Team Mayweather Response: Pacquiao is Not a Bigger Star
Leonard Ellerbe on Saturday had a strong response to a story that appeared on BoxingScene.com regarding negotiations for a fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
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Robert Morales
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278 stories on BoxingScene are published under the Robert Morales byline.
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Articles by Robert Morales: page 24
Miguel Espino's Trainer is Thrilled With Kelly Pavlik Shot
John Bray said he is thrilled that his fighter, Miguel Espino, is getting a shot at Kelly Pavlik's two middleweight titles Dec. 19 in Youngstown, Ohio.
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Insider Notebook: Haye-Klitschko; Mosley-Berto; Pacquiao
By Robert Morales - David Haye sustained at least a severely sprained right hand, as well as a cut, while taking Nikolai Valuev's heavyweight world title last Saturday in Germany. But his health permitting, Haye will next make a mandatory defense against John Ruiz. The plan then would be to unify the title with one of the Klitschkos - Vitali or Wladimir - before fighting a rematch with Valuev. That was Wednesday's word from Richard Schaefer, the Golden Boy Promotions CEO who just returned from Germany after watching Haye, of England, win a majority decision over the 7-foot Russian behemoth. Haye is co-promoted by Golden Boy and Hayemaker Promotions. Sauerland Event, which co-promotes Valuev along with Don King, will play a role in those aforementioned bouts as Schaefer confirmed the company does have options on Haye's next three fights because Valuev's defense against Haye was voluntary and not mandatory. "The fact is they are going to be involved in David Haye's next three fights," said Schaefer to BoxingScene.com. He wasn't certain if King would be included, but that if he is, "it would be on the side of the Sauerland equation." There was a rematch clause for Valuev in the contract for Saturday's fight with Haye, but Schaefer said it did not stipulate the rematch had to be immediate. Thus the plan for Haye to first fight Ruiz and then one of the Klitschkos.
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Insider Notebook: Cotto-Margarito Revisited; Roach Talks
By Robert Morales - Since Antonio Margarito was busted with illegal hand wraps before his January fight with "Sugar" Shane Mosley in Los Angeles, there has been no shortage of insinuation that perhaps Margarito and his hand-wrapping trainer, Javier Capetillo, had previously cheated. Miguel Cotto initially said he thought Margarito must have just had a good night when Margarito stopped him in the 11th round on July 26, 2008 in Las Vegas. He since has wondered if Margarito might have had loaded gloves in their fight because he did not have anyone from his camp monitoring Margarito's wraps as they were being applied that night at MGM Grand. Well, there is a dispute in that regard. Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said that to his knowledge Evangelista Cotto was indeed in the room when Margarito was having his hands wrapped. Cotto - who will take on Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 14 at MGM Grand - was then trained by his uncle, Evangelista. "The inspector is there watching the hands get wrapped, and there is also a member of the other team," Kizer said, explaining what typically happens during this time. "Evangelista Cotto was there. And he is not a guy who is very passive. He is a guy who will say, 'What's that?' Very similar to Brother Naazim (Richardson, Mosley's trainer who helped nail Margarito).
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Insider Notebook: Pacquiao-Cotto; Linares; Juanma; More
By Robert Morales - Promoting the Nov. 14 welterweight title fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto at MGM Grand in Las Vegas appears to be a win-win situation for Bob Arum, who promotes both fighters. If Cotto wins, he could become the most popular fighter ever from Puerto Rico. And it would do little to hurt Pacquiao, a world-renown figure who is worshipped in his beloved Philippines. A Pacquiao win would only further cement his legacy as one of the great fighters of the past 50 years, and Arum's biggest cash cow would give even more milk. Cotto's career would only be tremendously hurt if he were to go down without a fight, and we all know that won't happen. We spoke with Bob Arum from Cotto's training camp in Tampa, Fla., on Monday. He had his own reasons for considering this a win-win situation. "I agree with that somewhat," Arum said via telephone. "What I really believe is that this will be one of the greatest fights in history and there won't be a loser in the fight. Even if a guy gets stopped or loses a decision, he won't be a loser.
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Golden Boy's Gomez Shocked With Jorge Linares Loss
When Golden Boy Promotions signed Jorge Linares of Venezuela to a promotional contract last month, it seemed like a sweet signing. But it turned sour over the weekend when Linares was decked twice and stopped in the first round by Mexico's Juan Carlos Salgado in Tokyo, Japan. Linares (27-1) suffered his first loss, and he lost his super featherweight world title.
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Insider Notebook: Mayweather-Mosley Goal, Vazquez Plan
By Robert Morales - Welterweight champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley turned 38 on Sept. 7. That means unless he turns out to be another Bernard Hopkins - ageless - his window for a couple of more high-profile fights might be slowly starting to close. But Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions - which promotes Mosley - on Tuesday said 2010 could be a good year for Mosley if he is able to defeat Andre Berto on Jan. 30 at Mandalay Bay. That fight is not yet 100 percent consummated - although Schaefer said it could be getting there - but a win over Berto could springboard Mosley to the fight he covets with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Schaefer said Mosley, should he beat Berto, figures to have another fight in either April or May on HBO and then a fight later on in the year that is earmarked for HBO pay-per-view. It sounds like Schaefer is thinking along the lines of that pay-per-view fight being against Mayweather, with whom Schaefer said he has a good working relationship.
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Insider Notebook: Mayweather Confident, Jabs Pacquiao
By Robert Morales - Floyd Mayweather Jr. sat on the ring apron Monday afternoon in front of the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez were on hand for an open workout that appeared to be dominated by Marquez fans judging by the chants of "Marquez, Marquez." The two will square off Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas in what will be Mayweather's first fight since December 2007. Mayweather had just finished doing interviews with several reporters when we stepped in and got his thoughts on a couple of poignant issues. For as long as we can remember, Mayweather has made it clear he doesn't read his press clippings. But the look on his face when asked how important it is to receive proper acknowledgement for his accomplishments spoke volumes. "I don't think you're really going to understand my career until it's all over," Mayweather said. "Ten years, twenty years from now, when people's grandkids getting ready to see, they're going to be like, 'This kid was something special. This guy was something special. This fighter was something special.' " Mayweather was speaking calmly. But he became a bit animated when the next subject was broached. There are more than a few reporters - not this one - who are giving Manny Pacquiao credit for having won titles in six weight classes.
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Mosley Eyes Clottey, Conte Lawsuit Moves Forward
Even though Bob Arum said Friday that he has made a deal for his fighter, Joshua Clottey, to challenge "Sugar" Shane Mosley for his welterweight world title Dec. 26 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, there has been no formal announcement. Arum told BoxingScene.com last Friday, "I made a deal with Richard Schaefer [CEO for Golden Boy Promotions] and confirmed it with HBO."
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Insider Notebook: Mosley, Schaefer Respond To Judah
By Robert Morales - "Sugar" Shane Mosley said he saw Zab Judah at a Las Vegas night spot Tuesday evening. Interestingly, Mosley said Judah told him about some of the things he told BoxingScene.com publisher Rick Reeno that appeared on this website about midnight (Eastern Standard Time) Tuesday. "I just seen Zab last night at a club and he was pleading his case and why he said what he said," Mosley said Wednesday, speaking specifically about Judah allegedly turning down an offer to fight him Dec. 26 because he wasn't pleased with what was offered him. "I told him that actually I didn't care about that. I told him I have to go out and find someone who wants to fight the No. 1 welterweight in the world," Mosley told BoxingScene.com. Judah, however, perhaps went too far when he told Reeno, "I don't fight HGH patients." From Mosley's reaction, it doesn't appear he knew about that part of the story. "The HGH, I never took HGH," said an animated Mosley, who tested positive for steroids after his second fight with Oscar De La Hoya. "I don't do that. They can test me any time they want to." Someone Needs To Man Up It should be no surprise to anyone that Mosley could be nearing his wit's end. "There are a bunch of cowards out there who don't want to fight," said Mosley, who became a two-time welterweight champion when he stopped Antonio Margarito in the ninth round in January in Los Angeles. "Everyone wants to say, 'Oh, there isn't enough money.' Everybody has excuses. They don't want to get their hands hurt, they don't want to get their ribs hurt.
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