By Pedro Fernandez
TAFFETT INJECTED THE “T-WORD” FOR WRIGHT-MOSLEY
With Winky Wright and Shane Mosley less than three weeks away from their World 154 lb. championship rematch, HBO PPV VP Mark Taffett dropped the “T-Word” when he said in a Sunday radio appearance. “Overlooking the November 20 fight will be none other than Tito Trinidad .” Fresh off a 27-month layoff and a KO of Ricardo Mayorga October 2, Trinidad vs. either man is the “Super Fight” at junior middleweight. Taffett says the 42-1 (35 KO’s) Puerto Rican will fight March 12, 2005 against TBA, and then most likely meet the winner of the November 20 Wright-Mosley clash.
IF 2004 ENDED FOR HBO BOXING RIGHT THIS SECOND?
The boxing put forth by HBO and the PPV arm this year has been nothing less than impressive! So I pressed the guy who always has the best seat for live fights, Mark Taffett, as to what fight stood out through ten months of 2004? “I’d have to say the Trinidad-Mayorga fight. The crowd and the fight, it’ll be hard to top that event. But looking forward, we’ve got eight heavyweights on HBO PPV November 13 looking to fight Vitali Klitschko who goes with Danny Williams December 11. Don King literally has “Tons” of heavyweights. And there’s been a bit of talk of late in the business that there be an undisputed champion again. Vitali Klitschko is considered the world heavyweight champion, but he wants to be the undisputed champ. I expect boxing to move in that direction.”
BARRERA’S LAST BIG STAND NOVEMBER 27 ON HBO PPV?
The “Rubber Match” between World 130 lb. champion Erik Morales and his chief adversary Marco Antonio Barrera is the fight that will elevate one man to another level in the minds of boxing fans. At 41-1 with 35 shortened evenings, Erik Morales has in the 57-4 Barrera the perfect foil I think at this stage of the game. Coming off their most recent outings, Morales looks to be the far better pug as he blunted Carlos Hernandez . Marco fought Paulie Ayala in June, this after having been drilled by Manny Pacquiao 12 months ago! Taffett offered, “We could have made other fights involving these men, but the public wants Morales-Barrera III.”
TAYLOR-JOPPY IS JERMAIN’S “FIRST PUGILISTIC EXAM”
Although HBO has yet to announce a site, 2000 Olympic Bronze Medallist Jermain Taylor and ex-champ William Joppy will engage December 4 on HBO Championship Boxing . The 21-0 Taylor faces the ex two-time middleweight titleholder William Joppy who is 34-3-1. Having not fought in a year, and since his losing to Bernard Hopkins, Joppy will have some rust to contend with. All due respect to Joppy, this is Jermain’s night to prove his backers right by getting the job done and impressively.
WHY IS KLITSCHKO-WILLIAMS ON HBO PPV DECEMBER 11?
Having posed that question to Mark Taffett, he said the following. “ Vitali Klitschko and his people think there is a tremendous upside in their fighting on PPV. They feel that Vitali is coming into his own as a star, and that fighting Williams right after he had just knocked out Mike Tyson makes it a huge PPV event both here and abroad.”
HBO VP SAYS “THE BOXING YEAR ENDS WITH BIG BANG!”
"Although it is not yet official, we’d like to end things December 18 by matching the two guys that knocked out Roy Jones in successive fights, Antonio Tarver and Glenn Johnson .” When the subject of Oscar De La Hoya was broached, Mark indicated there will be talks in the next couple of weeks with Golden Boy Promotions head honcho Richard Schaeffer in regards to the next move.
KRONK “GOLDFATHER” SAYS JOE WAS “THE GREATEST CHAMP!”
Appearing on the late-edition of “Ring Talk Radio” Sunday evening, Kronk Gym “Goldfather” Emanuel Steward was asked how he thought ex-heavyweight champion Joe Louis would do fighting today as a heavyweight. “It is hard to compare fighters from vastly different eras. He probably could not have competed because of his size disadvantage. But in all, I think he was the greatest champion ever in boxing. In a lot of ways, Joe did more than Muhammad Ali did for boxing and the country too.”
NYC HOTELIER SAW “UNLIMITED POTENTIAL” IN MCCLINE
Having secured the “Mandatory” challenger position in the IBF, Jameel McCline is in a good spot when he tangles with IBF champion Chris Byrd on the November 13 HBO PPV “Night of Heavyweights” emanating from Madison Square Garden. The fleet-footed Byrd is a slight betting favorite over McCline who has no amateur background per se! But when you look at the fact that Chris was a controversial Decision winner against Fres Oquendo in September of 2003, and then there was that eye-raising Draw with Andrew Golota this past April.
MCCLINE LOOKING TO “FIGHT BIG” & CLIP BYRD’S WINGS!
When I contacted Mc Cline’s co-Manager Alan Wartski yesterday, the Big Apple hotel baron was cautiously optimistic. When I brought up Jameel’s fight with Wladimir Klitschko, Alan explained the lackluster performance like this. “Our Nutritionist left us and went with L.L. Cool Jay . The guy we brought in drove Jameel into the ground. We got rid of the guy, but it was too late. This guy had him on ‘Oxygen Deprivation,’ if you can believe it. We’ve learned from that. Jameel will fight big Pedro, impose his will and make Byrd fight going backwards and against the ropes.”
WARTSKI REALIZES “THE RHYTHM FACTOR” IN BOXING!
“We realize that Chris Byrd fights on rhythm. We will push him back and make him fight on his heels. We won’t give him the time to get things going. From the first bell, we will be in Chris’ face. He can’t fight big cause he’s small,” said the second-generation hotelier that runs the “Cosmopolitan Hotel” in NYC. “Golota had the right idea, he just didn’t fight enough. We won’t let up!”
VISITING NEW YORK CITY ANYTIME SOON?
Everybody who ponders a trip to New York City realizes that while the airfares are affordable, a hotel room in the Big Apple can break the bank! The Cosmopolitan Hotel, located at 95 W Broadway in the Tribeca District of NYC is a travelers dream come true! The Chambers St. “Subway Station” is just steps away from the Cosmo, as are great restaurants and stores, all New York can offer and more! The Cosmopolitan Hotel staff will treat you like royalty, but yet you won’t have to pay a King’s ransom to stay at the Cosmo! Check out their website for information on rooms and the like at www.CosmoHotel.com or call them toll free at 1-888-895-9400!
BOXING VIDEOS THAT CANNOT BE TOPPED ANYWHERE!!
The new Video segments entitled “ A Round With Pedro,” both #1 & 2 are sure to enlighten you unlike anything the Web has to offer! The initial episode is “ Destroying the Low Blow Myth,” while episode #2 deals explains the need for a boxer to have correct a “ Stance.” Here’s the Video Archives link http://ringtalk.com/video.asp
HAVE YOU READ OUR OTHER “FRESH’ STUFF?
In addition to this piece, the hottest feature at www.RingTalk.com is my “ Odds, & Predictions!” The month of November is ready for your perusal. Click on the “ Odds & Predictions” button at the top of this page! And the “ Monthly Boxing History of November” put together by our “ House Historian” Sin City Richey, it has also been updated today!
Pedro Fernandez
Note: Mr. Fernandez is NOT your average boxing writer!
A four-time San Francisco Golden Gloves champion, and formerly a Cop with the San Francisco Police Dept.,few people have the unique combination of having a boxing background in addition to being a schooled Journalist.
He can be reached with your comments at Pedro@RingTalk.com
