Mayweather questions Pacquiao's stature among boxing greats -- ABS-CBN News

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines – Former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. again took a swipe at international boxing star Manny Pacquiao, questioning the Filipino’s stature among boxing greats.

In a conference call about his upcoming fight against “Sugar” Shane Mosley, the controversial boxer downplayed Pacquiao’s sensational victories over Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto and Britain’s Ricky Hatton.

“He beat a Miguel Cotto who got pummeled with a cast and he beat a Ricky Hatton that got stretched by me… That’s not for me to put him in the Hall of Fame,” Mayweather said in a report posted on boxing.fighthype.com.

The Filipino stopped Cotto in 12 rounds last November to win the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title, his 7th in 7 weight classes.

Prior to facing Cotto, Pacquiao knocked out Hatton in just 2 rounds. It took Mayweather 10 rounds to stop the bull strong Briton.

The Boxing Writers Association of America thus picked the Filipino over Mayweather, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera as the Fighter of the Decade.

Analysts also compared Pacquiao to the late boxing great Henry Armstrong, who simultaneously held world titles in 3 three different divisions.

The undefeated Mayweather also said that unlike him, the Filipino has suffered losses in his professional career, aside from struggling against counter punching expert Juan Manuel Marquez.

“Manny Pacquiao struggled twice, which we really know he got beat, struggled twice with Marquez, which we know he really lost. Right? And we know he been knocked out twice and he got outboxed by Erik Morales, but then they still give him Boxer of the Decade. So that’s another thing I don’t understand,” said Mayweather.

Pacquiao, considered as one of the most exciting boxers today, took over Mayweather’s pound-for-pound status when the latter went on temporary retirement in 2007.

The 2 boxers were supposed to settle the issue of who is the best pound-for-pound fighter through a match last March. However, negotiations for the bout collapsed over a drug test dispute.

As a result, Pacquiao instead fought Joshua Clottey, whom he defeated by unanimous decision last March 13.

Mayweather, for his part, secured a fight against Mosley on May 1.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

'Money' Mayweather Says It's About Legacy, Cash, Not Title -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Unbeaten, five-time champion, Floyd Mayweather, claims that every victory from here on out "is about enhancing" his legacy, and that his May 1 bout with WBA welterweight (147 pounds) king, Shane Mosley, is not about winning another championship belt.

"Like I've said before, Shane is a solid welterweight, and he's been around the sport for a long, long time. And he's done some good things in the sport, and I've done a lot of things in the sport," said Mayweather, who is nicknamed, "Money."

"But I've done a lot of things that a lot of fighters didn't do in this sport, and weren't able to do in this sport," said Mayweather. "So at this point, it's about enhancing my legacy."

In fact, this fight most certainly is not for the title, because the 33-year-old Mayweather (40-0, 25 knockouts) has refused to pay the WBA's sanctioning fee.

That means that the 38-year-old Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs) can defend the crown, but Mayweather -- who "didn't want to fight for the WBA title" -- can't win it.

"This is not a WBA championship fight. But on a separate side, we are currently discussing with the WBA, for Shane, that Shane would be defending his belt," said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, which is co-promoting the bout with Mayweather's promotional company.

"But for the purpose of this call, it's basically a non-WBA fight. It's the two best fighters fighting each other, that's what's at stake here," said Schaefer during a Tuesday conference call with Mosley.

"The general public is embracing this fight for what it is, truly one of the greatest all-time showdowns between two of the greatest athletes of our time," Schaefer said during Wednesday's Mayweather conference call. "I am convinced that we are on track to break the all-time pay per view record."

When it has come to pay per view attractions in boxing, Mayweather and a good opponent have been the common denominators.

In his past three victories over Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and, Juan Manuel Marquez, respectively, by split-decision, 10th-round knockout, and, unanimous decision, Mayweather has generated a record 2.4 million, 920,000, and, 1.05 million buys.

"At this level, for Floyd, it's not about belts. It's about fighting to, like he said, improve his legacy, and, also, it's about money," said advisor Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. "Floyd's already the best fighter in the world. Why does he need a belt to prove that?"

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather must happen says WBA heavyweight champ David Haye -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk

David Haye has revealed to The Telegraph that he had been intending to go to the defunct March fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, and was desperately disappointed when the superfight failed to materialise.

Haye, holder of the World Boxing Association heavyweight crown, believes that the contest between Pacquiao, currently running for election in the May 10 Congressional Seat elections in the province of Sarangani, and Mayweather must go ahead later this year – for the good of boxing worldwide.

Mayweather must first defeat Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas on Saturday week, for that to become a reality. The landscape may also change if Pacquiao is successful in the election, 19 days away.

“It is definitely a fight which needs to happen, for the state of boxing. It is one that has to be made. I was itching to see that fight, and was ready to go over for it at one point. When they made the fight so quickly, over as week in December, I couldn’t help feeling that someone would find a way for it not to happen.”

“With fights as big as that, there is always some drama. What has happened could hype the whole situation just to make it even bigger later this year or next year. I’m desperate to watch that fight. The skill levels of the two fighters make it unmissable. I truly enjoy watching Pacquiao fight whenever he steps into a ring. I admire boxers who come to fight, and he is thrilling when he steps inside the ropes. He is an ambassador for the sport. That fight has to be made. It is a massive fight that has to happen soon or later. Clottey was a tough fight, but the hype and build up around a Mayweayher-Pacquiao fight could be the fight of a generation.”

It is also the type of hype which could surround a Haye-Klitschko contest, but Adam Booth, Haye’s trainer, revealed to me yesterday that no negotiations are set to take place for at least a month.

Meanwhile, Craig McEwan, the Scottish middleweight who trains under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, has revealed it was he who taught Pacquiao his convincing Scottish accent.

I was fortunate enough to gain exclusive access to travel from London to Manchester on the train last year in the build-up to Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton, with the Filipino’s fighters entourage (which included Bob Arum and Richard Schaefer that day), and filmed/interviewed Pacman on the train.

In the first minute of the interview, he emerged, surprisingly, with a strong Scottish accent. In conversation with McEwan (18-0, and four years with Roach at the Wild Card), the Edinburgh man revealed to me recently that he had been coaching Pacman on Scots burr.

“We were in the gym one day, and I taught him the stuff about William Wallace. Then we were away talking about the Scots fighting for their freedom against the English. He’s a fast learner, and aye, it was a wee bit of fun. I saw the video last year, and thought…oh yes, that’s Manny.”

“I got him a ‘See You Jimmy’ hat and I have a photo of him with it on.”

McEwan also explained that he is learning so much rubbing shoulders with Pacquiao in the gym. “He has great footwork…just look at how he knocked Ricky Hatton out, by switching his feet, and throwing those devastating punches. I like seeing how he lets his combinations go, and I try to follow that. I’m tall and rangy and he is short and explosive with a lot of power, but it never hurts to pick things up from the best. It’s all about adapting things, really. I go running with him, too. It’s a great place to be any time, but when Manny is there in camp, it is always a lift.”

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Tszyu hints at boxing return -- FightNews

By Craig Watt, FightNews.com

Former undisputed Jr-welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu was a special guest on the Long Lunch today in Australia on Fox Sports News. During a twenty minute interview he hinted that he may be enticed into a ring return – if the right opportunity came along. He stated, “I have not officially retired – even after the loss to Ricky Hatton I have never stated that I am retired from the sport completely. I have not ruled out a return to the boxing ring but the opportunity would have to be right. It would have to be something big. It would take me about six months to get myself back into shape to compete again so it would have to be something different. A fight against big named boxers would be the only thing that would excite me to push my body into the pain. Let’s look at this weekend’s boxing fight between Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosely – that would be a good challenge for me to fight the winner. Also Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world and he is in my division. You never know what can happen in boxing but it is these types of fights that could entice me back to the boxing ring.” Tszyu has not fought since his 11th round retirement to Ricky Hatton in Manchester in 2006 and has spent recent years developing boxing gyms for young fighters in his native Russia.

Source: fightnews.com

Edwin Valero's final KOs: Murders wife, then commits suicide in jail -- Examiner

By Michael Marley, Examiner.com

He was a monster in the ring and he was a monster outside of it.

That is the personal and professional epitaph for the destructive, lefthanded whirlwind they called "Dinamita" or "El Inca," meaning WBC lightweight champion Edwin Valero.

On Sunday morning, in a hotel in Venezuela's third largest city, Valencia, he took a knife and thrust it at least three times into the body of his pretty, 24 year old wife Jennifer Carolina, killing her.

Then Valero went down to the hotel lobby and confessed his crime to hotel security. Cops were called and Valero was whisked to the local jail.

To complete this Shakespearean tragedy, to make it really final in leaving their two little children as literal orphans, Valero then hanged himself in his jail cell, a fact confirmed early Monday by his jailers.

What devils inhabited the tortured mind of this serious slugger who ran off 19 successive first round KOs and whose overall pro record was 27-0 with a perfect batting average of 27 knockouts?

Was he suffering from the brain which was damaged years ago, just before he embarked on his pro ring career, in a bad motorcycle accident. That damage showed up on a brain scan when he was fighting for Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy and they were trying to display his talent on HBO in a bout from a former bank in midtown Manhattan?

Edwin Valero and his wife, both now dead; Jennifer Carolina murdered by her husband, he killed himself in Venezuelan jail cell (El Nuevao Dia, Venezuela Photo)





As a result of that brain scan, the New York State Athletic Commission properly banned Valero from that fight.

If it wasn't roid rage, for which he seemed to show all the symptoms, was it his wild alcohol and/or drug binges?

The incidents of violent behavior just kept piling up and yet people around him, including family members, kept making excuses for Valero, rationalizing the 28 year old's behavior.

It was only two weeks ago that promoter Bob Arum, completely frustrated with Valero's antisocial behavior even as Arum spent money trying to get his visa cleaned up so the boxer could come to the United States, told me that Valero was acting "in a bizarre" manner.

Arum said he had trouble getting accurate information from anybody close to the boxer.

The stories out of Venezuela kept getting nuttier and nuttier.

It was said Valero assaulted his own wife and sister, something he adamantly denied and blamed on a jealous neighbor.

No charges were filed.

He beat up his lovely wife and she wound up in a hospital with a collapsed lung and multiple bruises.

That, too, was excused and, as I wrote only sarcastically, I suppose the wife slipped on the proverbial roller skate and banana peel on the stairs at their home.

Valero was said to be going to anger management, Then it was said a judge had ordered him to go booze rehab, to dry himself out and get clean and sober.

One news report said Valero would spend six months in rehab, just to be sure his pattern of behavior would change.

Some whackadoodle lawyer representing him contradicted that, telling news media Valero only need to dry out for a weekend.

Then came a report that he would go to Cuba to train for a fight although he had none scheduled as Arum and the the Los Angeles immigration lawyer he retained, Frank Ronzio, tried to find a way around the border ban which was based on a DWI case from Las Vegas.

Ironically, that DWI arrest occurred in Vegas the very night, last May 2, that Valero;s ultimate target, Manny Pacquiao, was hammering Ricky Hatton into submission.

Then there was an auto accident involving Valero and confusion surrounded those circumstances as well.

Now, it was said, the Cuba trip was off and Valero would stay in his homeland.

Stay he did and he had his wife went to Valencia.

Maybe someone can explain to me why the often enraged Valero was allowed anywhere near his wife after beating her up so badly that a lung was collapsed.

Don't they have such a thing as stay away orders, orders of protection, to combat domestic violence in Venezuela? I don't know but I will ask the questions.

Who was supposed to give Valero guidance, who would help him battle his demons?

Now she is dead and he is dead.

Pray for those two children, I guess.

One thing is for sure, and that is even though he is gone, knocked himself out of life, the damage perpetrated by Edwin Valero will continue.

His final record? You could say 29-0, all by KO, and the worst damage was inflicted at the end.

They may be too young to comprehend it now, those precious children, but someday they will have to contend with psychic demons themselves.

(mlcmarley@aol.com)

Source: examiner.com

Hatton concedes he is lacking the hunger to fight again -- ESPN

ESPN.co.uk

Ricky Hatton has confessed that he is currently lacking the hunger to make a return to the ring - and that he does not know if the desire will ever come back.

The two-weight world champion announced in January that he intended to have at least one more fight in 2010, but he has failed to agree any bout - prompting reports that he was set to cancel his return.

Hatton, who has not fought since a defeat against Manny Pacquiao last May, has done nothing to dispel those rumours by admitting that he will only re-enter the ring if - and not when - the hunger returns.

"I'd hate to go into a training camp with my heart not fully in it and risk getting beaten by somebody who shouldn't be beating me," Hatton said. "So until that hunger comes back, that fire in the belly - that is when I will make my decision.

"One day I might come in the gym and say 'let's give it a go.' It's only been 10 months since the [Pacquiao] fight - I wouldn't really call that retirement. But, as any fighter will tell you, you have got to have that hunger to carry on with the training."

Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer has claimed Hatton has been offered the chance to fight Mexican veteran Juan Manuel Marquez, but The Hitman insists that no such proposal has been forthcoming.

"If it's been mentioned, it can only have been mentioned by Golden Boy and it has not been mentioned to me," he said. "I was as shocked as everybody else when I heard it. The fight has not been offered to me, so I don't know what more I can say about it."

Source: espn.co.uk

Looks like Manny Pacquiao ended Ricky Hatton's ring time -- Telegraph

By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk

It’s looking more and more likely that Ricky Hatton may be finished in the ring – as a fighter, if not as a promoter. The final act which saw the curtain fall on the British folk hero’s last scene came from the flashing fists of the Filipino phenomenon Manny Pacquiao – whose inexorable rise, in the ring and electioneering, continues.

Pugilism and politics are the south-east Asian’s game.

After Floyd Mayweather Jnr inflicted Hatton’s first career defeat and created the blueprint in December 2008, the whirlwind from Mindanao ripped Hatton apart and bludgeoned him to flatness on the canvas.

It was ugly to witness. After being released from hospital, Hatton failed to show to speak to the British media the next morning at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It was a sign. With hindsight, it looks as if it were a warning sign. Hatton is reluctant to speak to the media. He inhabits in a netherworld in his mind at present. Should he stay or should he go…?

We’ve all offered our sixpence worth, but to be frank, it is nothing to do with us. Only the fighter can decide. Ask Angelo Dundee. He told me recently he tried it many times with Muhammad Ali, but it was in one ear and out the other. Ali ducked and dived the issue with Dundee, every time it was broached.

Over the last month, we are told a sozzled Hatton, on a stag do abroad, and after a long weekend of partying, blurted out to those close to him that he could not face the long road back. It was reported as fact by the British tabloids. There was no statement from Hatton to follow.

The CEO of Hatton Promotions, Gareth Williams, insisted to me at the time that no decision had been taken and that Hatton, if retiring, would have called a press conference to announce time on his career. The pair met the day after I spoke to Williams. His reply was that no decision had been made.

No press conference, no announcement followed. Nary a word. David Haye held a week of news conferences in Manchester two weeks ago. He used Hatton’s gym in Hyde to spar lightly and hit the bags on the Thursday and Friday nights before the fight with Ruiz.

Some observers made of it that Haye had issues ahead of his fight. It was merely that he was restless, and had not been able to spar because of a cut above his eye. Insiders from the Haye camp have told me that the fighter was eager to get in there, and the 30 minute drive to Hyde from the plush Lowry Hotel, in Salford, where Haye and his entourage stayed throughout the week of preparations, helped to keep the restless beast in Haye in its place. The beast in him needed exercising. But Hatton, throughout it all, kept a low profile. There were even stories, battened down, and being chased by one tabloid newspaper, that Haye and Hatton had fallen out. Nonsense.

But Hatton was very quiet during the week. On Thursday night, he attended a boxing show at The Ritzy in Manchester. Tyson Fury, the heavyweight boxer promoted by Mick Hennessy, and 12 hundred spectators were there. No comments from Hatton that night.

This week, there were still no comments from Hatton. Yet the Manchester Evening News, for whom Hatton writes a ghosted column, printed a story – without a single quote from Hatton – indicating that his career was over, and that he had turned down a two-fight deal with firstly, Erik Morales, the former super-featherweight world champion, who is coming back from retirement, followed by a second contest with Juan Manuel Marquez later in the year.

Robert Diaz, the Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker, was in town on Haye business that week. He will have slid the invites, through Gareth Williams, under Hatton’s door. It looks like the prospect of shifting 50lbs to get down to the weight does not appeal to Hatton at present. That may yet change. But for now, the British former two-weight world champion is happy playing promoter to his brother Matthew, et al.

We can all blame the brilliance and brutality of Manny Pacquiao for that…

Source: blogs.telegraph.co.uk

Golden Boy Promotions Offer Ricky Hatton Two Fights; Morales And Then Marquez - But Will Hatton Take Them? -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

It seems the people at Golden Boy Promotions do not want mega-star Ricky Hatton to walk away from the sport; not yet anyway. Though the 31-year-old - who has not fought since his crushing 2nd-round defeat at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in May of last year - has yet to make up his mind officially, there have been rumours for weeks now that a retirement announcement is imminent..

And maybe Hatton is content to walk away from the sport, and will hold a press conference to say as much when the time suits him. However, Oscar De la Hoya's promotional outfit has, The Manchester Evening News reports, offered Hatton two final fights. Fight one, if taken, will see Hatton face Mexican legend Erik Morales in Las Vegas on July 10th, on the same bill as the Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz rematch. Then, if both Hatton and Marquez win, Golden Boy would love to see the two square off in Manchester some time at the end of the year in what would be the former 140-pound king's "farewell" fight.

Fans know how the idea of a Hatton-Marquez fight has been floating around for a number of months now, and Marquez is reportedly very up for the fight. But now the ball is very much in Ricky's court, and it will be his decision and his decision alone as to whether or not he will fight either Morales or Marquez, or both.

And let's face it, as faded as Hatton undoubtedly is (and Morales as well come to that), both the match-ups that Golden Boy are offering Hatton would prove to be big attractions should they go ahead. Maybe the very idea of a Hatton Vs. Morales will send shivers down the spines of the boxing purists, but the fact remains that in this day and age, with many, even more "bizarre" match-ups taking place, this possibility of a welterweight fight is tame by comparison.

And at least neither Hatton nor Morales would be being matched against some young tiger. Rest assured, this fight, if Hatton surprises us and takes it, will prove to be a big hit at the box office. And if Hatton were to win, well, the Marquez fight would be a great way for him to go out. I'd be willing to bet that right now, Hatton is feeling seriously tempted to take Golden Boy's two-fight offer.

A natural warrior by heart, "The Hitman," despite his current out of shape condition, will, in my opinion, have felt that "itch" when he heard the offer for the first time. Then again, there have been stories that have surfaced that tell us how Ricky tried to fight himself back into shape, but was simply unable. And of course, if Hatton has lost his fire and ability to train properly, he will make the right decision in politely declining the Golden Boy offer.

Time will tell.

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Ricky Hatton set to spurn Erik Morales fight -- The Guardian

By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk

Ricky Hatton, once the king of Las Vegas, has been offered a comeback fight against the faded Erik Morales on the undercard of a Golden Boy Promotions show in Las Vegas on 10 July. He is expected to reject the opportunity.

Juan Manuel Márquez fights Juan Díaz for two versions of the world lightweight title that night and, if he wins, is then being offered up for Hatton as the Mancunian's farewell opponent in Manchester later in the year.

Hatton, who has worked with Golden Boy (GBP) several times, will turn down the deal, according to the Manchester Evening News, for whom he writes a column.

He spoke with Robert Diaz last week when the GBP negotiator came to Manchester for David Haye's successful world heavyweight title defence against John Ruiz.

Golden Boy originally wanted Hatton to fight Márquez, who lost widely on points last year to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Hatton announced in December he was returning to the ring but has subsequently suggested he will not go through with those plans.

Hatton, who has ballooned in weight since being knocked out in the second round against Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last July, has been in the gym intermittently, preparing for a celebrity football match at Old Trafford in June.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Hatton to refuse mega-bucks lure -- Manchester Evening News

By James Robson, Manchester Evening News

Ricky Hatton is being offered a mega-money two-fight deal to postpone his retirement.

Oscar de la Hoya's promotion company, Golden Boy, are desperately trying to talk the Hitman out of hanging up his gloves - but they are facing a losing battle.

Hatton is determined to walk away from the sport and plans to make an official announcement soon.

But Golden Boy are still hoping the 31-year-old - who has been out of action since his brutal second round knockout by Manny Pacquiao last May - can be persuaded to shelve his retirement plans.

They are trying to tempt him with a fight with Erik Morales in July before a farewell clash with Juan Marquez in Manchester at the end of the year.

Golden Boy's chief matchmaker, Robert Diaz, met with Hatton last week while in England for David Haye's WBA title defence against John Ruiz.

He has been in regular contact with Hatton's camp for the past year, trying to set out a timetable for his comeback.

And after the Hitman announced in January that he planned at least one more "big fight," Diaz set about arranging a clash with lightweight king Marquez.

The 36-year-old Mexican, who has twice taken Pacquiao the distance and last September lost on points to Floyd Mayweather, is desperate to get it on with Hatton.

Golden Boy have picked Hatton's potential opponents carefully.

They have no interest in putting him in against Amir Khan, who with Haye, are their next big ticket sellers.

Instead they see Morales as the perfect opponent to ease the Hitman back into the ring on the undercard of Marquez' July clash with Juan Diaz in Las Vegas.

Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk

What if Erik Morales fought Ricky Hatton next? -- Eastside Boxing

By Geoffrey Ciani, Eastside Boxing

It had been more than two and a half years since we last saw Erik Morales inside the squared circle. Going into his fight against former WBA lightweight champion Jose Alfaro this past Saturday most observers were unsure what to expect. After all, not only had “El Terrible” been out of the ring since losing a disputed decision against David Diaz in August 2007 but he also lost five of his last six fights. Considering he lost just once in his first forty-one contests, it is understandable that most observers felt his best days were behind him. Additionally, he never fought north of the lightweight division and his fight with Alfaro was scheduled to take place at welterweight..

All things considered, Morales looked surprisingly good and proved he still has something left to offer. His body frame may have looked a bit thicker and softer than we are accustomed to seeing but Morales was still able to exhibit a solid skill set and warrior mentality. Through the first half of the contest Morales was clearly in control and showed little in terms of ring rust. At times, he even showed brief glimpses of brilliance which were reminiscent of the “El Terrible” of old. Down the stretch, however, Morales seemed winded at times and it was obvious he still needs some work on his conditioning if he intends to resume fighting at an elite level. In rounds nine through eleven, Morales was getting caught flush more and more frequently as his offensive volume dwindled. In the twelfth round, he came on strong and showed the championship heart fans have long admired. At the end of the night, he was awarded a unanimous decision victory with scores reading 117-111, 116-112, and 116-112.

The question becomes, where does Erik Morales go from here?

When Morales appeared on a recent edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio prior to his fight with Alfaro, Jenna J (the show’s radiant Hostess) asked “El Terrible” about his future plans if he was successful against Alfaro. Morales explained that he wanted the fans to evaluate his performance after the fight and make suggestions about who he should face next. We discussed these possibilities on the latest edition of On the Ropes and we all agreed that ideally, Morales is not best suited for the welterweight division. There are, however, a slew of potential opportunities available for him in the talented rich 140 pound weight class. With guys like Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander, Nate Campbell, Amir Khan, Paulie Malignaggi, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marcos Maidana, and Victor Ortiz currently campaigning in that weight class, there are many possible directions for “El Terrible” to turn.

An obvious choice for Morales would be a showdown against fellow Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez. Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny Pacquiao, and Marco Antonio Barrera represent a fine quartet of pugilists, all of whom competed in a similar weight range during the same period. Out of all the possible match ups that could be made from this fearsome foursome, the only pairing that never happened is between Morales and Marquez. They are both Mexican fighters, they are both future Hall of Famers, and both are on the downside of their respective careers. A fight between Morales and Marquez at junior welterweight seems like a logical path to pursue for “El Terrible” and would be good for Marquez, too.

Jenna J brought up another interesting possibility on today’s show—one that I had previously not heard any mention of—the possibility of Erik Morales facing former 140 pound champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. In some ways, this fight actually makes a lot of sense. Like Morales, Hatton has been inactive for a long duration. In fact, we have not seen him inside the ring since he was blasted away in two rounds by Manny Pacquiao. Furthermore, like Morales, Hatton’s weight has far exceeded his best fighting weight during his time off. This could help provide for a somewhat level playing field. Beyond that, each fighter is looking for a way to help rejuvenate and reignite his career. A win for either fighter against the other would surely go a long way towards doing this and a fight between the two would be sure to generate a lot of buzz amongst boxing fans.

On one hand, Hatton might represent a more difficult fight for Morales because Hatton is naturally bigger and stronger. He hits hard and has spent the majority of his career competing at 140 pounds. On the other hand it is equally possible that Marquez represents the tougher challenge because despite being older, he has more left in the tank. After all, before being dominated by Floyd Mayweather (in a match Marquez had no business fighting in the first place) he was widely regarded as the number two pound for pound fighter in the world.

Whatever Morales chooses as his next big move, whether it be a fight with Hatton, Marquez, or someone else entirely—it is probably best advised if he takes another fight or two to help improve his conditioning.

Who do you think Morales should fight next? Please share your comments here or you can call in to the next edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio and share your thoughts on the air with Jenna and me.

***

To learn more about On the Ropes Boxing Radio please visit our official website:
http://www.ontheropesboxingradio.com


To contact Ciani or Jenna J:
ontheropes@eastsideboxing.com


To read more by Ciani or Jenna please visit The Mushroom Mag:
http://www.eatthemushroom.com/mag

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Hatton: Haye’s bigger than Lennox -- The Sun

By PAT SHEEHAN, The Sun

DAVID HAYE will be a bigger box-office draw than Lennox Lewis - and can rule Britannia and the rest of the world.

That is the verdict of former light-welterweight world champ and crowd-pleaser Ricky Hatton.

Haye defends his WBA world heavyweight crown for the first time when he takes on John Ruiz at Manchester's MEN Arena on Saturday night.

And the Hitman, who always put bums on seats when he was fighting, will be ringside.

American fighters have traditionally dominated the heavyweight scene but their influence has waned over recent years with Europeans taking over.

Londoner Haye reclaimed the world heavyweight title for Britain when he defeated the 7ft 2in, 23st Beast from the East Nikolai Valuev last November.

Hatton, 31, said: "Lennox was a great fighter but David is right up the Ricky Hatton street. He goes for the knockout and takes chances that excite the crowds.

"If he can carry on like he's going, David can be a mega-star in the heavyweight division. I'd pay for a ticket to watch him.

"Lennox was a hero of mine after what he did unifying the division.

"He was fantastic, a giant of a man but a true gentleman.

"But he was never really my speed - David is. He can fly the flag for British boxing with his great personality, exciting style and his will to finish a fight early by always going for the knockout.

"I know a lot of American fight writers are picking Ruiz but David will prove them all wrong. I hope he wins in style and gets the respect he deserves."

And Hatton insists the Hayemaker, 29, can become only the second man to beat Yank Ruiz inside the distance after David Tua KO'd him in the first round of their WBC world heavyweight bout back in 1996.

The Hitman added: "Ruiz is shorter than Valuev, a bit on the slow side and David won't have trouble stopping him.

"David showed his power when he shook up Valuev with a big punch - imagine what he'll do to someone his size.

Meanwhile, heavyweight flop Audley Harrison has warned Haye he will lose if he underestimates Ruiz.

Ex-Olympic super-heavyweight champ Harrison said: "If he doesn't blast out Ruiz early, it'll be a tough night.

"I saw Haye's training session on TV and his timing is off. He's also carrying extra weight.

"No disrespect, but no one in the US is talking about David Haye."

Source: thesun.co.uk

Ricky Hatton's Future to be Discussed With Golden Boy -- FanHouse

By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse

Golden Boy Promotions representatives will be meeting with former IBF and WBC junior welterweight (140 pounds) champion, Ricky Hatton, this week, to determine whether or not they will be working together on a future comeback for the 31-year-old, Manchester, Lancashire, England resident.

Hatton (45-2, 32 knockouts) has not fought since May, when he was stopped in the second round by Manny Pacquiao.

Golden Boy CEO, Richard Schaefer, told FanHouse that members of the promotional company will be in Manchester as part of their work with this weekend's WBA heavyweight title defense by champion, David Haye (23-1, 21 KOs), of Bermondsey, London, against 38-year-old, former three-time titlist, John Ruiz (44-8-1, 30 KOs), of Chesea, Mass, that will take place at The M.E.N. Arena, in Manchester.

"I really don't know if Ricky Hatton is retired or not, because you hear all of these conflicting reports. Ones that say that he's retired, and ones that say that he is not," said Schaefer. "But one of our matchmakers, Roberto Diaz, will actually be in Manchester this week because of the Haye-Ruiz fight, which is taking place this weekend."

Among the other subjects that will be discussed, said Schaefer, is Hatton's brother, Matthew Hatton (39-4-2, 15 KOs), 28-year-old welterweight (147 pounds) who earned the European title with Friday night's unanimous decision over 39-year-old Gianluca Bronco (43-3-1, 22 KOs), of Civitavecchia, Lazio, Italy.

"Roberto will be meeting, as well, with Ricky Hatton, and with Matthew Hatton for that matter as well because he had this great win over Gianluca Bronco over the weekend," said Schaefer. "Now, Matthew Hatton is the European welterweight champion, and we'll see if there are any opportunities with Matthew as well."

Schaefer said that he is "currently working and trying to finalize that we are going to be able to show the Haye-Ruiz fight here in the United States," adding, that "we acquired the rights for it, and we would basically do it as a preview an hour before the pay per view, and it would be available for free to the American public to watch the heavyweight fight."

Schaefer said that he is "working on the technical aspect of the situation [Haye-Ruiz,] together with HBO," such as the channel the fight will be on, and that "it looks pretty good."

In addition, Schaefer said that 36-year-old, Mexican, three-time world champion, Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) will face 26-year-old Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs) in a rematch Marquez's, February, 2009, ninth-round knockout of Diaz for the vacant WBA and WBO lightweight (135 pounds) titles that was named Fight Of The Year.

"We're just waiting for some signature pages, but both fighters have, in principle, agreed to the fight," said Schaefer. "The date would be July 10, and it looks like it's going to be at The MGM Grand. We're going to be meeting with the MGM people this week."

Shaefer also said that if 29-year-old former WBC junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion and Contender series winner, Sergio Mora (21-1-1, five KOs), of Los Angeles, defeats 32-year-old Calvin Green (21-4-1, 13 KOs), of, Baytown, Tex., on Saturday night, he could set up some lucrative, future possibilities.

Mora-Green will take place at the Mandalay Bay Hotel on the undercard of Saturday's pay per view light heavyweight (175 pounds) match up featuring 41-year-old Roy Jones (54-6, 40 knockouts) and 45-year-old Bernard Hopkins (50-5-1, 32 KOs) in a rematch of Jones' unanimous decision victory in May of 1993.

"If Sergio Mora wins this weekend, you know, the plan would be to see if we could put Sergio Mora and Winky Wright together on the Marquez-Diaz card," said Schaefer. "We'll see how it goes this weekend, and then we'll sit down next week. But that's definitely a fight we'll be looking at."

A 38-year-old, southpaw, former WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO junior middleweight champion, Wright (51-5-1, 25 KOs) has lost his last two bouts to Hopkins, and, Paul Williams, respectively.

Wright has not been in the ring since the loss to Williams in April.

In the wake of Saturday night's sixth-round knockout victory by 26-year-old, Argentinian WBA interim junior welterweight titlist, Marcos Rene Maidana, (28-1, 27 knockouts), over 25-year-old, Dominican Republican, Victor Cayo (24-1, 16 KOs), Schaefer said that he is looking for options for Maidana in what is perhaps the deepest division in boxing.

One of those considerations is 23-year-old, southpaw, IBF and WBC junior welterweight king, Devon Alexander (20-0, 13 KOs), of St. Louis, Mo., who is coming off of a March 6, eighth-round knockout of then-IBF champ, Juan Urango (22-3-1, 17 KOs).

"I'm in Las Vegas right now, and the HBO people, Kery Davis and Mark Taffet, are going to be out here. So I'm going to be talking to Kery about Marcos Maidana, who has a spectacular performance again," said Schaefer, of Maidana.

"That's [Alexander] is one fight that I'm going to be discussing with them, and I know that they're not afraid of fighting anybody -- you can see it in the style Maidana has, that he'll fight anyone," said Schaefer. "That [Alexander] could definitely be a possibility, yes. We'll have to see if a deal can be structured and if the money is right."

Alexander's manager and trainer, Kevin Cunningham, believes Alexander-Maidana is the fight that should happen, particularly with 26-year-old WBO king, Tim Bradley (25-0, 11 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif. and, 23-year-old, WBA titlist, Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KOs), of England, having already lined up their next fights.

Maidana was originally a mandatory defense for Khan, who, instead, will defend his crown against 29-year-old Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, five KOs), of Brooklyn, on May 15 at The WaMu Theater in New York's Madison Square Garden.

And on June 19 at the Agua Caliente Casino, Rancho Mirage, in Calif., Bradley will fight in a non-title, over the division weight limit match up opposite 27-year-old Luis Carlos Abregu (29-0, 23 KOs), of Salta, Salta, Argentina.

"I think that Alexander and Maidana would be a great fight, and I think that the fight needs to get made because I think that Devon and Maidana are the two most feared guys in the division," said Cunningham.

"Devon has chased Tim Bradley to welterweight, and Maidana ran Amir Khan away from his mandatory. So, with that being said, everybody's scared of these two guys," said Cunningham. "So, the man who is truly the best, 140-pounder can be decided out of these two guys, because they have continuously demonstrated the will and the courage to fight anybody."

Former WBA super featherweight (130 pounds) titlist, Jorge Linares (28-1, 18 KOs), who was dethroned as champion following October's first-round knockout loss to 25-year-old Juan Carlos Salgado (21-1-1, 15 KOs), bounced back with Saturday night's majority decision victory over 38-year-old, Dominican Republican-born, Franciso Lorenzo (34-8, 15 KOs), of Irvington, N.J.

"We're trying to get him back on the road in the United States," said Schaefer. "I'd like to bring him back and maybe have him on one of those cards as well, because I still think that he has a tremendous opportunity and some possibilities."

Schaefer said that the Solo Boxeo series is likely to debut on April 30 the night before the May 1 welterweight clash between Floyd Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) and WBA champion, Shane Mosley (46-5, 39 KOs), at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"The largest Spanish network in the United States, Univision, their sister station, Telefutura, they used to have a weekly show called Solo Boxeo, that means basically, 'Only Boxing,' in Spanish," said Schaefer.

"It had been going for a long time -- 10 years or more. They took it off the air about two years ago, and we were working on bringing that Friday night boxing back on the Spanish language network," said Schaefer. "We were able to succeed there, so the first one of them is going to be on April 30, from Las Vegas."

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

Joe Calzaghe Apologises For Cocaine Use; Criticises Newspaper's Reporting Tactics -- Eastside Boxing

By James Slater, Eastside Boxing

As is currently being reported all over the internet, former two-weight world champion and all-time great Joe Calzaghe has admitted to how he has taken cocaine since retiring from the ring with an unbeaten 46-0 record. Huge U.K newspaper The News of The World, in an exclusive that has stunned the Welshman's fans, today revealed how the former super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion has used the drug since retiring after his November 2008 win over Roy Jones Jr..

The paper also reports how the 38-year-old has "bad-mouthed" fellow boxers such as Ricky Hatton, Amir Khan and Naseem Hamed (however, as you will see when reading on, the allegations about Joe "laying into" other fighters are pretty much a case of over blowing the facts).

Talking on his official website, Calzaghe has apologised for, and is regretful of, his "occasional" use of cocaine. Joe also is critical of the way The News of The World "secretly" filmed him in order to get their story.

According to the BBC, Calzaghe speaks of how some of the things he said whilst being in the company of the undercover reporters were "not meant seriously." Feeling he has been the victim of underhanded tactics by the paper he may be, but Calzaghe is also full for regret for the way he has set a bad example.

"I very much regret my occasional use of cocaine in what have sometimes been the long days since my retirement from the ring," Calzaghe said. "I am fully aware of the bad example it sets to other people and I apologise. It is not a major problem in my life but it is something I am actively addressing.

"Many of the other conversations reported to have taken place simply involve men joshing or shooting the breeze over a drink. While some statements are untrue or exaggerations I am, naturally, sorry for any embarrassment their publication may cause to entirely blameless third parties."

As to the "Bad-mouthing" Calzaghe gave Hatton, Khan and Hamed; this aspect of the paper's report is, in my opinion, nothing more than a cheap shot. The "bad" things Joe said about his fellow boxers are as follows:

"The main thing is your health. Look at Ricky Hatton for instance. You know he was knocked out really badly the last fight, knocked out two fights ago, and the reality is he's done himself a lot of damage. Regardless of when he fights again, and he says he's going to fight, he's been knocked out by a nobody hasn't he, because his punch resistance has gone as far as I'm concerned."

You can see that, aside from being off-the-mark when he refers to either Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather Jr as being a "nobody", that Calzaghe has said nothing about Hatton that has not been said by many other people in the recent past.

On Naseem Hamed:

"Naseem, he's living in London now. Obviously he had that episode didn't he, where he went to prison (for leaving the scene of a car crash). He's quite big, he's only like five foot two. He's quite a size now."

Again, no earth shattering revelations here.

On Amir Khan:

"He's not exceptional. If he fights against a tall guy he'll be knocked out again. He can't fight a puncher."

Wow! Isn't this the same thing a number of fight fans and experts have said a number of times in recent months?

Okay, Calzaghe's cocaine use is a shocker, and his image will definitely take a blow. But why must the newspaper try to make Calzaghe out to be a man who has "laid into" his fellow boxers, when clearly he hasn't.

Source: eastsideboxing.com