Boxing News Thread
- Thread starter heyzel
- Start date
Good to read Pac wanting to fight Mayweather. I would think if Pac defeated Mayweather, he would retire and go into Politics.
Chavez is running out of options for bad fights. He is going to have to fight someone good here real soon. I really don't want to see him fight Alvarez yet because the money could be so much bigger for them in 1-2 years, but it may happen sooner than that.
5000
Chavez is running out of options for bad fights. He is going to have to fight someone good here real soon. I really don't want to see him fight Alvarez yet because the money could be so much bigger for them in 1-2 years, but it may happen sooner than that.
5000
Gamboa vs JuanMa Lopez. That's the reason they need to make Canelo vs Chavez right now. I mean it's only a matter of time before Chavez gets his ass kicked, just like JuanMa did, so you might as well make the fight now while their both undefeated and stars and make some really good money.
The WBC can't protect chavez forever, eventually he's going to have to fight Sergio Martinez or be stripped of his belt. People will only tolerate Peter Manfredo type opponents for so long.
The WBC can't protect chavez forever, eventually he's going to have to fight Sergio Martinez or be stripped of his belt. People will only tolerate Peter Manfredo type opponents for so long.
Cotto says he'll only fight Margarito in New York: Is he trying to kill the fight? -
WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (36-2, 29 KO’s) dropped a bomb shell today during a telephone conference call when he said that he won’t be fighting Antonio Margarito anywhere but in New York. This, of course, puts their scheduled December 3rd HBO pay per view fight in serious jeopardy now, as Margarito has an appointment to have his right eye examined today by a doctor appointed by the New York Athletic Commission.
If Margarito fails that exam, he won’t be licensed to fight in New York. Bob Arum, Cotto and Margarito’s promoter, was hoping to have the fight take place in either Phoenix or Denver if New York refuses to let Margarito fight there. This was Arum’s back up plan to try and salvage the Cotto-Margarito II fight. However, with Cotto now refusing to fight anywhere other than in New York, Arum is in a serious bind.
Cotto told the New York Daily News “"When I signed for the fight with my company to fight Margarito it was for a fight in New York City. I'm not going to present myself to any other state. If New York says Margarito is not able to fight, I have to respect that. I'm not going to fight him anywhere else."
You have to wonder how much interest Cotto has in fighting Margarito again with a statement like that. Cotto already took a serious beating from Margarito three years ago in an 11th round TKO loss, and Cotto hasn’t looked like the same fighter since then. Although he’s won most of his fights since that time, he’s been very carefully matched by Arum and only put in with one really good fighter – Manny Pacquiao – since that loss. Cotto may feel he needs to fight Margarito in New York in order to get the win.
WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (36-2, 29 KO’s) dropped a bomb shell today during a telephone conference call when he said that he won’t be fighting Antonio Margarito anywhere but in New York. This, of course, puts their scheduled December 3rd HBO pay per view fight in serious jeopardy now, as Margarito has an appointment to have his right eye examined today by a doctor appointed by the New York Athletic Commission.
If Margarito fails that exam, he won’t be licensed to fight in New York. Bob Arum, Cotto and Margarito’s promoter, was hoping to have the fight take place in either Phoenix or Denver if New York refuses to let Margarito fight there. This was Arum’s back up plan to try and salvage the Cotto-Margarito II fight. However, with Cotto now refusing to fight anywhere other than in New York, Arum is in a serious bind.
Cotto told the New York Daily News “"When I signed for the fight with my company to fight Margarito it was for a fight in New York City. I'm not going to present myself to any other state. If New York says Margarito is not able to fight, I have to respect that. I'm not going to fight him anywhere else."
You have to wonder how much interest Cotto has in fighting Margarito again with a statement like that. Cotto already took a serious beating from Margarito three years ago in an 11th round TKO loss, and Cotto hasn’t looked like the same fighter since then. Although he’s won most of his fights since that time, he’s been very carefully matched by Arum and only put in with one really good fighter – Manny Pacquiao – since that loss. Cotto may feel he needs to fight Margarito in New York in order to get the win.
^^you're hella late margarito was approved teh fight is on......
http://www.siccness.net/vb/showthread.php?t=372065&page=18
http://www.siccness.net/vb/showthread.php?t=372065&page=18
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TIMOTHY BRADLEY
By John McCormick
JM: Congratulations you on your recent victory [an eighth-round TKO] against Joel Casamayor. What can we look forward to in the future from you?
Timothy Bradley: "At this very moment, I'm not sure what my next move is. I have to speak to my manager, and Bob Arum. I'm not sure what they have planned. I know after this last fight, they said they want to get me back in the ring as soon as possible. It may be in March, if they can get an opponent lined up for me soon. I'm pretty much open to whatever. It doesn't matter. I will fight anyone, line them up, and I will knock them all down. I'm not worried about anything. I'm going to rest up for the next two weeks, and get back into the gym."
JM: How does it feel to be with your new promoter Top Rank now?
TB: It feels great to be with Top Rank. I'm already seeing the difference between being with Top Rank, and my former promoter. I can see it when I walk around and about in different cities, and a lot of people are starting to recognize who I am, want to take pictures with me, sign autographs, and tell me that I had a great fight. A lot of people recognize me now, so I believe that by Top Rank placing me on that Pacquiao-Marquez under card I've started to receive a lot of exposure.They know exactly who Timothy Bradley is now.
JM: How do you feel about being a champion since 2008, yet you could walk in public and nobody would recognize who you were?
TB: I don't feel that I am underrated or overrated. The die-hard fans know who I am. The general public, and the house mom's didn't know who Timothy Bradley was until recently. I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be in the public's eyes.
JM: If your next choice of opponent was solely your decision, who would it be?
Timothy Bradley: That's real easy. Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather.
JM: That leads me to my next question. You were placed on the Pacquiao-Marquez III undercard against Joel Casamayor. Do you feel that your performance against him increased your chances of getting a fight with Manny Pacquiao?
Timothy Bradley: Hopefully. I definitely wanted to get Casamayor out of there sooner. It took a little longer than I expected with all the holding, and grabbing that he was doing. Honestly, I was bored in the ring while I was fighting him. He tried to head butt me a couple of times, but we knew going in there that he was a dirty fighter. I did what I had to do to get him out of there, I hit him with a lot of hard body shots. If it would've lasted longer, he may have got hurt because I only planned to continue to bring it to him.
JM: Joel Casamayor ended up testing positive for marijuana after the fight. What are your thoughts on that?
Timothy Bradley: Say no to drugs!!!!
JM: What are your thoughts on Amir Khan?
Timothy Bradley: Amir Khan is a good fighter. He is a world champion, and he has proven to himself, and the boxing fans that he is a threat. He proved that when he fought [Marcos] Maidana. I think he's a great fighter, and I would love to get it on with him.
JM: There is a huge demand for a Bradley-Khan showdown. It's been reported that you turned down close to 1.3 Million dollars to fight Amir Khan back in July. Why did you turn the fight down then?
Timothy Bradley: Well, there were numerous reasons that I turned the fight down at that time. The main reason was I was going through promotional problems with my former promoter. That was the main reason that I didn't take the fight. Another reason was my wife was pregnant, she was going through a lot of hard times then, and I didn't want to put extra stress on her. There was a lot of reasons. The main reason being promotional problems though. I wasn't happy with where I was at.
JM: When can we expect a Bradley-Khan fight?
Timothy Bradley: I told Amir any time, any place. I'm with Top Rank now, and I can pretty much voice my opinion on who I would like to fight next. I can tell Bob Arum the fights that I want. At the end of the day, they have the final decision on who I fight though. We can be in the ring soon though, I am not sure. If I had my way, I'd fight him tomorrow. Amir is a great fighter, but he ain't fought nobody like me before. He fought Maidana, and Maidana may be a heavier puncher than me, but I am going to be coming all night, non stop. Amir don't have the punch to hurt me.
JM: How satisfied were you with defeating Devon Alexander in January?
Timothy Bradley: I was satisfied, but I expected a little more out of Devon. I came back to my corner after the first round, and asked my trainer "that's it coach?", and he told me "yeah that's it, I told you this was going to be easy, this kid ain't sh*t.". I was expecting a completely different beast. I was expecting him to be strong, I was expecting him to be faster. I was like this guy shouldn't even be in a ring with me.
JM: What do you feel separates you from other elite fighters in your weight class?
Timothy Bradley: I can box, move around and look cute, but at the same time I'm stronger than these guys. They can't out work me, nobody can. I'm so conditioned, I know that it is impossible for them to out work me, or out punch me. That's what I do, I systematically break fighters down. My defense may not be great but I am hard to hit. It makes for a lot of boring fights, I ain't going to lie because defensively they just cant hit me. I think Casamayor hit me like 40 times the entire fight, and some of those I let him land, because I figured if he opened up I'd catch his ass.
JM: The majority of your career has been fought at 140 pounds. Are you looking to stay at 140 pounds for a while, and clear out the division or are you looking to move to 147 pounds soon?
Timothy Bradley: I definitely want to clear out the 140 pound division. I am a lot stronger than these guys at 140. At 147, these guys are a lot bigger and a lot stronger, so I would definitely have to use more boxing skill at 147. Then again, I'd be a lot stronger at 147 pounds than I am now. I walk around at 160 pounds. I am naturally just a short, and stocky guy. I'd love to move to 147 for a big fight though.
JM: Any closing thoughts for the fans?
Timothy Bradley: Thank You to all my supporters, and fans. Since day one they've done a lot for me. The fans can always feel free to hit me up on Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to the future and giving the fans what they want.
By John McCormick
JM: Congratulations you on your recent victory [an eighth-round TKO] against Joel Casamayor. What can we look forward to in the future from you?
Timothy Bradley: "At this very moment, I'm not sure what my next move is. I have to speak to my manager, and Bob Arum. I'm not sure what they have planned. I know after this last fight, they said they want to get me back in the ring as soon as possible. It may be in March, if they can get an opponent lined up for me soon. I'm pretty much open to whatever. It doesn't matter. I will fight anyone, line them up, and I will knock them all down. I'm not worried about anything. I'm going to rest up for the next two weeks, and get back into the gym."
JM: How does it feel to be with your new promoter Top Rank now?
TB: It feels great to be with Top Rank. I'm already seeing the difference between being with Top Rank, and my former promoter. I can see it when I walk around and about in different cities, and a lot of people are starting to recognize who I am, want to take pictures with me, sign autographs, and tell me that I had a great fight. A lot of people recognize me now, so I believe that by Top Rank placing me on that Pacquiao-Marquez under card I've started to receive a lot of exposure.They know exactly who Timothy Bradley is now.
JM: How do you feel about being a champion since 2008, yet you could walk in public and nobody would recognize who you were?
TB: I don't feel that I am underrated or overrated. The die-hard fans know who I am. The general public, and the house mom's didn't know who Timothy Bradley was until recently. I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be in the public's eyes.
JM: If your next choice of opponent was solely your decision, who would it be?
Timothy Bradley: That's real easy. Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather.
JM: That leads me to my next question. You were placed on the Pacquiao-Marquez III undercard against Joel Casamayor. Do you feel that your performance against him increased your chances of getting a fight with Manny Pacquiao?
Timothy Bradley: Hopefully. I definitely wanted to get Casamayor out of there sooner. It took a little longer than I expected with all the holding, and grabbing that he was doing. Honestly, I was bored in the ring while I was fighting him. He tried to head butt me a couple of times, but we knew going in there that he was a dirty fighter. I did what I had to do to get him out of there, I hit him with a lot of hard body shots. If it would've lasted longer, he may have got hurt because I only planned to continue to bring it to him.
JM: Joel Casamayor ended up testing positive for marijuana after the fight. What are your thoughts on that?
Timothy Bradley: Say no to drugs!!!!
JM: What are your thoughts on Amir Khan?
Timothy Bradley: Amir Khan is a good fighter. He is a world champion, and he has proven to himself, and the boxing fans that he is a threat. He proved that when he fought [Marcos] Maidana. I think he's a great fighter, and I would love to get it on with him.
JM: There is a huge demand for a Bradley-Khan showdown. It's been reported that you turned down close to 1.3 Million dollars to fight Amir Khan back in July. Why did you turn the fight down then?
Timothy Bradley: Well, there were numerous reasons that I turned the fight down at that time. The main reason was I was going through promotional problems with my former promoter. That was the main reason that I didn't take the fight. Another reason was my wife was pregnant, she was going through a lot of hard times then, and I didn't want to put extra stress on her. There was a lot of reasons. The main reason being promotional problems though. I wasn't happy with where I was at.
JM: When can we expect a Bradley-Khan fight?
Timothy Bradley: I told Amir any time, any place. I'm with Top Rank now, and I can pretty much voice my opinion on who I would like to fight next. I can tell Bob Arum the fights that I want. At the end of the day, they have the final decision on who I fight though. We can be in the ring soon though, I am not sure. If I had my way, I'd fight him tomorrow. Amir is a great fighter, but he ain't fought nobody like me before. He fought Maidana, and Maidana may be a heavier puncher than me, but I am going to be coming all night, non stop. Amir don't have the punch to hurt me.
JM: How satisfied were you with defeating Devon Alexander in January?
Timothy Bradley: I was satisfied, but I expected a little more out of Devon. I came back to my corner after the first round, and asked my trainer "that's it coach?", and he told me "yeah that's it, I told you this was going to be easy, this kid ain't sh*t.". I was expecting a completely different beast. I was expecting him to be strong, I was expecting him to be faster. I was like this guy shouldn't even be in a ring with me.
JM: What do you feel separates you from other elite fighters in your weight class?
Timothy Bradley: I can box, move around and look cute, but at the same time I'm stronger than these guys. They can't out work me, nobody can. I'm so conditioned, I know that it is impossible for them to out work me, or out punch me. That's what I do, I systematically break fighters down. My defense may not be great but I am hard to hit. It makes for a lot of boring fights, I ain't going to lie because defensively they just cant hit me. I think Casamayor hit me like 40 times the entire fight, and some of those I let him land, because I figured if he opened up I'd catch his ass.
JM: The majority of your career has been fought at 140 pounds. Are you looking to stay at 140 pounds for a while, and clear out the division or are you looking to move to 147 pounds soon?
Timothy Bradley: I definitely want to clear out the 140 pound division. I am a lot stronger than these guys at 140. At 147, these guys are a lot bigger and a lot stronger, so I would definitely have to use more boxing skill at 147. Then again, I'd be a lot stronger at 147 pounds than I am now. I walk around at 160 pounds. I am naturally just a short, and stocky guy. I'd love to move to 147 for a big fight though.
JM: Any closing thoughts for the fans?
Timothy Bradley: Thank You to all my supporters, and fans. Since day one they've done a lot for me. The fans can always feel free to hit me up on Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to the future and giving the fans what they want.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: ANDRE BERTO
By John McCormick
JM: Andre, what's been going on with you lately? What seems to be on the horizon for Andre Berto's future? "We doing big things, man. I'm back in the gym. I've been back in the gym pretty heavy, trying to get everything back together, and getting the negotiations together for the next fight. I came back in my last fight, I didn't defeat the hardest fighter, but I defeated the world champion, and won the title back, again. I'm just looking for big things in the future."
JM: In your last fight, you won the IBF welterweight title only to relinquish it a few months later. Why is that?
Andre Berto: Like I said, I love the IBF title, I love the fact that the IBF gave me a chance to fight for a title, and become a world champion. But I feel that I have other obligations that I have to take on for myself, and if I held on to the IBF title, I wouldn't get the fight that I really wanted to get. So, I went ahead and did what I had to do, and gave it up. I'm looking forward to giving the fans the fight they want to see, and give myself what I want.
JM: That leads me to my next question. There is a rumor going around that a rematch between you and Victor Ortiz may be coming up. What is the status of that?
Andre Berto: It looks like the negotiations are going well. Like I said, I know that is the fight that the people want to see, that's the fight that I want. At the end of the day having a world title is a great thing, but I needed to remember what I got in the sport for, and that's to be in exciting fights. I know this is going to be an exciting fight, and a fight that the people definitely want to see.
JM: If there is a rematch, have you watched the tape of the first fight? Do you think you can learn from the mistakes you made in that fight? Would a rematch play out differently?
Andre Berto: Definitely. It definitely would play out differently. It's just a matter of me getting focused like I need to get focused. It's really easy for a young fighter to get off track, which happened to me in the first fight. I feel the loss was something I just needed to fuel the fire a little bit. I'm extremely motivated right now, extremely focused. I think the rematch will start off like the 13th round. There's no doubt, there's definitely going to be fireworks.
JM: Victor Ortiz's victory over you landed him a big payday against Floyd Mayweather. If you were to beat Ortiz in a rematch, is there any specific fighter that your hoping to lure into a fight?
Andre Berto: I'm not sure at this point. Right now I'm just trying to get everything done this fight with Ortiz by the top of the year. Like I said that's all I'm focused on right now. If we handle business, everything else will fall into place, and we'll move forward from there.
JM: What were your thoughts on how the Mayweather-Ortiz fight played out?
Andre Berto: It was a good fight, but this is boxing at the end of the day. He's in there doing all that hugging and kissing. You can't foul a guy, and expect him to do all that hugging and kissing with you, you going to get knocked out doing that. The fight was going okay until the incident happened though.
JM: Who is the number one Pound for Pound fighter in your eyes right now? Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather?
Andre Berto: I believe that right now Floyd Mayweather is pound for pound the best fighter in the world. Of course, after watching Pacquiao fight his last fight everybody is switching sides, and seeing how challenging Floyd would be to him. Everybody is trying to give Floyd his credit now.
JM: There is a lot of talent in the junior welterweight, and welterweight divisions right now. You have fighters like Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao. Out of those fighters, who do you think your style of fighting would be most affective against?
Andre Berto: I think my style would be affective against any of those guys. Some of them have speed but no power; than another guy has power but no speed. I have a little bit of both. I feel that if I fought any of those guys it would be an entertaining fight that I would be affective in.
JM: Is there any fighter out of that group that you feel you would do extremely well against?
Andre Berto: Any one of those guys. I mean right now it's hard to tell until you get in the ring with them. I'm just focused on my next fight. I'm going to continue to hit the gym, and let my team do what they do until this next fight is sealed.
JM: In your professional career debut you weighed in at 162 pounds. Do you ever see yourself going back up to 154 pounds, or 160 pounds and competing on an elite level?
Andre Berto: I don't know. That could happen. I fought in the amateurs at 156, so I could picture myself fighting at 154, and 160. Right now, I just need to handle my business at 147.
JM: For your last fight, you brought BALCO's Victor Conte into your camp. How was it to work with Conte? Will that be a permanent addition to your team for all future fights?
Andre Berto: We'll see. Victor Conte is definitely a benefit to us just based off all the knowledge that he has about the human body. He really explained to us how important rest is, and not to over train. He really understands everything that it takes to maintain your body after putting it through so much punishment. He was a great addition for us in the last fight, and I want to move forward with him.
JM: Any closing thoughts for the fans, Andre?
Andre Berto: I appreciate all the love from all the fans. The fans have been tremendous. It's been a while since we been on boxingtalk, but we getting it done. We are going to get this Berto-Ortiz II done, and put on another tremendous fight for the fans and HBO.
JM: Thank you for your time Andre.
By John McCormick
JM: Andre, what's been going on with you lately? What seems to be on the horizon for Andre Berto's future? "We doing big things, man. I'm back in the gym. I've been back in the gym pretty heavy, trying to get everything back together, and getting the negotiations together for the next fight. I came back in my last fight, I didn't defeat the hardest fighter, but I defeated the world champion, and won the title back, again. I'm just looking for big things in the future."
JM: In your last fight, you won the IBF welterweight title only to relinquish it a few months later. Why is that?
Andre Berto: Like I said, I love the IBF title, I love the fact that the IBF gave me a chance to fight for a title, and become a world champion. But I feel that I have other obligations that I have to take on for myself, and if I held on to the IBF title, I wouldn't get the fight that I really wanted to get. So, I went ahead and did what I had to do, and gave it up. I'm looking forward to giving the fans the fight they want to see, and give myself what I want.
JM: That leads me to my next question. There is a rumor going around that a rematch between you and Victor Ortiz may be coming up. What is the status of that?
Andre Berto: It looks like the negotiations are going well. Like I said, I know that is the fight that the people want to see, that's the fight that I want. At the end of the day having a world title is a great thing, but I needed to remember what I got in the sport for, and that's to be in exciting fights. I know this is going to be an exciting fight, and a fight that the people definitely want to see.
JM: If there is a rematch, have you watched the tape of the first fight? Do you think you can learn from the mistakes you made in that fight? Would a rematch play out differently?
Andre Berto: Definitely. It definitely would play out differently. It's just a matter of me getting focused like I need to get focused. It's really easy for a young fighter to get off track, which happened to me in the first fight. I feel the loss was something I just needed to fuel the fire a little bit. I'm extremely motivated right now, extremely focused. I think the rematch will start off like the 13th round. There's no doubt, there's definitely going to be fireworks.
JM: Victor Ortiz's victory over you landed him a big payday against Floyd Mayweather. If you were to beat Ortiz in a rematch, is there any specific fighter that your hoping to lure into a fight?
Andre Berto: I'm not sure at this point. Right now I'm just trying to get everything done this fight with Ortiz by the top of the year. Like I said that's all I'm focused on right now. If we handle business, everything else will fall into place, and we'll move forward from there.
JM: What were your thoughts on how the Mayweather-Ortiz fight played out?
Andre Berto: It was a good fight, but this is boxing at the end of the day. He's in there doing all that hugging and kissing. You can't foul a guy, and expect him to do all that hugging and kissing with you, you going to get knocked out doing that. The fight was going okay until the incident happened though.
JM: Who is the number one Pound for Pound fighter in your eyes right now? Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather?
Andre Berto: I believe that right now Floyd Mayweather is pound for pound the best fighter in the world. Of course, after watching Pacquiao fight his last fight everybody is switching sides, and seeing how challenging Floyd would be to him. Everybody is trying to give Floyd his credit now.
JM: There is a lot of talent in the junior welterweight, and welterweight divisions right now. You have fighters like Amir Khan, Timothy Bradley, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao. Out of those fighters, who do you think your style of fighting would be most affective against?
Andre Berto: I think my style would be affective against any of those guys. Some of them have speed but no power; than another guy has power but no speed. I have a little bit of both. I feel that if I fought any of those guys it would be an entertaining fight that I would be affective in.
JM: Is there any fighter out of that group that you feel you would do extremely well against?
Andre Berto: Any one of those guys. I mean right now it's hard to tell until you get in the ring with them. I'm just focused on my next fight. I'm going to continue to hit the gym, and let my team do what they do until this next fight is sealed.
JM: In your professional career debut you weighed in at 162 pounds. Do you ever see yourself going back up to 154 pounds, or 160 pounds and competing on an elite level?
Andre Berto: I don't know. That could happen. I fought in the amateurs at 156, so I could picture myself fighting at 154, and 160. Right now, I just need to handle my business at 147.
JM: For your last fight, you brought BALCO's Victor Conte into your camp. How was it to work with Conte? Will that be a permanent addition to your team for all future fights?
Andre Berto: We'll see. Victor Conte is definitely a benefit to us just based off all the knowledge that he has about the human body. He really explained to us how important rest is, and not to over train. He really understands everything that it takes to maintain your body after putting it through so much punishment. He was a great addition for us in the last fight, and I want to move forward with him.
JM: Any closing thoughts for the fans, Andre?
Andre Berto: I appreciate all the love from all the fans. The fans have been tremendous. It's been a while since we been on boxingtalk, but we getting it done. We are going to get this Berto-Ortiz II done, and put on another tremendous fight for the fans and HBO.
JM: Thank you for your time Andre.
Sergio Martinez looking to fight Mayweather
By John F. McKenna (McJack): 36-year-old Argentinean The Ring middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO’s) is turning towards World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26 KO’s) after repeatedly failing in his efforts to lure WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO’s) into the ring.
Sergio who was named 2010 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America has become increasingly annoyed at what he claims are unrealistic demands by the Pacquiao camp. For that reason Martinez is now focusing on attempting to land a fight with the undefeated Mayweather.
In an interview with Reuters Martinez said:
“It’s a disgrace what they are asking. It would be better if they just said they don’t want to fight me because they know I’ll knock him out.
“We are working on a long term plan to stabilize my weight at 154 pounds in case a fight with Mayweather can be organized.
“To be considered the best pound for pound I just need this little push, a great fight with one of the two
“I feel as if I have achieved nothing yet in boxing. Nothing. If I quit tomorrow people will forget about me. I would even forget about myself.”
Sergio went on to say that the Pacquiao camp had told him he would have to drop down to 147 pounds to fight Manny and he would have to maintain his weight at 150 pounds for the actual fight.
Pacquiao has come up from where he started at 106 pounds to win championships in 8 divisions. He has never fought over 150 pounds and is reluctant to step up in class yet again to pacify Martinez.
It is also doubtful if Floyd Mayweather Jr. will accept Sergio’s challenge to fight as long as the huge Mega fight with Manny Pacquiao is in the offing. In reality it is unlikely that either Pacquiao or Mayweather will jeopardize the “Dream Fight” by taking on a dangerous opponent like Martinez.
Martinez came into boxing relatively late having been a cyclist and a soccer player first. He has the disadvantage of not having the household name of Mayweather or Pacquiao.
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By John F. McKenna (McJack): 36-year-old Argentinean The Ring middleweight champion Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KO’s) is turning towards World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (42-0, 26 KO’s) after repeatedly failing in his efforts to lure WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO’s) into the ring.
Sergio who was named 2010 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America has become increasingly annoyed at what he claims are unrealistic demands by the Pacquiao camp. For that reason Martinez is now focusing on attempting to land a fight with the undefeated Mayweather.
In an interview with Reuters Martinez said:
“It’s a disgrace what they are asking. It would be better if they just said they don’t want to fight me because they know I’ll knock him out.
“We are working on a long term plan to stabilize my weight at 154 pounds in case a fight with Mayweather can be organized.
“To be considered the best pound for pound I just need this little push, a great fight with one of the two
“I feel as if I have achieved nothing yet in boxing. Nothing. If I quit tomorrow people will forget about me. I would even forget about myself.”
Sergio went on to say that the Pacquiao camp had told him he would have to drop down to 147 pounds to fight Manny and he would have to maintain his weight at 150 pounds for the actual fight.
Pacquiao has come up from where he started at 106 pounds to win championships in 8 divisions. He has never fought over 150 pounds and is reluctant to step up in class yet again to pacify Martinez.
It is also doubtful if Floyd Mayweather Jr. will accept Sergio’s challenge to fight as long as the huge Mega fight with Manny Pacquiao is in the offing. In reality it is unlikely that either Pacquiao or Mayweather will jeopardize the “Dream Fight” by taking on a dangerous opponent like Martinez.
Martinez came into boxing relatively late having been a cyclist and a soccer player first. He has the disadvantage of not having the household name of Mayweather or Pacquiao.
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Saul Alvarez: Potential next opponents – Erislandy Lara & James Kirkland
By Jason Kim: If WBC junior middleweight champion Saul Alvarez (38-0-1, 28 KO’s) can get by his opponent Kermit Cintron (33-4-1, 28 KO’s) this Saturday night in Mexico, Alvarez has several interesting fights he can choose from starting with a mega fight against World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Since that fight would involve having Alvarez’s promoters at Golden Boy Promotions work a deal with Chavez’s promoters at Top Rank, the fight likely won’t get made any time soon. As such, Alvarez will likely face fellow Golden Boy fighters James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) or Erislandy Lara 15-1-1, 10 Ko’s) next.
Either one of those guys would make for an exciting fight for Alvarez. However, those are very dangerous fighters for the young 21-year-old Alvarez to be taking on at this point in his early career. That’s partly the fault of Alvarez’s promoters by rushing him into picking up a paper title with a win over welterweight fringe contender Matthew Hatton last March.
Hatton wasn’t even a junior middleweight, yet that’s who Alvarez fought for the vacant World Boxing Council title. Had Alvarez been forced to take on a tough contender like Vanes Martirosyan or Kirkland, there’s no telling what would have happened. Alvarez probably needs another two to three years before he comes into his prime but he’s not going to be able to be taken slowly because he’s saddled with the WBC strap.
This means he’s got to take on dangerous fighters every now and then. Thus far, Alvarez has been carefully matched since he captured the WBC strap. He’s fought Ryan Rhodes and Alfonso Gomez, two decent but not dangerous challengers. And on Saturday night, Alvarez will be fighting the 32-year-old Cintron, who has lost two out of his last three fights.
That kind of tells you something about Cintron, although he should have been credited with a loss in the Sergio Martinez as well. He’s really not fighting at the same level he did four years ago, and Alvarez should win this fight fairly easily as long as he doesn’t run into one of Cintron’s still lethal right hands.
But after this fight, Alvarez has to take on someone tough and that will likely be Lara or Kirkland. If I were to make a Guess, I’d say Lara gets the pick. He doesn’t hit as hard as Kirkland and is more of a boxer and less of a pressure fighter. This is the type of opponent that Alvarez can pick apart with his heavy shots in a methodical manner. I think Kirkland would be too much for Alvarez right now, and I doubt Golden Boy will want to take a chance by matching him against him.
By Jason Kim: If WBC junior middleweight champion Saul Alvarez (38-0-1, 28 KO’s) can get by his opponent Kermit Cintron (33-4-1, 28 KO’s) this Saturday night in Mexico, Alvarez has several interesting fights he can choose from starting with a mega fight against World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Since that fight would involve having Alvarez’s promoters at Golden Boy Promotions work a deal with Chavez’s promoters at Top Rank, the fight likely won’t get made any time soon. As such, Alvarez will likely face fellow Golden Boy fighters James Kirkland (30-1, 27 KO’s) or Erislandy Lara 15-1-1, 10 Ko’s) next.
Either one of those guys would make for an exciting fight for Alvarez. However, those are very dangerous fighters for the young 21-year-old Alvarez to be taking on at this point in his early career. That’s partly the fault of Alvarez’s promoters by rushing him into picking up a paper title with a win over welterweight fringe contender Matthew Hatton last March.
Hatton wasn’t even a junior middleweight, yet that’s who Alvarez fought for the vacant World Boxing Council title. Had Alvarez been forced to take on a tough contender like Vanes Martirosyan or Kirkland, there’s no telling what would have happened. Alvarez probably needs another two to three years before he comes into his prime but he’s not going to be able to be taken slowly because he’s saddled with the WBC strap.
This means he’s got to take on dangerous fighters every now and then. Thus far, Alvarez has been carefully matched since he captured the WBC strap. He’s fought Ryan Rhodes and Alfonso Gomez, two decent but not dangerous challengers. And on Saturday night, Alvarez will be fighting the 32-year-old Cintron, who has lost two out of his last three fights.
That kind of tells you something about Cintron, although he should have been credited with a loss in the Sergio Martinez as well. He’s really not fighting at the same level he did four years ago, and Alvarez should win this fight fairly easily as long as he doesn’t run into one of Cintron’s still lethal right hands.
But after this fight, Alvarez has to take on someone tough and that will likely be Lara or Kirkland. If I were to make a Guess, I’d say Lara gets the pick. He doesn’t hit as hard as Kirkland and is more of a boxer and less of a pressure fighter. This is the type of opponent that Alvarez can pick apart with his heavy shots in a methodical manner. I think Kirkland would be too much for Alvarez right now, and I doubt Golden Boy will want to take a chance by matching him against him.
Clottey wants Cotto-Margarito winner – News
By Eric Thomas: If 34-year-old former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey (36-4, 21 KO’s) can catch a lucky break, he’ll be fighting the winner of the December 3rd fight between World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.
Both Cotto and Margarito have beaten Clottey in the past in exciting fights, and it makes sense for Bob Arum, the promoter for all three fighters, to set this match up because it would be a nice little in house fight for Top Rank and Arum.
However, Clottey has done pretty much zilch since being dominated by Manny Pacquiao in a 12 round decision loss last year in March. Clottey sat out 20 months doing nothing until making a comeback last week and stopping Calvin Green in the 2nd round. It was an impressive performance by Clottey, but then again he wasn’t anyone dangerous.
It was a nice soft fight for Clottey. I think a Clottey fight would be a good one for Cotto to help milk his title for a little longer, but I can think of a lot better options than Clottey if Cotto and/or Margarito want to get a bigger payday. Clottey has sat out too long and he really hurt himself with the inactivity.
The winner of the Cotto-Margarito bout would be better off facing Vanes Martirosyan or James Kirkland. Those are guys that have been staying active as of late. Kirkland would be the better fight because he took a big risk recently in taking on and defeating Alfredo Angulo.
Martirosyan hasn’t take any real risks with his career yet and it’s slowed his popularity among boxing fans. However, it’s doubtful that Arum will want to put the winner of the Cotto vs. Margarito bout against Kirkland because he’s not a Top Rank fighter and would likely beat Cotto and Margarito the way he’s looking now.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Clottey facing the Cotto-Margarito winner, even though both of them have already beaten him and it’s kind of a pointless fight.
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By Eric Thomas: If 34-year-old former IBF welterweight champion Joshua Clottey (36-4, 21 KO’s) can catch a lucky break, he’ll be fighting the winner of the December 3rd fight between World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.
Both Cotto and Margarito have beaten Clottey in the past in exciting fights, and it makes sense for Bob Arum, the promoter for all three fighters, to set this match up because it would be a nice little in house fight for Top Rank and Arum.
However, Clottey has done pretty much zilch since being dominated by Manny Pacquiao in a 12 round decision loss last year in March. Clottey sat out 20 months doing nothing until making a comeback last week and stopping Calvin Green in the 2nd round. It was an impressive performance by Clottey, but then again he wasn’t anyone dangerous.
It was a nice soft fight for Clottey. I think a Clottey fight would be a good one for Cotto to help milk his title for a little longer, but I can think of a lot better options than Clottey if Cotto and/or Margarito want to get a bigger payday. Clottey has sat out too long and he really hurt himself with the inactivity.
The winner of the Cotto-Margarito bout would be better off facing Vanes Martirosyan or James Kirkland. Those are guys that have been staying active as of late. Kirkland would be the better fight because he took a big risk recently in taking on and defeating Alfredo Angulo.
Martirosyan hasn’t take any real risks with his career yet and it’s slowed his popularity among boxing fans. However, it’s doubtful that Arum will want to put the winner of the Cotto vs. Margarito bout against Kirkland because he’s not a Top Rank fighter and would likely beat Cotto and Margarito the way he’s looking now.
Frankly, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Clottey facing the Cotto-Margarito winner, even though both of them have already beaten him and it’s kind of a pointless fight.
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I think so long is longer than you think. WBC can say what they'd like but there's no one else in the division that's going to bring Chavez Jr money. Chavez can fight strictly in Mexico if he'd like and make cake for both himself, his promoter, and the WBC.
If he wants to stay on HBO I'd imagine he has to do much more than Peter Manfredo..
If he wants to stay on HBO I'd imagine he has to do much more than Peter Manfredo..
Mayweather: How can I negotiate a fight with Pacquiao when they’re suing me
By Chris Williams: Just as I thought a long time ago, one of the problems getting in the way of a potential mega fight between WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WBO welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao is the lawsuit that Pacquiao has out for defamation against Mayweather.
Speaking with boxingsocialist.com, Mayweather said “How can we really negotiate a fight if they’re suing me?”
That’s what I figured. How can Pacquiao be talking about wanting to fight Mayweather when he’s suing him and stands to win the suit? I think it’s the wrong way to get a fight with Mayweather. Pacquiao could end making a ton of money if he wins his lawsuit against Mayweather when this thing finally gets settle. Don’t you think this is counterproductive in putting together a fight with Mayweather? If not, you need to pay attention to what Mayweather is saying. He’s not eager to fight a guy that’s suing him and I don’t blame him.
I think Pacquiao may win the lawsuit but the money that he’ll get from that will pale in comparison to the money that he’ll lose in the Mayweather fight not happening. If he’s smart, he’ll see it from Mayweather’s perspective and drop the suit so that the fight can be made. If he’s determined to not drop the suit, then he may have to settle for that being the only money he gets instead of a huge payday.
What Mayweather needs to do is agree to fight Pacquiao if he’ll drop his suit. If not, then no deal. That’s the way to do it. But I don’t understand suing a guy and then trying to get a fight with him at the same time. You think Mayweather can just compartmentalize this stuff and forget about? I don’t think he can judging by what he’s saying. I think the suit will ultimately be the reason the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight never gets made.
In the same interview, Mayweather touched on his thoughts on the Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Pacquiao fight, saying “I think it was wrong…With Jim Lampley and other people saying Pacquiao won the fight. He lost. It wasn’t even a split decision. He [Pacquiao] lost unanimously.”
I agree. Pacquiao lost that fight and I think it’s bad for boxing to have judges scoring fights that the mass population disagrees with. All it does is make casual boxing fans distrust the sport and turn to other sports like MMA, football and basketball.
Mayweather also said he wasn’t going to pay to see the fight Marquez-Pacquiao fight on pay per view, because he didn’t want to put any money in Bob Arum’s pocket.
By Chris Williams: Just as I thought a long time ago, one of the problems getting in the way of a potential mega fight between WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WBO welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao is the lawsuit that Pacquiao has out for defamation against Mayweather.
Speaking with boxingsocialist.com, Mayweather said “How can we really negotiate a fight if they’re suing me?”
That’s what I figured. How can Pacquiao be talking about wanting to fight Mayweather when he’s suing him and stands to win the suit? I think it’s the wrong way to get a fight with Mayweather. Pacquiao could end making a ton of money if he wins his lawsuit against Mayweather when this thing finally gets settle. Don’t you think this is counterproductive in putting together a fight with Mayweather? If not, you need to pay attention to what Mayweather is saying. He’s not eager to fight a guy that’s suing him and I don’t blame him.
I think Pacquiao may win the lawsuit but the money that he’ll get from that will pale in comparison to the money that he’ll lose in the Mayweather fight not happening. If he’s smart, he’ll see it from Mayweather’s perspective and drop the suit so that the fight can be made. If he’s determined to not drop the suit, then he may have to settle for that being the only money he gets instead of a huge payday.
What Mayweather needs to do is agree to fight Pacquiao if he’ll drop his suit. If not, then no deal. That’s the way to do it. But I don’t understand suing a guy and then trying to get a fight with him at the same time. You think Mayweather can just compartmentalize this stuff and forget about? I don’t think he can judging by what he’s saying. I think the suit will ultimately be the reason the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight never gets made.
In the same interview, Mayweather touched on his thoughts on the Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Pacquiao fight, saying “I think it was wrong…With Jim Lampley and other people saying Pacquiao won the fight. He lost. It wasn’t even a split decision. He [Pacquiao] lost unanimously.”
I agree. Pacquiao lost that fight and I think it’s bad for boxing to have judges scoring fights that the mass population disagrees with. All it does is make casual boxing fans distrust the sport and turn to other sports like MMA, football and basketball.
Mayweather also said he wasn’t going to pay to see the fight Marquez-Pacquiao fight on pay per view, because he didn’t want to put any money in Bob Arum’s pocket.
Mayweather Jr. looking forward to Duboef replacing Arum at Top Rank – Boxing News
By Dan Ambrose: Floyd Mayweather Jr. is really counting the days to when Bob Arum of Top Rank eventually steps down and is replaced by Duboef, the current president of Top Rank. Mayweather Jr. feels he can deal with Duboef. However, there’s no telling how long Arum will last. He could hold onto his reigns as the head of Top Rank until Mayweather is well past his prime, and by then it won’t matter anymore what Mayweather feels.
In an interview at boxingsocialist.com, Mayweather Jr. said “I can’t wait until Todd Duboef is running the company. He and Dena Duboef are truly great people, professional. I can’t wait until he takes over just so we can have dinner and talk about working together. Those rumors in the past about money being offered to me, not true. How can you offer me a deal when I’m the A side? We make the offers.”
Mayweather might need to swallow his pride and try to sit down with Arum, because he could stay in control of Top Rank for years to come, long after Mayweather has retired. At 34, Mayweather can’t wait Arum out. He would be better off trying to make a deal somehow and just forget about the past squabbles. Ideally, Mayweather can insist that Duboef be the guy that he meets with and let Arum sit on the sidelines.
Duboef may choose to run the company the same way that Arum did when and/if Duboef is running things in the future. Arum has a habit of setting up in house fights, and this could be a thing that continues into the future. Golden Boy Promotions also sets up a lot of in house fights, so it’s not like there is a much of a difference in that respect.
By Dan Ambrose: Floyd Mayweather Jr. is really counting the days to when Bob Arum of Top Rank eventually steps down and is replaced by Duboef, the current president of Top Rank. Mayweather Jr. feels he can deal with Duboef. However, there’s no telling how long Arum will last. He could hold onto his reigns as the head of Top Rank until Mayweather is well past his prime, and by then it won’t matter anymore what Mayweather feels.
In an interview at boxingsocialist.com, Mayweather Jr. said “I can’t wait until Todd Duboef is running the company. He and Dena Duboef are truly great people, professional. I can’t wait until he takes over just so we can have dinner and talk about working together. Those rumors in the past about money being offered to me, not true. How can you offer me a deal when I’m the A side? We make the offers.”
Mayweather might need to swallow his pride and try to sit down with Arum, because he could stay in control of Top Rank for years to come, long after Mayweather has retired. At 34, Mayweather can’t wait Arum out. He would be better off trying to make a deal somehow and just forget about the past squabbles. Ideally, Mayweather can insist that Duboef be the guy that he meets with and let Arum sit on the sidelines.
Duboef may choose to run the company the same way that Arum did when and/if Duboef is running things in the future. Arum has a habit of setting up in house fights, and this could be a thing that continues into the future. Golden Boy Promotions also sets up a lot of in house fights, so it’s not like there is a much of a difference in that respect.
Showtime gets Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto
By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Former welterweight titleholders Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto, whose first thrilling slugfest in April was one of the best fights of the year, will do it again.
The fight, which has been in discussion for the past few weeks, will take place at a site to be determined either Jan. 28 or Feb. 11, multiple sources told ESPN.com.
The rematch being made is not much of a surprise -- it's the most lucrative fight available for both men. However, what is a major stunner is that the fight will be televised on Showtime, rather than rival HBO, which aired the first bout and has invested millions into the careers of Berto and Ortiz, putting on all of their notable fights over the past several years.
Showtime bought the fight for $2.25 million, according to a source involved in the match, which was considerably more than HBO's initial offer of $1.75 million and just $100,000 more than HBO's final offer of $2.15 million, the same amount it paid for the first bout.
Lou DiBella, Berto's promoter, would not confirm the figures, but acknowledged that Showtime had bought the fight and was the highest bidder.
"Showtime's offer was the highest in the marketplace," DiBella told ESPN.com on Thursday night. "It's good to know that they're in the game and that a fight of this quality had interest from both networks. Competition in the marketplace is a good thing. As Andre Berto's promoter, I am very grateful for the loyalty and investment HBO made in Berto over the years, and I know Andre is also."
Many assumed that the fight would go to HBO, so it going to Showtime signals a major change in the landscape of the boxing business and represents a big splash for Stephen Espinoza, who made this the first fight he bought on his watch as the new executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports.
Espinoza -- the former attorney for Golden Boy Promotions, Ortiz's promoter -- was hired by Showtime on Nov. 14 to replace Ken Hershman, who left Showtime to take over as president of HBO Sports, a job he won't begin until Jan. 9.
Ortiz and Berto shifting networks could signal a big shakeup in where boxing's top talent fights, with boxers from the stables of Golden Boy and powerful adviser Al Haymon, who handles Berto and has numerous fighters with Golden Boy, moving to Showtime.
There has also been talk of other fighters moving from HBO to Showtime, including junior middleweight contender James Kirkland, a Golden Boy fighter, and junior middleweight Paul Williams, who is advised by Haymon.
Wherever Berto and Ortiz meet again, it figures to be another exciting fight between two of the sport's young stars.
"The first fight was one of the best, most crowd-pleasing fights of the year and it's the best thing for boxing fans that it's going to happen again in 2012," DiBella said. "This fight represents a good start to the year for Showtime, although I believe HBO made a good faith offer to get the fight."
In their first memorable battle, Ortiz and Berto slugged it out April 16 at the Foxwoods resort in Mashantucket, Conn. They both were knocked down twice -- including both of them hitting the canvas in the wild sixth round. Ortiz ultimately won a unanimous decision to take Berto's version of the 147-pound title.
On Sept. 3, Berto (28-1, 22 KOs) returned to stop Jan Zaveck in the fifth round to win another slice of the welterweight title while Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KOs) lost the belt he had claimed from Berto on Sept. 17 when Floyd Mayweather Jr. knocked him out in the fourth round.
Saddled with a mandatory defense against Randall Bailey that neither HBO nor Showtime were interested in buying -- and wanting to avenge his lone professional loss -- Berto vacated his title earlier this month, paving the way for the rematch with Ortiz.
"This is something the people want and I want as well," Berto told ESPN.com on Thursday night. "I gave up a world title for this to happen. You know how serious this is for me. I've been with HBO my whole career but Showtime stepped up to the plate money-wise to have it. Surprised HBO didn't, but this is a business. So I am just looking forward (to) bringing the people the best fight possible to jump off the 2012 year with a bang."
By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Former welterweight titleholders Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto, whose first thrilling slugfest in April was one of the best fights of the year, will do it again.
The fight, which has been in discussion for the past few weeks, will take place at a site to be determined either Jan. 28 or Feb. 11, multiple sources told ESPN.com.
The rematch being made is not much of a surprise -- it's the most lucrative fight available for both men. However, what is a major stunner is that the fight will be televised on Showtime, rather than rival HBO, which aired the first bout and has invested millions into the careers of Berto and Ortiz, putting on all of their notable fights over the past several years.
Showtime bought the fight for $2.25 million, according to a source involved in the match, which was considerably more than HBO's initial offer of $1.75 million and just $100,000 more than HBO's final offer of $2.15 million, the same amount it paid for the first bout.
Lou DiBella, Berto's promoter, would not confirm the figures, but acknowledged that Showtime had bought the fight and was the highest bidder.
"Showtime's offer was the highest in the marketplace," DiBella told ESPN.com on Thursday night. "It's good to know that they're in the game and that a fight of this quality had interest from both networks. Competition in the marketplace is a good thing. As Andre Berto's promoter, I am very grateful for the loyalty and investment HBO made in Berto over the years, and I know Andre is also."
Many assumed that the fight would go to HBO, so it going to Showtime signals a major change in the landscape of the boxing business and represents a big splash for Stephen Espinoza, who made this the first fight he bought on his watch as the new executive vice president and general manager of Showtime Sports.
Espinoza -- the former attorney for Golden Boy Promotions, Ortiz's promoter -- was hired by Showtime on Nov. 14 to replace Ken Hershman, who left Showtime to take over as president of HBO Sports, a job he won't begin until Jan. 9.
Ortiz and Berto shifting networks could signal a big shakeup in where boxing's top talent fights, with boxers from the stables of Golden Boy and powerful adviser Al Haymon, who handles Berto and has numerous fighters with Golden Boy, moving to Showtime.
There has also been talk of other fighters moving from HBO to Showtime, including junior middleweight contender James Kirkland, a Golden Boy fighter, and junior middleweight Paul Williams, who is advised by Haymon.
Wherever Berto and Ortiz meet again, it figures to be another exciting fight between two of the sport's young stars.
"The first fight was one of the best, most crowd-pleasing fights of the year and it's the best thing for boxing fans that it's going to happen again in 2012," DiBella said. "This fight represents a good start to the year for Showtime, although I believe HBO made a good faith offer to get the fight."
In their first memorable battle, Ortiz and Berto slugged it out April 16 at the Foxwoods resort in Mashantucket, Conn. They both were knocked down twice -- including both of them hitting the canvas in the wild sixth round. Ortiz ultimately won a unanimous decision to take Berto's version of the 147-pound title.
On Sept. 3, Berto (28-1, 22 KOs) returned to stop Jan Zaveck in the fifth round to win another slice of the welterweight title while Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KOs) lost the belt he had claimed from Berto on Sept. 17 when Floyd Mayweather Jr. knocked him out in the fourth round.
Saddled with a mandatory defense against Randall Bailey that neither HBO nor Showtime were interested in buying -- and wanting to avenge his lone professional loss -- Berto vacated his title earlier this month, paving the way for the rematch with Ortiz.
"This is something the people want and I want as well," Berto told ESPN.com on Thursday night. "I gave up a world title for this to happen. You know how serious this is for me. I've been with HBO my whole career but Showtime stepped up to the plate money-wise to have it. Surprised HBO didn't, but this is a business. So I am just looking forward (to) bringing the people the best fight possible to jump off the 2012 year with a bang."