Do we have any post-fight video of this...(Mayweather vs Hatton)
Originally posted by Nigel Collins
This sort of extracurricular activity isn't restricted to fighters and cornermen. I was the recipient of a quixotic sneak attack by none other than WBC president Jose Sulaiman. It was following Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s knockout of Ricky Hatton in 2007, and I was in the ring to present Mayweather with the Ring Magazine belt. After congratulating the fighter, I d****d the belt over his shoulder and began to walk back to the corner so I could exit the ring. Then I heard Al Bello -- yes, the same Al Bello -- yell, "Hey, Nigel. Go back and pose with Floyd."
I turned around to do so and saw Sulaiman deliberately push the belt off Mayweather's shoulder and onto the floor. I rushed over, picked up the belt and told Sulaiman in no uncertain terms what I would do to him if he ever tried it again. I then handed the belt to one of Mayweather's handlers and walked away. Before I could duck between the ropes and climb down the steps, somebody grabbed me from behind and pushed me up against the ropes. Security quickly intervened and pulled Sulaiman away. After pretending to calm down, he charged again, but security nabbed him before he reached me.
In retrospect, the Sulaiman episode seems humorous, but being involved provided some insight into what Bello experienced -- although it must be said that I would much rather be set upon by the elderly Sulaiman than Fernandez and Koncz.
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