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During Friday's fights at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino I ran across advisor Sampson Lewkowicz, always one to welcome to a good conversation. Lewkowicz manages some of the sport's finest talent and has one of the most hectic schedules around as he is traveling constantly and always handling business for his clients.
Earlier this month cut man Joe Chavez seemed to have a routine night's worth of work as he assisted WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto during his pristine destruction of Nicaragua's Ricardo Mayorga. Cotto was in top form on this night as no traces of blood or cuts ever emerged during the fight, leaving Chavez as simply a spectator within the MGM Grand outside of a few small bruises he had to attend to.
This weekend marks yet another pivotal time in the life of trainer Robert Garcia, who will be with his brother Mikey this weekend in Atlantic City as he faces off with Connecticut's Matt Remillard in an HBO showcase. The featherweight duel at the Boardwalk Hall will give some clarity as to just how real the potential of Garcia is and if successful, bigger bounty will be awaiting him.
Earlier this month, Brooklyn-born Zab Judah scored a significant victory in stopping South Africa's Kaizer Mabuza in seven rounds with a viscous seventh-round TKO. With the win Judah did many things as he recaptured the IBF crown that he once held as well as putting his name right back into the mix in the hot and heavy junior welterweight class.
During the promotion of the recent Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga contest, it was easy to spot just how chummy former rival promoters Don King and Bob Arum where throughout the lead up to the fight. It had been five years since the duo had collaborated together in such a fashion, going back to the April 2006 Floyd Mayweather-Zab Judah bout, and Arum has left the door open for working with King in the future.
The headlines for the past couple of days have been chalked full with various storylines on Nonito Donaire's recent signing with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. Despite having just won his most significant bout as a professional under Bob Arum's Top Rank banner last month, the Filipino-American fighter felt that a change was in order and made a move that has taken the boxing world by storm.
The last time we saw Paulie Malignaggi inside of a Las Vegas ring it was one of the more humbling nights of his professional career. Facing off with England's Ricky Hatton in a junior welterweight unification bout in November of 2008, the Brooklyn fighter was overwhelmed and out of sync, surrendering an 11th round TKO that had him in disarray.
Trainer Jeff Mayweather took some time to discuss a variety of topics in the sport, including this past weekend's Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga bout at the MGM Grand, a possible rematch between Miguel and Antonio Margarito, the rising star of Sergio Martinez, and his stable of fighters, including the likes of Chase Corbin, Brandon Gonzales and Celestino Caballero.
Speaking from within one of his favorite restaurants on the East side of Las Vegas, Lindo Michoachan, referee Kenny Bayless comes across as just about as genuine of a guy as you can imagine. Originally hailing from Berkeley, California, Bayless has been involved in the sport of boxing since the late 70's while carving out a niche as perhaps the game's most sought after third man inside of the ring today.
I remember having a candid conversation with HBO color commentator Larry Merchant this past December, days after Saul Alvarez's gritty victory over former champion Lovemore N'dou in Veracruz, Mexico. Merchant and I discussed Alvarez in depth, talking of his future aspirations and just how serious his potential is.