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Top Rank's Bob Arum hopes to close a deal for Miguel Cotto vs. Yuri Foreman for June 12 in the next few days. As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Arum expects to close the deal when he meets with both camps this week. The fight takes place in Madison Square Garden on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Boxing legends Lloyd Honeyghan and Ken Buchanan are joining the army of fans and fighters who are begging Ricky Hatton to stay away from the ring. The fighters are worried about Hatton's safety. They think he is risking permanent damage if he goes through with his comeback. Hatton has not fought since last May's two round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao. A few ago Hatton announced his boxing comeback for the summer.
The rumors are back in Mexico that former three division champion Erik Morales (48-6, 34KOs) is planning to return to the ring in the month of March. The fight would come against lightweight Jose Alfaro (23-5, 20KOs) who was knocked out in ten rounds against Antonio DeMarco in October. Alfaro once held the WBA lightweight title.
One case is over and another will continue. In Los Angeles, a jury cleared Manny Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, of assault charges. Gregorio Asuncion, a member of Pacquiao's entourage, filed a lawsuit claiming the trainer punched him twice in the Wild Card Gym on October 20, 2008. Roach only claimed that he made him leave the gym as Pacquiao began to train.
WBA interim-bantamweight champion Nehomar Cermeno is going to face the full champion Anselmo Moreno in the month of March. The sanctioning organization is pushing for the fight to take place and both sides are trying to work out the details. Cermeno expects a very tough fight. He is open to taking the fight in the champion's backyard.
Former super middleweight king Joe Calzaghe has mixed feelings about the ring return of Ricky Hatton. Calzaghe retired a year ago and has no plans to return. He would have liked to see Hatton do the very same thing.
IBO cruiserweight Danny Green is moving forward with his career and taking a look at a few options in the aftermath of his broken negotiations to secure a fight with Bernard Hopkins. The Aussie champ claims to have reached a verbal deal with Hopkins for a 50-50 split and then Hopkins changed the terms to a 60-40. Green offered Hopkins 15 times what he made for his last fight with Enrique Ornelas.
A super-fight between Indonesian stars Chris John and Daud Yordan is within reach. Yordan has received an offer to face IBO featherweight champion Jackson Asiku in April. If he is able to get past him, he could then meet WBA champion John in a unification fight in the fall. Golden Boy Promotions promised Yordan a shot at next Saturday's winner between Juanma and Luevano. I wouldn't count on that with the current relationship between Golden Boy and Top Rank [promoters for Juanma and Luevano].
In the next few days, former two division champion Miguel Cotto will depart Puerto Rico and travel to New York City. He plans to sit ringside on January 23 in Madison Square Garden to support countryman Juan Manuel Lopez as he challenges Steven Luevano for the WBO featherweight title in the main event. He will also sit down with Top Rank to go over the plans for his next fight, scheduled for June 12 at Madison Square Garden.
Promoter Fausto Daniel Garcia of Boxeo de Gala is looking to make a fight between Edgar Sosa and unbeaten WBC flyweight champion Koki Kameda. Sosa is still recovering from the surgerical procedures to repair the damage the the injuries he suffered in the two round TKO loss to Rodel Mayol last November.