No rest for Mayweather until he fights Pacquiao

As if Floyd Mayweather isn't having enough of a rough time of it lately, it now appears that even a peaceful shopping trip surrounded by his entourage and team of enormous bodyguards is beyond him.

Out and about on New Year's day Mayweather faced chants of "Pacquiao, Pacquiao!" from several fans, and even taunts about his height, something he not so long ago mocked Pacquiao for.

Keeping his composure and going about his business, Mayweather didn't outwardly seem to be that bothered, but judging from his recent outbursts, from his profanity laced racial tirade on Ustream to his recent berating of a security guard outside his mansion with little provocation, the lack of respect he gets from fans is getting to him.

The year ahead for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather

 

Manny Pacquio and Floyd Mayweather are undeniably still the biggest names in boxing today, irrespective of the fact that one has only a few fights left before retirement to a life of politics and that the other might never fight again due to his out of ring temper. But after a year that saw Mayweather fight just once, and Pacquiao begin to run out of opponents that share the Top Rank promotional banner, the year ahead looks less certain.

Mayweather never came around, Pacquiao the best fighter in the world

By: Albert Alvarez

For over 2 years now, the boxing world and even those that don’t follow the sport closely have been craving to see the #1 and #2 best pound for pound fighters in the sport go head to head against one another. To those bent on time with little patience, the over all feeling is to just drop all talks because the fight may never happen.

Wasted breath on a evaporated thought is what many are saying today. Do I want to see the fight happen? Of course I do, I mean who really doesn’t want to see the two best in the sport do battle to see who in fact really is the best in the world. But for the time being we await for May 7 and occupy our attention to Pacquiao vs. Mosley.

After Mosley fought Sergio Mora, no one in their right mind thought that Mosley would ever be in position to be in a big fight ever again. No one except Mosley of course. Mosley knew the steps he needed to take to land the biggest fight out there which forced him to think outside the box. Mosley cut a sharp corner and made a few enemies but at the end of his move, Mosley hit the powerball.

If I am in contact with Mayweather Jr., I do exactly what Mosley has done and treat this as a business move. Do not mention the fight, just step to Floyd and sell it to him as a sales pitch. It is very true that Floyd has the mighty Al Haymon as his manager, but sometimes it takes more than someone who is well connected to get the job done. All the contacts in Haymon’s army don’t have enough strength to build the bridge to get us from here to there.

One must tell Floyd that like it or not, Manny Pacquiao will remain the best fighter in the world today unless you decide to get up and do something about it. Yes, Floyd you may call yourself ”Money” but it is Pacquiao who holds the straw that stirs the drink. Manny Pacquiao is the king of the boxing world, so if you feel different go ahead and step up and knock him off. You must ask yourself this, how are you going to shine while sitting on Pacquiao’s sun?

-diamondboxing

The Steroid Debate: Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley

During 2010, the issue of steroids became a hot topic in boxing.

For the second time, a lucrative bout between six-time titlist Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) and eight-division king, Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), holder of the WBO welterweight and WBC junior middleweight belts, reached a negotiations impasse over the issue.

To test or not to test. That was the general debate.

For the first time in the sport's history, Mayweather and five-time champion, Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) were subject to Olympic style drug testing of both blood and urine by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) prior to Mayweather's unanimous decision victory in May. Prior to that, only urine had been examined in boxing.

Reportedly a past user of the painkilling medicine, Xylocaine, to numb his hands, Mayweather was defended by his adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, who insisted that the fighter no longer used the substance and that his problem had been remedied by hand-wrapping guru, Rafael Garcia.

Former Nevada State Athletic Commission doctor, Margaret Goodman (pictured below, at right), advocates that blood testing, though expensive, is feasible for boxing and included it among her15 ways to improve the sport.

If it meant enforcing stricter guidelines for boxing, USADA executive chief, Travis Tygart, told FanHouse that he would embrace the opportunity to work with BALCO founder, Victor Conte(pictured below, at left), whom Tygart once referred to as, "The Evil Chemist."

In 2003, Mosley admitted to injecting the steroids, "the cream," and, "the clear," but says that he did so unknowingly after having been supplied the drugs by Conte through a relationship with his former strength trainer, Daryl Hudson. 

Floyd Mayweather JR Vs Manny Pacquiao: Still an Option

By Gina L. Caliboso

If you look at Floyd “Money” Mayweather, JR’s Facebook page, there’s usually one standard pic of him standing next to piles of cash after winning a bet, or perhaps showing his courtside/ringside seats, or even a vacay pic of himself on a yacht. Take away all the cash, take away all the pics of his beautiful self, and take away the picture of the yacht.

There is, however, one constant portrayal of Mayweather these days. And, it usually involves some sort of criminal activity. It’s sad really, but as my Managing Editor Geno McGahee points out, Mayweather, with the media help and hype of TMZ, has been portrayed as the consummate bad boy. His name equates with the criminal. But underneath it all and as I’ve always said, Mayweather needs to fight and he needs to fight soon.

So, let’s take a moment away from the name calling and criminal behavior. Let’s really take a close look at the options for Mayweather as the boxer and well, the retired boxer.

Yes, boxing fans, I said it. But it’s not laced with anything malicious. Mayweather has retired once before in his career. This is all a recollection for me. He’s been on Dancing with the Stars. He’s had a stint on WWE or something? In 2009, after his 2 years off, Mayweather came back and he agreed to fight against Mexican champ Juan Manuel Marquez. Mayweather defeated Marquez in a 12 round UD. He didn’t knock Marquez out, but did get a knockdown in the 2nd round. It’s not a bad option for Mayweather to consider retirement AGAIN – and a comeback. He’s done it before and given that fighters always seek re-invention in one form or another, it’s a possibility he can consider.

As his Facebook shows he likes to gamble, watch sports, spend time with his kids, and it seems, according to TMZ, other criminal type activities, Mayweather should maybe develop a reality television series or two. He could develop a “Meet the Mayweathers” series or even something similar to “The Contender.”

I personally wouldn’t watch the “Meet the Mayweathers” show, but would tune in to the “The Contender.” Think about it, he can have a boxing tournament similar to the “The Ultimate Fighter” where one boxer emerges to fight against “Money” Mayweather himself with the stakes being he’d give his portion of his winnings to the fighter. Both fighters of the tournament would get signed by Mayweather Promotions and have their training expenses reimbursed by Mayweather. Stranger things have happened in boxing. Look at the Curse of the Super Six Middleweight tournament. Look at the results of the Bantamweight tournament (Darchinyan loses?).

Boxing fans are getting amped by mixing up the boxing format.

Again, in all seriousness, I still find myself interested in Mayweather as a fighter. With Mayweather’s media portrayal as the bad boy of boxing, anyone fighting against him will be placed as the good boxer. It’s a contrast in personality, attitude, and boxing style. So, if Mayweather decides that retirement and reality television show development are NOT definitive options, he has some potential opponents. Yes, Pacquiao is on the list.

Hero to Haiti Andre Berto would be a competitive match for Mayweather. As the current WBC Welterweight titleholder, Berto, boxer turned humanitarian, returned to the ring on November 27 and defeated Freddy Hernandez, with a 1st round TKO. Berto connected solidly and Hernandez never found his legs. It was the fifth title defense for Berto and a rather convincing title defense that the time away from the ring didn’t affect him at all. Berto is a shorter, but stronger fighter with definite power.

As I checked rankings in the welterweight division, I actually do like the look of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez who currently ranks #4 behind Berto. In 2010, Alvarez’s started his year with a bout at welterweight against Brian Camechis and he defeated him with a 3rd round KO for NABF Welterweight title. Following this one welterweight bout, Canelo went on to fight four more times – all at light middleweight. In May, he fought against Jose Miguel Cotto and defeated him with a 9th round TKO. Two months later, he fought against Luciano Leonel Cuello and earned a 6th round win with a TKO and also became the WBC Silver Light Middleweight titleholder.

In his first defense in September, he defeated Carlos Baldomir with a 6th round KO. Finally, Canelo successfully defended his title for a second time and ended his 2010 fight year with a 12 round UD over Lovemore N’Dou. On first observation, Canelo takes his time getting started in the early rounds, but as he settles down, manages to connect with some great combinations. But he’s still a relatively young fighter at 20.

Need I even mention the final opponent possibility? Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. The two just need to fight one another. Enough said, I think. Well, a closing thought sort of. Should the fight happen? Yes. There is great appeal here – a great buildup of suspense. Good money. No losers here. Now, enough said.

However, I will give credit to Mayweather. Although having a Facebook page showing the excess of success, Money Mayweather still manages to draw us in. Mayweather is a boxer and his antics outside of the ring really amounts to just boredom. In the ring, Mayweather has shown flashes of brilliance and a boxer’s confidence. There is simply so much more he should be doing with his talent and final stage of his career. Mayweather says that he still trains and in his episodes of 24/7, he does not allow his sparring sessions to be filmed which I always found intriguing. And, a little mystery never hurt anyone.

If this is the case, Mayweather is doing exactly what he does because he can. No matter what, boxing fans and haters alike will continue to watch what he does, tune in, hate him, criticize, judge and maybe even cheer for him. But I’m hoping it won’t be because of a reality TV show, I’d just as soon see him in the ring and have people take notice for what got him notoriety in the first place – his boxing.

-ringsidereport

Arum: Pacman-Floyd no go in 2011

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum believes the highly-anticipated fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be further put aside following the arrest of the brash undefeated boxer from Michigan in Las Vegas over the weekend.

With Mayweather facing a long court case in 2011, Arum decided to pick three-time former world champion Sugar Shane Mosley as Pacquiao’s next opponent.

Mayweather was detained at the Clark Country jail Friday after he was accused of poking a security guard in the face outside his home last November. He was arrested at the posh Bellagio Resort and Casino in the Las Vegas strip.

Initially, no bail was ordered and police initially said the 32-year-old Mayweather might remain in jail pending a court date.

But Mayweather’s lawyer Karen Winckler intervened, according to an AP report, paving the way for him to be freed less than 12 hours after his arrest.

Outside of it, the former Olympic bronze medalist also faces misdemeanor battery and assault charges in Las Vegas and in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a felony coercion, grand larceny and robbery case stemming from a September dispute with his children and their mother at her home as also cited by the same wire report.

"It’s crazy. It gets crazy and crazy," said Arum, who returned to the U.S. Sunday after attending Pacquiao’s birthday celebration in General Santos City over the weekend.

"They’re out to nail him and I hope he’s taking it seriously because if he’s not taking it seriously, he can be away for a long, long stretch."

Pacquiao, who just turned 32, has nothing to say but to wish well the same man who once accused him of being under the influence of an illegal substance.

"He (Mayweather Jr.) is facing a lot of problems. I hope he can find a solution so he can get back to fighting," said the eight-time world division champion and world’s top pound-for-pound fighter in Filipino.

A Pacquiao-Mayweather fight had been twice aborted as the two camps failed to agree on the major issue of drug testing to be conducted on both fighters.  

- JVP, KY, GMANews.TV