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Your weekly random thoughts
Middleweight champ (and junior middleweight titleholder) Sergio Martinez, one of the best fighters in the world, is ready, willing and able to fight anyone in either weight division.
Kelly Pavlik declined his option for an immediate rematch after Martinez beat him to claim the middleweight title April 17, leaving Martinez's handlers -- promoter Lou DiBella and adviser Sampson Lewkowicz -- to line up another fight for the fall.
DiBella told me that he gave HBO a lengthy list of opponents Martinez was willing to face. The list: newly crowned junior middleweight titlist Miguel Cotto in a unification bout, Shane Mosley, Paul Williams (in a rematch of last year's great fight), Alfredo Angulo, Kermit Cintron, Antonio Margarito (in a rematch of Martinez's first loss), Vanes Martirosyan, Sergio Mora, Luis Collazo, Alfonso Gomez, middleweight titleholder Felix Sturm, junior middleweight titlist Cory Spinks and the winner of the June 26 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-John Duddy fight.
Obviously, Martinez isn't ducking anyone. Not a soul. DiBella said whomever HBO wanted Martinez to fight, he would try to make the deal. I know HBO prefers the rematch with Williams, but Williams' people are simply not interested right now. Dan Goossen, Williams' promoter, has told me multiple times in recent weeks that Williams is returning to welterweight for his next fight.
While some fighters duck and dodge certain fights, Martinez doesn't. And on top of his willingness to fight anyone, he's charismatic and has made some excellent fights in recent years.
Why then hasn't HBO committed to him for another fight yet? It's a source of great frustration for DiBella.
"If a fight isn't makeable because the other guy turns it down it's not fair that my fighter, the legitimate champion, can't get a fight on HBO," DiBella said. "And, by the way, we're in two weight classes because we'll do what we have to do to get a big fight. I'm super frustrated. I didn't think we'd be in this position. What I find more annoying is that guys who are more judicious with the guys they'll fight -- they say, 'I won't fight him, it's a bad matchup for me' -- are on HBO.
"I go to the network and say, 'My guy will fight the fight you want him to fight,' and when I start mentioning names, I hear, 'That guy won't fight you.' So if they won't fight Sergio, why do they have a date on HBO and Sergio doesn't?"
Although DiBella didn't mention names, it's pretty obvious he was talking about Angulo and, to a lesser degree, Williams.
"It's very frustrating because I don't have a good explanation for my fighter," DiBella said. "He doesn't understand how he can be in a position where I can't tell him when he's next fighting. I have learned the hard way that nothing is fair in life, forget about boxing, but it's not fair he doesn't have a date. HBO can't force a guy to fight him, but I know they have economic power to help a fight to happen. I hope something will break in the next few weeks."
So do I, because Martinez has been a breath of fresh air.
Apparently rumors of Cotto's demise were greatly exaggerated. I thought he looked great beating Yuri Foreman on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. I give new trainer Emanuel Steward a lot of credit. Cotto had basically been training himself for the past couple of years and now he's got a true professional in his corner. I know Steward was putting a lot of pressure on himself before this fight. I spent about an hour with him on Saturday morning and he was a nervous wreck. But he, and his fighter, came through like champs.
It was nice to see Roy Jones Jr. back at ringside calling the fight on HBO, even if it was a one-night stand while he filled in for Steward. Now that Jones' boxing career is basically finished, do you think maybe he regrets blowing his full-time HBO gig a few years ago? He wouldn't show up for meetings and when he did, he was late. He was basically a royal pain the rear end for the crew to deal with and he eventually got himself fired. But I was told that for Cotto-Foreman, he was punctual and acted like a professional. Maybe Jones, who is an excellent broadcaster when he wants to be, has finally learned a little humility.
What's the matter David Haye? Cat got your tongue?
My worlds collide: Saw a great photo on the official Web site of my favorite rock band, KISS that showed the band members posing with Vitali Klitschko backstage at their recent concert in Hamburg, Germany. I loved it.
Here's how you know you're a Fight Freak: I was sitting in the dark at about 2 a.m. the other night watching a DVD in German of Robert Stieglitz's super middleweight title defense against Ruben Acosta. Yeah, I know. I need help.
When I was in New York for Cotto-Foreman last week, I went to a Friars Club roast for Bob Arum. It was part tribute and part hilarious curse-filled jokes at Arum's expense. Among those in attendance were Manny Pacquiao, George Foreman, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini and Thomas Hearns, all Top Rank fighters in their heyday. The best part, besides the gut-busting joke that HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg told at Arum's expense (which was all in fun and not repeatable on a family Web site), was taking my assigned seat in the third row and having Hearns seated next me. It was interesting, to say the least, sitting next to him when highlights of his knockout loss to Marvelous Marvin Hagler were shown.
Margarito's reputation may be permanently damaged, even in the eyes of typically loyal Hispanic fight fans, if his recent pay-per-view numbers are any indication. They didn't show much interest in his May 8 ring return against Robert Garcia, which followed a 16-month layoff after his license revocation for trying to wear loaded gloves. I was told by somebody who would know that the Top Rank "Latin Fury" card Margarito headlined did around 12,000 to 15,000 buys, which is pathetic, even when you consider it wasn't on the primary pay-per-view channel that night because of a UFC event.
It's unusual for a fighter to move up the rankings after a loss, but that's what I did with cruiserweight Troy Ross, who I moved from fifth to fourth in ESPN.com's weekly divisional rankings after his fifth-round TKO loss to Steve Cunningham on Saturday in a vacant title bout. Ross deserved it. He was very sharp and scored a clean knockdown in the fourth round before a severe cut in the lower corner of his left eye later in the round short-circuited the fight. The injury was seemingly caused by an accidental thumb. Ross proved he's one of the best in his division. I hope his eye is OK.
Heard Golden Boy is tossing around the idea of a Nate Campbell-Julio Diaz fight for a September pay-per-view undercard. Campbell plans to fight on following his lopsided loss to Victor Ortiz on May 15. (Shocking, right?) Campbell was recently diagnosed with a condition that causes compression on his sciatic nerve, which severely limits his ability to move laterally. He needs eight to 10 weeks of rehab and said he'd be ready to give it another go.
Condolences to junior welterweight contender Victor Cayo of the Dominican Republic and Gardys Pena Alvarez on the death Tuesday of their 14-month-old son, Janfor Manuel Cayo. The baby died when he choked on a piece of food. It's been a tough year for the Cayos. In June '09, Cayo's longtime trainer Rudy Pena, Gardys' father, died the week of Cayo's fight with Julio Diaz.
I found this comment laughable from Selcuk Aydin, made after he outpointed Jo Jo Dan on Saturday to claim an interim belt (the silver belt, as the nasty WBC calls it -- as if that changes what it really is: a crappy, bogus title): "I want to thank everybody who supported me and helped me to become champion of the world." Note to Aydin: You're not a real world champion. You have a trinket that isn't even the real title sanctioned by the hideous WBC. That strap belongs to Andre Berto. Enjoy the fake title and don't forget to pay your fee to WBC president for life Jose Sulaiman.
Paging Ola Afolabi.
DVD pick of the week: Although many have criticized referee Arthur Mercante's unusual call to continue Cotto-Foreman even after Foreman's trainer, Joe Grier, threw in the towel during the eight round, his call was not unprecedented. I saw it happen in one of my favorite fights. Naturally, I pulled it out of the archive after returning from New York. It was in London on Feb. 17, 2007, when Michael Katsidis and Graham Earl engaged in a sensational shootout that had a similar occurrence. Fighting for a vacant interim lightweight belt, Katsidis dropped Earl twice in the blazing first round and again in the second round. After the second-round knockdown, Earl's corner threw in the towel. But referee Micky Vann picked it up and tossed it from the ring, ignoring the corner's request. Amazingly, Earl then dropped Katsidis, who survived and took over again before Earl's corner stropped the fight after the fifth round.
Your weekly random thoughts
Middleweight champ (and junior middleweight titleholder) Sergio Martinez, one of the best fighters in the world, is ready, willing and able to fight anyone in either weight division.
Kelly Pavlik declined his option for an immediate rematch after Martinez beat him to claim the middleweight title April 17, leaving Martinez's handlers -- promoter Lou DiBella and adviser Sampson Lewkowicz -- to line up another fight for the fall.
DiBella told me that he gave HBO a lengthy list of opponents Martinez was willing to face. The list: newly crowned junior middleweight titlist Miguel Cotto in a unification bout, Shane Mosley, Paul Williams (in a rematch of last year's great fight), Alfredo Angulo, Kermit Cintron, Antonio Margarito (in a rematch of Martinez's first loss), Vanes Martirosyan, Sergio Mora, Luis Collazo, Alfonso Gomez, middleweight titleholder Felix Sturm, junior middleweight titlist Cory Spinks and the winner of the June 26 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-John Duddy fight.
Obviously, Martinez isn't ducking anyone. Not a soul. DiBella said whomever HBO wanted Martinez to fight, he would try to make the deal. I know HBO prefers the rematch with Williams, but Williams' people are simply not interested right now. Dan Goossen, Williams' promoter, has told me multiple times in recent weeks that Williams is returning to welterweight for his next fight.
While some fighters duck and dodge certain fights, Martinez doesn't. And on top of his willingness to fight anyone, he's charismatic and has made some excellent fights in recent years.
Why then hasn't HBO committed to him for another fight yet? It's a source of great frustration for DiBella.
"If a fight isn't makeable because the other guy turns it down it's not fair that my fighter, the legitimate champion, can't get a fight on HBO," DiBella said. "And, by the way, we're in two weight classes because we'll do what we have to do to get a big fight. I'm super frustrated. I didn't think we'd be in this position. What I find more annoying is that guys who are more judicious with the guys they'll fight -- they say, 'I won't fight him, it's a bad matchup for me' -- are on HBO.
"I go to the network and say, 'My guy will fight the fight you want him to fight,' and when I start mentioning names, I hear, 'That guy won't fight you.' So if they won't fight Sergio, why do they have a date on HBO and Sergio doesn't?"
Although DiBella didn't mention names, it's pretty obvious he was talking about Angulo and, to a lesser degree, Williams.
"It's very frustrating because I don't have a good explanation for my fighter," DiBella said. "He doesn't understand how he can be in a position where I can't tell him when he's next fighting. I have learned the hard way that nothing is fair in life, forget about boxing, but it's not fair he doesn't have a date. HBO can't force a guy to fight him, but I know they have economic power to help a fight to happen. I hope something will break in the next few weeks."
So do I, because Martinez has been a breath of fresh air.
Apparently rumors of Cotto's demise were greatly exaggerated. I thought he looked great beating Yuri Foreman on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. I give new trainer Emanuel Steward a lot of credit. Cotto had basically been training himself for the past couple of years and now he's got a true professional in his corner. I know Steward was putting a lot of pressure on himself before this fight. I spent about an hour with him on Saturday morning and he was a nervous wreck. But he, and his fighter, came through like champs.
It was nice to see Roy Jones Jr. back at ringside calling the fight on HBO, even if it was a one-night stand while he filled in for Steward. Now that Jones' boxing career is basically finished, do you think maybe he regrets blowing his full-time HBO gig a few years ago? He wouldn't show up for meetings and when he did, he was late. He was basically a royal pain the rear end for the crew to deal with and he eventually got himself fired. But I was told that for Cotto-Foreman, he was punctual and acted like a professional. Maybe Jones, who is an excellent broadcaster when he wants to be, has finally learned a little humility.
What's the matter David Haye? Cat got your tongue?
My worlds collide: Saw a great photo on the official Web site of my favorite rock band, KISS that showed the band members posing with Vitali Klitschko backstage at their recent concert in Hamburg, Germany. I loved it.
Here's how you know you're a Fight Freak: I was sitting in the dark at about 2 a.m. the other night watching a DVD in German of Robert Stieglitz's super middleweight title defense against Ruben Acosta. Yeah, I know. I need help.
When I was in New York for Cotto-Foreman last week, I went to a Friars Club roast for Bob Arum. It was part tribute and part hilarious curse-filled jokes at Arum's expense. Among those in attendance were Manny Pacquiao, George Foreman, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini and Thomas Hearns, all Top Rank fighters in their heyday. The best part, besides the gut-busting joke that HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg told at Arum's expense (which was all in fun and not repeatable on a family Web site), was taking my assigned seat in the third row and having Hearns seated next me. It was interesting, to say the least, sitting next to him when highlights of his knockout loss to Marvelous Marvin Hagler were shown.
Margarito's reputation may be permanently damaged, even in the eyes of typically loyal Hispanic fight fans, if his recent pay-per-view numbers are any indication. They didn't show much interest in his May 8 ring return against Robert Garcia, which followed a 16-month layoff after his license revocation for trying to wear loaded gloves. I was told by somebody who would know that the Top Rank "Latin Fury" card Margarito headlined did around 12,000 to 15,000 buys, which is pathetic, even when you consider it wasn't on the primary pay-per-view channel that night because of a UFC event.
It's unusual for a fighter to move up the rankings after a loss, but that's what I did with cruiserweight Troy Ross, who I moved from fifth to fourth in ESPN.com's weekly divisional rankings after his fifth-round TKO loss to Steve Cunningham on Saturday in a vacant title bout. Ross deserved it. He was very sharp and scored a clean knockdown in the fourth round before a severe cut in the lower corner of his left eye later in the round short-circuited the fight. The injury was seemingly caused by an accidental thumb. Ross proved he's one of the best in his division. I hope his eye is OK.
Heard Golden Boy is tossing around the idea of a Nate Campbell-Julio Diaz fight for a September pay-per-view undercard. Campbell plans to fight on following his lopsided loss to Victor Ortiz on May 15. (Shocking, right?) Campbell was recently diagnosed with a condition that causes compression on his sciatic nerve, which severely limits his ability to move laterally. He needs eight to 10 weeks of rehab and said he'd be ready to give it another go.
Condolences to junior welterweight contender Victor Cayo of the Dominican Republic and Gardys Pena Alvarez on the death Tuesday of their 14-month-old son, Janfor Manuel Cayo. The baby died when he choked on a piece of food. It's been a tough year for the Cayos. In June '09, Cayo's longtime trainer Rudy Pena, Gardys' father, died the week of Cayo's fight with Julio Diaz.
I found this comment laughable from Selcuk Aydin, made after he outpointed Jo Jo Dan on Saturday to claim an interim belt (the silver belt, as the nasty WBC calls it -- as if that changes what it really is: a crappy, bogus title): "I want to thank everybody who supported me and helped me to become champion of the world." Note to Aydin: You're not a real world champion. You have a trinket that isn't even the real title sanctioned by the hideous WBC. That strap belongs to Andre Berto. Enjoy the fake title and don't forget to pay your fee to WBC president for life Jose Sulaiman.
Paging Ola Afolabi.
DVD pick of the week: Although many have criticized referee Arthur Mercante's unusual call to continue Cotto-Foreman even after Foreman's trainer, Joe Grier, threw in the towel during the eight round, his call was not unprecedented. I saw it happen in one of my favorite fights. Naturally, I pulled it out of the archive after returning from New York. It was in London on Feb. 17, 2007, when Michael Katsidis and Graham Earl engaged in a sensational shootout that had a similar occurrence. Fighting for a vacant interim lightweight belt, Katsidis dropped Earl twice in the blazing first round and again in the second round. After the second-round knockdown, Earl's corner threw in the towel. But referee Micky Vann picked it up and tossed it from the ring, ignoring the corner's request. Amazingly, Earl then dropped Katsidis, who survived and took over again before Earl's corner stropped the fight after the fifth round.
Awww.
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