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WBO interim-lightweight champion Michael Katsidis and trainer/manager Brendon Smith are steaming over the WBO's possible new ruling to allow Juan Manuel Marquez, the WBO's full lightweight champion, more time to fight them. Marquez is tentative to return in May in Las Vegas and there are reports that he will be the first person on Ricky Hatton's list for a comeback.
Aussie bad boy Anthony Mundine is having some serious weight struggles for his January 11 bout with fellow Australian Robert Medley. Mundine was a two-time WBA champion at super middleweight. He vacated the title and moved down to middleweight. He captured the IBO title at 160 and soon-after he made a decision to move down to junior middleweight. The fight with Medley is for the vacant IBO title at 154. Mundine wants to become the first fighter to wins titles in the three divisions - by moving backwards.
Former two-division champion Miguel Cotto does not understand why Manny Pacquiao is refusing to accept Floyd Mayweather Jr's terms for random Olympic-style drug testing to be in place for their March 13 fight. Cotto was stopped by Pacquiao last month in Las Vegas. In a statement sent to BoxingScene.com, Cotto said Pacquiao should agree to the requested tests to elimate any doubts about his talents. He feels that Pacquiao's refusal to take unrestricted tests will create questions among the public.
According to welterweight contender Matthew Hatton, he is at the top of the list to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. if a Manny Pacquiao fight falls apart for March 13. The rumors of Mayweather facing Matthew Hatton are nothing new. In the past, Mayweather's adviser Leonard Ellerbe denied the rumors of a Floyd vs. Matthew encounter but the younger Hatton claims that Mayweather's camp reached out to them several times for a fight. Mayweather knocked out Matthew's brother Ricky Hatton in 2007.
2010 is upon us and we already have one fight being put off. Edison Miranda is sick with the flu and unable to move forward with his title shot against WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz. It was was scheduled for Janunary 9 in Magdeburg, Germany. There is no information on Stieglitz getting a possible replacement.
According to a report on Yahoo Sports, the Nevada State Athletic Commission has ordered immediate drug tests for both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Chairman Pat Lundvall issued the demand on Monday in connection with their random testing policy, which is connected to the World Anti Doping Agency’s guidelines.
Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions and adviser to Floyd Mayweather Jr, says a March fight with Manny Pacquiao is not going to happen unless both fighters agree to be randomly blood tested. As it stands right now, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank wants the Nevada State Athletic Commission to making a ruling during their January 19 meeting on whether or not the fighters should take additional drug tests. Golden Boy Promotions, on behalf of Mayweather, have rejected the idea of giving the Nevada Commission the authority to have the final say on the matter. Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer wants a contract agreement for the random drug testing.
Could the ultimate all-Puerto Rico super fight be in the works? According to a report in El Nuevo Dia, former three division champion Felix "Tito" Trinidad is interested in a career-ending catchweight fight with Miguel Cotto in 2010. The Puerto Rico based newspaper spoke to a source who refused to disclose their name on the record. Going by the comments, the source seems to be someone affiliated with Trinidad.
It's been confirmed to BoxingScene.com that a possible Manny Pacquiao vs. Paulie Malignaggi event, if it gets finalized, will be carried by HBO pay-per-view. There is a Monday deadline for Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions to reach an agreement for Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. For nearly a week the two promotional companies have been fighting over the contract terms for random Olympic style drug testing.
Add Floyd Mayweather Jr. to the mix. He joins Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer in rejecting the final offer of Top Rank's Bob Arum. Leonard Ellerbe, CEO for Mayweather Promotions and adviser to Floyd, told Yahoo Sports that his side will not agree to Arum's final offer to save the fight with Manny Pacquiao on March 13. Ellerbe said Team Mayweather will not agree to Arum's position by Monday, which is the deadline set by Top Rank to accept their offer, or Arum will replace Mayweather with Paulie Malignaggi.