By Michael Marley

When a bulldog like Big Gary Shaw is not barking, there has to be a reason for it. Which is why I called the fesity promoter to see what's been keeping him off the airwaves so much lately.

"Everything is good," Shaw said. "I'm working on some big things."

Shaw is obviously keen on having Timothy Bradley, who he co-promotes, get a chance to fight Manny Pacquiao with the attendant rich paynight.

"Pacquiao is great but he only fights twice a year. I'd like to see Tim fight either Floyd Mayweather or Pacquiao or both of them, really. Tim is a natural opponent for either or both of them. And fighting at 147 pounds is not an issue."

I didn't interject that the mercurial "Money" fights once a year...if we're so lucky.

Like most boxing insiders, Shaw isn't sure when Mayweather will make a move to return to the ring.

"I think you can see that Floyd is his own man," Shaw said. "He'll decide when he will come back and fight again and nobody else will tell him when.

"Nobody tells Floyd what to do."

Shaw was dumped by Filipino Flash Nonito Donaire Jr., whose plan to dump Bob Arum and Top Rank, has been gummed up by arbitrator and former California State Superior Judge Daniel Weinstein.

It was Weinstein, man in the middle of the Top Rank-Golden Boy Manny Pacquiao dispute, who has enjoined GBP from promoting the red-hot bantamweight king Donaire until he's finished contractual obligations for Arum's troupe.

First, Shaw assessed Donaire's ability.

"I think that Nonito's a terrrific fighter. I think he is a terrific asset. But loyalty is not his strong suit, let's put it that way," Shaw said. "His loyalty does not rise to the 100 percent level."

Donaire left Shaw claiming that the New Jersey-based promoter did not deliver him the major bouts he desired.

This was after Donaire stopped Vic Darchinyan in five rounds in one of the biggest upsets of 2007.

When he signed with Top Rank, Donaire said: "I’m a very ambitious person,” Donaire said. “I’m never the kind who’s going to be satisfied with anything. I want to fight the best out there. Bring them, whoever they are. I’m not backing out on anyone Mr. Arum wants to put in front of me.”

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But, when Arum planned a May 28 unification bout for Donaire in the wake of a smashing, two round KO over Fernando Montiel, it became public information that the fighter had inked a competing promotional with Oscar De La Hoya's company. (Donaire is planning to challenge Arum's contractual hold in a Las Vegas court very soon.)

It's been assumed that Donaire's flashy wife, Rachel, was influential in the boxer's try to switch over to the Goldens. Some with hazy memories may think Mrs. Donaire also pushed hubby to give Shaw the axe but Big Gar said that was not the case.

"That was before he was with the wife," Shaw said.

During his Shaw-promoted period, Donaire began to have issues with his father-trainer, Nonito Sr.

At one point, Shaw asked if Junior wanted to try a different trainer but the boxer said no. Father and son wound up splitting up, anyway, only to have a recent reunion in which Rachel was instrumental. (A historical footnote here, Glenn Donaire, Nonito's brother, lost a fight to the hard-hitting Darchinyan before Nonito restored the family honor.)

MIA for Shaw, due to immigration issues, have been Alfredo "Perro" Angulo. But Shaw said that he's working on a major fight for the exciting Angulo in Mexico.

"We'll fight anybody," Shaw said. "I think Perro and (Golden Boy's) James Kirkland would be a great fight.

As to recent recurring rumors that Shaw handled ex-light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson might not fight Adrian Diaconu in Montreal on May 21, the promoter said there was an officiating issue but that it would not block the fight.

"We were looking for some neutral officials in Canada but we're not getting that," Shaw said. "So Chad knows what he's got to do up there. Chad has to beat this guy and then beat either Jean Pacal or Bernard Hopkins.

"I think Chad can beat them all."

Shaw wasn't barking but he's not laying in any doghouse, either.