Mayweather vs Marquez is Officially Rescheduled To 9/19

LOS ANGELES - Sports fans around the world can breathe again as it was announced today that the highly anticipated 12-round welterweight showdown between

Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez has been officially rescheduled for September 19, after Mayweather, who suffered a rib injury while training for the originally scheduled July 18 date, received clearance from his doctor to participate on the new date.

Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," which will still take place at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View, will now take place on what on what is historically considered boxing's biggest weekend, and falling on the time-honored tradition of Mexican Independence Day.

"I am relieved to be cleared to fight as I was already looking forward to getting back in the ring," said Mayweather. "Trust me, September 19 is a great weekend for boxing, and all of my fans, of which there are many Mexicans too, can certainly hold on to their hats and sombreros when I get back in to the ring and show them what they have been missing these past 18 months. I will destroy Marquez and reclaim my rightful place as boxing's pound-for-pound king all in one night. Don't miss it."

Marquez, who has also agreed to fight on the new date, is excited about appearing yet again on the time-honored tradition of El Grito de Independence.

"I am happy that Mayweather has been cleared to fight and we can get down to business on September 19," said Marquez. "This weekend is not just an important weekend for boxing, but even more so for all of the Mexican and Mexican-American people I will be fighting for who will have a great reason to celebrate my win over Mayweather, which will be for all of the people and for the entire country of Mexico that night. I am sure of victory and si se puede- yes we can and yes we will!"

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 and Southwest Airlines.

Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, go on sale Friday, May 22 at 10 a.m. Ticket sales at $1,000, $750, $600 and $300 are limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com

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.

Source: boxingscene.com

Floyd Mayweather’s Next "Money" Move?

Now, that the Mayweather-Marquez fight is on hold due to Floyd’s rib injury and amidst rumblings that ticket sales were less than record setting is it reasonable to believe that Floyd’s bargaining power leading into a future negotiation with Manny Pacquiao will be diminished? I think the answer is “yes”. In previous statements, Floyd has always pointed to his record setting PPV buy rates in matches between common opponents as proof that HE’S the bigger draw between the two and as such deserves a higher percentage of the purse split. The fight with Juan Manuel Marquez could turn out to disprove that claim and may be clear cut evidence that Floyd alone does not have enough fan appeal to draw in paying customers. As it stands today, he can use the fact that he reached a higher plateau at the box office than Manny but not if he doesn’t reach a comparable plateau against Marquez.. That will render his arguments invalid. Some think it’s invalid now. It is true that his fights against Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton garnered more revenue than Manny’s but it’s also true that the real attraction in those fights wasn’t Mayweather. Perhaps Floyd’s antics raised the overall visibility of those fights but there’s little doubt that the majority of the paying customers were paying to see Oscar and Ricky. Not to mention, they were paying to see Oscar and Ricky win. Some have made the argument that prior to those two fights Floyd’s marketability was limited to hardcore fight fans and that his exposure to a larger general audience didn’t take place until the Arturo Gatti fight. In that fight, Arturo was the draw. In the end it was Floyd’s absolute mastery and dominance that became the story but he wasn’t the one that people tuned into see. Granted, afterwards he did emerge as a bigger star and it gave him the visibility he needed leading into the fight with De La Hoya. Before that fans were somewhat lukewarm to Floyd at the box office. Poor returns on the Marquez fight may remind people of that time and I’m sure if they don’t remember, Bob Arum will be there to jog their memory.

Currently, from a business perspective Floyd and his team are in a tough spot.

So, if you’re Floyd’s advisors what do you do now? Do you try to get out of the Marquez fight? I think if they could they would. With Manny very near to signing to fight with Miguel Cotto and the possibility that Floyd’s fight with Marquez will significantly diminish his bargaining power the question they must be asking themselves is “how do we get out of this fight?”! If he doesn’t he could lose Pacquiao all together because there is NO GUARANTEE that Manny will beat Cotto. In fact, in the minds of many boxing insiders Miguel Cotto is the worst opponent for Pacquiao because of his definite power and the redemptive stakes involved.

Upon considering all this some interesting scenarios begin to emerge when looking at Floyd’s possible future.

Scenario #1, if he moves forward with the Marquez fight and wins in his usual manner by decision as most expect but the box office returns are relatively poor then he can forget about getting a 50/50 split with Pacquiao! Frankly, he can forget about 55/45 too because Arum will demand and GET the original 60/40 split in Manny’s favor. At that point, Floyd will have no choice but to accept that. In my opinion, the only way for Floyd to avoid this fate would be by delivering SPECTACULAR knock out of JMM. Regardless, of the PPV returns he can then make the argument to THE PUBLIC that he utterly destroyed a fighter that Manny is perceived to have struggled with. It won’t matter so much that fewer people actually tuned in to see that fight when there are thousands of replays through every media outlet available along with Floyd himself LOUDLY banging the drum as we all know is his talent. A win in that fashion will also start up a new argument that will ultimately be decided by the Ring Magazine when they publish their new P4P rankings. Who’ll be #1? That ranking will go a long way in determining Floyd’s new bargaining power. You can bet that there will be many pundits who proclaim Floyd #1 and Manny #2. We may even be split down the middle. If that does happens then you can expect a long and tedious negotiation process for a PBF-MP fight. Toss in the bad blood between Arum and Mayweather and we may suffer through months of back and forth.

Scenario #2, if Manny moves forward and does fight Miguel Cotto and BEATS him then it doesn’t matter what Floyd does against Marquez because Manny at that point will have won 7 world titles in 7 different weight divisions. That historic event will put his struggles with Juan Manuel Marquez to bed for good and Floyd will be back to the original 60/40 deal. Take it or leave it. Manny could also then threaten to do business with “Sugar” Shane Mosley indicating to the public that “he” wants to clean up the division. After all it was Shane who took out the often avoided and generally perceived to be the #1 fighter in the division, the now disgraced Antonio Margarito. Manny at that point could even flirt with the idea of challenging the light hitting Cory Spinks at Jr middleweight for an 8th world title in as many weight divisions. (That’s a bit of a stretch but I wanted to put it out there any way. You never know how invincible he might be feeling after winning a 7th world title. Don’t underestimate a fighter’s ego!) The historic implications alone of such a match would do huge numbers. Bob Arum would have no problem making a fight like that a “must see” for even the casual sports fans. All this of course is bad business for Floyd. He could potentially be left out in the cold.

Scenario #3, Manny takes on Cotto and is BEATEN! Suddenly, Manny is no longer the #1 fighter in the world and his marketability outside of the Philippines is back to the pre-De La Hoya level. It will matter HOW Manny is beaten as well. If he loses by close decision then he may still be able to command a decent percentage in a fight with Floyd but if he is knocked out all bets are off! Manny could also find himself left out in the cold because at that point the only fight that would really make sense would be between Mayweather and Cotto. That scenario is also bad for Floyd because you can bet that he won’t be making any where near the amount of cash that he would have against Pacquiao regardless of the percentage split. Not to mention, that Miguel Cotto will gain a renewed confidence and credibility by beating Manny and could threaten to sign a Margarito rematch instead of a fight with Floyd and use that as his bargaining chip. By doing so he could potentially leave Floyd the odd man out or at least command a 50/50 split. Arum may even attempt to get a percentage split that favors Miguel.

Again, that would depend on how Cotto wins.

Scenario #4, Floyd finds a way to get out of his fight with Marquez and starts negotiations with Manny now. He can then negotiate based upon the higher revenue returns for his fights with Oscar and Ricky. In order to do that he would have to provide some kind of back room compensation to JMM and Golden Boy Promotions. Step aside deals are nothing new in professional boxing. In my opinion, that would seem to be the safest way to go and Floyd has always shown a safety first approach in the ring as well as at the negotiation table.

If they can’t opt out of that fight I have a couple of recommendations for Team Mayweather.

#1, Knock out Juan Manuel Marquez in SPECTACULAR fashion and #2, PRAY that Manny Pacquiao gets past Miguel Cotto in one piece!

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Now What?

The news arrived in a press release on Sunday afternoon - Floyd Mayweather, scheduled to face Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, would be forced out of that assignment due to a rib injury.

So now what?

"I really don't have any updates, as of yet," said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer on Monday afternoon. "It really is driven by the doctor’s opinion, Floyd is going to see the doctor again this week and we will then see what is the earliest date we can reschedule the fight for."

The hope is that Mayweather-Marquez will take place on September 19th at the same venue.

There has been speculation that perhaps Mayweather pulled out of this fight to instead face a Miguel Cotto or Manny Pacquiao in the late fall. But Schaefer stated to Maxboxing that, "Both Mayweather and Marquez are committed to the fight. We had conversations with HBO, with sponsors, as well as with the venue, and we will know more once we find out about how Floyd is feeling. I'm told he's in a tremendous amount of pain and so we are very concerned about that and we hope he's going to feel better soon and is going to be able to resume his training. He was very disappointed, devastated - everything was lined up and planned.

“He obviously had in his mind that he's going to take care of this fight with Marquez and then was looking forward to a showdown later on in the year, another big fight, be it with Pacquiao or a Shane Mosley. Obviously, this injury now derails these plans and it looks like he's only going to be fighting once this year."

According to Bob Arum, Pacquiao-Mayweather will not take place in 2009 with this latest development.

“What he did with this injury," said the veteran promoter from his offices in Las Vegas on Monday, "is put himself out of all consideration for a Pacquiao fight this year. He clearly did because obviously the earliest he'll be able to postpone it would be September 19th, and obviously even if he knocked the guy out in one round, you couldn't schedule another fight this year."

Arum has been told by 'the Pac Man', who watched this past weekend’s fight at the Madison Square Garden between Cotto and Joshua Clottey, to make his next bout for November the 14th.

“My orders are to make a fight with Miguel Cotto and I assume I'll be able to do that; if I can't, I'll look to Shane Mosley," said Arum. Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, is asking for a catch-weight of 144, while Cotto's people would settle for 145. Arum says, "I assume that's not going to be an issue."

Arum doesn't buy all the conspiracy theories surrounding Mayweather's ailment.

“I believe the injury is legitimate, because yes, the fight wasn't doing well in July and maybe it'll do better in September - which is certainly a more appropriate date. But it's clear that he now has to look to next year to fight Pacquiao, assuming he's able to beat Cotto."

ICEBERG AVERTED?

It really is anyone’s guess if Mayweather is really hurt or not and certainly a lot has been written as to the 'real' reason this event was pulled. It was no secret within the industry that the fight was struggling at the box office. Sources tell Maxboxing that no more than 3,000 tickets were sold, and ticket brokers weren't exactly rushing to put in orders. It's difficult to have a secondary market when there isn't much of a demand for the event to begin with. Not only was this fight seen as a physical mismatch in many circles, the tickets (which ranged from $1,000 to $150) seemed a bit pricey, particularly in this current economy.

But this promotion seemed doomed from the start. Not only is July a tough month in terms of pay-per-view (usually promoters and networks try and steer clear from the dog days of summer) but it's traditionally a slow period for Las Vegas (something about those 110-degree nights). This event also was most likely going to be overshadowed by UFC 100, which is expected to be a gala event, and one that also takes place in 'Sin City' on July 11th. That card sold-out in mere minutes.

There is also the harsh reality - which seems pretty clear now - that Marquez, for all his greatness, was the third banana behind the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, and never considered a real draw, even among the hardcore Mexican fans. As for Mayweather, his claims of being the biggest draw in boxing based on his fights versus Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton seem to ring hollow. In both events, he was the clear B-side of the equation.

For him to claim he was the driving reason that those promotions did the numbers they did would be like Sasha Vujacic telling his grandkids in the future that on the night of January 22nd, 2006, when the Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors at the Staples Center, that he and Kobe Bryant combined for 84 points to lead the purple and gold to victory. (For you that don't follow the NBA, that was the game where 'the Black Mamba' went off for 81.)

September 19th seems like a much better date for this particular promotion, because no matter how you slice it, Marquez is Mexican, at the very least. And this weekend, for about the past decade-and-a-half, has been designated as a regular pay-per-view slot. But if you look back, the biggest numbers on this platform have been produced by one common denominator - Oscar De La Hoya. Unfortunately, on this night - should this fight be rescheduled for this date - he'll be ringside with a credential around his neck.

And here's another factor - Mexicans are a bit more discerning than some would like to believe. Will they really show up in droves or drive up pay-per-view sales for a fight where their guy is such a decided underdog? Mexican boxing fans like to see Mexican boxers win. They’re not forking over their hard-earned money to see their man get thrashed. Trust me, I've asked more than a few out here in Montebello/East L.A. about this issue. There is a certain irony of seeing a Mexican trying to overcome steep odds on Mexican Independence Day weekend.

But this date is the lesser of two evils. Getting off of July 18th is akin to the Titanic steering clear of a certain iceberg. The question is, will this promotion float a month later?

NOT YET

Top Rank and Golden Boy had planned to stage a pay-per-view show on September 19th based around a fight between WBC lightweight titlist Edwin Valero and Joel Casamayor. I mean, is there any better way to celebrate Mexican Independence Day than a hook-up between a Venezuelan and Cuban? But seriously, rational thinking prevailed.

"Both Bob and I felt that it was just not enough of a pay-per-view card," said Schaefer. "We just didn't feel that we could put the pay-per-view together where we could both feel proud about and feel good about it. So we said, 'Look, we're definitely not going to do a pay-per-view' and we basically walked away from the date, both Bob and I did. We were not planning on doing anything. We were trying hard with HBO. Bob was in New York last week to see if we could convince HBO to go live that weekend but because of budgetary reasons, they couldn't do it and so we decided we weren't going to go September 19th."

But things changed with Mayweather-Marquez being postponed.

"So obviously this happened, now, the injury, so we are holding the MGM Grand, I'm holding the pay-per-view date and we just have to see the next few days what's going to happen with Floyd."

As for Valero-Casamayor, Arum says, "We have pay-per-view dates that will probably be in October or maybe the week later in September."

Source: maxboxing.com

What's Next For Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. learned an important lesson last week while training for his comeback fight in Las Vegas. He learned he’s not a kid any more.

The 32-year-old five-time world champion was forced to postpone his scheduled return to the ring next month against Juan Manuel Marquez because of a rib injury that no one yet knows the severity of. Mayweather issued a statement saying he was disappointed about having to delay his return to boxing and Marquez issued a statement saying he was disappointed that Mayweather had disappointed him by delaying his return to boxing but would be ready whenever he is to square off at the contracted weight of 144 pounds.

What we don’t know are many things including the severity of the injury, the number of weeks Mayweather will be unable to train and, most of all, whether he really has a rib injury in the first place or whether he was just having a tough time getting some weight off from around his ribs as he fought to get back down to 144 pounds, the lowest weight he will have fought at since 2005.

Mayweather is a gym rat and almost always in condition so conditioning itself is not an issue. But at 32 he may be finding out what we all do, which is paring off the pounds is not as easy after 30 as it once was.

Then again, maybe it was simply a training injury as announced, which certainly someone trying to come back from what will now be at least 21 months of civilian life might have expected. Such setbacks when trying to remind your body of what it once was are not unusual. In fact, they are the norm. So the announcement that Mayweather had asked for a postponement was hardly earth shattering news. Butit was a reminder that comebacks for fighters over 30 are no easy task and nothing to take for granted.

It is now anticipated, although not etched in stone, that he and the soon-to-be 36 year old Marquez will face each other on Sept. 19, a Mexican Independence Day weekend which quite often features a big fight in Las Vegas with an Aztec warrior as the headliner.

Marquez (50-4-1, 37) would fit that description and the roughly $4 million he’s been guaranteed to face Mayweather seemed to insure he isn’t going any where but Las Vegas any time soon. For him the concern is deciding whether to stop and then re-start his training or stay in the hills of Mexico to continue preparing for a fight with the undefeated Mayweather without knowing quite when it will be.

This is not as easy a decision as it might seem. A break for at least several weeks would be logical to avoid going stale by over training but until a new date is set Marquez cannot know for sure if the fight will come in August, which seems unlikely, and thus would demand he keep working or October, which is possible and then would obviously result in abandoning his present camp for a brief respite before returning to hard training himself.

As for Mayweather, Golden Boy Promotions has already stated they do not believe Mayweather broke a rib, instead speculating that it is a cartilage problem which would mean bruised ribs and a layoff of several weeks while they heal.

If the fight can be rescheduled for Sept, 19 (and there will be many factors there including HBO’s schedule, the MGM’s already planned events for that very popular weekend in Las Vegas and Mayweather’s healing powers), it should be easy enough for both fighters to begin training anew.

But if it drags on for a protracted period, or if Mayweather suffers any further setbacks, problems could follow that will not be as easy to solve.

Although Marquez badly wants to face Mayweather, he also wants to be sure he has another big payday before the end of the year. If anything else were to happen to Mayweather that could delay their fight further it would put his plans in jeopardy and at his age it is not wise to linger too long away from the sport.

Mayweather faces different problems. If he fights in September he will be coming off a 21-month layoff since he destroyed Ricky Hatton in December, 2007. That is not a significant problem because of his vast skills and the fact he never really gets out of shape. The problem comes if he were to sustain some sort of second injury or re-injures his ribs and again has to step a way from training.

He would then be forced to either ask for another postponement that could lead to Marquez looking at other options (Manny Pacquiao III?) or fight at less than 100 per cent to insure he doesn’t lose a shot at Marquez, which may not be to his liking either after 21 months away from the ring.

All of this may prove to be a moot point if Mayweather simply comes back into training in a few weeks with sound body and mind. But the fact is these are the kinds of things that happen to 32-year-old fighters who leave the arena for a protracted period and then decide to come right back against top level competition.

Boxing is not like piano playing, although Mayweather quite often makes it look and sound like beautiful music when he’s at his best. It is not like riding a bike, either.

Certainly one can leave and return but two years away is a long time, especially when one is asking their body to fight at a weight (144) it has not had to get down to in over four years. The effort to do that can lead to injuries and concerns.

Maybe Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has neither. Perhaps this was a simple training injury that could happen to anyone at any age and at any time.

But when it happens to you in the midst of a comeback against one of boxing’s finest craftsmen it makes people think about a lot of downside possibilities. The fact is those exist not only for Mayweather but also for Marquez if the postponement turns out to be anything more than one of minimal duration. If that happens, who knows what will follow?

Regardless, what Floyd Mayweather, Jr. learned last week when his ribs began to ache is that starting over in boxing at 32 is not as easy as getting in it at 22.

Source: thesweetscience.com

Mayweather-Marquez: Potential new date, lots of talk

While Juan Manuel Marquez has come out and said that his postponed July 18 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be moved to September 19, the biggest stuff going on is the doubt being bandied about by boxing fans and writers.

While Mayweather's rib injury appears 100% legit, FightHype's Ben Thompson says that poor ticket sales may be just as much if not more to blame for the postponement of the bout. The 11 weeks of promotional time was pretty short, but it seems doable for a Mayweather return. They went on an immediate press blitz, but an anonymous source said bluntly, "Ticket sales suck."

I'm no conspiracy theorist, and I'm no Floyd basher, and I'm a huge Marquez fan, and I was looking forward to the fight even though I had reservations about how competitive it would be, and since I think it will still wind up happening, I maintain those reservations.

But ticket sales were bad and this fight was not measuring up to the level of anticipation I think Golden Boy and Mayweather expected. Part of this may even be blamed on "Mayweather Promotions," which was the lead promoter for this fight, not Golden Boy, but that is pure speculation on my part, and only relevant, I feel, because Mayweather and Leonard Ellerbe are not experienced at leading promotion for a card of this magnitude.

I have defended Floyd as a big star, and I still think he's a big star. But I'm ready to accept that he lost a lot of his post-Oscar, post-Hatton buzz with a series of blunders:

1. Dancing With the Stars: Yes, it's a popular show, and yes, it gave him some crossover appeal, but housewives and teen girls aren't about to follow his boxing career just because he has a winning smile. This is the least of the three, since I don't think it mattered much either way.
2. WrestleMania: I've said before I grew up a huge pro wrestling fan, still enjoy the older stuff I've always loved, and that I have no real beef with pro wrestling. But pro wrestling -- while hugely popular in fad periods -- is just not all that popular right now and I don't think it did him any favors. He went from talking about fighting in the UFC to pretend fighting The Big Show, you know? He could have been continuing his successful boxing career as the big dog, but instead he went to Monday Night Raw to cut rotten promos.
3. Retirement: No one bought it, it wasn't real, and all it did was cool his jets. I don't believe for one second he intended to never fight again.

Mayweather had fans, and still has them, but do I think he's really any bigger of a gate draw than Pacquiao right now? No, I don't. Probably less of one, in fact. I don't even think Mayweather could sell a Madison Square Garden fight the way Miguel Cotto can.

He's not the star he thinks he is. And I've said this before, but I think the biggest reason he "retired' was a not-even-lukewarm response from fans and press about his rematch with Oscar de la Hoya. Never forget that that fight was a go -- they had the press tour lined up. Suddenly, Mayweather retired. Why? What changed?

No one wanted that fight. And I don't think there's a whole lot of interest past Mexican fans when it comes to Mayweather-Marquez. It definitely isn't the huge fight HBO and Mayweather and Golden Boy thought it was going to be. You can talk about the economy, and it has a part in this, but people came out for Pacquiao-Hatton and bought the fight in big numbers.

Was an "ehhh" response from those in and around boxing partly to blame for Mayweather-Marquez getting pushed back? I'm not one to be sure about these things, but I think there could be something to it. If Mayweather-Pacquiao is to eventually happen, Mayweather will go out of his way to leverage the lion's share of the split. A poor financial showing with Marquez would've really hurt his position, no matter if or how he won the fight.

It's food for thought, at the very least.

badlefthook.com

Fraud Ribfaker? Baby Back Mayweather

Clouds of suspicion linger. They look like circulus nimbus clouds to me.They are thick clouds, ones that can only be cleared away by that rarest of boxing commodities, the truth.

Comment of the day here comes from "Pinoy Idol," who posts up better than LeBron James and Kobe Bryant combined with this gem.

"Mayweather's baby back ribs are slathered with Pacman duck sauce!"

Good one, Pinoy Idol, you made me laugh. But back to the truth...

I don’t mean the old r&b group, Undisputed Truth.

I mean the truth, the whole truth and nothing but…

Otherwise, this flimsy story about Fraud Ribfaker, I mean Floyd Fairweather or whatever his real name is and his supposed rib cartilage damage is going to explode into a scandal bigger than Richard Nixon’s disastrous Watergate burglary.

Below the clouds all I can see is smoke and mirrors. And I don’t mean the swirling but savory smoke of pork or beef ribs on the grill.

Here are this morning’s burning questions as to Ribgate:

1. Who was the sparring partner whose mighty left hook to the ribs left Mayfaker aching?


2. When exactly did the injury occur? All we know now is it was last week. (In photo above, Tricky Dick Nixon demonstrates the powerful right uppercut that he used against all foes, real or imaginary.)


3. Why isn’t the name of any doctor mentioned? Why the secrecy? Is this whole thing as fishy as the "election" in Iran?


4. How come Mayweather’s mouthpiece, Laughing Lenny Ellerbe, has gone to complete radio silence? Come to think of it, he’s from Washington so maybe he knows about clandestine activity and resulting cover-ups.

5. Did the sparring partner get a hefty bonus or was he immediately fired? Again, what is the name of the man who shot undefeated Liberty Valance?


6. Can we get a name, one name, of one actual ticket buyer, one real person who paid for a ducat for Marquez-Mayweather July 18? Persistent Vegas drumbeats have it that less than 300 tickets went through the sticky wickets. You couldn’t pay for one round of golf for Mr. De La Hoya at the Riviera Country Club with that chump change.


7. Has any medical documentation been requested by or given to Keith Kizer at the Nevada commission? If not, why not? The public has a right to know.


8. Will the Mayweather camp try to negotiate a complete ban on hitting above the belt but below the chin if and when PBF fights Pacific Storm Pacquiao? In simpler terms, no body shots allowed?


9. Who is the wise guy who labeled Mayweather’s x-rays “Belly of the Beast?”


10. Are the x-rays, if any, being kept hermetically sealed in a huge jar of mayonnaise inside a vault at the offices of Golden Boy Promotions?

Source: examiner.com

Mayweather is the 'CREAM' of the boxing crop

Starting on July 19, it could turn into a long, hot and boring summer for boxing’s CREAM of the crop, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

What does this mean CREAM of the crop? Thanks for asking me, my Pinoy and non-Piny pals.

C is for Cash as PBF is obssessed, as we all know, by filthy lucre.
R is for how his financial obsession rules his way of life.
E is for how this Money May Madness covers everything in his existence.
A is for everything around him.
M is for his favorite pronoun, me, me, me, me, me, me.
So put it together and he is CREAM, Cash Rules Everything Around Me.
So let’s suppose his comeback bout July 18 in Las Vegas, where live gate tickets are moving like half dead turtles or coldcakes, sees him beating back the Mexican Mediget, Juan Manuel Marquez.
By then, we will already know that Manny Pacquiao, to whom God, Country and personal pride are just as important as money if not more so, will be fighting Miguel Cotto or someone else not named Mayweather in October.
After that bout, Pacman will recharge his batteries briefly and then jump into his second political foray back home.

What then does Mayweather do?
I have a few suggestions:
1. Watch paint dry.
2. Go fishing every day in a dry creek.
3. Play hopscotch in the Nevada desert.
4. Learn some humility.
5. Find even smaller Mexicans to abuse.
6. Look up “modesty” in the dictionary.
7. Try to have a conversation without using “me” and “cash cow” as constant references.
8. Explain how and why he carried Ricky Flattened for 10 rounds.
9. Horror of horrors, fight a true welterweight named Sugar Shane Mosley.
10. Gargle with razor blades.


Souce: examiner.com

Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Juan Manuel Marquez Quick Facts

Floyd Mayweather Jr's fight against Juan Manuel Marquez is being called “Number One/Numero Uno.” The 12-round welterweight bout will take place July 18th at MGM Grand in Las Vegas , Nevada and can be seen on HBO PPV. You can catch the telecast in HD-TV (Super High Quality). Check your local Cable or Satellite Dish Provider for more details. The PPV event has a suggested retail price of $49.95.

The fight is being promoted by Floyd Mayweather Jr's company, Mayweather Promotions alongside Oscar De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions and in association with Juan Manuel's company, Marquez Promotions.

The fight is being sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines.


Source: doghouseboxing.com

Mayweather, Marquez to invite Obama, Calderon to their fight

Floyd Mayweather Jr. will come out of retirement to fight Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 in Las Vegas in a promotion called "Number One" or "Numero Uno."

And each hopes to have his nation's No. 1 fan at the fight.

Mayweather will invite President Barack Obama to the fight, and Marquez, from Mexico, will invite President Felipe Calderon to the mega-fight at the MGM Grand (HBO pay-per-view, 9 p.m. ET).

"It would be amazing to have President Obama ringside for my fight," said the undefeated Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs), who hasn't fought since knocking out Ricky Hatton in December 2007.

"With all of these patriotic holidays coming up, and the fact that I met him when he was campaigning to become President, I wanted to extend an invitation to the fight as my congratulations for his knock-out victory."

Marquez was equally excited about the possibility, however slim it may be, of Calderon showing up in Las Vegas.

"President Calderon is a true statesman for our country and it would be an honor for me to have him come to the fight," said Marquez. "Mayweather is the biggest challenge of my career and having my president there to witness my victory that night would be bigger than the victory itself."

Mayweather didn't stop at the president. He also invited Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Senate Majority Leader and a longtime supporter of boxing, to the fight. Reid hosted Mayweather in Washington after the fighter defeated Oscar de la Hoya in May 2007.

Mayweather, a 1996 U.S. Olympian, hopes his return will breathe new life into American boxing. With the exception of the likes of Bernard Hopkins, Chad Dawson, Shane Mosley, Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams, most of the sports' champions nowadays seem to be from outside the U.S., even though many currently reside and train in the U.S.

Mayweather has felt a sudden surge of patriotism in retirement. He has wrapped his Las Vegas-based boxing gym with an American flag and will host an early July Fourth barbecue for kids in Las Vegas on July 1 when he opens training camp.

"I embrace my patriotism and feel boxing has lost a bit of its 'American' luster, which I intend to change immediately," says Mayweather. "We have dominated the sport which, like the United States, has always stood for hard work and dedication, and I intend to use my comeback as a way to bring it back around and remind everyone that the best fighters are American and it will always stay that way."

Mayweather says he intends to put his patriotism to the test during the upcoming Flag Day (Sunday), and Fourth of July holidays.

"The American flag is a symbol of everything my family and I stand for," says Mayweather. "I live in the best country in the world, and on Flag Day and the Fourth of July I'm going to show off my American pride."

HBO's award-winning all-access reality series 24/7 returns with Mayweather/Marquez 24/7 on Saturday, June 27 at 9:30 p.m. ET for the first of four episodes.

Source: usatoday.com

Mayweather Jr. vs. JM Marquez: Is 'Pretty Boy' the True Numero Uno?

An ordinary house fly is an amazing and athletic insect. If you've ever tried to catch one, you know first hand that swinging at it in mid air—or trying to swat at it—can be an extremely frustrating task.

When approaching it, the passive fly seems to be calmly grooming itself, and it remains totally fearless of the oncoming danger.

The reason is because it senses you; it has its own built-in radar and will be whisked away on a blanket of air—created by your swing—long before your hand is able to hit the illusive pest.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is quite possibly the greatest defensive boxing specialist in the history of the sport.

With Muhammad Ali and Pernell Whittaker being the possible exceptions, I can't think of anyone else who can duck, counter, shoulder roll, and pick off his opponent's shots with their gloves the way Pretty Boy does.

Much the same as the frustrating and illusive house fly, Mayweather also seems to sense his opponents are determined to get inside and, when they do, he dominates them with short hooks and lethal uppercuts.

It's a daunting task, but in order to beat this style of fighter, first you must penetrate his defense and then you have to hit him; and hitting Mayweather with a clean shot is akin to hitting a hummingbird on steroids, by comparison.

These defensive tactics frustrate his opponents into committing mistakes they ordinarily wouldn't make.

Then in the blink of an eye, he makes them pay for their errors. With lead right hands, he hit Arturo Gatti with three in rapid succession, breaking the tough Italian-Canadian brawler down mentally and physically.

Mayweather is one formidable boxer—a welterweight dynamo clearly deserving of much more respect than he is getting lately.

Before Manny Pacquiao gained the throne by knocking Ricky Hatton senseless in two rounds, it was many fans' opinions (including mine) that Juan Manual Marquez was at boxing's summit, and that he was possibly the true No. 1 among the world's pound-for-pound boxers.

When Mayweather came out of retirement, it wasn't due to anything Shane Mosley or Pacquiao had done. It was because Marquez called him out on national TV in front of a world wide audience.

And still, the Mayweather detractors—and there are many—seem to think that he is ducking and dodging fighters in his own 147-pound welterweight class.

Nothing can be further from the truth.

He is simply returning and facing the toughest fighter he can face. Without an interim tune up match, he is more determined than ever to get back what is rightfully his.

The fighters who have tried to defeat this classic boxer-puncher is long and storied and some great Boxing surnames adorn its pages—to infer that he is a cowardly fighter who alludes other pugilists is utterly ludicrous.

Manfredy, Gatti, Judah, De La Hoya, Hatton and the late Diego Corrales all found out the hard way that nobody thus far has been able to emerge triumphant over the great Mayweather.

So what about Marquez? Is he up to it?

On the 18 feet of battle field which is the squared circle, Marquez is a Sherman tank—he can take a direct hit, fall down, and keep on coming. His two previous wars with Manny Pacquiao demonstrate to us that trying to break his will and stamina can prove to be a frustrating endeavor.

Marquez knows he was cheated out of two wins against Pacquaio—by judges who smelled of that Vegas stink—and he isn't about to let it happen again.

Juan Man, as he is affectionately called, feels that he is owed something. And on July 18, look for him to try and collect it.

However, it is my opinion that Marquez will try to out-box Mayweather, like he did with Pacquiao. Even though Pretty Boy could someday be beaten by somebody, somehow, it will not be because he was out-boxed.

Nobody's going to out-box him, at least not anytime soon.

Source: bleacherreport.com

Abner Mares To See Action on Mayweather-Marquez

Bantamweight prospect Abner Mares (18-0, 11KOs) will see action on the undercard to Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mares recently signed up with manager Frank Espinoza, who brought Israel Vazquez, Martin Castillo and Enrique Sanchez to world titles among others.

The opponent is unknown at the moment. Espinoza says the fighter will be tested because he wants to get him a world title shot in the near future.

"The opponent will be known later on. What I can tell you right is that it will be a quality opponent, because my direction is to get him an opportunity for a the world championship and might come later this year or in 2010," Espinoza told ESTO.

Espinoza is not looking to rush Mares into anything. He wants to build him and get him the proper experience before they take it to the next level.

"There are big plans. He's a very techincal fighter and the first agenda is to bring Abner along slowly," Espinoza said.

Source: boxingscene.com

Marquez or Mayweather Jr. is Pacquiao’s only option

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao only has one option to settle his pending issues with either Juan Manuel Marquez or Floyd Mayweather Jr. and that is to face each of them separately inside the ring.

Marquez has been aching for a rematch after losing by split decision against Pacquiao last year while Mayweather Jr. wants to reclaim his former pound-for-pound title that the Filipino boxing icon currently holds.

Mayweather Jr. came out of retirement to fight Marquez on July 18 and Pacquiao would closely watch the outcome of the match with the intention of facing the winner in his last bout before entering the political ring.

A host of big name fighters are also after Pacquiao.

With the likes of Sugar Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto, Edwin Valero, Michael Katsidis, and recently the controversial Antonio Margarito want a piece of the reigning International Boxing Organization (IBO) welterweight champion.

But Pacquiao can’t and won’t fight all of them since he has already made it known that he is only good for one final bout.

He plans to retire afterwards to seek a congressional post in Saranggani, his wife’s home province, in the 2010 national elections.

Pacquiao is eyeing to return to the ring in October or November with his two-round demolition of Briton Ricky Hatton still fresh on the minds of boxing fans.

Before making his choice for his final fight, Pacquiao is said to be waiting for the results of the Cotto-Joshua Clottey match on June 13 and the Mayweather Jr. and Marquez bout on July 18 before making his choice for his final fight.

And if ever Mayweather gets past Marquez, a possible fight with Pacquiao might not push through because of money matters.

Mayweather has made it known that Pacquiao won’t get a 50-50 purse split adding that it is him who brings in the money to his blockbuster fights.

A Pacquiao-Mayweather bout would keep the cash registers ringing for both fighters and their promoters where fight fans, not only in Las Vegas, would scramble for tickets. The fight, if it happens, would rake in huge pay-per-view buys around the globe.

Pacquiao’s camp, particularly promoter Bob Arum and trainer Freddie Roach, previously stated that the Filipino ring icon deserves the lion’s share (60-40) in his next fights, being boxing’s top draw.

But Mayweather downplayed Pacquiao’s claim to a bigger pie saying that he had bigger PPV buys against two common rivals, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, where he raked in a combined 3.43 (million) PPV buys. – GMANews.TV

Source: gmanews.tv

Tecate Pulls On The Gloves For Mayweather-Marquez

Cerveza Tecate is primary sponsor of the upcoming professional pay-per-view boxing fight that will be Floyd Mayweather's first bout since coming off a year in retirement.

For its sponsorship of Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Tecate will offer a $25 mail-in-rebate discount for the HBO Pay-Per-View event with the purchase of a 12-pack or larger of Tecate.

Tecate will also present an offer to save up to $30 in snacks and party supplies, with the purchase of $100 worth of groceries at participating stores. The beer brand will also co-promote the fight with TV and radio ads, as well as POS elements and posters with fight details.--Karl Greenberg

Source: mediapost.com

First World Title: Juan Manuel Marquez

By the time of his second attempt at a world title Juan Manuel Marquez was in a peculiar position: he was one of the most respected fighters in the sport yet had never held a major belt. He was mentioned in quite a few top 20 pound for pound lists (like Maxboxing founders Steve Kim and Doug Fischer) and was considered, along with Floyd Mayweather and Bernard Hopkins as one of the best ring technicians in the sport. Yet superstardom eluded him.

Though he was a fixture at the old Great Western Forum in Los Angeles and impressed with his devastating combination of defense and offense, he was still poorly managed and he was seen as a high risk-low reward boxer, which resulted in many of the top fighters in the sport not wanting to step into the ring with him (most notably Prince Naseem Hamed refused to fight him even though he was his WBO mandatory). However, after years of victories Marquez finally got his shot at a world title when he took on WBA Featherweight champion Freddie Norwood.. It was his chance to finally earn what many thought was his destiny, but in the end it wasn’t meant to be as Freddie Norwood won a unanimous decision in a fight that Marquez probably won. The loss was bad enough but the major problem lied in the fact that even though he was deserving of the belt he got knocked down then proceeded to give the audience a cautious and pedestrian performance in an utterly god-awful fight. In summary: Marquez not only didn’t hold a belt, but didn’t gain any fans which allowed him to be shut out from the big names around the lower weight classes. From that point he had to earn his way back to the top and went on a string of impressive victories, culminating in stopping future world champion Robbie Peden in 9 rounds to earn a shot at the vacant IBF Featherweight title against former world champion Manuel Medina. Three and a half years after laying an egg in his first title try, this was Marquez’s chance to not only win a world title and lead to bigger title fights. He not only needed to win, but show the world why he was indeed, as some were already proclaiming, one of the best pugilists in the game. And Marquez made the most out of his opportunity.

When the bell rang to begin the fight both went directly towards center ring and spent the first couple of seconds waiting the other out, yet it was Marquez who was the more aggressive of the two, starting off with firing straight right crosses and hooks to the body. Medina remained cautious in the opening stanza firing mostly a slow rangefinder jab. The problem was for all of his caution; Marquez was already beginning to solve him. He timed his occasional right cross with his head movement, and then when Medina went to the jab he would counter with his own jab followed directly behind a right cross. A minute into the fight Medina threw a jab, but Marquez immediately fired off a rocket fast left-hook-to-the-body, right-hook-to-the-body, and-a-double-left-hooks-to-the-head combination. The first punch was partially blocked but the last three landed flush and the last punch stunned Medina for a half second. Ten seconds later Marquez countered a Medina body-jab with a straight cross to the head then lead and connected with two lead left hooks to the body. With a minute left in the round Marquez’s offensive arsenal was beginning to fully emerge as he was countering to the head and the body with left hooks, right crosses, double jabs and uppercuts. The first round wasn’t even completed yet Marquez wasn’t having any problem countering and landing with his crisp combinations. The bell finally rang and gave Marquez a very easy round, and for Medina the worst was yet to come.

The second round began and nothing of note happened for the first seconds until Medina threw a right cross. Marquez blocked it then turned his knuckles to land a follow up left hook that badly stunned Medina, then followed up with a massive right cross that sent Medina falling yet he was unfortunate to still be standing and Marquez connected with a left uppercut to the head. Medina fell over like he had been hit by a baseball bat. Yet event though badly hurt, he was able to regain his senses and got up at 8. Marquez began to advance trying to end it early, while Medina for a few seconds got on his bicycle. However, Medina made a massive mistake: he decided to fight. Instead of continuing to run or at least tie up Marquez, he elected to stand at center ring. This played directly to the hands of Marquez as he was able to play target practice.

Marquez now back at center ring landed a lead left hook to the head followed by a right cross. Medina threw a jab, and again Marquez landed a left hook and a right cross then punctuated it with a left hook that slammed Medina’s head backwards. Medina then went into retreat against the ropes, but Marquez landed another right handed uppercut then a right cross. Medina was able to survive the onslaught and went back into center ring yet whenever he threw a punch, Marquez was able to counter him. And that round Marquez was seemingly landing with everything to all parts of his opponent’s body. The last minute of the round featured very little offense as Marquez, seemingly tired, going into a prevent offense while playing defense on the ropes. This allowed Medina a chance to get off on his offense, but Marquez was able to avoid most of his power shots by using his deft head movement and was still able to land some counters on his own. The second round ended with Marquez achieving a 10-8 round and assuming complete control of the fight. However, despite being totally dominant in the first two rounds of the fight, Marquez took his foot off of the gas pedal to start the third.

For the entirety of the third round it featured Marquez intentionally going into a shell while Medina becoming the aggressor. The former champion began throwing more one-twos and was showing tremendous resolve and poise after taking so much punishment in the first two rounds. But there was a major problem: his aggression wasn’t effective.

While he pressed forward and tried to get something flowing, Marquez, even in defense, was still landing the harder more devastating shots. Instead of a “second wind,” this was merely just an example on how even when he isn’t going at 100 miles an hour, Marquez was a legitimate ring artist. Then in the fourth round it was time for Marquez to get back to bringing the pain.

Medina was playing the aggressor and landed his best punch of the fight, a right cross to face of Marquez, but in the mid point of the round Marquez landed a right cross that badly wobbled Medina. Medina tried to run away but then fell straight in line with Marquez’s follow up right hook. Both men were able to get back at the center of the ring, and again Medina regained enough of his senses to continue coming forward and throwing….and continually eating Marquez’s counters. Then when fifteen seconds to go in the round Marquez landed another counter right cross and was staggered yet again, but this time Marquez was going in for the kill. He landed a three punch combination while Medina was teetering on the brink of collapse. God only knows what kept him from getting knocked down, but he was able to hold on and survive the round, but when it was over his nose was pouring blood and his eyeballs were swelling. Marquez was now fully in control and his world title was in his sights.

The next two rounds turned into a repeat performance as it was Marquez putting on an amazing performance. He was using the ring, spinning Medina around, using head movement to slip punches then firing back with those counters that always landed flush with damaging results. For people who had never seen him fight it was the proof why so many were afraid to fight him. As for Medina he was game and courageous, but he was getting the shit kicked out of him. That is how a lot of these title winning efforts seems to go for the pound-for-pounders; while the challenger is putting on an awesome show, the former champ or (other challenger for the vacant crown such as Medina) usually is forced to taken a brutal ass kicking. Medina was following that script to near perfection as he wasn’t even competitive. Round five was another clear Marquez round and round six was so one sided in favor for the soon-to-be-champ that it could have been scored a 10-8 even without a knockdown. At the end of the sixth, Medina’s right eye was totally shut and the end was near.

Round seven began with Marquez and Medina being very tentative while the exchanged punches from a distance. Then Marquez went directly into the ropes, and Medina began throwing punches for ten seconds. But then Marquez spun the former champion around with a grazing left hook, then the follow up left hook landed flush, and sent Medina down again for a second time. Medina got up and was ready to fight on, but the referee, Robert Byrd walked Medina to the ring doctor to take a look at his swollen right eye. The doctor didn’t even hesitate and called the fight over and Marquez had earned a TKO in seven rounds and laid claim to his first world title. Yet more than the world championship that he won it was the culmination of a long road for the Mexican stylist.

Nearly four years after laying an egg in the Norwood fight and three years of not getting his much deserved title shot at Prince Naseem Hamed, Marquez put forth the most dominant performance of his career when it mattered the most. Make no mistake either, while the fights with Marquez and Pacquiao were more significant, this was JMM at his most complete in terms of offense and defense. From that point on he was a legitimate star and the best was yet to come.

Epilogue:

In the summer of that same year Marquez would make his first successful defense of his world title by taking out Marcos Licona is 9 rounds. Up next was a unification match with WBA titlist Derrick Gainer in November. In what turned out to be an absolutely awful fight (all of it should be blamed on Gainer’s running and unwillingness to fight), Gainer would suffer accidental headbutt that created a massive gash over his left eye. The fight went to the judges and Marquez win the fight via Technical Decision. Then in May of 2004 he would have the definitive fight of his career against his nemesis Manny Pacquiao. Dropped three times in the first round (and I am still shocked to this day that the fight wasn’t stopped after the third knockdown), very few expected Marquez to make it to the final bell. However, he showed his fighter’s heart by coming back and dominating some rounds of the fight with his boxing ability. In my opinion he won 7 out of the last 11 rounds. When the fight went to the judges it was automatically declared a draw. After the fight his stock had never been higher and fans expected a rematch and the negotiations for the fight started immediately. But this is when his career turned for the worse.

Poor management decisions by his trainer/ manager Nacho Beranstein priced him out of the rematch with Pacquiao for two years, and while the Filipino superstar was making his march up the Pound-for-Pound ranks, Marquez was successfully defending his title on the undercard to other big name fighters (such as his near shutout of Victor Polo on the undercard of Corrales-Castillo I). Then in 2006, when discussions of a rematch between Pacquiao and Marquez got heated again, Marquez, under the advice of Berenstein, decided to balk at a reported $700,000 purse. Instead he would lead his protégé to the greatest example of boxing mismanagement by taking on his mandatory, Chris John, for a mere $30,000 dollars and in John’s home country of Indonesia. Marquez would end up losing the fight, even though most people who watched the fight believed he won the fight by a comfortable margin. However, the John loss seemed to reinvigorate he gave some of his most aggressive and exciting performances in years.

In August of that same year, Marquez would stop Terdsak Jandaeng to claim the WBO version of the Featherweight title and then ended the year by successfully defending his title with a 9th round KO of Jimrex Jaca. Then in March of ’07 Marquez would move on in weight to face countrymen and future hall-of-famer Marco Antonio Barrera for the WBC and lineal 130 pound title. Marquez put on another tough performance as he was able to garner a unanimous decision victory. He then finished the year with shutting out Rocky Juarez in November, which finally culminated with his long awaited rematch with Pacquiao. In another great fight, Marquez was able to survive being badly hurt by an early knockdown and comeback in the fight and stagger the Filipino great with counters. Yet when the cards were read Marquez lost a razor close decision that could have gone either way. Of course losing his title in such a very competitive way against one of boxing’s all-time greats didn’t affect his standings in the fans and writers pound for pound lists and he then got back on track by going up in weight and defeating Joel Casamayor for the linear Lightweight title. Then to start out this year he had the fight of the year so far in erasing a four round deficit and stopping Juan Diaz for the WBA and WBO versions of the Lightweight title.

Now as he gears up for his big money showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. next month, and even though he is past his physical peak Marquez’s stock as an attraction among boxing fans has never been higher. Most spectators of this sport will agree that he is top five pound for pound, and because of the slight slippage of his defensive prowess, his devastating offense is still in tact and he has become one of the most exciting fighters in the sport, and is set to make 3 million dollars for the aforementioned fight with Floyd Mayweather. Whether he wins the fight or loses, his place among the best fighters of his generation is secute, and this would have never come to fruition if it wasn’t for rising to the occasion in his second world title fight.

Source: eastsideboxing.com

Juan Diaz Will Not Be on Mayweather vs. Marquez

BoxingScene.com was advised that former lightweight champion Juan Diaz will not appear on the July 18 undercard to Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez. From what I was told, the opportunity was first present several weeks ago to Diaz by Golden Boy Promotions, and he accepted. Then for whatever reason, Mayweather Promotions did not approve Diaz for the card. After some time had passed, something changed and Diaz was once again approached to appear on the Mayweather-Marquez card against Rolando Reyes. By this time Diaz's camp declined, feeling that his time to prepare for the date was not adequate and they didn't want to rush his camp.

Diaz, as far as he knows right now, is going to appear on August 22 on HBO. The location and the opponent is up in the air. From what I was told, HBO will approve Rolando Reyes for the Mayweather-Marquez undercard but not for the televised card in August. There is also some talk of moving the August show from Houston, Texas to a venue in California, where Robert Guerrero [also slated for the card] would be a bigger draw and the likely headliner. David Diaz was another opponent in the mix to fight Juan. Top Rank [who have David Diaz] plans to put on a show for the same date and they don't want their fighter to go against their card.

Paulie Malignaggi was an opponent who was mentioned early on. At the time he was more interested in fighting Mike Alvarado. That fight fell apart. Now Malignaggi would like to fight Diaz. HBO wants a triple-header for that date but I heard the network is not offering a lot of money to make the card competitive. There have been reports that Michael Katsidis will also see action on the card, but strong sources in Australia tell me that Katsidis will NOT appear on the show.

Source: boxingscene.com

Floyd Sr: "Mayweather Batters Marquez Like Gatti"

Trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. views the July 18 showdown between his son Floyd Mayweather Jr, and WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, as a one-sided mismatch. He compares the fight to his son's one-sided beatdown of Arturo Gatti from 2005. Mayweather pounded Gatti for six rounds before the fight was stopped. He says the fight is so one-sided that he can't believe HBO placed it on pay-per-view. Marquez moves up be nearly two weight divisions to meet Mayweather at and agreed-upon weight of 144-pounds.

“The Marquez fight is going to be nothing more than what you have seen before. Do you remember the Arturo Gatti fight? Well then if you can remember the Gatti fight, you’ve already seen the Marquez fight in advance. It is going to be the same thing all over again," Floyd Sr told John Martinez of DogHouseBoxing.com.

"They should not be telling the public to pay up extra money for this fight. It should be on regular HBO instead of PPV. There is a bad economy out there and we all know what is going to happen already.”

He says Marquez is going to make the fight and get caught by the counter-punching ability of Floyd Jr.

“Marquez is a Mexican. He doesn’t want to look bad. He is going to come forward and make the fight. Mexicans always come to fight. But when he does, he is going to get clipped. He isn’t going to counter punch. Trust me. This is a tune up fight for my son,” Floyd Sr said.

Source: boxingscene.com

MAYWEATHER - Can anyone really beat the best fighter of his generation?

By Conor Ward - Many have tried – all of them have failed. A few lucky lesser lights met their end early on in proceedings, caught out and flattened by the blinding speed of a sharp right hand or a stinging left hook. Others fared a little better, forced to hit the showers midway through the schedule after a brutal and unrelenting accumulation of punishment. Some managed to reach the sanctity of the final bell, though they too arrived at that same inevitable fate and had that big eye-soaring ‘L’ chalked up next to their name. And so after a pro career which spanned eleven years the first time around, that ‘L’ remains nowhere to be seen on the ledger of one Floyd Mayweather Junior / “Pretty Boy Floyd” / “Money Mayweather.” Call him whatever you like, but just call him the best while you’re at it.

And so on July 18th at the MGM Grand, it falls to Mexico’s best current fighter and pound-for-pound number two Juan Manuel Marquez to take a stab at a task which is - if not quite in the impossible category – at the top end of the difficulty scale in matters sport.. However, there has been a notion touted around that Floyd has taken a bit of a soft option in facing Marquez on his ring return.

Everyone who is involved or takes more than a passing interest in the fight game knows well that the 35-year-old from Mexico City is nobody’s fool. Yes, he is moving up from lightweight to welterweight to face Mayweather, a considerable step up, and that places him at a disadvantage. But this is no easy “warm-up” for Floyd to take on his return. “Dinamita’s” two stellar performances against current pound-for-pound top dog Manny Pacquiao - whether you take the view that he was the rightful winner of those fights or not – are proof enough of that.

But as for Marquez actually winning the fight, well, that’s another matter. He’s a fine technician, but he’s not a massively explosive hitter. Could he really deliver a knockout punch, or even a very damaging shot, against a defence as watertight as Floyd’s? That would seem a big ask. The size difference is obviously against him, so he certainly won’t be bossing Floyd around the ring. Then again Marquez is fast-handed, but as fast as Floyd? Highly doubtful. He’s skillful too, but more skilled than Floyd? I think not.

Marquez does have the strategy, skill and will to ask any opponent lots of questions, but we’ve seen this before, haven’t we. If Floyd doesn’t know the answers to those questions before the fight, he invariably figures them out along the way with the aid of good old Uncle Roger. Whilst he has not always dominated his opponents right from the off, his remarkable natural stamina, along with his ability to stay relaxed and pace himself throughout a 12-round contest, gives him a quite distinct advantage in the championship rounds. To use Floyd’s own words from previous verbal wars, he might just “take him to deep waters and then drown him.”

And if Marquez can’t do it, then who can? The obvious answer screaming back now is that Pacquiao can. That is undoubtedly the fight we are all craving to see, but I still can’t avoid the feeling that the euphoria being generated by his meteoric and undeniably impressive rise to superstardom will ultimately be quietly crushed by the cool crafty skills and calculating mind of Mayweather.

He’s already widely - though not universally - regarded as the best fighter of his generation, though his critics always choose to talk up the credentials of the fighter he hasn’t faced in order to detract from his record. But Money talks too – never shy about referring to himself in the most reverend of tones, though his best talking is always done inside the ropes.

As a big admirer of what he’s all about as a fighter, I’m personally just hoping to see Floyd in as many fights as possible against the very best opponents. After Marquez, give him Pacquiao, give him Mosley, give him Cotto, even give him Paul Williams and Kelly Pavlik. My bet is that he can beat any and all of them, simply because he’s the best in so many ways – quicker, smarter, more skilled, superior (That old Carly Simon number “Nobody does it better” comes to mind!)

Oft-maligned but still untarnished, Mayweather’s second coming may prove even more impressive than his first. Let all the detractors come out again with sharpened critical blades, pens and keyboards. Let all the other top pugilists lace on the gloves and give it their best shot.

And what’s to say that the 0 still won’t go?


Source: eastsideboxing.com