By Robert Morales
Boxing is on a roll, thanks in large part to two ultra-talented fighters by the name of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. But how much would a fight between the two not being made slow that roll? After all, the whole world is watching, and it wants to see the two meanest hombres in the business rumble.
A couple of hours after he played host to a conference call Wednesday afternoon, promoter Bob Arum was asked by BoxingScene just how detrimental it would be to the sport should a second round of negotiations for this fight not bear fruit. Arum chose to speak in only positive tones.
"I don't want to dwell on the negative and I don't want to really answer that question that way," said Arum, Pacquiao's promoter. "I would say it would be absolutely great for the sport for the fight to happen and it would focus the entire world's attention on the sport of boxing. That is the way I would look at that situation rather than look at how bad it would be if it didn't happen."
That same question was posed to longtime HBO announcer Larry Merchant on Wednesday morning.
"There is really no way to measure how much it would hurt boxing if that fight weren't made, but it certainly could help and it could give a significant boost to a sport that is no longer a mainstream sport, but that from time to time has major events that reach beyond the hard-core core of fans," Merchant said. "And this is certainly one of them."
Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, on Tuesday took a philosophical approach about what would happen to boxing's overall popularity if this fight between the sport's best does not materialize. Golden Boy helps Mayweather promote his fights.
"I would love to see it," Schaefer said to BoxingScene.com. "But you don't always see Kobe and LeBron in the NBA finals. You don't always see Brazil and Italy in the World Cup finals. We haven't seen the two best M M A pound-for-pound fighters against each other. And the list goes on and on. Would I love to see it? Absolutely."
Mum's The Word
As of right now, Arum and Schaefer are remaining rather tight-lipped about the reconvening of negotiations for Mayweather-Pacquiao, which would likely take place Nov. 13 in either Dallas or Las Vegas.
"I have no comment," Schaefer said. "Don't ask me anything about Mayweather-Pacquiao because I have nothing to say. There is going to be a time when we can talk. Now is not the time."
During the conference call, Arum was almost as evasive.
"I'm not going to to into any discussion as to what it will take," Arum said. "I don't want to go into that."
Arum said he didn't want to negotiate through the media like before because "it becomes an ego factor. Each side can't wait to give his side to the press and the flames shoot out. There is no real opportunity for rational behavior to take over."
Arum did hint that something may already be taking place.
"There is a plan," he said. "I don't want to go into what's happening, but there are things happening."
Merchant a Bit Perplexed
Mayweather showed a lot in his lopsided victory over "Sugar" Shane Mosley on May 1. Although Merchant said he wasn't surprised because Mayweather was a 4 to 1 favorite over the 38-year-old Mosley, he gave Mayweather kudos for being a "virtuoso boxing master," and for surviving the attack Mosley put on him in the second round when
Mayweather's legs were clearly buckled by a Mosley right hand.
To that end, Merchant wonders why Mayweather is being so bull-headed about the Olympic-style drug-testing he demands of Pacquiao.
"That's what makes it so puzzling that he has made it a do or don't do situation regarding blood-testing," Merchant said, "because he is favored to win the fight anyway. It's almost counterintuitive that if a guy is as good as that and can make so much money, why he is being so inflexible about his position on blood testing."
But, Merchant said, "I do believe this fight will happen - probably this year."
Perez Unlike Any Other, Except Bradley
There are more than a few reporters who believe the semi-main event between bantamweight champion Yonnhy Perez and challenger Abner Mares will steal the show May 22 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The main event will feature Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez IV.
Perez and Mares are both high-volume punchers. They are supremely confident and talented. But the X factor might be the experience in big fights. Perez last year came from behind to knock out Silence Mabuza in the 12th round of a title elimination fight in Mabuza's native South Africa, then Perez toiled in Las Vegas for the first time and took the title from Joseph Agbeko.
One doesn't do this without a lot of ability, said Alex Camponovo, matchmaker and general manager of Thompson Boxing Promotions - Perez's co-promoter along with Gary Shaw. But it's more than that, Camponovo said.
"I think this is something that, it's hard to explain, but I've seen where he comes from," Camponovo said. "And not until you see it and you live it, do you really understand why he fights, the reason he fights. I know where he comes from, I know the poor beginnings (in Cartagena, Colombia) where he started and there is nothing that will stand in his way. That's the feeling that he has."
In other words, we are talking about a fighter with rare mettle.
"We talked with his trainer (Danny Zamora) about strategy and the things he has to do, but Yonnhy said, 'It doesn't matter what Abner is going to do. He's not going to beat me,' " Camponovo said. "It doesn't matter to him. He just wants to go out and do his job. That's part of the emotion he brings up into the ring."
Camponovo said the one fighter he believes has the same inner strength is junior welterweight champion Timothy Bradley.
"I think the comparison is obviously with Timothy Bradley," Camponovo said. "I mean, you have Timothy, who is not a huge puncher, but he knows how to win fights. And he's got this mentality, also, that the people in front of him, no matter how friendly they could be after the fight or during the promotion, he's about to take food away from his table.
"And it's the same thing for Yonnhy. They're a dream come true because you don't have to worry about them being in shape."
It so happens that Bradley is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and Shaw, too. But Camponovo seems to be on point with his assessment.
Camponovo: Maidana Didn't Want Any
Speaking of Bradley, Camponovo said a fight with Luis Carlos Abregu might be next for Bradley on July 17 at Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Bradley had been tentatively scheduled to fight Abregu in June until an offer was made by HBO for Bradley to fight Marcos Maidana on July 17 in Rancho Mirage. But Maidana last week pulled out, saying his back injury that postponed the fight originally scheduled for June 19 had not healed.
Camponovo said he doesn't believe Maidana truly wanted this fight.
"I don't think Maidana ever wanted to fight Bradley," Camponovo said. "At first, he pulled out with an injury. Then we get a call the day before the press conference and we are told he missed his flight. And, oh, by the way, his back is still hurt.
"I'm not blaming Golden Boy. It's the fighter or the manager."
Maidana is co-promoted by Golden Boy.
If Bradley-Abregu is made, it would be contested at welterweight.
Mosley Not Retiring
Schaefer said he spoke with Mosley this past Friday.
"He is in Houston, relaxing," Schaefer said. "He might come to New York."
Schaefer is in New York for Saturday's Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi fight, which is being co-promoted by Golden Boy. Schaefer said he talked a little business with Mosley.
"Basically, he wants us to explore the opportunities that are out there and that's what we're going to do," Schaefer said.
Schaefer said Mosley didn't mention a word about retiring.
Cotto-Foreman Taking Solid Shape
Arum promotes both Miguel Cotto and Yuri Foreman, who June 5 at Yankee Stadium will square off for Foreman's junior middleweight title. Of that promotion, Arum said, "Everything is going great."
Arum said stadium officials had originally configured the seating for 30,000, but that 10,000 seats have been added and now 40,000 will be available for the fight.
Margaritoville
Antonio Margarito last Saturday fought for the first time since having his license revoked by the California State Athletic Commission after he was caught with plaster inserts in his hand wraps prior to his January 2009 TKO loss to Mosley in Los Angeles.
The question put to Arum on Wednesday was, when will he try to have Margarito re-licensed in the United States? Margarito's fight Saturday - a wide 10-round decision over Roberto Garcia - took place in Mexico.
"Sooner rather than later," Arum said. "I don't know exactly when. We're talking with the lawyers this afternoon and we will figure it out."
Ramirez Has Heard it All
Henry Ramirez, who trains heavyweight Chris Arreola, recently was asked by BoxingScene.com if he has read the stuff some fans say, that Arreola won't ever reach his potential if he continues to be trained by "his homeboy." The thinking there is that Arreola isn't disciplined enough to get into prime condition because he is trained by his beer-drinking buddy.
Ramirez scoffed at that notion.
"It's funny because people act like I met Chris coming out of a f*****g liquor store," said Ramirez, who said he knows what some say.
"I've been involved in boxing since I was 10 years old and I'm 34. I met Chris at a boxing gym 11, 12 years ago. It's not like him and I were at a liquor store and he said, 'Hey, you're going to be my trainer.'
"I've been involved in this sport for a long time. I've worked with pro fighters, working with amateur fighters. I fought myself in amateurs for nine years. I'm not someone who walked in off the street corner."
Ramirez said he doesn't take offense to what people say. Then again...
"I don't get too judge them at their job, and they get to judge me at mine," he said.
Robert Morales covers boxing for the Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram and BoxingScene.com
