DE LA HOYA TO HOST INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TOMORROW TO ANNOUNCE THE MAYWEATHER VS. MARQUEZ UNDERCARD

Oscar de la Hoya, Leonard Ellerbe and Richard Schaefer will host an international media conference call to announce one of the most exciting pay-per-view undercards in recent years tomorrow, Tuesday, August 18 at 2:30pm ET/ 11:30am PT, making the Mayweather vs. Marquez fight card a top-to-bottom sensation. The six participating undercard fighters will join De La Hoya, Ellerbe and Schaefer on the call to discuss their upcoming bouts.

Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Quaker State, AT&T, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, September 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9pm ET/6pm PT.

HBO's Emmy®-Award-winning all-access reality series "24/7" returns to HBO® with an all new edition as "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7" premieres Saturday, August 29 at 10:15 pm ET/PT. The four-episode series will chronicle the preparations and back stories of both fighters as they train for their September 19 pay-per-view showdown.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-26535.html

Juan Manuel Marquez: Waiting for the call

It is the prom all over again. Kinda, sorta. Juan Manuel Marquez went on two dates with Manny Pacquiao. They had a lovely time and were the talk of the boxing world. The trouble started when Marquez decided not to call Pacquiao after their first encounter.

Rumors were rampant that it was Juan's dad , one Nacho Beristain, that may have in fact put the kibosh on date number two. That was a shame because the first date had gone so well with it's swollen lips , busted noses and knockdowns. It was the classic first date.

It took four years to get these two crazy kids back in the ring together. Each had grown in popularity and each had become even better than before. The date went fantastically. It had body punches and hard left and right hands. And oh yes, there was even another knockdown, how sweet.

But the night didn't end exactly like Juan had envisioned. Manny was declared the winner in a great fight and as he left the ring one could hear Juan say, "call me".

Juan has been waiting by his phone ever since then. But Manny never called. Juan's hopes were raised earlier this year when Manny's dad, Mr. Roach to me and you, said that he thought a third date would be great. But he made it clear that Juan and his family would have to stop crying about date number two.

Manny now has Miguel Cotto's name pencilled in for November 14. At the same time Juan has agreed to a September date with that rather loud young man, Floyd Mayweather. Many believe that Juan is just trying to throw Pretty Boy's name in Manny's face. Maybe make Manny a little jealous about what could have been.

But Manny isn't playing that game. He says he has gone on to bigger and better things and it would suit him just fine if Juan's name was never mentioned again.

Now, it has come to our attention that Manny has a wish list for three more mega dates and Juan's name isn't on there. So how can Juan get his name back on that list? His plan is to apparently pummel Floyd on their date. You know , the good old fashioned kind of beating we only see on classic fight films. His hope is to make Manny so jealous that he will have no alternative but to call him.

Unfortunately for Juan, Manny doesn't have a jealous bone in his body. So while the rest of us kids at the prom would love to see these two get back together, it just isn't going to happen.

So Manny says , "thanks for the memories Juan, but it is time for you to move on and see other people."

And just like that one of the best fighters in the world has a date with Floyd and then will go back to waiting by the phone. Waiting for that one call. But it won't be from "him".

That waiting by the phone can make for some long nights. I know. Been there, done that.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-8557-Norfolk-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d16-Juan-Manuel-Marquez-Waiting-for-the-call

Heavy Hitting Half-Year Upcoming - Pacquiao, Marquez, Mayweather, Mosley, Hopkins, Klitschko and more!

In the next six months, the #1 fighter in every division from lightweight on up may find himself involved in a significant bout. Consider:

Juan Manuel Marquez, the recognized lightweight champion, faces the most difficult challenge of his career when he stares down come-backing Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in September.

Manny Pacquiao, the linear junior welterweight #1, confronts welterweight #2 (or #1, depending on where you sit) Miguel Cotto in November.

Shane Mosley, the best welterweight in the world to many, may match fists with undefeated welterweight titleholder Andre Berto early next year.

Boxing’s resident mutant and arguable 154-pound top dog Paul Williams challenges unified 160-pound champion Kelly Pavlik in October.

The 168-pounders? If Mikkel Kessler is your cup-of-tea, he takes on US Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward in November in the first round of SHOWTIME’s Super Six tournament. More of a Lucian Bute fan? He rematches top contender Librado Andrade in the same month.

Undefeated light heavyweight titleholder Chad Dawson tackles the crazy codger Glen Johnson again in November, too. If elder statesman Bernard Hopkins exits the division by then, Dawson – Johnson II may crown a recognized light heavyweight champion.

Speaking of Hopkins, Hard Nard could find himself face-to-face with the world’s #1 cruiserweight Tomasz Adamek sometime next January.

At heavyweight, the dual-headed Klitschko giant has to stave off the US’s top two heavyweight hopefuls. Think Vitali is tops? He fights unbeaten Mexican-American power-puncher Cristobal Arreola in September. Believe Wladimir the Younger has the best claim to the throne? Chances are good he’ll face once-beaten stylist and consensus Top 5 heavyweight Eddie Chambers by the end of the year.

That’s eight divisions, nearly a dozen fights, and seven or so countries represented. All the bouts will be available to American audiences on either Home Box Office or Showtime, with only two of the bouts restricted to pay-per-view audiences. At least one of the bouts promises to be a mainstream event. And all appear to be, with the exception of maybe Mayweather – Marquez, competitive and meaningful match-ups on paper.

What does this all mean? It means the promoters are making the fights. It means the networks are buying the fights. It means the fighters want the fights. And it means that we, the fans, should be very happy.

Who says boxing is dead?

CONCLUSIVE BLOWS

-I understand that the sport’s biggest potential bout, Mayweather – Pacquiao, was not made this year and many of the sport’s problems can attribute to that. But even Mixed Martial Arts, which uses a much healthier business model than boxing, recently failed to make MMA’s biggest fight. Why? For some of the same problems that plague boxing promoters…

-Roy Jones should beat Jeff Lacy. And Jones’ continuing career isn’t shameful, in my eyes, despite that Captain Hook outfit. Just irrelevant. Being irrelevant isn’t necessarily an evil thing…

-According to David Tyler, Freddie Roach believes it’ll be a decade or more before another Filipino as good as Pacquiao comes along. I’m not saying Nonito Donaire will be an all-time great at the end of the day, but I’m saying he has a chance. If he struggles with Rafael Concepcion on Saturday, it’s not the end of the world. Even Pacquiao had fits with lesser fighters when he was below featherweight…

-Mike Tyson’s recent interviews promoting his new DVD are a complete 180 from the old days. Gone are the nonsensical multi-syllabics, the vitriolic rambles, the lobe and leg lunches and the testicle threats. It’s like he doesn’t have that demonic persona to fall back on in the public anymore. To me, that makes him seem more innocent and childlike. Maybe that’s not better for entertainment, but I think it’s better for Mike…

Source: http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Camacho/Camacho_081509.htm

The Wizard of WildCard - Part II Interview with Freddie Roach (Freddie's All Time Top 10 P4P!)

Renowned boxing trainer Freddie Roach answered the reader’s questions in part one (see link provided below) of this interview. Previously Freddie had given us his P4P rankings among active boxers. Now he will let us have a peek at his all time P4P rankings.

David Tyler – Freddie, we had great success with your P4P list in a previous article. Would you be willing to give us your all time P4P list?

Freddie Roach – Lets go for it. Write them down in case I change the order.

1.Joe Louis – Textbook fighter, combinations, short punches, if you wanted to go by the book, he was the perfect fighter.

2.Sugar Ray Robinson – Could do every thing, way ahead of his time. He invented the pound for pound ratings.

3.Henry Armstrong – Unstoppable, fought in four or five weight divisions, unbelievable challenger.

4.Ruben Oliveras - 81 – 0 at one time with 79 knockouts. The greatest finisher of all time. If he hurt you it was over.

5.Rocky Marciano – Greatest puncher of all time. Resilient, tough, very small heavyweight with lots of balls.

6.Muhammad Ali – Some may question this but he would have beat Joe Louis in a fight because of his natural ability this will usually take over a textbook fighter. He was just unbelievable, he did everything wrong but he got away with it.

7.Willie Pep – Willie the wiz could win a fight without throwing a punch, great head movement, just one of the purest boxers of all time.

8.Salvador Sanchez - One of the great Mexican fighters of all time. In the middle of his greatest could have been a multiple champion, could really fight. I just love watching him.

9.Mike Tyson – Could knock out a lot of guys in any era, great, exciting, the kind of fighter other fighters enjoyed watching.

10.Sugar Ray Leonard – Could fight in any era, five time world champion, gold medalist, big heart, a complete fighter.

Readers, agree or disagree with Freddie’s list of all time boxers? Please e-mail me at dtyler53@cox.net with your favorite fighters and I will get Freddie’s opinion of them.

I personally enjoy the e-mails from the doghouse boxing readers. Do you want to continue with the Freddie Roach interviews? Tell me what kind of boxing articles get your attention. What kind do you fall asleep reading? It’s your opinions that I’m after because you are the audience.

It’s been a lot of fun interviewing Freddie Roach and I can’t say enough how much I love talking boxing to the fans via e-mails.

Thank You,
Gracias, Mucho Mas,
Salamat Po,
God Bless,

David Tyler

Source: http://www.doghouseboxing.com/DHB/Tyler081309.htm

Mayweather rumored to host WWE RAW

Rumors are swirling that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will make a return to the WWE to host WWE's RAW on August 24. WWE RAW will be live from Las Vegas which happens to also be Vince McMahon's 64th birthday.

Last time we saw Floyd in the WWE, he was feuding with the Big Show. You can guarantee that there will be another encounter because the WWE tag-team champions, Big Show and Chris Jericho, have been dominating the WWE landscape for the past several weeks.

I for one would love to see Mayweather return and continue his feud with the Big Show because it will spill over onto Jericho and Jericho can carry just about any storyline or any opponent in the ring. It would be hilarious seeing Mayweather and Jericho going toe-to-toe.

WWE has been allowing guest hosts to promote their upcoming ventures. This is perfect for Floyd since he has a fight on 9/19.....

Floyd has a natural personality that's a great fit for the WWE. He was successful in his previous stint and there's no doubt that another appearance would be great for both parties.

Let's hope that these rumors can come true. It's better than the rumor flying around about MC Hammer hosting RAW.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-13475-Pro-Wrestling-Examiner~y2009m8d13-Mayweather-rumored-to-host-WWE-RAW

MAYWEATHER VS. MARQUEZ "NUMBER ONE/NUMERO UNO" WEEKLY MEDIA CONFERENCE CALLS TO BEGIN TUESDAY, AUGUST 18

LAS VEGAS (August 12, 2009) - The countdown is on! With a little over five weeks remaining before the highly anticipated 'Number One/Numero Uno' mega-fight between six-time world champion in five weight divisions Floyd Mayweather and five-time world champion in three weight divisions Juan Manuel Marquez, media members will be given an opportunity to hear from the fighters, trainers and several special guests during a series of international media conference calls. Mayweather vs. Marquez is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View®.

The series will kick off with a call to officially announce the incredibly stacked Mayweather vs. Marquez undercard and will feature a number of the undercard fighters. You won't want to miss the chance to hear from the promoters and fighters as they explain why this undercard rivals any in the history of the sport.

The conference calls will be held on the following dates:

Tuesday, August 18 - Undercard Announcement and Fighters Conference Call
Tuesday, August 25 - Marquez & Trainer Conference Call
Tuesday, September 1 - Mayweather & Trainer Conference Call
Wednesday, September 9 - Special Business Forum Conference Call with CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer & Senior Vice President of HBO Sports Operations & Pay-Per-View Mark Taffet

Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Quaker State, AT&T, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, September 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

The Mayweather vs. Marquez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Marquez fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

HBO's Emmy®-Award-winning all-access reality series "24/7" returns to HBO® with an all new edition as "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7" premieres Saturday, August 29 at 10:15 pm ET/PT. The four-episode series will chronicle the preparations and back stories of both fighters as they train for their September 19 pay-per-view showdown.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-26404.html

Top 10 reasons why Floyd Mayweather, Jr. may defeat Juan Manuel Marquez

My last article gave you my top 10 reasons why Juan Manuel Marquez may defeat Floyd Mayweather, Jr. next month. Here are my top 10 reasons why the exact opposite may occur instead:

Number 10. Defense versus lack thereof. There may not be a fighter today (well circa 2007) with better defensive skills than Floyd, Jr. Combine that with the fact that Marquez is very hittable and you have a potential recipe for a Mexican disaster.

Number 9. Flash. See number 10 above. Marquez is the king of taking flash knockdowns, which are scorecard killers. Mayweather's counter punches are so quick and precise that I expect Marquez to hit the canvas at least once during the fight. Marquez will never be able to make up the ground in the late rounds if he gets too far behind.

Number 8. Hit and don't get hit. The essence of boxing is Mayweather at his best. Tell me all you want about the glorious charges made by Oscar De La Hoya and Jose Luis Castillo; however, the reality is that no fighter has ever come close to defeating Money May.

Number 7. Nacho Beristain. Yeah, he makes both lists for the simple reason that I question his ability to get the job done in major marquee fights. He trained Oscar De La Hoya and Marquez against Manny Pacquiao. In those fights he ended up 0-2-1. Granted the opponent in those fights is the absolute best in the sport right now, but Marquez also took too much punishment against Juan Diaz before he closed the show. Juan Diaz is no Manny Pacquiao. Either Nacho's fighters are too old to pull the trigger, as Freddie Roach would say, or there is a preparation problem against elite opposition.

Number 6. Blood. Marquez's forehead may well be pure scar tissue by now. If Mayweather can cut him, then Marquez will press more and make mistakes. Nobody gets away with mistakes against Mayweather.

Number 5. Experience and power. I'm talking about fight experience and natural power north of 140lbs here. Mayweather has fought as high as 154lbs and hasn't fought at lightweight since 2003. By contrast, Marquez has fought as high as 135lbs, but only twice. Like Roy Jones, Jr., Mayweather can hit when he wants to and Marquez is going to learn that Juan Diaz and Joel Casamayor did little to prepare him for the difference in punching power.

Number 4. Styles make fights. Styles do make fights, but they also make mismatches. If you're going to buy this fight, then be prepared for a chess match and not a war. Unfortunately for Marquez, he needs a war to win in my view; however, Mayweather never goes to war. If Marquez cannot dictate the action, then this thing will be Oscar De La Hoya all over again without a split decision.

Number 3. Road wear. In my last article I mentioned that the tale of the tape between the two men doesn't necessarily give Mayweather a significant advantage. I said nothing about age though. The older Marquez is battle tested and durable, but nobody can dispute that he struggled early against Juan Diaz. Mayweather may not throw as many punches as Baby Bull, but he is by far more dangerous. Marquez has taken a lot of punishment in his career, Mayweather hasn't taken any. As such, Marquez's best moments may have already been punched out of him.

Number 2. Manny Pacquiao. Since his "retirement" in 2007, Floyd, Jr. has been driven stark raving mad by all of the attention that Manny has received. He knows that Manny struggled against Marquez, and Mayweather is not about to give up a bragging right. The reality is that Pacquiao is the only non-financial reason why Mayweather came out of retirement and Marquez is his "what Manny can do, I can do better" project. Mayweather's post-fight speech is already written whereby he will talk about how he "dominated Marquez…something Manny couldn't do." This is the only reason why he is fighting Marquez in the first place--an attempt to trump Pac-Man. Floyd understands that failure is not an option and neither is a close fight with Juan Manuel.

Number 1. Sugar Ray Leonard. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are the players they are because they "want to be like Mike." Floyd, Jr. is the fighter he is because he is motivated by the legacy of Sugar Ray Leonard. The analogy is imperfect, but it is very real, at least to Mayweather. Sugar Ray found a way to win (almost) every time and Floyd is convinced that he possesses the same ability. So far, he has.

Some of you may disagree with how I ranked numbers 1 and 2 above, which is fine because I struggled a bit. At the end of the day though, my belief is that Mayweather puts legacy over money. In that respect, I think he will be the biggest Miguel Cotto fan in the world on November 11th. If Cotto wins, then the Manny problem goes away (along with an enormous paycheck) and the legacy remains in tact. The hard part is still in front of him though--Juan Manuel Marquez.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-8370-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d12-Top-10-reasons-why-Floyd-Mayweather-Jr-may-defeat-Juan-Manuel-Marquez

Michael Katsidis vs Vicente Escobedo Added to Mayweather/Marquez

The undercard to the September 19 fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Juan Manuel Marquez is starting to fill out. All-action lightweight Michael Katsidis will take on former US Olympian Vicente Escobedo in a 12-round fight for the interim WBO Lightweight title.

Katsidis and Escobedo join Chris John and Rocky Juarez in the undercard. John and Juarez will have a rematch for John’s featherweight title. Their February fight was scored a draw. Also rumored for the undercard is Zab Judah vs. Antonio Diaz.

The Mayweather/Marquez pay-per-view will be going head-to-head with UFC 103. Golden Boy Promotions is certainly making a vested effort to put together a deep card. Good for them.

Source: http://insidefights.com/2009/08/12/michael-katsidis-vs-vicente-escobedo-added-to-mayweathermarquez-undercard/

Can Marquez overcome the "Money" odds?

In Floyd Mayweather’s home away from home within the confines of the bright lights of Las Vegas, the odds aren’t too good for “Dynamita”. But while Vegas boasts an overwhelming favor towards “Money” May, this may as well be the chance to cash in big as a potential upset looms on the horizon. The best part is that not too many care to consider it.
Remember, an upset is just that—so I expect more than a couple readers to already roll their eyes.
I sure hope they weren’t the same fanatics who overlooked Buster Douglas and Evander Holyfield when they fought “Iron” Mike Tyson; or the ones to nay-say Marco Antonio Barrera when he was pitted against the “Prince”, Naseem Hamed; or the energizer bunny himself, Bernard Hopkins, when he schooled Kelly Pavlik to turn back the clock once more.
Regardless of how you look at this great match-up, it’s hard NOT to favor Floyd Jr., but does that mean that we should lose all hope for Juan Manuel Marquez just because of the name of his opponent?
Here are a couple surface points to help you take in the upcoming September bout between boxing’s former kingpin, Floyd Mayweather Jr (39-0 25 ko’s) and Mexico’s hero, Juan Manuel Marquez (50-4-1 37 ko’s), who arguably is the best Mexican fighter of his generation.
First off, I am a solid believer that Mayweather will not risk losing speed in order to attain a great physical advantage meaning that he won’t balloon up or outweigh Marquez by that much more come fight night. As we eliminate the entire “big guy” versus “small guy” situation, this is already a big positive for Marquez.
Secondly, it seems that many of us are forgetting about how much momentum plays a roll in boxing, or any competitive sport for that matter. Floyd’s last three fights were against an old, slow Carlos Baldomir; an old, slow Oscar De la Hoya; and a young but slow, Ricky Hatton, who openly decided to stalk his opponents face first, chin untucked. Then “Money” went on to retire.
Marquez took on the current p4p king, and then jumped up in weight to dismantle Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz in the LATE rounds.
What I see in these string of bouts is the fact that Mayweather barely got past De la Hoya and his best offense against Hatton was to wait for him to walk in face first, which is a given although it took longer than expected, see Manny Pacquiao. Basically he did what he was supposed to do but in not-so-convincing fashion.
Marquez weathered a Filipino typhoon in the form of Manny Pacquiao (twice might I add) where he fought to a draw and split loss then followed the p4p king up the weight ranks where he was the first man to knock out rugged, former lightweight champion Joel Casamayor, and the young, crisp Juan Diaz.
He is extremely durable. In all of these fights Marquez absorbed every punishing blow, weathered it, and came back strong.
After he was dropped thrice in the opening round in their 2004 bout, Marquez stormed back to steal many of the remaining rounds from Pacquiao to spice up the controversial draw. The case in point would be that if Casamayor/Diaz/Pacquiao (twice) couldn’t deter Marquez, I highly doubt the not-so-offensive-minded Mayweather could stop him either. So with that in mind I admit that Mayweather’s best chances are by decision, not stoppage, although I hope he leaves his bike at home because “Dynamita” will want to engage early.
Another key point is RING RUST and INJURY.
Mayweather has been away from the sport for 2 years now; the game has very much changed. On top of that, he had to reschedule the come-back fight citing a mysterious injury. When we tally in all the family distractions as well, what we get is that all of these factors work against Mayweather. He may be a great athlete, but he is still human so he IS beatable. He can stay in shape all he wants out of the ring, but to keep the sharpness and edge as a prize-fighter, well, that needs to be done within the ropes. And with tune up fights seemingly a tradition of the past, Mayweather truly is testing mighty deep waters after a long vacation from the sport.
Remember, Mayweather was bothered enough by Marquez’s open game plan to attack the body that he felt the urge to respond on twitter:
"Marquez says hes goin after my ribs but theres no weakness in MONEY MAY. Only ribs he'll b diggin n2 will b at Outback after I take him down."
Only time can tell whether Marquez’s Castillo-like plan of attack can penetrate the Mayweather shoulder roll.
When we compare boxing IQ/Defense/Arsenal, I cannot say that Mayweather would blow Marquez out of the water in any/all of these areas. If anything, we would have to give the credit to the tactician role that Marquez has taken the identity of. He has power with both hands and can scrap with the best of boxers and brawlers. Everyone, fans and fighters alike, favor the heart of a warrior. When Pacquiao was in the process of stopping Erik Morales in their second meeting, you can clearly see Floyd Jr., as a fan, atop a chair in the front row cheering on the Filipino bomber and current holder of the mythical pound-for-pound title. Subsequent media interviews show Mayweather as saying that “Pacquiao is too small for me.” If this holds true, then wouldn’t Marquez be in the same boat?
The edge goes to Mayweather in the defense department, but with IQ and arsenal, Marquez can and will hold his own come fight night.
Besides-- just like the many who are out there that thought JMM won one of the fights versus Manny Pacquiao, many also believed that Jose Luis Castillo did enough to steal one victory away from Floyd Mayweather Jr. as well. Marquez will be 36 years old in a little over a week. If he is past his prime, we won’t know until September 19th. One things for sure though, Floyd, turning 32 earlier this year, doesn’t look like the youthful former Olympian that we saw a couple years ago. Sporting a couple tears, he left the game claiming that he “does not have the passion to fight” anymore. I sure hope that he never lost it or else it will be another page in the book of upsets.
With the match a little over a month away we still have plenty of time to see how training unfolds. Although the media frenzy hasn’t been as abundant this time around, I, for one, am still looking forward to Number One vs Numero Uno. The winner will get a crack at the Pacman (presuming he wins in November).

Source: http://www.diamondboxing.com/newsstory.php?list=9097

Mayweather v. Marquez – Number One v. Numero Uno

Here are five reasons to bet the house on Mayweather…

1. Speed. Mayweather has the fastest hands in the game today. Carlos Baldomir was everyone’s darling coming into his 2006 welterweight fight against Mayweather. He was big and dominant and seemingly indestructible. Baldomir had just pounded-out the late Arturo Gatti and months earlier willed his way past the speedy Zab Judah. It wasn’t close. Mayweather’s movement and hand speed turned Baldomir into an aging, heavy-footed club fighter.

2. Boxing IQ. If you’re going to get to Mayweather you had better do it early. Once Mayweather adjusts to what his opponent is doing the fight is over. In their 2006 welterweight bout Zab Judah won some early rounds but couldn’t keep pace with Mayweather as the rounds progressed. Mayweather countered the aggression out of Judah with pinpoint shots Judah didn’t see let alone stop. Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton also started strong before going down in defeat.

3. Defense. When was the last time you saw Mayweather nicked up following a fight? The man rarely gets hit flush. In his 2007 super fight against Oscar De La Hoya, Mayweather spent the majority of the evening with his back pressed against the ropes. A much bigger man, De La Hoya threw everything he had at Mayweather and didn’t leave a mark. Mayweather tucked his chin, leaned back and rolled with the punches.

4. Pop. George Foreman or Julian Jackson he isn’t, but Mayweather can crack. The late Diego Corrales wasn’t considered “chinny” when he entered the ring against Mayweather for their 2001 super featherweight title fight. But Corrales went down three times in the 7th and twice more in the 10th before the fight was stopped. Like Corrales, Ricky Hatton was an undefeated fighter when he challenged Mayweather in 2007. A Mayweather hook in the 10th ended Hatton’s night and his perfect record.

5. Marquez. Yes, Juan Manuel Marquez is a consensus top ten fighter and three-division champion but he has become increasingly easy to hit in recent outings. At times Joel Casamayor was too fast for Marquez during their 2008 lightweight clash. Marquez struggled to time Casamayor who landed lefts with regularity before being caught and stopped by Marquez in the 10th. Similarly, Juan Diaz lathered Marquez with hooks to the body when the two met in 2009. And similarly, Marquez weathered the storm and went on to stop the young bull late in the fight.

And another five reasons not to…

1. Marquez. Marquez has a warrior heart and surgeon hands. An expert counter puncher with power in both hands, Marquez may be the best Mexican fighter of his generation. With no shot at a third fight against Pacquiao, Marquez called out Mayweather following his victory over Diaz. Perhaps he saw something during the Mayweather-Hatton fight? Perhaps trainer Nacho Beristain saw something while preparing De La Hoya to fight Mayweather in 2007? Whatever the reason, Marquez is convinced he will beat Mayweather when they meet in the ring.

2. Ring rust. When Mayweather finally steps between the ropes on September 19th, nearly two full years will have elapsed since he last saw action. Maybe he needed time to heal? Maybe he wanted to pursue other interests? Without question he celebrated two birthdays while out of the ring. I’m certain Mayweather stayed in shape during his self-imposed hiatus; he is a superb athlete. But staying in shape and staying sharp are two different things. And in today’s economy tune-up fights are a thing of the past.

3. Distractions. Uncle Roger. Father Floyd. Money Mayweather. Enough said.

4. Brittle hands. Mayweather can beat many fighters with one hand. Marquez is not one of them. With a history of hand troubles all it takes is one ill placed punch to render Mayweather a handicapped fighter. Add a fight postponing rib injury to the mix and Mayweather suddenly seems vulnerable. So much so that Mayweather felt compelled to respond on twitter to reports that Marquez is planning a body attack. “Marquez says hes goin after my ribs but theres no weakness in MONEY MAY.”

5. Home cooking. Mayweather may live in Las Vegas but on fight night Marquez will own the town. On Mexican Independence Day weekend, the MGM Grand Garden Arena will be packed to the rafters with flag waving, energy producing Mexicans and Mexican-Americans pulling for Juan Manuel Marquez. They will out number and drown-out Mayweather backers as long as their man is in the fight. If Marquez scores a knockdown the place will erupt. Mayweather will feel their presence and, more importantly, so too will Marquez.

Source: http://blog.thesweetscience.com/2009/08/10/mayweather-v-marquez-number-one-v-numero-uno

If Marquez whips Mayweather, he gets money edge over Pacman

If Juan Manuel Marquez needs any extra incentive to shock Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Sept. 19, I am more than willing to put it into writing.

Maybe Nacho Beristain, the estimable trainer, can get this erudite column translated into Spanish and put it on the bulletin board at Camp Marquez.

Motivation. people, motivation.

It says here, using common sense and boxing practice which most values your last fight, that should he hand Mayweather his first professional ring loss, the Mexican Ringmaster will put himself in the driver’s seat for a momentous third super bout against Manny Pacquiao.

If and when…if and when, my friends.

If, on 9/19, Juan Ma can somehow overcome his size disadvantage and Mayweather’s incredible hand and foot speed, then he will put himself on equal footing with Da Pacman in terms of negotiating for their third bout.

Did I scribble equal footing? Sometimes I write too rapidly before my brain is fully engaged or enraged as the case may be.

A glittering upset of L’il Floyd would not only derail Mayweather-Pacquaio, it would give Marquez and Golden Boy a solid argument for a slight edge over the Pinoy Idol in as purse split.

Selling Chapter III of Marquez, beginning with Round 25 and possibly culminating with Round 36, would be a piece of cake and, given Mayweather’s deficiency in selling tickets and driving the PPV money train, could produce an even bigger jackpot than Manny-Floyd would.

Do you think there is one living, breathing American fight fan who wouldn’t lap JMM-MP if the Mexican can whip Mayweather?

No way, Don Jose! Americans would “adopt” either Manny or Juan Ma as their own.

Now let’s not get carried away here. It seems nearly impossible for Marquez to stop the rusty Mayweather.

As sure as the Cape Cod sun rose this morning (RIP, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a great woman) and will set this evening, the Sept. 19 bout will last 12 full rounds.

So, in my view, the winner will be victorious on points. And it could be close, even debatable.

If Mayweather squeaks by, it will hurt him in the negotations for the Pacquiao fight in 2010. With Miguel Cotto-Pacman looming Nov. 14 as financial powerhouse, Mayweather is sure to suffer by comparison on the bottom line.

But Marquez can squeak or eke, it doesn’t matter how thin his margin is. He simply must get the big “W.”

Doing what no other fighter has done, beating Mayweather, would be a powerful tonic for Marquez’s demands to fight Pacman uno mas.

If he finds a way to hand Mayweather that one and only “L,” then Marquez comes to Pacquiao with a strong hand in money talks.

You know what would sound fair then, if this ring miracle occurs?

Marquez 51 percent, Pacquaio 49 percent.

I’d expect a victorious over Mayweather Marquez to demand 55 percent, but that would just be the opening gambit.

At the end of the bargaining day, Marquez would likely gladly take a one or two point percentage edge over his archrival.

Bragging rights, I’m getting 51 percent and I made Manny take 49 percent.

It would only be fair if the Miracle By Marquez happens.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d11-If-Marquez-whips-Mayweather-he-gets-money-edge-over-Pacman

Floyd back in Hatton's sights

RICKY Hatton is keeping the boxing world guessing as to his plans for the future - but if anyone can provoke him into pulling the gloves on once again, it is Floyd Mayweather Jr.

It is nearly two years since they faced each other in the ring, but the two men have reopened the feud that once gripped boxing.

This time it looks destined to be played out in the pages of newspapers rather than on the canvas - but the mutual respect that was displayed in the weeks and months after their epic clash has been well and truly scrapped.

Hatton has reacted angrily to comments made by Mayweather in the build up to his comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.

It is the first time the Pretty Boy has fought since his 10th round knock out of Hatton in 2007 - a fight he claims "effectively" ended the Hitman's career.

"Floyd Mayweather said he gave Oscar de la Hoya his biggest pay day and that he gave me my biggest payday," said Hatton. "But we gave him his biggest paydays.

"He may be a wonderful fighter, but he still can't sell tickets."

Mayweather had said of Hatton: "Until he came up against me, he'd reached the highest plateau in boxing - and then he failed."

Clash

Mayweather always knew how to push Hatton's buttons - riling him on numerous occasions in the build-up to their clash at Las Vegas' MGM Grand.

But relations between the pair became more cordial in the aftermath, though Hatton's camp pointed to the performance of referee Joe Cortez as a mitigating factor in the first defeat of his professional career.

Victories against Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi convinced the 30-year-old that he could still fulfil his ambition of becoming the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world - but those dreams were shattered by the fists of Manny Pacquiao in May this year.

The Filippino knocked out Hatton inside two rounds, raising serious doubts over his future in the sport.

At the moment he is concentrating on his promotions business and after dinner speaking while deliberating over whether or not to call time on his remarkable career.

He has distanced himself from at Battle of Britain clash with new WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan, admitting he is not missing the sport. But he says his failure to establish himself the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet is the one nagging regret of his career.

"I've lost twice and to the two best fighters in the world," he said. "That is the only title left for me, but I will make my mind up."

Mayweather returns to the ring against Marquez next month. If successful he will seek a clash with Pacquiao.

Given Mayweather's well-documented love affair with money, the box office potential of another clash with old foe Hatton would be sure to appeal to him.

Source: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/boxing/s/1130890_floyd_back_in_hattons_sights

Mayweather ready to join greats

Floyd Mayweather believes he will rightly be remembered as one of the greatest fighters of all time if he beats Juan Manuel Marquez.
The six-time world champion steps out of retirement to face the battle-hardened Mexican - a five-time world champion himself in three weight divisions - in a hotly-anticipated fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on September 19.

Undefeated world champion Mayweather believes victory over Marquez will cement his status in the top bracket of boxing's greatest fighters, past and present, and he is relishing the chance to join the legends of the sport.

The 32-year-old said: "To be labelled as one of the best fighters of all time, to go down in history as one of the best, you have to fight the best fighters in your era - and he's one of the best fighters in my era.

"I'm just training getting ready for September 19. I'm staying focused, me and my team are just preparing, we'll take one day at a time until we get to where we want to get to."

Source: http://www.clubcall.com/other-sports/mayweather-ready-join-greats-930898.html

The Wizard of WildCard - Interview with Freddie Roach (On Pacquiao, Cotto, Mayweather and More!)

That would be boxing’s greatest trainer, Freddie Roach. Last week I asked doghouse boxing readers to submit any questions for Freddie The reader’s questions and answers would be an article. So for all the readers of doghouse boxing, this one’s for you!

The following interview took place at the WildCard Gym in Hollywood, August 11, 2009.

David Tyler: Fred, have you a plan to offset Miguel Cotto’s counterpunching that’s coupled with his heavy hands?

Freddie Roach: Of course. I have already watched several hours of Cotto’s fights. I have been concentrating on how well he did against Shane Mosley. How he neutralized Shane’s speed. Yes, we will have a great game plan for Cotto.

DT – A reader wants to know if Cotto purposely looked bad against Clottey so he could get a big payday against the Ninja.

FR - That’s a question for Cotto. He almost lost the Clottey fight and I can’t imagine him holding back.

DT – Of all the Filipino prospects in boxing, who do think can emulate Manny’s achievements after he retires into politics?

FR – We will not see another Manny Pacquiao for another decade or more. Guys like Manny Pacquiao and Muhammad Ali come along once in a lifetime.

DT- Why do you think the Ninja told Bob Arum that he wanted to fight Cotto?

FR – Well, that’s not necessarily so. He said he would fight Cotto after watching Cotto fight Clottey in the Garden. Manny has always wanted to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. The Mayweather fight got delayed because of injury and Manny needed a fight around year’s end. After watching the fight Manny told Arum that he could beat Cotto. He never ask Arum to go get Cotto, he still wanted Mayweather first.

DT – Assuming that the Ninja takes care of Cotto and Mayweather Jr. will Manny retire and go into politics?

FR – Possibly, but Shane Mosley is doing a lot of talking and I want to see that fight happen. Manny has said three more fights and that’s it.

DT – Any update on the training camp issues?

FR – Because of immigration laws he must spend five weeks training outside America. The laws say we can spend 183 days (yearly) in America and that means the last three weeks of training will be here at the WildCard. Right now the plans are to train in Baguio City in the Philippines at the Olympic Training Center. Why don’t you come along and give daily reports from the training center?

DT – I’ll have to think about that one. Next question is from a reader who says that he is a big fan of Mayweather Jr. and the Ninja. Do you honestly believe that the Ninja will Kayo Mayweather Jr.?

FR – You know that I’m just trying to make the fight happen. Mayweather is a great fighter and champion but I’m sure that Manny will beat him. At the higher weight I just don’t see him as a great fighter. At 134 lbs. yes he was a great fighter.

DT – So no Kayo?

FR – I will have to break him down when the fight comes and specifically watch for performance flaws. Before I start predicting knockout rounds I need to see Floyd fight Marquez and study that tape many times.

DT – Do you think Manny’s chin can hold up to Cotto’s power?

FR – Manny is not going to back out for anybody. Manny has a really good chin because he has a big heart. Of course Cotto’s power is a major concern for me but I really think that we will have no problems. I’m training Manny not to get hit.

DT – Would you consider retiring when Manny retires?

FR – I will not retire because I just don’t know what I would do. I have been in the boxing business all of my life and I don’t know anything else. I just can’t see sitting at home all day so I probably will never retire.

DT – Many fans greatly admire what you have accomplished even though you suffer from Parkinson’s disease. How do manage this?

FR – The key is to accept it and move on. I keep very busy and I’m not going to roll over and die. Stay active, if you let the disease take over it will. That’s also true with anything in life.

DT – Fred how would Vernon Forrest have fared against the following fighters, Shane Mosley (trained by Nazim), Felix Trinidad, Paul Williams, and Mayweather Jr.

FR – Forrest would beat Mosley for the third time. Trinidad and Forrest would be a good fight, hard to pick a winner. Paul Williams would surely beat Forrest. Mayweather would also be a good fight and I’m not sure who wins that one.

DT – Pacquiao on occasion tends to pull up his shorts with both his gloves. Usually he’s a good distance away from the other fighter but does this open himself up?

FR – I know exactly what your reader means and I love it when he does that (Fred pulls up the shorts and snaps his hands together above his head). That means get ready because here I come. He always does that when he is out of range.

DT – When you were a fighter who hit the hardest.

FR – Lenny Valdez the first guy to knock me out. He was a great puncher early but faded in fights. I got caught in the second round and was never the same after that fight.

DT – Fred, a reader owns a Mexican Restaurant in Huntington Park called Casa Luz. He would like to bet you a dinner that Marquez will Kayo the Ninja in their next fight.

FR – I will bet my gym against his restaurant that Marquez never Kayos Manny.

DT – Shane Mosley pushed hard for a fight with the Ninja. Why did Manny decide to fight Cotto instead of Shane?

FR – It wasn’t Manny’s decision. It was my decision and the group’s decision. The main reason? We will make more than twice as much money fighting Cotto than Mosley.

DT – Fred, on behalf of Doghouse boxing and the readers, thank you for answering the questions.

FR – Dave, no problem. Anytime, it’s always fun to talk boxing and I look forward to the next set of questions. I think it is great that your readers get a chance to provide feedback.

DT – We had lots of feedback with your P4P list. Would you name you all time P4P list and elaborate on each pick?

FR – Yep, let’s start with…………

Attention readers, you will get to see Freddie’s list later this week. And no, Amir Khan did not make Fred’s all time list. I will work on the article tomorrow and hopefully we get it posted this week.

Once again, thank you for supporting doghouse boxing and helping me with this article.

Source: http://www.doghouseboxing.com/DHB/Tyler081109.htm

Top 10 reasons why Juan Manuel Marquez may defeat Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

On September 19, 2009, unanimous current number 2 pound-for-pound fighter, Juan Manuel Marquez, will face former number 1 boxing retiree, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Vegas odds have the fight favoring Mayweather by a heavy margin, but here are my top 10 reasons why the odds-makers may be wrong and why Marquez may defeat Mayweather, Jr.:

Number 10. Tale of the tape. With the exception of a reach advantage that Mayweather rarely uses in his favor, there is only a one inch height advantage. It is assumed that Floyd, Jr. will rehydrate more after the official weigh-in, but not that much more. I do not expect to see a naturally bigger Mayweather in the ring next month because he simply cannot sacrifice speed in favor of power against Marquez. In "short," this will not be a big guy v. little guy fight, which works to Marquez's advantage.

Number 9. Roger Mayweather. Without question, Uncle May needs mad props for training an exceptional athlete--his nephew. Team preparation was not all that impressive against a declining Oscar De La Hoya though, and a win against the overrated Ricky Hatton came down to nothing more than baiting predictable Rick to walk chin first into a check hook. Team Mayweather also has Roger's recent legal problems as a distraction. Camp drama is never a good thing when preparing to fight anyone let alone an elite class warrior like Marquez.

Number 8. Mayweather's ribs. If we believe him, then Mayweather suffered a rib injury in training camp that caused the original fight date to be postponed. Everything is fine just two months later? If the rib injury is real, then Mayweather will have a chink in the armor that can be exposed.

Number 7. Nacho Beristain. Nacho is part trainer, part drill sergeant. Not that Marquez needs to be motivated, but he will come into the fight absolutely prepared for battle--physically and mentally.

Number 6. Chinny chin-chin. Marquez is like those one of those old Weeble Wobble toys. He goes down, but always pops back up. No man has ever earned a knockout of any variety over Marquez. Aside from Ricky Hatton leading with his chin, Floyd hasn't knocked anyone out since Sharmba Mitchell in November 2005. Don't expect Mayweather to be the first man to knock Marquez out.

Number 5. Work ethic. See also No. 6 above. Like Mayweather, Marquez may be a natural counterpuncher, but he is also a pressure fighter who makes his opponents work every round. If Mayweather cannot knock him out, then Money May better be ready to work for the full 36 minutes.

Number 4. Momentum. See also No. 5 above. A significant portion of Marquez's knockouts have come in the last half of his fights and he is coming off two great wins over Juan Diaz (TKO 9) and Joel Casamayor (TKO 11). He simply will not fade down the stretch like Oscar De La Hoya did.

Number 3. Ring intelligence. Both men have Ph.D.'s in pugilism; however, Marquez has shown that there isn't a fighter who he can't match intellectual wits with. Juan Diaz punished Marquez until Juan Manuel figured him. Once that happened, it was game over for the Baby Bull.

Number 2. Ring rust. Mayweather hasn't fought since December 2007. Up to that point, he was on about a two fight per year average. If his defensive mastery has deteriorated in any way, Marquez will exploit it.

Number 1. Manny Pacquiao. It is safe to say that Marquez is not looking past the Mayweather fight; however, he must fully understand that the only realistic shot he has to secure another date with Pacquiao is by defeating Floyd, Jr. A loss to Mayweather would be catastrophic to that goal and Marquez is as focused as any fighter in the sport today. Some may argue with this point, but Marquez and Pacquiao are better fighters today than they were before they fought each other. They may be rivals, but the hell they both walked through during the 24 rounds that they faced each other was an invaluable education in heart and guts. I'm not sure that Floyd, Jr. is not already looking beyond Marquez to a bigger potential payday with Manny.

Those are my top 10 reasons why Juan Manuel Marquez may defeat Floyd Mayweather, Jr. next month. On Wednesday, I will publish my Top 10 reasons why Mayweather may defeat Marquez. Is it September yet?

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-8370-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d10-Top-10-reasons-why-Juan-Manuel-Marquez-may-defeat-Floyd-Mayweather-Jr

Merciful Mayweather: Hates loudmouths, helps battered women

One minute he’s flashing cash in strip clubs, the next minute he’s aiding the homeless and giving help to battered women.

Then, in the third minute, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is blasting “they” (read mainly white media) for not showing his humanitarian efforts.

I am no psychiatrist but I know where 10,000 of them are right now, sitting on the beach here on Cape Cod, sifting the sands in Wellfleet and vicinity. OK, make it 20,000, if you add the New Jersey shrinks who are vacationing in the area along with so many New York “head doctors.”

Mayweather;s raging egomania was again on display on Bossip, the lively African American gossip site. I don’t know who the interviewer was on the site’s two part Mayweather rant but he or see was nothing more than a recording secretary, never challenging any of PBF’s ridiculous remarks and assertions.

A tipoff that Mayweather’s ego maniacal personality has gone over the edge is that he now constantly refers to himself in the third person, as in “Floyd does” or “Floyd says.”

Who does he think he is, Bo Jackson, the baseball player who used to say “only Bo know what Bo is going to do and Bo hasn’t told Bo yet but when Bo tells Bo then Bo will tell you.”

Something like that.

According to Mayweather, who cries about not having a fan base like Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto do, his charitable works are intentionally ignored or glossed over.

“They don’t show us making sandwiches, feeding the homeless, or at Shady Tree, a home for battered women and battered children.”

Now at this point, I would have had to put Floyd in check in with his question:

How many of those battered women were battered by your uncle, trainer and former world champion Roger, Floyd? Do Roger’s victims go to Shady Tree?

But the suck ups at Bossip didn’t even mention Roger’s criminal history. This interview was strictly done with the interviewer, and I use the term loosely, in the kneeling position.

Here's Part 1 of the Bossip chat with Floyd.

And here is Part 2 of the Mayweather Bossip ranting.

Floyd even gets a little precious in reference to battered kids, saying, “They are special as well.”

Mayweather said he has a soft spot for the least of them,

“People all have set backs, so we give back to them, not to the loudmouths screaming for a handout or a freebie.

“But you don’t hear about that, you only hear about me spending crazy money.”

Complaint recorded, Floyd.

I never knew that you have no time for loudmouths, though.

A famous loudmouth who hates loudmouths.

Time for that crucial check up from the neck up, Floyd Joy Jr.

Get your private jet and fly into Hyannis or Provincetown asap.

You'll have your pick of New York's Finest.

Just go to the beach and flash that cash, brother man.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d10-Merciful-Mayweather-Hates-loudmouths-helps-battered-women

Floyd Mayweather Sparring a Tough Find For Marquez

Juan Manuel Marquez is still having a tough time finding sparring partners in Mexico who can emulate the style of his September 19 opponent, Floyd Mayweather Jr. Marquez is sparring often with Alejandro Barrera and Tony Fernandez. He says the two fighters come the closest to copying Mayweather's style.

"In Mexico is has been almost impossible to find sparring partners with the style of Mayweather, but I believe that what is most important here is that Juan is working on his own style and if Juan puts in the work, there could be a big surprise [on September 19]," said trainer Nacho Beristáin to The Record .

Marquez is working on his speed and timing. He knows Mayweather is very fast but he also knows that proper timing of his punches will be the difference in the fight. Activity is also a target. Marquez is training by throwing a lot of punches. He wants to put a lot of pressure on Mayweather.

"It is difficult to find sparring with his style, but the boys here are doing well because what we need is to work with is speed and not so much with power. The plan will be to work a lot with speed. We will continue sparring by throwing a lot of punches in six to eight rounds sessions, and we will look to throw more when I work the mitts," Marquez said.

Source: http://www.boxingscene.com/index.php?m=show&id=21484

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.: "BOTH OF THEM GUYS WILL GET KNOCKED OUT BY FLOYD"

"Both of them guys will get knocked out by Floyd," boasted Floyd Mayweather Jr. as he shared his thoughts on Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto in a recent interview with leading urban-focused celebrity website Bossip.com. Mayweather also gave an update on his training, "I am getting a lot stronger and running more miles, doing things like pull-ups and sit-ups to strengthen that freak injury I had to my stomach." Although his anticipated Sept. 19 return to the ring is just six weeks away, it seems like Mayweather is more focused on Manny Pacquiao than he is on his actual opponent, Juan Manuel Marquez.

"Before I heard about Manny Pacquiao, I was the champion. When Cotto came into the game, I was the champion. I think they are both good fighters. When you are in the check-cashing business and being the champ, they need to call out my name. I don't have to call out theirs. I am making as much as both Cotto and Pacman in this one fight. Manny Pacquiao has the worst deal in boxing. He is giving up 27% of his money. Floyd keeps it all," Mayweather continued when reminded that some fans accuse him of avoiding certain fighters.

"Go back to the Hatton fight and listen to Pacquiao after the Hatton fight. Merchant asked him about me; he said speak to his promoter. It's his handlers that decide for him BOSSIP, not me. If the money is right, I will fight all three of them and knock them out. I am the first to knock Ricky Hatton out. I knocked him out with 10 ounce gloves on. Pac fought him with 8 ounce gloves. I laid the blueprint on how to beat Hatton. Cotto has been knocked out before and Pacquiao has been knocked out, as well as outboxed by Marquez and Morales."

While some of the things that Floyd says are true, the fact remains, if he truly wants to be considered one of the greatest of all time, there's still a lot of unfinished business to be taken care of. With fans eager to see bouts against Pacquiao, Mosley and even Cotto, it will take a lot more than a victory over Juan Manuel Marquez for Mayweather to reclaim his spot as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. In fact, it would be wise for Mayweather to do less talking about Pacquiao and focus more on the task at hand. Despite the difference in size, lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez is no easy task for any fighter, particularly one who hasn't fought in over 16 months.

Source: http://fighthype.com/pages/content5412.html

Floyd Mayweather: Is self preservation his main goal?

Floyd Mayweather is loud , obnoxious and confrontational. And he probably will not object to any of those descriptions.

He is also one of the world's top defensive specialist. When you add the fact that he is a quick , sharp shooting counter puncher , then you see one of the world's top boxers.

But Floyd has been criticized for ducking opponents. Namely in the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions. That was not always the case. Earlier in his career he took on such fighters as Corrales , Manfredy , Hernandez and Castillo. Floyd suddenly went from from a fight anyone junior lightweight and lightweight to a very cautious junior welter and welterweight.

Now Floyd comes back to less than stellar reviews for picking Juan Manuel Marquez as his first opponent. Marquez , while considered one of the best boxers in the world , has only fought twice at lightweight and never any higher than that.

Some feel that Mayweather has done what everyman does , become aware of the possible risks of his job as he has aged. He seems to avoid the higher echelon fighters in favor of smaller , if somewhat less threatening opponents.

Freddie Roach has said that Mayweather's demands on the percentage he is entitled to against Pacquiao make that fight unattainable at this time. Fights and purses usually have a way of working themselves out. That is , if the fighters really want to fight each other. Roach said that is a fight him and Manny and the public want , providing they get by Cotto first.

So is it just posturing by Mayweather or is he feeling out his other possibilities. If Pacquiao wins in November then Floyd's only other viable option , this time based on a victory over Marquez first , is Shane Mosley. Mosley says that he has been asking for a fight with Floyd since they were lightweights.

Floyd said there is no money in a Mosley fight. But doubts creep in when we remember that Mayweather turned down a large purse against Margarito a few years back. Floyd said there wasn't enough interest or money in the fight. He subsequently fought another boxer for a much smaller purse.

So why come back? Is it the money , competition or limelight?

We have all read about Money's money woes. The story about him owing the IRS millions is probably true. One or two good fights against quality opposition fixes that quandary.

The competition factor is mainly in Floyd's mind. He feels he is still the best fighter , so it is up to others to seek him out. He was at the top of the pound for pound list before Pacquiao took over. But Floyd's last fight was nearly two years ago. As good as he was , when you announce your retirement , your name is dropped off all of the top of anything lists. If you come back you will have to fight your way back to the top.

Finally , there is the limelight factor. Some athletes and actors complain about the lack of privacy they receive. Meanwhile , the thought of not having that attention terrifies them. Boxers like Evander Holyfield quickly come to mind. He has had financial troubles. But some have said that it is the attention he receives from his boxing that really drives him.

So what is it for Floyd? I think it is a combination of the three. Money and limelight seem to be the biggest pieces of this complex puzzle. Mayweather has constantly said that he should rate among the all- time greats. As stated earlier , in his mind the fighters should be calling him out. Being that he feels he is one of the greatest boxers in history.

To this writer it seems more like self preservation. He wants to keep his name and status out there for as long as possible.

What Floyd must understand is that his style doesn't endear him to many fans. And to be considered one of the all-time best , you must fight the best of your era. Think along the lines of Leonard , Duran , Hearns and Hagler. They all wanted a piece of each other.

The only way Floyd can achieve what he wants is to fight the Pacquiao , Mosley and Cottos of the world. Then we'll see if he can stand among the greats.]

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-8557-Norfolk-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m8d8-Floyd-Mayweather-Is-self-preservation-is-main-goal

ROACH VS STEWARD, WILL IT HAPPEN?

Adding more drama to the upcoming championship fight billed as Fire Power between WBO welterweight king Miguel Angel Cotto and pound for pound marquis Manny Pacquiao, International Hall of Fame Trainer Emmanuel Steward expressed his desire to train the Puerto Rican gladiator. He even made a bold prediction that there is "no doubt that Miguel would knockout Pacquiao."

Steward's audacious prediction is not sweet-sounding to the ears of Pacquiao's chief handler, the three-time trainer of the year Freddie Roach and the thousands of Pacman fanatics. Essentially, Roach inferred that his fighter has the upper hand and would take the WBO welterweight crown from the champion Cotto similarly by knockout. It is difficult to argue with Roach because his last three predictions in favor of his ward were unnervingly accurate--Nostradamus-like prophecies.

This welterweight match-up would truly be interesting to watch if Steward only gets his wish granted; to be in Cotto's corner and guide the champion in destroying the world recognized King of Boxing Pacquiao. Imagine seeing Steward and Roach going head to head, brandishing their mastery of the Sweet Science over one another, while Pacquiao and Cotto awe the audience with their superior boxing skills.

Cotto has a greater chance to beat Pacquiao if he hires Steward as his coach for this historic fight, for the simple fact that Steward is a more skilled trainer than the champ's named coach Jose Santiago; the battle also offers a special opportunity for the entire boxing community to witness the marvelous display of genius coaching and tremendous obeisance between the tandems of Pacquiao/Roach and Cotto/Steward. Will it happen? Only time will tell and we can only hope.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-26321.html