleweight contender Yudel Jhonson of Cuba. Ranked at #9 by the WBA and winner of four straight since losing a ten round decision to Willie Nelson in May of 2012.
Undefeated cruiserweight contender Isiah thomas (13-0, 6KOs), a Detroit native with Kronk training roots.
Heavyweight knockout artist Yasmany Consuegra (16-0, 14KOs) of Cuba.
Junior welterweight contender Walter Castillo (25-2, 18KOs) of Nicaragua. Castillo has a #6 ranking under the WBA and won nine straight since a split decision loss to Vicente Mosquera in February of 2012.
In order to satisfy all of his television commitments while keeping an in-house structure, Haymon needs a lot of live bodies. And the possibility of getting big fights with Haymon-managed boxers, significant purse increases and network exposure has certainly influenced a lot of fighters to pursue a working relationship with Haymon.
The biggest question, from most industry insiders who are on the outside looking in, is whether or not Haymon can effectively keep 160 fighters active, and his stable continues to increase by the week. The next few months will prove to be very interesting as Haymon's high profile network deals are going to be in full swing.
Pacquiao's Adviser Details Private Mayweather Meeting
Posted by: Rick Reeno on 1/28/2015 .
>>>Click Here For Tons of More Breaking Boxing News, Articles and Insider Information<<<
By Rick Reeno & Steve Kim
Michael Koncz, adviser to WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, described their late night meeting with Floyd Mayweather Jr. as being "professional and productive."
The two fighters had an unexpected chance meeting on Tuesday night, when both of them were courtside for a game between the Heat and the Bucks in Miami, Florida. During the game, Koncz approached Mayweather and asked him if he was interested in getting together with Pacquiao, which the two fighters did during halftime.
"We did not know that Floyd was going to be at the basketball game. In fact we were supposed to fly home yesterday but we had a problem with our tickets and we're flying tonight, so Manny decided that he wanted to go to the basketball game," Koncz told BoxingScene.com.
"We were shocked when we saw Floyd come in there. That wasn't a staged thing. Then I approached Floyd and chatted with him a little bit, and asked 'hey, let's go to the Manny side and take a picture.' I said we didn't have to discuss anything, that it would be great for the media. So he chatted to me about being misinformed and this and that, and said he would come over at halftime. Then he came over, repeated what he repeated to me, and then that was it."
During the conversation, the two fighters exchanged numbers. After the game, Mayweather called Pacquiao and the two fighters set a meeting at the Filipino star's hotel suite in Miami.
"Then we got a call later that night, asking me if he could come to our hotel to speak with me and Manny, which we allowed. He was very pleasant, very professional. He indicated he was very eager to make the fight, which I believe as of last night he is. Whether or not that's the same tomorrow I don't know," Koncz said.
According to Koncz, most of the issues were related to the broadcast terms between CBS/Showtime, who Mayweather has a contract with, and Pacquiao's network partner Time Warner/HBO.
"The major discussion revolved around broadcast issues. Manny and I both told him 'if those are the only issues, those are simple and we can have those fixed in the morning.' And in fact I've confirmed that they've been resolved," Koncz said.
During their meeting, Mayweather called Showtime Sports head Stephen Espinoza, who had a pleasant conversation with Koncz and Pacquiao regarding the fight.
From what BoxingScene was told last week, two of the main broadcasting issues were related to the commentators working on the pay-per-view and which network would handle the reality show (24/7 for HBO, All Access for SHO).
Koncz feels confident the issues were resolved.
"Espinoza was on the phone last night. Floyd put him on the phone with us. I told Floyd, and Manny agreed, if those [broadcasting items] are the only issues then no problem...we can take care of it. This morning Manny instructed me to get on the phone. I talked to Arum. Arum had conversations with [HBO CEO Richard] Plepler and [CBS CEO Les] Moonves and those issues are resolved now," Koncz confirmed.
Koncz and Pacquiao walked away from that meeting feeling very optimistic that a deal can be stuck for a May 2nd showdown.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.
Posted by: Rick Reeno on 1/28/2015 .
>>>Click Here For Tons of More Breaking Boxing News, Articles and Insider Information<<<
By Rick Reeno & Steve Kim
Michael Koncz, adviser to WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, described their late night meeting with Floyd Mayweather Jr. as being "professional and productive."
The two fighters had an unexpected chance meeting on Tuesday night, when both of them were courtside for a game between the Heat and the Bucks in Miami, Florida. During the game, Koncz approached Mayweather and asked him if he was interested in getting together with Pacquiao, which the two fighters did during halftime.
"We did not know that Floyd was going to be at the basketball game. In fact we were supposed to fly home yesterday but we had a problem with our tickets and we're flying tonight, so Manny decided that he wanted to go to the basketball game," Koncz told BoxingScene.com.
"We were shocked when we saw Floyd come in there. That wasn't a staged thing. Then I approached Floyd and chatted with him a little bit, and asked 'hey, let's go to the Manny side and take a picture.' I said we didn't have to discuss anything, that it would be great for the media. So he chatted to me about being misinformed and this and that, and said he would come over at halftime. Then he came over, repeated what he repeated to me, and then that was it."
During the conversation, the two fighters exchanged numbers. After the game, Mayweather called Pacquiao and the two fighters set a meeting at the Filipino star's hotel suite in Miami.
"Then we got a call later that night, asking me if he could come to our hotel to speak with me and Manny, which we allowed. He was very pleasant, very professional. He indicated he was very eager to make the fight, which I believe as of last night he is. Whether or not that's the same tomorrow I don't know," Koncz said.
According to Koncz, most of the issues were related to the broadcast terms between CBS/Showtime, who Mayweather has a contract with, and Pacquiao's network partner Time Warner/HBO.
"The major discussion revolved around broadcast issues. Manny and I both told him 'if those are the only issues, those are simple and we can have those fixed in the morning.' And in fact I've confirmed that they've been resolved," Koncz said.
During their meeting, Mayweather called Showtime Sports head Stephen Espinoza, who had a pleasant conversation with Koncz and Pacquiao regarding the fight.
From what BoxingScene was told last week, two of the main broadcasting issues were related to the commentators working on the pay-per-view and which network would handle the reality show (24/7 for HBO, All Access for SHO).
Koncz feels confident the issues were resolved.
"Espinoza was on the phone last night. Floyd put him on the phone with us. I told Floyd, and Manny agreed, if those [broadcasting items] are the only issues then no problem...we can take care of it. This morning Manny instructed me to get on the phone. I talked to Arum. Arum had conversations with [HBO CEO Richard] Plepler and [CBS CEO Les] Moonves and those issues are resolved now," Koncz confirmed.
Koncz and Pacquiao walked away from that meeting feeling very optimistic that a deal can be stuck for a May 2nd showdown.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER CONFRONTS MANNY PACQUIAO AND MICHAEL KONCZ FACE-TO-FACE; TELLS THEM "STOP LYING"
By Ben Thompson | January 27, 2015
FLOYD MAYWEATHER CONFRONTS MANNY PACQUIAO AND MICHAEL KONCZ FACE-TO-FACE; TELLS THEM
Earlier tonight, undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather and 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao met face-to-face for the first time ever during halftime of the Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks NBA game. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, upon receiving confirmation that Pacquiao was scheduled to be in attendance at the game, Mayweather made it a point to also attend.
Both fighters were seated courtside, across from each other on opposite sides of the court. During halftime, it was Mayweather who first made his way over to Pacquiao, who along with his adviser, Michael Koncz, met the pound-for-pound king at midcourt. Mayweather then began speaking to Pacquiao and Koncz. Although all of the specific details of the conversation are not known, FightHype.com has been informed by two reliable sources in attendance that Mayweather wasted no time in setting the record straight with Pacquiao.
According to one source, Mayweather told both Pacquiao and Koncz to "stop lying" about signing any contracts. The same eyewitness tells us that Mayweather then informed Pacquiao that he's been told multiple lies. Mayweather explained that "he's been trying to make the fight happen" and chose to stay silent throughout the negotiation process because "I don't entertain bullshit!"
Another source tells us that Pacquiao was "on hush mode", speechless as Mayweather repeated, "stop lying," and asked him "what contract" he signed. As Mayweather reiterated to both men that lies are being told, Koncz began stuttering before attempting to lay all the blame on promoter Bob Arum, telling Mayweather that he's only saying what Arum has been telling him. Mayweather then informed both men that it's not professional to lie and "if you're not going to tell the truth, it's best to stay silent."
After their discussion, Mayweather gave Pacquiao his personal phone number, presumably so he can call him directly if there's any further confusion between the lies and the truth. At this point, it's unclear if their conversation will have any impact on finalizing negotiations for their potential May 2 showdown. It's clear, however, that Pacquiao will likely have a lot to discuss with his adviser and his promoter regarding the conversation that took place.
By Ben Thompson | January 27, 2015
FLOYD MAYWEATHER CONFRONTS MANNY PACQUIAO AND MICHAEL KONCZ FACE-TO-FACE; TELLS THEM
Earlier tonight, undefeated pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather and 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao met face-to-face for the first time ever during halftime of the Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks NBA game. According to sources with knowledge of the situation, upon receiving confirmation that Pacquiao was scheduled to be in attendance at the game, Mayweather made it a point to also attend.
Both fighters were seated courtside, across from each other on opposite sides of the court. During halftime, it was Mayweather who first made his way over to Pacquiao, who along with his adviser, Michael Koncz, met the pound-for-pound king at midcourt. Mayweather then began speaking to Pacquiao and Koncz. Although all of the specific details of the conversation are not known, FightHype.com has been informed by two reliable sources in attendance that Mayweather wasted no time in setting the record straight with Pacquiao.
According to one source, Mayweather told both Pacquiao and Koncz to "stop lying" about signing any contracts. The same eyewitness tells us that Mayweather then informed Pacquiao that he's been told multiple lies. Mayweather explained that "he's been trying to make the fight happen" and chose to stay silent throughout the negotiation process because "I don't entertain bullshit!"
Another source tells us that Pacquiao was "on hush mode", speechless as Mayweather repeated, "stop lying," and asked him "what contract" he signed. As Mayweather reiterated to both men that lies are being told, Koncz began stuttering before attempting to lay all the blame on promoter Bob Arum, telling Mayweather that he's only saying what Arum has been telling him. Mayweather then informed both men that it's not professional to lie and "if you're not going to tell the truth, it's best to stay silent."
After their discussion, Mayweather gave Pacquiao his personal phone number, presumably so he can call him directly if there's any further confusion between the lies and the truth. At this point, it's unclear if their conversation will have any impact on finalizing negotiations for their potential May 2 showdown. It's clear, however, that Pacquiao will likely have a lot to discuss with his adviser and his promoter regarding the conversation that took place.
Paulie Malignaggi “If I had it my way I’d like to give it another shot”
Steve Calderon
By Steve Calderon January 29, 2015 8:10 am
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malignaggi53Paulie Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KO) wants to make a return to prizefighting. The former two-division titleholder from Brooklyn told thaboxingvoice.com in an interview that:
“If I had it my way I’d like to give it another shot, just maybe another year or so.”
Malignaggi hasn’t fought since losing his IBF welterweight title to Shawn Porter (24-1-1, 15 KO) in April of last year. The fight was a four-round beating that convinced many including Malignaggi that he should consider retirement.
He found a calling as a boxing analyst for Showtime and was the recipient of the “Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism” from the Boxing Writers Association of America last year.
Malignaggi, a natural entertainer, has been entertaining the idea of a comeback.
“It depends on the offers that I get. If it’s something good or if it’s something that guarantees me that leads into something good I’ll think about it, right now its just been here say more than anything else.”
At a glance, if you don’t remember “The Magic Man” from his heyday. One may wonder how a man with one fewer losses, than knockouts is so popular in a sport that desperately needs excitement. What Malignaggi brought to the table was a combination of ring swagger and courage, not commonly seen.
Before he fights, while other flamboyant practitioners of the sweet science would stand in their corner with a scowl on their face directed to intimidate their enemies, Malignaggi’s face was more of stone concentration. He was focused on his craft, but when the bell rang he’d be quick to throw you off with his eyes wide and his tongue out.
Malignaggi splashed across the boxing scene as an undefeated light welterweight until 2006 when he met a steam-rolling Miguel Cotto, who won a 12-round decision against him for the WBO light welterweight strap. Malignaggi suffered the first cut of his career in that fight and despite losing to the Puerto Rican powerhouse, Malignaggi showed enough game and talent to hear the final bell.
Since then Malignaggi has twice won titles in both the light welterweight and welterweight divisions. His last dazzling performance was in 2012 when he TKO’d Vyacheslav Senchenko in nine rounds to win the WBA welterweight title.
Malignaggi would lose that belt to the trash talking, brash-walking Adrien “The Problem” Broner in 2013. Malignaggi debunked “The Problem” and made it a closer fight than expected, however, he still came up short with a split-decision loss.
Now that he’s a 34-year-old veteran, Malignaggi still wants to fight but on his terms.
“But if I don’t get what I want or if it doesn’t seem plausible to be done the right way then I have no problem stepping out and just doing this [commentating] because this is a good living and it’s a fun living and it keeps my looks [laughs].”
Malignaggi may not give fans knockouts when he enters the ring but he does give heart, and his mental toughness is something to admire. It takes a special kind of courage to go into a fight knowing your opponent is stronger than you. Still Malignaggi was willing to take the punishment and go the distance, winning over the judges along the way.
While lately Malignaggi has been quoted and criticized by some for his views on the possible Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown, there are those that are still interested to see what he can do inside the ring.
Malignaggi has a loyal following and is managed by the all-powerful Al Haymon, so a comeback fight is certainly doable if the right deal can be made. There may be those who will criticize a Malignaggi return, but he shows up to fight and in boxing, worse things have happened.
Steve Calderon
By Steve Calderon January 29, 2015 8:10 am
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malignaggi53Paulie Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KO) wants to make a return to prizefighting. The former two-division titleholder from Brooklyn told thaboxingvoice.com in an interview that:
“If I had it my way I’d like to give it another shot, just maybe another year or so.”
Malignaggi hasn’t fought since losing his IBF welterweight title to Shawn Porter (24-1-1, 15 KO) in April of last year. The fight was a four-round beating that convinced many including Malignaggi that he should consider retirement.
He found a calling as a boxing analyst for Showtime and was the recipient of the “Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism” from the Boxing Writers Association of America last year.
Malignaggi, a natural entertainer, has been entertaining the idea of a comeback.
“It depends on the offers that I get. If it’s something good or if it’s something that guarantees me that leads into something good I’ll think about it, right now its just been here say more than anything else.”
At a glance, if you don’t remember “The Magic Man” from his heyday. One may wonder how a man with one fewer losses, than knockouts is so popular in a sport that desperately needs excitement. What Malignaggi brought to the table was a combination of ring swagger and courage, not commonly seen.
Before he fights, while other flamboyant practitioners of the sweet science would stand in their corner with a scowl on their face directed to intimidate their enemies, Malignaggi’s face was more of stone concentration. He was focused on his craft, but when the bell rang he’d be quick to throw you off with his eyes wide and his tongue out.
Malignaggi splashed across the boxing scene as an undefeated light welterweight until 2006 when he met a steam-rolling Miguel Cotto, who won a 12-round decision against him for the WBO light welterweight strap. Malignaggi suffered the first cut of his career in that fight and despite losing to the Puerto Rican powerhouse, Malignaggi showed enough game and talent to hear the final bell.
Since then Malignaggi has twice won titles in both the light welterweight and welterweight divisions. His last dazzling performance was in 2012 when he TKO’d Vyacheslav Senchenko in nine rounds to win the WBA welterweight title.
Malignaggi would lose that belt to the trash talking, brash-walking Adrien “The Problem” Broner in 2013. Malignaggi debunked “The Problem” and made it a closer fight than expected, however, he still came up short with a split-decision loss.
Now that he’s a 34-year-old veteran, Malignaggi still wants to fight but on his terms.
“But if I don’t get what I want or if it doesn’t seem plausible to be done the right way then I have no problem stepping out and just doing this [commentating] because this is a good living and it’s a fun living and it keeps my looks [laughs].”
Malignaggi may not give fans knockouts when he enters the ring but he does give heart, and his mental toughness is something to admire. It takes a special kind of courage to go into a fight knowing your opponent is stronger than you. Still Malignaggi was willing to take the punishment and go the distance, winning over the judges along the way.
While lately Malignaggi has been quoted and criticized by some for his views on the possible Mayweather-Pacquiao showdown, there are those that are still interested to see what he can do inside the ring.
Malignaggi has a loyal following and is managed by the all-powerful Al Haymon, so a comeback fight is certainly doable if the right deal can be made. There may be those who will criticize a Malignaggi return, but he shows up to fight and in boxing, worse things have happened.