Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
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^^in a street fight Lewis would stab him to death lol
there's a big different from being in football shape and being in boxing shape. Football you run for 5-15 seconds then stop, wait a few minutes, do it again a few times then you're off the field.
Boxing is much more physically demanding so it's no surprise that Tommy Z has stamina issues right now. He has some decent skills so it all depends on how seriously he wants to take his career. As of now it seems like he just wants to fight in the off season and see what happens with the NFL's next season.
To me, I admire that. He's a millionaire who starts in the NFL, life doesn't get much better than that and he chooses to risk his safety and health and box just for the love of the sport. He gets big time props from me.
there's a big different from being in football shape and being in boxing shape. Football you run for 5-15 seconds then stop, wait a few minutes, do it again a few times then you're off the field.
Boxing is much more physically demanding so it's no surprise that Tommy Z has stamina issues right now. He has some decent skills so it all depends on how seriously he wants to take his career. As of now it seems like he just wants to fight in the off season and see what happens with the NFL's next season.
To me, I admire that. He's a millionaire who starts in the NFL, life doesn't get much better than that and he chooses to risk his safety and health and box just for the love of the sport. He gets big time props from me.
Buster Douglas: “I thought Tyson was getting up until I had seen him looking for that
by Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - Last week’s 119th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world James “Buster” Douglas (38-6-1, 25 KOs) who currently trains John L. Smith Junior (2-0, 2 KOs). Douglas talked about training his young heavyweight, spoke about his career and his fight with Mike Tyson, reflected on the Klitschko Brothers and the current state of the heavyweight division, gave his views on Pacquiao-Mosley, and more! Here is what he had to say:
On training young heavyweight John L. Smith Junior:
“His name is John L. Smith Junior. I’m pretty excited about it. He’s a heavyweight and I think he’s got a bright future ahead of him. He works hard and he’s got a lot of talent and he’s eager to fight.”
On making the transition from boxer to trainer:
“There hasn’t really been that much of a transition. I’ve always been working with kids in the gym when I go to the gym, so this has just been more intense, of course. It’s been a nice ride so far.”
His views on whether he can train someone to a world championship:
“That’s my goal to help him become a world champion. I’m giving him advice and stuff and helping along the way.”
Regarding how he first got involved with the sport of boxing:
“Well I was introduced to the sport of boxing through my father. He was a National Amateur Champion and a light middleweight and a light heavyweight contender, so that was kind of what brought me to it.”
On what made him decide that he wanted to be a professional boxer:
“I decided after my junior year in college to give it a shot. I really felt that I had the desire to go professional and see where it would take me and it led me to the heavyweight championship.”
Whether he had added pressure on him given his father’s prior involvement in the sport:
“Well a little bit, because my father fought with a little different style than I did and everybody was expecting me to emulate him I guess. Once I kind of established myself as a fighter/boxer more so than a banger it kind of let itself be known I guess.”
On taking a fight on three day’s notice to replace Trevor Berbick against Randall “Tex” Cobb and what that victory did for his career:
“That was a big win because Cobb was a contender. So with the opportunity, John called me and he asked me, ‘What do you think about “Tex” Cobb?’ and I said ‘He can be beat’.”
The experience of his first title shot against Tony Tucker:
“Yeah that was a pretty tough time for me. We were still really, John and I, and J.D, and my dad were still kind of gelling and coming together. There were a lot of problems that we were having in the camp leading up to that fight and I think it just spilled over into the fight. It kind of came out in the fight because we had a lot of problems. That’s why I think that fight didn’t really go like we planned, but then we just had to go back to the drawing board and we restructured our camp. We started fight again until we got another opportunity.”
His views on the current state of the heavyweight division:
“Well you know it’s just kind of different now because you don’t have very many or any American champions now in the division. When I was coming up the top ten was dominated by Americans and today there are a lot of different contenders out there and as far as the world champions they’re all foreigners. It’s different and I look at it as an opportunity and I always tell Junior that. It’s an opportunity for a good American heavyweight to go in there and really do well.”
On why he believes we have not had a good American heavyweight to seize the opportunity and fill that void:
“I think that sometimes you got to really test a kid along the way as he comes up through the division and I think a lot of these heavyweights now are really being tested as they progress into becoming contenders and getting lined up for an opportunity to fight. What I mean is put him in with a good opponent coming up where you can see how his progress is. I’m not saying overmatch him, but there is just a way about doing things and when they finally get a chance for a title shot they’re a lot more prepared and they feel more confident going into the fight.”
His views on the Klitschko brothers as champions in today’s heavyweight division:
“Well I think they’re good fighters and you’re going to have to definitely go in there and know what you’re doing when you get in there because of their experience. They’re in great shape and they come to fight in each and every fight. I think there is an opportunity for a good American heavyweight to go in there and really put up a good challenge against them. To me it just looks like an opportunity but you got to be ready when you go in there because those guys, when they come in each and every night they’re ready to fight.”
His views on how the Klitschko brothers would have fared in his era of the heavyweight division:
“I think they would have done well, because they’re good fighters. Like I said you’d have to come to fight. They’re good fighters and they’re being brought up right. Each and every night the Klitschkos are ready to fight so you got to be on your A-game when you go in there.”
On whether he believes “Junior” has a chance to become the next great American heavyweight:
“I really do. I really do! I think that he’s hungry, he’s eager and he’s got the size, and he’s got a lot of ability. Once he gets in really great shape I think he’s going to be someone to be reckoned with.”
His views on the greatest strength that “Junior” brings into the ring with him:
“It’s his overall desire. He has the desire to want to do this and I think that’s a great big part as well as his ability. He’s a big man that can really do a lot of things that a big man is not accustomed to doing. He can move, and he’s got good hand speed, and he carries a good punch. So he has all the tools to accomplish and become the heavyweight champion if he really applies himself. Like I said, I’m just looking forward to this ride.”
On building his way back to contender status after his loss to Tony Tucker:
“Well you know by then with the loss, everyone was willing to fight me and we had no problems with having the opportunity of getting people back in there to catapult my career back to contendership. It was up to me to get in great shape and to be ready to fight anybody that would get in there to get back into title contention. So it was a long road back but I was willing to and my group was willing to put forth the effort to get another opportunity to get another shot for the title.”
Regarding his victory over a young Oliver McCall in July 1989 prior to fighting Mike Tyson:
“Yeah, it was a tough fight. Oliver came to fight. He was kind of an awkward fighter. He’d throw punches from every different angle, unusual angles. The game plan was to just put pressure on him and keep him backing up. We didn’t think he could really fight on his heels backing up so that was the game plan. It was just to keep pressuring him and keep the hands up and it worked out for us.”
His initial reaction when he got the call to fight Mike Tyson:
“Well I was excited about this opportunity and I knew I had my work cut out for me for sure, because he was destroying everybody that they put in there and it had really been proven that he was the legitimate heavyweight champion because he had beaten some important guys along the way. We really had our work cut out for us and we just put it all together, and worked very hard and got in the past shape, and put it all together that night.”
His views on Mike Tyson going into that fight:
“Well I knew he was going to be a great challenge, but I felt confident that I had the ability to compete. I know John and J.D. were even more confident than I was about the opportunity and we just put it all together and we were blessed enough to have a great performance and win the heavyweight championship.”
His views on how the loss of his mother affected him going into the fight:
“My mother had come over to see me a couple of weeks before she passed and we had a real long talk. Then once she talked to me and had seen that I was really ready to go in there and put up a great effort against Mike, she was confident enough to tell her friends that I was going to beat him. They were all telling me that she was telling them. They would tell my mother, ‘Oh my God! I can’t believe Buster is going to fight this guy!’ She would say, ‘He’s going to win! He’s going to do his thing!’ So she believed in me and I felt very confident going into that fight.”
His thoughts getting into the ring with Mike Tyson and how he was able to handle him from the opening bell:
“Well I’m telling you, Johnny, J.D., and I, we were just really pumped up! The biggest fear we had going into that fight was that something was going to go wrong and that there was going to be a cancelation or something, because that’s how well and confident we felt going into that fight. I truly felt it was just my time to put it all together and to take advantage of this great opportunity that was presented in front of me.”
Regarding the uppercut Mike Tyson knocked him down with in the eighth round of their fight:
“You know really it seemed like a flash knockdown because I was pushed. I wasn’t hurt. I was very coherent. I picked up the count immediately and took my time with getting up. When I got up I was on solid legs and I was ready to continue to fight. Then the bell just happened to ring and I got the chance to go back and get even more time to recover, but I wasn’t really hurt at all.”
His views on changing the momentum in round nine after his corner had warned that Tyson would attack him with everything he had:
“Of course I knew he was coming because even though he was pretty much beaten, he had new life once I got dropped and I knew. My corner instructed me and said he was going to come like hell and I was ready for that challenge.”
On whether he thought Tyson was going to get up after he had dropped him with a brutal combination in round ten:
“I did! I thought Tyson was getting up until I had seen him looking for that mouth piece and then I knew that he was really hurt. So anytime you know you only got ten seconds to get up so you aren’t going to worry about anything but just getting up first. So when I had seen him looking around for that mouth piece I knew he was really hurt.”
The feeling on first becoming the heavyweight champion of the world when the fight was waved off:
“It was a dream come true. It was a childhood dream come true. It was one of the most awesome feelings in my life.”
Regarding the controversy after the fight surrounding the so-called long count and whether he thought they would succeed in taking the victory away from him:
“You know that was really the sad part about the whole ordeal was the aftermath, because of having to even go to court. It was a dream come true, a fascinating experience, and that it slowly turned into a nightmare because of everything that went on afterwards. It was just a horrible time. It wasn’t where once you win the heavyweight title you get to just kick back and relax and enjoy, and then you prepare for your first defense. It didn’t work out at all like that for me. It was like a fight that I had to continue to keep fighting outside the ring just to even be acknowledged as the heavyweight champion and I think that had a lot to do with leading up to that first defense. That was really a horrible time for me.”
On whether reflecting back on what he accomplished today as a 42:1 underdog is more enjoyable for him now than it was during the tough times that followed his victory over Tyson:
“Oh yeah! Even that 42 to 1, there were no odds on that at all. That was something they created after the fact because the bookies weren’t even taking bets for the fight when we were over in Japan. It wasn’t even on the books. So it was a wonderful great experience with being positive and determined and having a great group of people around me to help fulfill a childhood dream. That was the most awesome experience and feeling that one man could have in his life other than watching my kids being brought into the world, but it was truly a childhood dream come true becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.”
On whether he believes he could have done anything differently to perform on the level he did against Tyson on a more consistent basis:
“Yeah, for sure! I mean to me looking back at it now, we were left alone to train and prepare for this fight with Mike Tyson and we were totally focused. Then going from not being really paid any attention to, to where every move you make you’re under the eye. That was definitely a night and day experience. We did the best we could with trying to deal with that, but the main thing is I did win the title. I know I didn’t go out the way I wanted to go out, but we fought and got there to become the heavyweight champion of the world and we did it at an extraordinary time.”
Regarding which fighters today he most enjoys watching and has the most respect for:
“I really like that Manny Pacquiao. I think he’s a great fighter and I really enjoy watching him work. He really has it all together, and again I’m just excited about the heavyweight that we have now, as far as American fighters, John L. Smith Junior. I’m really excited about this kid because he’s a determined kid. I really like him. He listens and he’s just an overall great kid. He’s excited about this opportunity to be a professional fighter.”
His views on the upcoming fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley, and what he thinks of the fact that many observers are counting Mosley out the way he was counted out against Mike Tyson:
“Yeah, you can’t do that though. Mosley is a crafty veteran and he is going to come to fight and I look for that to be an exciting fight. I think it’s going to go deep into the rounds, too. If it’s a stoppage it’s going to be like in the eleventh or twelfth round, but it’s going to be a great fight because Mosley is going to bring it! He’s up for the challenge I know. Just from watching his past experience he can put up some great fights. So he’s going to be ready to fight. Don’t sleep on Mosley!”
Regarding the most important thing he emphasizes to his fighters as a boxing trainer:
“Running! Running, hitting that road and doing that road work. You have to run, because if you got the steam to do whatever you need to do then you’re fine. You have the ability but you just have to have the gas in the tank to perform up the best of your ability.”
On whether he believes he could win his first title defense against Evander Holyfield:
“I felt that I could win the fight just with the determination I had at the start of my career, but it was a really bad time I’ll tell you. It was bittersweet. It was just a bad time, but we’re back now! John Johnson and I are back together and we’re doing great things and we got a nice kid we’re working with here who has a lot of great ability and talent. We’re just excited about the future.”
Regarding his decision to comeback to boxing almost six years after the loss to Evander Holyfield:
“It was just a fact of getting back into life, and that was the way that I felt I could get back into life and get some more normalcy about myself. So I got the weight off and gave it another shot and just continued to be positive from that point on. I have been and it’s been working out great for me.”
On whether he was gunning for a rematch at Mike Tyson during his comeback:
“No, I was just trying to get a shot at the world champion with whoever was the world champion at that time. So it was actually getting back into life as well, getting the weight off, getting back healthy, and just moving my life in a more positive direction.”
On whether Don King or anyone had ever approached him regarding a rematch with Mike Tyson at that time:
“No, not at all.”
His views on the fight that almost happened between him and Roy Jones Junior:
“Yeah, yeah! I was ready to take that with open arms, but I think they decided to go another route. Yeah, it was offered to us but then it didn’t last. It was on the table for a short period of time. We accepted it, but it never came about.”
Regarding his decision to retire from professional boxing:
“Well that was it. I just felt like it ran its course and I just stayed positive and got involved with other things. That was it.
by Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - Last week’s 119th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world James “Buster” Douglas (38-6-1, 25 KOs) who currently trains John L. Smith Junior (2-0, 2 KOs). Douglas talked about training his young heavyweight, spoke about his career and his fight with Mike Tyson, reflected on the Klitschko Brothers and the current state of the heavyweight division, gave his views on Pacquiao-Mosley, and more! Here is what he had to say:
On training young heavyweight John L. Smith Junior:
“His name is John L. Smith Junior. I’m pretty excited about it. He’s a heavyweight and I think he’s got a bright future ahead of him. He works hard and he’s got a lot of talent and he’s eager to fight.”
On making the transition from boxer to trainer:
“There hasn’t really been that much of a transition. I’ve always been working with kids in the gym when I go to the gym, so this has just been more intense, of course. It’s been a nice ride so far.”
His views on whether he can train someone to a world championship:
“That’s my goal to help him become a world champion. I’m giving him advice and stuff and helping along the way.”
Regarding how he first got involved with the sport of boxing:
“Well I was introduced to the sport of boxing through my father. He was a National Amateur Champion and a light middleweight and a light heavyweight contender, so that was kind of what brought me to it.”
On what made him decide that he wanted to be a professional boxer:
“I decided after my junior year in college to give it a shot. I really felt that I had the desire to go professional and see where it would take me and it led me to the heavyweight championship.”
Whether he had added pressure on him given his father’s prior involvement in the sport:
“Well a little bit, because my father fought with a little different style than I did and everybody was expecting me to emulate him I guess. Once I kind of established myself as a fighter/boxer more so than a banger it kind of let itself be known I guess.”
On taking a fight on three day’s notice to replace Trevor Berbick against Randall “Tex” Cobb and what that victory did for his career:
“That was a big win because Cobb was a contender. So with the opportunity, John called me and he asked me, ‘What do you think about “Tex” Cobb?’ and I said ‘He can be beat’.”
The experience of his first title shot against Tony Tucker:
“Yeah that was a pretty tough time for me. We were still really, John and I, and J.D, and my dad were still kind of gelling and coming together. There were a lot of problems that we were having in the camp leading up to that fight and I think it just spilled over into the fight. It kind of came out in the fight because we had a lot of problems. That’s why I think that fight didn’t really go like we planned, but then we just had to go back to the drawing board and we restructured our camp. We started fight again until we got another opportunity.”
His views on the current state of the heavyweight division:
“Well you know it’s just kind of different now because you don’t have very many or any American champions now in the division. When I was coming up the top ten was dominated by Americans and today there are a lot of different contenders out there and as far as the world champions they’re all foreigners. It’s different and I look at it as an opportunity and I always tell Junior that. It’s an opportunity for a good American heavyweight to go in there and really do well.”
On why he believes we have not had a good American heavyweight to seize the opportunity and fill that void:
“I think that sometimes you got to really test a kid along the way as he comes up through the division and I think a lot of these heavyweights now are really being tested as they progress into becoming contenders and getting lined up for an opportunity to fight. What I mean is put him in with a good opponent coming up where you can see how his progress is. I’m not saying overmatch him, but there is just a way about doing things and when they finally get a chance for a title shot they’re a lot more prepared and they feel more confident going into the fight.”
His views on the Klitschko brothers as champions in today’s heavyweight division:
“Well I think they’re good fighters and you’re going to have to definitely go in there and know what you’re doing when you get in there because of their experience. They’re in great shape and they come to fight in each and every fight. I think there is an opportunity for a good American heavyweight to go in there and really put up a good challenge against them. To me it just looks like an opportunity but you got to be ready when you go in there because those guys, when they come in each and every night they’re ready to fight.”
His views on how the Klitschko brothers would have fared in his era of the heavyweight division:
“I think they would have done well, because they’re good fighters. Like I said you’d have to come to fight. They’re good fighters and they’re being brought up right. Each and every night the Klitschkos are ready to fight so you got to be on your A-game when you go in there.”
On whether he believes “Junior” has a chance to become the next great American heavyweight:
“I really do. I really do! I think that he’s hungry, he’s eager and he’s got the size, and he’s got a lot of ability. Once he gets in really great shape I think he’s going to be someone to be reckoned with.”
His views on the greatest strength that “Junior” brings into the ring with him:
“It’s his overall desire. He has the desire to want to do this and I think that’s a great big part as well as his ability. He’s a big man that can really do a lot of things that a big man is not accustomed to doing. He can move, and he’s got good hand speed, and he carries a good punch. So he has all the tools to accomplish and become the heavyweight champion if he really applies himself. Like I said, I’m just looking forward to this ride.”
On building his way back to contender status after his loss to Tony Tucker:
“Well you know by then with the loss, everyone was willing to fight me and we had no problems with having the opportunity of getting people back in there to catapult my career back to contendership. It was up to me to get in great shape and to be ready to fight anybody that would get in there to get back into title contention. So it was a long road back but I was willing to and my group was willing to put forth the effort to get another opportunity to get another shot for the title.”
Regarding his victory over a young Oliver McCall in July 1989 prior to fighting Mike Tyson:
“Yeah, it was a tough fight. Oliver came to fight. He was kind of an awkward fighter. He’d throw punches from every different angle, unusual angles. The game plan was to just put pressure on him and keep him backing up. We didn’t think he could really fight on his heels backing up so that was the game plan. It was just to keep pressuring him and keep the hands up and it worked out for us.”
His initial reaction when he got the call to fight Mike Tyson:
“Well I was excited about this opportunity and I knew I had my work cut out for me for sure, because he was destroying everybody that they put in there and it had really been proven that he was the legitimate heavyweight champion because he had beaten some important guys along the way. We really had our work cut out for us and we just put it all together, and worked very hard and got in the past shape, and put it all together that night.”
His views on Mike Tyson going into that fight:
“Well I knew he was going to be a great challenge, but I felt confident that I had the ability to compete. I know John and J.D. were even more confident than I was about the opportunity and we just put it all together and we were blessed enough to have a great performance and win the heavyweight championship.”
His views on how the loss of his mother affected him going into the fight:
“My mother had come over to see me a couple of weeks before she passed and we had a real long talk. Then once she talked to me and had seen that I was really ready to go in there and put up a great effort against Mike, she was confident enough to tell her friends that I was going to beat him. They were all telling me that she was telling them. They would tell my mother, ‘Oh my God! I can’t believe Buster is going to fight this guy!’ She would say, ‘He’s going to win! He’s going to do his thing!’ So she believed in me and I felt very confident going into that fight.”
His thoughts getting into the ring with Mike Tyson and how he was able to handle him from the opening bell:
“Well I’m telling you, Johnny, J.D., and I, we were just really pumped up! The biggest fear we had going into that fight was that something was going to go wrong and that there was going to be a cancelation or something, because that’s how well and confident we felt going into that fight. I truly felt it was just my time to put it all together and to take advantage of this great opportunity that was presented in front of me.”
Regarding the uppercut Mike Tyson knocked him down with in the eighth round of their fight:
“You know really it seemed like a flash knockdown because I was pushed. I wasn’t hurt. I was very coherent. I picked up the count immediately and took my time with getting up. When I got up I was on solid legs and I was ready to continue to fight. Then the bell just happened to ring and I got the chance to go back and get even more time to recover, but I wasn’t really hurt at all.”
His views on changing the momentum in round nine after his corner had warned that Tyson would attack him with everything he had:
“Of course I knew he was coming because even though he was pretty much beaten, he had new life once I got dropped and I knew. My corner instructed me and said he was going to come like hell and I was ready for that challenge.”
On whether he thought Tyson was going to get up after he had dropped him with a brutal combination in round ten:
“I did! I thought Tyson was getting up until I had seen him looking for that mouth piece and then I knew that he was really hurt. So anytime you know you only got ten seconds to get up so you aren’t going to worry about anything but just getting up first. So when I had seen him looking around for that mouth piece I knew he was really hurt.”
The feeling on first becoming the heavyweight champion of the world when the fight was waved off:
“It was a dream come true. It was a childhood dream come true. It was one of the most awesome feelings in my life.”
Regarding the controversy after the fight surrounding the so-called long count and whether he thought they would succeed in taking the victory away from him:
“You know that was really the sad part about the whole ordeal was the aftermath, because of having to even go to court. It was a dream come true, a fascinating experience, and that it slowly turned into a nightmare because of everything that went on afterwards. It was just a horrible time. It wasn’t where once you win the heavyweight title you get to just kick back and relax and enjoy, and then you prepare for your first defense. It didn’t work out at all like that for me. It was like a fight that I had to continue to keep fighting outside the ring just to even be acknowledged as the heavyweight champion and I think that had a lot to do with leading up to that first defense. That was really a horrible time for me.”
On whether reflecting back on what he accomplished today as a 42:1 underdog is more enjoyable for him now than it was during the tough times that followed his victory over Tyson:
“Oh yeah! Even that 42 to 1, there were no odds on that at all. That was something they created after the fact because the bookies weren’t even taking bets for the fight when we were over in Japan. It wasn’t even on the books. So it was a wonderful great experience with being positive and determined and having a great group of people around me to help fulfill a childhood dream. That was the most awesome experience and feeling that one man could have in his life other than watching my kids being brought into the world, but it was truly a childhood dream come true becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.”
On whether he believes he could have done anything differently to perform on the level he did against Tyson on a more consistent basis:
“Yeah, for sure! I mean to me looking back at it now, we were left alone to train and prepare for this fight with Mike Tyson and we were totally focused. Then going from not being really paid any attention to, to where every move you make you’re under the eye. That was definitely a night and day experience. We did the best we could with trying to deal with that, but the main thing is I did win the title. I know I didn’t go out the way I wanted to go out, but we fought and got there to become the heavyweight champion of the world and we did it at an extraordinary time.”
Regarding which fighters today he most enjoys watching and has the most respect for:
“I really like that Manny Pacquiao. I think he’s a great fighter and I really enjoy watching him work. He really has it all together, and again I’m just excited about the heavyweight that we have now, as far as American fighters, John L. Smith Junior. I’m really excited about this kid because he’s a determined kid. I really like him. He listens and he’s just an overall great kid. He’s excited about this opportunity to be a professional fighter.”
His views on the upcoming fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley, and what he thinks of the fact that many observers are counting Mosley out the way he was counted out against Mike Tyson:
“Yeah, you can’t do that though. Mosley is a crafty veteran and he is going to come to fight and I look for that to be an exciting fight. I think it’s going to go deep into the rounds, too. If it’s a stoppage it’s going to be like in the eleventh or twelfth round, but it’s going to be a great fight because Mosley is going to bring it! He’s up for the challenge I know. Just from watching his past experience he can put up some great fights. So he’s going to be ready to fight. Don’t sleep on Mosley!”
Regarding the most important thing he emphasizes to his fighters as a boxing trainer:
“Running! Running, hitting that road and doing that road work. You have to run, because if you got the steam to do whatever you need to do then you’re fine. You have the ability but you just have to have the gas in the tank to perform up the best of your ability.”
On whether he believes he could win his first title defense against Evander Holyfield:
“I felt that I could win the fight just with the determination I had at the start of my career, but it was a really bad time I’ll tell you. It was bittersweet. It was just a bad time, but we’re back now! John Johnson and I are back together and we’re doing great things and we got a nice kid we’re working with here who has a lot of great ability and talent. We’re just excited about the future.”
Regarding his decision to comeback to boxing almost six years after the loss to Evander Holyfield:
“It was just a fact of getting back into life, and that was the way that I felt I could get back into life and get some more normalcy about myself. So I got the weight off and gave it another shot and just continued to be positive from that point on. I have been and it’s been working out great for me.”
On whether he was gunning for a rematch at Mike Tyson during his comeback:
“No, I was just trying to get a shot at the world champion with whoever was the world champion at that time. So it was actually getting back into life as well, getting the weight off, getting back healthy, and just moving my life in a more positive direction.”
On whether Don King or anyone had ever approached him regarding a rematch with Mike Tyson at that time:
“No, not at all.”
His views on the fight that almost happened between him and Roy Jones Junior:
“Yeah, yeah! I was ready to take that with open arms, but I think they decided to go another route. Yeah, it was offered to us but then it didn’t last. It was on the table for a short period of time. We accepted it, but it never came about.”
Regarding his decision to retire from professional boxing:
“Well that was it. I just felt like it ran its course and I just stayed positive and got involved with other things. That was it.
Exclusive Interview With “Fast” Fres Oquendo - On “Prizefighter” May 7th
By James Slater: The news broke this week, how ultra-experienced former world title challenger “Fast” Fres Oquendo has signed on to take part in the May 7th “Prizefighter: The International Heavyweights.” This is exciting news, and the talented Puerto Rican joins a confirmed list of Kevin Johnson, Mike Perez, Michael Sprott and Konstantin Airich (with three other names yet to be confirmed). Thanks to Fres and his promoter Tom Tsatas, I was able to speak with the 32-7(21) contender today. Speaking about the upcoming May 7th tourney and other things, the always-friendly Oquendo had the following things to say: James Slater: It’s great to speak with you, Fres. I for one think you can win this Prizefighter tourney, with your skill and class. You’ve been sparring with David Haye, of course - he recommended you for the show on May 7th? Fres Oquendo: God willing, I will win this tournament. I have sparred countless rounds with David Haye; since 2005/2006. He is back here [5th Street Gym] on Monday. I’m in great condition and I feel I can specialise in a three-round, terrain tournament. But yes, I can thank David for recommending me for this opportunity. J.S: Have you ever fought in the UK before? F.O: No, I never have - but I’ve always wanted to. I’ve boxed all over the world, but never in London. I look forward to at last putting that right now. My resume speaks for itself, and guys like Kevin Johnson (who is also in for May 7th) can’t carry my jockstrap! I’m highly motivated to win this, and I know what these guys can bring - nothing like what I can bring. J.S: I have to agree with you, Fres - with your experience and class, you can definitely win this thing! The only thing the critics would say, though, is that you will have to be more aggressive in these fights, seeing as they are only three-rounds. Will you be? F.O: Absolutely I’ll be more aggressive. I know what these guys bring, and there’s no stopping me. I will have enough power. Guys like James Toney, Oliver McCall and others could never hurt me. I am so confident ahead of this tournament. J.S: You’ve been the victim of so many bad decisions over the years, yet you never complain ;you just get on with the next fight. Will Winning this be a trophy you’ve always deserved? F.O: I’ve never worried about what the critics or the judges say: they’re guys who have never been in the ring in their life. Like I say, I’m hugely motivated for this [tournament] and I’m coming to win. I can outbox and I can out punch my opposition.
By James Slater: The news broke this week, how ultra-experienced former world title challenger “Fast” Fres Oquendo has signed on to take part in the May 7th “Prizefighter: The International Heavyweights.” This is exciting news, and the talented Puerto Rican joins a confirmed list of Kevin Johnson, Mike Perez, Michael Sprott and Konstantin Airich (with three other names yet to be confirmed). Thanks to Fres and his promoter Tom Tsatas, I was able to speak with the 32-7(21) contender today. Speaking about the upcoming May 7th tourney and other things, the always-friendly Oquendo had the following things to say: James Slater: It’s great to speak with you, Fres. I for one think you can win this Prizefighter tourney, with your skill and class. You’ve been sparring with David Haye, of course - he recommended you for the show on May 7th? Fres Oquendo: God willing, I will win this tournament. I have sparred countless rounds with David Haye; since 2005/2006. He is back here [5th Street Gym] on Monday. I’m in great condition and I feel I can specialise in a three-round, terrain tournament. But yes, I can thank David for recommending me for this opportunity. J.S: Have you ever fought in the UK before? F.O: No, I never have - but I’ve always wanted to. I’ve boxed all over the world, but never in London. I look forward to at last putting that right now. My resume speaks for itself, and guys like Kevin Johnson (who is also in for May 7th) can’t carry my jockstrap! I’m highly motivated to win this, and I know what these guys can bring - nothing like what I can bring. J.S: I have to agree with you, Fres - with your experience and class, you can definitely win this thing! The only thing the critics would say, though, is that you will have to be more aggressive in these fights, seeing as they are only three-rounds. Will you be? F.O: Absolutely I’ll be more aggressive. I know what these guys bring, and there’s no stopping me. I will have enough power. Guys like James Toney, Oliver McCall and others could never hurt me. I am so confident ahead of this tournament. J.S: You’ve been the victim of so many bad decisions over the years, yet you never complain ;you just get on with the next fight. Will Winning this be a trophy you’ve always deserved? F.O: I’ve never worried about what the critics or the judges say: they’re guys who have never been in the ring in their life. Like I say, I’m hugely motivated for this [tournament] and I’m coming to win. I can outbox and I can out punch my opposition.
Agbeko and Mares learned from thier setbacks
by Doug Fischer
Apr 13th, 2011
| More
Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares believe they owe their appearance in Showtime's bantamweight tournament final to the setbacks they suffered to Yonnhy Perez in previous bouts.
Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares won’t enter their April 23 bantamweight title bout with unblemished records but both 118-pound standouts believe their setbacks made them better fighters, which should make their tournament final the ring war that most fans anticipate.
Both Agbeko and Mares hit career roadblocks prior to the formation of Showtime’s four-man single-elimination bantamweight tournament, which wraps up with their showdown at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
Agbeko lost his IBF title to Yonnhy Perez in an intense 12-round battle in October of 2009 that many fans considered a fight of the year candidate. Perez’s first defense of that title was another spirited 12-round encounter, this time against Mares, who held the relentless Colombian to a majority draw last May.
Although most observers thought Mares (21-0-1, 13 knockouts) won the fight by the 116-112 tally on one of the official scorecards, the Southern California-based Mexican Olympian viewed the fight as a “loss” because he didn’t take Perez’s title.
Showtime’s bantamweight tournament, which kicked off in Tacoma, Wash., last December, gave both Agbeko and Mares an opportunity to redeem themselves in their very next fight. Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) boxed brilliantly in a rematch with Perez, scoring a clear unanimous decision in the tournament’s first semifinal. Mares outworked Vic Darchinyan in the late rounds of a tough 12-round fight to narrowly outpoint the former flyweight and junior bantamweight titleholder by majority decision in the other semifinal of the night.
Both Agbeko and Mares told boxing writers that the experience of their setbacks helped them win their semifinal victories during a recent media conference call.
“I learned a few lessons in my loss to Perez,” Agbeko said.
“Perez is a very strong fighter who throws a lot of punches. I fought his style, punch for punch, in the first fight. But because of the lesson I learned in the first fight, I worked harder every day in the gym, and in the second fight I boxed him more.”
Mares said his draw with Perez, which some observers said was the result of his moving too much in the middle rounds of the bout, motivated him to fight harder.
“I took (the draw) really serious,” he said. “I considered it a loss because I didn’t get the title, so I went back and worked extremely hard and I was ready for my opportunity against Darchinyan.
“You learn from every fight. The Darchinyan fight was really tough. The first few rounds didn’t go my way. I was cut and I was knocked down early in the fight, but thinking about the draw with Perez and my family and never thinking about losing got me through.”
Agbeko said he was grateful for the opportunity to win back his title. Mares echoed the New York-based Ghanaian’s sentiment.
“(The title) was within my grasp once (against Perez) and I let it slip away,” he said. “Not many people get second chances. I have a chance to fight for the same world title, a second chance and I gotta take advantage of it.”
Both fighters expect an exciting fight because of their versatile styles.
“Agbeko is a complete fighter,” Mares said. “We can both brawl, we can both box.”
Agbeko elaborated on Mares‘ assessment.
“We’re both skillful, we both have speed and we’re both very aggressive,” he said. “Abner is a very strong guy. He likes to come in with a lot of punches. I can do the same. This is going to be a very beautiful fight.”
Broadcast and show information:
Perez and Darchinyan will fight in the Showtime-televised co-feature to Agbeko-Mares. The Showtime broadcast begins at 10:30 p.m., live on the East Coast, tape-delayed on the West Coast.
Tickets to the card are on sale now through TicketMaster and Nokia Theatre box office. Doors open at 4 p.m., first undercard fight begins at 5 p.m.
Showtime announced during the conference call that the semifinal tournament matches -- Perez-Agbeko II and Darchinyan-Mares -- will re-air on Showtime Extreme on Monday at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.
by Doug Fischer
Apr 13th, 2011
| More
Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares believe they owe their appearance in Showtime's bantamweight tournament final to the setbacks they suffered to Yonnhy Perez in previous bouts.
Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares won’t enter their April 23 bantamweight title bout with unblemished records but both 118-pound standouts believe their setbacks made them better fighters, which should make their tournament final the ring war that most fans anticipate.
Both Agbeko and Mares hit career roadblocks prior to the formation of Showtime’s four-man single-elimination bantamweight tournament, which wraps up with their showdown at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
Agbeko lost his IBF title to Yonnhy Perez in an intense 12-round battle in October of 2009 that many fans considered a fight of the year candidate. Perez’s first defense of that title was another spirited 12-round encounter, this time against Mares, who held the relentless Colombian to a majority draw last May.
Although most observers thought Mares (21-0-1, 13 knockouts) won the fight by the 116-112 tally on one of the official scorecards, the Southern California-based Mexican Olympian viewed the fight as a “loss” because he didn’t take Perez’s title.
Showtime’s bantamweight tournament, which kicked off in Tacoma, Wash., last December, gave both Agbeko and Mares an opportunity to redeem themselves in their very next fight. Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) boxed brilliantly in a rematch with Perez, scoring a clear unanimous decision in the tournament’s first semifinal. Mares outworked Vic Darchinyan in the late rounds of a tough 12-round fight to narrowly outpoint the former flyweight and junior bantamweight titleholder by majority decision in the other semifinal of the night.
Both Agbeko and Mares told boxing writers that the experience of their setbacks helped them win their semifinal victories during a recent media conference call.
“I learned a few lessons in my loss to Perez,” Agbeko said.
“Perez is a very strong fighter who throws a lot of punches. I fought his style, punch for punch, in the first fight. But because of the lesson I learned in the first fight, I worked harder every day in the gym, and in the second fight I boxed him more.”
Mares said his draw with Perez, which some observers said was the result of his moving too much in the middle rounds of the bout, motivated him to fight harder.
“I took (the draw) really serious,” he said. “I considered it a loss because I didn’t get the title, so I went back and worked extremely hard and I was ready for my opportunity against Darchinyan.
“You learn from every fight. The Darchinyan fight was really tough. The first few rounds didn’t go my way. I was cut and I was knocked down early in the fight, but thinking about the draw with Perez and my family and never thinking about losing got me through.”
Agbeko said he was grateful for the opportunity to win back his title. Mares echoed the New York-based Ghanaian’s sentiment.
“(The title) was within my grasp once (against Perez) and I let it slip away,” he said. “Not many people get second chances. I have a chance to fight for the same world title, a second chance and I gotta take advantage of it.”
Both fighters expect an exciting fight because of their versatile styles.
“Agbeko is a complete fighter,” Mares said. “We can both brawl, we can both box.”
Agbeko elaborated on Mares‘ assessment.
“We’re both skillful, we both have speed and we’re both very aggressive,” he said. “Abner is a very strong guy. He likes to come in with a lot of punches. I can do the same. This is going to be a very beautiful fight.”
Broadcast and show information:
Perez and Darchinyan will fight in the Showtime-televised co-feature to Agbeko-Mares. The Showtime broadcast begins at 10:30 p.m., live on the East Coast, tape-delayed on the West Coast.
Tickets to the card are on sale now through TicketMaster and Nokia Theatre box office. Doors open at 4 p.m., first undercard fight begins at 5 p.m.
Showtime announced during the conference call that the semifinal tournament matches -- Perez-Agbeko II and Darchinyan-Mares -- will re-air on Showtime Extreme on Monday at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Ricky Hatton - Finally “Man Enough” To Admit He’s Retired
By James Slater: Just short of two full years on from his brutal and painful loss to Manny Pacquiao, British megastar and former two-weight world ruler Ricky Hatton has finally been able to announce he will never fight again. Since the loss to Pac-Man, just the second pro defeat of the 32-year-old’s career, there has been almost constant speculation as to whether of not the light-welterweight sensation will box again - maybe in a “farewell” fight. But now, from “The Hitman” himself, comes confirmation that this will not be the case.
“I wake up every morning and still miss it,” Hatton told The Mirror. “But the one good thing I do have is something between my ears despite all the hard fights. If the fire isn’t burning to get up and run and then spar and make the other sacrifices, then I’ve got to call it a day. After the Pacquiao fight I was sulking, depressed and drowning my sorrows. Depression and a few pints is definitely not a good mixture.
“I haven’t coped well with retiring, but you have to hit rock bottom before you get back into gear - which is what I’ve done. It still breaks my heart to think I won’t fight again, but at least I’m man enough to admit it now.”
Now enjoying his time as a successful promoter, Hatton has seemingly beaten the demons that attacked him shortly after the crushing 2nd-round loss to Pac-Man. After a well-publicised stay in rehab that came after he fell into a seriously-spiralling drink and drugs binge, Hatton is now “in a good place” and, as he says, “man enough” to admit his fighting days are over.
It’s surely a tough thing for any former world champion to turn down big-money offers to fight again (offers Hatton has certainly had), and Hatton must be applauded for not attempting to recapture past glories when he knows he would not be able to. Hatton, always a fan-favourite, will not cheat his loyal followers with a failure of a comeback.
It is to be hoped Ricky has a long and happy retirement. Hatton leaves the rough side of the ropes with a fine 45-2(32) record.
Among Hatton’s career highlights are:
A June 2005 11th-round retirement win over the great Kostya Tszyu.
Receiving Ring Magazine’s FOTY award for 2005.
A successful May 2006 move up to welterweight, with a WBA title win over Luis Collazo: WU12.
A June 2007, one-punch KO win over Mexican legend Jose Luis Castillo.
Five amazing headlining nights in Las Vegas!
Thanks for the memories, Ricky!
By James Slater: Just short of two full years on from his brutal and painful loss to Manny Pacquiao, British megastar and former two-weight world ruler Ricky Hatton has finally been able to announce he will never fight again. Since the loss to Pac-Man, just the second pro defeat of the 32-year-old’s career, there has been almost constant speculation as to whether of not the light-welterweight sensation will box again - maybe in a “farewell” fight. But now, from “The Hitman” himself, comes confirmation that this will not be the case.
“I wake up every morning and still miss it,” Hatton told The Mirror. “But the one good thing I do have is something between my ears despite all the hard fights. If the fire isn’t burning to get up and run and then spar and make the other sacrifices, then I’ve got to call it a day. After the Pacquiao fight I was sulking, depressed and drowning my sorrows. Depression and a few pints is definitely not a good mixture.
“I haven’t coped well with retiring, but you have to hit rock bottom before you get back into gear - which is what I’ve done. It still breaks my heart to think I won’t fight again, but at least I’m man enough to admit it now.”
Now enjoying his time as a successful promoter, Hatton has seemingly beaten the demons that attacked him shortly after the crushing 2nd-round loss to Pac-Man. After a well-publicised stay in rehab that came after he fell into a seriously-spiralling drink and drugs binge, Hatton is now “in a good place” and, as he says, “man enough” to admit his fighting days are over.
It’s surely a tough thing for any former world champion to turn down big-money offers to fight again (offers Hatton has certainly had), and Hatton must be applauded for not attempting to recapture past glories when he knows he would not be able to. Hatton, always a fan-favourite, will not cheat his loyal followers with a failure of a comeback.
It is to be hoped Ricky has a long and happy retirement. Hatton leaves the rough side of the ropes with a fine 45-2(32) record.
Among Hatton’s career highlights are:
A June 2005 11th-round retirement win over the great Kostya Tszyu.
Receiving Ring Magazine’s FOTY award for 2005.
A successful May 2006 move up to welterweight, with a WBA title win over Luis Collazo: WU12.
A June 2007, one-punch KO win over Mexican legend Jose Luis Castillo.
Five amazing headlining nights in Las Vegas!
Thanks for the memories, Ricky!
Khan hoping to fight Bradley in the UK
By William Mackay: Despite WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan 24-1, 17 KO’s) saying he wanted to become a big star in the United States, he’s fighting on Saturday in the UK against a lesser known fighter named Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s), who isn’t even a star in the UK. If Khan gets by McCloskey, which is probable given McCloskey’s slow hand speed and lack of power, Khan says he wouldn’t mind fighting his next bout in the UK as well against WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
How Khan figures he can become a star in the U.S by continuing to fight in the UK is the big question. It doesn’t seem to make sense. Khan is going to have make up his mind whether he wants to be a big fish in a small pond or a little fish in a big pond. He’s not going to achieve super stardom in the U.S by fighting in the UK. And at the same time, it’s unknown whether Khan’s fighting style is exciting enough for him to be a big star in American.
Although he likes to throw fast flurries, which American fans like, he runs a lot and holds too much. In contrast to fighters like Marcos Maidana and Manny Pacquiao, two fighters that American fans really like, Khan isn’t nearly as entertaining to watch. His opposition has been less than appealing either. Thus far he’s had only one good fight in the past three years and that was when he was matched against Maidana, a popular fighter. Khan’s other fights have been either boring or one-sided fights lacking drama with the fight being a mismatch going in.
By William Mackay: Despite WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan 24-1, 17 KO’s) saying he wanted to become a big star in the United States, he’s fighting on Saturday in the UK against a lesser known fighter named Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s), who isn’t even a star in the UK. If Khan gets by McCloskey, which is probable given McCloskey’s slow hand speed and lack of power, Khan says he wouldn’t mind fighting his next bout in the UK as well against WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
How Khan figures he can become a star in the U.S by continuing to fight in the UK is the big question. It doesn’t seem to make sense. Khan is going to have make up his mind whether he wants to be a big fish in a small pond or a little fish in a big pond. He’s not going to achieve super stardom in the U.S by fighting in the UK. And at the same time, it’s unknown whether Khan’s fighting style is exciting enough for him to be a big star in American.
Although he likes to throw fast flurries, which American fans like, he runs a lot and holds too much. In contrast to fighters like Marcos Maidana and Manny Pacquiao, two fighters that American fans really like, Khan isn’t nearly as entertaining to watch. His opposition has been less than appealing either. Thus far he’s had only one good fight in the past three years and that was when he was matched against Maidana, a popular fighter. Khan’s other fights have been either boring or one-sided fights lacking drama with the fight being a mismatch going in.
I can tell him to his face" - Juan Manuel Lopez fires back at Vazquez Jr
Chris Robinson
* Las Vegas Boxing Examine
This Saturday night WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez defends his title against former champion Orlando Salido in Bayamon, Puerto Rico but at the moment there is tension of another kind brewing on the island. While Lopez and Salido have been nothing but cordial to one another, the name of Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. has recently been coming out of Lopez's lips as the two men have been trading barbs with one another.
Apparently Vazquez Jr., the reigning WBO champion at 122 pounds, made some disparaging remarks towards Lopez in regards to his popularity, upbringing, and personnel behind him, among other things, in a recent appearance on ESPN. Upon catching wind of Vazquez's taunts, the typically mild-mannered Lopez returned the fire.
<--- Slideshow: Juan Manuel Lopez in Puerto Rico as Orlando Salido bout nears
"I don't like to give promotion to anybody, so this is the last time that I'm going to talk about him," Lopez was quoted as saying in a recent BoxingScene.com piece by Rey Colon. "Wilfredo Vazquez made some strong comments about me, that there is arrogance in me. He said that my team is mediocre. I regret that he is not here so I can tell him to his face, that if my team is mediocre, well this is the same team that helped make him a world champion. I am not arrogant. I'm really cool with everybody. [Vazquez's promoter] Tutico Zabala doesn't take my six figures. I am a fighter who takes my money. I know what I'm worth and we can fight next."
Lopez went on to add that Vazquez is making a mistake by questioning his team, as both Peter Rivera of PR Best Boxing Promotions and Bob Arum have helped guide each man's career. Lopez took particular offense to Vazquez's remarks about his popularity and place on the world class stage.
"And he made comments about where my fights are staged but the Roberto Clemente and the Ruben Rodriguez are two of the best theaters in Puerto Rico. At the Roberto Clemente is where Muhammad Ali fought. And the Ruben Rodriguez is where he became a champion. He said that I was never a part of the large events and he is part of the Pacquiao undercard, well I was part of the undercard to Pacquiao's fight with Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand. He talks about where I came from, I am humble and I have built myself from the bottom," Lopez said resoundingly.
Top headlines: Karim Mayfield on Pacquiao, Hatton, Margarito / Bob Arum says he's done trying to figure out Nonito Donaire / Naazim Richardson says his emotions are tied to Shane Mosley
Intriguing stuff to say the least. It's hard to get a sense of where all of this stems from. I remember Vazquez Jr. and Lopez were both present inside of the Italian joint Lupo inside of the Mandalay Bay the day of the Nonito Donaire-Fernando Montiel bout and they didn't seem to go out of their way to embrace the other. Gut feeling here says that perhaps Vazquez Jr., who has shown himself to be a bit of a live wire in the past, is either a bit jealous of Lopez or trying to drum up interest in a fight.
Vazquez will next see action on May 7th as he defends his crown against former champion Jorge Arce at the MGM Grand on the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley undercard. The fight everyone wants to see Lopez in is a bout with WBA champion Yuriorkis Gamboa but that doesn't seem likely until at least 2012.
Chris Robinson
* Las Vegas Boxing Examine
This Saturday night WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel Lopez defends his title against former champion Orlando Salido in Bayamon, Puerto Rico but at the moment there is tension of another kind brewing on the island. While Lopez and Salido have been nothing but cordial to one another, the name of Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. has recently been coming out of Lopez's lips as the two men have been trading barbs with one another.
Apparently Vazquez Jr., the reigning WBO champion at 122 pounds, made some disparaging remarks towards Lopez in regards to his popularity, upbringing, and personnel behind him, among other things, in a recent appearance on ESPN. Upon catching wind of Vazquez's taunts, the typically mild-mannered Lopez returned the fire.
<--- Slideshow: Juan Manuel Lopez in Puerto Rico as Orlando Salido bout nears
"I don't like to give promotion to anybody, so this is the last time that I'm going to talk about him," Lopez was quoted as saying in a recent BoxingScene.com piece by Rey Colon. "Wilfredo Vazquez made some strong comments about me, that there is arrogance in me. He said that my team is mediocre. I regret that he is not here so I can tell him to his face, that if my team is mediocre, well this is the same team that helped make him a world champion. I am not arrogant. I'm really cool with everybody. [Vazquez's promoter] Tutico Zabala doesn't take my six figures. I am a fighter who takes my money. I know what I'm worth and we can fight next."
Lopez went on to add that Vazquez is making a mistake by questioning his team, as both Peter Rivera of PR Best Boxing Promotions and Bob Arum have helped guide each man's career. Lopez took particular offense to Vazquez's remarks about his popularity and place on the world class stage.
"And he made comments about where my fights are staged but the Roberto Clemente and the Ruben Rodriguez are two of the best theaters in Puerto Rico. At the Roberto Clemente is where Muhammad Ali fought. And the Ruben Rodriguez is where he became a champion. He said that I was never a part of the large events and he is part of the Pacquiao undercard, well I was part of the undercard to Pacquiao's fight with Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand. He talks about where I came from, I am humble and I have built myself from the bottom," Lopez said resoundingly.
Top headlines: Karim Mayfield on Pacquiao, Hatton, Margarito / Bob Arum says he's done trying to figure out Nonito Donaire / Naazim Richardson says his emotions are tied to Shane Mosley
Intriguing stuff to say the least. It's hard to get a sense of where all of this stems from. I remember Vazquez Jr. and Lopez were both present inside of the Italian joint Lupo inside of the Mandalay Bay the day of the Nonito Donaire-Fernando Montiel bout and they didn't seem to go out of their way to embrace the other. Gut feeling here says that perhaps Vazquez Jr., who has shown himself to be a bit of a live wire in the past, is either a bit jealous of Lopez or trying to drum up interest in a fight.
Vazquez will next see action on May 7th as he defends his crown against former champion Jorge Arce at the MGM Grand on the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley undercard. The fight everyone wants to see Lopez in is a bout with WBA champion Yuriorkis Gamboa but that doesn't seem likely until at least 2012.
Danny Garcia willing to end bloody fraternal feud with Robert Garcia
Michael Marley
* Boxing Examiner
Some people close to the situation think that the ongoing blood feud between boxing trainers and brothers Robert and Danny Garcia cannnot be squashed.
They view it as an endless Cain versus Abel squabble, a fractious fraternal fight that will continue unabated for years if not decades.
Making it worse has been Robert's huge success, his making a small fortune in boxing while Danny has had to keep driving a Pepsi delivery truck while training fighters at night.
But Danny, who trained his brother when Robert was just age 13 and was an assistant to Papa Eduardo in the corner when Robert was IBF junior lightweight champion, says otherwise.
"Mainly, it's about my Mom and my Dad," Danny said. "My Mom would like to see things work out between me and Robert. It can happen."
Danny told me so, in a sincere manner on Wednesday afternoon before a Manhattan press conference for Saturday night's Vicious Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto WBC welterweight title bout. Ortiz-Berto takes place at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Connecticut.
Danny admitted that he never speaks to Robert, that their families steer clear of each other and that the whole telenovela style drama caused their parents to abandon hometown Oxnard, California, to relocate to Riverside.
Backdrop to the story is the bitter split and resulting rivalry between former Garden City, Kansas amateur hopefuls and both former pupils of Robert, Ortiz and newly crowned lightweight champion Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios.
When Ortiz separated from Robert, Danny went with Victor. The two fighters even now toil for bickering promoters, the outspoken Rios for Bob Arum's Top Rank and Ortiz for Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy outfit.
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Clearly, a price has been paid by both brothers and their parents.
"I still love Robert, I really do," Danny said. "He will always be my brother and he and my father are training another brother, Mikey, who is going to be a world champion also. I've been hurt by things said, not so much by Rios but by Robert.
"I was training my brother, along with my father, when Robert was age 13. Now my Dad trains Mikey and Robert, he takes all the credit for it.
"Robert said I don't know how to train fighters but he's always asking my father for a fight plan. Yes, Brandon is a world champion right now but he's not a very good champion and he won't last too long. It's Brandon who got my own brother to talk bad about me, so bleep him."
Mario Aguiniga, former amateur boxer from Oxnard who assists Danny in Ortiz's corner, blames Rios for much of the dispute.
"We were all together, all part of the same team, things were all good," Aguiniga said. "Look at Brandon, nobody knew him until he started always calling out Victor."
Eduardo Garcia, who used to blood his hands picking strawberries as a migrant workers built the legendary La Colonia Gym program in Oxnard, developing both Robert and world champ Ferocious Fernando Vargas.
Aguniga has only fond memories of fighting in the amateurs and being a key part of California's most vaunted boxing program.
"Poppa Garcia would load up the van," Aguiniga said, "adn we would take 12 fighters to some tournament. We would always win 10 or 11 of our bouts on the shows. The other fighters, the other trainers didn't call us La Colonia.
"They referred to us as Little Cuba."
Cuba, of course, has dominated Olympic and other world amateur boxing for decades.
Michael Marley
* Boxing Examiner
Some people close to the situation think that the ongoing blood feud between boxing trainers and brothers Robert and Danny Garcia cannnot be squashed.
They view it as an endless Cain versus Abel squabble, a fractious fraternal fight that will continue unabated for years if not decades.
Making it worse has been Robert's huge success, his making a small fortune in boxing while Danny has had to keep driving a Pepsi delivery truck while training fighters at night.
But Danny, who trained his brother when Robert was just age 13 and was an assistant to Papa Eduardo in the corner when Robert was IBF junior lightweight champion, says otherwise.
"Mainly, it's about my Mom and my Dad," Danny said. "My Mom would like to see things work out between me and Robert. It can happen."
Danny told me so, in a sincere manner on Wednesday afternoon before a Manhattan press conference for Saturday night's Vicious Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto WBC welterweight title bout. Ortiz-Berto takes place at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Connecticut.
Danny admitted that he never speaks to Robert, that their families steer clear of each other and that the whole telenovela style drama caused their parents to abandon hometown Oxnard, California, to relocate to Riverside.
Backdrop to the story is the bitter split and resulting rivalry between former Garden City, Kansas amateur hopefuls and both former pupils of Robert, Ortiz and newly crowned lightweight champion Brandon "Bam Bam" Rios.
When Ortiz separated from Robert, Danny went with Victor. The two fighters even now toil for bickering promoters, the outspoken Rios for Bob Arum's Top Rank and Ortiz for Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy outfit.
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Clearly, a price has been paid by both brothers and their parents.
"I still love Robert, I really do," Danny said. "He will always be my brother and he and my father are training another brother, Mikey, who is going to be a world champion also. I've been hurt by things said, not so much by Rios but by Robert.
"I was training my brother, along with my father, when Robert was age 13. Now my Dad trains Mikey and Robert, he takes all the credit for it.
"Robert said I don't know how to train fighters but he's always asking my father for a fight plan. Yes, Brandon is a world champion right now but he's not a very good champion and he won't last too long. It's Brandon who got my own brother to talk bad about me, so bleep him."
Mario Aguiniga, former amateur boxer from Oxnard who assists Danny in Ortiz's corner, blames Rios for much of the dispute.
"We were all together, all part of the same team, things were all good," Aguiniga said. "Look at Brandon, nobody knew him until he started always calling out Victor."
Eduardo Garcia, who used to blood his hands picking strawberries as a migrant workers built the legendary La Colonia Gym program in Oxnard, developing both Robert and world champ Ferocious Fernando Vargas.
Aguniga has only fond memories of fighting in the amateurs and being a key part of California's most vaunted boxing program.
"Poppa Garcia would load up the van," Aguiniga said, "adn we would take 12 fighters to some tournament. We would always win 10 or 11 of our bouts on the shows. The other fighters, the other trainers didn't call us La Colonia.
"They referred to us as Little Cuba."
Cuba, of course, has dominated Olympic and other world amateur boxing for decades.
Roger Mayweather thinks Cotto would be a good tune-up for Floyd
By Chris Williams: Roger Mayweather, the trainer and uncle of Floyd Mayweather Jr., thinks that Miguel Cotto would be a good tune-up for Floyd as he gets ready for a bout against Manny Pacquiao. Roger figures that Floyd needs at least a couple of tune-up bouts before his mega fight against Pacquiao. One of those tune-ups would be against Cotto if his promoter Bob Arum allowed him to get the fight with Mayweather.
It’s something you can never be too sure about because Cotto would likely get embarrassed by Mayweather and Arum might not like that happening because it could hurt a future rematch between Pacquiao and Cotto.
Speaking with the examiner.com, Roger says “He [Floyd] could fight Cotto. He could fight a whole bunch of guys.” Cotto would be about as easy as the rest of them. It wouldn’t be a tough fight because Cotto is vulnerable and Mayweather’s speed and boxing ability would be too much for him. Roger say “He [Floyd] can get a couple of tune-ups fights and fight Pacquiao. He whips Pacquiao’s a** and he don’t got to prove nothing else.”
That’s true. Once Mayweather beats Pacquiao, there’s no other opponents out there for Mayweather to beat. He would have already fought Pacquiao last year if Pacquiao had been willing to agree to the random blood testing that Mayweather wanted. Mayweather wanted testing to stop a minimum of two weeks before the fight, whereas Pacquiao wanted at least three weeks. I suppose Pacquiao must of thought it would be easy to put together a fight with Mayweather at a later date. He must be kicking himself now for not agreeing to the textbook version of random blood testing so that the fight could be made last year.
By Chris Williams: Roger Mayweather, the trainer and uncle of Floyd Mayweather Jr., thinks that Miguel Cotto would be a good tune-up for Floyd as he gets ready for a bout against Manny Pacquiao. Roger figures that Floyd needs at least a couple of tune-up bouts before his mega fight against Pacquiao. One of those tune-ups would be against Cotto if his promoter Bob Arum allowed him to get the fight with Mayweather.
It’s something you can never be too sure about because Cotto would likely get embarrassed by Mayweather and Arum might not like that happening because it could hurt a future rematch between Pacquiao and Cotto.
Speaking with the examiner.com, Roger says “He [Floyd] could fight Cotto. He could fight a whole bunch of guys.” Cotto would be about as easy as the rest of them. It wouldn’t be a tough fight because Cotto is vulnerable and Mayweather’s speed and boxing ability would be too much for him. Roger say “He [Floyd] can get a couple of tune-ups fights and fight Pacquiao. He whips Pacquiao’s a** and he don’t got to prove nothing else.”
That’s true. Once Mayweather beats Pacquiao, there’s no other opponents out there for Mayweather to beat. He would have already fought Pacquiao last year if Pacquiao had been willing to agree to the random blood testing that Mayweather wanted. Mayweather wanted testing to stop a minimum of two weeks before the fight, whereas Pacquiao wanted at least three weeks. I suppose Pacquiao must of thought it would be easy to put together a fight with Mayweather at a later date. He must be kicking himself now for not agreeing to the textbook version of random blood testing so that the fight could be made last year.
Robert Garcia believes Ortiz can knock Berto out if he doesn’t quit first
By Jason Kim: Trainer Robert Garcia is giving light welterweight knockout artist Victor Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KO’s) a punchers’ chance of beating WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-0, 21 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Machintucket, Connecticut. Although Garcia is giving Ortiz a chance in this fight, he’s less than confident that the 24-year-old Ortiz can pull off the upset.
It’s for good reason why Garcia has doubts because of Ortiz’s quit job in the Marcos Maidana fight and because of his last fight against Lamont Peterson where Ortiz seemed to shrink from contact after Peterson started laying down the leather on Ortiz.
Speaking with examiner.com, Garcia said “Victor, he’s got a puncher’s chance but Berto is a good, solid world champion. If Victor doesn’t quit, quit like he did against Maidana and several times in the amateurs when he dropped his hands and gave up. Well, then he has that puncher’s chance. We’ll see which Victor shows up. Will it be the Victor who gave up in those fights?”
Ortiz can be very dangerous when he’s fighting with confidence and aggression. However, as we saw in the Maidana and Peterson fights, Ortiz seems to go to pieces mentally when he meets some adversity and starts getting hit hard. Berto has a real advantage in this fight because he’s going to be looking to make Ortiz quit by putting his punches together early in the fight and hitting him with some hard shots like the way Maidana was doing with him in 2009.
By Jason Kim: Trainer Robert Garcia is giving light welterweight knockout artist Victor Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KO’s) a punchers’ chance of beating WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-0, 21 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Machintucket, Connecticut. Although Garcia is giving Ortiz a chance in this fight, he’s less than confident that the 24-year-old Ortiz can pull off the upset.
It’s for good reason why Garcia has doubts because of Ortiz’s quit job in the Marcos Maidana fight and because of his last fight against Lamont Peterson where Ortiz seemed to shrink from contact after Peterson started laying down the leather on Ortiz.
Speaking with examiner.com, Garcia said “Victor, he’s got a puncher’s chance but Berto is a good, solid world champion. If Victor doesn’t quit, quit like he did against Maidana and several times in the amateurs when he dropped his hands and gave up. Well, then he has that puncher’s chance. We’ll see which Victor shows up. Will it be the Victor who gave up in those fights?”
Ortiz can be very dangerous when he’s fighting with confidence and aggression. However, as we saw in the Maidana and Peterson fights, Ortiz seems to go to pieces mentally when he meets some adversity and starts getting hit hard. Berto has a real advantage in this fight because he’s going to be looking to make Ortiz quit by putting his punches together early in the fight and hitting him with some hard shots like the way Maidana was doing with him in 2009.
Erik Morales to be out of the ring until his right eye heals, suspended until 6/9
By Sean McDaniel: Three time world champion Erik Morales (51-7, 35 KO’s) will be out of the ring for at least two months or longer for his badly swollen right eye and laceration to heal from his 12 round decision loss to Marcos Maidana on April 9th. According to Philboxing.com, the 34-year-old Morales has been suspended until June 9th by the Nevada State Athletic Commission due to Morales’ badly swollen up right eye.
Morales was hit by powerful uppercut from Maidana in the 1st round, causing Morales’ right eye to swell up and close almost immediately. Morales would fight for the remainder of the fight with his problem, which only got steadily worse as the fight wore on. Morales lost most of the rounds in the first half of the fight, but then came on from the 5th until the 10th, fighting effectively. However, Morales ran out of gas in the 11th and 12th, which hurt his chances for getting the win.
Morales asked for a rematch after the fight and Maidana agreed to give him one. However, Morales is now trying to get a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. It’s doubtful that Marquez will give him a fight, because he’s only looking at really big fights against fighters like Manny Pacquiao or at the very least a fight against one of the champions like IBF light welterweight champ Zab Judah. Morales has no belt to over, and that will likely ruin Morales’ chances of landing a fight against the 37-year-old Marquez.
By Sean McDaniel: Three time world champion Erik Morales (51-7, 35 KO’s) will be out of the ring for at least two months or longer for his badly swollen right eye and laceration to heal from his 12 round decision loss to Marcos Maidana on April 9th. According to Philboxing.com, the 34-year-old Morales has been suspended until June 9th by the Nevada State Athletic Commission due to Morales’ badly swollen up right eye.
Morales was hit by powerful uppercut from Maidana in the 1st round, causing Morales’ right eye to swell up and close almost immediately. Morales would fight for the remainder of the fight with his problem, which only got steadily worse as the fight wore on. Morales lost most of the rounds in the first half of the fight, but then came on from the 5th until the 10th, fighting effectively. However, Morales ran out of gas in the 11th and 12th, which hurt his chances for getting the win.
Morales asked for a rematch after the fight and Maidana agreed to give him one. However, Morales is now trying to get a fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. It’s doubtful that Marquez will give him a fight, because he’s only looking at really big fights against fighters like Manny Pacquiao or at the very least a fight against one of the champions like IBF light welterweight champ Zab Judah. Morales has no belt to over, and that will likely ruin Morales’ chances of landing a fight against the 37-year-old Marquez.
Roger Mayweather: “Pacquiao really don’t got no boxing skills period
Roger Mayweather: “Pacquiao really don’t got no boxing skills period! What I see Pacquiao do is pretty much like a wild amateur fighter!"
by Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 120th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with former two division world champion Roger Mayweather who is best known as being the head trainer for his nephew Floyd Mayweather Junior. Mayweather spoke about a variety of topics pertaining the current boxing landscape including Jesse Vargas’ first round KO victory over Vivian Harris, Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming fight with Sugar Shane Mosley, the prospects of his nephew returning to the ring against Paul Spadafora, Marcos Maidana, Sergio Martinez, and more! Here are some excerpts from that interview:
His evaluation of the performance by Jesse Vargas in his first round knockout victory against Vivian Harris:
“Well I mean to be honest, I already knew that’s what was going to happen to him anyway because I told him. I said he’s a veteran. Most veterans don’t want to be in exchanges with fighters. They don’t want to be in exchanges. That’s what they don’t want to be in. What you have to do is go right to them and put them in a fight right away. Put him in a fight right away because he’s going to be a slow starter and you’re young and you got youth. Boom! So I said it was going to come to an end quick and basically that’s what happened.”
On whether he believes Jesse Vargas can become a world champion:
“No, I know he can be a world champion. I’ve been training Jesse since he was 8 years old. I didn’t just start training Jesse yesterday. I know his ability to box. He’s a good puncher and not only is he a good puncher, but he’s a kid who can compete with pretty much most of the junior welterweights. He can compete with and he can punch with. So if we start talking about the guys who are the elite junior welterweights, you talk about Maidana, you talk about the Peterson brothers. Jesse can compete with all of those guys. Basically Jesse has good height for his weight class. Jesse is damn near 5’11”.”
Regarding Marcos Madiana’s controversial victory against Erik Morales:
“Erik Morales is an old fighter. He started at a lighter weight division. So if he can compete and got a controversial decision with Erik Morales, he can’t do nothing with Jesse Vargas period. He has youth, and not so much just because of youth. I’ve been training him since he was 8 years old and I understand how he fights and that’s what it’s about. That’s what skills are about. You said he just fought a controversial decision with Erik Morales. Come on! Erik Morales can’t get in the ring with Jesse Vargas right now.”
Whether he was surprised that Morales looked so good given the fact most observers felt Maidana would overwhelm him early:
“That’s what I’m saying! Here’s a guy, like you said. If you would have asked me what would have happened I would have said he’s going to be knocked out. What did the guy walk away with? A controversial decision? Okay then. That tells you. A lot of guys get built up by their records when they ain’t beaten nobody but they’re built up by their records. To be honest with you, I don’t even know who Maidana is anyway! I don’t even watch them dudes. This guy here, his name is boom boom! I don’t know! I don’t know him so I don’t search him. I don’t know him. The only time I really search a fighter is when a kid that I’m training is going to fight him. Then I search the fighter and we work from there. But I don’t know just basically who is Maidana. I don’t know who Maidana is! I heard his name before.”
Regarding the fact that Marcos Maidana did well in a controversially loss against Amir Khan before facing Morales:
“Wait, wait, wait! Hold on! That’s Amir Khan? I’ve seen him fight. I was there! He didn’t almost beat no Amir Khan! Hell no! The guy from England? No! He didn’t almost beat that guy. I don’t know where they get that from. I was there! I don’t even know who Maidana is but since you told me he almost beat Amir Khan, that’s the only time I’ve ever seen Amir Khan fight! He didn’t almost beat no Amir Khan! No! Hell no! I was there! I ain’t seen it that why then, but what I’m saying is this. If these guys are the best junior welterweights they can come up with, then I might as well put my man in there. He can fight the best of the best junior welterweights right now. He was sparring with Maidana. I don’t even know who Maidana is, but when you just said about when he fought Amir Khan. I was there when he fought Amir Khan, but my man can fight him right now, period!”
Regarding rumors of a potential fight between Floyd Mayweather Junior and Paul Spadafora:
“I ain’t never heard it. I ain’t never heard about him fighting Spadafora. To be honest I don’t see what that would make, but that’s on him it’s not on me. Like I said, I ain’t never heard about.”
On whether he believes Paul Spadafora stands any chance at all against his nephew:
“Him and my nephew have boxed before. They boxed at the gym. I remember them boxing. My nephew was laid off for a good while and I mean they boxed, though. It was some decent sparring. Basically that was it pretty much, but people talked about it like it was a fight, Maybe now they’re trying to link that thing up according to the fact that they sparred. I mean that’s what I would think!”
Regarding the last time him and Floyd Junior were at the gym together:
“He comes to the gym. I ain’t seen him come in and train, but he’s coming to the gym though. He comes in the gym and he comes to the fighters that he was promoting.”
On whether he believes Floyd Junior would be able to realistically make a ring return in either June or July:
“June or July? He can come back in June or July. Basically it don’t take four months to train. It ain’t like my nephew drinks like that. He doesn’t drink or use drugs or any of that. He would probably need a couple of months to shake off the rust. Boom! I mean he was laid off seventeen months when he fought Shane Mosley! He can come back. He’s going to need a couple of months to shake the rust off, though.”
What it would mean if Manny Pacquiao knocks out Shane Mosley when his nephew was unable to do so:
“That don’t mean sh*t because the difference is my nephew takes tests and it’s the real tests. He takes the real drug tests. He ain’t even want to fight my nephew because he won’t take a test. ‘Oh, I can’t take no test five days before a fight!’ How in the world as you as a fighter going to tell somebody you can’t take a test five days before the fight when fighters take a test a day or two before the fight anyway! But he can’t take a test five days out! Why? That’s what he said! He can’t take a test five days before the fight because that’s going to make him weak. Well what does it make the other fighter? Does it make him weak, too? The only reason why my nephew hasn’t fought Pacquiao is because Pacquiao number one doesn’t want to agree to the drug test. That’s all there is to it. He says he does, but when it comes time he don’t want to do it. He can’t take no test a couple of days out before the fight. Why? First off, most fighters take a test damn near a day before the fight. They don’t take no test a week before the fight. They take a test a day or two before the fight, but he says he can’t take a test because it’s oing to make him weak.”
On claims from Bob Arum that Floyd Junior demanded $100 million to fight Pacquiao:
“Let me tell you something, he’s just talking that wack! Floyd’s probably going to make $100 million anyway, because number one they start out at $50 million each. So they’re probably going to make $100 million anyway, so what difference does that make? So if he gets $100 million, he gets $100 million! They’re going to make $300-400 million so what difference does it make? They’re the fighters. They deserve the money. They’re the ones who provide the excitement. So if you get $100 million, so what! $100 million ain’t nothing when you start talking about guys making $400-500 million. The biggest fight to this day is my nephew and De La Hoya. It grossed over $300 million. So what is it talking about a guy getting $100 million? He deserves $100 million! Both of them deserve $100 million if they’re providing the entertainment, ain’t they? How much is Bob Arum supposed to get? That’s why he must be worried about it then, because if Arum’s worried about them making $100 million than he must got problems! He must want to walk away with $200 million because the fight is going to be bigger than De La Hoya and my nephew. That’s all I got to say! If that fight grossed over $300 million this is going to gross more money than that, and since this is going to gross more money than that, how is he going to talk about somebody getting $100 million? How much money is he supposed to get? That’s what the hell he needs to talk about. Arum needs to worry about how much money he’s going to rob from Pacquiao. That’s what he’s going to do!”
His views on whether the interest in a fight between his nephew and Pacquiao has lost steam because negotiations have taken too long:
“Nope, people want to see the fight! Why do I know that? Because people ask me and I don’t care where I’m at. A guy stopped me the other day and he was a Filipino guy. I’m walking.
He stopped to talk and he said, ‘Excuse me, sir. I want to ask you a question.’
I said, ‘What?’
He said, ‘Are you Mayweather’s Uncle’? Like that.
I said, ‘Yeah, I’m Mayweather’s Uncle. Why?’
He said, ‘Man, I want to see a fight with Pacquiao and your nephew’.
I said, ‘Well yeah, hopefully it happens. It’s going to be one of the highest grossing fights in history’.
He said, ‘Man, that’s going to make a lot of money!’
I said, ‘Yeah, it’s going to make a lot of money. Compared to how big they are, yeah it’s going to make a lot of money’.
He said, ‘Well what do you think about the fight?’
I said, ‘Well what do you mean what do I think? What do I think about the fight? Who will win? Who will lose?’
He said, ‘Well what do you think about your nephew fighting Pacquiao?’
I said, ‘Obviously they haven’t fought for some reason. There is a reason why they haven’t fought’. I said, ‘Because a fight worth that kind of money, and that’s the biggest fight on record. There isn’t any fight that even grossed that kind of money. Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns didn’t gross $300 million. Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard didn’t gross $300 million. The only fight that grossed that kind of money was my nephew and De la Hoya.”
On whether he has ever researched Sergio Martinez as a potential opponent:
“Nope. I don’t even know who Sergio Martinez is! I don’t know! I mean really I truly don’t know him. The fighters today, I know very little about them. Somebody said about Maidana. I don’t really know nothing about Maidana. What was the guy you said he fought? Amir Khan! I was there! I was there and I didn’t even know who the guy was! I was there, though. I was at the fight but I didn’t know who he was. These days now I don’t know much about the fighters in this era and time. I know about the earlier days, but not this.”
His views on whether Sergio Martinez has a chance to land a fight either with Pacquiao or his nephew:
“I know he ain’t going to fight Pacquiao because Pacquiao ain’t going to fight you if you’re over 150 pounds. So that ain’t going to even happen unless you’ve been off for damn near two years. Pacquiao ain’t going to fight you if you’re 150 pounds. Why do you think he made De La Hoya bring his ass down to 140-something and the same thing with all the rest of them. He ain’t never fought no fighter at their regular weight. The only person he fought at his regular weight, and he fought him a draw, and that was Marquez. He fought a draw and a split decision with Marquez. He’s the only guy who he ever fought at his own weight, and Marquez was only a 130 pounder anyway.”
On whether he would be interested in seeing his nephew Floyd Junior challenge Sergio Martinez for the middleweight title:
“Well I mean my nephew boxes middleweights so I don’t think he has a problem fighting middleweights. Weight don’t win fights anyway. Skills do. Ray Leonard when he was laid off five and a half years and had two detached retina surgeries he whopped Marvin Hagler’s ass and weight made no difference. That just shows you.”
Whether him and his nephew are at all worried that Pacquiao might lose to Mosley and potentially risk them a huge pay day in the future:
“Nope. If Shane beats him that’s what’s supposed to happen. I thought De La Hoya would beat him but under the circumstances I see why he didn’t beat him now, but that’s beside the point. The point is Shane Mosley can beat him. They’ve already said. I heard them say it. ‘We’ll fight Shane, but Shane Mosley will have to take a test’. That’s what they said! How do all of these people have to take tests and you don’t take one yourself. That don’t even make sense! All these people taking the test that he’s fighting, but then he doesn’t take the damn test himself! Then when he fought Ricky Hatton and De La Hoya, he made them fight him at a catch weight anyway. He never fought De La Hoya at 147 pounds. He had to weigh in at like 144 pounds. Ricky Hatton weighed 140-something. He ain’t fought nobody at their regular weight. If you’re the welterweight champion you fight guys at welterweight, at 147. That’s what I know about boxing, but he ain’t never fought them guys at that weight. That’s what he says. That’s all I can tell you about what I know about Pacquiao. I don’t know much about him anyway. I don’t know much about him, but if he really wanted to fight for that kind of money that them guys are getting for that fight to happen then he’s got to take a test. Everybody is taking a test but you. Something has got to be wrong. You’re getting $100 million. That’s easy money to get because that fight is that big and there is interest to make that kind of money. This fight is bigger than De La Hoya and my nephew and that’s the highest grossing fight in history right now with over $300 million. Those guys will walk away with over $100 million each, at least! Remember, they’re already starting off the bid out at $50 million each anyway. So how in the world ain’t you going to get $100 million?”
On what fighters he most enjoys watching in the sport today:
“There is no fighter out there period that’s interesting to me! I’m talking with the ability to box, great boxing skills. I wouldn’t know who he was. If he is, I wouldn’t know who he was anyway.”
Regarding some of the most recent fighters that he most enjoyed watching:
“Most of them are fighters from where I’m from. Guys I admired were Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis, Tommy Hearns, Aaron Pryor, in my day. I mean that’s my era of boxing. The dudes today I don’t even watch, period! The only reason I’m watching a fight amongst somebody else that I don’t even know, it’s because some kid that I’m training is fighting on the card with him. Other than that I wouldn’t even watch him at all. I don’t even watch fights on TV at all. I don’t watch nothing on TV, not no boxing. The reason I don’t watch boxing is because there ain’t nothing out there. There ain’t nothing out there with no skills and no boxing ability at all. I’m sure there is some coming up. I got a nephew. I got a cousin of mine. My cousin is a six time national amateur champion. You know how old he is? He’s 16 years old, but like I said I don’t watch. I really don’t watch boxing. To me, my eyes are blind to boxing because from what I see there ain’t nothing out there.”
Regarding a comment he made on a previous episode where he stated Vernon Forrest would have been the toughest fight for his nephew at welterweight in recent years:
“Yeah, he would have been the toughest guy because he’s tall, rangy, and he’s a well schooled fighter.”
His views on how Floyd Junior would have done against someone like Tommy Hearns at welterweight:
“Well he would have had trouble with a guy like Tommy Hearns because Tommy Hearns was a tall, rangy guy. I mean I’m not saying my nephew wasn’t capable of beating Tommy Hearns, I’m just saying that guy would give him trouble and a guy like Vernon Forrest would give him trouble. You see? Those guys would give him trouble because just more of the height than boxing skill wise. Height plays a role most times when a guy is well schooled. Guys that are tall and rangy and have good boxing skills, that’s generally what happens.”
Regarding Pacquiao’s statement on the previous week’s show that he views himself as a natural 140 pound boxer:
“Well if he’s 140 pounds that’s why he’s making De La Hoya make 143 or 144 pounds. What does Shane Mosley have to make? I heard Shane Mosley gets to make 147. That’s the weight they’re going to fight, but that ain’t the weight they’re going to be because it’s going to be a catch weight. I mean sh*t. He don’t fight nothing but with people at catch weights.”
His views if Pacquiao really did fight Mosley at the 147 pound limit:
“He ain’t going to fight him at 147. I already know that. It may say 147. De La Hoya he fought at 147 but really De La Hoya fought at 144. The same thing with Ricky Hatton, there is not one of those guys that he beat that he legitimately beat at 147.”
Regarding the fact that Pacquiao’s victory over Ricky Hatton was in fact for the Ring Magazine 140 pound title:
“Like I said, he ain’t fought any one of those guys at welterweight, period! He fought nobody at welterweight! He fought them at a catch weight. Margarito had been laid off so long he fought Margarito.”
On whether he as a trainer sees any weaknesses in Manny Pacquiao’s game:
“Pacquiao really don’t got no boxing skills, period! What I see Pacquiao do is pretty much like a wild amateur fighter! Basically he ain’t got no real boxing skills. I mean not from what I know about boxing. What I see, I know what I see. Most people think because a guy whops somebody that he’s got skills. That don’t mean he got skills. He’s whopping guys basically because as far as I see he’s wild. He’s just wild. That’s all he is.”
His views on what his nephews biggest asset would be going into the ring against Pacquiao:
“Well first thing is I’m going to say this. First off him and Floyd ain’t never going to fight because he ain’t never going to take a test. He don’t want to get that ass whopping, because if he fought my nephew naturally and he took that test he’s going to get his ass whopped! He’s going to get knocked out! Here’s a guy who’s been knocked out at 105 pounds. Are you going to tell me now he’s beating guys at 150 pounds? Come on! Please! Everybody knows he’s got the sh*t in him. That’s why he don’t never take the test!”
His views on his nephew’s biggest advantage if Pacquiao did take the test and they did fight:
“Skills! Floyd got too much skill for him, period! And he’s too small. I’m not talking about the guys that he beat! I’m not talking about the guys that he beat, because he beat them illegally anyway. He ain’t beat nobody without taking that sh*t. He ain’t beat nobody, period! So fighters talk about De La Hoya and all them dudes he beat, he’s on that sh*t! That’s why! If he wants to fight my nephew listen! All he’s got to do is take the test and we can get the fight together. That’s why the fight never happened! Oh I can’t get shot with a needle! If you can’t get shot with a needle then how you going to fight then? How is somebody going to take your blood then if you don’t get shot with a needle? Does that make sense to you? You’re talking about a guy getting $50-60-70 million and you don’t want to take a blood test? Something got to be wrong! Why won’t you take a test? If you don’t take a test that means you never took a test!”
His views on the court case that Pacquiao has against his nephew due to steroid accusations:
“I ain’t going to say nothing about that court case sh*t! The bottom line is he ain’t taken the test has he? He must have something in him! He don’t want to take a test. Him and Floyd never fought and the only reason they never fought is because he didn’t take a test. He said he can’t get shot with needles! Now do you know any fighter in boxing that don’t take no test? That doesn’t want to take no blood test?”
On when he expects to see his nephew back inside the ring:
“Well I figure he should be back in the ring this year. He should be back in the ring this year fighting. I don’t know about him fighting Pacquiao but I know he should be back in that ring this year. I think if he doesn’t go back in the ring this year then he probably isn’t going to fight at all, but I believe he’s going to fight.”
Whether he would be interested in seeing a fight between his nephew and Miguel Cotto:
“Cotto don’t mean nothing. Cotto already got his ass whopped! He got whopped by Pacquiao! Ricky Hatton got whopped by Pacquiao! De La Hoya got whopped by Pacquiao! It’s because Pacquiao’s got all that sh*t in him! That’s why! That’s the only reason why he whopped them. Whopping Cotto’s ass don’t mean nothing for Floyd. Floyd would whop Cotto. He ain’t going to have that sh*t. He’s going to take the test. He ain’t going to cry about no needle.”
Regarding what he wants to say to all the fans and all of the listeners of “On the Ropes Boxing Radio”:
“Well what I want to let the fans know is people are always asking about Floyd fighting Pacquiao. For those that don’t know I’m going to clue you in on something and you’re going to be able to understand what I’m telling you to this day. Any time a guy is supposed to be a fighter, all fighters—all fighters, not Floyd, not Pacquiao, not De La Hoya, not Sugar Ray Leonard. All fighters take tests, blood tests, urine tests, and a physical. All fighters take that. The reason why they take that test is to make sure, number one, you are healthy. Number two, that you ain’t got nothing illegally in your body so that when you fight somebody you ain’t got nothing illegal in you. To most people they think why don’t Floyd fight Pacquiao? Oh he’s getting $100 million! It ain’t about the $100 million. It’s about what’s fair. If Floyd whops Pacquiao it won’t be because Floyd got steroids in him or because Floyd’s got something illegally in him. He already whopped De La Hoya! He already whopped Shane Mosley! He already whopped Ricky Hatton! So it ain’t going to be about what Floyd ain’t got in him. The bottom line is it isn’t Floyd who doesn’t want to take the test. The only person who needs to take the test is Pacquiao because he’s the one who’s got the sh*t in him! So if he takes that test and he comes up with nothing in him he’s going to get his ass whopped too! That’s all there is to it! That’s the end of the story! It ain’t about what Floyd’s going to do! He ain’t had nothing illegal in his body yet, so why does he need to take something illegal now? The bottom line is if Pacquiao takes that test he’s been knocked out twice at 105 pounds so you know what he’s going to get at 147 pounds.”
Roger Mayweather: “Pacquiao really don’t got no boxing skills period! What I see Pacquiao do is pretty much like a wild amateur fighter!"
by Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) - This week’s 120th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio (brought to you by CWH Promotions) featured an exclusive interview with former two division world champion Roger Mayweather who is best known as being the head trainer for his nephew Floyd Mayweather Junior. Mayweather spoke about a variety of topics pertaining the current boxing landscape including Jesse Vargas’ first round KO victory over Vivian Harris, Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming fight with Sugar Shane Mosley, the prospects of his nephew returning to the ring against Paul Spadafora, Marcos Maidana, Sergio Martinez, and more! Here are some excerpts from that interview:
His evaluation of the performance by Jesse Vargas in his first round knockout victory against Vivian Harris:
“Well I mean to be honest, I already knew that’s what was going to happen to him anyway because I told him. I said he’s a veteran. Most veterans don’t want to be in exchanges with fighters. They don’t want to be in exchanges. That’s what they don’t want to be in. What you have to do is go right to them and put them in a fight right away. Put him in a fight right away because he’s going to be a slow starter and you’re young and you got youth. Boom! So I said it was going to come to an end quick and basically that’s what happened.”
On whether he believes Jesse Vargas can become a world champion:
“No, I know he can be a world champion. I’ve been training Jesse since he was 8 years old. I didn’t just start training Jesse yesterday. I know his ability to box. He’s a good puncher and not only is he a good puncher, but he’s a kid who can compete with pretty much most of the junior welterweights. He can compete with and he can punch with. So if we start talking about the guys who are the elite junior welterweights, you talk about Maidana, you talk about the Peterson brothers. Jesse can compete with all of those guys. Basically Jesse has good height for his weight class. Jesse is damn near 5’11”.”
Regarding Marcos Madiana’s controversial victory against Erik Morales:
“Erik Morales is an old fighter. He started at a lighter weight division. So if he can compete and got a controversial decision with Erik Morales, he can’t do nothing with Jesse Vargas period. He has youth, and not so much just because of youth. I’ve been training him since he was 8 years old and I understand how he fights and that’s what it’s about. That’s what skills are about. You said he just fought a controversial decision with Erik Morales. Come on! Erik Morales can’t get in the ring with Jesse Vargas right now.”
Whether he was surprised that Morales looked so good given the fact most observers felt Maidana would overwhelm him early:
“That’s what I’m saying! Here’s a guy, like you said. If you would have asked me what would have happened I would have said he’s going to be knocked out. What did the guy walk away with? A controversial decision? Okay then. That tells you. A lot of guys get built up by their records when they ain’t beaten nobody but they’re built up by their records. To be honest with you, I don’t even know who Maidana is anyway! I don’t even watch them dudes. This guy here, his name is boom boom! I don’t know! I don’t know him so I don’t search him. I don’t know him. The only time I really search a fighter is when a kid that I’m training is going to fight him. Then I search the fighter and we work from there. But I don’t know just basically who is Maidana. I don’t know who Maidana is! I heard his name before.”
Regarding the fact that Marcos Maidana did well in a controversially loss against Amir Khan before facing Morales:
“Wait, wait, wait! Hold on! That’s Amir Khan? I’ve seen him fight. I was there! He didn’t almost beat no Amir Khan! Hell no! The guy from England? No! He didn’t almost beat that guy. I don’t know where they get that from. I was there! I don’t even know who Maidana is but since you told me he almost beat Amir Khan, that’s the only time I’ve ever seen Amir Khan fight! He didn’t almost beat no Amir Khan! No! Hell no! I was there! I ain’t seen it that why then, but what I’m saying is this. If these guys are the best junior welterweights they can come up with, then I might as well put my man in there. He can fight the best of the best junior welterweights right now. He was sparring with Maidana. I don’t even know who Maidana is, but when you just said about when he fought Amir Khan. I was there when he fought Amir Khan, but my man can fight him right now, period!”
Regarding rumors of a potential fight between Floyd Mayweather Junior and Paul Spadafora:
“I ain’t never heard it. I ain’t never heard about him fighting Spadafora. To be honest I don’t see what that would make, but that’s on him it’s not on me. Like I said, I ain’t never heard about.”
On whether he believes Paul Spadafora stands any chance at all against his nephew:
“Him and my nephew have boxed before. They boxed at the gym. I remember them boxing. My nephew was laid off for a good while and I mean they boxed, though. It was some decent sparring. Basically that was it pretty much, but people talked about it like it was a fight, Maybe now they’re trying to link that thing up according to the fact that they sparred. I mean that’s what I would think!”
Regarding the last time him and Floyd Junior were at the gym together:
“He comes to the gym. I ain’t seen him come in and train, but he’s coming to the gym though. He comes in the gym and he comes to the fighters that he was promoting.”
On whether he believes Floyd Junior would be able to realistically make a ring return in either June or July:
“June or July? He can come back in June or July. Basically it don’t take four months to train. It ain’t like my nephew drinks like that. He doesn’t drink or use drugs or any of that. He would probably need a couple of months to shake off the rust. Boom! I mean he was laid off seventeen months when he fought Shane Mosley! He can come back. He’s going to need a couple of months to shake the rust off, though.”
What it would mean if Manny Pacquiao knocks out Shane Mosley when his nephew was unable to do so:
“That don’t mean sh*t because the difference is my nephew takes tests and it’s the real tests. He takes the real drug tests. He ain’t even want to fight my nephew because he won’t take a test. ‘Oh, I can’t take no test five days before a fight!’ How in the world as you as a fighter going to tell somebody you can’t take a test five days before the fight when fighters take a test a day or two before the fight anyway! But he can’t take a test five days out! Why? That’s what he said! He can’t take a test five days before the fight because that’s going to make him weak. Well what does it make the other fighter? Does it make him weak, too? The only reason why my nephew hasn’t fought Pacquiao is because Pacquiao number one doesn’t want to agree to the drug test. That’s all there is to it. He says he does, but when it comes time he don’t want to do it. He can’t take no test a couple of days out before the fight. Why? First off, most fighters take a test damn near a day before the fight. They don’t take no test a week before the fight. They take a test a day or two before the fight, but he says he can’t take a test because it’s oing to make him weak.”
On claims from Bob Arum that Floyd Junior demanded $100 million to fight Pacquiao:
“Let me tell you something, he’s just talking that wack! Floyd’s probably going to make $100 million anyway, because number one they start out at $50 million each. So they’re probably going to make $100 million anyway, so what difference does that make? So if he gets $100 million, he gets $100 million! They’re going to make $300-400 million so what difference does it make? They’re the fighters. They deserve the money. They’re the ones who provide the excitement. So if you get $100 million, so what! $100 million ain’t nothing when you start talking about guys making $400-500 million. The biggest fight to this day is my nephew and De La Hoya. It grossed over $300 million. So what is it talking about a guy getting $100 million? He deserves $100 million! Both of them deserve $100 million if they’re providing the entertainment, ain’t they? How much is Bob Arum supposed to get? That’s why he must be worried about it then, because if Arum’s worried about them making $100 million than he must got problems! He must want to walk away with $200 million because the fight is going to be bigger than De La Hoya and my nephew. That’s all I got to say! If that fight grossed over $300 million this is going to gross more money than that, and since this is going to gross more money than that, how is he going to talk about somebody getting $100 million? How much money is he supposed to get? That’s what the hell he needs to talk about. Arum needs to worry about how much money he’s going to rob from Pacquiao. That’s what he’s going to do!”
His views on whether the interest in a fight between his nephew and Pacquiao has lost steam because negotiations have taken too long:
“Nope, people want to see the fight! Why do I know that? Because people ask me and I don’t care where I’m at. A guy stopped me the other day and he was a Filipino guy. I’m walking.
He stopped to talk and he said, ‘Excuse me, sir. I want to ask you a question.’
I said, ‘What?’
He said, ‘Are you Mayweather’s Uncle’? Like that.
I said, ‘Yeah, I’m Mayweather’s Uncle. Why?’
He said, ‘Man, I want to see a fight with Pacquiao and your nephew’.
I said, ‘Well yeah, hopefully it happens. It’s going to be one of the highest grossing fights in history’.
He said, ‘Man, that’s going to make a lot of money!’
I said, ‘Yeah, it’s going to make a lot of money. Compared to how big they are, yeah it’s going to make a lot of money’.
He said, ‘Well what do you think about the fight?’
I said, ‘Well what do you mean what do I think? What do I think about the fight? Who will win? Who will lose?’
He said, ‘Well what do you think about your nephew fighting Pacquiao?’
I said, ‘Obviously they haven’t fought for some reason. There is a reason why they haven’t fought’. I said, ‘Because a fight worth that kind of money, and that’s the biggest fight on record. There isn’t any fight that even grossed that kind of money. Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns didn’t gross $300 million. Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard didn’t gross $300 million. The only fight that grossed that kind of money was my nephew and De la Hoya.”
On whether he has ever researched Sergio Martinez as a potential opponent:
“Nope. I don’t even know who Sergio Martinez is! I don’t know! I mean really I truly don’t know him. The fighters today, I know very little about them. Somebody said about Maidana. I don’t really know nothing about Maidana. What was the guy you said he fought? Amir Khan! I was there! I was there and I didn’t even know who the guy was! I was there, though. I was at the fight but I didn’t know who he was. These days now I don’t know much about the fighters in this era and time. I know about the earlier days, but not this.”
His views on whether Sergio Martinez has a chance to land a fight either with Pacquiao or his nephew:
“I know he ain’t going to fight Pacquiao because Pacquiao ain’t going to fight you if you’re over 150 pounds. So that ain’t going to even happen unless you’ve been off for damn near two years. Pacquiao ain’t going to fight you if you’re 150 pounds. Why do you think he made De La Hoya bring his ass down to 140-something and the same thing with all the rest of them. He ain’t never fought no fighter at their regular weight. The only person he fought at his regular weight, and he fought him a draw, and that was Marquez. He fought a draw and a split decision with Marquez. He’s the only guy who he ever fought at his own weight, and Marquez was only a 130 pounder anyway.”
On whether he would be interested in seeing his nephew Floyd Junior challenge Sergio Martinez for the middleweight title:
“Well I mean my nephew boxes middleweights so I don’t think he has a problem fighting middleweights. Weight don’t win fights anyway. Skills do. Ray Leonard when he was laid off five and a half years and had two detached retina surgeries he whopped Marvin Hagler’s ass and weight made no difference. That just shows you.”
Whether him and his nephew are at all worried that Pacquiao might lose to Mosley and potentially risk them a huge pay day in the future:
“Nope. If Shane beats him that’s what’s supposed to happen. I thought De La Hoya would beat him but under the circumstances I see why he didn’t beat him now, but that’s beside the point. The point is Shane Mosley can beat him. They’ve already said. I heard them say it. ‘We’ll fight Shane, but Shane Mosley will have to take a test’. That’s what they said! How do all of these people have to take tests and you don’t take one yourself. That don’t even make sense! All these people taking the test that he’s fighting, but then he doesn’t take the damn test himself! Then when he fought Ricky Hatton and De La Hoya, he made them fight him at a catch weight anyway. He never fought De La Hoya at 147 pounds. He had to weigh in at like 144 pounds. Ricky Hatton weighed 140-something. He ain’t fought nobody at their regular weight. If you’re the welterweight champion you fight guys at welterweight, at 147. That’s what I know about boxing, but he ain’t never fought them guys at that weight. That’s what he says. That’s all I can tell you about what I know about Pacquiao. I don’t know much about him anyway. I don’t know much about him, but if he really wanted to fight for that kind of money that them guys are getting for that fight to happen then he’s got to take a test. Everybody is taking a test but you. Something has got to be wrong. You’re getting $100 million. That’s easy money to get because that fight is that big and there is interest to make that kind of money. This fight is bigger than De La Hoya and my nephew and that’s the highest grossing fight in history right now with over $300 million. Those guys will walk away with over $100 million each, at least! Remember, they’re already starting off the bid out at $50 million each anyway. So how in the world ain’t you going to get $100 million?”
On what fighters he most enjoys watching in the sport today:
“There is no fighter out there period that’s interesting to me! I’m talking with the ability to box, great boxing skills. I wouldn’t know who he was. If he is, I wouldn’t know who he was anyway.”
Regarding some of the most recent fighters that he most enjoyed watching:
“Most of them are fighters from where I’m from. Guys I admired were Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong, Joe Louis, Tommy Hearns, Aaron Pryor, in my day. I mean that’s my era of boxing. The dudes today I don’t even watch, period! The only reason I’m watching a fight amongst somebody else that I don’t even know, it’s because some kid that I’m training is fighting on the card with him. Other than that I wouldn’t even watch him at all. I don’t even watch fights on TV at all. I don’t watch nothing on TV, not no boxing. The reason I don’t watch boxing is because there ain’t nothing out there. There ain’t nothing out there with no skills and no boxing ability at all. I’m sure there is some coming up. I got a nephew. I got a cousin of mine. My cousin is a six time national amateur champion. You know how old he is? He’s 16 years old, but like I said I don’t watch. I really don’t watch boxing. To me, my eyes are blind to boxing because from what I see there ain’t nothing out there.”
Regarding a comment he made on a previous episode where he stated Vernon Forrest would have been the toughest fight for his nephew at welterweight in recent years:
“Yeah, he would have been the toughest guy because he’s tall, rangy, and he’s a well schooled fighter.”
His views on how Floyd Junior would have done against someone like Tommy Hearns at welterweight:
“Well he would have had trouble with a guy like Tommy Hearns because Tommy Hearns was a tall, rangy guy. I mean I’m not saying my nephew wasn’t capable of beating Tommy Hearns, I’m just saying that guy would give him trouble and a guy like Vernon Forrest would give him trouble. You see? Those guys would give him trouble because just more of the height than boxing skill wise. Height plays a role most times when a guy is well schooled. Guys that are tall and rangy and have good boxing skills, that’s generally what happens.”
Regarding Pacquiao’s statement on the previous week’s show that he views himself as a natural 140 pound boxer:
“Well if he’s 140 pounds that’s why he’s making De La Hoya make 143 or 144 pounds. What does Shane Mosley have to make? I heard Shane Mosley gets to make 147. That’s the weight they’re going to fight, but that ain’t the weight they’re going to be because it’s going to be a catch weight. I mean sh*t. He don’t fight nothing but with people at catch weights.”
His views if Pacquiao really did fight Mosley at the 147 pound limit:
“He ain’t going to fight him at 147. I already know that. It may say 147. De La Hoya he fought at 147 but really De La Hoya fought at 144. The same thing with Ricky Hatton, there is not one of those guys that he beat that he legitimately beat at 147.”
Regarding the fact that Pacquiao’s victory over Ricky Hatton was in fact for the Ring Magazine 140 pound title:
“Like I said, he ain’t fought any one of those guys at welterweight, period! He fought nobody at welterweight! He fought them at a catch weight. Margarito had been laid off so long he fought Margarito.”
On whether he as a trainer sees any weaknesses in Manny Pacquiao’s game:
“Pacquiao really don’t got no boxing skills, period! What I see Pacquiao do is pretty much like a wild amateur fighter! Basically he ain’t got no real boxing skills. I mean not from what I know about boxing. What I see, I know what I see. Most people think because a guy whops somebody that he’s got skills. That don’t mean he got skills. He’s whopping guys basically because as far as I see he’s wild. He’s just wild. That’s all he is.”
His views on what his nephews biggest asset would be going into the ring against Pacquiao:
“Well first thing is I’m going to say this. First off him and Floyd ain’t never going to fight because he ain’t never going to take a test. He don’t want to get that ass whopping, because if he fought my nephew naturally and he took that test he’s going to get his ass whopped! He’s going to get knocked out! Here’s a guy who’s been knocked out at 105 pounds. Are you going to tell me now he’s beating guys at 150 pounds? Come on! Please! Everybody knows he’s got the sh*t in him. That’s why he don’t never take the test!”
His views on his nephew’s biggest advantage if Pacquiao did take the test and they did fight:
“Skills! Floyd got too much skill for him, period! And he’s too small. I’m not talking about the guys that he beat! I’m not talking about the guys that he beat, because he beat them illegally anyway. He ain’t beat nobody without taking that sh*t. He ain’t beat nobody, period! So fighters talk about De La Hoya and all them dudes he beat, he’s on that sh*t! That’s why! If he wants to fight my nephew listen! All he’s got to do is take the test and we can get the fight together. That’s why the fight never happened! Oh I can’t get shot with a needle! If you can’t get shot with a needle then how you going to fight then? How is somebody going to take your blood then if you don’t get shot with a needle? Does that make sense to you? You’re talking about a guy getting $50-60-70 million and you don’t want to take a blood test? Something got to be wrong! Why won’t you take a test? If you don’t take a test that means you never took a test!”
His views on the court case that Pacquiao has against his nephew due to steroid accusations:
“I ain’t going to say nothing about that court case sh*t! The bottom line is he ain’t taken the test has he? He must have something in him! He don’t want to take a test. Him and Floyd never fought and the only reason they never fought is because he didn’t take a test. He said he can’t get shot with needles! Now do you know any fighter in boxing that don’t take no test? That doesn’t want to take no blood test?”
On when he expects to see his nephew back inside the ring:
“Well I figure he should be back in the ring this year. He should be back in the ring this year fighting. I don’t know about him fighting Pacquiao but I know he should be back in that ring this year. I think if he doesn’t go back in the ring this year then he probably isn’t going to fight at all, but I believe he’s going to fight.”
Whether he would be interested in seeing a fight between his nephew and Miguel Cotto:
“Cotto don’t mean nothing. Cotto already got his ass whopped! He got whopped by Pacquiao! Ricky Hatton got whopped by Pacquiao! De La Hoya got whopped by Pacquiao! It’s because Pacquiao’s got all that sh*t in him! That’s why! That’s the only reason why he whopped them. Whopping Cotto’s ass don’t mean nothing for Floyd. Floyd would whop Cotto. He ain’t going to have that sh*t. He’s going to take the test. He ain’t going to cry about no needle.”
Regarding what he wants to say to all the fans and all of the listeners of “On the Ropes Boxing Radio”:
“Well what I want to let the fans know is people are always asking about Floyd fighting Pacquiao. For those that don’t know I’m going to clue you in on something and you’re going to be able to understand what I’m telling you to this day. Any time a guy is supposed to be a fighter, all fighters—all fighters, not Floyd, not Pacquiao, not De La Hoya, not Sugar Ray Leonard. All fighters take tests, blood tests, urine tests, and a physical. All fighters take that. The reason why they take that test is to make sure, number one, you are healthy. Number two, that you ain’t got nothing illegally in your body so that when you fight somebody you ain’t got nothing illegal in you. To most people they think why don’t Floyd fight Pacquiao? Oh he’s getting $100 million! It ain’t about the $100 million. It’s about what’s fair. If Floyd whops Pacquiao it won’t be because Floyd got steroids in him or because Floyd’s got something illegally in him. He already whopped De La Hoya! He already whopped Shane Mosley! He already whopped Ricky Hatton! So it ain’t going to be about what Floyd ain’t got in him. The bottom line is it isn’t Floyd who doesn’t want to take the test. The only person who needs to take the test is Pacquiao because he’s the one who’s got the sh*t in him! So if he takes that test and he comes up with nothing in him he’s going to get his ass whopped too! That’s all there is to it! That’s the end of the story! It ain’t about what Floyd’s going to do! He ain’t had nothing illegal in his body yet, so why does he need to take something illegal now? The bottom line is if Pacquiao takes that test he’s been knocked out twice at 105 pounds so you know what he’s going to get at 147 pounds.”
Floyd Mayweather Jr avoids talking about Manny Pacquiao, Praises Jesse Vargas
Rick Rockwell
* Fight Sports Examiner
On Friday, Manny Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz publicly stated that Floyd Mayweather Jr. rejected their latest offer of $50 million dollars in guaranteed money to fight Manny Pacquiao. Koncz shared with ABS-CBN News that an unnamed country outside of the United States was willing to pay $100 million dollars for a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather. The $100 million was to be split evenly between the two fighters. Unfortunately, Floyd Jr. rejected the $50 million and we're left wondering why.
"A country that I won't name offered us $100 million to bring the Mayweather fight there. So we, in turn, offered $50 million to Mayweather as a guarantee[d purse]. If the pay-per-view comes in higher. He refused the $50 million." Michael Koncz
Ironically, Floyd publicly stated less than 2 weeks ago that he would fight Manny for $100 million dollars. I wonder if his $100 million dollar demand was a result of the bid that this unnamed country had placed for the fight.
For nearly 1 1/2 years the negotiations between both sides have ended in failure. In late 2009, talks of a fight between the two were derailed by the Mayweathers falsely accusing Manny Pacquiao of cheating and taking PEDs. Pacquiao filed a defamation suit in early 2010. Last month, the defamation suit was pushed through and a trial will begin in the near future.
In the summer of 2010, a second round of negotiations took place but drug testing killed this round of negotiations. Mayweather wanted random drug testing up until the day of the fight, Manny wanted a cut-off date for the blood testing portion. Eventually, Floyd Jr. claimed he was going to take 1-2 years off from Boxing to pursue other matters.
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In mid-March, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum acknowledged that there was talk of South Africa being interested in a Floyd vs. Manny fight. Floyd's uncle Jeff Mayweather was allegedly spearheading the negotiations between both sides. Arum stated that there was nothing to these negotiations and dismissed a fight happening.
At the end of March, Floyd demanded $100 million dollars to fight Manny and the boxing community erupted over this demand. Most fans and critics believed Mayweather was just being difficult and proving that he doesn't want to fight Manny. With the latest news of Floyd Jr. rejecting a guaranteed $50 million dollars, not including PPV shares, I firmly believe that Floyd is absolutely "ducking" Manny.
From false accusations of cheating, another retirement, absurd demands, and a rejection of $50 million dollars it's clear that Floyd Jr. does not want to fight Boxing's pound for pound best fighter Manny Pacquiao. However, Floyd keeps saying that he doesn't understand why Manny doesn't want to take a $35 million dollar drug test. Now we can respond by saying "why doesn't Floyd want a minimum $50 million dollar payday?".
Rick Rockwell
* Fight Sports Examiner
On Friday, Manny Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz publicly stated that Floyd Mayweather Jr. rejected their latest offer of $50 million dollars in guaranteed money to fight Manny Pacquiao. Koncz shared with ABS-CBN News that an unnamed country outside of the United States was willing to pay $100 million dollars for a fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather. The $100 million was to be split evenly between the two fighters. Unfortunately, Floyd Jr. rejected the $50 million and we're left wondering why.
"A country that I won't name offered us $100 million to bring the Mayweather fight there. So we, in turn, offered $50 million to Mayweather as a guarantee[d purse]. If the pay-per-view comes in higher. He refused the $50 million." Michael Koncz
Ironically, Floyd publicly stated less than 2 weeks ago that he would fight Manny for $100 million dollars. I wonder if his $100 million dollar demand was a result of the bid that this unnamed country had placed for the fight.
For nearly 1 1/2 years the negotiations between both sides have ended in failure. In late 2009, talks of a fight between the two were derailed by the Mayweathers falsely accusing Manny Pacquiao of cheating and taking PEDs. Pacquiao filed a defamation suit in early 2010. Last month, the defamation suit was pushed through and a trial will begin in the near future.
In the summer of 2010, a second round of negotiations took place but drug testing killed this round of negotiations. Mayweather wanted random drug testing up until the day of the fight, Manny wanted a cut-off date for the blood testing portion. Eventually, Floyd Jr. claimed he was going to take 1-2 years off from Boxing to pursue other matters.
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In mid-March, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum acknowledged that there was talk of South Africa being interested in a Floyd vs. Manny fight. Floyd's uncle Jeff Mayweather was allegedly spearheading the negotiations between both sides. Arum stated that there was nothing to these negotiations and dismissed a fight happening.
At the end of March, Floyd demanded $100 million dollars to fight Manny and the boxing community erupted over this demand. Most fans and critics believed Mayweather was just being difficult and proving that he doesn't want to fight Manny. With the latest news of Floyd Jr. rejecting a guaranteed $50 million dollars, not including PPV shares, I firmly believe that Floyd is absolutely "ducking" Manny.
From false accusations of cheating, another retirement, absurd demands, and a rejection of $50 million dollars it's clear that Floyd Jr. does not want to fight Boxing's pound for pound best fighter Manny Pacquiao. However, Floyd keeps saying that he doesn't understand why Manny doesn't want to take a $35 million dollar drug test. Now we can respond by saying "why doesn't Floyd want a minimum $50 million dollar payday?".