manny & mayweather sound off

John Martinez Fightchronicles.com & Boxscorenews.com (25Aug2010) All the drama regarding Antonio Margarito’s ability to obtain a boxing license in Texas for his showdown with WBO welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao is now over. Moments ago (via telephone) Margarito’s trainer, Robert Garcia, confirmed to me that the fight is on for the November 13 rumble and the press tour to hype this clash has already been scheduled. The first stop on this buzz tour is slated for Monday, August 30 in Los Angeles and will extend to appearances on the east coast. Now that the fight is happening, a couple of questions should be asked, “Should this fight be for a title fight and what has each fighter done lately to deserve a shot at this title?” Though this fight is for the vacant WBC light middleweight title, neither man will weigh in at the 154-pound mark. Garcia explains, “we are very happy to have this fight and I can tell you that the announcement will come out either tomorrow or Friday.” “We will weigh in at 151 pounds and I believe that Manny (Pacquiao) will actually come in at around 149(lbs.),” Garcia adds, “but this is a good thing; we will be very strong and solid at 151 and I think that Manny will be good at 149 too. I just don’t want any excuses or people having a problem about the weight issue.” Some people will and do have a problem with the weight topic. Many people believe that catch weights are a setback in boxing. Weight divisions have weight criteria. The practice of challenging other fighters at higher weight classes (let alone for the chance to fight for a world title in that weight division) yet coming in at lesser weight has become the norm of late. This fight is an example of that “standard”. How does one campaign or get ranked for a title in a division that he himself (Pacquiao) has not yet fought in? How does his opponent (Margarito) get the chance to fight for the junior middleweight title when he has only fought once since 2004 in the 154-pound division and the person he fought recently was ranked 23 in the world? In addition to having only one fight as a junior middleweight in the last six years, Margarito has been under suspension and suspicion since early 2009 when it was discovered that he had plaster in his hand wraps before entering the ring against Shane Mosley. So what constitutes these two combatants being able to fight for a world title in a weight class that neither man has spent any or little time in as of late? Is it because Manny is Manny and as Freddie Roach (Manny Pacquiao’s trainer) (in) famously stated that Margarito “has to feed his family and make a living”? If this is true, others aren’t buying those reasons. “Come on that’s a joke,” says Manny Steward, “he’s just saying whatever Bob Arum (chief of Top Rank Boxing) wants him to say.” Steward believes that Roach has lost his way as a trainer and has become more of a promoter of sorts. “He needs to be a trainer. Lately he’s (Freddie) been saying things that don’t sound like him; now its just like he thinks of the big paydays.” I’m not sure I personally agree with this assessment, but I did find common ground to stand on with Steward when it came to the issue of catch weights. “Catch weights should be looked at especially with Pacquiao,” he continued, “he has been fighting guys, but doesn’t weigh in at the weight limit that he challenges them at.” “I think this should be addressed,” he said. Another top-flight trainer agrees. “154(pounds) is 154. Junior middleweight is junior middleweight. Period. Anyone saying anything different don’t know boxing,” said Roger Mayweather, trainer and uncle to undefeated pugilist Floyd Mayweather Jr. Roger highlighted Manny Pacquiao’s famous conquests to solidify his position. “He’s been fighting under weights that he challenges at. He didn’t fight Oscar (delaHoya), Ricky (Hatton), or Cotto (Miguel) at 147. He’s always weighing in less and had them drain their bodies to make weight. It’s like cheating.” “Look. If you’re gonna challenge a mutherf*cker that’s in a higher weight class, then fight at the required weight or don’t challenge him at all and if you’re gonna fight for a title at a bigger weight class then respect that weight and title and fight at 154.” “Catch weights don’t belong in title fights at all,” said Mayweather. Aside from the catch weight subject, both Steward and Mayweather argue that Pacquiao and Margarito haven’t done much to earn the right to fight for a recognized belt. “How is this a title fight? One guy aint fought in the division and the other guy’s been out serving a suspension for possible cheating and fought only once this year at 154,” explains Mayweather. Steward offered his own assessment on the matter. “This fight has one guy (Margarito) that has been out serving a suspension that has caused a lot of people to reevaluate his career wins; he hasn’t fought lately except for back in May against a guy that went 10 rounds with him and wasn’t an elite fighter either.” Steward adds, “the other fighter, Manny (Pacquiao), hasn’t even fought at 154. So how is this a title fight? How are they even ranked to have this opportunity to win a title at junior middleweight?” While addressing the upcoming battle between Margarito and Pacquiao, Manny detoured slightly from the debate at hand to comment on statements made by Freddie Roach regarding a rematch between Stewart’s charge, WBA super welter weight champion Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao. In their first and only meeting, Pacquiao stopped Cotto in the twelfth round of their WBO welterweight title collision. The referee stepped in after he saw that Cotto wasn’t fighting back and had already been dropped twice early in the fight. Roach proclaimed that having Manny Steward in the corner of Cotto wouldn’t “make a damn bit of difference” in the outcome of the fight. Roach went on to say that he would welcome a second fight between his fighter, Manny Pacquiao and Stewart’s pupil, Miguel Cotto. “I would take another Cotto fight even with Steward in his corner in a heartbeat because it was that easy.” Steward answered with, “ I tell it like it is. HBO and everyone knows this.” “I’m not gonna say things for their (HBO and others) interests. I don’t do that sh*t.” Steward finished by saying, “People need to remember when they are trainers. I know I do. He needs to think about the fights and what is fair and right and stop chasing paydays because now he’s (just) following through with what he is being told to say.” In a final note during the interviews, both Mayweather and Steward stated that Manny Pacquiao would ultimately prevail against Antonio Margarito come fight night, but not before suffering some damage himself. Said Steward, “this fight will be difficult for Manny, but he will win in the end. Margarito will give him a fight early, but the weight and ring rust will be a problem for him as the fight goes on.” Mayweather chimed in, “the weight will beat Margarito. He aint fought but once in over a year. Manny will have a rough fight on his hands, but only for a little while early on.” Roger concluded with a note of caution. “Margarito was picked (be) cause he’s easy to hit and made for Manny. Its gonna make him look good fighting a bigger guy, but the guy is slow and drained. Either way, it’s a sh*t fight because neither mother f*cker has done anything to earn them the right to fight for this title in this weight class.” Jmartineztd21@yahoo.com