Mayweather,Tyson,Pacquiao,Mosley and more

Mayweather: Pound-for-Pound Answers Found....



Ok, I'm just gonna come out and say it for Floyd Mayweather jr. Everyone wants to know why he hasn't bothered to take on guys like Margarito, or Cotto, or perhaps even Williams? Is he scared? Not at all. Is he highly skeptical? Perhaps of some on that list more than others. But when you think about it, why shouldn't he be? Yeah, Pacquiao started out at 106lbs, and it's easy to understand his fear of facing anyone too too big, but has anyone ever stopped to realize that after starting his career in '96 and spending 5yrs as a super-featherweight (130lbs), Floyd spent a year as a lightweight (135lbs), a year as a light welterweight (140lbs), and a mere 2 years campaigning as a welterweight (147lbs)? Those two years at welterweight were spent fighting the likes of Mitchell (not a big welter), Judah (another small welter), Baldomir, Oscar, and Hatton (yep, you guessed it, another small-fry). Why did he opt to face those guys only? Truth be told, he was probably never any more comfortable fighting as a welterweight than Pacquiao would be, but in a stark parallel, he followed the house money like we now see Pacquiao doing. When you consider the fact that guys like Cotto, Margarito, Williams, and Clottey have all entered the ring on fight night as welterweights that carry 160lbs or better, you truly have to wonder how feasible is it to step in with a guy like that when you've never entered the ring beyond 150lbs - (and that happened to be in a fight he took at jr. middleweight). So in examining the reasons for Pacquiao's concern I think it's fair to say we've uncovered Floyd's as well. Now considering that both these guys are half-pints in disguise, can we finally stop the catch-weight yappin' and make the fight happen?



Mosley: No 'Ring' Around The Mosley...



For years, 'Sugar' Shane Mosley was seen as perhaps one of the classiest men in the sport. Awesome in the ring, well-behaved out it. After a stunning performance against Mexican 'Iron-man' Antonio Margarito, it seems the awareness of a phone that has still yet to ring is starting to create a bitter change in the 'Sugar' man. In a recent interview with ESPN's Brian Kenny, Mosley went well beyond his norm in not only calling former P4P king Floyd Mayweather out, but using rhetoric which most viewers perceived to be ill-fated attacks at Mayweather's rumored money problems. This was quite a shift in Shane, but considering the fact that he hasn't been able to land a big fight deal after arguably his best career moment and Mayweather was able to return after a near 2yr layoff and has a table full of offers awaiting, perhaps it's precisely what the doctor ordered for Mr. Mosley. Mayweather recently stated in so many words that when he was nice and mild-mannered, no one was talking about him, but when he started talking and doing things his way, the attention, the money, and all the other accolades came into the equation. I don't know if that 'bad-boy' call-em-out reputation will help for Mosley, but hey, maybe it's better late than never. He can back it up in the ring too, so if taking off that 'ring' over his head (halo), and acting foul is the way to piss Mayweather off enough to eventually land him in the ring, (even if it is after a Pacquiao showdown), why not?



Pacquiao: If I Could Be Like Mike....



Recently, a number of fans and critics around the sport have began to question Filipino Manny Pacquiao about rumored stipulations to be imposed on his yet to be named next opponent. Of all things criticized, the most prominent one is the stipulation that would make it mandatory for that person to make a weight no more than 142lbs. As discouraging as it may seem to see the political side of the sport rear its ugly head once again, to quote the legendary Roy Jones Jr., "yall musta forgot"! What Pacquiao is doing now is nothing more than asserting his position as 'head-man-in-charge'. Over a decade ago it was Mike Tyson, following him it was Oscar De La Hoya calling the shots and making the rules. After Oscar's reign it was Floyd who became the sports cash cow, receiving the leverage to give ultimatums, and after he retired and relinquished that role, it was subsequently taken by Pacquiao who now owns exclusive rights to the 'table', able to run it pretty much however he chooses. It would be a shame if we don't actually get to see some of these fights made and in a way it would leave questions around his legacy, but at the end of the day, is it fair to blame the Pac-ster? He didn't invent the wheel, but much like his predecessors, he's just fine rollin' with it! Think about it....In today's money driven era of the sport, who doesn't wanna be like Mike (Tyson)?



Paul Williams: Proud Paul Keep On Burnin'...



Isn't it funny how all the talk about who's gonna fight who in the welterweight division has yet to produce one sentence with the name Paul Williams in it? No doubt, Williams' exit north from the welterweight division didn't help his cause, but he and his people have made no secret that they don't mind one bit having to entertain a scenario that would require them to cut weight and get back down to '47. Cotto fought Margarito, Margarito fought Mosley, Clottey is fighting Cotto and the list goes on. Somewhere in the midst of all this hagglin' there has to be something in the mix for Paul...or is there? When you think of the height, the length, and the work rate, there's no question why few have come knocking. With the welterweight division yielding no results and the jr. middleweight and middleweight divisions producing few options as well, one has to wonder, will Paul ever get a chance to showcase his true worth, or will he forever walk that path which 'Winky' Wright, Nate Campbell, and a few others have....possessing top tier talent, but having no takers to allow them to display it. Hearing Mosley - (a welterweight fighter who can physically entertain a 154lb limit) - say in so many words that he has no interest in a potential showdown with him certainly didn't help. Williams has quite a bit to be proud of considering his emergence in the sport, but deep down inside, I quietly wonder if not being able to cash in on the mega bucks being tossed around or atleast engage in a few mega-fight headliners has the big man burnin'?



Johnson/Dawson: 'Road Warrior' Travelin' Up Dawson's Creek?



After taking two fights against Antonio Tarver, rumor has it that Dawson is getting set for a real (re)match made in heaven this time. Or atleast for Glen Johnson it is. Ever since the two locked horns initially, Johnson has practically turned up every stone east of the Mississippi looking and searching for a meaningful fight and found that no such scenario existed. After their last encounter, many question whether this decision to take on Johnson again was in-fact the popular choice in Dawson's camp, or simply the unpopular decision conveyed to them, urged by growing public demand? Another question ponders whether the decision to delay the rematch will help Dawson against an aging Johnson, or whether or not it will serve as a motivational ploy for Johnson, knowing that this may very well be his last chance to dance? I personally can't pin down which one of the two it may be, but what I can say is that I'm happy the two teams are back at the round table. For one of them, large questions will be answered, and perhaps for the losing party, a few more raised. The mark of any true champion is the ability to remove all doubt, and now that the chance may be upon us, it feels swell. I hate to go old school but these "good vibrations" have me quoting that old school Mark Wahlberg (as Marky-Mark) joint from back in the day...."Are yall ready for this"?



Urango/Berto: Beef Buffet, Heavy On The Ribs



Saturday night we get a chance to see the young Andre Berto as he steps into the ring against a man that's probably as live an underdog as any out there know. The only real memory most have of Urango is the fight againt Ricky Hatton but oddly enough, the man you saw then is far from the man you'll see now. Under the guidance of Evangelista Cotto (Miguel Cotto's uncle and former trainer), Urango has looked nothing short of stellar and those wide looping shots have been replaced with more precise jabs, and a dedication to the body that only Miguel Cotto could rival in todays market. For Berto, the basic skill set comparison goes to him easily, but the intangible here could very well be the body work. No one (with true knowledge) can deny Urango's ability to take a punch, but his ability to land something nasty is far more dangerous. Berto showed major signs of pain when tested to the body by Collazo and many felt it had a lot to do with the southpaw stance. Well, here's another one up to bat, and trust me, Collazo's power pales in comparison. I lean towards Berto getting the nod here, but if the rib-shack is open and Urango gets 'all-he-can-eat', I think the Berto evolution could very well be halted. His trainer, Tony Morgan, stated that it's time for Berto to "Shine or turn the lights off". I don't wanna read too much into that but based on heavy skepticism of the young champ, this had better be a non-questionable verdict, or many of us on the outside looking in will be wondering "is there anybody home"?



Jones/Lacy: Is Florida Finale A 'Curtain Call'?



Both Roy Jones Jr. and Jeff Lacy know that their scheduled showdown has as many implications as any non-title bout could ever have. Coming off a string of losses with a few not-so-solid performances sandwiched in, neither man is in position to let this opportunity pass without an out this world performance to pull from. When looking at common opponents, the name Joe Calzaghe comes to mind. For Lacy, Calzaghe was the single-most detrimental figure his career could have ever seen. While for Jones, he was humbled as well, but many believe that an opponent without the wicked workrate and speedy slaps could still easily fall on the short end of the stick against him. With both men being from Florida it's only fitting that they settle this score in the sunshine state, but another devastating loss for either man could quickly turn that shine to rain. Roy has little left to prove, while Lacy (in the eyes of some) has never technically proved anything. Nothing is impossible today in the fight game. That is until we start seeing guys ask the forces of nature to turn back the hands of time. I have no idea who will emerge victorious, but with the stage set and the script in question, apparently we'll have to wait until August to find out which man gets the encore, and which torn soldier won't want more? Personally, I have an inclination here.....Is it me, or is this one just that predictable?



"Iron" Mike Tyson: A Silent Prayer



After a life that has seen him rise from basement level ashes to effectively touch the stars, existence beyond his glory days have been quite troubling for "Iron" Mike Tyson and a recent tragedy in his family only adds further pain. For a man who measures himself with words, I can honestly say that there's no words in any dictionary or thesaurus on the planet to describe the level of pain this loss means to those of us who have supported Mike throughout his career and life. The loss of a child is immeasurable, and I can only pray that Tyson and his family can find peace in this trying time. Many have been very critical of him and some continue to be, but in a moment like this which strips a once beastly demeanor, uncovering a God-fearing, tear-dropping being like the rest of us; I say to those detractors......We may originate from totally different worlds, and have totally different approaches to life, but in the end, can anyone truly question whether or not this man - like the rest of us - is only human? And do you now understand why many of us chose to never turn our back on him in the first place? Blessings to the Tyson family.

Source: http://www.8countnews.com/news/125/ARTICLE/1623/2009-05-27.html