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*********.com also asked Oscar about last weekend's Mayweather-Baldomir clash.
We would like to get your comments on the Floyd Mayweather fight this weekend.
Well, I actually didn't see the fight. Richard Schaefer was in Las Vegas, and I did have him on the phone throughout the whole fight and he was explaining to me what was going on and that's exactly the way I called the fight. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was just too fast for him and the harder Baldimir tried, the easier it would be for Mayweather so it was nothing new to me. That's the same I thought the fight would come out to -- Mayweather winning by decision.
HBO's commentators were pretty hard on Mayweather's performance and after the fight he got into it with Larry Merchant and later at the press conference, he was very emotional and talked about one more fight then he wants to retire. Where do you think his head's at right now? Do you think he's serious about that?
From what I heard, HBO gave him the whole fight. Obviously they did give him credit for winning the fight and blowing him away. I believe Mayweather couldn't handle Larry Merchant's criticism. Obviously that's what he is, he's a critic and a critic will report and he comments on fights. What I heard is that Mayweather couldn't handle what Larry Merchant's was saying and he blew up, and was saying 'Larry you stick to commentating and let me stick to fighting' and this and that. I mean that really looked bad on Floyd Mayweather and for him to say that he's going to have one more fight, I think his emotions are really getting in the way.
Do you think that's going to be an impediment to you getting in there with him?
Let me tell you one thing, my deal is off the table for Floyd. I was really turned off by what Richard was telling me, the way he was acting after the fight, his performance, the people walking out of the arena and the people booing. Why does he deserve to be up there in that ring and make all that money with me?
Does that mean you're not going to fight again?
I'm going to fight, I'm going to fight, whether it's Mayweather or not I'm going to fight. This is what I do. I love fighting. Is it going to be Mayweather? If he takes the deal that I give him -- People keep on saying how Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. I have to disagree with that. I'm convinced that he's not.
Who would your #1 pound-for-pound fighter be?
I would have to say, Manny Pacquiao. If he knocks out Erik Morales, if he wins again with Erik Morales, then he's the pound-for-pound fighter.
Where do you put yourself on that list?
Well I hope I'm top ten. I don't know. I fought Ricardo Myorga. People didn't expect me to knock him out, but people expected me to win against him. I hope I showed some kind of excitement and energy on my part and hopefully enough to place me in the top ten. I don't know, maybe even top 15. It's going to take some tough, tough opponents to place me back in the top five or even number one. Beating a Baldomir or beating a Gatti is not going to get me there, let's put it that way.
What's coming up next?
On the 25th we have Juan Manual Marquez against Jimrex Jaca fighting on HBO After Dark and fighting on the same card we have Demitrius Hopkins fighting for the IBF number one mandatory spot. Then we have Winky Wright fighting Ike Quartey and we have Kassim Ouma the following week fighting Jermain Taylor. We have big weeks ahead of us closing out the year, so it's exciting. 2007 -- that's going to be a super, super year for us.
You had a super year this year already, what do you have planned for 2007?
Events every month for the next year. It's exciting. With all the fighters we have like Barrera and Hopkins and Mosley and myself, Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Jesus Chavez, Joan Guzman, a very exciting fight roster and obviously it's going to keep us very, very busy. And now that we're getting into the heavyweight picture with the number one for Shannon Briggs, which is Sultan Ibraginov. We're going to start negotiating on making that fight, and we can hopefully come to terms -- and we can make that fight happen because that's what the heavyweight division needs.
We would like to get your comments on the Floyd Mayweather fight this weekend.
Well, I actually didn't see the fight. Richard Schaefer was in Las Vegas, and I did have him on the phone throughout the whole fight and he was explaining to me what was going on and that's exactly the way I called the fight. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was just too fast for him and the harder Baldimir tried, the easier it would be for Mayweather so it was nothing new to me. That's the same I thought the fight would come out to -- Mayweather winning by decision.
HBO's commentators were pretty hard on Mayweather's performance and after the fight he got into it with Larry Merchant and later at the press conference, he was very emotional and talked about one more fight then he wants to retire. Where do you think his head's at right now? Do you think he's serious about that?
From what I heard, HBO gave him the whole fight. Obviously they did give him credit for winning the fight and blowing him away. I believe Mayweather couldn't handle Larry Merchant's criticism. Obviously that's what he is, he's a critic and a critic will report and he comments on fights. What I heard is that Mayweather couldn't handle what Larry Merchant's was saying and he blew up, and was saying 'Larry you stick to commentating and let me stick to fighting' and this and that. I mean that really looked bad on Floyd Mayweather and for him to say that he's going to have one more fight, I think his emotions are really getting in the way.
Do you think that's going to be an impediment to you getting in there with him?
Let me tell you one thing, my deal is off the table for Floyd. I was really turned off by what Richard was telling me, the way he was acting after the fight, his performance, the people walking out of the arena and the people booing. Why does he deserve to be up there in that ring and make all that money with me?
Does that mean you're not going to fight again?
I'm going to fight, I'm going to fight, whether it's Mayweather or not I'm going to fight. This is what I do. I love fighting. Is it going to be Mayweather? If he takes the deal that I give him -- People keep on saying how Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. I have to disagree with that. I'm convinced that he's not.
Who would your #1 pound-for-pound fighter be?
I would have to say, Manny Pacquiao. If he knocks out Erik Morales, if he wins again with Erik Morales, then he's the pound-for-pound fighter.
Where do you put yourself on that list?
Well I hope I'm top ten. I don't know. I fought Ricardo Myorga. People didn't expect me to knock him out, but people expected me to win against him. I hope I showed some kind of excitement and energy on my part and hopefully enough to place me in the top ten. I don't know, maybe even top 15. It's going to take some tough, tough opponents to place me back in the top five or even number one. Beating a Baldomir or beating a Gatti is not going to get me there, let's put it that way.
What's coming up next?
On the 25th we have Juan Manual Marquez against Jimrex Jaca fighting on HBO After Dark and fighting on the same card we have Demitrius Hopkins fighting for the IBF number one mandatory spot. Then we have Winky Wright fighting Ike Quartey and we have Kassim Ouma the following week fighting Jermain Taylor. We have big weeks ahead of us closing out the year, so it's exciting. 2007 -- that's going to be a super, super year for us.
You had a super year this year already, what do you have planned for 2007?
Events every month for the next year. It's exciting. With all the fighters we have like Barrera and Hopkins and Mosley and myself, Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez, Jesus Chavez, Joan Guzman, a very exciting fight roster and obviously it's going to keep us very, very busy. And now that we're getting into the heavyweight picture with the number one for Shannon Briggs, which is Sultan Ibraginov. We're going to start negotiating on making that fight, and we can hopefully come to terms -- and we can make that fight happen because that's what the heavyweight division needs.
I had great expectations for Oscar to be a honest face, different from that of Don King or Bob Arum. I am wrong, I am *kinda* glad that the first to get shafted is a prick like Mayw. and not someone like Baldomir
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